Here's a peek at the first of a series of great portfolios we've recently received from students at Australia's Billy Blue College of Design.

It's the work of Mia Nilsson, who's explored a range of creative ways to communicate themes through both image and type during her time at the College; an experience she praises highly:

"At Billy Blue I learned a lot about design, typography and layout. But the thing I appreciated most was that I always was encouraged to think conceptually and to talk about my ideas. The fact the Billy Blue is such an international school with people from all over the world is only positive in my opinion. Everyone has a different idea about what design is and it offers a great exchange between the students. I will always remember my time at Billy Blue, all the stress, late nights, tears and how much I loved it".

Armed with a style that shows just enough sweet personality blended with clean line, we think Mia's got the talent to go far. From a book about men and women, to a coffee table style design for a book on experiencing the great outdoors, via illustrations and layouts about the human brain, we love her engaging approach to page design.

In fact, she' s just started working as a junior designer at Mentally Friendly in Sydney...