This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Read our cookie policy

Find your place through Clearing Take control of your future, Clearing is your chance to explore new options, find the right course, and make a confident choice with friendly support every step of the way. Find out more about Clearing

Nigel Ball

Head of Arts

Phone
+44 (0)1473 338819
Email
n.ball@uos.ac.uk
School/Directorate
School of Business, Arts, Social Sciences and Technology
Nigel Ball ORCID
View Orchid Profile

Nigel is a Senior Lecturer with over 20 years’ experience as a design educator. Since joining the University of Suffolk he has held various roles including as Course Leader for BA (Hons) Graphic Design and Student Experience Lead for Arts & Humanities. Nigel is currently Head of Arts within the School of Business, Arts, Social Sciences and Technology and he lectures on the school’s undergraduate Graphic Design and Illustration courses. 

Alongside teaching, Nigel writes about graphic design, visual culture and creative education. He has been published by Eye: The International Review of Graphic Design, Bloomsbury Visual Arts and Unit Editions, and he has contributed to design education reports by Creative Review, amongst others. He is an External Examiner for the undergraduate Graphic Design courses at the University of Hertfordshire, and he has a BA (Hons) Graphic Design and Illustration, a PGCE in post-compulsory education, and an MA in Arts Practice.

Nigel’s creative practice grew out of the ‘do it yourself’ culture of punk in the late 1980s, spanning graphic design, photography and moving image. His video work has been screened internationally and his photography published in print and online. As a graphic designer he has worked in design studios and run his own freelance practice, dedicating his services to NGOs and clients from the cultural, public and voluntary sectors. Nigel continues to take on graphic design commissions and provide design consultancy services in-between his academic work and writing. 

Nigel is passionate about creative education and its ability to empower self-development. He currently leads the final year Graphic Design and Graphic Illustration Portfolio Development modules, he is the Level 6 PAC tutor, and he organises the Life After Lectures series of design talks by industry professionals.

He has previously taught modules in Ideas Generation, Contextual Studies, Visual Identity, Applied Ideas, Conceptual Projects, Applying Critical Perspectives, Professional Practice, Dissertation, and Critical Review, and has lectured on Photography, Digital Film Production and Education courses.

Underpinning much of Nigel’s research and writing is an interest in the societal impact of graphic design. He has a specific interest in the visual culture of public space and how this influences environmental ambiences and human behaviour. He relates this research to wider studies in urbanism and visual sociology, exploring these contexts through self-published photographic and essay-based research projects.

Nigel has written for, and been interviewed by, Eye: The International Review of Graphic Design, the graphic design publishing house Unit Editions, and Creative Review magazine, amongst others, and he is the revision author for the second edition of The Fundamentals of Graphic Design, (2019, Bloomsbury).

Since 2018 Nigel has been the University of Suffolk’s representative on the Ipswich Conservation and Design Panel, and in 2021 he was a founding contributor to The Outside Directory, a listings website for the creative industries outside London that seeks to address regional imbalances within the UK.

In 2022 Nigel co-curated the exhibition Picture Books For All with University of Suffolk colleagues Rob Ramsden and Dr Vassiliki Tzomaka, and in collaboration with Suffolk Archives. The exhibition was the first of its kind to showcase the pioneering Ipswich printer W. S. Cowell Ltd. Picture Books For All was exhibited at Ipswich’s The Hold from 20 October 2022–8 January 2023.

Visit Nigel’s website at nigelball.co.uk

Published writing
Ball, N. (2024) Definitive enough for now. Eye: The International Review of Graphic Design (v. 27, no. 106). Eye: London

Ball, N. (2023) For the love of creative education. Ipswich.Love: Ipswich

Ball, N. (2023) Patriotic rubbish. Eye: London

Ball, N. (2022) Reader Recommends: How To Be An Artist. Unit Editions: London

Ball, N. (2020) Virtually speaking. Eye: London

Ball, N. (2020) A lockdown reading list. Unit Editions: London

Ball, N. (2020) The Graphic Design Process: How to be Successful in Design School. Art, Design & Communication in Higher Education (v.19, no.1). Intellect: Oxford

Ambrose, G. Ball, N. and Harris, P. (2019) The Fundamentals of Graphic Design, second edition. Bloomsbury: London

Ball, N. (2019) The Aesthetics of Convenience. Field Readings: Ipswich

Ball, N. (2019) The People’s History Museum. Mainly Museums: Ontario

Ball, N. (2018) Ending the war on wildlife. Eye: London

Ball, N. (2017) Proposing the Graphic Commons. Field Readings: Ipswich

Ball, N. (2016) Survival guide. Eye: London

Ball, N. (2016) Graphic Interruptions. Dubdog: Ipswich

Ball, N. (2016) Gutter press. Eye: London

Ball, N. (2015) Graphic language. EngLangBlog: London

Ball, N. (2014) Design for life. Eye: London

Ball, N. (2013) Back when the future looked bright. Eye: London

Ball, N. (2011) McJunk. Dubdog: Ipswich

Interviews and contributions

House of Common Affairs. (2023) Architecture Fringe Festival 2023, ‘CGI Fridays: urban identities through the lens of urban and graphic design. In: Minelgaite, P and Syrek, I. (ed) (2023) House of Common Affairs 3: Preventing the next blandemic. House of Common Affairs: London

Clayton, D. (2022) Still swimming against the mainstream. Media Magazine 81 English & Media Centre: London

Clayton, D. (2022) Swimming against the mainstream. Media Magazine 80 English & Media Centre: London

Suffolk Archives. (2022) Transforming the archives service for the 21st century. Suffolk Archives: Ipswich

Lilley, S. (2022) Picture Books for All. The Sarah Lilley Show (offline). BBC Radio Suffolk: Ipswich

Wright, J. (2019) Creative education. Tuesday takeover with Jon Wright, Angela and the unicorners. (offline) BBC Radio Suffolk: Ipswich

Creative Review and Dropbox. (2018) Creative Collaboration, a report. Creative Review / Dropbox: London

Stevens, R. (2013) Bridging the gap. Creative Review: London

Ecob, A. (2011) I’m leaving it. Eye: London

Eatock, D. (2008) Imprint. Princeton Architectural Press: New York