Dan (Year 12) is turning his passion for design into a career pathway—blending illustration, merchandise and entrepreneurship.
During project time, Dan sketches characters inspired by some of his favourites—like Silver, Shadow, Metal Sonic, Knuckles and Untroj from Marvel—before digitally refining the designs at home. His final pieces are bold, eye-catching and showcase a distinctive graphic style that’s already earning attention.
“Design has always been my passion—from digital art to graphic design and even model railroading.”
As part of his project work, Dan has also created a sticker shop to bring his digital designs to life through real-world products. Under the banner of The Item Shop, he produces stickers, mugs and T-shirts—gaining experience in product design, pricing and sales, and learning what it takes to run a creative enterprise.
"Starting a sticker business... has allowed me to bring my designs to life and share them with others. While I still need to balance this with my school subjects, I feel fully supported here.”
Dan’s work has even been featured in school events, including a community gathering at Boo Park—an example of how The Studio School actively incorporates students’ passions into the fabric of school life.
He’s currently working towards a Certificate IV in Graphic Design at Mount Pleasant College and is exploring a range of creative pathways, from freelance design and commissions to concept art and product development. He's also in talks to get his artwork in to the Woodson's Arcade soon.
Dan uses his designated project time at TSS to focus on what he loves, with the freedom to explore different creative pursuits and grow his skills in meaningful ways.
“Design work is something I love doing, both in project time and in my own time, and it’s cool to actually turn it into something people can see or buy.”
Dan is one of many students at TSS using his project time and opportunities to gain skills and experience for the future, and we can’t wait to see where his projects take him next!
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