Home
Academic team
Our Lecturers
All our lecturers are industry practitioners and have achieved notable career successes. They are skilled and talented professionals who base their teaching on current workplace experiences.
Dave Agius
Action Scripting, Multimedia Design
Dave Agius (BA Communication Design) loves digital design, outer space,
computer code, lego, something called "Information Architecture" and
the sound of his own voice. He has been tinkering with computers since
the Commodore 64 was hot and in the past ten years has been involved in
lots of big, complicated interactive web based projects for clients you
have probably never heard of. Dave is currently the senior web
developer for Holy Cow! Design and Advertising.
Holycow.com.au
Damian Blayney
Video & Motion Graphics Production, Multimedia Design
Damian Blayney has over 14 years experience in animation, motion graphics and video production. He has produced work for clients such as ABCTV, Channel 9 and The Australian Museum, along with several Biotech and Architectural oganisations, in the visualisation of their products. With an extensive working knowledge of software tools such as The Adobe Production Suite and Softimage XSI along with Maya and FinalCut Pro Damian's experience across all areas of broadcast production give him a broad perspective on the entire digital video production process. Damian is currently researching a film project.'
Nigel Bailey
Nigel is a graphic designer and typographer with 30 years practical experience in the UK, Europe and Australia that includes creative directorships of advertising agencies, design houses and online services. For the last I0 years he has run his own creative consultancies in Europe and Australia with clients including Australia Post, CSR, Deutsche Telekom, Lumley, New Zealand Post, TDK and Walker Corporation. A graduate of Reading University, his work has been featured in professional publications and has been nominated for several industry awards.
David Briggs
Drawing and Colour
B.Sc (Hons), Ph.D, University of Queensland; Certificate IV in Training and Assessment - Hostec, Sydney
David obtained First Class Honours and a Ph.D.in Science (Geology) at the University of Queensland before a serious drawing addiction took over his life. He then studied at the Julian Ashton Art School in Sydney, where he was awarded the top drawing prize, the Dobell Scholarship, in 1995, and accepted a position teaching life drawing and anatomy at the School in the following year. He began to also teach regular workshops on colour theory at Ashton's shortly after, and recently authored an extensive website on colour and light in digital and traditional mediums, The Dimensions of Colour. www.huevaluechroma.com
At Billy Blue, David has taught design history and drawing for three years, and recently began teaching a studio sessions short course on colour in the digital environment. In addition to his thirteen years at Ashton's, David's other teaching posts include more than six years as the life drawing instructor for Disney in Australia. Despite his slavish devotion to his duties at Billy Blue, he continues to find time to draw, paint or study every day of his life.
Ian Brown
Packaging / Program Director, Communication Design
Business and Technician Education Council Certificate in Packaging
Born in Wigan, North of England. Ian was born at an early age and went to school. After many years at various schools, most of which have now been pulled down, Ian was forced to leave school and join the working classes. Ian worked for one of Europe's leading packaging design consultancies, Siebert/Head. Ian first came to Sydney in 1990 for the wedding of a long divorced pair of friends and worked with Gido Faber. This was followed by a return to the UK in 1991 to gain Australian residency, how times have changed. After a year of lecturing in packaging and three-dimensional design at Hallam University, Ian came back to Australia and worked with Next Communications, Demo Design, Isis Design and BWM before joining the hub agency firstly as a freelance designer then as a director. Ian also lectures at Billy Blue School of Design.
Maria Capsanis
Management
Bachelor of Education - Visual Arts Graduate. Certificate Marketing NSW University Sydney, Australia
Maria has 17 years industry expertise in the areas of business management, marketing management, sponsorship, sales management, sales promotion, event management, business communication and advertising. Her professional experience is in publishing, visual arts and galleries, finance, hospitality, government and education. In 1994 she founded her own consultancy, Consultant Rescue Service, assisting educational institutions, government authorities, small businesses and corporations with business management, marketing and specialised training projects.
Desiree DeKlerk
Publishing
As designer and teacher, Désirée DeKlerk has been working internationally as a visual communicator for over 20 years, creating and presenting courses that illuminate these skills in her students. Amongst others, she has designed for: The Australian Museum; The Swedish Tobacco Company; Heineken Nederland; Doubleday Book Publishers; Hanimex; Saatchi & Saatchi and the Total Design Bureau in Amsterdam. Which led to extensive experience with logo & corporate identity design and communications, publishing and packaging design, and exhibition design. Ever fascinated by colour and shape, Désirée has created beautiful fabrics and unique wearable art pieces for dancers and celebrities.
As her own client, she now launches her own projects from concept to completed product, recently publishing a book of graphic symbolism, encapsulating profound philosophical meaning about the nature of being. Désirée is working towards completing her Masters in Design & Sacred Geometry.
Paul Devonshire
Packaging and Design
Since gaining his diploma in Graphic Design from Brunel Technical College, Bristol in 1984, Paul has worked for a number of leading design companies, both in the UK and Australia. His area of speciality is brand packaging design, with experience in both graphics and structural design.
He has been in Australia since 1990, and has run his own design business - DeMo Design Consultants for the last 10 years - in the role of Design Director. He has experience with project management, design & brand implimentation, and still maintains a hands-on approach to his work in Adobe illustrator and Photoshop.
Rodney D'Silva
Animation and Illustration, Multimedia Design
Old but attractive animator: Been in animation for about 30 years but not over the hill yet.
Qualifications Certificate 4 in Assessment and Workplace Training and 30 years of animating, directing and everything else needed to run my own business which has done T.V. commercials, T.V. series and anything animated. Have now gone digital saving trees (by not using paper) with a wacom tablet and Flash to animate.
Simon Harris
Computer Rendering
Since gaining his diploma in communications from Richmond upon Thames College, London in 1979, Simon has had a variety of roles including copywriting, storyboarding, Graphic Designing and Illustration. He now works as a Computer Illustrator, which incorporates traditional illustration and design skills into computer technology. His work now includes manga-style magazine illustrations, icons for the Sydney Morning Herald, animated screen savers for Nokia mobile phones, animated interactive Christmas cards for HP Compaq computers, photo-realistic images for Sydney Olympics and NRMA, as well as more traditional coloured pencil illustrations for P&O resorts, and of course storyboards and visuals using a combination of hand drawn line and computer colouring.
Tim Jetis
Art Director / Communication Design
After studying Visual Arts, Tim left these wild shores for Europe. So strong was the seduction that he stayed for 16 years. From his dark and damp artist studio in London he moved between working as an Art Director, running his own Design Agency, doing commercial photography, and the periodic exhibition of his Art work.
This journey finally took him to Jim Henson's Creature Shop. This move to film and television fed his great passion for film, and whilst managing the Art Dept he immersing himself in the production of 3 films.
A practitioner in a variety of arenas, Tim is absorbed in the ongoing need to search for ways we see communication design.
Kuen Kam
Design (Swinburne)
Kuen has over 18 years experience in the design industry specialising in advertising, packaging, corporate IDs and publications. In 1993 he started Jellyfish Graphics, a Sydney based design studio. He has since worked with both local and international client including Australian Youth Orchestra, NIDA, Microsoft, Panasonic and Optus. As well as managing a busy studio, he is often found enjoying the life of a freelancer – providing him with an opportunity to expand his passion for design. Kuen's work has been recognised in AGDA and the Australian Writer Art Director Awards.
Suzanne Keating
Design
Suzanne has 18 years extensive design experience with print media, packaging, point of sale, Corporate Identity, Illustration, Book publishing and Web design.
Moving to London early in her career, she joined a prestigious agency concentrating on large corporate identity and packaging projects. She then moved on to a design studio concentrating on the entertainment industry, working with such clients as Polygram, Buena Vista, Fox Film and Icon. Upon returning to Sydney some years later, Suzanne took the position of creative director at a multimedia/software company. She worked for major corporate clients including Zurich, BBC, and Quicken, developing a broad range of design material. Suzanne progressed to book publishing 6 years ago, working as Art Director on a number of major titles including an award-winning atlas as well as children's titles.
She currently works in Sydney as a freelance Art Director.
Matt Leach
Visual Communications/Idea Generation/Design Fundamentals
Matt decided on design after failing to become a rock-star. In the rock world he was very much ahead of his time, not only singing but dancing as well. With moves the music press described as 'defying natural laws' and 'alien' he set about making a name for himself. It was a tough time, but Matt was determined to keep at it, knowing eventually people would come around and see his dancing as the true art form it was.
After an unfortunate accident on 'The Bert Newton Midday Show' - resulting in some audience members hospitalised – Matt decided to turn his back on an industry that refused to evolve. In was in these dark times that Matt found design, an industry that was constantly changing and always ready to accept new ideas. Matt had found his calling.
After spending many years in the industry he returned to school to take on a lecturing role. He looks forward to the teaching process and freely admits he's the best lecturer in the school, if not the world. His unique style of teaching blends traditional tutorial and interpretive dance making for an entertaining and informative class.
Amanda Lo
Communication Design
Bachelor of Design (Hons) - College of Fine Arts, UNSW
Amanda has enjoyed a diverse background since completing her multi-disciplinary Design degree.
Her career began in a corporate design studio for several years, with her focus evolving to teaching and designing for cultural institutions, where she values the experience, responsibility and opportunity to make a contribution to the community.
Amanda has enjoyed sharing her experience in print, branding, packaging, advertising, web and exhibition graphics with students at Billy Blue, and previously for five years in the School of Design Studies, College of Fine Arts, UNSW.
As the Creative Director of The Fridge, a design consultancy at the College, she directed and developed the studio as an academic/commercial facility where students participated in art and design projects commissioned by selected external clients.
When not being mistaken for a student or acting in her current role as Senior Graphic Designer at the Australian Museum, she can be found devising travel plans, attempting to learn a new language and spending too long in bookstores.
Annette Lodge
Illustration
Diploma in Graphic Design - Perth Technical College. Bachelor in Fine Art (Major in Painting) - Curtin University. Post Graduate Studio Program - Banff Centre of Fine Arts, Alberta, Canada. Annette is a highly awarded painter and illustrator. She exhibits regularly in Sydney and her work is represented in public and private collections both nationally and overseas including WA University, Mirvac Corporation, Sydney Park Royal, The Shell Collection USA, Royal Palms Casino, Vanuatu, Twin Waters Resort, Banff Centre of Fine Arts Canada. She has written and illustrated several children's books including BIRD, ABC Books which won a Notable Book award in 2006 and NATEMBA which was shortlisted for the Wilderness Society environmental award in 2008. She is currently represented in Sydney by The Drawing Book as a freelance illustrator, SOHO Galleries and ABC Books, Australian Broadcasting Commission, Australia. View Annette's website View Annette's website www.annettelodge.com
Steven Luongo
Computer Tutor
Steven Luongo developed a passion for design at the age of nineteen as a junior in a small advertising agency in North Sydney. Inspired to study Graphic Design, he went on to complete the Advanced Diploma in Graphic Design at Enmore Design Centre followed by Award School. 6 years later finds him working as the senior designer at Landini Associates in Sydney. His experience covers brand strategy, corporate identity & publications, magazines, events design, marketing/advertising, environmental design and some web design. His work in environmental design has made finalist at Melbourne DesignEx and AGDA.
David Mackay
The Branded Environment
Post
Diploma Award in Graphic Design, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art,
Fellow of The Chartered Society of Designers, London.
Founded an
award-winning design organisation with offices in London, Paris and
Beijing and has over twenty years of experience in all aspects of
branding and environmental design. David has advised multinational
brands including LVMH, Tesco, Japan Tobacco, Hennes & Mauritz,
Marks & Spencer, Dairy Farm Group, British Airports, Kodak and
Aerports de Paris. Currently living by the ocean near Sydney, David is
studying trends in Australian beach culture.
Debbie Mackinnon
Illustration
BA Graphic Design from Middlesex university UK and a Workplace Training Cert IV
Debbie MacKinnon grew up drawing and painting. She studied illustration and graphics at Hornsey College of Art/Middlesex University in London in the 1970s. On leaving college she began a career in publishing, working as Art Director for several leading London publishers. After 15 years in the corporate world, (and three children later,) she started writing and designing books for preschoolers and published over 40 titles world wide as author/designer in the next fifteen years. All that time those urges to put paint on canvas did not go away and following a move to Australia she has been inspired to take up the paintbrush again.
She
has been lecturing in Drawing and Illustration at Billy Blue School for
the past eight years. Finding her own studio space last year, has
finally made painting possible again- with the freedom to make a lot of
mess! She has exhibited her work at several Sydney Art Shows and has
had two solo exhibitions in the past year.
www.debbiemackinnon.com
Peter McGill
Typography
Peter is a typographer. He is also an art director, designer, studio manager, traffic manager and production manager. He believes his knowledge in all these areas helps him be a better typographer. He has had extensive experience in international advertising agencies in Sydney, Melbourne and London. He was a founding partner of The Engine Room. He has worked on award winning campaigns for MBF, Bankers Trust, Toyota, Australian Tourist Commission, Volvo, Nike and many more.
Mark O'Dwyer
Design Management
Over the course of nearly two decades in the field, Mark has been successful in leading clients both large and small to their business objectives through creative solutions and brand communications. He has worked in both Dublin and London before joining The Ball Group in 1999 as Creative Director.
Mark leads a team in the creation of strategic design programs, interactive initiatives and brand communication solutions for a diverse roster of clients. His clients have included: Qantas, Brambles, IAG Insurance, BHP Billiton, Macquarie Bank, Fairfax, QBE Insurance, Westfield, Woolworths, Oil Search, Freedom Group, GPT, Rio Tinto, United Group, Commonwealth Bank and Coca-Cola Amatil.
Mark actively participates in business development, assists in resource management, and has played a significant role in establishing the strategic direction of The Ball Group, ensuring that internal programs continue to support the highest level of professional development for employees.
Mark Orson
Design Management
With 20 years of experience in the industry. Mark has worked in a diverse range of disciplines including publishing, advertising, graphic design, corporate communications, business strategy and design education. As the Director of Billy Blue Creative he managed clients such as the Australian Tourist Commission, St George Bank and Telstra, amongst many others. He was also Head of School at Billy Blue School of Graphics Arts before leaving to set up his own business. Currently Mark is Business Director of The Right Group a national strategic branding consultancy specialising in brand strategy and research. Mark combines his background in marketing and strategic planning with strong financial and project management skills. He has worked in both Australia and Asia, managing and implementing large branding and corporate identity programs for a range of blue chip clients.
Graham Rendoth
Design Management
Graham is principal of Reno Design, a graphic design consultancy established in 1988. He has a BA in Visual communications. Former lives have been as design consultant to the Sydney Opera House 1979-1984 and head of design at Billy Blue 1984-1986. Recognition has been received for branding, annual reports, books, posters, typography and illustration from professional bodies including AGDA, APA, AWARD, ANZ Type Awards, National Print Awards, Leipzig Book Fair. Graham has taught at several colleges and universities. He is a painter and printmaker (showing irregularly), researches Australian design history, and is a member of AGDA, Galley Club and Viscopy.
Sol Pandiella-McLeod
Multimedia Design
Bachelor of Fine Arts & Bachelor of Design (Honours)
Inspired to create designs from a human-centred approach, Sol is a
passionate digital designer with a focus on interaction design and
brand development. Sol has worked in the design industry for over a
decade, leading design teams and interfacing with high profile clients,
on a diverse range of design projects for both digital and print
mediums. She is now design director and owner of Ful-vue, a small
boutique design studio in Sydney.
www.ful-vue.com
www.aphic.com/blog
Edwina Riddell
Drawing
BA in Graphic Design -London College of Printing, UK
Edwina's career began as an in-house illustrator for Quarto publishers in London where she worked on a large and diverse range of books. Since becoming freelance, she has also worked in the Middle-East before settling in Sydney. She has produced work for many publishing companies including Dorling Kindersley, Mitchell Beazlely, Readers Digest, Weldon Owen and also Francis Lincoln for whom she illustrated 2 series of childrens books. She has previously taught drawing and watercolour classes for adults.
Tim Rigg
Environmental Packaging & Major Project
I am a graphic designer working for Common, who is ridiculously serious about clean design and typography. I love ideas more than images/design, and I think passion is the most important weapon to a signer/communicator. I am an ex-student of Billy Blue (recent), and have been teaching here now for only a year, but I love it and really enjoy having a single group of students for a whole year project (major project) as I can see great things unfold over time.
Dave Walsh
Studio Skills
Dave has worked in all the key areas of graphic arts as a designer, art director, visualiser and illustrator. Currently he is self-employed undertaking many design projects every year. He has completed major design and publishing projects for clients such as LJ Hooker, Park Hyatt, Jones Lang Wootton, NSW State Government, Sanctuary Cove, and Australian Fashion in Osaka, Japan.
Peter Worthington
Advertising
Peter has worked as advertising creative for many years, notably with agencies such as McCann Erickson and Leo Burnett. More recently Peter worked as the Creative Director on the Aussie Home Loans account and set up his own creative consultancy. Peter has also worked for clients such as Mitre 10, Nestle and the Singapore Tourist Association. Peter has been teaching creative advertising at Billy Blue since 1998. He couples this with his outside projects including television sitcom writing, radio production, agency consultancy and working on feature films.
Peta Zoubakin
Typography for Publication, Multimedia Design
Peta's career started at age 3, when her parents were called to a meeting at the kindy. Teachers were worried that she was sitting alone inside and drawing pictures. Peta's parents told them to leave her alone and there began a wonderful journey that has so far taken her from the Queensland College of Art, to London and Paris. Her experience spans agency to publishing, small clients to large multi-nationals, new media to print. Peta's great love of both typography and magazines brought her back to Sydney where she is now a Creative Director at Emap Australia and also assists her own clients to make their first foray into the world wide web.
Bill McGuire
Bill McGuire is a freelance animator, VFX artist, composer and motion graphics designer. Originally hailing from Brisbane, he studied at QUT and the State University of New York before moving to Sydney in 2006. His resume includes work on ABC TV programs such as "Double the Fist" and "Good Game", as well as a large number of short animated films. When not lecturing, he continues freelancing work on TV programs, commercials and Screen Australia shorts.
Ruth Kirkland
With a Diploma in Fine Art from the National Art School and a Graduate Diploma in Design from UTS Ruth's career has included, painting, illustrating, graphic design, including website and animation design and product design.
The homewares label Mio Palazzo was created and the company founded by Ruth. Products, packaging, marketing material as well as photography styling, managing manufacture and domestic and international sales became core skills. More recently, work has focused on the “freepups Collective” as a concept and creative partnership with Emma Cordrey on projects, studio painting and teaching.
