Trips!

So AIGA Appstate has been doing a lot of trips over the past few weeks. First, we went to Washington DC to tour some in-house design departments for the Washington Post and the Discovery Channel. We also checked out independent design studios CDG Interactive and Free Range. We also got to stay at the App House, a really cute brownstone in the heart of DC’s fun Eastern Market area. Appalachian State owns this property and another place in New York where students, faculty and alumni can stay during trips/internships for very reasonable rates. In my opinion, definitely one of the best things about this University.

The trip was a blast, planning it was not. There were a few last-minute crises which threatened to derail the whole thing (getting the vans, having to completely change parking arrangements when we arrived, a scheduling issue with one of the studios, etc.) Luckily, everything somehow fell into place. My design buddy and fellow student, Andrew, has been interested in sustainable design lately and got really excited about what Free Range was doing. A lot of the other students seemed to be really happy to be able to talk to working designers, I know I was! I believe this is the ultimate purpose of the Appalachian student AIGA branch: to put students in contact with professionals and help them learn about the industry.

A week or two later, we set out for Charlotte to meet up with Aaron and some of his students for a whirlwind tour of various studios around town. There was some confusion about the address of one of the studios and the accuracy of some of the directions, but thanks to some quick thinking, cellphones, Erin Martin’s boyfriend, and Aaron’s papa-duck style caravan, we made it to each of the studios. A little late, perhaps, but we still made it.

We visited our buddies Gage, Rhonda and Jason at Eye Design and got to talk to founder and creative director Chris Bradle about what they look for in new talent. We then headed to HMH to learn from director/manager Mark Conachan about running a full-service advertising/marketing agency, and where designers fit in. Up next was Limerick Studios, where director Mark Kelley showed us their vast range of postproduction work. Afterwards, lunch at Fuel Pizza.

Our last half of the day took us to Brinkley Design where we talked to creative director Leigh Brinkley about her experiences in the field and met our friend and Appalachian alumni Lauren Thompson. Next we talked to creative director Banks Wilson and client services director Christy Vannetta at Studiobanks about webcentric design studios and how designers and developers/programmers work together. Our last stop of the day was at Mode, where we met John Pietrafesa and discussed their work.

Great times were had, business cards were traded, and we all trekked back up the mountain a little tired, but much wiser. Massive thanks for Amanda Altman, Aaron Shurts and AIGA Charlotte for helping us get the Charlotte trip together.

Neglectomaniac

I was doing pretty good at keeping up with this thing for a while, but then school happened. Please accept my apologies and a hilarious picture of me in mid-sentence talking to Krista and Aaron when we were at “Lecture From Your Next Door Neighbor” hosted by Studiobanks.

“HURFADURFA!”

So actually, lots of things have happened. I ended up leaving the previous job (the one with Bear-themed nativity scenes and fuzzy animal collectible plates), and getting hired over at Appalachian Student Publications. I’ve been doing some illustrations for their Op-Ed section, as well as some print work for CSIL (Center for Student Involvement and Leadership), and generally having a blast. My current project will be the redesign of the A.P.P.S. logos. Unfortunately they can only give me 20 hours a week, so I have to supplement that by working at Lowe’s Foods for another 20-30 hours. Yech. Thankfully, I only have one class, but it’s tough to sit down and design sometimes after you’ve pulled an 10 or 11 hour workday.

The big project for Graphic Design V is a massive branding effort for a nonprofit organization of our choice. I have chosen to do work for Boone Pride. I have completed a logo and almost finished a promotional booklet, and am starting on a website. They will all be in my portfolio in the next several weeks.

In other news, I’ve applied for a few more places around Charlotte and sent out some fun self-promo type stuff. Haven’t gotten word back from anyone yet, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

In other other news, Krista and I are helping run Appalachian State AIGA this semester. We’ve planned a very active semester. Krista has already hosted a package design workshop, we helped put together the first ever Power of Design conference, featuring Jason Gammon from Enventys as well as some big names in the Interior Design world such as Dick Klingman from Klingman Williams.

We’re going on a trip to Washington DC this weekend to check out some design studios, and AIGA Charlotte has helped us plan an upcoming day trip to several Charlotte studios. I’m currently trying to get in contact with some designers to help us out with a mock portfolio review taking place on November 9th. It’s exhausting trying to do all this, but we are determined to give Appalachian students a good chance to experience the professional world of graphic design.

I’m also working on some web projects with Aaron Shurts. Might get some stuff posted in the portfolio about that soon.

Sheesh, reading all that made my head spin. I’m too busy!

Design Butchery: Knicknacks From Hell

One of my jobs is at a certain shop in the heart of downtown Boone. I won’t give the name of it, but the place is guilty of selling the most horrendous, frou-frou, useless crap I’ve ever seen. I’ve been forced to sell countless “handpainted” signs blathering on about jokes that weren’t funny when they were on bumper stickers 10 years ago. I’ve had to sell furry cowboy boots with cow spots on them. Boots that would, someday, be attached to somebody’s feet! I’ve sold more rooster related paraphernalia than I care to remember. Not to mention, these.

Look at that! Who in their right mind would look and that and say “Hey, that’s amazing! I want that in my home!” Damn you, Avon, for unleashing this design abortion on the world.

Whenever I have to bite my tongue and sell somebody one of these monstrosities, something inside me screams, “Why are you wasting money on this?” It makes me feel a certain gravitas about my craft. I feel like it is my duty to help eradicate horrific, Kincade-esque illustrations of fuzzy animals, to banish them into the mists of time and obscurity.

This brings me to a very important point: Design is just as much about education as it is aesthetic beauty and effective communication. As designers, we need to explain to our clients the beauty of activated space, well-proportioned typefaces (and why people should never, ever stretch or shrink them,) and economy of imagery. We need to teach people about the rules, and when the rules can be broken. Perhaps one day, amidst singing dewdrop rainbows and prancing unicorns, the populace will unite and reject these warm, fuzzy, illustrative farts. Perhaps, in an orgiastic spree, we will one day smash these damnable collectible plates, these accursed miniature anthropomorphic cow figurines, and these nauseating yet adorably primitive paintings of country cottages. One can only hope.

CSS and XML

Krista’s taking a web design class for the second summer semester. She’s learning about CSS and maybe a little XML. I’m following along with her in hopes that I, too, will be able to dazzle with superior coding knowledge. She’s already beginning her first CSS-based design tonight, and I plan on plugging away at my own here in the next few weeks.

Pondering About Slipping, Sliding, and Other Things

Fellow designer Aaron Shurts invited me to a little shindig at his place yesterday. Turnout was great, and everyone had a wonderful time reliving the madness of childhood summers.

Hanging out with everyone there made me feel welcome, like I’m making the right decision with my career path. The Charlotte design community seems very open, friendly, and accommodating to n00bs such as myself. I can’t imagine many other careers in which people from all sorts of different companies not only know each other on a first name basis, but come together to have a slip n’ slide party! Can you imagine investment bankers doing the same thing?

“I say, Johnson. Percentages this year are up by a fraction of a decimal. Yes, harrumph hrm.”

“You said it, Thompson. Now please hold my martini as I ‘ride this tube’ as the youngfolk say.”

“Johnson don’t be a damn fool! That’s a $1500 dollar suit, old chap!”

“Oh yes, terribly sorry. Shall we play ‘Pin The Tail on the Cheap Mexican Labor?”   

Not quite the same feeling, huh? So here’s hoping something great happens.

Engage!

And thus I descend upon the magical series of tubes called “internet”.

What this blog will hopefully be: an intelligent, witty discussion about design and the role it plays in today’s visual culture. Occasionally there will be my two cents thrown in about politics, technology, and other topics of interest.

What this blog will not be: barely coherent teenage angst, pictures of my children (I have none), lolcats (although I love them), hero worship, anything World of Warcraft related, etc…

Hope you guys enjoy it!