Become an AIGA San Diego LINK mentor

The AIGA San Diego LINK Art Program is starting up for 2011-2012 and is looking for mentors. The program consists of workshops lead by local designers/illustrators/artists that allow the students to get a glimpse of what is possible in the arts. Watch this youtube video for details.

The workshops run between the months of October and March on Saturdays between 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. If you are interested in mentoring, please arrive at 8:00 AM for the mentor orientation on Saturday, October 8, 2011. The program is located in the East Village near trolley and bus lines for easy access:

Space 4 Art/ 325 15th Street/ San Diego, CA 92101

We hope you can join us at the Orientation to see how you can make a difference! This year will be one of our best yet. If you would like to receive fliers to hand out please send an e-mail to: directorlink@aigasandiego.com /Sondra Lagnado AIGA LINK Art Program Director/ Phone: 619.565.6337/ aigalinksd.org

AIGA SDCC Workshop on Techniques and Tips

All students are welcome to the next AIGA SDCC workshop Techniques and Tips on Friday September 30 in T310 from 1:30-3pm. Sean Bacon and Norman Ramos will be showing you how to make eye candy for your comps with techniques like laser engraving, embossing, faux foil stamping and much more. If you want to find out how to make your portfolio soar and your classmates and teachers ask how did you do that? you have to attend. Cultivate your creative edge at this incredible workshop.

Here is what will be covered:

Vinyl Cutting -- Setting up files where to do it
Glass/Mirror Etching
Faux Foil Stamping
Iron Ons to create tags
Materials available at Staples -- Window Cling Decals
Rubber Stamps and Polymer plates
Inscriptu/Laser Engraving

This workshop will be FREE!

SDCC Alumni Chris Do grabs an Emmy

SDCC Graphic Design Alumni Chris Do got the 2010 Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation for the Ravenonettes "Heart of Stone" video.




My graphic design career began at San Diego City College, where instructors including Candice Lopez were instrumental in preparing me for continued training at the Art Center College of Design. I attended SDCC in 1990, and in 2 semesters, with the support and encouragement from Candice, completed my portfolio and gained admission to Art Center. The program, even in its early stages, taught me valuable skills that I use to this day as Founder, President and Executive Creative Director of Blind Inc.

What began as a two person operation has flourished into a bicoastal enterprise serving a range of clients that include McCann Erickson, Electronic Arts, Deutsch, Chiat/Day, Amnesty International, FCB, DDB, Fox Sports Net, MTV, G4, Land Rover, Sony, Microsoft, Gnarls Barkley and Justin Timberlake. With offices in New York and Santa Monica, Blind creates visual narratives fusing art, design, technology and culture for broadcast television, film and interactive media. SDCC fostered the passion for creative excellence that drives both the work I do and my vision for the future.

Click this link to see more compelling motion graphics by Chris Do and Blind that fuse traditional film-making, animation, photography and typography.

Golden Section Workshop Videos

Our opening AIGA SDCC workshop of the Fall semester was a hands-on experience creating golden section grids. Special thanks to Sean Bacon for breaking it all down for us.

Here are the videos he promised to walk you through root 2, 3, 4 and 5.

INTRO

http://online2.sdccd.edu/faculty/sbacon/goldensection-intro/goldensection-intro.html

ROOT 2

http://online2.sdccd.edu/faculty/sbacon/goldensection-root2/goldensection-root2.html

ROOT 3

http://online2.sdccd.edu/faculty/sbacon/goldensection-root3/goldensection-root3.html

ROOT 4

http://online2.sdccd.edu/faculty/sbacon/goldensection-root4/goldensection-root4.html

ROOT 5

http://online2.sdccd.edu/faculty/sbacon/goldensection-root5/goldensection-root5.html

AIGA San Diego City College FALL 2011 Student Chapter Events and Workshops

I'm genuinely excited about a great line up of workshops and events put together for our San Diego City College American Institute of Graphic Arts student chapter. I want to thank the faculty members, alumni and design community partners who are making these incredible opportunities possible. Join us this Fall to grow both what you know and who you know.

Candice López, AIGA SDCC Faculty Liason

Click here to get information on joining or renewing your membership in our AIGA SDCC student chapter. When space is limited on some of the tours and workshops priority will be given to AIGA SDCC student members. All events/workshops are FREE unless otherwise noted in this listing.

SEPTEMBER

Saturday September 17: Golden Section Workshop with Sean Bacon

Join SDCC Adjunct Professor Sean Bacon as we explore the magic of the golden section and discover principles of geometric composition that will make your layouts soar. This classic proportioning system will change the way you think, plan and organize your design concepts.

T309 Graphic Design lab-12 noon to 1:30 pm

Friday September 30: Techniques and Tips Workshop with Sean Bacon

with special guest Norman Ramos

Portfolio Prep instructor Sean Bacon helps you discover some of the best special techniques you can use to add the ahhhh! to your design comps such as laser engraving, embossing, faux foil stamping and much more.

T310 Graphic Design Classroom-1:30pm to 3:00 pm

OCTOBER

Tuesday October 4: Trip to Inscriptu Tour

Clyde 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.

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

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

Friday October 21: Visual Asylum Tour

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.

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

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

NOVEMBER

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

DECEMBER

Friday December 2: Digitaria Studio Tour

Senior Creative Director and SDCC Alumni Paul Drohan will showcase the work of this award winning, full service digital agency. They offer interactive strategy, design, marketing, technology, search, and analytics. Digitaria creates bonds between brands and consumers through modern technology’s multitude of interpersonal platforms. These meaningful relationships can only be created digitally, since only the digital platform allows for such unique interactivity with the masses on a personal scale.

Today, brands live digitally on so many devices it has become borderline impossible to control. Companies now depend on elite marketing communications companies to be the digital brand stewards. It’s no longer only about strategies that embrace a brand’s core attributes, it’s about ensuring a true understanding of how that brand is living, breathing and prospering across digital platforms. Digitaria is platform agnostic, and have built an extraordinary team of diverse skill sets and capabilities. That rare combination and balance inspires seamless and effective work across all platforms.

Digitaria. 350 10^th Avenue, Suite 1200. San Diego, CA 92101-12 noon to 1:30pm

SDCC Alumni Paul Drohan Creative Director: Digitaria

It's really exciting to feature the amazing alumni who have completed their graphic design studies at San Diego City College and are now flourishing as dynamic creative professionals.

Paul Drohan is the Senior Creative Director at Digitaria, an award winning full service agency. They offer interactive strategy, design, marketing, technology, search, and analytics.

If you want to learn more about what Paul does you can join AIGA SDCC on Friday December 2 at 12 noon for a studio tour. When Paul graduated from SD City College he won first place in the AIGA San Diego Portfolio Review. He was the first San Diego student to ever design a type font and include it in his portfolio at the review and that font was later picked up by T-26. He has continued to surprise and delight us with his work and while raising 3 kids still finds a way to keep it fresh. Check out some of these links to see for yourself and don't miss our trip to Digitaria.

Here's a collection of the work he has done at Digitaria

Digitaria Reel

Paul did the art and illustration in this video.

Music Videos

Check out his Personal Site and Art & Design Examples

SDCC Alumni Josh Higgins gets top design job for Obama.

A BIG shout goes out to Josh Higgins, San Diego City College Graphic Design Alumni who was just named the Design Director for Obama for America. He will oversee everything graphic for the campaign including the website, brand systems and collateral. All the graphic design you see for the Obama re-election campaign will be from Josh and his creative team.

Josh is a senior designer / art director who works across all disciplines including print, web, environment, identity and television. For over twelve years, he's been refining the art of connecting brands to people with a concept-driven visual style that has earned him national honors. A native San Diegan, with roots in both advertising and graphic design, Josh has done extensive work for brands including Fender Guitars, The Tony Hawk Foundation, Hewlett-Packard, Qualcomm, Asics Footwear, Museum of Contemporary Art SD, CBS Radio, Perry Ellis International, RedBrick Pizza, IHOP, New Castle Beer, PF Changs, Yamaha, Life Technologies, and firms, Miriello Grafico, Mires/Ball, Hollis BC, and Vitrorobertson.

Before completing his design degree at San Diego City College, Josh's first career was as a musician with his band, fluf. The group has 7 albums out on Cargo, FAT and MCA/Universal Records, and has done national tours with Jawbreaker, Fugazi, Rocket from the Crypt, Blink 182, Sublime, The Vans Warped Tour and many others.

With his involvement in the San Diego design community, Josh served on the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA), San Diego Board of Directors, where he curated successful exhibits and lecture series with visiting photographers, designers and film makers. His continual work with AIGA and the larger creative community allows him to advance the cause of San Diego arts and culture, and mentor students in the creative industry.

He quickly re-located to Chicago where he will begin a busy 13 months overseeing a team of 33 creatives. Congratulations Josh!

His amazing community spirit is evidenced in the many dynamic projects Josh created like the Hurricane Poster Project, So-Cal Poster Project, and Haiti Poster Project. He has been a regular speaker and mentor in the SDCC graphic design program, organizing student scholarships through fundraising concerts and events. You can view some of his design work at the link here.

Fall AIGA Student Membership Discounts

We want to encourage you to become an AIGA Student Member as part of a chapter at San Diego City College. If you are interested to become a member or want more information please email SDCC Professor Candice López at candicemlopez@cox.net

If you become a student member of our chapter you can participate in great free workshops, studio tours to some of the top local design firms and go on fascinating field trips and learn to grow your work. You can attend the AIGA Y Design Conference on March 30 and 31st at a discounted student rate.

We are kicking off our first AIGA SDCC events in the month of September for FREE so read the post below. In October we will be taking studio tours where space will be limited. AIGA SDCC student members will have first priority to attend these dynamic events. The best part of AIGA is getting the chance to meet other design students and networking with professionals who you might want to work with one day. It's not just what you know it is who you know.

AIGA encourages the formation of student groups at colleges and universities and is committed to developing these groups as a way of encouraging students to take the first step in demonstrating a commitment to their professional interest and assisting them in understanding the profession. The goal of the student groups is to get the student involved in the local design community, create a community of their own and help them build leadership skills that will be valuable as they move into the professional world.

Why join?

Gain exposure by posting your portfolio in the AIGA Member Gallery

Find design jobs and internships at AIGA Jobs

Network and learn at AIGA Local and National Events

Access exclusive member benefits

There is currently a student membership drive: September 1–30

You can join or renew online at my.aiga.org for $50 instead of the regular price of $95!

To find out more or if you decide to join email faculty advisor candicemlopez@cox.net

September AIGA SDCC workshops

AIGA San Diego is a chapter of the oldest and largest membership association for professionals engaged in the discipline, practice and culture of visual communication and graphic design.At SDCC we have a student chapter of AIGA-the American Institute of Graphic Arts.

The San Diego City College student chapter of AIGA San Diego invites you to attend a series of FREE workshops at San Diego City College designed to improve your conceptual and technical design skills. It's also a great way to connect to your classmates and the design community as a whole. Check this blog for updates on our upcoming October Workshops.

September Workshops

Instructor: Adjunct Professor Sean Bacon

Saturday September 17: Golden Section Workshop

Explore the magic of the golden section and discover principles of geometric composition that will make your layouts soar. This classic proportioning system will change the way you think, plan and organize your design concepts.

T309 Graphic Design lab

12 noon to 1:30 pm

Friday September 30: Techniques and Tips Workshop

with special guest Norman Ramos

Discover some of the best special techniques you can use to add the ahhhh! to your design comps such as laser engraving, embossing, faux foil stamping and much more.

At this workshop we want to make it hands-on and so there will be a small materials fee at the event [$3-5] to try out the techniques.

T310 Graphic Design Classroom

1:30pm to 3:00 pm

These workshops are FREE and are part of the San Diego City College AIGA Student Chapter. To find out more about AIGA contact AIGA SDCC Faculty Advisor: Candice López at candicemlopez@cox.net

Book of Spells - which/witch

Don't miss the dynamic show Book of Spells - which/witch by graphic design

Professor Andrea Singer at Bay Park Press.

The opening reception is September 16, 5:30-8:30pm at 4318 Napier Street in San Diego.

You can get more information and a map at this link for Bay Park Press.

The gallery hours are Friday and Saturday 11am-3pm.