Byron O’HalloranB.Des Visual Communications

G’Day! I’m a visual communicator whose work is built upon the foundation of Grid and Type.

I have worked in a range of mediums so far and have taken a liking for publication, web design, coding, and branding.

I choose to use Typography as it connects strongly to my design thinking; I'm interested in the negotiation between utility and graphic aesthetic. 

At this point in my career I am looking to diversify my experience by taking some time to live in Vienna.


MISTD & AGDA Finalist


Strata Magazine Issue 02
Generative A.I.
Typography
Grid and layout

Awarded membership to ISTD
In response to ISTD's 2024 Brief "The Line", I investigated A.I. image generation tool Midjourney, to attempt to draw the future lines of typography.

Curiously researching the emerging field of A.I., I questioned it’s use within my typographic practice. The results were interesting and during the process I played a scientist discovering specimen typographically.

Harnessing this theme I founded my publication on the basis of categorising the newfound specimen, opening the opportunity for an index. 

Typographically, I chose to use a suite of typefaces which were used both for their utility and readability, connecting strongly with the aesthetic of generative practices. 

With my typographic research I concluded that perceiving the future of the discipline through A.I., is interesting, but hardly conducive to predict typographic designers may be replaced, ruled, or lost with the emergence of A.I.

MESH Graduation Show 2024
Branding
Experience in a team
In a faculty selected design team of four, I worked on branding for the 2024 UTS VisCom Graduation Show. 

We titled our show MESH inspired by the grid, and our coming together as a cohort of emerging designers. The show was put on for a number of industry leaders in Sydney.


Strata Magazine Issue 01
Hand-generated typography
Grid and layout

AGDA Finalist 2024
Within the context of a university brief, Strata Magazine is a typographic magazine that connects two prescribed text through a critique of human exceptionalism.

Hand-generated type is viscerally layered over environmentalist body copy placing the concept at the forefront of the article. 

During this project I thoroughly researched and practiced traditional typography skills. I learnt to experiment with grids, typesetting, collage, and typography; skills that now form the foundation of my design technique.


Poster for Mosaic Jazz Collective
Generative code
Typography
A passion project where I designed a series of posters for local jazz collective Mosaic (MJC). I took on the project with the goal of experimenting with creative code and generative patterns.

The sound of MJC’s song 600 Omens can be described as structurally chaotic, a notion I harnessed in creating a generative pattern that would variably create a Mosaic, showcasing letters of the band’s name.

This elective project began my experimentation with creative coding and generative patterns.


Typographic Writing, A Manifesto
Shaping design perspective
Interactive publication design
I designed this publication under the guidance of a University Project. The brief asked that I reflect deeply on my education experience, using it to form a designed manifesto that expresses my values and identity as a designer. 

To answer the brief, I expressed the reasons for my committed use of hand-generate typography. I urged the users to interact with the publication and find that handwriting evokes emotion and individuality in a way the mechanical cannot.