ZINE.indd 1
26/02/2013 11:18:57 AM
Yo, welcome to VisCom. This is a zine made by previous first years, created over the holidays as a guide to anyone starting out in the degree in 2013. It may, or may not, contain helpful hints and tricks, guides and works we’ve done in 2012, and is also a collaboration of works, with each page showcasing each students style and artistic flare. Gooooodluck! Hope the year goes well, and remember to ask as many questions and help to your lecturers and tutors, it’ll do you good.
BUYING STUFF -ONE notebook,
It’s VISUAL communication, the first year courses are not heavy on notes. Get a mutli-divide A4 and you’ll be set.
-Sketch books.
You’ll use plenty so go for quantity over quality ZINE.indd 2-3
-Text books?
No way! Wait and see how the course goes before getting one. Even then you can buy used.
-Supplies!
Pens etc can be bought on the fly. Buddy up with anyone for the gauche needed in drawing class -
it’ll be cheaper, and you may never use it again!
-Always remember THE INTERNET! Ebay = savings = beer! 26/02/2013 11:19:00 AM
Howdy, Here comes the speech that you’re going to be hearing for the next few years of your artsy fartsy little degree. At the end of it you will be expected to be able to quote it word for word. Your success is based upon this ability. So listen up. Have a look around you. These children walking around playing with wacom tablets and calling themselves designers are your future life lines, your connections, your favours, your I know a guy’s. This applies not only during your time here, but also throughout your entire life. While you’re going to come out a highly trained specialist of your craft, there will always be people that are better at different parts of that craft than you. You don’t know everything and you can’t do everything on a giant project. Acknowledge this now instead of later, it will save you a hell of a lot of scotch. The chumps around you are in your position too, meaning they’re your potential income. So now you’re wondering how you’re going to go about using this gift I’ve given you?
ZINE.indd 4-5
START BY; opening your goddamn mouth and saying “Hello”. I know how unpleasant social niceties are, but they’re not going away, so suck it up and make some companions. SHOW YOUR WORK. Your brain immediately turns into a whiney little bitch going along the lines of “It’s not good enough, that girl’s is better, I’m just going to go home and admire it in the half light of my desk lamp.” GROW THE HELL UP. Your work is how people know what you’re good at and will end up being how you make a name for yourself amongst your peers and tutors. ALWAYS BE OPEN TO FEEDBACK*. Listen to every opinion you get about your work, idiot or otherwise. Upload your work to the interweb full of your fellow comrades, generally every chump online that should be doing something else (all of them) will give you an endless flow of knowledgable (Ha!) design advice. *The one exception to this rule is the people that raised you. Either they’re stupid pricks that think comic sans is the best thing since fairy bread or they’re soft and coddling and any feedback will consist of “Wow! That’s amazing honey” or “Looks great!”... No. JOIN DESIGN CLUB. If you’re reading this, you’re already ahead when it comes to this. Design club provides a chance for you to do all of the things above without having to do them separately. On top of that they run festive events throughout your school year that some find enjoyable. The fact that these events usually include copious amounts of alcohol means that I am amongst that crowd. But more than all that, the elbow grease you put in throughout the year for the club comes back in your favour at the end of the year in the form of a shining reference from one of your expert tutors. -Swanson out.
26/02/2013 11:19:00 AM
SURVIVING VISUAL COMMUNICATION DESIGN Make new friends.You can’t rely on your mate Greg studying Engineering to help you out when there’s a pop quiz and you have forgotten what ‘kerning’ and ‘justification’ mean. Learn what ‘kerning’ and ‘justification’ mean. In fact, make yourself a little cheat sheet of design words, it will make you sound more professional.
Don’t leave assignments to the last second, it will stress you out and you’ll get a bad mark. I know that one is kind of obvious but honestly, your tutors and lecturers will know if you have left it too late, they are psychic or wizards from the netherworld or something.
Mee Goreng, seriously, stock up on it. It’s cheap and it fuels your mind for when you left that website design assignment to 4am the night before it’s due, (I told younot to procrastinate).
Get a cat. Buy one, find one, steal one, I’m not judging you just get a cat and cuddle the shit out of it.You need some sort of escape when you’re getting a bit stressed so find a cat and share your feelings with it. Or get some friends, whichever has you less likely to be mauled.
Actually have a social life, do things, go outside, and get off Tumblr for a little bit. 9 times out of 10 the best ideas for your assignments come when you’re not thinking about them so get out there and have fun, you’ll enjoy your degree far more when you’re calm and having fun! And no Comic Sans. Please. ZINE.indd 6-7
26/02/2013 11:19:00 AM
Student Works
Tim Moad - Photographs
Anna Thomas - Self Portraits
Sam is cool (4.23) Chris and Carl are too but not as much (1.45)
underway
‘Underway’ delivers the original sounds of Loxx, one of the newest and most sought-after bands from Newcastle, Australia. For the latest on performance times and album releases visit www.localbands.org.au.
© 2012 Loxx. All rights reserved. Unauthorised copying, public performance, broadcasting, hiring or rental of this product is strictly prohibited.
Kent Spencer - Album Cover ZINE.indd 8-9
Robyn Roach - Gig Ticket, Posters 26/02/2013 11:19:07 AM
negatuve space is your friend
ZINE.indd 10-11
26/02/2013 11:19:07 AM
Library Diaries The only time visom students go to the library is when the macs are malfunctioning but in the off chance you find yourself sheltering from the rain, its worth checking out NEWCAT the uni database for both physical and electronic journals.
ZINE.indd 12-13
They’re a blend of coffee table type books and relevant research articles that far surpass a google images search, keyword “inspiring”. With names such as eye, they are found in the Huxley Library basement on the hunter side. Just browsing categorised J745 can keep you going when
you’ve got 40 self portraits to finish in 4 hours. Its easy to borrow by creating a pin on your student card and go all high tech using a self serve checkout if you like. If you have time to spare there are always regular library tours for those keen few. by Emily Frame
26/02/2013 11:19:07 AM
Apparently not.
ZINE.indd 14-15
26/02/2013 11:19:07 AM
ZINE.indd 16-17
26/02/2013 11:19:09 AM
WELCOME NEW FIRST YEARS Did someone miss out on a copy of this zine? Pick up your copyDon’t of theworry, SURVIVAL for an insight youGUIDE can view it online! to the first year of Visual Communication Design. tinyurl.com/2012uonVISCOMsummerZine Deigned lastyears yearsfirst firstyears! years. Designed byby last
Join & dowload a copy @
f
facebook. “Summer Zine Project”
ZINE.indd 18-19
Follow & be inspired @
t.
tumblr. “@summerzine2012.tumblr.com”
© Nic Fields. February 2013. Zine Advertisement.
26/02/2013 11:19:11 AM
Page Contributors 1 - Kent Spencer 2 - Eddy Dew 3 & 4 - Tim Moad 4 & 5 - Zoe Nowak 9 & 10 - Meg Clarke 11 & 12 - Emily Frame 13 & 14 - Tanner Johnson 17 - Nicholas Fields 15, 16, 18 -Robyn Roach
Thankyou also to
Zoe Thorn, Lachlan Jordan, Maccas Zinebot, and Design Club for their logo use.
Design Elements point line plane texture colour figure/space
Design Principals scale contrast movement rhythm balance harmony repitition
ZINE.indd 20
26/02/2013 11:19:12 AM