Fellow graduates Annegien and Joanne now run design studio Figure Ten
- Design
Joanne and Annegien met during their Graphic Design studies at ArtEZ Academy of Art & Design Arnhem. Today, they run their own design studio together: Figure Ten. Here, they focus on design, research, and teaching.
From friendship to creative duo
They weren’t in the same class, but spent four years working closely together. First as friends, then as collaborators. Their way of thinking and designing turned out to be a great match. “We’re very different,” Joanne says. “But that’s what makes us strong. We really work as a studio, not as two separate designers.”
What they do now
Figure Ten works with print, video, publications, identity and design research. They also teach at the Fine Art and Design in Education programme at ArtEZ Academy of Art & Design Arnhem. They don’t have a fixed style yet - and like it that way. “We go all in on whatever comes our way,” says Annegien. To keep things flexible, they both have another job next to Figure Ten. “That way we don’t have to rely on assignments just yet,” says Joanne. “But our goal is to make it full-time one day.”
Alumni helping alumni
Together, they created an Alumni Index for ArtEZ: a curated overview of graduation projects, sorted by theme, year and discipline. “It’s great for students to see what others have done. And it helps alumni stay visible after they graduate.”
What ArtEZ taught them
Their time at ArtEZ left a lasting, positive impression. Annegien found it a great place to study and grow. Joanne points out how important it was to present their work again and again - also in English. “You learn a lot from that. And we still do it: explain what we make and why.”
Their tip? Collaborate. Even if your styles are totally different. “That’s when surprising projects happen,” says Joanne. “And strong feedback really helps you grow.”
More on the Graphic Design course
