Happy Halloween

What better holiday than Halloween to showcase innovative design thinking and technical skill. Getting things started with this incredible Mad Hatter costume and make-up by SDCC design student Gary Harding. He researched the film with Johnny Depp for authenticity and made the lined coat with tails and hat from scratch! That coat is going to look great with jeans after the party is over Gary. Thanks for sending this along.

Please share your costume with us as I will be posting them up all week long. Send them to: candicemlopez@cox.net

Pictured below is the artistry of: Christopher Torres and his friends as green soliders, a spooky Karla Trejo, Eva Sabile as a Zombie cat, Joseph Sanchez as a Zombie farmer, and Angie Solis who created this Zombie Wario costume for her boyfriend. Zombies were big this year.

Mai Dong sent along two shots to wrap it up followed by Ivonne Fernandez as Marie Antoinette.

Book Arts Workshop with Andrea Singer

Push your book arts skills this Fall.

Exposed Binding Four Piece Slat Book

Sat. Nov. 12th 10:00AM-2:00PM in Room T310

$5.00 materials fee

Enrollment is limited so please contact Andrea at asinger@sdccd.edu to reserve your space.

Participants should bring a folding bone, exacto knife and cutting mat.

Spring 2012 Graphic Design Classes

In an effort to help our students plan ahead for our Spring schedule of classes we are listing them here. Schedule is subject to slight change.

FULLY ONLINE:

Graphic Design History 118 with Candice López

3 sections: 49949, 71260, 78607 for 8 weeks 1-23 to 3-17.

Digital Media 125 with Julie Warren

2 sections: 95046, 73440

ON CAMPUS AND PARTIALLY ONLINE:

Basic Graphic Design 100 with Andrea Singer

74541 on M/W 9:35-12:40pm in V403A

94411 on Tuesdays 12:45-3:50 in T310 and partially online

Typography 106 with Amy Becraft

71258 on T/Th from 1:00-4:05pm in T309

Illustration 120 with Blair Thornley

71318 on M/W 9:35-12:40pm in C213

Intermediate Graphic Design 1: Page Layout 124 with Amy Becraft

70583 on T/Th 9:35-12:40pm in T309

Digital Media 125 with Julie Willis

71246 on M/W 12:50-3:55pm in T309

Intermediate Graphic Design 2: Identity Systems 133 with MaeLin Levine

66162 on M/W 5:40-8:45pm in T310

Portfolio B: 148B with Sean Bacon and Candice López

74535 on M/W 9:35-12:40pm in T310

Studio Practices: Book Arts 149 with Andrea Singer

95487 on M/W 1:00-4:05pm in T310

Studio Practices: Portfolio Building 149 with Candice López

58022 on M/W 1:00-2:40 pm and partially online for 8 weeks from 1-23 to 3-17.

Advanced Typography 206 with Amy Levine

88001 on T/Th from 5:40-8:45pm in T310

Portfolio Building Orientation: Date Change Nov. 3 at 2:30pm

Update: Thanks to Paul Drohan for such a great presentation. I'm posting these photos taken by Eugene Brown from the event last Thursday.

Paul Drohan, SDCC Alumni and Creative Director of Digitaria will be on campus to talk about designing a type font and poster at an orientation to CRN 58022: Studio Practices: Portfolio Building to be offered Spring 2012 by SDCC Graphic Design. Paul is an alumni and a decade ago won first place in the AIGA Student Portfolio Review that included an original font and poster.

This dynamic 8 week hybrid class that meets on Mondays and Wednesdays from 1-2:40pm in V403A and online. This class will target design students who will be taking portfolio in the Spring of 2012 or the following year 2013 and want to work intensively to build four substantial projects for the book. Led by portfolio teachers Candice López and Sean Bacon our projects will include:

1. Designing an original type font and a project to showcase it.

2. An intensive study of identity clustered by style and technique and study of micro-trends in logo design and packaging. Development of an original identity to be applied to iconic packaging for the portfolio. This branding can then be applied to a variety of applications.

3. and 4. A great challenge for students is creating substantial collateral pieces. In this class students will develop two; including an identity manual and will then choose between an annual report or magazine design.

If you would like to find out more about this exciting class please join us for the orientation in T310 on November 3rd.

AIGA SDCC Coming in November

Join the SDCC AIGA student chapter and the design history classes for an in-depth visit to an impressive exhibit at the San Diego Museum of Art on November 1st at 2pm in Balboa Park. Students can gain free admission and a docent guided tour to and incredible exhibition of Great Spanish Masters from the Perez Simon Collection. Enjoy works by Dali, Picasso, De Chirico, Magritte, Miro, Sorrolla and many others.

To learn more about this exhibition and view short films on some of the pieces in the show please visit this link:

El Greco to Dali. If you would like to join us and get FREE admission to this dynamic show please RSVP to SDCC Professor Candice López at calopez@sdccd.edu

Tuesday November 1: FREE admission to the San Diego Museum of Art to see the exhibition El Greco to Dali. San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park at 2pm

Thursday November 3: Paul Drohan, Creative Director of Digitaria

Paul will be joining in T310 for the Portfolio Building Orientation to discuss how he designed a type font. We get started at 2:30pm.

Friday November 4: Rafael López Studio Tour

Illustrator Rafael López will share his illustrations that are a fusion of strong graphic style and magical symbolism. His children’s book illustrations for Book Fiesta! won the 2010 Pura Belpré Illustrator Award given by the American Library Association. His 2008 poster Voz Unida was an official poster at Artists for Obama. He has designed 8 stamps for the United States Postal Service and created 3 paintings for Oprah Winfrey's school in South Africa. His studio is in a renovated car garage in the East Village.

Rafael López Studio. 843 Tenth Avenue. Studio C. San Diego, CA-12 noon to 1:30 pm

Wednesday November 16: MiresBall Studio Tour

Scott Mires, heads up MiresBall, one of the largest independent brand design agencies in Southern California. A trusted partner of leading national and global brands, MiresBall creates market differentiation by bringing together two powerful ideas—lifestyle and innovation. The agency’s expertise lies in developing and implementing fully integrated marketing campaigns encompassing positioning, identity development, messaging and print, packaging, tradeshow environment and Web design.

Mires Ball 2605 State St. San Diego, CA-12 noon to 1:30pm

Alls Well with EL

In 2005 Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana and SDCC Graphic Design sent an email to community colleges that had been devastated and flooded by this disaster. We hoped to bring a displaced student from the region to San Diego where they could continue their studies. Reaching out to the campus and community we were able to secure free housing and generous support to pay for food, books and enrollment fees for a worthy student. His name was Elton Fletcher and last week he re-connected with us to share his story.

Highest highs and lowest lows

I remember the day I first spoke with Professor Lopez. It was five days after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and I was totally in a daze. I received an email from Professor Pecquet at Nunez Community College where I had been attending school. It said "EL you need to contact Candice Lopez ASAP." And that was the call to my adventure. But before I could go I had to make sure my family was safe. The three months that followed was filled with family fun, birthday parties, daily trips to Wal mart and a lot of prayers. And by Thanksgiving my family returned to Louisiana.

After New Years I drove out west. It was an eye opening experience. A two day drive with a layover in El Paso. Then I arrived in San Diego where that night I met a cool dude named Brody Alpert. He gave me a run down on the lay of the land in SD. The next day I met Sondra Lognado. She took over my car to give me a city tour and we visited San Diego City College. The following day David joined us and we all had breakfast at the Hash House and a tour of some of the art hotspots in SD. This was only the third day in San Diego and already I had made three amazing friends.

Two weeks later I met Professor Lopez at Cafe 222. I must admit I was very nervous. I didn't eat a thing. I'm a little shy. She has a great aura and it's very bright. We talked about Katrina, my family, her family, and about this new start as an artist. This was something I had always wanted to pursue but never have the opportunity. She told me, "the time is now so dig in." From this meeting my life as an artist was re-born and it was the magic key for me. This was my calling. That following year I jumped into to the pool of art and design students at City College and never looked back. San Diego City College was that spark I had been questing for. That year I was not only educated but found my calling in life. I made so many new friends that I'm still in contact with till today.

Today my family is all back in New Orleans-back in the 7th Ward Columbia Parc. I'm currently in Dallas where I work as a print and web graphic designer at Collin College in the Art Department. I'm pursuing an MFA at the University of Texas Dallas in Sculpture and Emerging Media and Communications. When I'm done in three years here's hoping I will be making my return to teach art at City College.

Thank you San Diego City College for having me and treating me as one of your own.

Thank you for the adventure.

EL Fletch

SDCC Graphic Design is on facebook

San Diego City College Graphic Design is now on facebook. Check it out.

AIGA SDCC Studio Tour to Visual Asylum

The AIGA SDCC Student Chapter invites you to an exciting studio tour this Friday.

If you can join us please meet at Visual Asylum at noon.

Friday October 21: Visual Asylum Tour

MaeLin and Amy Levine have both served as AIGA San Diego President.

Visual Asylum is an award winning strategic design firm. Partners and SDCC Professors Amy and MaeLin Levine will talk about creating branded experiences for clients and their end customers that work, across all media. Their clients include very large institutions as well as many small start-up enterprises. This dynamic firm is collaborative, creative and results oriented.

Visual Asylum. 2970 5^th Avenue, Suite 220. San Diego, CA 92103-12 noon to 1:00 pm

San Diego City College 2011 Faculty Exhibition

Luxe Gallery

October 20 - November 18, 2011

Opening Reception: Thursday, October 20th, 5 - 7 p.m.

5th floor/ Career Technology Center/ San Diego City College

1081 16th Street, San Diego, CA

Doug Dailard, Dave Eichinger, Yoonchung Kim, David King, Candice Lopez, Cynthia Lyons-Dailard, Wayne Hulgin, Terri Hughes-Oelrich, Andrea Singer, Anna Stump, Blair Thornley

Art Center at San Diego City College 10/20 at 2pm

Did you know that over 100 students from SDCC have gone on to get a higher degree at the prestigious Art Center College of Design in Pasadena?

Would you like to find out more about this incredible school, how to transfer and prepare a portfolio for admission? Here's your chance. Join us next Thursday October 20th at 2pm in Room T310. Julie Caruso, Assistant Director of Admission of Art Center will be on our campus to show you the work of design students and answer your questions.

Please join us in Room T-310. See you there.

AIGA San Diego Membership Bash

The AIGA San Diego Membership Bash
Thursday, October 20th, 2011
6:00PM – 10:00PM

3rdspace
4610 Park Blvd, Unit 3
San Diego, CA 92116
619-255-3609
View Map

Come mingle with fellow designers and discover what drives each of them. You´re invited to join us for some great eats and music by DJ Marc Larson. You´ll also have the chance to hear about what we´ve got planned for this year. So come catch up with some old friends and make a few new ones. We hope to see you there.

Members: Free
Guests: $20

The venue is in University Heights (between Madison Ave & Spalding Pn Ave & Spalding Place), so all parking is street parking. Be sure to arrive early in case you have to hoof it a block or two.

You need to RSVP so go to this link.

See SDCC Portfolios this Friday 10/14 at noon!

Friday October 14: Alumni Portfolio Panel

This is a unique opportunity you simply can’t miss. Connect with amazing alumni and view some of the best portfolios to come out of SDCC. Panelists will not only show their finished books but talk about the experience of creating them, what worked and what didn’t and offer specific tips and suggestions to help your process. Panelists include award winners from the AIGA San Diego Review. We will be joined by extraordinary alums Desiree Aspiras, Ying-Jen Lai, Sara Linden, Larisa Mamonova, Paola Meraz and others. Paola got a scholarship to Art Center and will be driving from L.A. to talk about her experiences there and transferring for further study in graphic design. Get inspired, get thinking about your own portfolio!

V403A on the 4th floor of the new photo building at 16th and C street. 12 noon to 2:00pm

We want your feedback. Take this quick survey.

Graphic Design Students,

The leadership of our AIGA SDCC student chapter has created this brief survey that we hope you will take to tell us what you want in terms of events and workshops in the Spring semester. It's quick and easy and you can let us know what you want to learn...
advanced digital media workshops, pre-press classes, or tell us your thoughts.

We need your input and please tell other students in your classes to give us their opinions. To take the survey this brief 9 question survey please click this link.
Thanks to the AIGA SDCC leadership committee and Jasmine Jiminez for putting this together.

Steve Jobs: Innovative Thinker and Dreamer

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of innovative thinker-a true genius who understood what we wanted even before we did. Steve Jobs.

He helped create the Macintosh computer that revolutionized graphic design and the world. He reinvented the portable music player with the iPod, and introduced a way to legally sell music online with iTunes. The iPhone changed the way we use cell phones and the iPad was a breakthrough that gave breath to the electronic tablet market. At one point in his life he quit school but enrolled in one course at Reed College to study calligraphy. “If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts.” Jobs said.

For many years a popular discussion question in our Travel by Design and Portfolio Preparation course featured his commencement speech at Stanford and if you've never heard it or want to get inspired all over again click here. Thinking back to our first lab in 1988 when students would stand patiently in line to use our cherished 6 Mac SE computers it makes sense that even the skies of San Diego are filled with tears tonight.

SDCC Alumni Lauren Casgren-Tindall connects from Rotterdam Holland

At SDCC Lauren's bright spirit, positve attitude and passion for packaging stood out. Building a successful career in design is a journey and we wanted to catch up and find out how this determined designer ended up in Holland. The year she graduated from City was really tough, as the bubble had burst and jobs were not easy to find. In Lauren's wise words she "left no stone unturned". She began her career in San Diego doing graphic design for a furniture company and got the basic experience she needed before moving to New York. She applied for every kind of job even ones she was not yet qualified for in hopes her work would be seen. Although she wasn't sure if it was the best approach, it worked and she got an interview for an art director position at Victoria's Secret. She was truthful in her interview and was offered a graphic design position instead thus getting her foot in the door of the beauty packaging world. That led her a few years later to her dream job at Avon designing fragrance bottles and packaging.

"No matter how tough the job market is, it only takes one person to take a chance on you. I was an average designer when I graduated from City College, but with teachers like Candice and MaeLin they instilled confidence in me and as I soon learned I would get better. Confidence, curiosity, and passion are the keys to success". About a year and a half ago, Lauren left Avon to move to Miami as she wanted new challenges. There she freelanced for Benihana and started Logohaven.com designing logos & branding, before deciding to take a short summer course in product design in London/Milan. Afterwards, she wanted to live in Europe for a while, and stopped in Holland, where with luck and hard work she got a business visa to begin her own design company. Creme de Mint Design is located in Rotterdam, Holland and she is working with a couple of Dutch partners on projects, including a tea product line. She also works within a media company at the Creative Factory an inspiring space where they put 150 companies into a shared space that helps you build your network. Check out this link to see some of Lauren's amazing packaging design work for fragrance and beauty products.

Trip to Inscriptu this Tuesday October 4: 12-1

Thanks to the many students who attended our Tips and Techniques Workshop this past Friday. Our next AIGA SDCC activity is the perfect complement to that event and a terrific opportunity to push your designs to the next level by creating unique effects.

Tuesday October 4: Trip to Inscriptu Tour

Clyde, Michael and Chris will showcase the incredible range of design techniques to make serious eye candy for your portfolio. Inscriptu can do laser engraving, rotary engraving, vinyl cutting and many other special effects. This is the perfect follow up to the Tips and Techniques Workshop in September. Here at SDCC we are big fans of Inscriptu because they really take the time to work with our students to help them realize the full potential of class projects. Thanks for being there.

Inscriptu: 3138 5^th Avenue. San Diego, CA 92103-12 noon to 1:00pm