Graphic Design

As a graphic designer, you connect your fascination and observations to those of your clients, other designers and the public.

Graphic Design educates a new generation of designers who are engaged, critical, curious and able to relate to the public and clients from an artistic and independent position. We educate makers who – by exploring the responsibility and power of graphic design – are able to relate to social, cultural, political, commercial and technological issues in contemporary society.

Graphic designers want to communicate. Give shape to information in words and images, and tell a story to a specific audience through various media. Design identity and interact with users. As a graphic designer, you connect your fascination and observations to those of your clients, other designers and the public. You want to have a presence everywhere where communication is needed.

The profession of graphic design has a long tradition. The basis of the discipline is the design of print such as books, house styles and posters. In recent decades, graphic design has broadened to include different forms of media such as websites, apps, film and video, interactive installations, exhibitions and interventions in public space. These developments mean that graphic design is rarely clear-cut. It is in the process of transformation and creates much space for innovation.

What we expect from you is an individual, always questioning, open and enterprising attitude towards the subject, towards society, the media, the Willem de Kooning Academy and, not least, towards yourself. Continuous self-reflection during your studies is a condition to arrive at a clear perspective about how you will position yourself as a graphic designer in the world.

Creating Pioneers

Our successful Graphic Design alumni include: Rens Muis & Pieter Vos (75B); Daniel van der Velden & Vinca Kruk (Metahaven); Maarten Jurriaanse & Barry de Bruin (Ping-Pong Design); Nicole Martens; Rick Vermeulen (Hard Werken); Lonne Wennekendonk (Studio Lonne Wennekendonk); Merijn van Essen & Sander van Loon (OONA); Ties Alfrink, Hugo de Pagter & Martijn Rietveld (Pony Design Club); and Janneke Absil (winner of the Drempel Award).