Articles
Overflow is all about Awareness Color, Shape and Letterform Usability Studying 2012 NIU Visual CommunicationsSenior Show Resume Review 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 20052011 NIU Visual Communication Senior Show Resume Review
Quantity and Quality. Rhythm and Tempo.
This year I got a chance to talk to a large percentage of the burgeoning grads due to a smaller class size. Everyone had a chance to spread out a little more in the gallery space and show more work. The lower population density enabled a laid back vibe, but also one of high performance and cooperation.
The economy is in an uptick but has an “uncertain economic times” hangover. I would describe the corporate attitude towards the market for designers as hesitant, yet needy. Many businesses are just exiting the rough road and have needs, but have been belt-tightening for so long recently that they want to grow in a more measured way, and with a focus on retention. Do people get jobs today if they are qualified, educated, willing and hard working? If you lost your job today are how confident are you that you can easily transition into a new opportunity? The outlook is certainly better than it was a year ago.
Best of luck to all the talented grads.
Motion graphics, print, and web were the broad brushstrokes of this year's senior show. I would have like to have seen more of an emphasis on mobile device application design, and dare I say, software. Mobile devices are the present. It seems like the curriculum should have an eye toward the future. Can someone build a bridge from the art building to the computer science department?
Shameless Self Promotion: The Highwater Mark
Recently worked with this non-for-profit. Highwater can be described generally as hedge fund folks interested in scholarships/education. The key stakeholder is a fan of the American southwest, particularly southern Utah.
Line charts are a daily staple of the alternative investment industry, the Wall Street Journal, Time and other new outlets with chart-love.
We fused the outdoor experience-of-the-mind with the daily grind of finance, romanticizing in the benevolent and timeless nature of a charitable foundation. Supergraphic water-sky ambiguity, past and present highwater marks, cycles of change, and hopefully change for the good.
Further, for hedge fund managers who can't make money unless their fund is above the "hightwater mark", it represents a very high bar that constantly keeps going up and is setting ever higher bars to achieve. The earning and the learning must never stop no matter the environmental factors. The highwater mark demands excellence. It also seems to enjoy rock climbing, dirt biking and boating.
Not-for-profits typically are operating on lean budgets, so pick your favorites and help them out. For profits? Open positions anyone? Always good to know people with potential availability!
Sean Rawley
And no, it’s not because we share 83.33% of a last name. Or maybe it is.
A nod to the grid, but then immediately going outside of grid-like marks with the stylized and meaningful letterform. Part calligraphy and in ways invoking gestaltism, this Rorschach test can be perceived differently by every observer. To me, the primal tribal mark looks black-swan-like.
Jennifer Marquez
Resume optimally viewed while listening to Everything in its Right Place by Radiohead. Perfect document for the event. Jennifer conveys her abilities most effectively.
Steve Czech
Steve makes a convincing argument. Accurate and stylish.
On acronyms, I didn't get that “CMS” referred to content management systems categorically. Other grads used this too. I would entertain that if someone is hiring based on a candidate having those skills they would want to see more detail versus less. Though it works as a conversation starter. Similar CRM, client relationship management, aka, customer relationship management systems could also be blurred into or confused with cool looking three letter acronyms starting with C, so being more specific couldn't hurt. Fortunately I got a chance to speak to Steve about the acronym and he was more than willing to articulate the specifics regarding his experience.
Alex Hanold
Mr. Hanold gives you what he claims in an extremely refined package. Best paper choice.
I am out of time. That is just the tip of the iceberg. Check out Adeline Garee, Adriana Lopez, Natalia Bulsza, Tonya Scott, Ken Ugel and more of the excellent class of 2011 at http://niuvis.com/