Thangam Shanmugam
MA: Design Communication: Graphic design
University of the West of England Bristol
Specialisms: Graphic Design / Illustration / Digital Design
Location: Bristol, United Kingdom
Thangam Shanmugam
First Name: Thangam
Last Name: Shanmugam
Specialisms: Graphic Design / Illustration / Digital Design
Sectors:
My Location: Bristol, United Kingdom
University / College: University of the West of England Bristol
Course / Program Title: MA: Design Communication: Graphic design
About
I'm Thangam, a graphic and brand designer with over six years of experience turning complex ideas into clear, compelling visuals, from campaign assets for global brands like Zoho and Daikin, to the streets of Bristol's harbourside.
My MA project, Bristol by the Ferry, reimagines the Bristol Harbour Ferry's visual communication system: a full brand refresh spanning illustrated maps, wayfinding signage, zines, billboard campaigns, and laser-cut prototypes. It's design that's meant to be picked up, walked with, and smiled at. Alongside brand design, I have a growing passion for editorial design: the craft of shaping how stories look and feel on a page.
I bring together commercial rigour and creative curiosity, having worked across the Middle East, Africa, and Europe designing for multicultural audiences. Now based in Bristol and graduating in 2026, I'm open to opportunities in brand, graphic, and editorial design where storytelling and visual identity meet.
My MA project, Bristol by the Ferry, reimagines the Bristol Harbour Ferry's visual communication system: a full brand refresh spanning illustrated maps, wayfinding signage, zines, billboard campaigns, and laser-cut prototypes. It's design that's meant to be picked up, walked with, and smiled at. Alongside brand design, I have a growing passion for editorial design: the craft of shaping how stories look and feel on a page.
I bring together commercial rigour and creative curiosity, having worked across the Middle East, Africa, and Europe designing for multicultural audiences. Now based in Bristol and graduating in 2026, I'm open to opportunities in brand, graphic, and editorial design where storytelling and visual identity meet.
Bristol by Ferry: reimagining Bristol's Harbor Ferry's
Bristol's floating harbour ferry runs daily between Temple Meads and Spike Island, yet most newcomers never take it — they default to walking routes past signage built for locals. Bristol by Ferry is an illustration-led wayfinding system designed to make the ferry visible and desirable before it makes it navigable. At its centre is a hand-illustrated map built around a "cardiogram" route line, formed when the ferry stops alone produced a shape resembling a heartbeat. Around it sits a signage system laser-cut in metal, a poster series combining illustration with lithography and risograph print, and a fold-out zine map.
Competitions
