Hi,
My name is Colin Coulson. I am a graduate of the York University/Sheridan College joint YSDN Bachelor of design program. I believe it is evident through my collection of work that I have developed a clear personal style that reflects my approach to design. I would say I take inspiration from three specific design movements: minimalism, the swiss-style, and functionalism. My approach shares the recurring principle of Dieter Ram's functionalism that the form of the object is driven by the purpose of the object and not by its aesthetics. I also believe that Dieter Ram's ten principles of good design represent the values I aim to achieve in my design thinking and process. The research I do must direct me to identify and understand the user's purpose. I then find myself iterating on that purpose to develop a solution that delivers an innovative solution/hypothesis that clearly expresses its function. This often results in my work being minimal in appearance, emphasizing usability and structure.
I pride myself on producing professional products/solutions using my creativity and design knowledge to address emerging wicked problems. I am most interested in the fields of product design, packaging and identity/branding. My goal in these professions is to create good design that is innovative, useful and makes the experience for the user more accessible. Creating good design that improves the daily lives of its users is a goal that I aim to achieve.
On a more personal level, I am always staying active. Sport and physical activity are very important to me, and as you can see, they have even crept into my design work. I have been playing soccer since I can remember and have recently added Muay Thai/kickboxing to my list of hobbies. The discipline and teamwork I have developed from competitive sports have shaped who I am today.
In my downtime or on my daily commute, you will find me glued to my kindle, getting lost in a gripping story.
If you have any questions or feedback for me or want to get in touch, feel free. I'm always looking to get involved in the design space.