A North-West University (NWU) graduate is the pride of the Graphic Design Subject Group with a Craft Illustration Certificate that she received for her 2024 final-year project at this year’s prestigious International Loerie Awards.

Suné Venter’s project, Zine*: See the Unseen, created for the International Council of Design, highlights the portrayal of animal violence in gaming. Her deep compassion for animals inspired the work. “It was challenging to address the topic without glorifying more violence,” she explains. “Using black, white and greyscale tones helped me convey the message more powerfully. I care deeply about animals and their welfare and believe the design enforced the seriousness of the topic.”

She was also a finalist in the Identity Design category.

This marks her second Loerie accolade. Suné previously received a Craft Gold Award at the 2024 Loerie Awards for her third-year project, Royal Sans: A Tale of Sun City. “Being a finalist is already a huge achievement – winning is a bonus,” she says. “The craft certificate recognises the skill and dedication that went into my work. It motivates me to keep believing in myself. My advice to other students is to be confident in their creativity.”

Suné currently works in the entertainment and marketing industry at Fairchild Creative in Rosebank.

Four NWU designers among the finalists

Alongside Suné, three other NWU graphic design students were finalists at this year’s awards: Megan Mackay (mobile game design), Andrea Oosthuizen (craft illustration) and Megan Stolze (craft illustration).

Danelle Heenop, lecturer, says the team is proud of the students’ success. “As staff we celebrate our students’ achievements, acknowledging the time spent by lecturers and students alike in order to achieve award-winning refined work. We are proud of all finalists and we look forward to future growth and achievements,” she adds.

* A zine is a non-commercial, self-published booklet or magazine that features original content and allows creators to freely express and share their work with a specific audience.

The See the Unseen project put the spotlight on the depiction of animal violence in gaming.

Suné Venter received a Craft Illustration Certificate.

Danelle Heenop, lecturer.