Intern Stories

Page 1


A D A M B U S S I N G / R U T H G A N Z H O R N / Z A C H S A N K E Y / A LY H O D G E S / A N E L E S E W E B S T E R / J E S I M A A K A D


KAT E W A R I N S KY / E L L I E TO O M B / A N N A G RAY / K E N D RA H O B BS / TO R J A KU B C I N / B FA C L A SS O F 2 0 1 4


the bfa design students at western washington university www.wwudesignbfa.com copyright 2014 all rights reser ved no part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission from the publisher, except in the context of reviews. ISN 98765-4321 typefaces: klinic slab by the the lost type co-op avenir by adrian frutiger source sans pro by paul d. hunt western washington university 516 high street bellingham, washington united states 98225


v o l ume 1

intern stories


PROLOGUE This publication is an attempt to showcase the individual internships that initiated the Bachelors of Fine Art’s experience of the Design Program at Western Washington University. Within this book, the students hope to share insight for the 10 weeks of the Summer of 2013. The interview process, placement, firm overviews and subsequent stories from the students combine to review the intensive and invaluable beginning to their final year of study. While each story is different, they are all similar in their combined excitements and exploration of the future of design. While this book provides an artifact that documents the internship experience, it is nonetheless incomplete - only a beginning of a much longer story.


11

PROLOGUE TABLE OF CONTENTS

NUMBER OF INTERNS

THE FIRMS RATIO

ANELESE WEBSTER

SUPERBIG

ZACH SANKEY

CREATURE

ELLIE TOOMB

LIVE AREA LABS

KAT E W A R I N S KY

CURATOR

KENDRA HOBBS

MICHAEL COURTNEY DESIGN HACKER GROUP GRAPHITI TEN GUN BRANDQUERY TOOLHOUSE FIRM WORK OTHER STORIES EPILOGUE

RUTH GANZHORN

ADAM BUSSING

JESI MAAKAD

A LY H O D G E S

TOR JAKUBCIN

ANNA GRAY


R A T I O

/

A N E L E S E

FIRM LOGO

R AT I O I S A

CO L L AB O RAT IO N

Ratio is a collaboration of creative individuals with a

passion for digital technology. The company stands by

their motto to produce seamless, multiscreen experiences over a broad spectrum of technological devices.

“Digital is in our dna - it’s what makes us different. we are a unique agency born from the right ratio of business brain, creative soul and technology muscle. We’re passionate about innovating and creating meaningful experiences that inspire the world around us. Since 2005, we’ve partnered with some of the most recognizable brands to deliver usable, engaging and stunning experiences that help our clients build lasting and valuable relationships with their customers.” Furthermore, Ratio is the largest independent multiscreen platform agency in the Pacific Northwest, specializing in web, mobile, tablets and consoles. The company was established by the merge of Cypress Consulting and Ratio Interactive on July 16th, 2013. Cypress Consulting was originally founded in 2001 by Nate Thompson, the current CEO of the company, while Ratio Interactive came about a few years later around 2005. Since the merger, the company has expanded to over 100 employees, with roughly 22 members a part of the crux (creative user experience) team. Besides Ratio’s main location in Seattle, there are partnership offices located in London and New York. INTRODUCTION

W E B S T E R



R A T I O

andrea lavelleur roy matich MENTORS

/

A N E L E S E

W E B S T E R

My experience began every morning at 7 am when I started my day with such excitement, knowing that this incredible opportunity was going to unfold before me. Ratio quickly became the perfect fit for me as I was immersed with talented designers who were willing

mobile technology, tablets, user experience and interface design INDUSTRY

to share their knowledge of the industry with me. In addition, I was privledged to witness from the inside a corporate merger between Cypress Consulting and Ratio Interactive to form Ratio. At this particular design firm, I was able to learn about the extensive world of mobile technology on all platforms. I took part in projects

multiscreen and cross

ranging from responsive websites to apple iOS7 ux/ui,

platform applications

while working with Creative Directors, lead designers, and projects independently. I am confident that I learned

FIRM SPECIALIZATION

something new everyday while interning at Ratio, and I know that those invaluable skills and experiences will stick with me as I graudate next spring and embark upon the professional world of graphic design. MY EXPERIENCE

D I G I T A L I S I N O U R D N A - I T S W H A T M A K E S U S D I F F E R E N T. W E A R E A U N I Q U E A G E N C Y B O R N F R O M T H E R I G H T R AT I O OF BUSINESS BRAIN.


BEST ADVICE

110 FIRM SIZE

AT&T, Microsoft, and Amazon FEATURED CLIENTS

3456 Pioneer Square Seattle, Washington 98023 LOCATION

weareratio.com WEBSITE

I N T E R E STS / B RA N D I N G , PAC KAG I N G & M O B I L E UX / U I WEBSITE / ANELESEWEBSTER.COM

Walking away from this internship experience I have learned that you must always be curious. Answers will not fall on your lap, and opportunities will not be given to you unless you seek them out yourself. You must always be looking for new projects and experiences that will broaden your education and stretch you professionally. I learned that it is very important to stay connected with your peers and co-workers in the world of design. Always be looking for more opportunities to meet new people because you never know where your career might lead you one day. M Y E X P E R I E N C E C O N T.

LEARN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN FROM YOUR PEERS AND TEACHERS.

INTERN / ANELESE WEBSTER


R A T I O

/

A N E L E S E

W E B S T E R

WANT TO KNOW A LITTLE ABOUT

THE BIG

Looks like you want to know a little about the Big…

You wouldn’t think that the amount of work that comes

Superbig is a small, but tactical creative agency based

out of Superbig is only done by 4 designers. But that’s

out of Seattle, Washington. Since setting up shop in 1999,

what makes them unique. Everyone is on top of their

they have maintained a strong passion for developing

game, and has a big part in the company. They work as a

thoughtful and relevant design that produces commercial

team, and tackle huge projects together.

results as well as the occasional award. INTRODUCTION

So what kind of work do they do? A little bit of everything. From brand and product to space and story, Superbig understands the strength of collaboration for every project they take on.


WORK AND PLAY

S U P E R B I G

/

Z A C H A R Y

S A N K E Y

FIRM LOGO


rich williams MENTOR

branding

4

FIRM SIZE

action Sports

darigold, shimano,

packaging

restaurants unlimited

INDUSTRY

FEATURED CLIENTS

brand, product, space and

109 s washington st

story

seattle, wa 98104

FIRM SPECIALIZATION

LOCATION

I knew from the moment I walked in the door on my first day that I would be happy spending my summer as a design intern at Superbig Creative. I loved being able ride the train to work and walk from King Street Station to work every morning. Seattle is an exciting place to be for a college student about to graduate, I knew I was in the right place and that my summer was going to be great. Superbig took an old Seattle nightclub with a lofted space and converted it into a place to work. Desks are all aranged in a common work area, upstairs they kept the original bar, and now use the place to entertain. The Superbar served as the final meeting location and location for the first intern mixer. Invites were sent out, and drinks were bought. MY EXPERIENCE

S U P E R B I G

/

Z A C H A R Y

S A N K E Y


BEST ADVICE

I learned so much while interning at Superbig. My summer was spent working on real world projects that I would have never had the chance to work on otherwise. On my first day at work they got me designing mountain bike forks graphics. I spent my time working on a wide variety of projects and enjoyed every single one. Superbig taught me the power of mocking up designs and how prototypes help articulate the concept.

FROM BRAND AND PROD-

M Y E X P E R I E N C E C O N T.

U C T T O S PA C E superbigcreative.com

A N D S T O R Y,

WEBSITE

WE UNDERS TA N D T H E STRENGTH OF COLLABORAT I O N F O R E VERY PROJECT W E TA K E O N .

I N T E R E STS / PAC KAG I N G & B RA N D I N G W E B S I T E / Z A C H S A N K E Y. C O M

WORK SMART NOT HARD. WORKING SMART IS EFFICIENT.

INTERN / ZACHARY SANKEY


C R E A T U R E

FIRM LOGO

C R E AT U R E I S A B O U T

O PT IMI SM Creature is a global group of thinkers, makers and creators of things. With their strategy and ideas they choreograph brand experiences across the media channels that best serve the business problem and idea. Tomorrow they

expect to be a slightly different company than they are today. Matt and Jim founded Creature in 2002. The idea for Creature originated in Amsterdam and found itself in Seattle. They thrive on being an interesting and everchanging agency. They posess a careful balance of cleverness and strangeness. Creature always pushes the boundaries of advertising. Creature is not your typical ad agency. It is bursting with creativity and they take any opportunity they can to create and they love to show it. Over the summer, they did some pro bono work for Commercialize Seattle and Northwest Film Forum. The front windows of Creature show how they cannot contain their desire to create. Several displays, such as a nail salon, a camp ground, and an interactive fortune teller were some creations that inhabited the windows over the summer. At Creature, they work in a very natural, organic way through very hard work and collaboration. Things fall together almost magically. Creature may have seemed scrambled at times, but it was only because the employees cared enough to do more work and push projects further with the time that they had. Collaboration is key; there is always a conversation going on and there are always plenty of ideas. INTRODUCTION

/

E L L I E

T O O M B



I was lucky enough to be able to work on some awesome,

Clara Mulligan

projects while I was interning at Creature. It didn’t feel MENTOR

“ C R E AT I V I T Y

like work, honestly. Everybody was so psyched about the Space Needle project. I was able to work on the Space Needle website almost from beginning to end:

Advertising

I S T H E V E RY

from the first sketches of what the site would look like to presentations and seeing the final design before the

INDUSTRY

development. Creature started with two very different

LEAST ANYONE

concepts for the site. There was a lot of time spent on concepting and making sure that the core idea was perfect

Branding

for the client. I was also able to work on some illustrations

FIRM SPECIALIZATION

for Truvia, Kigo Kitchen and Northwest Film Forum.

SHOULD EXPECT

NWFF was a very fun project for a film festival that the clients allowed us to be experimental and fun. welcometocreature.com WEBSITE

C R E A T U R E

FROM AN

MY EXPERIENCE

A G E N C Y. ”

/

E L L I E

T O O M B


CCO

strategisst

creative director

art director

design director

production designers

BEST ADVICE

48 director of strategy

designers

copywriters

FIRM SIZE

The Space Needle, Truvia, and Beyond Meat FEATURED CLIENTS

1517 12th Avenue Suite 101, Seattle, WA 98122 LOCATION

INTERESTS / BRANDING, ILLUSTRATION,WEB WEBSITE / ELLIETOOMBDESIGN.COM

One thing I was most surprised by was the positive attitudes of the employees. Everybody was so enthusiastic about the projects that they were working on. The days at Creature went by very fast because I was so engaged with my work. Creature has taught me a lot and not just how to be a better designer but how to be a better worker. Having a positive attitude and having fun is something that is really valuable. M Y E X P E R I E N C E C O N T.

MAKE GOOD FRIENDS IN THE INDUSTRY. KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THEM.

INTERN / ELLIE TOOMB


PERSONAL POSTERS In addition to the more formal reflections

W A R

the students have provided for their respective firms, each also included a much more informal anecdote from their

A T

summer experience in the form of a poster. Collectively, they represent another side of the firms and internships – Work Hard and Play Hard.

W O R K

ANELESE WEBSTER

On the first day of my internship, I was given a nerf gun with some ammunition at my desk. Little did I know, the whole creative team would break occasionally into hilarious nerf wars around the office as people hid behind their computers and desks. WAR AT WORK


SH UC K IT

E v e r y s i t

i s a

s a f a r i ZACH SANKEY

ELLIE TOMB

It was a Monday morning like any other. Then, out of nowhere, Steve yells something along the lines of, “Oysters and champagne right now!� Before I knew it I While interning at Superbig Creative, I was given the most

was being forced to shuck oysters and drink champagne

comfortable and snazzy upholstered zebra print chair.

at 10:30 am.

EVERY SITS A SAFARI

SHUCK IT


R A T I O

L I V E

A R E A

/

L A B S

A N E L E S E

/

K A T E

W E B S T E R

W A R I N S K Y

W E C R E AT E

FLAGSHIP EXPERIENCES

LiveAreaLabs is a full-service digital retail agency. They create flagship experiences for brands and retailers.

“More than a mere mark or Pantone veneer, it’s who you really are. Your brand embodies what makes you great. It provides direction. It leads to action. And it instills an unmistakable feeling in others. With a focus on building brands that help people naturally want to choose you, we create new brands, refresh existing brands, and bring them to life in the digital space.”


LiveAreaLabs offer campaign creation, placement and optimization across paid, earned and owned media. With a holistic approach, they help brands give customers something they care about. They partner with consumer brands to conceive, design, develop, support, and promote amazing mobile experiences that are as addictive as they are useful. They are a full-service ecommerce agency for consumer brand manufacturers and retailers. Wielding technology and insight, they focus on creating online experiences to rival the best brick-and-mortar has to offer. INTRODUCTION

FIRM LOGO


L I V E

A R E A

L A B S

/

K A T E

W A R I N S K Y

W E C R E AT E N E W B R A N D S , REFRESH EXISTING BRANDS, AND BRING THEM TO LIFE I N T H E D I G I TA L S PA C E .

Never could I have imagined the extent of knowledge and experience I would gain while working at LiveAreaLabs. kyle gabouer

As I sat down at my desk that first day, I expected my tasks to be frivolous and slow to start. Instead, I was

MENTOR

web, mobile, user experience and interface design INDUSTRY

given my very own creative project immediately that very first day on the job. Not only was I asked to take full creative control to design multiple ad directions for a digital marketing campaign, but the client was a cosmetic company I love and use frequently. I was grateful that I was getting a chance to

branding, ecommerce,

create something for a brand I’m passionate about, and

mobile, applications,

that I fell within the target audience that I was designing

digital marketing

for. I felt like I had a real purpose showing up for work every day, far from the “Devil Wears Prada” experience I

FIRM SPECIALIZATION

half-way expected. The project I was fortunate to work on, the Becca Cosmetics digital media campaign, lasted throughout the

livearealabs.com WEBSITE

8 weeks I interned at LiveAreaLabs. I was able to call the project my own from initial project kick-off on day 1, to zipping up the final 60+ ads for client approval on my last day. I later learned that my ads achieved an average clickthrough rate of .34%, higher than the industry average of .09%. My first real-world design firm experience turned out to be all that I wished for and more, and increased my eagerness to soon step out into the design industry. MY EXPERIENCE


brooks sports under armour

45

BEST ADVICE

black diamond equipment

FIRM SIZE

3131 Western Avenue Suite #515

TOP 3 CLIENTS

Seattle WA 98121

INTERN / KATE WARINSKY

LOCATION

INTERESTS / WEB DESIGN, MOBILE UX, FILM W E B S I T E / K A T E W A R I N S K Y. C O M

given opportunities to sit in on meetings with clients, observe my mentor Kyle’s work process, and be exposed to a real, exciting firm work-flow environment. I would sometimes be pulled into new tasks if the deadline was more pressing, which taught me the value of time management and speed in the expedition of due dates. The most important piece of knowledge I gained while working at LiveAreaLabs was the value of good communication between both colleagues and clients. Without that skill and the relationship it builds, I can’t see a firm functioning at the efficient level that LiveAreaLabs does. M Y E X P E R I E N C E C O N T.

BEING ABLE TO EFFICIENTLY COMMUNICATE AN IDEA IS THE GREATEST SKILL TO HAVE.

In addition to owning my own project, I was constantly


NOTHING IS AS DANGEROUS IN C O M M U N I C AT I O N A S A S S U M I N G Y O U R O W N

ME S S A G E

As the rain returns I can tell that summer has officially

where people are friendly and tolerate each other but

ended and with it my time as a design intern at Curator

they don’t actually become close friends. Not at Curator.

has drawn to a close. I could never accurately tell you just

These people are all genuinely good friends with each

how much experience I’ve gained, or how many amazing

other, which makes the office environment so much more

things I’ve gotten to do this summer, but I can tell you

enjoyable to work in.

that this internship has meant so much to me. INTRODUCTION

So what made this internship so great? Curators are awesome. I came in with a typical view of office life


curatorpr.com WEBSITE

C U R A T O R

/

K E N D R A

H O B B S

FIRM LOGO


Never did I ever think that coming on as a design intern I’d get to have so much creative freedom with my work, I half expected to be going on coffee runs for everybody! But instead I’ve been helping with website building, app

THE CURATOR BRAND

creation, flat brochure materials, and movie editing. Did I tell you how cool Shawn is? I can’t believe the amount of work that he gets done every week. At most design firms you would typically expect one person to do video, another to do websites, and another to do flat printed

OFFERS SOMETHING

work. Not here. Shawn does it all, and he does it

BEYOND A

really well. All in all I’d just like to say thank you to all the Curators who have made this a great summer for me. Really–you

BRAND OR

guys are all amazing people and I’m sad to say goodbye. Thank you for giving me the best internship anyone could offer.

SERVICE IT C R E AT E S A N

MY EXPERIENCE

EXPERIENCE.

C U R A T O R

/

K E N D R A

H O B B S


MENTOR

11

BEST ADVICE

Shawn Herron

FIRM SIZE

whole foods, washington state

PR INDUSTRY

lottery, safeco insurance TOP 3 CLIENTS

419 Occidental Ave Ste 606, PR

Seattle Wa, 98104

FIRM SPECIALIZATION

LOCATION

“Same motivations, new behaviors. The most effective brands—knowing the influence of today’s empowered consumer—will create products, services or experiences that can stand-up to the conversation of the marketplace. The most effective PR strategies will be those that help brands curate and participate in that conversation, wherever it exists.

that is resulting in brands wrestling with how they grow and compete in a fragmented media landscape. While so much is changing, we believe that human motivations have remained the same, and it is the new behaviors that have disrupted the communications world. Today a brand breathes with every click, swipe and post. We develop strategies that align core brand promises and these new consumer behaviors”. BY CURATOR

MAKE FRIENDS AT WORK. YOU’LL LOVE YOUR JOB THAT MUCH MORE.

There has been accelerating change in the marketplace


R A T I O

/

A N E L E S E

W E B S T E R

WE SIT HERE FOR LUNCH AND MEETINGS

NO HALF-BAKED

ID E A S HE R E

Michael Courtney Design, Inc is a small interdisciplinary

Michael Courtney conceptualizes Environmental Graphic

design firm located in the heart of downtown Seattle.

Design as the intersection between many other design

Over their twenty year history they’ve done a variety

disciplines. It’s a vital and pervasive area of design that

of different kinds of communication graphics, from

shapes most of our spaces. With a bit of creativity, it can

identities, information design, posters to campus wide

shape ordinary experiences into extraordinary ones.

signage systems. The firm might work on an identity for a few weeks or a sign system for several years. While Michael Courtney Design has a strong interest and capability in branding and other kinds of design, for the last few years much of their work has been Environmental Graphic Design. MCD is passionate about elevating Environmental Graphics from an oft-overlooked design discipline and is an active member of SEGD, the Society of Environmental Graphic Design.

INTRODUCTION


M I C H A E L

C O U R T N E Y

D E S I G N

/

R U T H

G A N Z H O R N

michaelcourtneydesign.com WEBSITE

FIRM LOGO


3

CO LO R TRA NS PA RENCY TES TS F O R WS CC

michael courtney fran terry MENTORS

FIRM SIZE

amazon, university of

environmental graphics, branding, print INDUSTRY

utah, washington state convention center FEATURED CLIENTS

signage & wayfinding programs and master plans for higher education; urban

1211 2nd Avenue

settings; retail, hospitality,

Seattle, Washington

health care and resorts.

98101

FIRM SPECIALIZATION

LOCATION

Most of the projects that come through the office of Michael Courtney Design are huge and long lasting in comparison to the work at a typical graphic design firm. They’ve been working with the University of Utah for the past nine years, patiently implementing the updated signage and wayfinding system they designed for the University. They’ve been working with the Washington State Convention Center for two years and will finish the project sometime this summer. The project will have over 500 signs when complete. Because the projects are so large, I worked mostly behind the scenes on the small little details, adding information to drawings, correcting colors, adjusting kerning, etc. I don’t have a lot to show for my work afterwards, but I will be able to point at a room sign in the WSCC in ten years and say “See that? I did the kerning on that.” MY EXPERIENCE

M I C H A E L

C O U R T N E Y

D E S I G N

/

R U T H

G A N Z H O R N


in a way that not all design disciplines are, as I saw on MCD’s visit to Tube Art Group’s production facility in Yakima to review sign prototypes for the WSCC project.

W E S U P P LY BIG-PICTURE

BEST ADVICE

Environmental graphic design is logical and practical

A large part of Michael Courtney’s deliverables to his clients are thick packages of detailed technical drawings and specifications for the construction process. Materials, measurements, proportions, and, occasionally, lighting methods, are all crucial elements of the finished design

THINKING, IDEAS WITH

and ensure the intent of the original ideas are created in

SHELF LIFE,

three dimensions. Designing environmental graphics is also an extremely collaborative process. Shortly before I left, MCD was

AND SOLU-

having preliminary meetings to prepare for creating the signage for a tech company’s new buildings that included representatives from the developer, the contractor, the architect, and the landscape architects.

TIONS AS PRACTICAL

During my time at Michael Courtney Design I learned a lot about the breadth of the EGD discipline and gained valuable perspective on what design can include. Moving forward, I’ll be able to apply the practicality of environmental graphic design thinking to all of my other

AS THEY ARE AT T R A C T I V E .

projects. M Y E X P E R I E N C E C O N T.

I N T E R E STS / I L LUST RAT I O N , PAC KAG I N G , WEBSITE / RUTHGANZHORN.COM

“DESIGN DISCIPLINES AREN’T INDEPENDENT, THEY’RE INTERRELATED.”

INTERN / RUTH GANZHORN



D ATA - D R I V E N

DE SI G N We do one thing, and we do it exceptionally well: We build selling systems.

No sales challenge is too big for us to tackle. Whatever you need, we can do it: lead generation, acquisition, customer lifecycle programs and win-back campaigns. You’ll get a unique program developed backward from your point of sale. We’ll create a PowerTestTM strategy to find you a winner. You’ll have the answers you’ll need to go to market. And you’ll hit your numbers. Say the word and we’ll get started. INTRODUCTION

FIRM LOGO

1215 4th Ave. Suite 2100 Seattle, WA 98161 LOCATION

hackergroup.com WEBSITE

220

FIRM SIZE

H A C K E R

G R O U P

/

A D A M

B U S S I N G


At the Hacker group you’ll find a culture of driven collaboration. Copy is developing hand-in-hand with design and the boards are covered in concepts and refinements as the process drives forward with the speed and precision more characteristic of a NASA rocket than a design firm. And it’s to be expected, with a big team and even bigger projects, the Hacker Group is a daunting establishment. In their own words: “Type A Driven: We’re a competitive team all focused on a single goal. Our culture is driven by the fact that we enjoy solving tough business challenges. We’re curious about people and what drives them to buy. We move fast. We sweat the small stuff so our clients can relax. We’re most comfortable outside our comfort zone. Why? That’s how we learn new things.”

W O R K I N G AT H A C K E R G R O U P H A S B E E N C O M PA R E D TO DRIVING A FORMULA 1 RACECAR – WITH THE A C C E L E R AT O R P R E S S E D T O THE FLOOR AND A CUPCAKE IN YOUR HAND. And that’s what was most exciting about this experience, the challenge. An internship to me was an opportunity to be put outside of what is comfortable for a student and to be shown how things really work. A place like the Hacker group could be seen as intimidating, with clients as big as AT&T and Highmark Insurance I expected to be in over my head, and believe me at times I was. But it was awesome, being part of an incredibly driven and hardworking team was redeeming and I found myself enjoying the process of collaborating with motivated, hardworking creatives more than any personal project I had completed in school. I left the Hacker Group with great connections, and experiences to bring back to my last year of college at WWU. I came back with the understanding that even though school may end and make way for a future career in the industry, the education will continue as long as I keeping finding ways to be in over my head. MY EXPERIENCE


BEST ADVICE

Becky Gelder MENTOR

Direct marketing FIRM SPECIALIZATION

at&t, emblem health, highmark insurance FEATURED CLIENTS

INTERN / ADAM BUSSING INTERESTS / STRATEGY & NEW MEDIA WEBSITE / BUSSING.COM

WORK HARD ROCK HARD.


KENDRA HOBBS

KATE WARINSKY

When Curator learned of Social Media Strategist Paul Balcerak’s soon-to-be new addition they did what Techno music was the most prominent and commonly

Curator’s love to do: create a betting pool on the due

played genre throughout the LiveAreaLabs main speakers

date of course! Everyone chipped in ten bucks, half for a

while I was interning there. The upbeat tempo kept office

baby present for Paul and half for the person to guess the

morale high while maintaining the positive, uplifting

closest due-date. Curator also has seasonal betting pools

energy. This vibe was also portrayed visually by the

on the Bachelor and Bachlorette show that even the men

modern, minimalist atmosphere of the firm.

of the office get excited over.

BUMP UP THE BASE

BETTING ON BABY


free cheese every day

RUTH GANZHORN

ADAM BUSSING

Cheese, the number one comfort food known to humanity, was always available among the many snacks and beverages in the Hacker Group kitchen. The seemingly endless supply of snack-sized individually packaged Tillamook cheese The door leading into MCD read: “no soliciting. no half-

rectangles and string cheese provided necessary brain fuel

baked ideas”.

to hungry interns and employees alike.

NO HALF BAKED IDEAS

FREE CHEESE EVERYDAY


www.graphiti.com WEBSITE

408 North 35th Street, Suite C, Seattle, WA 98103 LOCATION

FIRM LOGO

G R A P H I T I

A S S O C I A T E S

/

J E S I

M A A K A D


MAKE YOUR

MAR K

Graphiti Associates is a collection of creative, driven and ambitious individuals who understand the art of branding. They are fluent in all the languages that support a robust brand and are able to create effective visual identities that truly communicate and connect with people. Although a rather small design firm, they think big. So whether it’s print, interactive or packaging, they can help your brand show up, and stand out.

“Standing out in the marketplace means separating your brand from the competition; making an authentic connection that makes you the first choice.” Graphiti was established in 1989 by owner Kelly Pensell. With over 20 years of experience, the associates have helped clients create and maintain vibrant brands that turn heads and win new customers. INTRODUCTION


6

“FOR US, IT’S ALL ABOUT THE WORK – T H E C R E AT I V E PROCESS OF DOING

FIRM SIZE

IT AND THE P O S I T I V E R E S U LT S IT BRINGS OUR CLIENTS.”

branding, interactive, packaging, print, environment FIRM SPECIALIZATION

getty images morgan stanley see kai run FEATURED CLIENTS

G R A P H I T I

A S S O C I A T E S

/

J E S I

M A A K A D


WORDS TO LIVE BY

INTERN / JESI MAAKAD INTERESTS / TYPOGRAPHY & VIDEO WEBSITE / MAAKAD.COM

kevin berger kelly pensell angie tomson MENTORS

This past summer was a fun ride full of new experiences: I moved to Seattle, made new friends, fell in love with Fremont and started my first internship. I learned a lot over the summer and my experience at Graphiti was a huge eye opener and a little taste of the real world. I had the opportunity to work and be a part of some great projects over the span of my internship. Some of my favorite projects were designing an invitation and poster for the San Juan Preservation Trust, logo studies for Evolution Press, artist backgrounds for Getty Images’ Guestlist and infographics for Marchex and MegaPath. I left this internship with new knowledge and confidence as a designer while gaining a new design family. Thanks for everything Graphiti! MY EXPERIENCE

BE NICE.



T E N

G U N

/

A L Y X A N D R I A

FIRM LOGO

www.tenguncreative.com WEBSITE

WE ARE

C R E ATI V E G U NS

When you think of Edmonds, I’m sure the last thing on your mind is graphic design. I know it wasn’t what I

had in mind knowing I would be there for my summer internship, I was a little jealous of the students going

to the big city graphic design firms and slightly scared that my firm was not going to give me the same kind of experience. Much to my surprise, Ten Gun blew those initial thoughts out of the water, and I ended up with the perfect first internship. Even after hearing about everyone’s experiences this summer, I still wouldn’t trade working at Ten Gun for any of them. “Ten Gun Creative is a digital agency specializing in Design, Motion and Integrated Marketing for the entertainment industry. We are creative guns-for-hire who develop unique, exceptional ideas and give them visual voice. They say Rome wasn’t built in a day. Try telling that to our clients. Some how our designers manage to maximize cool design in the minimum of time. How our designers combine such a high level of expertise with such efficacy—no one really knows. We are running diagnostic tests in an effort to quench our curiosity. The only thing we’ve learned thus far is our designers are 100% steroid free and original, one and all.” From an elite corp of humans who spend 99.9% of their time motionless in front of computers comes ... motion. Need a trailer with flying ninjas; a commercial featuring burrowing monkeys; animated packaging that shows the entire universe the coolness of product X? TenGun can make it move in a way that takes the breath away. INTRODUCTION

H O D G E S


180

TEN GUN’S VIEW

Rinaldi Parungoa MENTOR

identity design, print collateral, marketing,

30 FIRM SIZE

p-o-p, apparel,UI, motion, web, visual effects, 3D, production, keepin it real

microsoft, EA, phillips

INDUSTRY

FEATURED CLIENTS

654 5th ave south, suite 300A graphic design, motion,

Edmonds, Washington

integration, production

98020

FIRM SPECIALIZATION

LOCATION

I was no ordinary “intern” at Ten Gun. They gave me 100%

Ten Gun never had me do any typical intern work. I never

actual design-related work and treated me just like any

was made to make the coffee, clean the toilets, make any

other employee. I designed a digital invitation for San

sandwiches or wash the partners’ cars (although there

Diego Comic Con, Xbox One web banners, PAX event

were many jokes of those things happening). From my

8-foot signs, controller game cards, Microsoft flyers

first day up until my last I was a designer and every day

and much more. The main project I was working on all

I was designing something. I learned technical skills as

summer in conjunction with all of the Microsoft projects

well as life lessons. I made lasting relationships and was

was for a non-profit, Adopt-A-Soldier Platoon. I was able

able to learn things from the internship that school could

to collaborate with the lead designer on the identity for

not have taught. Being a country girl from Arlington, I

their event, Salute to American Heroes. We collaborated

fit in just fine around video games, action figures, comic

on the posters, web banners and put together a 63-page

books, and “Arrested Development Days.” Everyone

program for the event as well.

there was welcoming, friendly and became my friends.

MY EXPERIENCE

T E N

G U N

/

A L Y

H O D G E S


BEST ADVICE

Ten Gun’s primary client is Microsoft. With only 30 employees, I was able to get the feel for what a smaller design firm was like, as well as get the corporate experience from working closely with the large corporation. The projects come fast and the deadlines come even quicker. I found out right away that working with a client is much different than designing projects for school. On my first day, the first thing I had to do was go through a brand guideline document for both Microsoft and Xbox. There are rules you have to follow for just about everything. The first project I was assigned was a digital invitation for San Diego Comic Con. Microsoft wanted something very specific that fell under their specific brand guidelines for Xbox One. I gave them exactly what they asked for which was approved by my boss. After receiving the document, the client was not pleased with how it looked. It “lacked creativity,” so they decided to completely change the request they initially gave to us. This was a great first project for me to work on. It forced me to realize that I was no longer in class, it was a real life experience and I had to adjust quickly. M Y E X P E R I E N C E C O N T.

F O R H I R E W H O D E V E L O P, UNIQUE, EXCEPTIONAL IDEAS AND GIVE THEM VISUAL VOICE.

I N T E R N / A LY H O D G E S I N T E R E STS / PAC KAG I N G , P R O D U CT I O N , I D E N T I TY & B RA N D I N G W E B S I T E / A LY X A N D R I A H O D G E S . C O M

MAKE LASTING RELATIONSHIPS.

W E A R E C R E AT I V E G U N S


FIRM LOGO

brandquery.com LOCATION

B R A N D Q U E R Y

/

T O R

J A K U B C I N


ONE STOP

S H OP

BrandQuery stands out in comparison to other larger

BrandQuery is at at a decisive turning point. When

firms in that their client base is determined just as much

I started my internship, they had just completed an

by geography as it is by industry or area of specialization.

ambitious integrated campaign promoting business and

As the only business of its kind in the Skagit Valley,

tourism in Northwest Washington, which incorporated

BrandQuery is continually expanding into new areas of

television, newspaper, radio, and social media advertising.

design in order to better serve its local clients, which span

As a student getting my first taste of the professional

the full spectrum from large organizations like Skagit

world, it was an exciting atmosphere to experience and

Regional Health and Skagit State Bank to small local

participate in.

startups. Since the firm opened in 1993, they’ve created over 60 business identities, and while this remains their core focus, as the company has evolved, they’ve also branched into many new fields, including web design and development, environmental graphics, and motion.

INTRODUCTION


5

FIRM SIZE

branding and identity INDUSTRY

print, web and video advertising, web design, environmental/wayfinding FIRM SPECIALIZATION

skagit regional health, skagit state bank, economic development association of skagit county FEATURED CLIENTS

815 Cleveland Avenue Suite 200 Mount Vernon, Washington 98273 LOCATION

INTERN / TOR JAKUBCIN INTERESTS / PRINT AND MOTION WEBSITE / JAKUBCIN.COM

Jacque Beamer Matt Fisher MENTORS


services, I had the opportunity to work on a wide variety of projects. I was given many straight production tasks, like making website copy edits, and resizing print ad

BEST ADVICE

By virtue of BrandQuery’s diverse array of clients and

designs to fit within the column widths of different Skagit Valley newspapers, but I was also frequently able to contribute creatively to various jobs, including designing business collateral material for several clients, and animating a reel of past logo designs to be used in promotion of the firm’s upcoming 21st anniversary.

W E P E E L A W AY T H E L AY E R S O F A B R A N D , REVEALING THE ESSENCE OF THE CLIENT’S U LT I M AT E M E S S A G E . In such a small office, it becomes immediately apparent how much of a design firm’s daily activities are not directly related to design. Out of a staff of five, BrandQuery employs only one full-time designer. The ratio is all the more surprising at such a small scale since each member of the office essentially represents their own department, like accounting, marketing, or development. In school, it’s often easy to forget how crucial these activities are to the smooth running of a creative firm, or how lost a team could get without a good project manager. Working on projects for businesses in the Skagit Valley, where many have more conservative visual tastes, also gave me a new appreciation of the need to understand and design for your audience. In school, we sometimes strive to create the unique, cutting-edge designs, but at BrandQuery I learned the value of designing something that simply fits in and communicates well. MY EXPERIENCE

B R A N D Q U E R Y

/

T O R

J A K U B C I N

ALWAYS ASK QUESTIONS


®

FIRM LOGO

WE’RE A BUNCH OF

T OO L S

Toolhouse offers its expertise in the digital realm to help clients create a digital presence that will meaningfully

support their customers and field service providers, and

propel them ahead of the competition. Toolhouse employs strategic discovery, design, development and deployment services to create applications that will enhance the service offering for clients’ customers. Toolhouse has deep experience in creating optimal digital solutions that fully address the unique challenges and requirements of both the business and the end user, and utilizes a proven process of strategic thinking and collaboration to do so. Since 1995, Toolhouse has directed successful initiatives for category leading companies such as Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Genzyme, Intuit, Symantec, and Philips. I walked into Toolhouse the week of finals, twitchy, sweaty, intimidated, and ready. Ready for my first interview at a design firm. I was interviewed by four senior employees. A month later I found out I was the student they wanted to take on and take into the Toolhouse family. I was immediately immersed into meetings, some 30 minutes, some as long as 4 hours when pitching a contract. My role transformed slowly over time as being known as the official “tweak” employee within the company. Primarily I would take a list of edits and preexisting files meant for submission from mobile, desktop to physical print pieces and make small changes once and again until it was approved by the client. INTRODUCTION

T O O L H O U S E

/

A N N A

G R A Y



kari obrist chance martenson MENTOR

20+

FIRM SIZE

novo nordist, novartis, technology, pharma, travel

intuit

INDUSTRY

TOP 3 CLIENTS

2925 Roeder Avenue, Bellingham WA digital marketing agency

98225

FIRM SPECIALIZATION

LOCATION

While at Toolhouse, what I really loved was that fact that I didn’t feel like I was on training wheels when given a task. Even if I missed the bar on a task there was a confidence from my peers that if given something to do, I would, in time, would figure out through trial and error how to do it. Working on a project for hours with the expectation it won’t see the light of day by the client wasn’t a deterrent but rather a motivator to work harder in the hope that one day those hours would exceed what my mentors and clients expected. It was this trust in my ability to solve problems through trial and error that made me feel apart of a team. MY EXPERIENCE

T O O L H O U S E

/

A N N A

G R A Y


doughnuts, the 4 hour meetings, and the quiet curses of pharmaceutical standards and client faux pas, I felt I became more and more a part of a culture, rather than just

WE INVENT D I G I TA L

BEST ADVICE

From code jokes, the 3pm company walks, the Friday

a 9-5 work place. Over time I had found my voice as a designer and colleague, I found my say, I found my purpose and place among peers. I found how to be forward, how to ask

EXPERIENCES T H AT H E L P

for work, how to ask for help, and how to make quick decisions and produce results quickly and professionally while being integrated into what I’ve come to know as not only a workplace but also a family at Toolhouse.

MEDICAL AND TECHNOLOGY

M Y E X P E R I E N C E C O N T.

G R O W.

INTERN / ANNA GRAY I N T E R E STS / PAC KAG I N G , B RA N D I N G , & I D E N T I TY WEBSITE / ANNAGRAYDESIGN.COM

USE INTUITION TO KNOW WHEN TO TAKE THE LEAD AND WHEN TO FOLLOW OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

BRANDS


A LY H O D G E S

JESI MAAKAD

While at Ten Gun, one of the project managers thought it would be good for me to visit the Microsoft campus with her. She thought it would be great for me to see the Redmond site and get more familiar with the relationship they had with Microsoft. I was able to tour the campus Sometimes, gratification is more than the final payment.

where I sat in on a meeting, showed my portfolio to

To show their appreciation and celebrate a job well done,

another project manager and saw Master Chief and some

Thinkstock sent Graphiti a nice bottle of champagne.

of his buddies chillin’ in the lobby.

POPPIN BUBBLE

A LW AYS M A K I N G N E W F R I E N D S


TOR JAKUBCIN

ANNA GRAY

Kevin, our senior ui guy, created code so while everyone was working, if the build of the code failed, there was a BrandQuery always keeps a bowl of mint Lifesavers on

stoplight in the center of the room that would change from

the front desk.

green to red.

MINTY FRESH

IF THE BUILD FAILS, YOU’LL BE SEEING


FIRM WORK These featured projects are as diverse as the firms themselves. Due to the nature of scheduling and proprietary timelines, some of the projects produced this summer are not yet public. Instead, the examples chosen hope to give a quick glimpse at the end products of each firm resulting from varying methods, clients, and approaches. The projects range from logos, branding, packaging and print collateral to website design and wayfinding. Presented in random order, all projects have a consistent element—a high level of innovation always pushing the needle forward.


To create a place for music to be discovered, enjoyed and used in high profile projects, Graphiti created a dynamic online architecture that Brochures for Skagit State Bank.

provides an easy-to-sample listening experience. Guestlist incorporates the

BRANDQUERY

visual style of each individual artist, an in-line music player and of course links for licensing tracks and imagery. GRAPHITI ASSOCIATES

Signature helmets for a few of Redbull’s tier athletes. Working directly with athletes to develop custom illustrations that complemented their style. SUPERBIG CREATIVE

Vayama Travel has been a Curator client for quite awhile now. This website was done by Shawn Herron which was setup all around the country on the Vayama 2013 summer bus tour. CURATOR


Nambe.com is an ecommerce website that features museum-quality homewares. The design is clean and understated, with emphasis on stellar photography to truly showcase the beauty of the pieces themselves. LIVEAREALABS

Identity and Packaging for Nuun, a sports performance drink for the hardcore as well as casual athletes. CREATURE

Michael Courtney Design created this landmark as part of a larger signage system they proposed to the University of Washington. MICHAEL COURTNEY DESIGN


Print and production done for the the Pax East Event. Space needle website redesign, a fun

TEN GUN

and interactive scrolling experience. CREATURE

Promotional material stating “banking isn’t about money. It’s about people. They account for 100% of your business, and we can account for their behavior.” HACKER GROUP

Homepage for the client LearnBig. The responsive website was made to work with multiple devices. RATIO


Transforming Macaroni Grill’s restaurant and brand identity with a fresh and consistent approach that ultimately recognizes the soul and vison of the restaurant. SUPERBIG CREATIVE

Project for an iOS7 iPhone application called “BooksILove” that allows users to create and share book recommendations. RATIO

This is a packaging project for the new Xbox One release and launch. They made this packaging for the people

Working with the University of

who would be receiving the review

Utah nine years ago, U of U’s new

kits to go along with an instructional

identification sign utilizes natural

booklet they made for the launch as

and recyclable materials that can be

well.

updated easily and is color-coded for

TEN GUN

navigational ease through campus. MICHAEL COURTNEY DESIGN


Curator had the privilege of designing the entire VOTE YES ON I-522 for Seattle’s Best Coffee packaging system based on a relative numerical scale– the higher the number, the darker the roast.

Whole Foods Market’s campaign. This apron is just a small part of the branding for I-522 done throughout the entire Whole Foods Market stores of Washington State.

CREATURE CURATOR

Print campaign for Reflection Lake Estates, a proud dignity memorial provider. HACKER GROUP

The Intuit QuickBooks Accountant ProAdvisor team collaborated with Toolhouse to create a microsite that helped drive awareness and sign up of QuickBooks Online. TOOLHOUSE


The responsive website design for Gregory Mountain packs was designed

Worked with the team at Expeditors

and developed by LiveAreaLabs

International to solidify their mobile

entirely in house.

strategy and create iOS/Android apps to display critical, real-time global

LIVEAREALABS

logistics information to customers. TOOLHOUSE

Curator was thrilled to work on the

Print advertising for Skagit Regional

12th Man fan site for the Seattle

Health promoting Breast Cancer

Seahawks.

Awareness Month.

CURATOR

BRANDQUERY


Artifact containing 14 completely

San Juan Preservation Trust / 2012

unexpected insights that every

Annual Report. The website can be

health insurance marketer can

seen at 2012.sjpt.org

understand completely, may cause improved response, increased ROI and

GRAPHITI ASSOCIATES

uncontrolled laughter. HACKER GROUP

These posters were done in collaboration between Ten Gun and Turnstyle for the 2012 Wayzgoose competition. TEN GUN

Working with Novo Nordisk to create an educational and inspiring website targeted at parents of children who need growth hormone therapy. TOOLHOUSE


The digital destination for Naked Skin is an online experience created to help customers find their perfect liquid foundation match. LIVEAREALABS

Superbig was given the opportunity to overhaul Palomino’s brand across all consumer touch-points, including the logo, menus, interior, advertising and the website. SUPERBIG CREATIVE

Michael Courtney bottled homemade beer and gave it as a special gift to his clients. The “121” refers to MCD’s address at the time. MICHAEL COURTNEY DESIGN


Ratio created a tremendous reading

Verne & Wells / A society of

experience on Windows 8 across

technology professionals seeking fun

18 apps released for the launch of

and intellectually stimulating post-

Windows 8.

work activities. The new identity was designed to have a “secret social club�

RATIO

feel and appeal to a particular and sometimes quirky audience. GRAPHITI ASSOCIATES

A campaign promoting shopping and tourism in Northwest Washington. BRANDQUERY


OTHER STORIES The goal for the internships was to expose students to the variety, pace, rigor and excitement within the field of design. The experience, however was often much more than that. What couldn’t be planned was the unique story each student has to tell in addition to the expected narrative.


:30

8:00

:30

9:00

:30

10:00

TIME OF DAY (AM)

BUS

KATE

Live Area Labs

TRAIN

ANELESE

Ratio

CAR

ANNA

Toolhouse

FOOT

JESI

Graphiti

ELLIE

Creature

RUTH

Michael Courtney

ALY

Ten Gun

TOR

BrandQuery

ZACH

Superbig

KENDRA

Curator

ADAM

Hacker Group

FORM OF TRANSPRORTATION

THE MORNING COMMUTE In addition to valuable hands-on practical experience, this internship also gave many of us our first taste of

a regular, long-distance commute. To get to work each morning, we each used many creative combinations of personal and public transportation, including a variety of city and county buses and, in a few cases,

the Sounder train. Some used their commute as a time to read, prepare for the day, or get in some extra sleep, and depending where we lived and worked, we enjoyed views of everything from rural scenery to rush-hour city traffic. Regardless of the individidual details, though, the commute was something we all shared in, and an inextricable part of our summer experience. My Story b y To r J a k u b c i n


INSPECTING THE ROOM SIGN PROTOTYPE AT THE TAG PRODUCTION FACILITY IN YAKIMA.

THIS PROTOTYPE TEST GAVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO PERFECT DETAILS OF THE M O N I T O R D I S P L A Y. H E R E , A R E P R E S E N T A T I V E F R O M T A G N O T E S T H E C H A N G E S T O B E M A D E I N T H E D RA W I N G S PAC KAG E .

Designing signage can be a long, complicated process. Michael Courtney Design started this project with the Washington State Convention Center by proposing three themed ideas. Once the WSCC chose a direction MCD developed the design of a sign family ranging from room signs, floor indicators, to an overhead “welcome” banner. Michael Courtney Design worked together with a Tube Art Group to create a set of detailed technical drawings specifying dimensions, materials, assembly instructions, and fabrication techniques. The WSCC project also

THE PROTOTYPE PROCESS

included the use of the translucent synthetic material called 3form and worked closely with the company

LightArt to perfect the coloration and patterning of the material.

Once the designs are finalized the sign production facility puts together the first few prototypes. It’s helpful to see a

physical prototype in order to catch minor issues that may be otherwise missed. For example, in the first monitor

display prototype the 3form material at the top was a little excessive and needed to be trimmed down. There were

also issues with the illumination on the room sign. The prototypes are viewed first at the sign production facility in Yakima, and then after a few corrections have been made, on site at WSCC. If there are no corrections needed those prototypes may remain on site as the final piece. My Story by Ruth Ganzhorn


INTALLING PROTOTYPES IN THEIR EVENTUAL ENVIRONMENT ALLOWS US TO SEE HOW THE PROTOTYPES WILL INTERACT WITH THEIR U N I Q U E S U R R O U N D I N G S , I N C L U D I N G FA C T O R S L I K E T H E A N G L E O F T H E R O O F, V I E W I N G A N G L E S , A N D L I G H T R E F L E C T I O N S .

A FEW MONTHS AFTER I FINISHED MY INTERNSHIP: ADDITIONAL ROOM & MONITOR SIGNS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED AS WELL AS DIRECTIONAL SIGNS AND SEVERAL OTHER SIGN TYPES.


My Story by Anelese Webster

A week and a half into my internship, I arrived to an

During the summer, the weeks were spent in collaborative

unexpected surprise. The company I was working with

meetings and team building luncheons with the entire

was going to merge with another, and together become

staff. Everything from employee benefit packages to

the largest multiscreen agency in the Northwest. Cypress

redefined job descriptions were discussed around the

Consulting would welcome Ratio Interactive into their

table. Lots of energy went into staff development and

newly expanded offices and establish Ratio LLC and

activities to acquaint the teams from both companies to

WHEN C O M PA N I E S MERGE

grow to more than 120 employee’s. Right before my

assure a smooth transition. All in all, I felt that there was

eyes, offices were moving, desks were rearranged, logo’s

a real positive energy seeing the two companies merge

were reevaluated and my small family of designers and

and plan their new direction in the world of digital design.

engineers expanded to a new blended creative team.

The CEO of Cypress Consulting became the new CEO of

Ratio, while former CEO of Ratio Interactive became the new COO. Russ Whitman also merged with the team as

our Chief Strategy Officer and John Sercu as Chairman of the Board. Mergers are a common yet often over-looked reality in the 21st century business climate.


C U R AT O R S D O H AV E T H E M O S T FUN Each summer Curator PR does an amazing thing--

they take a full day off of work just to hangout with

each other and bond. Curator’s believe it builds their

team relationships as well as celebrates the companies

achivements of the year. This year Curator’s CEO, Scott, rented out two boats for the team to cruise around Lake Union. Here’s a look at the team building day schedule: 9:30 - day starts with coffee and breakfast 10:00 - Curators group together for a mimosa toast 10:15 - team meeting going over goals and accomplishments of the year 11:00 - head to boat docks 11:30 - catered lunch at docks 12:00 - board boats with magarita’s 2:00 - return to boat docks

2:30 - more food and drinks and handout of team awards 3:00 - Cards Against Humanity at boat docks 4:15 - head home for the day All in all it was a great day with my team! Not only did we bond but we made a pretty awesome memory together. My Story by Kendra Hobbs


Every year, the School of Visual Concepts puts on a letterpress competition. This competition is unlike any other and attempts to see what design firm can print the coolest gigantic poster in the parking lot with a steamroller. Teams from all over the Seattle area, such as Starbucks and Amazon, design something to compete with. Each team carves their designs into a large linoleum sheet and plans what inks they will use to “letterpress� the posters with the steamroller on the day of the event. While at Ten Gun I was able to experience this event with the design team outside of office hours. This year each firm was paired up with a local museum to create a meaningful design. Ten Gun was placed with the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI). The two designers given the project came up with the idea of incorporating various themes that the Seattle area and the Pacific Northwest

STEAMROLLER SMACKDOWN

are known for. They abstractly wove the various elements into a shape that resembled a tree trunk that had been

cut down. Industries and themes that can be seen in the

piece to the right are: logging, music, fishing, film, coffee, diversity, Native American history, agriculture, naval base, science, and the Seattle skyline.

While at the event, there was live music, food, merch-

andise giveaways, letterpress sales and exchanges, and the Steamroller Smackdown. Our team was one of the last teams to ink up our plate and steamroll our design, but we ended the competition strong and took home 2nd place! ...A bonus to the original team building goal. My Story by Aly Hodges


TEN GUN’S WAYZGOOSE SUBMISSION POSTER


T h e o’s C h o co l a te pa c ka g i n g by Marta Windeisen


THEO’S C H O C O L AT E S

As I arrived in Fremont for the first time overwhelmed

After my touring the factory, I learned that Western

with finding parking and nervous for my interview with

Design Alumni Marta Windeisen, also know as Zara, and

Graphiti, I realized I was over an hour early. Trying to

working under the firm name KittenChops, designed

calm my nerves and having a lot of time to kill, I figured I

Theo’s logo and much of the chocolate packaging.

should explore the neighborhood. After hanging out with the Troll and staring at the beauty of the Aurora Bridge,

Based out of Seattle, KittenChops creates custom tailored,

I came across a chocolate factory which is located right

concept driven illustration and graphic design work that

across the street from Graphiti’s headquarters.

delivers a heart opening energy experience every time. It was inspiring to discover something in the neighborhood

Theo Chocolate Company is the only Fair Trade, organic, bean to bar chocolate factory in the USA. Theo’s mission is more than just making great and unique chocolate, but dedication to making a better world by working with suppliers that give back to their communities.

by a student who passed through Western’s program. My Story by Jesi Makaad


T h e o’s C h o co l a te pa c ka g i n g by Marta Windeisen

Pharmaceutical Review Boards. The elusive but all

Needless to say each word, footnote, number and each

powerful PRB. Toolhouse has made a name for itself by

design choice is calculated and meticulously reviewed

specializing in the technology and medical brands.

for context, perception, and the legal standards of the pharmaceutical industry.

Toolhouse doesn’t just dabble in medical brands. After receiving a contract from big names like Novo Nordisk,

My Story by Anna Gray

the majority of the work Toolhouse was bringing in was for pharmaceutical brands. What few know is the sheer

LIVE & DIE BY THE PRB

amount of legalities that come into play when it comes to designing for people’s health. It’s never a simple matter

of a proposal, a review and a deliverable. When it comes to advertising drugs that effect people’s very lives, the

importance of design can’t be underestimated. If even a

phrase is not 100% accurate and can be misconstrued for

false advertising of the effectiveness of a pharmaceutical drug, it could mean millions in a lawsuit for a company. So every possible precaution has to be taken. Take the

review process for a typical branding project and multiply it by five, and take a design review board and replace them with a group of lawyers.


CAFFEINE CONSUMPTION The consumption of caffeine can be a real factor when designers are working to meet deadlines, I thought it

would be interesting to measure the caffeine consumption at LiveAreaLabs since there was a plethora of coffee, tea, and soda available for us at all times. It turns out the consumption of caffeine at my firm was pretty average. The majority of people kept their intake between 1-4 cups per day. About 15% did not consume any caffeine. There were few who really enjoy their afternoon pick-me-up. My Story by Kate Warinsky

5+ CUPS 0 CUPS

3-4 CUPS

1-2 CUPS


MY STORY by Adam Bussing

HACKERS TOOK OVER THE

H AR D R O CK C AFE

Things get going early at the Hacker Group, and as work starts the sound of the coffee beans grinding in the

kitchen before the morning meetings were met with a new sound this special week in July. Today the wailing guitar of Seattle born musician Jimmy Hendrix’s Purple Haze plays over the intercom, hinting at the location of the mystery event upcoming that Friday the 26th. Not only do Hackers know how to get things done when it matters most, they know how to have fun as well. And

rock-n-roll than the Company CEO jamming in front of

as such the surprise location of the quarterly PFP event

a chorus of bass-playing grizzly bears? Not much, and

was especially fitting for the vibrant and electric attitude

as such the week progressed with the rock-n-roll theme

present in the firm. Luckily for me, they let the intern

established, though the mystery was still alive and the

in on the secret and charged me with the design of the

location of the event was still unknown.

posters and collateral that would promote and hint at the location until it was eventually revealed the morning of

That is until the morning of the event, when the 220

the event.

Hacker Group employees came in to find a back-stage pass on their desk revealing that later that day the

A remarkable part about being an intern is being given

company would occupy the top two floors of Seattle’s

concepts crafted by creative professionals and making

downtown Hard Rock Café. Great food, great drinks, a

them tangible. Taking a great creative direction and

scavenger hunt, rock-band competition, and some summer

running with it was my favorite part of being an intern

rooftop weather were a few of the memorable ingredients.

and through this collaboration we created a solution that

However I couldn’t help leaving the event thinking that

let the rock star company leadership show their true

being the best designer doesn’t mean simply doing good

colors on oversized promotional posters. What is more

work, it means being a part of an excellent team.



It’s obvious that Creature loves to create—and their front

Anyone at Creature has the opportunity to put together

windows are a perfect example of that. The windows

a display—and they’re proud to show what they’ve

help Creature speak to the passerby’s on 12th Ave.

created. They post their displays on their blog at

It’s a chance to grab people’s attention and create a

welcometocreature.com/blog.

conversation between Creature and pedestrians. They’ve created all kinds of displays—provocative, colorful,

My Story b y E l l i e To o m b

personal, and interactive. When I began my internship in June a “Nails Across America” nail salon inhabited the windows. After

WINDOW D I S P L AY S

that, an informative campsite, and then an interactive fortuneteller occupied the space.

Other interactive displays that have occupied the

windows on 12th Ave. include a hair salon, which gave

people free haircuts for a day, a window shop, which sold

items around the holiday season and gave the proceeds to

charity, and two-way mirror that took photos of people as they walked by. Their newest creation is a vinyl shop that sells records by the pound, like a meat shop would.

Various window displays at Creature


One of my tasks while interning at Superbig was to create an invite for the end of the summer mixer where all the interns and mentors could come gather for one last time at the Superbar. Inspiration came from the chalkboard wall at Superbig and vintage MAD magazine fold-ins. I was able to combine the two things to create a unique interactive invite that had a secret message when the two sides were folded together. At the mixer, we got a chance to catch up with fellow interns, people from the firms we interviewed, as well as meet new people from firms we never got the chance to visit. MY STORY by Zachary Sankey


EPILOGUE Intern Stories documents a very important chapter in the career of each of the individuals in the program. By the end of the summer internship, the students had invaluable insight into the day-to-day expectations and outcomes of their respective firms. We are indebted to the eleven firms that partnered with us on this inaugural BFA class. The next chapter for the students would begin in the Fall and develop over the year. The school year will allow them to dig deeper into their own design, both conceptually and aesthically in subsequent BFA seminars. Workshops will focus on the collaborative process and utilize professionals and outside projects. These solutions and experiences will be revealed to a wider audience with a BFA website that documents the Fall and Winter quarter and attempts to share further insights with their regular blog contributions. Ultimately, by the end of the year, each will have particiapated in the final chapter of their academic careers—presenting their portfolio of work in the BFA Portfolio Exhibition.



A D A M B U S S I N G / R U T H G A N Z H O R N / Z A C H S A N K E Y / A LY H O D G E S / A N E L E S E W E B S T E R / J E S I M A A K A D


KAT E W A R I N S KY / E L L I E TO O M B / A N N A G RAY / K E N D RA H O B BS / TO R J A KU B C I N / B FA C L A SS O F 2 0 1 4



Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.