Shaun Bardsley

Print has always sat at the centre of Shaun Bardsley’s practice — from zines and exhibitions to story-led design that values process over polish. Now an intern at Dotto Studio in Manchester, placed through the Adobe Creative Apprenticeship programme, the illustrator and designer reflects on adjusting to studio life — and why continuing to make space for personal work has opened up new opportunities along the way.

About my work

My creative practice
I’m an illustrator and designer with a love for tactile design that tells stories. I create work through processes of layering texture, form and illustration that work across both physical and digital spaces — but especially printed material.

My Adobe Creative Apprenticeship experience
I’m doing my apprenticeship with Dani Molyneux, who runs Dotto Studio – based in Manchester. Dotto is a super-creative studio working across all sorts of projects, including branding, graphic design and murals, and it also runs a print shop selling original artwork.

I first heard about the programme during the D&AD New Blood Festival showcase, after chatting with a member of the Adobe team (I think they were charmed by my business card).

I had just graduated and was absolutely ready to start my creative career, looking for any opportunity that would give me experience. When I was asked to join Adobe for an event their Shoreditch office and later to be part of the programme, it was something I couldn’t turn down.

Shaun's website

Influences and inspiration
When I first started my course, I became obsessed with zine culture. Zines opened up a way for me to express ideas, experiment freely with layout, try new mediums and get nerdy with print. They showed me a side to design that didn’t have the pressure of everything being polished or perfect. If you ever get the chance, I really recommend going to Bound Art Book Fair in Manchester.

Favourite recent project
During my apprenticeship, I’ve been able to work across lots of different areas of the studio, from design production and concept development to research and social media.

Most recently, I’ve worked on the visual identity for an upcoming exhibition that Dotto Studio is part of. It’s been amazing to see it come to life in print.

How I got here

What I’ve learnt so far
Dotto Studio works with some really interesting clients, but alongside that, they also exhibit work in galleries, take part in print fairs, paint murals, and write about the creative world and creative people.

It’s shown me that you don’t have to rely solely on client work to build a sustainable creative practice, and that exploring your own personal work can lead to other kinds of opportunities. My favourite part has been that no day is ever the same at Dotto.

What challenged me most
There have been times when I’ve struggled to get started on a task or felt stuck with ideas. Asking for help has always made a big difference. Getting a fresh perspective from Dani has helped me move past creative blocks, and it’s been great to get guidance from someone with experience and expertise.

The biggest adjustment from uni to studio
Everything works a bit faster in studio life. Decisions get made more quickly, and time management becomes really important — especially when you’re juggling multiple projects at once.

What a normal day-to-day usually looks like
At the moment, I work two days a week for Dotto: Mondays and Tuesdays. Mondays are studio days, a chance to catch up with Dani in person, go over tasks for the day or week and talk through feedback.

On Tuesdays, I work from home. I can have a slightly slower morning, but once it’s 9am, I usually have music on or a podcast playing, and I’m focused on the work for that day.

How the Adobe Creative Apprenticeship programme has helped my career
It’s not easy right now to find work as a newly graduated creative, especially at entry level. The programme funds these apprenticeship roles and connects you directly with studios, which makes a huge difference – you’re accessing opportunities that wouldn’t really exist otherwise. It meant I could start building experience in a real studio environment from day one.

My advice

What’s been useful to my work so far
A sketchbook for everyday drawing and note-taking, my scanner for building a library of textures, marks and imagery, and making friends in the creative community – because they’ll inspire you endlessly.

What I’d say to someone looking to get into a similar role
Try not to compare yourself to others. The more you make, the more you’ll improve. You don’t need to be an expert at this stage of your career – as long as you’re passionate about what you make and willing to learn, you’re heading in the right direction.

What I’d say to other creatives in the industry right now
Always try to make time for personal work and experimentation. Weeks can get busy with client work and deadlines, so I usually keep a sketchbook on me at all times. Even five minutes of drawing or writing ideas helps me notice new things.

Motion design Shaun worked on for Dotto Studio’s website case study of ‘Women in Film & Television Awards 2024'

Why I’d recommend the Adobe Creative Apprenticeship programme
It’s a great way to find studios that are willing to invest in new creatives and give you hands-on experience early on – especially at a time when entry-level opportunities can be hard to come by.

This article was created in partnership with Adobe. Every year, we partner with like-minded brands and agencies to support our initiative and keep Creative Lives a free resource for emerging creatives. See here to find out more about how you can work with us.