Genius Path · Track 01

Graphic
Design.

Posters, brand identity, print, social media, business cards, pull-up banners, patterns and brand application. Build systems — not just individual pretty things.

WhoDineo · Puleng · All Interns
Cycle4 Weeks
Study09:00–12:00
Build13:00–16:00
SubmitTrello by 16:00
01 — 4-Week Schedule

Your programme, week by week.

09:00–12:00 study. 13:00–16:00 build. Upload Trello by 16:00. Present Tuesday (Mon+Fri). Present Thursday (Tue+Wed).

Week 1 theme

Swiss Modern + Recreation

Your first week is about understanding by recreating. You are not being original yet. You are learning to see by copying — exactly like a musician learning scales before composing.

Key principle

Study longer. Build faster.

90 minutes to recreate a poster. If it takes longer, your study time was not deep enough. Watch again. Study again. Then build.

Mon
Watch Helvetica (2007) + annotate 3 posters
09–12: Watch in full. Notes on arguments, not visuals. 13–16: Annotate 3 reference posters — label hierarchy, typeface, spacing.
3h study3h apply
3 annotated poster screenshots → Trello by 16:00. Present Tuesday.
Tue ★
Recreate the Evolve brand poster exactly
09–12: Study Evolve Behance + Skild case study. Understand logo, colours, type scale. 13–16: Recreate in Affinity Designer. Same everything. No guessing.
3h study3h buildpresent
Recreation next to original. Present Tuesday — explain 3 things you learned.
Wed
Recreate the dot. Nike or Made Men poster
09–12: Study both. Choose one. Identify type hierarchy, photo treatment, colour contrast. 13–16: Recreate exactly at A3 proportions.
3h study3h build
Recreation + 2 sentences on what type and colour do → Trello. Present Thursday.
Thu ★
Design your own event poster (A3)
09–12: Study 2 more reference posters + Vogue Blue hierarchy. 13–16: A3 poster for a made-up event. 2 colours only. Type and image carry everything.
3h study3h buildpresent
Final poster (A3) + grid lines version. Present Thursday — explain every decision.
Fri
Business card (85×55mm) + social cover (1920×1080)
09–12: Study how brand systems extend — revisit Evolve. 13–16: Business card front+back and LinkedIn cover for your event brand. All 3 = one system.
3h study3h build
Card front+back (3mm bleed) + social cover → Trello by 16:00. Present Tuesday.
Week 2 theme

Print — Stories, Banners, Patterns

Extend the same brand across completely different formats. The challenge: maintaining consistency when the size and context change completely.

Key principle

Same system. Different formats.

A story and a pull-up banner are different sizes and viewing distances. But they must still feel like they came from the same hand.

Mon
Instagram story (1080×1920) + post (1080×1080)
09–12: Study Rhode, Glossier, Jacquemus on Instagram — note cropping, type, whitespace. 13–16: Story + post for your Week 1 brand. Connected but each works alone.
3h study3h build
Story + post → Trello by 16:00. Present Tuesday.
Tue ★
Pull-up banner (800×2000mm) + A4 letterhead
09–12: Study pull-up banner references. Study Evolve and Skild letterheads. Note how hierarchy changes at large print scale. 13–16: Banner + letterhead for your Week 1 brand.
3h study3h buildpresent
Banner (800×2000mm) + letterhead (A4). Present Tuesday.
Wed
Brand pattern tile (400×400px)
09–12: Study how Evolve, Jacquemus and Nike use patterns — a brand element repeated in a grid. 13–16: Design a repeating pattern tile from your brand elements. Test on a tote bag or paper bag mockup.
3h study3h build
Pattern tile (400×400) + one mockup → Trello. Present Thursday.
Thu ★
Brand asset overview sheet (A3)
09–12: Study brand guideline layouts — Evolve and Skild. 13–16: All Week 1+2 assets on one A3 page. Logo, colours, fonts, poster, card, story, banner, pattern. Grid-aligned.
3h study3h buildpresent
A3 brand overview. Present Thursday — walk through every decision.
Fri
Freelance brief — 1 poster for a Vaal/Sasolburg brand
09–12: Research 3 Sasolburg or Vaal area businesses. Choose one. Study their existing identity. 13–16: Design one brand poster that fits their actual positioning. Brief defines direction.
3h research3h build
1 poster answering the brief → Trello by 16:00. Present Tuesday.
Week 3 theme

Brand Identity Systems

Build a complete brand identity from scratch. Apply everything from Weeks 1 and 2 simultaneously. The most demanding week — and the most valuable.

Key principle

Every asset must feel like one system.

Logo, card, poster, social post — all must feel like they were made by the same designer with the same rules. That coherence is the brand.

Mon
Logo mark + wordmark + submark
09–12: Study Evolve mark construction and Skild logo system. 13–16: Logo mark, wordmark and submark for a fictional Vaal-area business. All vector, all scalable.
3h study3h build
Logo mark + wordmark + submark on white and dark background → Trello. Present Tuesday.
Tue ★
Colour system + typography system
09–12: Study how brands define colour systems. Study Evolve colour palette presentation. 13–16: Define colour system (primary, secondary, neutral, accent) + typography system (heading, body, label) on a clean A4 sheet.
3h study3h buildpresent
Colour swatch sheet + type scale sheet. Present Tuesday.
Wed
Brand poster + business card + social post
09–12: Review all Week 1–2 work. Study your weakest area specifically. 13–16: Poster, card and social post for your Week 3 brand. Same system across all three.
3h review3h build
Poster + card + post — all 3 = one system → Trello. Present Thursday.
Thu ★
Brand guidelines document (A4, min 6 pages)
09–12: Study Evolve brand guideline structure — logo, colour, type, usage rules, do/don't. 13–16: Compile your brand into a 6-page A4 doc in Affinity Publisher. Export PDF.
3h study3h buildpresent
Brand guidelines (min 6 A4 pages, exported PDF). Present Thursday.
Fri
Mockup presentation — brand on 3 real surfaces
09–12: Study how designers present brand mockups on Behance. 13–16: Place your brand onto 3 mockups — business card, t-shirt, storefront or poster frame.
3h study3h build
3 mockup images → Trello. Present Tuesday.
Week 4 theme

Speed, Iteration + Final Presentation

Demonstrate growth. Execution speed should be significantly faster than Week 1. Your eye should be sharper. Your decisions more intentional.

Key principle

Version 2 is always better than version 1.

A designer who iterates is a professional. This week you experience the full cycle: build → critique → rebuild → present.

Mon
Speed round — poster in 90 minutes
09–12: Review all Weeks 1–3. Study your weakest area. 13:00: Brief drops on Trello. Timer starts. 14:30: Timer stops. 14:30–16:00: Annotate — what worked, what you would change.
3h review90min build
1 poster (90min max) + annotation notes → Trello. Present Tuesday.
Tue ★
Iteration — fully rebuild Monday's poster
09–12: Read feedback. Study 2 references that address your specific weaknesses. 13–16: Full rebuild — not touch-ups. Start again with everything you now know. V1 and V2 side by side.
3h study3h rebuildpresent
V1 and V2 side by side. Present Tuesday — explain every change and reason for it.
Wed
Behance-style case study presentation
09–12: Choose your strongest deliverable from 4 weeks. Study how designers present on Behance. 13–16: Build presentation layout (min 6 frames). Context, process, result, mockups.
3h study3h build
Case study (min 6 frames) → Trello. Present Thursday.
Thu ★
Final presentation — full 4-week portfolio
Present all work from 4 weeks. 8 minutes. Show best pieces. Explain what you learned — not just what you made. Every piece: what it is + which principle it demonstrates. Kahoot quiz follows.
8min present
Full 4-week portfolio. Kahoot quiz this session.
02 — Task Library

Pull a task. Study it. Build it.

Browse below when you need a focused task. Study the reference first. Build it. Upload to Trello by 16:00.

Posters · Recreation

Recreate the Evolve brand poster exactly

Match colour system, logo placement, type hierarchy and spacing from Evolve Behance. Study mark construction first. No guessing.

behance.net/gallery/152816881/Evolve-Brand-Visual-Identity
Level 160–90 min
Posters · Swiss Modern

Recreate a Müller-Brockmann concert poster

Choose one from the classic concert series. Match grid, typography, proportions and colour exactly. Goal is understanding the grid system by building it.

Search: "Müller-Brockmann Beethoven poster" or "Brockmann concert series"
Level 190 min
Posters · Editorial

Recreate the Vogue Blue editorial poster

Match the large vertical type, photo treatment, colour split and typographic hierarchy. Study how the type cuts through the image — it does not sit on top of it.

Ref: ref-vogue-1.jpg from platform resources
Level 160–90 min
Business Cards · Recreation

Recreate the Skild business card system

Study the Skild case study on Passionates. Recreate front + back at 85×55mm with 3mm bleed. Match the blue, type scale and logo placement exactly.

passionates.com/projects/skild-branding-design-logo-website
Level 145–60 min
Posters · Adaptation

Adapt the Evolve layout for a Sasol campaign

Use the structure and layout logic of the Evolve poster but redesign it for a fictional Sasol Energy campaign. Same layout system — different brand and content.

Refs: Evolve case study + Sasol brand colours (yellow, black)
Level 290–120 min
Social Media · Vaal Brief

Social media cover for a Sasolburg restaurant

Choose a real Sasolburg restaurant or café. Study their existing brand. Design a Facebook/LinkedIn cover (1920×1080) that represents their positioning. Justify every decision.

Study: Vida e Caffè social · Tashas visual system · Bootlegger brand
Level 260–90 min
Print · Pull-up Banner

Pull-up banner for an Engen station (800×2000mm)

Main message readable from 3m away. Design banner for a fictional Engen convenience store promotion. Strong headline, clear CTA, brand colours.

Ref: Pinterest pull-up banner references from platform resources
Level 260–90 min
Business Cards · Vaal

Business cards for a Vaal property developer

Research a real or fictional Vaal area property brand. Design cards (85×55mm, 3mm bleed) communicating premium positioning. Front + back. No decoration — system only.

Study: Investec Property, Balwin Properties, Amdec Group
Level 260–90 min
Brand Identity · Full System

Complete identity for a fictional Vaal coffee shop

Logo mark, wordmark, colour palette, type system, business card and one social post for a fictional specialty coffee shop in Sasolburg or Vanderbijlpark.

Study: Bootlegger · Seattle Coffee · Vida e Caffè · local Vaal character
Level 33–4 hours
Posters · Industrial

Poster campaign for ArcelorMittal Vanderbijlpark

ArcelorMittal is the largest steel producer in SA, based in Vanderbijlpark. Recruitment campaign poster — industrial, bold, confident. Must feel appropriate for a global industrial brand.

Study: ArcelorMittal SA brand · industrial brand design references
Level 32–3 hours
Brand Identity · Redesign

Redesign Ledix.co.za visual identity for print

Study Ledix.co.za. Identify brand personality and positioning problems. Design a business card and letterhead that properly represents what this brand should feel like.

Ref: ledix.co.za — note hierarchy and positioning problems
Level 32–3 hours
Posters · Speed Round

Sasol Energy event poster in 90 minutes

Brief: Sasol is hosting a community open day in Sasolburg. A3 promotional poster. Corporate, professional, South African. Timer starts when you open Affinity. No more than 90 minutes.

Study: Sasol brand · corporate event poster design · industrial aesthetics
Level 290 min max
03 — Rubric

How your work is reviewed.

Use this to self-review before uploading. Use it again when giving peer feedback. Be specific — vague feedback helps no one.

Before you upload

Ask these before calling it done.

  • Is the hierarchy clear? Does the eye know where to go first?
  • Is whitespace intentional — or did you fill everything?
  • Is everything aligned to a grid or invisible edge?
  • Does the type scale feel considered, or random?
  • Does every element earn its place?
  • Does this look like the same brand as the reference?
  • Can I explain every single decision I made?
Peer review — how to give feedback

Specific. Kind. Honest. No vague comments.

  • Not this: "It looks good" or "It looks off."
  • This: "The heading needs more space from the image — at least 24px."
  • Not this: "The colours are nice."
  • This: "The red works but the secondary grey is too light — check contrast."
  • Say what is working before what needs fixing.
  • Suggest a specific fix, not just a problem.
Graphic Design Submission Rubric
Criterion
Strong
Developing
Needs Work
Hierarchy
Eye moves naturally. Clear first, second, third elements.
Mostly hierarchical but one or two elements compete equally.
Everything the same size or weight. No clear starting point.
Spacing + Whitespace
Whitespace generous and consistent. Elements breathe. Nothing crowded.
Mostly good but inconsistent in places — some areas too tight.
Elements crammed together. Whitespace looks accidental.
Typography
Type scale logical and consistent. Leading and tracking appropriate at each level.
Mostly correct but one or two sizes feel random or inconsistent.
Multiple font sizes, no clear system. Leading too tight or too loose.
Alignment
Everything aligns to invisible grid or edge. Nothing floats.
Most elements align but one or two slightly off — creates subtle discomfort.
Elements placed randomly. No grid discipline. Feels unintentional.
Consistency with Brief
Design clearly matches the brand or reference. Style is consistent throughout.
Mostly consistent but personal style crept in — one element feels off-brand.
Significantly off-brand. Looks like a different designer entirely.
Restraint
Nothing decorative without purpose. Every element earns its place.
One or two unnecessary decorative elements — design stronger without them.
Over-designed. Too many effects or colours. Confused and crowded.
04 — References

What to study.

Study these seriously — not just scroll and like. Annotate. Save. Analyse why things work.

Evolve — Brand Identity
Full brand system. Study mark construction, colour application, pattern system and how the brand extends across surfaces. Required for Week 1.
Behance →
Skild — Brand + Website
Shows how a brand system extends from identity to website. Study how blue, typography and layout logic remain consistent across every application.
Passionates →
Made By Shape
UK studio. Clean, typographic brand identity work. Study the spacing and restraint — how little they use to say a lot.
Work →
Allan Peters
Worked with Nike, Disney, Amazon. Timeless mark-making. "Logos That Last" is required reading. Teaches restraint in logo design.
Instagram →Book →
Brand Halo
Cape Town. One of the strongest SA studios. Study the showreel for brand systems in motion. Study the advertising section for campaign consistency.
Showreel →Advertising →
Soldati — Our Own Work
Study AgriVuno, Wiseway, Mangethethe, Vision Quest. Understand what a Soldati brand system looks like across applications. Know our own standard.
Our Work →
Jacquemus / Rhode / Glossier
Study these brand feeds. How they use typography, whitespace and photography is a masterclass in confident feminine restraint.
Jacquemus →Rhode →
Pinterest References
Curated banner and poster references. Study before any print deliverable. Note how hierarchy changes at 3 metres vs 30 centimetres viewing distance.
Banner ref →Poster ref →
Will Paterson
Logo design, brand identity, logotypes. 1M+ subscribers. Process-driven. Good for understanding concept to refined mark without overcomplicating.
YouTube →