Eye on Design

Design the Program Handbook Cover

2012-01-24T12:43:00.000-08:00

Design the 2012 cover for the Stevens-Henager program handbooks.
Here are the specs:
Size - 8.5x11
Text required: 2012, Program Handbook, school logo
Colors - check out the website to see the colors are currently being used but we could be open to something totally different

Demographic: Students starting their fist mod at school and it will be used for all programs.
Designs to be considered are due by midnight on Sunday, Jan. 29th and should not contain unlicensed photography.

You can email submissions to jenny.rhodes@stevenshenager.edu or post them on my facebook wall

Here is the current cover designed by Dante Johnson

Here is a copy of the school logo as well.

Good luck and this is an opportunity to include published work in your portfolio

New Student Assessment

2011-02-02T15:56:00.000-08:00

Assessment for new students

Answer the following questions in at least 250 words and email your response to jenny.rhodes@stevenshenager.edu. Spelling and grammar should be correct.

Choose one

1. Why do you want to become a graphic designer? What do you know about the field and what about the career interests you?

2. Write about an artist or designer that inspires you.

Awards - Oct. 2010

2010-10-13T09:19:00.000-07:00

President's list - 4.0
Brock Kennedy
Robert Kirkland

Dean's List - 3.8
Tawnya Crumb
Shaun Drake
Jill Neumann
Jeffrey Olsen
Alisha Prince
Christine Spencer
Geraldine Sporl
Paul Wilkinson

Honor Roll - 3.5
Bonnie Breniser
Jaryn Lester
Candance Spens
Michael Sporl
Aiyumi Tateyama
Brian Whisler
Stephen Williams

CONGRATULATIONS STUDENTS!!

Student Awards

2010-07-20T11:04:00.000-07:00

Congratulations students!!
Awards are given tonight, July 20th at 5:30 in the auditorium.
Friends and family are welcome to attend.

Presidents List 4.0 GPA
Birkinshaw, Cody

Dean's list - 3.8 GPA
Jill Neuman
Eleanor Zoni Burson
Cory B Davis
Geraldine M. Sporl
Shaun Drake

Honor Roll - 3.5 GPA
Dante Johnson
Candace Spens
Michael Sporl
Ian Layton

Student Awards

2010-04-27T10:04:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, April 28th is the quarterly awards ceremony for academic excellence. The day students will be presented at 11:00 am and the night students will meet at 5:30 p.m. in the auditorium.

President's List - 4.0 GPA
Cody Birkinshaw
Shaun Drake
Breezy Rico

Dean's List - 3.8 - 3.99 GPA
Alisha Jurgensmeier
Jason Merrill
Jill Neuman
Chad Sallenback
Candance Spens
Michael Sporl
Geraldine Sporl
Andrew Wernick
Stephen Williams

Honor Roll - 3.5 GPA
Daniel Bandis
Bonnie Breniser
Eleanor Burson
Nicholas Hoffman
Dante Johnson
Erica Ramey
Richard Steen

Congratulations Students!

Get Published

2010-03-25T11:15:00.000-07:00

Stevens Henager needs a cover for the student handbook - this will be a generic cover that will be used for all of the programs at the school and we will be printing at least 1,000. No cash but will give some sort of prize to winners - movie tickets or something comparable and a published piece for your portfolio.

Specs are"
Size - 8.5 x 11
Color - Full color

Needs to have the words:
Stevens Henager - name and logo
Student Handbook
2010

I am including the logo here to download and can send an .eps version if requested. I need these Friday morning, March 26th by noon to be considered.

Email samples to nnydesign@yahoo.com

Assessment for new students

2009-12-17T10:13:00.000-08:00

Answer the following questions in at least 250 words and email your response to jenny.rhodes@stevenshenager.edu. Spelling and grammar should be correct.

Choose one

1. Why do you want to become a graphic designer? What do you know about the field and what about the career interests you?

2. Write about an artist or designer that inspires you.

Freelance Design Project

2009-08-27T09:30:00.000-07:00

Occasionally, I get requests from the business community for students to take on design projects which gives them the opportunity to have published work in their portfolio. Right now I have a project from 350slc.org Climate Action Day, which is an event coordinated by a coalition of about 20 local non-profits, in an effort to raise awareness towards climate change. They need an 8.5 x 11 one-page flyer designed that could also be used as a poster.

Project Objective & Client Information:
To gain attention and entice art students to enter a poster-creating contest. The contest revolves around 350slc.org Climate Action Day, which is an event coordinated by a coalition of about 20 local non-profits, in effort to raise awareness towards climate change. The winning entries of the art contest will be used as promotion for the event, which will be held October 24th, 2009.

Project Requests:
Create an original and eye-catching flyer inviting students to join the art contest. The flyer should follow the theme “World Unity Towards Climate Justice”. Flyers will be distributed to classrooms ranging from kindergarten to 12th grade, therefore images must be appropriate for all ages.

Client Preferences:
Flyer must include
Entry Due Date: September 25th, 2009
Theme: World Unity Towards Climate Justice
Event Name: 350slc.org Climate Action Day Art Contest
Prizes: 1st and 2nd place- new bicycle presented in classroom by Mayor Ralph Becker. 3rd place- $100 in art supplies.
Website: www.350slc.org
Brief explanation that winning entries will be used as posters for the event.

Client likes
Colorful, positive images/artwork.

Client Website: www.350slc.org
www.350.org

There is no compensation for submissions and they need posters by Monday, August 31st in order to be considered. Posters can be designed in any program but will need to be submitted as .pdfs at 150 dpi for digital printing. You can submit multiple designs and please email me at nnydesign@yahoo.com for any questions or for the complete creative brief.

Good luck and remember that taking on pro bono work is a great way to expand your portfolio, to network and to practice your skills.

Awards Ceremony

2009-07-27T09:25:00.001-07:00

It's time for our quarterly awards ceremony recognizing excellence in education. There are 3 lists that students can achieve recognition for which are as follows.

Honor Roll - 3.5 & up G.P.A.
Dean's list - 3.8 - 3.99 G.P.A.
President List - 4.00 - G.P.A.

These awards are handed out 4 times per year so come to the awards ceremony to be presented with your award.

Day students - ceremony is at 11:00 a.m. in the auditorium
Night students - 7:00 in the auditorium.

You must have attended 3 consecutive mods to be eligible for any of these awards. The lists are posted outside of the Student Services office if you have any questions. Even if you are not receiving an award, please come and support your classmates.

School starts Monday, July 20th

2009-07-21T15:47:00.000-07:00

If this is a newsflash to you - you are in grave danger of being dropped from school for non-attendance! If you do not attend your classes in the first week of the module - YOU WILL BE DROPPED FROM SCHOOL!

So what does this mean to you? It means that you are not enrolled in school any longer, are in danger of losing your school loans and funding AND that your computer must be returned immediately because it is on loan to you as long as you are a student! NOT GREAT! You can come back to school the following module if your Associate Dean (me) allows you back in school and your financial aid is all squared away. But it is at the discretion of the school if we want you back as a student - so don't put yourself in that position.

School starts every 4 weeks - no breaks - no exceptions. As the module is ending, check your schedule in Angel to see if your classes are scheduled. If they are late posting, don't assume you don't have a class. Be pro-active - come to the campus to double-check. Every module in the 2nd week, I get a list of students that were dropped due to non-attendance - don't be on that list!

In other news - the new module is under way and classes are going well so far. See the previous post for a list of what is being taught on-ground starting yesterday.

Happy Designing!

Last Week of School - Hang in There!

2009-07-13T12:24:00.000-07:00

So, it's the middle of summer and IT'S HOT OUT THERE!! It's natural this time of year to want to lay in the sun and forget about work and school while you work on your tan. This is the final week of this module so I encourage all of you to stick with it and get your homework done. Which reminds me, we do this again starting next week - July 20th.

Classes taught on ground at the Salt Lake Campus:

Day classes
1st period - DES 104 - Photoshop Basics - Peter Shultz
2nd period - DES 241 - Web Design Basics - Brad Joiner

Night classes
4th period - DES 104 - Photoshop Basics - Peter Shultz
5th period - DES 242 - Logo & Identity Design - Brad Joiner
5th period - DES 250 - Portfolio Design - Jenny Rhodes

These are on ground classes so online schedules will vary. You are always welcome to audit classes if you need to review any material.

Also - CS4 is available on campus from either myself or Sean Pace.

Student Night at the Arts Festival

2009-06-25T10:27:00.000-07:00

Friday night is student night at the Arts Festival. Show your student ID and get 2 for 1 tickets. Tickets are $10.00 so find a friend and get in for $5.00 on Friday.

The Arts Festival starts today and runs through Sunday at Library Square in Salt Lake. Students are meeting at the AIGA booth (find it on the festival guide/map when you get there) on Friday night at 7:00 to meet up and experience the festival - everyone is invited.

The Arts Festival is an amazing event for music, art, food and entertainment and is well worth attending - see you there : )

Click here for more information

New Module Starts Today - June, 22

2009-06-22T13:49:00.000-07:00

School starts up again today.

Here is the schedule for on-ground classes at the Murray Campus.
1st period - DES103 - Illustrator
Peter Schultz - room 216

2nd period - DES240 - Information Design
Jenny Rhodes - room 216

4th period - DES103 - Illustrator
Peter Schultz - room 216

5th period - DES215 - Web Design
Brad Joiner - room 216

Make sure to check your schedule in Angel to verify your schedule and remember that you must log-in to your online classes and attend classes during the first week or you will be dropped for non-attendance.

We're on Facebook

2009-06-19T21:54:00.001-07:00

We officially have a facebook page dedicated to Stevens Henager Graphic Arts students - this will be an extension of my blog where you all can post comments, upload photos and keep connected.

So check us out on facebook - Let's be Friends!!!!

Volunteer at the Art's Festival

2009-06-16T14:30:00.000-07:00

The AIGA is running a booth at the Art's Festival next weekend and will give you a free ticket in exchange for helping out with their booth. The festival runs Thursday - Sunday, June 25th - 28th and the shifts start at 11:00 a.m. and run until 9:00 p.m. in 2 hour increments. I am volunteering 2 days and the AIGA would love to have you help out.

If you are interested in volunteering - email me the date and time you want and I will let you know if it is available - send me a 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice. You will need to pick up your ticket at the Murray campus and I will let you know more details as the event gets closer.

Even if you can't volunteer, you should definitely get to the Arts Festival. 4 days of music, art, food and entertainment at beautiful library square. Cost is $10.00. I know summer is officially here when the arts festival comes to town!!

Click here for AIGA booth

Click here for link to the Arts Festival

Graduation 2009

2009-06-10T15:32:00.000-07:00

Graduation was on Friday, June 5th at the Capitol Theater. Here are a few pictures from the event - hope to see more of you there next year. It's all about graduation - - keep your eye on the prize and CONGRATULATIONS!!

Graduation is June 5th

2009-06-01T12:21:00.000-07:00

The light at the end of the tunnel is finally here for some of you. Graduation is June 5th at 7:00 pm at the Capitol Theater and there are a number of graphic arts students graduating on the Salt Lake Campus.

Graduates with an Associate of Occupational Studies in Graphic Art:
Bill Andrus
Taylor Christensen*
Kenyon Curtis**
Kodi Ellis
Donna Glen***˜
Michael Haygood***˜
Austin Heath
Kristina Holder
Brian Lee*
Chad Ludwig*
Dan Markosian**
Jenny Sean Pace*
Manuel Rangel***˜
Katherine Schmidt
Kelie Scoville
Laurie Tanner*
David Wade

*-Cum Laude **-Magna Cum Laude ***Summa Cum Laude ˜-Alpha Beta Society

I am so proud of all of the graduates - great job and I will see you on Friday.

Graduation is open to the public so you are encouraged to come and show support to your friends and classmates.

I will also be graduating with my MBA so I will be leading graduates and graduating with you. Be there or be SQUARE!!

Classes being taught on-ground next module

2009-05-20T15:32:00.001-07:00

The new module starts on May26th - Don't forget that Monday is a holiday!Even though we don't need one right?

I would also like to welcome a new instructor - Peter Schultz. He has a MFA in Media Design and a BS in Graphic Design from Portland State University. He brings a lot of real world experience as well as an outstanding portfolio. He will be teaching DES109 4th period starting next week. I am looking forward to what he will bring to the graphic arts department on our campus - Welcome Peter!

Mod 6 Schedule
Day
1st period - DES109 - Graphic Design 1
8:30 - 10:50 am
Room 216
Instructor: Jenny Rhodes

Night
4th period - DES109 - Graphic Design 1
6:00 - 9:50 pm
Room 216
Instructor: Peter Schultz

Also - if you are scheduled to take DES250 - the portfolio design class - via elluminate in the next 2 modules and would prefer to take that class as a directed study with me on campus, let me know. I am currently taking inventory of students that still need DES250 so that I can offer a class time that will work for you and I am also willing to work with you on a directed study basis. You can send me feedback at 'nnydesign@yahoo.com'

Poster Contest

2009-05-18T19:02:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who submitted poster designs for this project. The winner is Kevin Beckstead who is a new graphic arts student in the day program. He received a 2gb flashdrive and a very VERY stylish SHC T-shirt. The posters are currently on display in the lobby and in the cafeteria.

Congratulations Kevin!

Honorable Mention
Dante Johnson

Jordan Butler

Living Traditions Festival this Weekend

2009-05-13T16:09:00.000-07:00

Living Traditions is a 3-day festival at library square that celebrates all cultures. It's free with 3 stages of live music and dance combined with great food. Check out the website below for more details.

"Local ethnic artists – craftspeople, dancers, musicians, and chefs – are at the heart of Living Traditions. They teach us about the techniques, styles, tools and materials that are used in their respective artforms, many of which are centuries old. We build on our diversity by bringing featured guest artists to perform, presenting music that might not otherwise be heard in our community, contributing to the overall celebration."

Click here for more info

Design posters for the Salt Lake Campus

2009-05-04T15:27:00.000-07:00

We need posters made for the Salt Lake campus and we would like to give the graphic design students the chance to design them. The poster needs to say 'Welcome to Stevens-Henager" and will be placed in the sign display case in the front lobby. The size needs to be 11 x 17 and should be designed in Illustrator or InDesign. It can have photos or graphics on the poster but the focus on the poster should be the Stevens-Henager Logo so keep it easy to read, eye-catching but simple.

I am including 2 jpegs here of the logo but I also have the .eps versions and will email them to you if requested.

If the school chooses your poster, it will be displayed in the school lobby at all times and will count as published work. We will also give you a 2gig flashdrive and a Stevens-Henager T-shirt. I would like to make the selection by Monday, May 11th.

You can submit .pdfs of your designs to nnydesign@yahoo.com.

Thank you for playing!

Logos

Spring Colors on the web

2009-04-30T12:57:00.001-07:00

Here is a link to a collection of great websites inspired by color.
Spring is here!

Click here for more

New Classes Start Monday

2009-04-24T12:31:00.000-07:00

Are you enjoying your spring break yet? 3 days and we start class all over again so rest up! I will be teaching
DES105 - Page Layout Tools starting Monday, April 27th.

Day program
1st period: 8:30 - 10:50 Monday - Thursday
Room 216

Night Program
4th Period - 6:00 - 9:50
Mondays and Wednesdays
Room 216

My classes are always open to students to audit as well so if you want to brush up on your InDesign skills, see you in class.

Happy Designing!

Student Spotlight

2009-04-15T11:28:00.000-07:00

This is an assignment from my beginning Photoshop class. The assignment is to take the original room and give it a makeover. Here are a few samples of the best work.

This is the original image

Iunaite Lalomilo

Alicia Fairborne

Keith Jackson

Kevin Beckstead

Job Fair on Wednesday

2009-04-07T11:40:00.000-07:00

There is a job fair being held on Wednesday, April 8th at SLCC at the Redwood road campus.

9:00 - 2:00
4600 S Redwood Road
Salt Lake City, UT 84130

It's the one by our school - lots of employers will be there and come prepared with multiple resumés and dressed professionally and ready to interview. I know a lot of you are looking for work right now so this should be a good opportunity to meet a lot of potential employers.

You can call 801.957.4660 if you have any other questions

Free Sundance screening downtown salt lake - Today!

2009-04-04T11:12:00.000-07:00

The short films are screening at the Rose Wagner theater today only and it's free. This also includes a Q & A with the filmmakers including Jared Hess who directed Napolean Dynamite.
Click here for more information

Cool Designs

2009-04-02T11:02:00.001-07:00

Happy Thursday everyone! Did you get all of your assignments for your first week of school? Of course you did!

I am posting links to some inspiring brochure design as well as a list of great portfolio sites. Remember, your portfolio is a living project that you should be working on every module - don't wait until you are ready to graduate to scramble to put a portfolio together. You should have a presence online immediately as well as printing off your school projects to go in your book.

Click here for more portfolios

Click here for more brochure designs

Cheap Date - Get Inspired

2009-03-27T12:04:00.000-07:00

Multi-artist show tonight!
Friday, March 27th 6 - 10

This is a great opportunity to see a lot of great art all in one space. This studio only opens its doors twice a year so it's always a good time - and it's free! Impress your date with something new to do - or just come with a friend and mingle. See you there.
Click here for the website

Designer's After-School Special

2009-03-24T13:52:00.000-07:00

Some great advice for design students about how to get http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifthe most from your educational experience from the AIGA. Click here for full article

Student Spotlight

2009-03-17T13:51:00.001-07:00

So, this module I am teaching DES103 - Illustrator Basics back in the classroom and I am seriously blown away by the talent I am seeing from new students. This assignment is a postcard advertising a local zoo and students can utilize any of the tools in Illustrator to draw 4 original animals. I always love seeing the creative approaches each student brings to the project Great work!!

Keith Jackson

Ian Layton

Allyson Hensley

Eleanor Burson

Dante Johnson

Bachelor Degree Program is Official!!!

2009-03-10T16:33:00.000-07:00

I have great news - Stevens Henager has received the official go-ahead to start offering a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Arts. This has been in the works for over a year now and I am so excited that we can move forward on this. Although an Associate's degree is great, A Bachelor's degree is even more valuable to your career. The Salt Lake campus can start taking applications starting March 30th through David Cowsert in Student Services.

I encourage all of you to enroll in the Bachelor's program and stop by to see me if you have any questions.

Also - there is a student advisory committee meeting on Thursday - Here's the information:
The meeting will be held this Thursday, March 12th, 2009 at 5:00 PM in the Auditorium.

This is an opportunity to make your voice heard and make change happen! Your input is important and will be taken seriously. Light refreshments will be served.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

See you then!

Holly Andrews

Phone: 801-281-7600 ext 3051

New Module starts today!

2009-03-02T12:17:00.000-08:00

Hi students - did you enjoy your break? (ha)

So, we're back at it again and module 3 starts today. The classes I am teaching on ground this mod are:

Day:
DES105 - Illustrator Basics
1st period 8:30 - 10:50
Monday - Thursday

Night:
DES105 - Illustrator Basics
4th period
6:00 - 9:50
Mondays and Wednesdays

My office hours this module are 9 - 6:00 Monday - Thursday and you can always call to set up an appointment. 801-262-7600 ext. 3038

Have a great module everyone!

Movie night Thursday - Come watch 'Helvetica'

2009-02-23T14:31:00.000-08:00

February 26th Thursday night - 6:00 pm room 217.

I will be showing 'Helvetica' which is a great documentary all about the font (which is much more interesting and entertaining than it sounds - I promise). The movie is a "Who's Who" of contemporary graphic designers including Paula Scher, Stefan Sagmeister, Neville Brody and David Carson just to name a few. It also examines the role Helvetica has played in graphic design for decades.
Click here for more information about the film

This is just a fun night to get together with your fellow students. There will be food at 6:00 and time to socialize and the movie will start at 6:30. I will have light snacks but feel free to bring something to share if you want. If you are interested in coming, please shoot me an email at nnydesign@yahoo.com so I can get an idea of how many of you will be there. You can bring a friend - non-students welcome - no kids.

Census Needs Part-time Workers

2009-02-23T11:39:00.000-08:00

This isn't a job in graphic design but I know a few of you are looking for anything at this point. Read below for more information.

The US Census Bureau is preparing for the 2010 census. To do this, they have a need for a large number of employees in a variety of areas.

WE INVITE YOU TO REFER FRIENDS AND FAMILY AS WELL.

The jobs pay $10-$17/hour. They are temp jobs several weeks but you can renew the contract with the possibility of working 30-40 hours per week for the next year and a half. The Census Bureau will be using our facility to test and train.

The next testing times are on February 24th at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. at Stevens-Henager in Murray. If you are interested in testing, please visit www.2010censusjobs.gov and complete the application prior to attending the testing. You should also bring the required ID.

We are delighted to have this partnership with the US Census Bureau and hope it will be of help to you. There are brochures at the front desk at our college.

Wellness Fair on Tuesday

2009-02-23T11:32:00.000-08:00

The Salt Lake/Murray campus is having a special event tomorrow - See the flyer for details.

Inspiring Brochure Design

2009-02-12T15:15:00.001-08:00

Who knew you can be inspired by a simple brochure? Well, me... There's such great talent out there and I always love to see what designers are doing with marketing materials. This is a post from youthedesigner.com which is a great blog all about graphic design. Here is a link to some samples.
You can click on a brochure to see all of the pages.

Remember - No classes on Monday - President's day

2 job opportunities

2009-02-10T14:23:00.000-08:00

I received this job posting from Amy White, a former student who is successfully working in the field of graphic design and wanted to post this for other stevens-henager students - that means you guys!!

"Our company is www.eharborinc.com and we do logo and website design as one of the many things we do. We are located in Orem at 1600 north but might move to a bigger location in provo in a few months. We are looking for someone who has a nice portfolio, and has some "experience" with logo design, (school work is cool).

Email your portfolio and resumé to Amy White awhite@eharborinc.com Make sure to let them know that even though they are still in school, we look at the portfolio and resumé and want it to look good and unique.

Graphic Design Internship
This came through our student services department:
CAO Group, Inc in West Jordan, Utah is a worldwide distributor of technological lighting and dental/medical electronic solutions. Get more information about us from our website www.caogroup.com. Intern employees/students will work directly on advertising and promotional projects allowing for creative input to the design work as well as hands on working experience with the production and distribution of visual arts materials.

Moderate level of supervision and input from Division Director. Constant cooperation and job input from other full time Graphic Design and Marketing team members will be provided.

Job Summary:
• Prepare flyers, brochures, spec sheets and other similar documentation related to products and services provided by the company.
• Design, update, and maintain company profiles and literature such as folders, promotional, trade show fixtures, and websites.
• Take promotional photographs of product for literature. Interact with printing houses on the creation of literature.
• Assist with company security through Photo-ID maintenance.

Send resumes through email to bob.perry@caogroup.com.

Building your portfolio - Student Spotlight

2009-02-09T09:05:00.001-08:00

We are in the 2nd week of a new module and I've said it before, I'll say it again. Getting a job in the field of graphic design is very competitive and many students will only have their student projects to put in their portfolio. I challenge all of you to bring your A game for every school project. There is a big difference between getting the assignment done so you can get an OK grade on it and approaching the assignment as if it's a portfolio piece. The students that do great work in school are the ones that will get jobs upon graduation.

I just finished teaching print production and color theory last module which is a class that focuses on understanding color and how to use it in printing and design. The midterm project was to design color palettes for various interior spaces. Students had to write about the business, list the color by pantone number and represent graphically how the colors would work together.

Jordan Butler is a student on the Orem campus and he approached each of the pages as a piece for his portfolio. Here are some examples of his midterm project.

The final project was a presentation on a color which included marketing, packaging, global meanings of a color etc. I suggested powerpoint or InDesign as a multiple page document. Again, Jordan took the assignment to a new level and created an actual book on the color yellow. Below are some of the pages.

Great work Jordan!!

Design a label contest - Ends Wednesday

2009-02-02T08:07:00.000-08:00

Whether or not you drink beer is beside the point. Squatter's is releasing a new beer and are having opening the design of the label to the public. There are prizes involved but the best one is if you win, your label is printed on the bottle. So for that reason, I feel responsible to share this opportunity with you. All the details, specs and marketing verbiage are on the following website. Even if you don't win, send me your labels and I will post them here. Wednesday is the last day to submit designs so HURRY!!!

Good luck!
Click here for details

Mac Training Class starting Feb. 2nd

2009-01-30T12:25:00.000-08:00

I am teaching a Mac training lab at the Salt Lake campus starting Monday, February 2nd. It is specifically for new students just getting their computers but anyone who wants to learn more about their Mac is welcome to come. It will be held 2nd period (11:30 - 1:50) in room 217 during the day and 5th period (Tuesdays & Thursdays at 6:00 pm) for the night classes. It is a free class and will be a chance to network with graphic design students and learn how to fully utilize your macintosh computer. I will specifically be covering the System Preference panel, how to customize your computer, create file folders, burning CDs and also introducing the programs in ilife which include itunes, imovie, iphoto and garage band.
If you want to come, just show up!

Please contact me if you have any questions at Jenny.Rhodes@stevenshenager.edu

Photoshop Brushes & Job Tips

2009-01-27T10:48:00.001-08:00

These articles are credited to one of my favorite design blogs "youthedesigner.com"

Here are 25 new splatter brushes for Photoshop to download

Here are some great tips you can do now to prepare for getting a job when you graduate - or before you graduate! Click here

itunes & Sundance

2009-01-20T11:33:00.000-08:00

I Just got an email that itunes is offering 10 short films to download for free that are showing at the Sundance film festival. Go to the website and scroll down to the link that says 'Shorts - 10 Shorts/10 Days' and it will open up the download page in itunes.

I went to my first movie of the festival on Saturday - Wounded Knee. It was a documentary about a standoff on an Indian Reservation in the 70's. Very interesting and the director and producer where there to take questions. That is my favorite part of seeing movies at Sundance is that the filmmakers and the actors are often there and talk to the audience.

As I said in my post last week, you can try to get into any movie even if it's sold out, which every one is at this point, by waitlisting for tickets. I am going to try to get into a movie tonight that's written by one of my favorite authors - Nick Hornby. He wrote the books High Fidelity and About a Boy which were both made into movies. It is a long process of getting waitlist numbers and then waiting some more - wish me luck!

Great website

2009-01-15T09:17:00.000-08:00

Heid Ross sent me this website and I thought it was so great I wanted to share with you. It covers everything from websites of the week to Photoshop and Flash tutorials.
Enjoy

Sundance is Coming Tomorrow!

2009-01-14T10:18:00.000-08:00

Most of you know about the Sundance Festival from what you see on Entertainment tonight or the E Channel. Movie stars and parties happening up in Park City but a lot of locals don't know what an amazing opportunity we have in our own backyard. Tickets to movies aren't as hard to get as everyone thinks and you can wait in line for any movie offered. Tickets are $15.00 and often include a Q & A session after the movie with the director and sometimes the actors. It's kind of a process with waiting for a number, then waiting to get in - but it can be done and I've never been turned away for a movie I waitlisted for. Here are details on how to do it

Theater locations aren't just in Park City, The Broadway, The Tower and the Rose Wagner in Salt Lake city show films as well as a theater in Ogden.

Another great part of the festival are the panel discussions on all things creative and film making. Many of these events are free and open to the public - make sure to read if tickets are required.
Click here for panels and non-film events

Another way to get up close and personal is to volunteer for the festival. I have volunteered for the last few years and having credentials gets you in to activities that the general public can't. If you have the chance, take in a movie, or a panel.
Click here for a survival guide

This is a perfect example of an amazingly creative venue in our own backyard - get out and experience it if you can.

Eye on 2009

2009-01-06T11:24:00.000-08:00

Good-bye 2008 – Hello 2009!

Some of you are probably glad to leave the last year behind, others not so much. The one thing we can all agree on is that 2009 is upon us and it is an opportunity for a fresh start. I have long ago given up on lofty resolutions that I have already broken by January 5th. I have replaced them with realistic goals and expectations. For most of you I hope, you have a goal of graduating from college and becoming employed in the field of graphic design. That might be next month or next year but that date will come. I challenge you all, wherever you are in the program, to set yourself up for success upon graduation. I believe the most important tool you can develop is a great resumé and an online portfolio showcasing your work. Start on that now – with that in mind, approach every school project and assignment with the possibility that it might end up good enough to end up in your portfolio. Your school projects will become your portfolio. The students that I know will get jobs in their field are those that do great work in school. I am not your harshest critic and neither are any of your instructors. We give you feedback to help you to improve but if you do the assignment as assigned, you will probably do o.k. in your classes. But graphic design is a competitive field – why would an employer pick ‘just o.k.’ or a ‘satisfactory’ designer when someone else who applied for the same job is ‘exceptional’ or ‘inspiring’? All things being equal – who wouldn’t choose the best designer?

So, how to become the best you can be – (to quote the army). What little steps can you take right now to help you reach your goals? Like I mentioned earlier, approach every school project as if it could be a portfolio piece. Get out and about – find out what’s going on in your town creatively and support it when you can. Attend an art show, go to the theater, go to open mic night at the local coffeeshop. Seeing other creative people with the courage to present their work is always inspiring on some level. Join your local AIGA and attend sponsored events. Start networking with peers and people in the field of design. Be observant – look for color trends, new fonts, a redesign of a product or its packaging. Gather samples of great work and put them in a file folder to use as inspiration later on. And finally, take a look at your communication skills and your attitude in general. Are you easy to talk to, do you take direction from employers, can you take criticism of your work without getting defensive. I’ve worked with a lot of creative people but that trait means nothing if someone is a complete jerk – trust me on that one.
Make a resolution to be inspired in the coming year – here are some links to events in the Salt Lake area.

Salt Lake City AIGA

Gallery Stroll

Art galleries

Happy Designing

An assignment from Winter Sorbeck

2008-12-15T16:24:00.000-08:00

Excerpted from ‘The Cheese Monkey’s” By Chip Kidd

“It’s February. You’re stuck in the middle of nowhere, on the side of the road. All you have is the clothes on your back, a magic marker and a big piece of paper. Now,” he grinned. “Get home.”

It’s winter and the class loads up on a bus that drops them off on some deserted road miles from campus.

“Here’s how it’ll work. The class will hide behind those trees, out of sight of the traffic. One at a time, you will stand at the side of the road, with your sign. A car comes by, you get picked up, it’s an A. It keeps going, you drop one letter grade. Second picks you up, it’s a B. Third, it’s a C . Four cars and no luck, you fail. Let’s move out!”

First student
I AM
NOT
ARMED

Second student
S.O.S.
SORORITY
PRANK!

Third student
DON’T
EVEN
BOTHER

Fourth student
MY TEACHER
IS INSANE
YOUR ASSISTANCE
APPRECIATED

Two days later back in class…

“…so you see, that’s what a logo, for yourself or anyone else, has to do. It has to flag people down, either by invitation or mystery, or any other means actually. And by limiting your materials I gave you a huge break. Had I given each of you an arsenal of squeaky pens spanning the spectrum, I’m sure at least 2 or 3 kiddies would still be out there, turned into a popsicle trying to decide between light green and dark green”

Volunteer Opportunity for Art Event at Sundance

2008-12-11T13:02:00.000-08:00

GEN ART is an organization that supports emerging talent in the arts through event production. We showcase the best in film, fashion, visual art, and music through our programming. We have markets in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco, and Chicago; however, in January we are coming to Park City for Sundance.
We are producing two events to celebrate the hottest new talent (actors and filmmakers) at the festival.

Duties will include last minute setup, check-in, managing event flow, etc. I am notyet sure about all of the positions, I am just getting more deeply involved with this project myself. Please let me know if you have any other questions.

The events will be held at….

Hollywood Life House
692 Main Street
Park City, Utah

The dates and times are as follows:

January 16th - 9:30pm-1:30am
January 17th - 9:30pm-1:30am

Volunteering with Gen Art is a great way for students to gain experience in both the arts and event production. I would love to see some Stevens-Henager students there! Please forward this on; anyone interested can contact me directly.

Thanks so much!

Best,
Marcia Callaghan

Regional Event Coordinator

Gen Art Chicago

311 N Aberdeen Suite 300B

Chicago, IL 60607

mcallaghan@genart.org 312.229.1701

Typography Humor

2008-12-11T12:05:00.000-08:00

Student Work

2008-12-09T13:27:00.000-08:00

The latest round is from my Typography class. These are some of my favorite logos presented.

BreAnna Hoppe

Dylan Alvey

Manny Rangel

Student work

2008-12-09T13:04:00.001-08:00

I've been slacking a tad on posting student work but not because there hasn't been great designs to choose from. The following are from my beginning Illustrator class and these are students that go from never having used a Mac before to desining postcards, CDs and posters in Adobe Illustrator. They always rise to the challenge - good work students.

Brandon Redding

Melissa Scott

Brodie Tyler

AIGA craft show - Friday, Dec. 5th

2008-12-02T11:40:00.000-08:00

Make Your Mark Design for a Cause » The Holiday Craft Exhibit & Sale

Join us the evening of Friday, December 5th at the Art Barn. In conjunction with the Salt Lake City Arts Council annual Holiday Craft Exhibit & Sale, two winning submissions from our juried Holiday Card Invitational will be letterpressed and sold. A portion of the proceeds from these handcrafted cards will go to a local charity.

Featuring the diversity and creative expressions of more than sixty of Salt Lake’s finest craft artists, the entire Exhibit & Sale presents an amazing abundance of colors, textures, materials and images. Vessels and ornaments, boxes and scarves, journals and jewelry, garden art and glass in many forms; all this and much more can be found at this rich and overflowing holiday show.

Date: Friday, December 5th, 2008
Time: Opening Reception - 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Location:
The Art Barn in Reservoir Park, 54 Finch Lane (1325 East 100 South) (map)

Admission:
FREE

Click here for more info

Can you judge a book by the cover?

2008-12-02T11:13:00.000-08:00

I have always said and still maintain that you CAN judge a book by its cover. There are books I go out of my way to read and then there are books that I happen across at the library or the bookstore SPECIFICALLY FOR THE COVER!!! The cover catches my interest, draws me in and gets me to pick it up and read the back jacket. Then I will decide if I want to spend time with the book. The most important part of book design just might be the spine – as I am walking down aisles and aisles of books, that is often the only part of the book I see – that little one inch wide area is all the designer has to get me to want to learn more. It’s all about type, font, color and of course, the title of the book.

I love to read and this is how I find books. I go to the awesome Salt Lake City
library downtown and go directly to the second floor to Fiction. I usually start at the A’s and walk up and down the aisles looking for a book that catches my interest. Sometimes I make it to the M section before I have selected 4 – but usually not which is why I have to stagger my starting point in the alphabet. Friends comment on the eclectic array of books I bring home from the library and ask me how I found out about said book. “I just find them – or they find me” I say.

So, I’m leaving town last week and know I will be sitting on a plane for at least 4 hours and I’m out of books. I go to the library and stumble across a book called ‘The Cheese Monkeys’ by Chip Kidd who is a graphic designer writing a novel about art school and becoming a designer in the 50’s. The book jacket is intriguing and the book makes the cut. Turns out, the main character is going off to college to major in art and ends up taking a class on graphic design. Think Dead Poet’s society with a crazy but inspiring design teacher, Winter Sorbeck, and naïve college students majoring in art.

I loved it and will be sharing Sorbeck’s thoughts on graphic design as well as his interesting design assignments, through the perspective of the 1950’s in blogs to come.

Here is a taste…
Introduction of class content by Winter Sorbeck...

“They would have you believe this class is the Introduction to Commercial Art. It is not. I’ve been put in charge of the store here, and I say it’s Introduction to Graphic Design. The difference is as crucial as it is enormous – as important as the difference between pre- and postwar America. Uncle Sam… is Commercial Art. The American Flag… is Graphic Design.

Commercial Art tries to make you buy things. Graphic Design gives you ideas. One natters on and on, the other actually has something to say. They use the same tools¬–words, pictures, colors. The difference, as you’ll be seeing, and as you’ll be showing me, is how. Design is, literally, purposeful planning. Graphic Design, then, is the form those plans will take

“Eight notes in the scale: you can write either ‘Smoke gets in your eyes’ or 'The marriage of Figaro'.

“Twenty-six letters: 'Marjorie Morningstar' or 'Ulysses'.

“The man-made world means exactly that. There isn’t an inch of it that doesn’t have to be dealt with, figured out, executed. And it’s waiting for you to decide what it’s going to look like.

Alright – here’s your first assignment…”

And me? I’m hooked!!!
Click here for the book on Amazon.com

Student Spotlight

2008-11-17T09:43:00.000-08:00

Here is some of the latest work students are doing in their beginning Illustrator class. They were instructed to make a postcard for their local zoo which had to include at least 4 animals that are drawn completely in Illustrator. This class is a beginning class and some students' first quarter at school. They go from learning the basics of their new Apple computer to being able to create postcards, CD covers and posters all in Adobe Illustrator.

Good work students!

Happy Birthday Helvetica

2008-11-10T10:38:00.001-08:00

OK - So, I'm a year late to this party. Helvetica turned 50 last year and there is a new documntary about typography, graphic design and of course the beloved font 'Helvetica.' I saw a blip about this flick last year and then it showed up as an option in my Netflix. So, it is next in my queue and I will give you a review after I've seen it. It looks great.

About the film
"Helvetica is a feature-length independent film about typography, graphic design and global visual culture. It looks at the proliferation of one typeface (which celebrated its 50th birthday in 2007) as part of a larger conversation about the way type affects our lives. The film is an exploration of urban spaces in major cities and the type that inhabits them, and a fluid discussion with renowned designers about their work, the creative process, and the choices and aesthetics behind their use of type.

Helvetica encompasses the worlds of design, advertising, psychology, and communication, and invites us to take a second look at the thousands of words we see every day. The film was shot in high-definition on location in the United States, England, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, France and Belgium."

Here's the link for more information

Design can make a difference

2008-11-10T10:30:00.000-08:00

In my Graphic Design 1 class - I have a slide that says "We might not make the world a better place - but we will always make it a prettier place."
I say that tongue-in-cheek because I do believe that great design can have an impact on many levels. I found this website today that matches up creative professionals with non-profit organizations that need design work. Often, these groups can't afford to hire expensive ad agencies and this site is providing a way for designers who want to do pro bono work to find organizations in need. The site is called Designismconnects.org

If you sign up - you can list a creative profile
Click here for more info

GO VOTE!!!

2008-11-04T10:57:00.001-08:00

Unless you've been living in a hole - you are aware that today is your opportunity to vote. I went to my location this morning at 8:00 a.m. anticipating headaches and long lines and found neither. And I was also impressed with Utah's touchscreen voting system. I inserted a plastic card, voted on a touchscreen, reviewed my ballot, got a printed copy and then hit submit. It was completely slick and I am proudly wearing my 'I voted' sticker as I type. Whatever obstacles you are facing today, make the time and the effort to vote in this historical election.

In honor of patriotism, I found these historical military posters for your viewing pleasure.

AIGA Event Thursday, Nov. 6th

2008-10-29T13:11:00.003-07:00

Limelight Event-Sean Adams

Sean Adams, Partner, AdamsMorioka,
National President, AIGA
Lessons in Fear

AIGA Salt Lake City is proud to welcome Sean Adams, Partner at AdamsMorioka in Los Angeles and National President for the AIGA. At AdamsMorioka, over the past ten years, they’ve made mistakes. Big mistakes. Some were a collision of events that hit like a train wreck. Some were self-produced. All of the mistakes were motivated by fear. When is fear appropriate in design? Are we on the Love Boat, or Voyage of The Damned? How do we know the difference? Where are the lifeboats?

November 6th, 2008
6:30 pm Mingle
7:00 pm Presentation
8:00 pm Q&A

Salt Lake City Arts Center
20 South West Temple
Salt Lake City, UT

Click here for link

2008-10-29T13:11:00.001-07:00

Student Spotlight

2008-10-27T10:43:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite classes to teach is DES109 - Graphic Design I. Up until this point, students are learning about the software - Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign but this is the first class where they are introduced to the world of design and a day in the life of a graphic designer. We study influential designers, the history of graphic design, the principles of good design and creative use of typography.

This project is one of students' final projects and they are instructed to design a self-portrait using only typographic characters. Their work should represent their design style and say something about who they are as designers. This is one of my favorite projects because I'm always blown away by students' creativity and their process of design.

These are a few of my favorites. Click on any image to see a bigger photo.

Amelia Robinson

Amanda Peterson

Kenyon Curtis

Destiny Winter

Practice Time Management

2008-10-27T09:47:00.001-07:00

As the new module is getting underway today - I strongly encourage you all to look at time management in your design classes as well as general education classes. Online and elluminate classes require students to be self-paced and work a lot on your own time. I have found some students flourish in this environment while others use it as an excuse to procrastinate. The career of a graphic designer is extremely demanding and deadlines are king. If you miss a deadline, the magazine page your company purchased goes out blank; the product your company is stocking on Target's shelves is sitting empty. No one is going to wait for you to hit your deadlines.

You hit them or you lose your job - period - game over!

On the other side of the pendulum, I often see students that spend many hours over and above what the assignment calls for. Life is a balancing act and I also want to caution students about spending so much time on one assignment that the rest of their school work suffers. It is important to always do your best work but effective time management can help you be efficient in all areas of your life.

There is a great article on 'youthedesigner' about how to be a more productive designer. Click here to read the full text

DVD Designs

2008-10-13T12:58:00.000-07:00

I think my dream job (besides the one I already have of course) would be to design book jackets. Read one book a month and take all the time I need with an unlimited budget of course, to knock out one awesome design every 4 weeks. It would combine my 2 favorite things - design and reading! But I also Love movies - here is a list of one designer's favorite DVD covers for 2008 which include Ironman, Indiana Jones and The Incredible Hulk. Serious Photoshop skills on display

Check out this link for more

Do you have a favorite that didn't make the list?

Is Graffiti Graphic Design?

2008-10-13T12:44:00.000-07:00

According the Webster - Graphic Design is defined as : the art or profession of using design elements (as typography and images) to convey information or create an effect ; also : a product of this art

So, what sets graphic design apart from other media? Painting, Sculpture, Photography - is that graphic design? I came across this book called Graffiti Japan that highlights different artists and showcases their work. The book has great images of the work and check out the website as well - creative!

Click here to see more...

Student Work

2008-09-29T09:29:00.001-07:00

Logo design by Tammy Pevler

South by Southwest Corporate Identity by Shawn McDonald

Identity design for SFMOMA - Manny Rangel

Logo by Christy Finlinson

AIGA event Thursday

2008-09-29T09:25:00.000-07:00

AIGA Salt Lake City is proud to welcome Petrula Vrontikis, Principal and Creative Director of Vrontikis Design Office in Los Angeles. It doesnt matter how you spell it, or does it? Inspiration can come from anywhere and can mean infinite things to different people. Join us Thursday, October 2nd with graphic designer, educator and author Petrula Vrontikis for a tour of the graphic designers creative process. She will present her work with Vrontikis Design Office (35k.com), speak about graphic design education and share ideas about what inspires us to do what we dhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifo.

Thursday, October 3
Click here for full details

Good news if you listen to music at work...

2008-09-20T12:15:00.000-07:00

According to an article in HOW Magazine:

"Music is great for creativity,and it can be a great substitute for caffeine, too. If you're up until 3 a.m. working an a project, some good dance music can keep you going far longer than caffeine

More Than Just Ear Candy
"Music can be used to activate, stimulate and relax the mind and body, more and more businesses are recognizing the importance of music in a work environment. The key is finding the right kind of music to stimulate creativity," says Gerald Haman, a creativity trainer with SolutionPeople, a creative brainstorming group in Chicago. "I recommend a variety, because every time the music shifts from one style to another, your brain shifts wave patterns, making you think in a slightly different way. I advise my clients to make their own recordings, in short segments, kind of like a 'brain barrage,' or like a channel scan on TV, except it's all musical." The Elephant Factory's Penxa says the firm's favorite music is always the homemade mixed tapes staffers swap.

The goal for creative souls, Campbell says, is to "learn to regulate our minds and bodies using music, that phenomenal catalyst, to help us inwardly vision what we're trying to accomplish."environment."

Click here to read the full story

Interview with Marshall Arisman

2008-09-20T11:55:00.000-07:00

I came across this interview with Marshall Arisman and thought I would share it with you. This is from a blog that is called "Success Secrets of Graphic Design Superstars." and it has interviews with some great creative minds. I always say in class that there are processes and things you can do as a designer to help get your creative juices flowing - ideas don't just fall out of the sky into our lap because we are supposedly more creative than the accountant working down the hall (although let's secretly hope we are.)

I heard Marshall Arisman speak years ago at a design conference in Atlanta and it was one of those moments where everything clicked and I was completely riveted by what he had to say. I am not the biggest fan of his work I must admit but will always be inspired by his creativity and commitment to fostering that in himself and others.

Click here to read the interview

New technology in Printing

2008-09-08T10:51:00.000-07:00

So, I"m watching the today show this morning and I hear them talking about a new technology in printing - what could it possibly be? A 5th color? CMYK - umm P???

What more can we do in printing that we're not already doing - turns out they are putting digital interactivity on magazine covers. Esquire has unveiled its new cover that features electronic ink! Pretty cool - and what does that mean to us as designers. Not only are we designing static printed covers but now there is the possibility of movement and animation. An entirely new element to contend with from a design perspective.

The news is all over the internet this morning.

The Boston Globe has this to say:
"A revolutionary and top-secret Esquire magazine cover was revealed this morning on NBC�s �The Today Show.�

The magazine�s 75th anniversary cover � the first mass-produced glossy magazine cover featuring electronic ink � has an inset that electrically sorts tiny black or white capsules to read, �The 21st Century Begins Now.�

A computer chip allows the 10-square-inch display to present parts of the phrase in succession before the entire sentence blinks together." Full Story Here...

That technology originated in Cambridge at E Ink Corp., where the Esquire project was seen as one step toward a paperless future... More info about the process

Esquire is not releasing the costs involved with this technology but they are charging $2.00 more than their ususal cover price for this particular issue. This has a lot of implications in the future of design - comments?

Student Spotlight

2008-09-04T12:57:00.001-07:00

The new module has just begun at Steven's Henager College so there isn't new work to post at the moment but these are some of the final project from last mod. The fonts are from typography class where students had to design an original font - some really great work for that project.

AIGA EVENT Sept. 9th

2008-09-04T12:52:00.001-07:00

I always keep you posted as to what's going on with the AIGA. Usually they have events downtown at the Art Center and I always try to meet students there. This one is being held at the Art Institute in Draper which is a long Drive. Luckily, they are back at the Salt Lake Art Center on October 2nd with Petrula Vrontikis. I will definitely be there for that one - she's an amazing designer. Mark it on your calendar.

Link to details on the AIGA site

CS4 IS BEING RELEASED

2008-09-04T12:45:00.000-07:00

And here is a link to your personal invitation from Adobe to receive information directly from Adobe on September 23rd.

Link to Adobe

Who knows what the new version will have in store for us - Exciting!!

Student Spotlight

2008-08-26T14:31:00.001-07:00

Here are some projects students have turned in this week.

Typography class designed a 'type-only' poster for Vivaldi's Four Seasons performed by the NYC Philharmonic. Students could use color, shapes, lines and textures but were encouraged to let the typography be the graphic element in their designs. I saw a lot of great work and here are some of my favorites.

Bill Ross

Lynsey VanHarte

This is a packaging project for boxed water. Students were given a creative brief and came up with the name, the design and the text on their own.

Chad Ludwig

Resumé Tips

2008-08-26T14:19:00.000-07:00

Don't wait until you're ready to graduate before you write your resumé. I'm including some links to articles to help your resumé reflect your abilities.

Resumé Do's and Dont's

Resumé Style File

Question: Should your resumé be creative to reflect your design style?
Leave a comment

Olympic Coke Designs

2008-08-26T14:18:00.000-07:00

Coke has designed some pretty cool packaging to commemorate the Olympics. They are being sold as collector's items.

You Like?

Clue gets a design makeover

2008-08-20T12:43:00.000-07:00

Has anyone out there NOT played Clue? Hasbro's beloved game has been around for 60 years but it just got a makeover thanks to Rob Daviau. According to Rob in an interview with NPR radio the new game takes place at a modern mansion — at a party of the rich and famous.

"The weapons have changed, the characters have bios and the mansion has new rooms, like a spa, a theater and a guesthouse. And the company added an element of suspense with a second deck of cards.

"The characters have changed, too. Miss Scarlet has a first name: Cassandra. Colonel Mustard left the military; he's a former football star. Victor Plum, formerly the professor who was always known as the smartest man in the room, became recast as a self-made video game designer — a dot-com billionaire."

Here is a look at the new packaging design as well as the old.

What do you think of the new design? Was it necessary to appeal to a new demographic?

Adobe Design Achievement Awards

2008-08-20T12:30:00.000-07:00

We love Adobe! - we worship Adobe. Without Adobe software, we wouldn't have a job - or at least it would be a lot more difficult. Adobe is currently taking entries for the Adobe Design Achievement Awards or ADDA for short. It's open to students around the world.

Click here to see the current submissions and to learn more about the contest.

See if you like the animated interface with the page - I thought it was pretty confusing but that could just be me.

To see past winners - in a more static format
Click here

Student Spotlight

2008-08-17T18:33:00.000-07:00

Students have the opportunity to show their design projects to their classmates but they don't get to see what other classes are doing. I am going to update this section every week with outstanding student work. Check back often to see what creative designs are being featured.

This is a project from Graphic Design 1 - students had to create a self portrait using only typographic characters. Designed by Nicole Wickstrom.

Austin Heath - Tea Packaging

Chad Hunter

Color Exploration - Michael Haygood

Global Graphic Design

2008-08-15T20:36:00.000-07:00

So, I've put on some events in my day, albeit nothing even remotely close to the mammoth task of the Olympics, but events that need a lot of graphics. And graphics that you don't even think about until you are actually putting on some shindig. Just a partial list would include the usual suspects: an event logo, a website, brochures, direct mail pieces getting them to the event and then once they show up - signage, signs for every room, signs at the event center, schedule of daily events, name badges, book binders, kit covers, CDs, logos for venues, multimedia graphics for presenters, shirts and hats with logos, set design and so on. I know that putting on the Olympics here in Salt Lake took years of preparation and that graphic designers were flown in from all over the world, paid exceedingly well and got to work on one of the most creative opportunities of their career. And our little city did a great job if I do say myself.

But I digress. With my limited experience I have been watching the Beijing Olympics unfold with a sense of wonderment at all the eye-catching and well-thought out graphics. My students know that I love a story behind designs. If you can explain why you’ve made a creative decision, and back it up with research – you’re halfway home.

L ink to Beijing explanation of Logo

And I always say when you design logos, make it a simple, vector image as you never know where the logo sill show up

And it's not just the main logo, but the icons for all of the sports. Again, sticking to the basic rules of logo design - lines with hard edges, no gradients, drop shadows or the like.
And that's just the logos and icons, not to mention the tickets, the name badges, the press passes, the fax sheets, the forms - all the minutiae that goes unnoticed but that a fellow graphic designer can appreciate. Maybe not all the glamorous pieces, like the full building posters in Salt Lake, or the Olympic torch itself but work that needs to be designed nonetheless. Hey, I'll take credit for any part of great design -how about you??

Happy Designing!!

What's with all the Rainbows?

2008-08-15T12:58:00.000-07:00

The Beijing Olympics are all about rainbows? Why? What does it mean? Well, if you know anything about graphic design, you know that everything means something - or SHOULD have some relevance right? When you have the incredible budgets that China had to spend on design and branding - it will definitely tell a story.

Here are their icons, color-coded and with a symbolic meaning that is pretty interesting.

And speaking of logo design - London has faced major controversy over the design of their logo for the 2012 games. Critics say it's not worth the $800,000 they paid for the designs and the London newspaper even challenged the general public to see if they could design something better - for free no less. What do you think?

Click here to read the article in the London newspaper and see the other logo designs.

Dane Cook hates Graphic Design

2008-08-15T12:51:00.000-07:00

At least on his poster - he slams the photoshop work, the art direction of the photo, the background he's shot on and the entire marketing campaign. 'Photoshopping' has officially become a verb.

Click here to see what he has to say about his poster...