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REGIONAL DESIGN SHOWCASE 2010
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editor's letter A few months ago, I attended a networking event in the Tampa Bay area and (as always) was talking up the magazine, raising awareness and meeting new people. During the course of the evening, I had a couple of interesting and valuable conversations with a few individuals that, to my surprise, knew about the magazine and have deemed it a “must-have.” This is always such a wonderful thing to hear, as I am often reminded of how many people appreciate the content in each issue of ARTISTIK and what an amazing resource it has become for so many individuals on different levels.
Photo by Carol Plymill
I received a compliment that evening about the Exposed section specifically pertaining to the quality of our student work and how valuable it is to have in the magazine. Intrigued, I asked how they found it to be so valuable and if there was anything else they'd like to see. He shared that he, and other employers in the area, had been looking to the Exposed section of ARTISTIK as a means to “scout and recruit” local talent for their businesses, which actually led to some exciting freelance opportunities. I was ecstatic to hear this and glad to see that the magazine is reaching industry professionals in such a way. After our conversation, he asked me if he could make a suggestion and shared that he thought it would be great to have an entire issue that is filled with student work from all over the country. I smiled from ear-to-ear. It was as though he knew that we had been cooking up the issue that you're holding in your hands- the Regional Design Showcase. This is an exciting end-of-the-year issue filled from cover-tocover with artwork featuring current students and alumni from across the country. You might notice a few (well, a lot) of changes to this issue. It is meant to be a “special edition” issue and has been completely redesigned and categorized regionally to truly showcase the work and successes of our students, alumni and faculty. Each of the artists' pages contains an inspirational journey through editorial and artwork- something new to ARTISTIK. If you are intrigued by the work you see and would like to contact the artist, please feel free to visit their websites and reach out to them. I'm sure as designers, they would appreciate your feedback. Enjoy this showcase of creativity. If you are a big fan of our regular content, never fear- it will return in the usual format for the Winter 2011 issue as we celebrate a new year and begin the third volume of ARTISTIK Magazine. Creatively,
Josef Mancino Editor-in-Chief jm@artistikmagazine.com
shane mccallion: iadt- detroit
Bringing History back to
Life!
S
t. Petersburg is famous for its sunshine, which seems to shine perpetually year round. And with that sunshine comes shadows...and in these shadows lurk mysteries that are seldom spoken of or, for that matter... understood. Could footsteps in the attic of the old Detroit Hotel on Central Avenue be the spirit of the city’s founding father? Who is the Lady in White... the glowing apparition that roams the 5th floor of St. Petersburg’s waterfront resort? Are these unexplainable phenomena just tricks of the mind...a figment of the imagination brought on by nerves, darkness, or perhaps, fear of the unknown?” These are the welcoming remarks from the Ghost Tour of St. Petersburg, the nightly tour that peers into the shadows along downtown streets and waterfront walkways, as the city’s haunted history is brought back to life.
of St. Petersburg, with help from his wife Sarah, by finagling a railroad extension to the land he owned in what is now downtown St. Petersburg. The General longed to be the town’s first Mayor, hoping, perhaps, to match the accomplishments of his father, the first mayor of Detroit, Michigan. But, the General lost the election and died a bitter and disappointed old man only a few months later. Nevertheless, the town he created grew and flourished, as did the tales of an apparition roaming the hallways of the Detroit Hotel. Reportedly, the figure of a man resembling the General materializes out of nowhere and just as suddenly disappears. Does the General have unfinished business in St. Petersburg, or is there some other reason he lingers in the shadows of the “Sunshine City?”
St. Petersburg’s oldest hotel, the Detroit Hotel, still stands on Central Avenue, and some believe the city’s founding father, This story and other haunting tales can General John Williams, who built the be heard on the Ghost Tour of Tampa Bay Victorian-style building in 1888, may candlelight walking tours. Locations in Tampa, haunt its old hallways. St. Petersburg, John’s Pass, and St. Pete Beach. Nightly schedule and reservations at 727-398-
92
62
Online
General Williams created the new town 5200 or www.ghosttour.com.
Southeast
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Midwest
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From cover to cover, this magazine is all student work. Imagine being one of our students with a chance to have your creativity showcased here in Artistik.
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VOLUME 2 • FALL 2010 • PRINTED IN THE USA www.artistikmagazine.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Josef Mancino MANAGING EDITOR Jennifer Roark ASSOCIATE EDITOR Jessica D. Lotzkar EDITORIAL BOARD Howard Gelman Jaime Pescia Shajan Karottu Brad Kisner Karen O’Donnell ART DIRECTOR Klodiana Shehi PRODUCTION MANAGER Blanka Roundtree DESIGN TEAM Catalina Hernandez Lauren Piper David Barona Allison VanDonkelaar INTERNS Catalina Hernandez Kerstin Lockhart Lauren Piper CONTENT MANAGERS Erik Deerly Charlie Dees Kirk Denney Lloyd Dinsmore Howard Gelman James Greenwood Shajan Karottu Brad Kisner Jennifer Pauly Jaime Pescia Juan Ramos Kathryn Sherman Lloyd Sigler Tim Warchocki CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Audra L. Smith Brad Kisner Dan Elliot Dev Jana Elizabeth Biggs Heidi Alonso James Bennett Jessica D. Lotzkar Joe Wynn Kathy Chrucky Mary Gebhart Matthew Phillips Michelle Beamon Michele Roy Renee Santos EDITORIAL OFFICES 5104 Eisenhower Boulevard, Suite 406 Tampa, Florida 33634 Phone: 813.357.2082 editorial@artistikmagazine.com www.artistikmagazine.com
ARTISTIK Magazine is published quarterly by the Career Education Corporation, 2895 Greenspoint Parkway, Suite 600, Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60169. ARTISTIK assumes all work published here is original. It is the sole intention of ARTISTIK Magazine to present outstanding student and professional work. It is not the intention of ARTISTIK Magazine to infringe upon the rights of the original artists or sources of the materials’ origin. Any reproduction of the work in this publication is strictly prohibited without written consent from the publisher and artists therein. Artistik Magazine is not responsible for the content of third-party websites within. Body copy throughout the publication is set in Baskerville Regular. Headlines set in Bebas Regular. Career Education Corporation and its schools do not guarantee employment or salary.
jesse adair: iadt- tampa
midwest spotlight lloyd eddy: exploring creative expression Combining his creative talents in painting and digital art with his distinctive teaching techniques, IADT- Detroit instructor and artist Lloyd Eddy has transformed his classroom into an environment full of creative expression, developing and encouraging his students to create clarity within their projects.
Christy's Closet: A Social Awareness Project Merchandising Management Students at IADT- Chicago are involved in a social awareness project, creating a business and developing products for a niche market.
One Hundred and Sixty-Four Years Rebranded Communication Design students at Harrington College of Design collaborate in a project to re-envision a Chicago landmark.
showcase JONATHAN GIRTON
Harrington College of Design
JOANNA HENRICKS
Harrington College of Design
ADAM FROMMELT
Harrington College of Design
VANYA HRISTOVA
IADT- Schaumburg
deidra enyart
IADT- Schaumburg
kory stokes
IADT- Chicago
robin o'halloran IADT- Chicago
shane mccallion IADT- Detroit
lorenzo king
IADT- Detroit
femilia couture
IADT- Detroit
colleen walters IADT- Detroit
Jonathan girton: Harrington College of Design
Words by mary gebhart work by lloyd eddy
How does an artistically focused graduate student with an ironic sense of humor find a way to form a community of like-minded artists at the Cranbrook Academy of Arts? If you’re Lloyd Eddy, you lampoon Big 10 sports programs and recruit your fellow artists to join Varsity Painting. While growing up in Chelsea, Michigan, Lloyd’s parents worked in the factories, and the message they transmitted to their children was one that underscored the importance of education and the idea that their children could achieve anything via education. Lloyd attended Siena Heights University in Adrian, Michigan where he majored in drawing and painting. After graduating from Siena Heights, Lloyd entered the graduate program at Cranbrook Academy of Art and began to concentrate on painting. In 2001, after earning his Master’s degree, Lloyd accepted a position at Gibbs College in Vienna, Virginia where he taught drawing and design for the Visual Communications Program. He recalls the experience as one that helped him grow as a teacher and an artist. Reflecting on the classroom, Lloyd states, “I think teaching a subject has broadened my own awareness of what I teach. There are concepts that my students might look at differently than I ever imagined, and it’s often given me a new viewpoint and fresh perspective on what might be considered stale information.” In 2004 Lloyd was hired by the International Academy of Design and Technology, Troy campus. What he has found most rewarding about teaching at IADT are the students. He explains, “There are those kids who might not thrive at a traditional four-year university because they don’t have the support structures in place or they are not as accessible. I have many students, who might have slipped through the cracks at a larger university, and yet, are doing extremely well here, and that is because the environment here is focused on making the student a part of the smaller community.” Graphic Design Program Chair, Jaime Pescia sums up Lloyd’s role in the Graphic Design program by saying, “Lloyd has a great rapport with his students. His quiet, nurturing passion creates a peaceful classroom atmosphere where students have the opportunity to dive deep and create clarity within their projects.”
Students appreciate Lloyd’s personalized approach to education. Graphic Design student, Sarah Lunsford, asserts, “Lloyd is a great person to go to because he’s always great have a conversation on anything from art history to digital imaging. And his paintings are great, I’ve already called dibs on one and plan to buy it.” Lloyd’s favorite class to teach is Art History because, as he states, “I love to introduce new concepts and imagery to students from a field I have a deep passion for. The art and artists we discuss invoke some serious debate on what art is, was, could be and/or can do.” Graphic Design student, Michelle Kuzcek recalls, “I remember a lot of the pictures and eras of certain paintings and sculptures by taking the humor of that class and putting it into each piece.” As an artist, Lloyd Eddy offers viewers a peek into his own unique perspective and interpretation of contemporary themes and images. His works have been shown in galleries in the Detroit area, such as the Contemporary Art Institute of Detroit (both a group show, and a juried show at the Ladybug Gallery), the Detroit Artists Market, as well as commercial venues such as the New Medical Foundation. Currently, he is a member of the St. Lawrence Gallery. Jaime Pescia asserts, “It’s obvious to me that Lloyd’s work encourages curiosity and explores creative expression. The deconstructive nature creates a bold, graphic presence that makes viewers stop and take notice, whether or not they understand the message or content of the piece. But in all honestly, I think that’s his point.” As a member of the artistic educational community, Lloyd Eddy gives his students not only the security of a base of knowledge from which to move forward and a role model to emulate, but he also offers students the freedom to experiment with this knowledge as a means of bringing their own unique artistic visions into the world, and for IADT students, this has made all the difference.
"I love to introduce new concepts and imagery to students from a field I have a deep passion for."
| RDS: MIDWEST 12,13
lloyd eddy: exploring creative expression
| RDS: MIDWEST 14,15
"Each student brought their own thoughts and sketches to the table."
After identifying the overall problem, the students moved on to brainstorming and focused identification. The brainstorming process included sketching ideas on paper and finding loopholes in how a large brand needs to be built. This lead the students to a process of focused identification in which the students are able to discover the intricate details that will be necessary to create a successful solution for the client. Each student brought their own thoughts and sketches to the table where they had an open discussion to help each other work through some of their problems and strengthen other solutions. In this stage, the students asked themselves questions like: What needs to be included in a brand guideline? What else do I need to consider for creating a cohesive identity? Class discussions led students to focus on how typography, color choice, photography, grid systems, etc., would be used to improve the strength of the identity and the overall communication of information. The next steps in the design process are the “payoff” moments for the students. The students now take their sketches and research and begin to explore and conceptualize in a more solid form. The students worked on logos, logo systems, typography and overall visual aesthetic of the brand. While visualizing the “image” of the brand, the students were required to consider their research and identification questions and answers. How does this fit within the constraints of the project? Does this solution solve all of the needs inherent in the brand?
One Hundred & Sixty-four years Rebranded Words by Dan Elliot & Brad Kisner Photography by Joe Byrnes
Communication Design students at Harrington College of Design had the opportunity to rebrand Old St. Patrick's Church in the City of Chicago. Since its founding by Irish immigrants on Easter morning in 1846, Old St. Patrick’s has been interwoven in the life and history of the City of Chicago. The Church is one of the few buildings to survive the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Its survival makes it the oldest public building in the City of Chicago. CDS401 Senior Design Studio 1 and CDS402 Senior Design Studio 2 students were given the monumental opportunity to design the look for all of Old St. Pats marketing materials - everything from business cards to Sunday church bulletins. The process began in the fall of 2009 when Kate Rhodes, Director of Advancement for Old St. Pat’s contacted Department Chair, Brad Kisner about the
possibility of collaboration between their institutions. “The opportunity to work on such a large, highly visible project is exactly what we want for our students,” Kisner replied, and the collaboration began. Rhodes and Kisner organized the key players in the planning of such an undertaking. Kate contacted parishioner Kim Erwin, whose idea it was to rebrand and use a design school in the first place, to be a part of the St. Pat’s planning committee. Kim works in the marketing arena and saw the need for a strong, consistent visual presence. Brad enlisted faculty members Dan Elliott and Veronica Corzo-Duchardt to teach the two classes as well as logistically figure out the process from inspiration through delivery of final art. The five collaborators met where the current Old St. Pat’s collateral was given to the Harrington team. Presentation and deliverable dates were established and the project was set to start in the Spring of 2010.
In January of 2010, the Senior Design Studio 2 (SDS2) class met the client at Old St. Pat’s to have a creative briefing and to learn about the history of the church. The students heard about how important the stained glass windows and Celtic art are to the church. In the following weeks, the students researched images for inspiration. While researching, the students looked for images that were not only “religious” in nature, but also images that gave insight to the scope of such a large project. The students also asked themselves questions to identify the problem at hand. A few examples of the questions are: What do you need to design? What is its nature? Who is it for? Why is it needed? Why is this interesting? What will you bring to it? This process of inspiration and identification helped the students grasp the scope and importance of the project at hand and how their involvement was vital.
The following weeks consisted of the students refining, critiquing, defining, and modeling. The students questioned their previous ideas and their validity, improved those ideas and tested in context. Through several rounds of critique and refinement, the solutions were made into complete mock-ups. This was to see how the work functioned in full scale and if anything needed to be adjusted for final printing. After eight weeks of intense research, identification, brainstorming, conceptualizing, refining and critiquing, the students had the opportunity to present their design solutions to Old St. Pat’s. Each of the students' solutions were received with excitement and astonishment in the depth of the design. After weighing the success and aesthetic value of the solutions, Old St. Pat’s decided on pursuing two of the directions. The students were broken into teams to create a brand identity style guide based on their solutions and the client’s remarks. These groups were paired with teams in the Senior Design Studio 1 (SDS1) class to create various
pieces of collateral based on the selected designs. Creation of these pieces was done to test the strength and depth of the style guides created by the SDS2 class. They also questioned the organization, usability and functionality of the client’s current materials and created better solutions while maintaining the new brand guidelines. The SDS1 students were also assigned the task of designing posters promoting for “The World’s Largest Block Party,” an event hosted by Old St. Pat’s. Working as a team, the SDS2 students acted as Art Directors while the SDS1 class worked as designers. The students had creative meetings where the designers could question and test how the style guide related to the piece of collateral they were working on. This allowed the Art Director students to gain experience in directing designs based on a system they had developed, which also required them to see the holes that were unaccounted for in their style guides. The students held creative meetings where the designers questioned how the style guide functioned within the piece of collateral they were designing. This allowed the Art Directors to gain experience in directing based on a system they had developed, which required them to realize the holes that were unaccounted for in their style guides. SDS2 student Evan Scronce discussed the process saying, “Working with another class was enjoyable and tested the capabilities of our work and discipline.” Katelyn Smith, a student in SDS1, commented on this opportunity to work with another class at Harrington. “It’s a rare occasion and a good experience to be able to work from a style guide that a classmate designed.” At the end of the semester, the SDS1 students; Elise Weiler, Allyson Murphy, Cari Hogan, Hailey Ransom-Schultz, Rachael Pobst, Matthew Probst and Michelle Guerrero, gave a final presentation with an impressive amount of work accomplished within the guidelines that had been developed. Old St. Pat’s was again impressed with the breadth and quality of the student’s work. Currently, Old St. Pat’s is in the process of implementing the solution these two classes had the opportunity to design.
During Term Two, the classes carried forward the product ideas from the previous term and the label and hang tag sourcing; a step closer to producing the stretch denim jeans and purchasing labels and hang tags from a domestic source. The Product Development team attended the Chicago Fabric and Trim show in May, where they sourced and purchased stretch denim for the development of the wide stretch waistband denim jeans. They also sourced and purchased jersey for stretch pull on pants and easy access tops that will be produced in Term Three. The students met with fabric vendors at the show and in class to select fabric types and colors for these products. They also sourced a pattern maker to develop the base pattern and prepare a full graded set of SMLXL patterns for the stretch denim jeans after the fit is approved. The students experienced price and service negotiations first hand and have gained a complete understanding of product development from concept to delivery.
Christy's Closet: A Social Awareness Project Words by Elizabeth Biggs, Michelle Beamon & Kathy Chrucky Photography by Richard Liu, Melissa Gomez & Suzy Grcevich
Christy’s Closet was introduced in the Merchandising Management course, MM310- Global Sourcing and Product Development, during Term One, 2010 and continued into the second term. The project focuses on the social issue of teenage suicide and the connection with bipolar disease and was inspired by Suzy Grcevich and Elizabeth Biggs, the mother and best friend of 18-year-old Christy Grcevich, who has bipolar disease and attempted suicide, leaving her disabled. The students used Christy’s Story to make people aware of teenage suicide and bipolar disease through a business that develops and merchandises a line of fashionable, functional clothing and protective accessories for a niche market; handicapped individuals. The business' name is Christy’s Closet.
The project began when Elizabeth requested a recommendation letter for an IADT Leadership scholarship from academic advisor, Kathy Chrucky. She asked Elizabeth, “What makes you a leader?” Elizabeth told Kathy about her volunteer work at a nursing home in Indiana and how she does home care for her best friend. The home care consists of showering, feeding, dressing and adapting clothing. She mentioned that there is not much out there for younger, handicapped individuals and thought that it would be a great idea to create youthful, adaptive designs with Velcro closures for the handicapped market. She discussed her idea with Suzy, Christy’s mother, and prepared a proposal for Wilma Kozar, Program Chair of the Merchandising Management Department.
After discussing the proposal with Wilma, the project was launched in the MM310 Global Sourcing and Product Development class during Term One of 2010. The Global Sourcing and Product Development course is set up so that the students act as a Product Development Team for Christy’s Closet. Suzy Grcevich, the owner of the business, provided financial, medical and technical support while attending the class one day per week. The students were involved in every step that Suzy takes to start the business. During Term One, the students worked as a team to fully develop the Christy’s Closet logo and a screen-printed t-shirt, which they have been selling to friends and faculty. The proceeds of the t-shirt sales go back into course for future product development.
One of the most important learning experiences of this project was the creation and continual updating of a cost sheet for the stretch denim pants in Excel. Through their cost sheet, the students evaluated every aspect of the cost that affects the retail price. They learned how to manipulate the fabric, trim, construction and labor to control the cost and ultimately the retail price. They learned how to make an estimate marker and were aware of the relationship between the width, the fabric utilization, cost and profit margin. The students actively participated in the success of the product from a business owner’s standpoint. Michelle Beamon, a senior and MM310 Term two student at IADT- Chicago, has taken a particular interest in the mission of Christy’s Closet. “I am so inspired at the courage of a family who has gone through so much, determined to bring good into the world. Christy’s Closet is a great opportunity to bring well needed products to a much deserved market.” Michelle is a returning
student to IADT, pursuing her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Merchandising. Intrigued by the school’s ability to give an outstanding education taught by industry professionals, she saw the possibility to gain real world experiences. Interested in a career that combines her business acumen, fashion sense, and creative instinct, all while being socially responsible, Christy’s Closet was the perfect curriculum for her global sourcing and product development class to prepare her for that kind of job opportunity. We have learned very quickly in the ten weeks of the term what obstacles a small business can face when developing a new product. Students were part of an invaluable experience as they dealt first-hand with vendors, received flawed merchandise, found a contractor willing to be a part of a small operation, and tackled the daily challenges associated with working with a team of colleagues. They have learned how to compromise while still maintaining the company’s mission and bottom line, how to problem solve, and how to think on their feet. The Christy’s Closet Project exposed the students to all product development processes required to create a product; concept development, marketing, design, merchandising, sourcing, costing, negotiating, pricing, profit margins, technical packs, patterns, grading, marker making, production, delivery and sales while encouraging them to become socially responsible individuals in the global community. The students embraced this project and were so touched by Christy's story and the courage and drive of her mother to make a difference that former students continue to return with ideas for new products and future students are anxious to enroll in the course and push the project to the next stage. If this project can help to reach out to the parents and friends of other teens and young adults who are silently suffering with a disease that leads to suicide then that will be the best development of the course. The future goals of this project are to continue the student development of products for the handicapped market and to sell these products through a student developed web site for the Christy’s Closet business. Suzy Grcevich plans to establish a Christy’s Closet Foundation and a Christy’s Closet IADT Scholarship Fund from proceeds of the website.
| RDS: MIDWEST 16,17
During the term, the students started the development of protective bed bumpers and began sourcing labels and hang tags for use in future products. Other products proposed for future development were stretch denim jeans with a wide stretch band, stretch tops with Velcro closures, inspirational bracelets, modesty scarves and arm and leg warmers. The protective bed bumpers will be a unique item to this market since this was one product that was needed for Christy, but could not be found in the marketplace. The students sourced a domestic company that produces high quality foam that can be easily sanitized for use at home or in hospitals as protective bumpers. The students did extensive research on this product and it is now in the costing stage. The development of a prototype is scheduled for Term Three.
COMMUNICATION DESIGN STUDENT Harrington college of design
Jonathan Girton is a 25-year-old newlywed residing in the heart of Chicago, IL. He currently attends Harrington College of Design in pursuit of his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communication Design with a specialization in Illustration. Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Jonathan has been passionate about art since he was young. He excelled in all of his art classes and received much notoriety in high school. After taking a three year hiatus to pursue a musical career as a songwriter, he returned to his passion for art and once again set out to become a graphic designer. Using hand-drawn art and incorporating those elements into his design process, Jonathan has won a national design contest and been featured in a variety of design publications. While attending Harrington, he has taken on many freelance projects and has gained great exposure to the industry in the process. After attending courses at the community college and feeling okay about the direction in which he was headed, Jonathan soon realized he needed to be in a bigger city with more exposure to design and architecture. Just across the lake he saw the beautiful city of Chicago and decided to move there. He had been living at home for 22 years and felt that he was ready to spread his wings. When he first moved to the city he met his own insecurities face to face and had to deal with them immediately. He has since matured and learned a lot about himself in his three short years in the city. It was there that he chose to attend the Harrington College of Design. Jonathan’s experience at Harrington has been a roller coaster of excitement. After one semester of being at the school he realized that his calling was not interior design, but communication design and illustration. He has learned that experience only comes when you ask a lot of questions of the right people. Networking with other artists and seasoned designers has made his education nothing short of incredible. Also incredible are Jonathan’s successes. His first exposure to designing the brand identity was for York Printing Company which is based out of York, Nebraska. He has designed for a Mexican-French fusion restaurant with a fellow classmate ( Jeremy Bouck) and instructor ( Jaime Sandoval) in Chicago called “Sabor Saveur.” He also won the national design contest for Clorox’s
“Redesign Clean” competition and programmed an entire flash-based application for Hellmann’s Mayonnaise to promote their new Hellmann’s Mayonnaise Light recipe! His rapidly growing success as a designer can be attributed to his strengths. He does not limit himself to one skill set. He has been blessed with the ability to speak in several artistic mediums whether he is using a computer, a digital drawing tablet, or a canvas and acrylic paint. Being able to work with his hands and offer designs that draw the viewer into the composition speaks in more than just a visual way, but also offers a tactile experience. The expressive nature of a handmade design is Jonathan’s true passion. However, every designer has a weakness from which they learn. He has a perfectionist’s mind set spending too much time slaving over the smallest of details which can inevitably make his designs too over-worked. If Jonathan hadn’t set his sights on designing he’d have become a teacher, possibly teaching kindergarten through third grade. He really enjoys watching children solve problems and think in creative ways; to play a part in their growing up would’ve been an appealing career choice. As for his current chosen path, Jonathan isn’t taking a leisurely walk. He finds himself with even more exposure in ARTISTIK Magazine. He feels that any form of published exposure is always an honor, yet very humbling. To have such an opportunity shows him that he’s developed his abilities to the point where someone feels his work is good enough to print for others to see. It affords Jonathan the realization that he must continue to push himself to learn more, both as an artist and a designer. www.jonathangirton.com FUN FACTS: Favorite Gadget: Wacom Cintiq Design Hero: Josef Müller-Brockmann One Thing You Can’t Live Without: My wife What have you done that no one would guess you’d done? Spent two summers in Jamaica doing missionary work
| RDS: MIDWEST 18,19
JONATHAN GIRTON
| RDS: MIDWEST 20,21
JOanNA henricks INTERIOR DESIGN ALUMNA HARRINGTON COLLEGE OF DESIGN
Joanna Henricks, 29, a Chicago-land native is an Alumna of both Harrington College of Design and The University of Iowa. After high school she chose to pursue her passion for art and design at The University of Iowa. Upon graduating with a degree in studio art and communications, she moved to Chicago and accepted a position as a sales assistant for Knoll in the Merchandise Mart. During her tenure at Knoll, she fell in love with mid-century furniture and developed a desire to create commercial interiors. She later attended Harrington as a full-time student which proved to be the best option for her new found career goals. She began her coursework in January of 2007, and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design with high honors, completed an internship and became a LEED Accredited Professional in Commercial Interiors in August of 2009. She currently holds a position with the interiors firm for whom she interned. Joanna’s motivation to attend college came from her aspiration to advance within her field. She deeply wanted to find a career in which to exercise her creativity and knew she must gain the technical skills in order to
reach that goal. To thrive in such a competitive field, it is necessary to possess the foundations of a formal interior design education which was why she chose Harrington College of Design after graduating from The University of Iowa. Having worked in the industry, she had prior knowledge of the school and its long-standing excellent reputation. In addition, Harrington’s convenient location played a role in her choice as she was already living in the Chicago area. Training at Harrington has left its impression on Joanna. An influential sketching course, taught by James Smith in increments of four-hour sessions, began with an assignment that would have to be completed by the end of class. Each week brought a different, more challenging sketching assignment. This sort of teaching method exercised and trained Joanna’s abilities to think and act quickly while under pressure. Two equally influential instructors were Todd Heiser and Peter Klick. They each possessed their own teaching styles with real world experiences to share. They provided valuable methods and ways of pushing the boundaries of her creative thinking.
Joanna’s education, as she foresaw, has helped her career. She’s already working in her field applying the training and skills which she gained while in school. Even with her seasoned work background she has confessed that she wouldn’t be so successful at her current job had she not completed the interior design curriculum. Building up her foundation took hard work. She juggled a fulltime course load, worked as an unpaid intern, had a parttime weekend job, yet managed to pass the LEED exam. While it was the most intense two years and eight months of her life, the fact that she completed the program with high honors without ever losing momentum was a great achievement for her. It was a testament to her dedication and proved what she was capable of.
reference to the overall concept which provides design direction, would bring much to her team. However, before her dream job becomes a reality, she still has much to accomplish. Her most recent design projects include a night club and an office renovation, both of which are located in downtown Chicago. Joanna looks forward to seeing these projects completed and is eager to leave her mark in her hometown. FUN FACTS: Favorite Font: Garamond, I love how elegant it is Favorite Gadget: My camera Favorite color: Chartreuse Design Hero: Mies Van Der Rohe
Being constantly involved in her chosen creative field will work in Joanna’s favor when it comes to reaching dream career goals. In the future, she hopes to design spaces that are sustainable, inspiring and meaningful by working with a mid-to-large design firm where she would collaborate with a team of designers. Her unique design process, consisting of researching, generating concepts, and searching for materials and imagery to be a visual
Favorite movies: Singing in the Rain, Zoolander Worst habit: I save everything Favorite website: www.apartmenttherapy.com
adam frommelt COMMUNICATION DESIGN alumni harrington college of design
Adam Frommelt, now 38, was born in the small town of Dubuque, Iowa. After graduating from Moline Senior High School, he attended Illinois State University. Working in kitchens to help with expenses, he quickly found a promising opportunity at a local hotel as an apprentice. Out of his love for food, his first career was born. Four short years later, Adam took a position as Executive Chef at Central Station Cafe in Bloomington, Illinois. After four successful years at the helm, he took a position in Chicago and made the move to work in a high volume kitchen in downtown Chicago. However, Adam didn’t find the corporate structure as creatively satisfying as his previous positions. Ultimately, the creativity of a management level chef’s job just isn’t there unless one opens their own restaurant. When that wasn’t a possibility he instinctively knew he wanted to go back to school to study graphic design; it was both a creative and artistic outlet. In the fall of 2006, he enrolled in the newly created Communication Design program at Harrington College of Design. There, his creativity flourished and his passion for food morphed into design. He worked on the Department Chair’s staff as a Junior Designer for the entirety of his academic career. Since graduating in December of 2009 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communication Design, Adam has stayed involved with the school as a Learning and Classroom Assistant. The students he has had the opportunity to work with continue to inspire him. They bring a fresh perspective and passion to design that brings back the days of hungry, wild-eyed excitement. He intends to pursue a Master’s degree and further teaching opportunities as an Adjunct Instructor.
Professionally, Adam might’ve chosen to become a fine artist even though the obvious choices might appear to be chef or teacher. However, Adam has been working as a freelance designer, and recently partnered with a savvy businessman and marketing expert to start 360° Marketing + Communications, where he acts as the Visual Communications Director. 360° is a Chicago-based marketing and design firm focusing on the hospitality industry and local restaurants. If his current partnership works out and 360° Marketing + Communications is successful, Adam is lucky enough to have stumbled upon his dream job as a partner in a firm who is in charge of the design side of client solutions. Adam continues to live in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago and after more than six years now calls Chicago his home. www.acfromm.com FUN FACTS: Favorite Color: Blue steel grey Design Hero: Walter Paepcke Favorite Movies: Lately anything with zombies Favorite Artist: Too many, but Egon Schiele suits me fine Worst Job Experience: Steel treatment plant worker One Thing You Can’t Live Without: Music Talent You Wish You Possessed: Rock climbing What have you done that no one would guess you’d done? Shook the hand of President Jimmy Carter
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While at Harrington, Adam began the Illustrators Society. It came out of his Senior Humanities class and was meant to build a community of people who had a passion for drawing and illustration. Their main focus was to produce an illustration annual. The first one published in 2009 was a huge success and the second annual is currently in the works. Adam is still involved as the Editor-in-Chief, but volunteers have taken on the real work of making sure the group continues to flourish. In addition to starting a society that remained strong at Harrington, Adam has found success in multiple competitions and shows. Most notably are as follows: Harrington College of Design 75th Anniversary Scholarship (Fall, ’06 recipient), Political T-shirt Series Competition (’07, best series & two best in category), Ravinia 35th Annual Poster Design Competition (’08, honorable mention), Harrington College of Design Portfolio Show-Off (’08, honorable mention best in show), DC Comics Absolute Justice Scholarship Competition (’09, award recipient), Harrington College of Design All Student Show (’10, best publication) and Oscar Isberian Annual Rug Design Competition (’07, 2nd & 5th places). The rug design competition winners had their designs hand-woven in Tibet and auctioned off in Chicago.
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vanya hristova fashion DESIGN STUDENT IADT- schaumburg
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deidra enyart multimedia & web DESIGN alumna IADT- schaumburg
Deidra Enyart enrolled at the International Academy of Design and Technology in October 2006 to obtain her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Multimedia and Web Design. During her time at school, she worked for the Federal Work Study program as well as a tutor. Due to her exposure to teaching, she hopes to go back to IADT and instruct the Computer Illustration course. Now 22-years-old, graduated from IADT, and living in her hometown of Machesney Park, Illinois, she is currently freelancing and working on a few projects. Deidra’s decision to attend IADT came out of pure coincidence. She accidentally ran into the IADTSchaumburg campus after a bad experience checking out a previous college. She was having a horrible day, on her birthday no less, and decided to just check it out. The staff was very welcoming as soon as she walked in the door, giving her a convenient tour without having to schedule an appointment. After seeing all of the creativity on the walls she’d decided that IADT was her college, enrolling that day. Although her commute would end up being 65 miles one way, it would bode well for her creativity. She soon became interested in the cars around her; the muscle car has become the subject of a few of her pieces. It is the visual muscle in the body and the power in the engine that peaks her interest. Her decision to enroll at IADT may seem fast-paced, but it has worked out well for her. She has since participated in the 2009 IADT Fashion Show as a photographer and creative design competitor. In her Digital Imaging II class, she won 2nd place for her banner and ticket design based on the show’s Summer/Fall theme. And now she can add being featured in ARTISTIK Magazine to her ever-growing list of accomplishments. She has become more recognized amongst the student body and was even asked for an autograph from a fellow student. Accidentally running into IADT turned out to be a great event in Deidra Enyart’s life and surely turned her horrible day into a fantastically, bright future. FUN FACTS: Favorite Gadget: 5th Generation iPod Favorite Color: Sublime green Your Design Hero: Jared Nickerson (Illustrator) Favorite Artist: Jeff Strong (3D Artist) Favorite Websites: Deviant Art
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entering his work in various design competitions around Chicago. He was showcased at the Interfaces 2009 Conference and also won the Imagine Fashion 2010 Logo Competition, which featured his logo on posters, tickets and designs surrounding the show. When he is not a part of competitions and shows, Kory can be found attending student design senior showcases from other local art schools to gain a sense of what people are doing and how their minds work.
kory stokes graphic DESIGN student iadt- chicago
Twenty-four-year-old Kory Stokes has always enjoyed living on the creative side. As a little boy who grew up in Rochester, Michigan, coloring on walls, doodling on tables, and drawing pictures for mom and dad, were regular items on his to-do list. Nowadays, his ideas find their way into his trusty Moleskine. Kory has a background in Architectural Design, as well as an Associate’s degree in Multimedia Design from ITT-Tech in Troy, Michigan. After attending ITTTech, Kory wanted to find a school that was convenient to home with a more creative energy. Kory went online and discovered the International Academy of Design and Technology- Detroit. Interested in acquiring a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design, he contacted IADT and took a tour on that very same day. When Kory walked in, he was overwhelmed with creativity and inspiration. From that moment on he knew that he wanted to attend IADT. From ITT-Tech to IADT- Detroit to his transfer to IADT- Chicago eight months into his program, Kory has shown that attending college held strong roots in his desire for success and need for more. It was in his nature to strive for the best. He wanted to discover new abilities he never thought he had and learn new information he never knew existed. Working simultaneously as a student and a designer, Kory has also been creative contracting for three years to help small businesses with concepts and branding and to gain opportunities to freelance with agencies in the Loop (downtown Chicago), working on projects involving Miller Lite, Head and Shoulders, and the Dallas Cowboys. Kory’s motivation didn’t stop with his schooling and contracts; he tries to seize every opportunity that he can. Interested in keeping up with the current artistic scene, Kory remains active in the community,
Just as he has found interest in others’ art, some may wonder just what goes on in Kory’s mind. His design process is pretty simple, yet effective. Before he even thinks about designing, he poses questions which help his perspective. These questions may include, but aren’t limited to, “Who will see this?” and “What type of emotion should this portray?” Once he has the answers to these questions, Kory does extensive research to formulate a plan for the client’s needs. Kory believes that what the client likes is the most important design detail, bringing in elements of color, objects, places and emotions to further strengthen the impact of his design. He says, “If you want to design, know everything. Even more than the client.” Once this entire process has been completed, he sketches his ideas in his Moleskine. With Kory’s already outstanding background in design, it doesn’t come as a shock that he has big goals in the job market. His ideal career would be to work as a Chief Branding Officer for a corporation, bridging the gap between the marketing and design areas of the company. Further, he would love to be the CEO of his own concept design company. Being a featured artist in ARTISTIK Magazine has served as a highlight for Kory. It has made him feel like someone has recognized all of the hard work he has put into designing. His being published gives him a sense of accomplishment. From his tender Rochester days of surprising mom and dad with doodles and drawings to winning competitions and drawing long-thought out sketches in Moleskines, Kory Stokes has truly stuck with his lifelong dream of doing what he has and will always love: designing. Design Journal: korystokes.tumblr.com FUN FACTS: Favorite Color: PANTONE 249-1C Your Design Hero: Stefan Sagmeister Favorite Artist: Salvador Dali Favorite Website: Cheezburger.com What have you done that no one would guess you’d done? Played an ancient Guatemalan Marimba alongside Mayans in Mexico
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ROBIN O'HALLORAN GRAPHIC DESIGN ALUMNa IADT- chicago
Robin O’Halloran was born in Detroit, Michigan, but her city life did not stop there. At just 19-years-old, she followed her heart and ambition to be creative. She soon found herself in the Sunshine State of Florida. In Tampa, she became a student at The International Academy of Design and Technology. Robin may have stood short in stature, but grew tall and proud as a Graphic Designer. She had become a woman of confidence and her designs stood out from many. She branded herself as “robincreative.” However, Chicago had always been calling her name. She had always dreamed of a life of design in such a wonderful city. She set off following her dream and continued her education at The International Academy of Design and Technology in Chicago. In a city of art and culture, she has finally found a place that she can call home. Now at 23-years-old, she has graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Communications: Graphic Design with Magna Cum Laude Honors in February 2010. She is a member of the AIGA association in Chicago, has published her work, and currently has a design agent helping her with her career search. When Robin is not searching for a career most suitable for her, she works her “pay-the-bill” job serving, takes on as many freelance projects as possible, enters design contests, drinks chai-tea, eats sushi, spends time with friends, and explores the city with her brand new Canon Rebel. Robin is an exceptionally creative and reliable Graphic Designer with an upbeat and positive attitude toward producing quality results with more than three years experience creating brands, illustrations, advertisements, layouts, business collateral,
informational graphics, typographical elements, and websites. She is a designer who strives for perfection to obtain accuracy, who is motivated and detail-oriented from concept to completion. She has always felt a sense of mission in life and is often very serious in all that she does. Being goal-oriented and maintaining good grades throughout her educational years almost came naturally. Perhaps there were times where she had been too strict on herself, but she believes she’s always known there is more out there for her. She is fun, upbeat, and none-the-less creative, however, her reasonable and responsible side pushed her forward to do more in life than just have fun. She remains dedicated to all that she does and knew that finding herself in college was the right thing to do. Robin is clearly a highly-motivated and detail-oriented young woman, working best when everything is organized and comprehensible. She stays focused and never leaves a project or goal unfinished. She takes pleasure in her work by finding employment in which she can fulfill branding from start to finish, creating logos and expanding further into packaging, identity collaterals, and other variations of print. Although she does manage to find a harmonious balance in her personal life, she always tries her utmost to find opportunities to use her natural talents and gifts by staying artistic and creative in all that she does. Robin attempts to find the optimism in all situations while remaining outgoing, yet down to earth. She can do anything she sets her mind to and while some may call her a perfectionist, she sees it as accuracy. Robin is fulfilling her creative desires through graphic design to inspire others, creating a pleasing visual approach
to the world around her, and personal accomplishment. Whether it is creating brands, illustrations, advertisements, layouts, business collaterals, informational graphics, typography, or websites, she does it all because she has found her passion. She loves graphic design. So far, Robin finds her journey’s results to be right on queue. She has started small, never stopping and always pushing herself further. She continues to hope and aim for something outstanding…something big. www.robincreative.com FUN FACTS: Favorite Color: Definitely teal Your Design Hero: Rob Morris Worst Habit: Procrastination Favorite Websites: www.digitalmash.com, www.aquent.com www.crowdspring.com, www.dafont.com
shane mccallion graphic DESIGN STUDENT iadt- detroit
Shane McCallion, born in Rochester Hills, has lived in Troy, Michigan ever since he was five years old. Now a 21-year-old self-proclaimed artist, Shane has attended all levels of schooling through the academically-renown Troy School District. Although he had a go at Colleges and Universities outside of his home city, he ultimately ended up back in his hometown attending the International Academy of Design & Technology in Detroit. He has currently been dabbling in fields outside of his degree, but plans on working as a graphic design intern for local advertising agencies during the summer of 2010. Looking outside of his program of study was something that has crossed his mind once or twice. Had he not transferred schools to become a graphic designer, he surely would be headed into the world of accounting. It was not his favorite thing, but knowing that he was good at it and that he could make good money, he figured it might be the right course to take. After enduring the high-level business courses, he soon realized that he had no idea about the business world. He saw a passion and confidence pour out of the other students that he didn’t see in himself and soon made the decision to find something he could love and be around for the rest of his life. Switching his major to graphic design is a decision he will never regret. Choosing a school was difficult for Shane until finally finding IADT- Detroit; it was the fifth and final school that he attended within a three-year period. Living in the same city as the campus Shane came across the television advertisements and decided to check it out. Once on campus, he sat down with a few representatives who thoroughly explained the school and its process to him. One of the representatives told him about an upcoming design competition which became his ultimate deciding factor in attending the school. Excited for the opportunity and the thrill of competing, Shane couldn’t resist. Being extremely competitive with himself is Shane’s greatest strength; he is always striving to be the greatest at his work. He feels that his next project should always be better than his last, which can sometimes be a weakness as he sometimes thinks about things too much. Shane admits that his biggest weakness is that he’s a perfectionist. He doesn’t like pushing anything out unless every step has been carefully looked at. His strength as a competitor led Shane to extreme success in his first semester at IADT. It was brought to his attention that a national design competition was being hosted by DC Comics for their marketing campaign to find an artist who could design an advertisement for their forthcoming release of the graphic novel,
Absolute Justice. After succeeding in the first round regional competition, he advanced to the nationals in San Diego, California. Shane stood strong behind his concept and knew that whatever happened at nationals, he would’ve still had an amazing experience. After winning, he had the opportunity to work with DC Comics and was featured in the Winter 2010 issue of ARTISTIK Magazine. Alongside his strength as a competitor, Shane’s design process had much to do with his DC Comics victory. He’s big on “word-storming” which involves picking words that relate to a specific topic and then thinking of other words that branch off of those words. He never leaves odd words out; one never knows where the random things can take you. After word-storming, Shane does research so everything in his concept has a reason for existing. He then begins sketching out his ideas. With his DC Comics success behind him, it’s obvious that Shane’s ideas have much to say. For Shane, it all begins with one word and we never know where he will take us next. www.80-nine.com FUN FACTS: Favorite Color: Black Your Design Hero: Lee Clow Worst Habit: I’m a Perfectionist Favorite Artist: Salvador Dali Favorite Website: www.macrumors.com Talent You Wish You Possessed: Singing
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lorenzo king graphic DESIGN STUDENT IADT- detroit
Lorenzo King currently attends the International Academy of Design and Technology- Detroit. He draws influence from many things, particularly the city in which he was raised: Detroit. Since he was 16, Lorenzo has been doing a photographic series on abandoned buildings and houses in Detroit. Once viewed as ugly and uninviting, after an impromptu adventure Lorenzo finally saw beauty in the dilapidated buildings. He viewed a different kind of nature; one that was man-made and had a perfect balance of unique colors and chaos. To him, the building was art and it marked his beginning as a designer. Right out of high school, Lorenzo didn’t know who he wanted to be. Insecure and jealous of university-going friends, he did nothing for a year. He felt like a failure, but thought about what he might like to do. He researched until he finally landed on graphic design. Choosing the right college proved difficult. With so much to take into account (tuition, location, class sizes, teachers, etc.), it takes time. However, he saw IADT’s TV spots and online ads and was impressed. With a little studying and a tour, he realized IADT was what he wanted. Small classes, dedicated students, and instructors with field knowledge led to great expectations. Lorenzo didn’t even know how to draw a box upon enrollment, but IADT changed that. He learned who graphic designers are and how they can have an influence on a worldwide scale; how one is both an artist and a salesman. With training under his belt, Lorenzo flourished. In 2008, he was chosen to be a part of IADT’s InterFaces 2009 graphic design team who were responsible for designing the winning logo. He has also participated in the AIGA Launch that was sponsored and held on campus by IADT– Detroit which gave him the opportunity to have his portfolio reviewed. The advice he received from his fellow designers has not yet been forgotten. Additionally, being featured in ARTISTIK has done wonders for him. The credibility and respect he has gained due to being published nationwide has given him extensive confidence in his abilities as a designer; a confidence that was hiding within him all along. FUN FACTS: Favorite Gadget: My Canon Rebel Favorite Colors: Red, Black, & Blue Favorite Artist: El Lissitzky Talent You Wish You Possessed: Acting and the ability to speak French, Spanish and Japanese
femilia couture
Femilia Couture was jointly founded by designers Fotoula Lambros, 27, and Emily Thornhill, 24, in January 2007. Collectively, their years of pursuing their interests in fashion led them to meet while they attended IADT in late 2004, and they remained friends after obtaining their degrees in 2005 and 2006. Milford born Thornhill and Ferndale native Lambros kept their design energies high by continuing to discuss the achievements of obtaining a degree and using it towards a career in fashion. Finally, the time came when they felt a need to stay around Detroit and build on its fashion community.
fashion DESIGN alumnae IADT- DETROIT
After starting Femilia, the two hit the ground running and haven’t slowed down. Amongst producing their first collection, Spring/Summer 2008, the designers have also graced the cover of Real Detroit Weekly for the first time in August 2007 for their collaboration with Uptown Photography and TrashIT Detroit. 2007 was the year where Femilia Couture founded itself and laid the ground work for their company’s developments. Femilia made it a point to stay busy with ideas, photo shoots, collections, and was fortunate to work with the area’s best fashion photographers, makeup and hair artists, and stylists. Within the first year, Femilia Couture was involved in Detroit Fashion Week and hosted their Label Launch party hosted by Detroit by Design in December 2007. From then on, the two ladies have managed to add dozens of fashion related events by teaming up with local charity and fundraising organizations (e.g., Lighthouse, OHLSA, Detroit Public Library- HYPE Center) and have opened their first Showroom in Ferndale at 420 Hilton Road. For these last 3 years, the designers have been featured in local and regional press and magazines, (e.g. Detroit Free Press, Observer Eccentric, Styleline Magazine, Ambassador Magazine, Metro Times, and Real Detroit Weekly) and have participated in numerous art showcases and fairs around the Detroit area. Femilia Couture has its sights set on many more events in Detroit (e.g., Movement 2010, DIY Street Fair) as well as exciting goals of producing an Organic Ready to Wear line, which they produced themselves in their production space in Ferndale. Photograph by David Anderson
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Behind Femilia Couture are Fotoula Lambros and Emily Thornhill, both with specific design processes. Fotoula loves getting to know the characteristics of fabrics, usually draping it to the form to see how it falls, hugs, and feels. For her, it is like getting to know people. From there, it evolves into its own piece. Emily finds that the process is different depending on the piece and whether it’s for a contractor, client or for leisure. Exchanging ideas with her partner, it can then be determined which avenue will be the most efficient and successful. Being in a creative partnership such as Femilia Couture, the designers are bound to have strengths and weaknesses that bounce off of one another. Emily’s greatest strength is her creative intuition, unafraid to try new things and push new boundaries while she confesses to having quite the procrastination problem. Fotoula has a superior talent and knowledge of fabric and construction, but can have a hard time putting her own thoughts on her work. Femilia Couture wouldn’t be what it is today without its designers’ inspiration behind the concept. Fotoula’s inspiration ranges as Detroit is a place with multiple areas of influence. Some days it can come from a painting or music, a bright and happy place, while others it can be reflected from somewhere darker and more obscure. She is also inspired by people’s own personal style. Emily also draws inspiration from Detroit, especially the people whom she finds to be hard and original trailblazers who constantly fight the good fight. Their hope and passion in collaboration and self-expression makes her want to create great things. As if anyone could see these two women doing anything besides fashion designing, they have confessed to having other aspirations if they’d never gotten into fashion. While Fotoula would take the business owner route claiming that business is in her blood and she enjoys the leadership, Emily would probably be a choreographer, art director or fashion photographer. Fotoula Lambros and Emily Thornhill have diverse personalities and visions, yet are alike enough to collaborate for Femilia Couture’s success. With the opening of their production space in Ferndale, there’s nothing but unlimited possibilities ahead for these two IADT alumna and their fashion creation, Femilia Couture. www.femiliacouture.blogspot.com FUN FACTS: Your Design Hero: FL: Chanel, McQueen ET: McQueen, Calvin Klein, Galliano Favorite Artist: FL: Salvador Dali, Picasso ET: Edgar Degas Photographs on this page by Vankou Assisted by Tabitha Adams, Fashion Styling by Rulla Amer
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Colleen walters GRAPHIC DESIGN ALUMNa IADT- DETROIT
Colleen Walters was born in Michigan in 1983. During her early years, she enjoyed the world of television and Tab soda. She has found inspiration through retro designs; looking through her collection of magazines from the 1940s/1950s and visiting antique shops and flea markets are a favorite pastime. She began her graphic design journey in high school in an advertising design program and by working at an embroidery & screen printing company. The company took notice of her design interest and let her work under the creative director to design their 28-page annual catalog at 22 years old. Now 27, she has graduated from the International Academy of Design & Technology- Detroit with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design. Since 2007, she has been working at a promotional products agency as a graphic designer and does freelance graphic work for a local Internet Service firm in Troy, MI. Colleen attended a community college for graphic design, but noticed that the school wasn’t hip on current designs. After spending hours creating gauche designs, she saw that it wasn’t for her. She left to try Wayne State University in Detroit for one year, but its large campus was too overwhelming for proper concentration. IADTDetroit was just right and the school itself stood for what motivated Colleen to attend.
Colleen’s future plan involves collaborating with a team of creative designers. Using her inspiration from her favorite uncle, Tom Edwards, and her eclectic design process (crazy research, bubble maps, sketches, and competition research) she will surely reach her goal. Her work has already been exhibited at the IADT- Detroit Interfaces Conference student gallery in 2009 and 2010 as well as on display at the worldrenowned gallery in Detroit, C-Pop and the Dirty Show. Having her work in ARTISTIK has had positive effects on Colleen. A prospective employer saw her work in the Spring 2010 Exposed section at the IADT- Detroit Interfaces Conference, contacted her and she has been freelancing for them ever since. With dedication, time, and hard-work it’s possible to have a career in your dream field; Colleen Walters is evidence of that dream. www.colleenwalters.com FUN FACTS: Favorite Font: Lobster Your Design Hero: Eames Favorite Websites: www.fontsquirrel.com Talent You Wish You Possessed: Mind Reader
SOUTHwest & WEST spotlight playing games: collaboration with local video designers Game Design Alumni and faculty at Collins College collaborate with Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment to capture video for the Stargate Resistance game.
The Road to Hong Kong IADT- San Antonio Fashion Design Alumna, Carol Reyes is one step closer to her dreams as her fashion line is debuted during Hong Kong Fashion Week.
showcase shaqu'e jones
IADT- Las Vegas
franklin thomas coloma IADT- Las Vegas
chance phillips
IADT- Sacramento
marlowe churchill IADT- Sacramento
lee whiting
IADT- Sacramento
nathan phelps Collins College
daio lamers
Collins College
adrian r. gomez
IADT- San Antonio
SHAQU’E JONES: IADT- LAS VEGAS
Words by Dev Jana & Michele Roy Photography Fred Boye & Cathy Franklin
Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment (CME) was created to develop games for Metro-Goldwyn Mayer’s (MGM) popular science fiction Stargate franchise. With their sights set on a massively multiplayer online game (MMO), the company created its publishing subsidiary Firesky. The result was this year’s production and release of Stargate: Resistance, an officially licensed Stargate property of MGM. The release of the game coincided with the start of SyFy's (formerly the Sci-Fi Channel) Season Two of Stargate Universe TV series. Stargate Resistance is a third-person shooter game that engages the player as a member of Stargate Command battling the System Lords in real-time online battles. It takes place shortly after the fall of the System Lords; fans of the Stargate game know what that means. But even if you’re not an Stargate aficionado, you'll still enjoy the game if multi-player, class-based, PC shooters are to your liking. Stargate Resistance incorporated a variety of multiplayer scenarios and weapons drawn straight from the series. Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment has employed a number of Collins College alumni in the past including Alfonzo Elenes (now with Big Bang Entertainment) and alumni, now instructor, Matt Maher (who worked on Stargate Worlds). With Collins’ alumni Sam Deiter as Technical Artist, David Krein as animator, and then Department Chair of Game Design Dev Jana as Sound Designer, Stargate Resistance was making good use of a long list of assets and skills available to them by their close proximity and continuing relationship with Collins College. When presented with the possibility to add motion capture to the list, it was a no-brainer. Enter Collins College's motion capture studio. The studio’s system is provided by Vicon Motion Systems, a leader in motion tracking technology. It includes 16 motion capture cameras and computer software that coordinates a subject’s movements. This technology is the same as that used in the industry by companies such as EA Games. At the helm of the endeavor were instructors Noe Sanchez and Fred Boye. In the so-called "spandex suit of dignity," otherwise known as the motion capture actor's suit with markers that enabled the cameras to capture his movements, was Collins alum Spencer Tate. Overseeing the whole ballet were Dev Jana and Mark Thompson, Art Director at Firesky. Collins alum David Krien undertook a massive task producing most of the animation from scratch. Also working on the project was Level Designer Will Voss.
Other human classes in the game included the male human soldier with P-90 machine gun and grenade launcher and the Commando with explosive charges and sniper rifle. Alien overlords, called the Goa'uld, have a force push power as well as a short-range energy drain weapon and the ability to heal themselves. The Goa'uld joins the Ashrak to round out the alien classes. Ashrak are quick assassins who can cloak and duel in close quarters with their energy draining ability as well as their ruthless melee attack. Each character presented their own challenges in the motion acting and motion capture stages as well as the motion data clean up phase. Additionally, hand animation and sound concerns for these classes were heaped upon the willing and capable shoulders of Collins affiliates.
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playing games: collaboration with localvideo designers
of motion acting as he represented the two warring factions - the humans and the System Lords. With the help of the Firesky designers, Spencer performed a number of maneuvers that simulated battle moves. The filming session took approximately eight hours and resulted in over 100 animations for the company to use. These animations included running with and without weapons, hand-to-hand combat, and attacks with the different types of weapons. Weapon design was based on the actual weapons from the series, including the P90, Proximity Mines, Staff weapons, Sniper Rifle, .50 MG Turret and Anti-Cloak Sight, Ribbon Device and Ashrak Death Knives. For example, the Jaffa carries long staffs that fire energy bolts and double as powerful melee weapons. Jaffa also carries shock grenades that temporarily discombobulate human opponents.
Stargate Resistance also used motion capture to create emotes for the current product as well as future versions and games. Emotes are actions specific to a character that has used for a special purpose. For example, emotes included in SR are Jaffa’s raising his staff overhead to cheer his team on and Ashrak’s kiss of death to seal the fate of her opponents. Released in February 2010 to the delight of fans of the Stargate franchise and fans of the Multiplayer PC shooter genre, Stargate Resistance launched with three different game play types on three different planets as well as a multitude of unlockable achievements and custom armor sets for each class. In May, a new planet and game play type was added as a free downloadable content pack. Stargate Resistance is available on Firesky.com, Direct2Drive.com and online gaming platform Steam. Since the initial release, CME’s corporate structure has changed. The publisher is still Firesky, but the developer is now Dark Comet Games. Kathryn Dutchin of Dark Comet Games helped produced the end product. She stated that while the use of motion capture in a game depends upon the type and scope of the game, it makes it much easier to get natural effects and movements than afforded by animation alone. The detailed planning and up front efforts by Collins and Firesky staff enabled Kathryn to import data motion capture quickly and more efficiently on the back end. Thanks to Collins and the use of their facilities, Stargate Resistance is a cuttingedge shooter game that takes gaming to the next level.
"The filming session took approximately eight hours and resulted in over 100 animations for the company to use."
OPPOSITE PAGE: TOP: The team capturing attack sequences. BOTTOM: Collins instructors Fred Boye and Noe Sanchez.
Each of the game’s six character classes was represented throughout the session. From the brutish alien foot soldier Jaffa to the feminine human scientist, Spencer was put through the proverbial ringer
THIS PAGE: LEFT: Spencer Tate, Noe Sanchez, Dev Jana, Mark Thompson, Will Voss & David Krein RIGHT: Stargate Resistance Box Art Mockup
Words by Renee Santos Photography by Juan Ramos & Carol Reyes
Carol Reyes always had a passion for design. Although she did not take the traditional path to becoming a fashion designer, her drive and love for design was obvious through both her actions as a young girl and her achievements today. “I used to create clothes for my younger sister,” said Reyes. “I also loved designing clothes for my paper dolls. It was something that I truly enjoyed from a young age.” Carol’s parents, both originally from China, moved to the Philippines for their careers, where they raised Reyes and her sister. Because the Chinese culture can influence careers in the medical or business industry, the fashion industry was not a first choice for Reyes. She studied physical therapy in the Philippines. Reyes made the colossal move to Texas where she discovered her interest in business and healthcare. She earned two Masters degrees; one in Business Administration from Webster University online and another in Healthcare Administration from Trinity University in San Antonio. Her educational achievements aided her venture into entrepreneurship. Reyes opened her own business Complete Care Home Health, a home healthcare agency and assisted living facility. While her higher education aided in her successful operation of these two agencies, her knack for fashion never went away. Reyes learned about the International Academy of Design and Technology- San Antonio from a television commercial. She enrolled at IADT in the Fashion Design and Marketing program. In order to make more time for her fashion studies, Reyes sold one of her home healthcare agencies. She has, however, maintained ownership of the remaining agency and continues to manage it to this day. Her keen positive attitude and talent aided in her completion of courses in order to attain her Associate of Applied Science degree from IADT-San Antonio in 2009. She created her own fashion design line, self-titled, “Carol Reyes.” Then, she did something that displayed both her initiative and ambition. Reyes set an avid goal of wanting to show her designs to an international audience. She submitted sketches to the Hong Kong Trade Development Council for review to showcase in the 2010 Hong Kong Fashion Week.
She entered a submission for the “Emerging Designers” fashion show. Following the application process, the Council delivered the bad news first – they decided to cancel that category, but good news soon followed. The Council invited Reyes to participate in the “Brand Collection” fashion show. Quite the honor, she thought, as the “Brand Collection” category is reserved for established designers. With great excitement, she accepted the invitation. Reyes was one of three designers showcasing their collections in the show. She was joined by designers from Australia and Indonesia, who also presented their couture designs. Reyes’ line included a variety of cocktail and evening wear pieces. Her style can be described as avant-garde with a romantic feel. Her designs included a variety of textures like satin, lace, and ruffles. The “Carol Reyes” label is devoted to evening and cocktail wear. Intricate details combined with luxurious fabrics delivered the signature look of her line. “My clothes are elegant, but functional,” explained Reyes. While participating in Hong Kong’s fashion week, she was thrilled that her uncle, brother, sister-in-law, and sister traveled from the Philippines to support her at the show. Of course, her daughter was also in attendance to enjoy this incredible experience. Reyes was part of the 2010 Hong Kong Fashion Week trade show which ran from July 5th to the 8th. The “Carol Reyes” fashion brand was officially introduced to an international audience on Tuesday, July 6th, 2010. Her dreams for the future are not too far out of her reach. Reyes hopes by having introduced her fashion collection in Hong Kong; her apparel will reach the broader market of China. Reyes accessed an audience with international buyers who were able to see her artistically sculpted showcase of designs. This is not the end of Reyes’ story. There is so much more to come for this amazingly talented fashion designer. Following her debut in Hong Kong, Reyes plans to propose her designs to be considered for Edmonton Fashion Week, which is in Canada this October. She also wants to show her apparel in the Russian fashion market. Reyes had a late start in pursuing her fashion education but Fashion is certainly her top passionate now. The road ahead looks fashionably progressive and advantageous for Carol Reyes.
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The road to hong kong
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Shaqu'e jones GRAPHIC DESIGN alumna IADT- las vegas
Twenty-nine-year-old Shaqu’e Jones was born in Rancho Cucamonga, CA and currently resides in Henderson, Nevada. She pursued an art degree at the University of Nevada prior to attending the International Academy of Design & Technology in Las Vegas. Her experience in art started at the age of five when her aunt taught her how to color inside the lines of her coloring book. From there, she received several awards in Junior High School for her artistic talents. Walt Disney is her biggest artistic inspiration. “I love the movies and want to someday become a painter for the company,” she says. Other artists that also influenced her were Renaissance painters, Boris Vallejo, and various illustrators around the world. She chose IADT- Las Vegas because she wanted to attend a school that focused more on what she most wanted to do - become a graphic designer. She chose to major in Graphic Design because she feels that she has the capabilities to succeed in this business. With so much competition out there, she looks forward to the challenge. “Designers today are very talented and I would like to show how I can add to the puzzle.” Once she graduates, Shaqu’e plans to pursue her dream career and work for Disney, become a great designer and continue painting in oil and digital media. Becoming the first daughter in her family to receive a Bachelor's Degree, as well as immense support from her mother, were the driving forces behind her decision to attend college. She believes that education has opened the door for more creativity and thirst for design and illustration. “The more I learn and practice, the better I can develop my style.” While at IADT Shaqu’e has had much success; she was featured on the cover of the Fall 2009 issue of ARTISTIK Magazine and has won awards for academic accomplishments, and scholarships. Currently, Shaqu’e is working as an intern at 944 Magazine Las Vegas and as a freelance designer. FUN FACTS: Favorite Font: Helvetica Favorite Gadget: Wacom Tablet Favorite Artist: Boris Vallejo and Diego Rivera
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franklin thomas coloma jr. graphic DESIGN alumni IADT- las vegas
After serving close to eight years in the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard, Franklin Coloma decided to take advantage of his G.I. Bill and pursue a degree he desired in graphic gesign at a local college. While pursuing his degree, Franklin successfully co-owned a restaurant in his home state of Hawaii, where he learned several valuable marketing skills. With one class short of getting his Associate's Degree, he began to notice the unpromising economy headed our way. Franklin and his partner decided to sell the business and move to Las Vegas for better opportunities. With the passion to be in the graphic gesign field still fresh in his mind, he decided to continue his education and pursue a Bachelor's Degree at the International Academy of Design & Technology in Las Vegas. Franklin, now an Alumni, has achieved many accomplishments. He was the project manager for GFX21, an in-house design firm run by the Graphic Design program, has won several scholarships, including a $2500 scholarship for winning the local DC Comics Justice cover contest, and most recently volunteered for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Nevada Ballet Theatre. The project that Franklin is most proud of is Sailing for the Cure, a foundation whose mission is to improve the quality of life for cancer victims and their families. What motivated Franklin the most to attend college was his ability to visualize his creativity in his mind and the desire to learn the software and apply it so others can
see his work. Franklin believes that education is a tool and once you have it, it’s up to you to apply it to every opportunity you get. His decision to attend IADT- Las Vegas was swayed by the fact that he could enter into a program that focuses on all aspects of Graphic Design while offering affordable credits. Franklin believes that his Program Chair, Kathryn Sherman influenced him the most. He states, “Kathryn brings new ideas and challenges for the students. She puts in a lot of hours and passion to constantly improve our program.” His greatest strength as a designer is his diverse and fearless approach to designing. His weakness is always trying to find a solution to making a finished design better. When designing, Franklin believes in planning before putting anything on paper. “ Sketch, sketch, and more sketch before you reach for the mouse,” he says. During his design process, Franklin avoids the cosmetics of design until the function works. He stays open to critiques and executes the concepts he develops. He is inspired by Pablo Picasso’s creative use of colors and
shapes, the creative form and function used in making life easier in the Mid-Century Era, and the communication through the artistic capabilities of Ralph Steadman. In the next five years, Franklin hopes to find his next niche in Graphic Design and invest in it. His dream is to own his own design firm, producing packaging for children's toys. www.frankthomasdesign.com FUN FACTS: Your Design Hero: Carson Favorite Movies: Dark Comedy…no more vampires please! Worst Habit: Shopping at the 99 cents store Favorite Websites: Craigslist Worst Job Experience: Dealing with NAILS… long story
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chance phillips graphic DESIGN STUDENT IADT- sacramento
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in mind, it just so happened that IADT-Sacramento was the perfect fit and I’ve been happy with my decision ever since. I’ve met many people here and I have made great connections with fellow students and teachers. It has been a great influence on my life thus far.” Marlowe believes that her experience at IADT has helped her better understand how things should be balanced, how things can be improved, how grids can help design, how principles can make her work better, and how elements can change the feeling of a piece. She states, “My education has made me more knowledgeable and more capable to handle my future endeavors within my field. Also during her schooling, Marlowe has achieved many successes. She has been on the President’s list every term, she has had one or more of her art pieces shown in every end of term showcase, and she has been featured in the Spring 2010 issue of ARTISTIK Magazine.
marlowe churchill graphic DESIGN STUDENT IADT- SAcramento
Education has always been a focus and drive in Marlowe’s life. She strives for superior grades, more knowledge and to be the best at what she does. Her love for school and great grades started when she received her first 4.0 during her sophomore year in high school. Marlowe has worked hard on all of her projects and was rewarded with a certificate of recognition for her accomplishment. From that moment on, she understood what accomplishment really meant and how it felt to achieve something that was worked very hard for. After high school, Marlowe wasn’t sure what her calling was, so she decided to figure it out while getting her Associate's Degree at American River College. She had several ambitions; first she wanted to be an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), then a makeup artist, an art teacher, an animal trainer, a card designer and finally an oceanographer. Although maintaining an interest in those career paths, Marlowe's true passion could be found within art and design; these two subjects inspired her to attend the International Academy of Design and Technology in Sacramento, California. “My passion for art, creativity, fun and unique design was what helped me decide to pursue my education at IADTSacramento.” Marlowe was interested in graphic design and didn’t want to be too far from home, family or friends. Cost was also a factor in her decision to attend college, as many art schools can be expensive. She says, “With all of these factors
If Marlowe were not a designer, she would have pursued a career in anatomy/physiology or oceanography. She loves the ocean and would like to learn more about it and help to protect it.” Currently, her five-year plan is to do everything she loves doing, to keep gaining knowledge, and continue to meet new people and potential clients. She is certain of one thing, and that is that she will be successful in the field of graphic esign because of her choice to attend IADT- Sacramento. FUN FACTS: Favorite Color: Orange Favorite Artist: Paul Rand What have you done that no one would guess you’d done? I caught a rattlesnake in a huge barn when I was six
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lee whiting graphic DESIGN STUDENT IADT- sacramento
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nathan phelps FILM STUDENT COLLINS COLLEGE
In 2003, Nathan Phelps, 29-years old, earned his Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies and in recent years decided to work on his second degree at Collins College, a Bachelor of Arts in Film. Growing up in Colorado has fueled his creative passion; the mountain ranges fed his deep sensitivity to the natural world that he recreates through his work. Nathan currently lives in Phoenix, working as a financial aid counselor for Collins and is thrilled to be celebrating his upcoming ten-year wedding anniversary. He is in his final year at Collins and is excited to be graduating. In Nathan’s opinion, Collins College has everything a student interested in Film could possibly want, ranging from sound stages to the types of classes offered. He has learned much from Ryan Noble’s screen writing class and Joe Mustacchi’s lighting class, two subjects that were once foggy to him, but now appear entirely fresh and new. While many artists reach a certain skill level and then resign, Nathan believes that a person can never stop learning and constantly aspires to excel beyond what’s expected. He recently entered the South Colorado Photography Society Showcase and received both First and Second places for his work; he plans to enter similar showcases next year to continue to show that he can push beyond his limits. Being featured in ARTISTIK Magazine has proven to be a serious energy boost for Nathan. It reassures him that he must continue to expect more of himself. Artistic expression, to him, leads back to a statement he heard on a cooking show: “Good cooking requires good ingredients.” He has taken it to heart and applies it to his art. Primary ingredients must be the focus with the others balancing out the rest. With a milestone of an anniversary and another exciting graduation ahead, Nathan has much to celebrate. However, this is certainly not his stopping point. Like the mountains he holds dear to him, his choices and future are breathtakingly vast. FUN FACTS: Your Design Hero: Chase Jarvis, Joey Lawrence One Thing You Can’t Live Without: Coffee What have you done that no one would guess you’d done? Circled the globe, literally, by train, plane and automobile
Inspiration plays a key role in Daio’s development as an artist. To say that a single aspect in life inspires him would be unfair as he has had so many. From books, to friends, to events, to family, movies, games, and even strangers; the numbers far exceed what he can briefly explain. So, simply put, the world inspires him with the trillions of things he has learned and experienced. This sort of inspiration feeds into his design process and what he ultimately creates. Daio starts with a loosely-drawn sketch until he has a solid idea that he can flesh out with details and base colors. Leaving the piece untouched for a few hours or even days, he then returns with a clear mind to spot mistakes he might’ve overlooked. After much more tweaking and touchups, he lands on a final piece, some of which have led to success.
DaiO LAMERS GAME ART STUDENT COLLINS COLLEGE
Nineteen-year-old Daio Lamers currently attends Collins College pursuing his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Game Art. Born in Paris, France, he immigrated to the United States eight years ago and now resides in Tempe, Arizona. Apart from his present education at Collins, Daio received no formal training in art and learned everything from friends and fellow artists. He specializes in digital 2D and 3D Concept Art with rudimentary skills in Flash, After Effects, Premiere, Audition, and Terragen. Daio is a freelance artist who seeks creative, fun, and challenging projects. Daio has always been a fan of video games, movies and books. The grand adventures and worlds they painted have always captivated him in ways that this world never could. When he looks at movies like Avatar and games such as Halo and Mass Effect, he sees entire worlds that have been created, from the tiniest devices and creatures and up to the most breathtaking environments and stories. As he reached the end of high school, Daio decided that he wanted to be behind the creation of such places and events and finding the right college was his next stop. Daio originally looked into two schools, Collins College and The Art Institute. After visiting both, he decided that the atmosphere at Collins College was more relaxed and geared towards a varied learning style. What really tipped the scale in his decision-making process was the fact that after graduating from Collins, he would not only have Concept Art skills, but also other skills that companies would find useful when hiring such as Audio, Modeling, Animation, and more. Since he began at Collins, Daio has found that one instructor influenced him a great deal. Mr. Veirs, one of
Daio has won several scholarships, some for art and others for writing. He has improved his art and confidence through winning and putting forth his work for the public eye. He has displayed work in two school-sponsored Portfolio Shows and in 2008, his senior year of high school, received the Gold Key in the Nevada Scholastic Art Competition. He’s learning what works in the art world and what doesn’t through creation. In this way, he has learned quite a bit about the industry he will be joining after his degree’s completion. Ultimately, Daio dreams of becoming an Art Director for a major game company. Although the thought of so much responsibility currently terrifies him, he believes that down the line when he has gained the right amount of knowledge, it will be the perfect job for him. He will certainly receive the right tools for his future at Collins College. daiolamers.daportfolio.com FUN FACTS: Favorite Color: Black. It just goes with everything Worst Habit: Procrastinating, especially when near an internet connection Your Design Hero: There are many but Dan Luvisi stands at the top, his art is fantastic from every point of view: lighting, anatomical, textural, compositional, realism, and emotional What have you done that no one would guess you’d done? Jumped off a bridge and lived. A word to the wisealways scout your areas first before Parkouring
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his first instructors, never sugar-coated Daio’s work. He always told Daio not only how to better his work, but also taught him different ways to create it. What Daio learned from him in terms of lighting, anatomy, composition, and charcoal could fill entire libraries; his lessons will most likely influence Daio for the length of his career.
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Adrian R. Gomez Graphic Design Student IADT- San Antonio
southeast spotlight tim warchocki: "robotki"
What do instructors and department chairs do when they aren’t loading down their students with homework and projects? Well, IADT- Orlando Graphic Design Department Chair, Tim Warchocki, has a somewhat whimsical, yet curiously fascinating hobby. Tim creates “found-art robots” that are fashioned with modified objects, not normally considered art and calls them “Robotki.”
Essence Flowers: A "Blooming" Success
IADT- Tampa Fashion Design Alumna, Essence Flowers’ hard work and dedication pay off as she designs the Tampa Bay Buccaneer Cheerleader uniforms for the 2010-2011 season and builds her new fashion line.
showcase keith burnson IADT- Tampa
carol plymill IADT- Tampa
kristin leblanc IADT- Tampa
nina verklas IADT- Tampa
marti martin IADT- Tampa
david barona IADT- Tampa
emilie vaccarini
IADT- Orlando
egda claudio
IADT- Orlando
logan mata
IADT- Orlando
bianca E. akhidime IADT- Orlando
Alicia gay
IADT- Nashville
jared collins
IADT- Nashville
carol plymill: iadt- tampa
tim warchocki: "robotki" Words by audra l. smith Photography by tim warchocki
In various locations around campus at IADT- Orlando, you will come across whimsical-looking, “found-art robots” created by Tim Warchocki, Graphic Design Department Chair. Take a step into his office and you will find yourself surrounded by even more curious-looking robotic creatures fashioned with arbitrary yet recognizable, modified objects that are not normally considered art. These creations are fittingly deemed, “Robotki,” a combination of the words “robot” and “Warchocki.” Tim Warchocki says about his work, “Each piece is greater than the sum of its original parts. In their creation, I employ Gestalt psychology known as the ‘Law of Similarity.’ This means the mind tends to group similar elements into a singular object. The resemblance depends on relationships of form, color, size, or brightness.” The procedure of creating a robot begins with his dumping the “found” parts onto the floor and playing with the resulting chaos until the Robotki manifests itself. Warchocki calls this spontaneous practice “the configuration of confusion” and says that his creations can also be considered environmentally friendly because each component is handpicked and repurposed from various facilities such as thrift stores, swap meets, and even dumpsters. The pieces are then affixed with screws, bolts, glue, or any other method deemed necessary. “Sometimes a single unique piece inspires the whole design. The parts seem to dictate to me, calling me to put certain pieces into certain positions. I too am astounded by the end result as my mind is allowed to be guided through the artistic development process,” Warchocki said.
a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts in Graphic Design from the Miami International University of Art and Design. Beginning his graphic design career in the mid 1980’s, Warchocki calls upon experiences gained from a mixture of vocations he’s had that give his creativity an outlet, which include working for nearly a decade at a television station in Buffalo, New York. His daily work varied from the creation of 3D modeling and animation, magazine layout and design, courtroom sketching, station branding and set design, and cartooning. In 1993, Warchocki won a Broadcast Design Award (Bronze) for his work on the set of “Rocketship 7” – a show that he credits as his initial inspiration for Robotki. On the show, he played the character “Captain Comic” alongside another character, “Promo the Robot.” He has also been recognized for the illustration and cartooning of numerous illustrations for books and websites, and continues to actively freelance with some of his most notable being cover illustrations for NASA publications. In addition, Warchocki also received notoriety for researching and writing his self-published book titled Before the Blade in 1999. Prior to becoming the Graphic Design Department Chair in 2007, he was the Game Design and Development Department Chair for IADT- Orlando and an IADT adjunct instructor prior. Warchocki also spent time as a Creative Director for an Orlando-based creative group called “My Creative Muse” during the early 2000’s.
Because of the nature in which Robotki are born, there is not one identifiable creation that embodies the "Robotki style." However, Warchocki does have his favorites; Brainbot - a bipedal automaton with a visible brain enclosure, The Original Robotki Robot - made from PVC pipes and a broken solar garden light, Robot Peach - who is simply "pretty as a peach," and Big Eye Robot - a robot whose name says it all.
Warchocki brings vast experience and unbridled enthusiasm to the graphic design program. One prominent contribution integrated into the fabric of the IADT Graphic Design Program is the inclusion of the acronym “ECBARF” to every design class. ECBARF is a funny way to remember the basic principles of graphic design that every designer should know: “Emphasis, Contrast, Balance, Alignment, Repetition and Flow,” which all good designs should contain. How these principles are positioned in a design dictates the structure of the overall work and ultimately determines the overall readability and desired message. ECBARF governs placement and structure and are evident in Warchocki’s Robotki designs.
While the Robotki, featured in local art shows since last year, are currently his personal hobby and passion, they are not his only artistic channels. Warchocki possesses
Tim will be featuring existing and future designs on his website at www.robotki-robots.blogspot.com where the items may be viewed and obtained.
"Sometimes a single unique piece inspires the whole design."
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ESSENCE FLOWERS: A "BLOOMING" SUCCESS
Words by JOE WYNN
Remarkable, sophisticated, classy, unique, and refined are only a few words that describe Essence Flowers’ fashion design work. Determined, creative, original and focused are a few words to describe Essence Flowers herself. Essence is one of the best innovative and creative design talents to have graduated from the International Academy of Design & Technology in Tampa, Florida, and yes, Essence Flowers is her real name! Originally, from Haines City, Florida, Essence has always had a passion for Fashion Design. As a child, she made her first garment with her grandmother, who introduced her to the art of Fashion Design and taught her how to sew. Essence was, and still is, inspired by classic designers such as Vera Wang and John Galliano, but her all-time favorite is Valentino. Essence graduated from IADT- Tampa in 2005 with her Associate of Science Degree in Fashion Design and Marketing and currently resides in the Tampa Bay area. Flowers has always been an advocate and long time supporter of the Academy’s outstanding Fashion Design and Marketing curriculum. During her tenure, Nancy McGee, former Program Chair of Fashion Design and Marketing became a mentor to Flowers. Essence speaks highly of the program and gives kudos to the talented faculty members and adjunct teachers in the Fashion Design Department, especially Nancy Cheek, as they were an intricate part of her success. After graduating, Flowers wasted no time and decided to immediately launch her clothing line, featuring couture-designed wedding dresses, evening gowns and bathing suits that can only be described as remarkable. With this branding name already in place, the concept and vision naturally came together in 2005 to establish her business’ name as RemarQuable Designs by Essence. Flowers’ work ethic, passion and determination are evident and displayed in all of her designs. It is shown in the magnitude and detail of her work; the style and craftsmanship of her final pieces are more than garments but works of art. Flowers’ designs have been recognized and graced the runways and styling shoots in major
This Page: Top Left: Photograph by Anthony Cole, Tampa, FL • Top Right: Upscale Magazine, Photograph by Hannibal Matthews • Bottom: Photograph by Eduardo Garcia, Miami Beach, FL Opposite Page: Bottom Right: Photograph by: Michael Kenneth Bigos
fashion cities including Tampa, Atlanta, Miami and New York. In 2008, while trying out in Miami for Season Five of Project Runway, she was told by Tim Gunn himself, “Your garments are too polished! Why aren’t you in New York?” Essence replied, “I prefer to establish my business and base in my home state of Florida and I am determined to be successful and establish a strong fashion design career with my own ideas.” In 2009, RemarQuable Designs by Essence focused and promoted Flowers’ ever-growing popular swimwear line. Essences states on her website, “Essence Flowers is a rising star who's truly wrapped in fashion. It's her calling. Even the casual eye along the catwalk can see that her dress and bathing suit designs elicit art and visual controversy with a hint of sex appeal.” Her outstanding designs have brought her recognition through numerous National Fashion Weeks, which included Tampa Bay Fashion Week (2009 & 2008), New York City Connect Fashion Week (2008), and Haute-Lana Fashion Week, Atlanta (2008). In 2010, RemarQuable Designs by Essence changed its company name to Essence Flowers. The eponymous company remains focused on new opportunities and continued growth in the Fashion Design world. Through connections from her participation and two year involvement with Tampa Bay Fashion Week, Flowers was contacted and selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneer Cheerleader Manager for an amazing opportunity to design all of the swimwear for the upcoming Buccaneer Cheerleader’s photo shoot. Her garments were worn by the Buccaneer Cheerleaders and will appear in their annual swimsuit calendar for the upcoming 2011 year. In a recent Tampa Tribune article, “Local Designer Suits Bucs Cheerleaders' Calendar” written by Cloe Cabrera, she states, “Flowers came up with a look for each of the women incorporating Buccaneer colors – red, white, black, pewter and orange – and the team's logo.” Flowers explains, “My swimwear celebrates women, their curves and shapes, and are designed for every mood and occasion.” Impressed by the beautiful designs Essence created for the cheerleaders' swimsuits, her level of creativity and professionalism; the Tampa Bay Buccaneer Cheerleaders Camp offered Essence an
opportunity to create the uniforms for the cheerleaders for the upcoming 2010-2011 season and she is currently working on the project. There are great possibilities and outcomes on the horizon for Essence Flowers, the designer and company, as Essence has already laid the foundation to extend her design concepts to a wider market. We all have goals and plans that we want to accomplish; being able to take steps towards her goals and make them happen is what makes Essence stand out among the rest. Of course, Essence realizes that there will be times when she may take steps backwards, but remains grateful for the headway she has made in her career and takes advantage of the opportunities that come her way. She is living proof that with a lot of hard work and dedication, you are able to follow your dreams and that no dream is too big. It is a distinct pleasure to see the work of such a talented young woman pay off. Congratulations Essence!
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Keith was born and raised in Florida and is passionate about the Tampa Bay Area. He grew up playing music at a young age, which led to an opportunity to be surrounded by artists from all over the world. As a young boy, Keith was always fascinated with creation. Growing up in Florida, he began skateboarding at a young age and loved learning and creating new things. Years later, he began playing music, creating songs and recording albums.
keith burnson graphic DESIGN alumni IADT- TAMPA
After recording an album with some friends in a punk rock band, Keith took a stab at creating their album artwork and was eventually hired to do the band’s album cover and tour merchandise. A year later, Keith found what he was passionate about; Digital Art. He fell in love with the freedom of creating unique digital pieces and realized that it wasn’t just a hobby, but a gift, and he wanted to learn how to use it. This led him to pursue a degree in Graphic Design and he enrolled at the International Academy of Design & Technology- Tampa to earn his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Keith believes that learning the basics of software and design are important and that IADT- Tampa was the school that would teach that to him. “Experience alone may be helpful in being successful, however, experience as well as the knowledge of how to run a program and the correct training to be a creative are two areas that I believe set you over the top,” he says. Keith remembers his first experience at IADT, “I really had no clue what I was doing. I remember being nervous and sweating before classes.
I felt like I had so much growing to do and there were a number of intimidating designers around me at the time.” Keith shares about a particular instructor, “I had Kerstin Upmeyer for Illustrator and she really challenged me as a digital artist. I felt that class was a turning point in my education and career as a designer. She gave us the confidence we needed in the industry.” Keith was the featured cover artist for the Summer 2009 issue of ARTISTIK Magazine and collaborated with other designers on the Winter 2010 issue as well. He shares about his experience with ARTISTIK, “It has opened up doors for me to grow as a designer and helped me understand what I like and dislike in publication design. There is a unique conceptual idea behind each issue and I really do love that. Also, I loved working with people as a team. Some designers are reluctant to work with others, but I feel when you learn how to come together as a team that’s when success and creativity takes place.” He continues, “I am grateful to have the chance to work with Josef Mancino; he has inspired me and believed in me since he was my instructor. He is a special person because he is giving students opportunities of a lifetime. He really helped me in my career and I honestly wouldn’t have made the connections I have today if it wasn’t for him following his dreams and including me.” Keith has achieved success in his field within a very short period of time. He was asked to do an internship for a company called The Dept. (www.the-dept.com ), doing a big video production. He finished the work in a week and the company
decided to bring him on full time. He states, “My dream job was working with action sport clients and needless to say I just got that job. I’m living the dream, for sure.” Keith is amazed and overwhelmed that this career move worked out and that all of his hard work is finally paying off. His success doesn’t stop there; he continues to be inspired knowing that he is soon going to be a Dad. “I think this will give me a new outlook on life and will make my creative side rise up in a new way.” In the next five years, Keith’s plans include moving his way up the ladder to become a Creative Director by growing as much as possible as a creative. He also hopes to win some international design awards at the new company for whom he works. www.burnson.me FUN FACTS Favorite Fonts: Didiot and Din Favorite Color: White Your Design Hero: David Carson Favorite Artist: Dave Kinsey Favorite Websites: FFFound, SiteInspire Talent You Wish You Possessed: Alligator wrestler What have you done that no one would guess you’d done? Set tile for a living
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carol plymill professional photography alumna iadt- tampa
Twenty-seven-year-old Carol Plymill was born and raised in Sao Paulo, Brazil and moved to Boca Raton, Florida in 2001 to pursue better opportunities. As a young girl, Carol aspired to be a doctor, but it wasn’t until she picked up a camera at age 19 that she realized her true passion for photography. “When I picked up that Nikon film camera, it was love at first click, literally,” said Carol. Her love for photography was what eventually led her to the International Academy of Design & Technology in Tampa where she obtained an Associate of Science in Professional Photography. Carol strives each day to create a unique style with her photography and discovers more and more her overwhelming love for fashion photography. Her motivation to attend college was the pure love and fascination with photography and the desire to attain the necessary training and knowledge to be successful in the field. Carol’s decision to attend IADT- Tampa resonated from the reputation the school has in its digital photography program. She states, “I heard from several sources that the program was very well taught and beneficial to any prospective photographer.” Carol believes her educational experience at IADTTampa was essential to her career. She states, “Going to school has transformed my skills to a level I never thought I could achieve. The effort and eye were always there, but what I learned in school was how to build my confidence, work harder than I ever have. Not to mention the established professionals I got to meet and learn from along the way- that was extremely beneficial in helping me find the direction to take my career.” Carol claims her design process is fun; she uses the programs Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop. “I upload all the images into Lightroom and sort out all the best shots first. After that, I sort them a second time for a better selection. From there I’m usually left with only five or seven shots which I’ll retouch in Adobe Photoshop,”
she says. She believes her eye and the ability to capture amazing shots during a shoot are her strengths, and her only weakness is the fact that she is not located in a so-called “fashion city.” She is inspired by, and has a lot of respect for the lighting techniques of famed photographer, Annie Leibovitz. Her experience working with ARTISTIK Magazine has given her an edge and the insight needed to be successful in the industry. Meeting deadlines and living up to the fine standards of the magazine have been extremely valuable lessons she has learned and will contribute to her success as she enters the fashion industry. Carol plans to be living in New York within the next five years and furthering her career in the fashion photography industry. Her goal is to gain as much experience and credibility as possible by shooting on a regular basis and eventually having her photographs published in mainstream magazines. www.carolplymill.com FUN FACTS: Worst Font: Comic sans Favorite Color: Green Favorite Artist: Salvador Dali One Thing You Can’t Live Without: My camera Talent You Wish You Possessed: I wish I could sing
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kristin leblanc interior DESIGN alumna iadt- tampa
Kristin Leblanc was born in Fitchburg, Massachusetts and lived most of her adolescence in the small town of Gardner. After graduating high school in 2005, she enrolled at a local Community College to study psychology and realized after one semester that she was in the wrong field. After weeks of researching, Kristin found the perfect match: Interior Design. At age nineteen, she craved independence and after months of begging her mother, she finally got her blessing to venture out on her own and pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Interior Design at the International Academy of Design & Technology in Tampa, Florida. Kristin wanted to start a new chapter in her life, and started it off by packing up a rental car and driving down to Tampa, Florida where she would pursue her dream of being an interior designer. Kristin has been living in Tampa ever since, and has completed her degree in Interior Design while maintaining a full-time position as an AutoCAD Tech. Though she does not work in an actual interior design firm, Kristin is still gaining valuable experience using AutoCAD software, a program frequently used among interior designers. As a recent college graduate, she is completely open to new ideas for her future. Kristin’s motivation to attend college was derived from her aspiration for a better life. She shares, “As I approached my senior year in high school, I started to become aware of the advantages a college graduate with
a degree has compared to those without one when applying for jobs. I wanted a college education to prepare myself for a brighter future and to make my family proud.” She chose IADT- Tampa primarily for its location; Florida was a place that she had always wanted to live. Kristin was impressed by the programs the school offered and felt they were a perfect match for her. Kristin had the opportunity to be taught by instructor Alex Bothos for two terms. “Alex is probably my most influential instructor. He brought to me an entirely new concept to how we can perceive design. Everything he asked me to do was new to me, and after a while I started to like it and I understood design in a new light, and from a newer perspective,” says Kristin. Kristin believes that before any design, it is important to know and understand your project and the client(s) before producing a solution. She then looks for inspiration for the project and then moves straight to the drawing board. Kristin says about her design process, “I experiment a lot, and try to find all possible solutions until I find one that will fit the client best.” She finds focal points that relate to what is asked or needed of the client. “I use focal points to keep me focused on the specific design solution that I am trying to achieve, in order to maintain a reflection of my client." Her dream job would be to work for the Rockwell Group design firm based in downtown New York. Kristin believes that this firm has designed some of the most imaginative,
inventive, and inspirational spaces for hotels, theaters, museums and more. “To work there would be an absolute honor for me because they have built the capacity and the reputation for designing spaces that captivate all of its occupants, and that is something I strive for as an interior designer,” says Kristin. Inspired by her mother and two sisters, Kristin looks forward to an exciting life; she plans to travel in search of ways to put her experience and knowledge in interior design to use. In the next five years, Kristin plans to obtain a longterm position in an interior design firm, live comfortably, and have the ability to travel and see different forms of interior and architectural designs from various parts of the world to diversify herself as a designer. From here on out, her career is her main focus. FUN FACTS: Favorite Color: Orange Favorite Artist: Frank Gehry Favorite Gadget: Hair straightener Your Design Hero: Jeremy Franklin One Thing You Can’t Live Without: My puffalump Worst Habit: I chew on my bottom lip uncontrollably
Recently, Bambina By NV, Inc. has been featured in Florida International Magazine’s December 2009 issue, on the cover and spread of ARTISTIK Magazine January 2010 issue, featured designs in the International Socialite Magazine’s February 2010 issue and was the featured designer in a six-page spread in Simply the Best Magazine’s May/June 2010 issue with more to come in upcoming months.
nina verklas fashion DESIGN alumna IADT- tampa
Born and raised in South Florida, 22-year-old Nina Verklas has always been inspired by the diverse culture around her. Frequently identified as a “know it all,” Nina decided to attend college as a step to grow and advance in a career in fashion design. Her decision to attend the International Academy of Design & Technology in Tampa was based on the need to find a school that best fit for the type of training she needed. She was able to learn about inspiration, fabric choice, how to design a collection, and how to make it come to life in production including pattern drafting, draping, cutting, sewing and the correct construction. Her experience at IADT- Tampa was one that changed her as a person. It has helped her understand what it takes to be a designer. “I have always wanted to have my own label since I was a little girl; it wasn’t until college that I learned how to go from start to finish when building a collection and how hard the industry can be. I think that my college education will benefit me for the rest of my life and the rest is for me to learn through real world experience,” she says. In August of 2008, Nina incorporated her company “Bambina By NV, Inc.” (Meaning “baby girl” in Italian and “By NV” for her initials). Bambina By NV, Inc. is a custom-designed clothing company featuring sexy and elegant styles for young men and women. As a high fashion designer, Nina specializes in swimwear, readyto-wear, evening wear, and costume design. Never afraid to design with an edge, Nina is known for being inspired by wild prints, upholstery and soft fabrics. Each design is created with “Un pizzico d’ amore” (a pinch of love), which is something to keep in mind when wearing her styles. Her inspiration is spontaneous, which is why each collection is truly unpredictable. Credits: This Page: Photograph by Blast em' Photography • Opposite Page: Photographs by Sean-Ocean
Passionate about her career, Nina is extremely openminded to doing things different from the mainstream and believes that is where her greatest strengths as a designer fall. Poor time management and being a perfectionist are her downfalls. The one thing you will always see Nina wearing is her bow tie, which is her trademark when she attends fashion events. It serves as a constant reminder that her grandfather is with her in spirit, influencing her good fortune, as he was always known for wearing bow ties. Inspired by her family, Nina’s dream job is to work for her own label Bambina By NV, Inc. as the lead designer with a strong and respectable team. “I don’t want to be rich and famous, I just want to be well respected in the industry,” says Nina. “Being featured in ARTISTIK Magazine was a wonderful experience and has helped others see what I am capable of. Since a lot of what people have seen either Ready-to-wear or Avant Garde pieces from me, the evening wear feature on the cover of the January 2010 issue was a great way for people to see my versatility.” In the next five years, Nina plans to be featured as an emerging designer in Miami fashion week 2011. She would also like to open her own boutique and have her clothing line being sold in stores. www.bambinabynv.com FUN FACTS: Favorite Color: Green Your Design Hero: Roberto Cavalli Favorite Artist: David Blackwood, Hans Holbein the Younger What have you done that no one would guess you’d done? Mannequin modeling in the store fronts at local malls
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In November 2009, Nina graduated with her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design and Marketing at the International Academy of Design and Technology in Tampa, FL. She is currently building her company Bambina By NV, Inc. in Miami, designing collections, and styling for private clients.
| RDS: SOUTHEAST 76,77
marti martin graphic DESIGN aLumna iadt- tampa
Twenty-two-year-old Marti Martin is a reliable Graphic Designer who is known for her determination and great communication skills. Originally from Fort Myers, Florida, Marti decided to pursue her dream of becoming a Graphic Designer and move to Tampa, Florida in the Summer of 2007 to attend the International Academy of Design & Technology. While attending school, Marti had the opportunity to achieve the success she desired. She was awarded the Tampa Bay Advertising Federation scholarship, interned at a record label and a local magazine, and got the opportunity to design for different companies around the United States. She graduated with her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design in April of 2010 and returned home to Fort Myers shortly after graduation. Marti is currently traveling across the globe; she feels that traveling has opened her eyes to better opportunities and has allowed her to realize the love she has for all types of design.
the school offers. She believes her experience attending college was invaluable. “If I didn’t get the education I did, I would have never been able to do what I do now. It’s a total game changer. You grow every second that you are awake, and as a designer you grow with everything you see. So the more I saw and the more I was in school, the more I grew as a designer.” As a designer, Marti believes her greatest strength is that she has her own specific style in her designs. Her biggest weakness is saying “no” to a project. Marti’s design process includes researching, talking, sketching, mock-ups, print outs, browsing the web or walking aimlessly to get new ideas and being able to say “yes” or “no” to a design idea.
Marti’s decision to attend IADT- Tampa was based on many factors; however, the ones that were most important were the location and the hands-on experience
If Marti had not attended school for Graphic Design, she would be pursuing a career in psychology.
Along with her many other successes, Marti believes being featured in ARTISTIK Magazine has helped her become more confident with her work and has opened doors for greater opportunities for years to come.
FUN FACTS: Favorite Font: Rockwell Favorite Color: Black, it has all my other favorites in it Your Design Hero: Christopher Latham Sholes Worst Habit: Talking a lot Favorite Artist: Nicolas Girad Favorite Websites: TED.com One Thing You Can’t Live Without: Music What have you done that no one would guess you’d done? It’s not done yet, but I’m writing a book
Graphic design student IADT- Tampa
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David barona
Music is one thing that inspires Emilie. The melodies create animations and stories in her head. She is also inspired by comic book artists such as Uderzo and Goscinny and feels they have a great influence on her work. Instructors at IADT that influenced Emilie the most were Jermaine Bryant (sketching), Brian Maricle (digital painting), Daniel Assael (camera angles and perspective), and Tim Parsons (lighting). She states, “Thanks to the skills I have learned, I was able to help my partner start a custom t-shirt company called GFHP, where my job is to create custom graphics for apparel and help in the pressing process.” Emile explains her process while working on a project, “ I let my drawing tell the story. I usually start on paper with a blue or red pencil, then I sketch my subject, and when I’m satisfied, I move in with a black pencil and accentuate and lock my light source to shade in my subject. After that, I scan it in Photoshop, rework my lines, add details, and then colors. When I have my colors down I start shading, lighting, and texturing.”
Emilie vaccarini game DESIGN alumna IADT- orlando
In the next five years, Emilie plans to enter OPT (Optional Practical Training), which will allow her to switch her student visa for a work visa in the U.S., improve her skills and experience, and do contract work for different companies in her field. Twenty-four-year-old Emilie Vaccarini was born in France, and raised in the Caribbean on the island of Saint Martin. From an early age, Emilie developed a passion for drawing. Due to the lack of art programs at her institution, she returned to France to finish her junior and senior years of High School. Wanting to perfect her drawing, painting, and modeling skills, Emilie decided to attend college. She attended one year in the fine art program at the Aix en Provence Fine Art University in France. In April 2006, she decided to travel to Orlando to inquire about a design school that she had read about. Seduced by the liberty of expression that video game design represented, she decided to start the process of attaining her student visa. Emilie enrolled at the International Academy of Design & Technology in Orlando, Florida in 2006 as a Game Design student. Emilie’s decision to attend IADT was greatly based on the location. “Orlando was a very culturally mixed city, and that attracted me, especially because my background is in the Caribbean on an island that is said to host 75 different nations,” says Emilie. The energy and professionalism of the staff was
www.wix.com/mcorp971/m FUN FACTS: Favorite Color: Blue Worst Font: Giddyup Std Worst Habit: I eat munchies a lot Favorite Gadget: Leatherman Favorite Artist: Leonardo Da Vinci One Thing You Can’t Live Without: Music Talent You Wish You Possessed: Telekinesis What have you done that no one would guess you'd done? Jumped off of a 25 meter cliff
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another factor that influenced her to study Game Design and the fact that she would not encounter walls to her imagination. She believes her experience at IADT has taught her the digital side of concept art and painting, as well as, improving her time management skills.
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egda claudio fashion DESIGN STUDENT IADT- orlando
graphic DESIGN alumni IADT- orlando
Craving Art and Design, Logan has always had a huge thirst for knowledge and that is what motivated him to attend college. He chose IADT- Orlando because of the reputation and convenience of location. “I’ve learned to be very picky as far as design, thanks to a lot of my teachers. I have managed to polish a keen skill of observation and cleverness. I am always looking for shapes within shapes, hidden elements, similar shades, and that has helped me satisfy my clients with excellence.” His most influential instructor was Colin Breaud, a typography professor. “He is old school, bold and really knows how to push you to the edge on how to see and interpret things. His critiques were harsh, but necessary, pulling you away from a common designer to a designer that understands typography, and finally, molds you into an artist with his/ her own voice in the design world.” While attending college, Logan participated in several extra-curricular activities such as City Arts Factory, Fashion Photographer, Drawing Club, and The Graphics Club. Logan is inspired the most by Andrew Jones, an artist, and cofounder of massive black incorporated, success inspires Logan the most. Logan explains his excitement as his dream job is already underway. He currently works as an apparel artist for Stuph Clothing, and freelances as Hollow 89 Creative- the name of his company. He shares, “Believe it or not I have my dream job; my requirements are to make enough money to live comfortably with a great selection of design projects and co-workers to share my enthusiasm for artistic innovation, while being able to blur out day in day out jokes in a mellow environment.” While creating top-of-the-line apparel for the Nation’s youth ministries, his current ambition is to learn how to create beautiful typefaces similar to Bodoni, Pudgy Puss, and Ambroise. He brings excellence and innovation to everything he creates. www.loganmata.com FUN FACTS: Favorite Movie: Spirited Away Favorite Artist: Andrew Jones Favorite Websites: logopond.com Favorite Gadget: .03 mechanical pencil What have you done that no one would guess you’d done? I can solve the Rubik’s Cube in less than 2 minutes
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logan mata
Logan Mata is a graphic designer and alumni of the International Academy of Design & Technology- Orlando. He was born and raised in the suburbs of the Dominican Republic and moved to Florida in 2004. Logan realized his love for graphic design when he spotted a poster designed by Herb Lubalin. The poster featured typography, which he considered amazing and beautiful.
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bianca e. akhidime DIGITAL MEDIA STUDENT iadt- orlando
Raised in Spring Lake, North Carolina, Bianca Akhidime studied art and received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from the University of North Carolina in 2005. She now lives in Orlando, Florida and is attending IADT- Orlando to further her career in Digital Art in the Digital Media Program. Her artwork, heavily influenced from animation and fantasy, incorporates a combination of vivid colors and abstract patterns to create interesting color schemes for her unique character designs. Fascinated with surrealism, fantasy, and with African Art, Bianca strives to find ways to incorporate and fuse these styles in her work. Between her full-time job and going to school full-time, Bianca works as a freelance illustrator and colorist. Following her dream of being an artist for a living, Bianca had a strong desire to further her studies. Intrigued by the hands-on learning environment as well as the small class sizes, Bianca chose IADT- Orlando as her school of choice. “I felt that IADT was a great school to attend because I wouldn’t feel like I was just another number, but an individual. There is a lot to learn and I felt at ease that I would be able to become proficient with the latest industry standard programs in a timely manner.” Bianca feels that her experience at IADT has helped her in many ways. “I have actually found that even though I’ve been in school for a short amount of time, I have learned quite a lot at a rapid pace. The projects that I have worked on have helped prepare me for the future projects that employers in my field may in fact instruct me to do in the future. It gives me confidence that once I graduate, I will be able to do the job(s) that will be asked of me efficiently,” she states. Bianca feels that her greatest success thus far has come from being featured in ARTISTIK Magazine. “It really was a surprise to find out from my teachers that I was even considered in the first place. A lot of times in the past, prior to attending my current school, I was given such negative criticism from teachers and peers alike for drawing in the style that I love and for even liking anime to begin with. A lot of times I have felt discouraged and wondered if I should do something else entirely. Through it all, I stuck with it and continued to draw because my style of drawing gives me a plethora of challenges that keeps me motivated and never bored. I do what I do because I love art. I love the genre of anime and I hope
that though my works others will get to see what I see in it as well. That there are no rules, and anything and everything is possible.” Being featured in ARTISTIK has given Bianca the confidence to strive and build on her techniques to become a better artist. Bianca’s design process is very intricate and complex. It varies between illustrations and is affected by the mood of the piece. She shares, “Most of the time, if not all of the time, I sketch out my image right on the computer. I hardly ever sketch on paper anymore. From the sketch I draw the line art and add any embellishments as I go. For this process I use a program called Sai Painter. I have found, for me, that the lines are sharper and cleaner. Once that’s completed, I transfer the image to Photoshop to color. In my coloring process, I pick a background color and color my subject based on that color. For example, if I want my character to have an overall red theme, I will first make my background a solid shade of red and then color off of the red background. The skin is colored first, and then the eyes, hair, clothes and accessories last. A lot of times, halfway through working, once I have a general idea of how the colors will look, I will change the background to a different color and work on building the background from there. I find that the character’s colors have an interesting effect when colored in this manner. After this, the colors are tweaked and embellished; the details are worked until the image is finally completed.” After graduating from IADT- Orlando, Bianca’s five year plan is to pursue and succeed in her field of study. She also plans to enter her work into contests and exhibitions and create a comic book. lancermonna.deviantart.com FUN FACTS: Favorite Font: Noir Et Blanc Favorite Gadget: 120GB Zune Your Design Hero: Dali Worst Habit: Insomnia Favorite Artist: Ayami Kojima One Thing You Can’t Live Without: Wacom tablet Talent You Wish You Possessed: Eidetic memory
professional photography STUDENT IADT- nashville
Alicia Gay has followed an indirect path to finding her creative side. As a former college athlete, Alicia has always searched for a way to express her creativity. Having never been good at drawing, painting, or singing, Alicia used photography as her way to express creativity. As a full-time teacher and mother, the thought of changing careers was intimidating. Alicia already has two education degrees; a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee and a Master’s degree from Georgia State University. However, being able to pursue photography by going to school part-time has rejuvenated her desire and creativity. Alicia shares her philosophy behind her photography, “ I hope my work can make you feel something: To consider beauty for its own sake, to look at a frozen moment more critically, to appreciate an alternate point of view, to feel another’s essence, to smile, laugh, cry, and most importantly love.” Alicia’s creative process is quite intimate and internal. She tends to use her instinct in her creativity. “Usually I will get an idea from something I am experiencing in my everyday life or something I see happening in the world. I try
to apply photographic techniques that will best communicate the mood, feeling, and essence of the particular subject. Then, I try to enhance that feeling in post-production if needed.” Mostly the pure raw beauty of nature and the close balance between nature and human life inspires her. Her greatest strengths include being able to listen to her inner voice and effectively communicate with her target audience. The technical side of her photography however is her downfall. Her decision to attend IADT- Nashville was based on the quality of education, the low student-toteacher ratio, and the flexibility of the schedules to meet her needs. “My motivation to attend was to learn everything about photography. I know there are lots of tutorials and books, but my learning style is such that I need to know everything from the beginning- the how, when, and what. I felt the program at IADT- Nashville would give me the comprehensive knowledge about all aspects of the profession,” she states. Her most influential instructor is Ramone Llorens. “When I first had him as an instructor, it was in an independent study class. I was not very confident in my ability
to produce good work. He encouraged me and made me feel confident. He has been my instructor in several classes and his positivity and knowledge are his best characteristics.” In all, Alicia believes her experience at IADT- Nashville was one that is priceless. She believes the quality of education she has received is far greater than she expected. “The friends and business contacts I have made through the school are invaluable. I have professional colleagues now who are enthusiastic and willing to help me succeed. It has just been a great experience overall so far.” Alicia’s anticipated graduation date is July 2011. FUN FACTS: Favorite font: Papyrus Favorite color: Lavender Worst habit: Pulling all-nighters Favorite artist: Rodin What have you done that no one would guess you’d done? I was an over-the-road big rig driver
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alicia gay
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jared collins graphic DESIGN alumni IADT- nashville
Born in Hendersonville, Tennessee, Jared Collins is an aspiring graphic designer and illustrator. He received both his Associate of Science and Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from the International Academy of Design & Technology in Nashville. The two main factors that influenced Jared to make the decision to attend IADTNashville were the instructors and campus. He enjoyed the instructors’ interests in the students’ creative process and the hands-on approach to learning. He feels this approach is necessary in such a creative and competitive industry. During his course studies, the Internship class influenced Jared the most in the classroom; encountering real industry objectives, allowing students to interact with clients and networking in the field. Jared is mainly inspired by music and film. Some of his favorite films include High Fidelity, Into The Wild, Fight Club, Garden State and Vertigo. He enjoys sharing his connection with the emotion translated through the music and film mediums and feels it allows him to experience the world through someone else, in his work. Jared believes having his work published in ARTISTIK Magazine has boosted his confidence and inspired him to continue doing the best in his field. His design process is simple. He sketches out multiple designs and layouts before adapting them to the computer. He feels that simplicity is crucial during this process. He believes the success that he achieved while in college was his ability to build a strong portfolio, and to gain recognition toward his work. He states, “Education developed an understanding within my chosen career field with the experience needed to succeed in this industry. The education I received was a huge building block towards confidence and motivation regarding upcoming opportunities.” www.jaredcollins.carbonmade.com FUN FACTS: Favorite font: Archer Favorite gadget: iPod Worst font: Papyrus Your design hero: Saul Bass Favorite artist: Andy Warhol One thing you can’t live without: Computer Favorite websites: Hulu.com, thedieline.com vimeo.com and underconsideration.com
online spotlight glen perotte: hyper-reality IADT- Online Instructor, Glen Perotte draws viewers into his photographic world for memorable moments as he captures the soul of a person, environment or object through color, values and the visions he creates.
from engineer to art director IADT- Online graduate, Christina Bourque follows her dreams and takes on the role of Art Director in a matter of months.
showcase Jason garvale IADT- Online
william van der hagen
IADT- Online
susan sowers IADT- Online
JASON GARVALE: IADT- ONLINE
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glen perotte: hyper-reality Words by james bennett Photographs by glen perotte
IADT- Online instructor Glen Perotte is an artistic salmon. That doesn’t mean that he is pink and covered with scales – the comparison is far more conceptual than just that. To continue the analogy, think of a powerful flowing stream that starts at the top of a mountain and rushes over cliffs and across the lower countryside to arrive at the slow rolling waters of a large river or even the ocean. Generally anything in the stream eventually works its way down. In essence, this is much like the career of many fine artists; they begin in the narrow violently turbulent stream of the fine art world, but later settle into lucrative careers as designers and other creative professions. And why not? The fundamentals, principles, and tools are similar. The only real difference is that the fine artist uses the principles to communicate his or her own message for a much smaller audience, while the professional designer uses them to communicate someone else’s message to many – usually for pay. But not Perotte. He is one of the few fish in the creative profession that swim against the current – jumping and fighting his way upstream from the calling of designer and design educator specializing in teaching photography and Photoshop courses, to that of a fine artist. It has worked before; Andy Warhol was a graphic designer before becoming an art icon and Leonardo da Vinci, in his letter requesting employment from the Duke of Milan listed his skills as an architect and inventor first, but only adds mention of his talents as an artist near the end. Those are tall comparisons, but Perotte does bring to his work the same sensibilities found in the work of the other two art giants – an understanding of visual communication and its application in a completed piece. His photography may seem to defy a categorical style because of the varied nature of the subjects, but it is firmly rooted in the hyper-real, allowing the viewer to examine the imagery as if peering through both a telescope and a microscope at the same time. This is most apparent in his portraiture work such as the piece entitled Curt (shown left). In our current state of technology we take such things for granted, being able to see either a satellite perspective or a street view of the same area with the click of a mouse, but for both to be present in the same image is a rarity that has been captured in Perotte’s recent work.
The same is true for the colors and the values brought out in his photography. At first look there is an almost dark, earthy quality, but upon deeper inspection the colors are actually richer than we would expect to find in reality. And the contrast of values ranges from the darkest blacks to highlights that appear almost surreal. This is evident in Perotte’s award winning photograph, shown below, entitled, Mona’s Minder. As with all photography, his work is about sharing the particular vision of a scene – the artist allows us to see things as he sees them. The vision shared by Perotte is one that encompasses the macro and the micro at the same time. Together these create an image that is somehow greater than the sum of the two and the viewer is given a startling, intimate view of the subject that seems to capture the spirit of the person or moment. We are voyeurs of not just what the eye can see, but also of that specific instance of time; the emotion, the condition, even the reality of the scene long before we see it and long after we are gone. If the primitive tales of people fearing that photographs could capture a person’s soul are true then Glen Perotte’s work nearly proves them. To see more of Glen's work, please visit his website at www.glenperotte.com.
"HIS WORK IS ABOUT SHARING THE PARTICULAR VISION OF A SCENE."
from engineer to art director Words by heidi alonso work by christina bourque
"I am inspired by the ability to constantly learn new things and feel that I still have so much left to learn."
Christina Bourque, Associate of Science graduate from the International Academy of Design- Online, made the career change of her dreams by pursuing the field of Graphic Design. She went from working long hours and commuting great distances as an engineer in the construction industry to spending her days creating designs, advertisements, and layouts for a local magazine company. Ultimately, Christina made an important change that would finally allow her to follow her life’s aspiration- to become a designer. Christina was working as an Assistant Engineer for a construction company in Orlando while living in the middle of Tampa. She would drive 86 miles each way every day and would work 10-hour shifts. She enjoyed her work, but didn’t feel it was something she could do forever. Christina wanted to go back to school but just didn’t think it was possible. Envious of her brother who went back to school to study a subject he was passionate about, Christina decided to take the plunge. She knew that the only way she could balance school and work would be to attend classes online. After researching online schools that offered the Graphic Design degree she was looking for, Christina decided to enroll as a student at IADT- Online. Christina had always dabbled in design, but didn’t have any formal training. She feels that completing her Associate’s Degree in Graphic Design allowed her to obtain the skills necessary to enter into the field. These skills include how to create a professional print and online portfolio, marketing herself and her freelance services, understanding the importance of branding, how to effectively network with design professionals and the ability to understand and use the industry standard design software programs with ease. Christina feels that learning is her muse; that no one can ever know everything. She adds, “I am inspired by the ability to constantly learn new things and feel that I still have so much left to learn.” Christina is grateful for the support of her family and friends who have encouraged her along the way; giving her “a push” when she needed it.
Upon graduating, Christina was hired by Tampa Bay Luxury Guide, a local magazine that features events and venues in the Tampa Bay area. She was hired alongside five designers, a photographer, and two editors to create layouts, articles and advertisements for the publication. The utilization of several designers resulted in the creation of too many different styles and design ideas. The editors decided they needed someone to be in charge of the creative direction for the publication, and after only three months with the company, Christina was promoted to Art Director and took on the coordination of all the creative work for the magazine. She shares about her experience thus far, “The best part, for me at least, is that there are so many different types of ideas and layouts that can be applied to every page of the magazine. It doesn’t get boring or monotonous and I have some really great people to work with. It’s really interesting to lay out a story for a businessman in Tampa, and then roll right into designing an advertisement for a local restaurant. It’s been a really great experience.” Currently, Christina’s time management skills and strong work ethic enable her to juggle studying for a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Graphic Design at IADT- Online, assisting in the creation of the IADT- Online Alumni Association Chapter, working for Tampa Bay Luxury Guide, and doing freelance work on the side. Occasionally she will also try to fit in some of her other interests like photography, reading, sports, watching movies and spending time with her boxer puppy. Christina Bourque has a bright future ahead of her. When asked what her “dream job” would be, Christina replied, “I grew up around sports, so I would like to work for a sports magazine someday- to get a behindthe-scenes look at what the world of sports publications would be like. My dream job would be to work for a production studio designing posters, flyers, signage, advertising materials, everything possible for movies, concerts or theatrical productions. There’s something incredibly awesome about walking by a movie or play poster and being able to say, “Hey, I designed that!”
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JASON GARVALE GRAPHIC DESIGN ALUMNI IADT- ONLINE
Michigan-born Jason Garvale began his extensive design training at Syracuse University. Now residing in Sarasota, Florida, Jason has found new potential in an otherwise well-known performing arts hub. Moving to Sarasota, Jason was told that it was the arts capital of Florida. Once he became more immersed in the local culture, he found this to be fairly misleading, but not hopeless. Sarasota seemed to be an open book for creative-minded people to make a name for themselves with a good idea. Void of a primary discipline within design, Jason was taught at Syracuse to appreciate and incorporate all aspects of art and design into his work. Projects may require knowledge or influence from studying sculpture or the love of certain music so he doesn’t discount anything when it comes to design and inspiration. Currently an Art Director at Sarasota Magazine, Jason also continues to manage an active freelance client list including Boar’s Head Provisions, Sarasota Roller Girls, Haitz, Nikki Sedacca, and various personal design projects of his own.
their way into his portfolio; a portfolio built on his belief in simplification. Everything exists with a process or a set of design characteristics that allow it to be unique; everything has the capability of creating its own reality. Jason believes that the idea is to get immersed in that reality, learn all that you can about it, and decide how to deliver that reality to others in a way that not only communicates, but also educates. He strongly believes that aside from communication, designers have a responsibility to educate the viewer and introduce them to new ideas that coincide with the current concept that one is presenting.
As a current online student at IADT, Jason was immediately attracted to the highly-accelerated pace at which the information was delivered. Jason’s love for knowledge, learning, art, design, and his quest to become a well-rounded person were all huge factors in his decision to attend college. With the hope of a successful career in his future, he has realized that education is just the beginning. It by no means possesses the answer to everything and is just another stepping stone towards finding his creative niche. These educational experiences are a starting point and it’s up to him to develop himself into what he wants to be.
Jason immerses himself in his work and escapes this reality to enter his own design world by listening to music when he is in the creative zone. Had he not become a graphic designer, which was highly unlikely given his passion and dedication to the field, Jason admits to most likely following the career path of a chef. It’s still an area of creativity and design, just expressing oneself through the art of food. If it’s not creative, or doesn’t allow him to bring creativity to it, it’s just not the job for him. Selfexpression through graphic design brings an incredible zest to Jason Garvale’s life and with a promising education in his pocket it’s only up from here.
Personally, his educational guidance came in the form of Dick Patterson, the most influential person Jason has met to date. Mr. Patterson has been able to offer Jason anecdotes on life, boosts in self-esteem, encouragement and has helped to push him in the right direction in trusting what he has been doing thus far in life. Jason should be proud of what he has accomplished and with the help of Mr. Patterson he has broadened his views in accepting his successes. Jason has generated many freelance clients. With his innate ability to freely explore personal ideas and deeply interact with others, he has also produced many works that have eventually worked
www.jgarvale.com FUN FACTS: Favorite Font: Helvetica Worst Habit: Nervously biting my nails while I work. Helps me think Your Design Hero: I love what Carson did for type, I love what Bass did for simplicity, “Symbolize and Summarize,” I love what Banksy has done for guerilla street art with a cause Favorite Movies: The Warriors, Rumble fish, Film Noir, Wes Anderson films, New York I Love You
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William VAN DER HAGEN GRAPHIC DESIGN ALUMNI IADT- ONLINE
A self-professed creative mind, Bill Van der Hagen originally saturated himself in technology spending years studying it. Born in Minnesota, nature played a huge part influencing his artwork. Although music was his first artistic outlet, as well as his devotion to technology, he ultimately decided to go back to school for web design at the Arts Institute to combine his knowledge of computers with his newfound passion for graphic arts. Bill graduated with top honors for web design and was accepted into the National Technical Honor Society as one of the first eighteen online students to ever be welcomed into the organization. Having taken over a computer repair business and partnered with a web design programmer to expand business, Bill decided to further his design education by attending the International Academy of Design and Technology for a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design. It was during this venture that he revisited his once leisurely pastime of photography and became amazed at the power of combining graphic design with
the camera. Now age 26, he still lives in Minnesota, does numerous exhibits each year (he presents at approximately ten a year), and is actively pursuing further ventures into all areas of photography and the graphic arts. Bill enjoys fine details of events and how photojournalism shows far more of the whole scene than other forms of communication. Inspired by music (essentially the lyrics and band unity), he likes walking into a situation and only capturing what is speaking the loudest. His exposure in ARTISTIK Magazine was one way of gaining his own voice through art. Being able to reference the magazine as being published is a step to becoming a louder voice in a large community; it is a leap instead of the usual small steps that others take. Bill’s successes at school range from being on both the Dean’s and President’s Lists at AI and IADT, being featured in the Exposed section of ARTISTIK Magazine, and gaining future knowledge so that he
may grow in his chosen industry. Connections to the trade, field experience and community exposure mean everything to a budding artist and Bill Van der Hagen was able to find it all during his enrollment at the Academy. www.billvanderhagen.com FUN FACTS: Favorite Font: Vivaldi Favorite Gadget: Canon 100-400L lens Favorite Color: Blue Your Design Hero: David Carson Favorite Artist: John Paul Caponigro (visual), Trent Reznor (audio) Worst Job Experience: Counting kernels of corn every day for eight hours and not getting distracted
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susan Sowers graphic design STUDENT iadt- online
Susan Sowers was born in Dallas, Texas but eventually moved to South Florida with her family. After graduating from high school, she attended Florida State University. She later left FSU to move back to Dallas, Texas in pursuit of an opportunity to work in the emerging computer graphics field in the early 1980s. While working as a Senior Computer Graphic Illustrator for Rockwell International, she went back to school at the University of Texas at Dallas to work towards completing her BFA. After a number of semesters, the demands of her position required her to put aside her continuing education. Susan is a career creative professional who has finally returned to school to finish her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design. The commitment to complete her BFA, her love of learning and the desire to enhance her skills was the motivation she needed to attend college. IADT- Online offered the perfect combination of an online learning environment with the quality curriculum that she was seeking. She was looking for a school with a comprehensive Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design program that was offered online and found it at IADT- Online. The tipping point was the expediency and knowledgeable qualities that the Admissions staff possessed. She was won over with the ease and speed in which to get back into working towards finishing her degree. Susan currently lives in North Dallas working as a contractor/freelancer. She has worked on staff for Video Post & Transfer as one of their Digital FX Artist/Animators using the Quantel Hal. She has done work for major networks such as FoxNews, FoxSports, NBC, WFAA and ESPN. She has also produced work for high profile advertising agencies as DDB Needham, Tracy Locke, Temerlin McClain, Publicis (Bloom), The Richards Group and GSD&M to name a few. She has held two secret clearances with the U.S. Department of Defense. Some of her other clients range from independents to Lockheed Martin, Lyrick Studios (now Hit Entertainment) and American Airlines. Susan thoroughly enjoys working with a team, energized by the brainstorming sessions or as a solo producer of various creative projects.
Educational experience has been a leading factor in Susan’s success. She has worked on designing elements for websites to being able to develop them from the ground floor up. She has also been able to apply her animation skills to the web through her Flash education she obtained through IADT which has helped in expanding her client base. She attributes her success in Flash to Matthew Leach and the classes she took under him. His video tutorials and resource materials were instrumental in her accomplishments. Susan’s History of Design professor, Dick Patterson, lit up the possibilities for her. He really thought outside of the box and it was with his teachings that she realized it was okay to enjoy any and all media. With such a wide array of art forms to choose from, she has noticed a revitalization of her creativity. Susan’s biggest inspiration comes from nature and science. She believes color and form has its own language while science and mathematics attempt to describe life. All structures, colors and movement are constantly observable in some form or fashion and it fuels her imagination and desire to create. From diatoms to the Whirlpool galaxy, the language of life is exposed and generates a passion for her to continue to explore art forms and experiment with mediums. Her inspiration can be seen in her accomplishments. Susan had the honor of being included in ARTISTIK Magazine’s Exposed competition, was awarded a Gold Addy for the special effects of DDB Needham’s Wrangler commercial, and received a Silver Addy for best design/special FX/compositing McCormick Advertising’s Utility Engineering video. She also designed and animated the Discovery Channel open for Panthera Production’s Africa’s Big Five. Being a marine biologist, fusing glass, or working as a jewelry designer would’ve fit well into Susan’s career plans had she not become a designer. However, this is definitely her calling and Susan Sowers still has a great deal to offer the artistic world. www.sssowers.com FUN FACTS: Worst Font: Brush Script Your Design Hero: Milton Glaser What have you done that no one would guess you’d done? I have recently published a children’s book - www.dotsiebug.com
From cover to cover, this magazine is all student work. Imagine being one of our students with a chance to have your creativity showcased here in Artistik.
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