Steph Roden

We return to GSA’s Class of 2015, this time revelling in the socio-political inquisition of graphic design

With graduation swiftly approaching, Steph Roden submitted her portfolio for our Talent section and we were thrilled to see the great designs on show, particularly given the scrupulous cynicism that was evident throughout…especially in two projects.

The first is Adder Stone, a bi-annual magazine for Scotland named after “a piece of ancient Scottish folklore…a stone with a naturally occurring hole through the middle, used for future telling and healing purposes”. Editorially, the magazine points itself towards this clairvoyance, demanding its readership to answer questions about the future of Scottish politics.

On getting hold of a copy, were able to see for ourselves the deft balance of form and function that Steph achieves. This success is the result of a well researched, detailed process – essential when balancing such dense content with aesthetic accessibility. This is epitomised by Steph’s strive “to visualise an idea in the most concise way possible, trying to strike the right balance between hinting at something without over-communicating [it]”.

The second project we’re so keen to present today is Spin.doc, an app that really takes this mantra to heart. As Steph told us, “despite reputable evidence [following the shooting of black, American teenager Michael Brown], many news sources continued to deny the illegality and racism this case was fraught with”. To respond, Steph created Spin.doc, which deconstructs news articles, pulls out the story in its most basic form, and then allows users to compare various accounts. Check out the video below, and you’ll see just how powerful Steph’s design is.

Steph’s political spirit was in part inspired by an incredibly rewarding and educational internship with Ariane Spanier last year in Berlin – an especially generative experience. She tells us that she’s still hesitant to “identity a particular style within [her] work”, but with such excellent experimentation so far, we’re looking forward to seeing where she goes next.

stephroden.com