IDENTITY SYSTEM PROGRESS

For my stationary system (and identity system as a whole), I wanted to incorporate my interests in both design and printmaking so that I can use it when applying for a wider range of jobs... and hopefully to create something a little different and eye-catching too! The circular "C" logo is a woodcut image that I printed in two parts, scanned, colorized, and layered digitally. I don't think I'm completely satisfied with the system yet, but it's gone through so many changes in the past few weeks that I need to just post it here officially and maybe leave it for a week or two to marinate a little.

Edit: The white borders around the pieces were added by the blog! All my stationary has a bleed for the texture. Also, the funkiness with the line texture is a result of the PNG files--the printed texture should be even and regular.

Business card back. Not sure about this one yet, but I do like featuring the logo at a larger size.

Business card front.

Cover letter (and template for any other pages needed). No, there's no real text in there yet (I'm sorry!), but as I start to get organized and begin applying to places, I'll have an actual letter to put in soon.

 Letter-sized envelope exterior.

 Resume.

 Thank-you envelope exterior.

Thank-you card (unfolded) exterior.



















Thank-you card (unfolded) interior. For the thank-yous I switched up the system a little bit and used the textured bar on the side instead of along the top. This was how I initially wanted to use it on everything, but the letter-sized papers seem to work a lot better with it across the top. I like to think of the textured bar as being versatile and movable, and I think this vertical bar will make another appearance in my leave-behind.

PROTOTYPING!

This is my working idea for my portfolio leave-behind... I wanted to create objects that were clearly hand-constructed (as opposed to having a pre-made object personalized through an outside vendor) because physical construction is one of my favorite parts of the design process and I think leaving something that work and care has gone into will (hopefully) make an impact. That being said, I needed to come up with something that was reasonably quick and easy to make multiples of, and that wouldn't require any expensive materials (I figure those can come into play once I've had a job for a while!).

I made it all out of scrap newsprint, so it's obviously really flimsy here, but I plan to find a heavier stock for the box. It needs to be something that will hold ink well, and that will allow crisply-folded edges with minimal "fuzzy" damage to the ink when pressed (see  magazine cover in the background for a bad example of fuzziness!)

You open the box, and --voila!-- there's something interactive inside. That tab is not particularly attractive on the edge there, so I may try something more in the middle of the square. This paper will be sturdy, but probably a little thinner than the box paper.

I need to work out the proper measurements for a good, even fit inside the box... this was mostly eyeballed.

Pull on the tab to reveal the box's secrets.

Look at that! An accordion book! This book will include my contact information, images of my portfolio pieces, blank "texture pages" to break up the works, and probably a few short blurbs from my designer's statement (which I NEED to work on...). The length of the book will be determined later, but it's so simple and versatile that it can really be any length I need

So that's the basic gist of it for now. I think the square is a little too large at the moment, and I may try to figure out how to make the box a little shorter (right now there is a lot of empty space inside, when the booklet is folded down). I think the idea is interesting, though, and it's very representative of me and my interest in physical craft... hopefully I'll turn it into something that will be unique, easy to make, and will leave a good impression with potential employers.

SECOND CANDIDATE Q&A

Type of activity: Guest speaker

Points available: 5 points

Date: February 28, 2013

Location: FAC 304, Drake University

Presenter: Laura [last name withheld]

Entry: After Laura's presentation there were a few minutes for faculty members to ask her some questions related to her work and experiences, but then they all left so that she and the students could talk more informally. There were a lot more questions asked during this session than there were for the first candidate (although I think that was partly snow concerns-related!), and Laura probably asked us more questions than we had for her. She is unfamiliar with the Des Moines area, so she wanted to hear about the atmosphere and opportunities here from a student's perspective. She also asked us a lot about Drake's design facilities--whether we have personal studio spaces, what the printing situation is like (groans all around, here), and how much we interact with students from unrelated departments. Hopefully we were able to give her a quick glimpse of campus life here (such as explaining the Relays, which she had never heard of) and made her feel like she would be a welcome addition to the department faculty.

Assessment: Again, this session was documented on the provided survey.

Conclusion: Laura was very relaxed and comfortable interacting with the students, and seemed very enthusiastic about the atmosphere at Drake--having been to a liberal arts college herself, she seems to really connect with this type of education and the structure of our department here. She came prepared to ask us all about Des Moines and our experiences here, and was genuinely interested in our lives as students and as developing designers. She answered all of our questions fully and thoughtfully. Overall I think she is a solid candidate for the position here, and has a fresh and lively perspective to bring to the department.

Documentation: See previous entry.

SECOND CANDIDATE PRESENTATION

Type of activity: Guest speaker

Points available: 5 points

Date: February 28, 2013

Location: FAC 304, Drake University

Presenter: Laura [last name withheld]

Entry: This presentation was, like the first, an opportunity for the department faculty and students to meet and learn a little about Laura, the second candidate for the open design instructor position. She was given the same request to structure her presentation around the transition from undergrad to The Real World, and she used her own experiences and development as a narrative to impart some general wisdom and advice. Laura described her evolution from painter to designer, and finally to Art Director and instructor; she presented examples of her work from each of these stages, and some outside/experimental works as well. She was even brave enough to show us some very early pieces she did for the Chicago Tribune, which included slightly overzealous use of the "bevel/emboss" tools.

Assessment: As with the first presentation, students were provided with a short survey to complete after attending one or more of the related sessions for this candidate.

Conclusion: I thought that Laura had a number of very strong qualities, both as a designer and as a potential teacher at Drake. She is deeply engaged in her own work and clearly draws inspiration from a range of different experiences and encounters. Her interest in combining design with other disciplines (such as performance art and viewer interaction) and her appreciation for collaborative projects could bring a lot to the design department here--I have been involved in a couple of very enjoyable collaborative design projects, but only in the classes I took with Hilary. I didn't think her presentation skills were quite as polished as the first candidate's, but that could simply be a matter of their respective amounts of teaching experience. She clearly communicated her love of being a mentor and a guide for students, and seems very enthusiastic about Drake and the design department here.

Documentation: Here are some notes and my in-progress survey for this candidate.