Drawing inspiration from RMIT alumnus Jess McGeachin

Drawing inspiration from RMIT alumnus Jess McGeachin

RMIT alumnus Jess McGeachin is the illustrator behind the 2020 Premier’s Reading Challenge and his unique designs inspire children and students to read every day, wherever they are.

The 2020 Premiers Reading Challenge Posters The 2020 Premiers' Reading Challenge Posters, illustrated by Jess McGeachin. Please note, these images were designed in March 2020.

McGeachin completed a Bachelor of Design (Communication Design) in 2009 and has since published the picture book ‘Fly’ (2019) – a story about a girl called Lucy who builds an aeroplane for an injured bird.

In line with the Premier’s Reading Challenge’s theme ‘Reading: Everyone, Everyday’, McGeachin drew inspiration from Australia’s diversity.

“The idea was to come up with characters and locations that feel familiar to everybody, and make sure that everyone was represented in each illustration,” McGeachin said.

“I wanted to capture different people from different background, but really the focus was on everybody enjoying reading.”

The Premier's Reading Challenge has been running every year since 2005 and encourages children from birth to Year 10 to read a certain number of books throughout the year.

Since 2005, the Challenge has led to more than 3 million young Victorians reading more than 50 million books.

Growing up in Castlemaine in Central Victoria, McGeachin said reading was an opportunity to travel around the world without leaving the couch.

“I have very fond memories of thumbing through well-worn Graeme Base books on the lounge-room floor,” he said.

“Reading connects us to those that have been before and those that will come after and reminds us that we’ve faced great challenges together and won.”

McGeachin also works as a graphic designer at the Melbourne Museum, and said RMIT set him up for a strong career as a designer.

“We had a lot of real-world briefs, so that experience – taking on briefs and talking to clients ­– has been really valuable now working as a graphic designer,” he said.

Asked for his advice to aspiring illustrators and graphic designers, McGeachin said to keep testing out different design disciplines.

“Just because you’re good at one stream, doesn’t mean you can’t try other things,” he said.

“I started off doing graphic design and then tried things like animation. Design is so diverse that you shouldn’t be limited to one stream.”

His recommendations for the readers looking to complete the Challenge is to read something that makes you laugh, cry or anything in between.

 

Story: Caleb Scanlon

04 June 2020

Share

04 June 2020

Share

  • Alumni
  • Education
  • Arts and culture
Engage

Related News

Large group of students posing in front of stage.

Animations add new dimension to orchestra performance

Animations by RMIT design students featured in a Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) performance led by Principal Viola Christopher Moore.

A person uses a large digital film camera.

New screen industry courses to address critical skills shortages

RMIT and the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) will deliver new short courses to address specific screen skills shortages in Victoria.

news-kidstv-1220x732px.jpg

Aussie kids let down by streaming algorithms: research

Amid a complex landscape of streaming algorithms, new research shows kids struggle to find local content among the flood of international options.

street-arcade-1220px.jpg

Arcade games take the controls on South Melbourne’s post-COVID plan

Classic arcade games have been reimagined along Clarendon Street in South Melbourne as part of an urban activation project between RMIT’s Future Play Lab and the City of Port Phillip.

Show more
aboriginal flag
torres strait flag

Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.

More information