This week marked the end of another quarter at the Art Institute of California - Orange County where I teach one of the final Portfolio classes. The students presented their years of hard work to the public this last Wednesday at their Portfolio Show. The work was well presented and just as well received. I wish the graduates all the best in their futures as designers and look forward to hearing about the great successes that they achieve. Good luck!!!
Tomorrow as part of the Design Link series, Paula Scher from Pentagram will be giving a special lecture via Skype from her office in NYC. The event will start at 11:45 at the Art Institute of California - Orange County. Paula's work is world known from her logo for Citi bank to her years of design for the Public Theatre in NYC. It should be a wonderful opportunity to hear from one of our greatest graphic designers working today. To RSVP for the event, go to this link on Facebook for the student chapter of AIGA.
This coming Tuesday, August 24th at 10 am, Alex Trochut will we speaking via iChat live from Barcelona, Spain at the Art Institute of California, Orange County. This exciting event is sponsored by the student chapter of AIGA. Alex will be giving a presentation then open up the floor to questions and comments. Alex is world known for his unique cutting edge typographic treatments for clients like Nike, Coca-Cola, Burton, Esquire, and the New York Times. This is a great opportunity to hear directly from Alex and gain insights into this talented designer. If you are in the area, please stop by this FREE event. To RSVP go to the AIGA student chapter's Facebook page.
Next Friday, August 13th, will be a FREE showing of the design film Typeface by Justine Nagan at the Art Institute of California - Orange County. The evening will start at 6:30 pm with Live Demos from the International Printing Museum mobile metal and woodblock letterpress. After the demos, the film Typeface will be shown at 8 pm. The event is sponsored by the student AIGA chapter of AICA-OC and the Orange County chapter of AIGA. Come out, network with friends and make a few new ones at the FREE event. Please RSVP at the Facebook link of the AIGA student chapter. I hope to see you next Friday.
Yesterday, at the Art Institute of California - Orange County, we had the privilege to have the great Milton Glaser join us for an interview via Skype. The wonderful Wendy Keys' film on Milton was shown first, Milton Glaser - To Inform and Delight then Milton came live from NYC to answer questions from the students.
Milton was the scholar, educator, and professional I have come to know in answering a variety of questions. The students where inspired and honored to hear from Milton who was intelligent, humous, and motivating. One moment that touched me was Milton's response on receiving the National Medal of Arts from President Obama earlier this year. Milton stated he was honored by the award, that he felt the President is the right man to do the job at this time and how humble and intelligent he thought the President was. He then went on to say how he really wished his mother could have seen that moment. Milton talked about some current projects he is working on, recommended a book that he had his studio read, and offered words of wisdom. The experience was pure Milton and one I know all who that attended will long remember.
My deepest and most sincere thanks to Milton for joining us via Skype.
Below are several videos of Milton Glaser's responses. My thanks also go out to xtine burrough for posting these videos on youtube.
Q. Who are your favorite illustrators right now?
Q. What are you reading now?
Q. How do you feel about students or professionals who mimic your work?
This coming Friday evening, the talented and wonderful Margo Chase will be speaking at the Art Institute of California - Orange County. Margo Chase is the Founder and Executive Creative Director at Chase Design Group located in Los Angeles. Chase Design has worked with some of the largest brands in their development of branding, packaging and print collateral. Margo was recently honored by AIGA with a Fellows award in 2009. The subject of this Friday's talk by Margo will include discussions of her design process, from research and inspiration through strategy and art direction.
The evening will start at 6 pm with a talk by Margo Chase followed by an opening reception of Margo's work in the gallery at 7:45 pm. The event is supported by the student AICA-OC chapter of AIGA and the Orange County chapter of AIGA. For more information and to register for this FREE event, go to this link.
This week marked the end of another quarter at the Art Institute of California - Orange County, where I teach graphic design. With this end came the Winter 2010 Portfolio Show for those students that are graduating. These students have worked and tweaked their projects over the last few months for this presentation to the public. The books look great and now the next step in their education starts. Remember to be passionate and persistent as you start working. I wish you all the best of luck in their careers.
On Friday evening at the Art Institute of California - Orange County in conjunction with the Orange County chapter of AIGA, Debbie Millman gave a presentation titled, "Why We Brand, Why We Buy". Debbie's talk was a combination of brands, science and history brought together to help explain modern branding and consumer actions given with passion and enthusiasm. The talk was an excellent presentation that felt more like a graduate lecture which was fresh and informative. If you expect a show and tell presentation look at Sterling's website, this lecture informed, elated, and left me thinking more about how what we do ties all together. Debbie's presentation discusses how we think and group together, how trademarks developed and how technology and society join to make brands a reflection of the times. Debbie's talk is one that should not be missed and showcases how design is something that solves a problem and reflects the needs of our clients.
After the lecture, a mixer event was hosted nearby where Debbie signed books. Debbie is so gracious, intelligent and generous. I truly cherished my moments speaking with her and getting to know this wonderful designer, educator and leader. I look forward to meeting and hearing her speak again soon. If you have the chance to catch Debbie Millman speaking, do it, you will not be disappointed, I was far surpassed in my expectations of a typical speaking event.
Next Friday evening, January 29th, Debbie Millman will be speaking at the Art Institute of California - Orange County from 6 pm til 9 pm. I am excited that Debbie will be giving a presentation titled: "Why We Brand, Why We Buy". Debbie's visit is hosted by the AIGA student chapter at AICA-OC and AIGA Orange County. She is currently the president of the national AIGA. Details are available at the student chapter's website and myspace page. Sign up now, this event will be one you will not want to miss.
Yesterday evening marked the end of the Fall quarter for graduating Graphic Design majors at the Art Institute of California - Orange County. The students have worked hard over the last quarter finessing their portfolios to be viewed by the public and prospective employers. I wish the grads all the best in their careers as designers. You now have the skills to create and I look forward to hearing great things about you in the future.
John Van Hamersveld is a designer of icons, from the Endless Summer movie poster to a Beatles Album cover. John Van Hamersveld was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1941 and took to art at an early age. He found his way to the West Coast and has been involved in the music and film industry as a designer since he created the bold and saturated sunset for the Endless Summer poster in 1966. John has may iconic designs that have become a part of our design world including his Jefferson Airplane Pinnacle Indian Poster 1968, the Beatles Magical Mystery Tour cover, the Rolling Stones cover for Exile to Main Street, Johnny Face (Crazy World Ain't It?), Jimi Hendrix, and posters for Cream at their Royal Albert Hall Reunion in 2005.
John is still working and designing today for the music and fashion industries creating works that reflect his 60's origins with a current modern day twist. His work is still very fresh and conveys a free spirt that seem to emanate across his career. The contemporary Mozart and Beethoven for the New West Symphony are wonderful and expressive. His current posters for Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton take us back to a day when concerts where about the music first.
I had the pleasure to meet John a few weeks ago at the Art Institute of California - Orange County where I teach. AICA-OC has a small show up on his work and John will be at the "official" gallery opening this evening, Nov. 18th from 4:30-7:30 if you are in the area and would like to meet him and have a poster signed.
The film Art & Copy will be showing at the Art Institute of California - Orange County on Friday, November 6, 2009. This showing / event will be free and is sponsored by the AICA-OC student chapter of AIGA, AIGA-OC and the Art Institute. The evening starts off at 4:30 with the film showing at 5 pm. After the film, a round table discussion will take place with "mad men" ad creatives and a producer of the film. The evening should be a great event.
Seating is limited to 300, so reserve your tickets now. To reserve tickets (limit of two), please email full names, email address, number of tickets, and your job title / position to aiga-oc@live.com.
I look forward to seeing you on Friday for a great film and conversation.
Another quarter has ended at the Art Institute of California - Orange County with the Summer 2009 Portfolio Show yesterday. It has been my pleasure to help these graphic and advertising majors complete this first stage so they can start what I hope is a long and happy career. The portfolios where polished and their displays looked great. I wish the graduates all the best with their designs and careers in the future. Congratulations and the best of luck!
Andrew Christou - no Range Rover for this ad man, he drives Prius. Andrew Christou, the Creative Director behind the most recent Prius campaign from Saatchi and Saatchi, LA visited the Art Institute of California - Orange County last month to speak to a group of advertising and graphic design students. Andrew's memorable ad campaign for the next generation Prius has taken the line to a new level. He spoke about the process of the campaign and the many channels used to sell the Prius, not just the striking TV ads, like online, interactive, and non traditional means like POPs on the streets. Andrew has worked on ads for many of the "biggies" including Toyota, Nike, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, General Motors, ESPN, and Bacardi. Andrew spoke about the passion and drive of working in the advertising and design field. He gave the students insight to getting started from his early days at SVA, to his first job in New York City to his move to Wieden & Kennedy, Portland where he did the Lil Penny ads for Nike. Passing along his thoughts on working hard, being creative, and sticking to your concepts and ideas, in a relaxed and humorous manner, Andrew spoke from the heart. Andrew discussed the sometimes mad pace of the advertising world in reference to a series of Nike ads related to a past baseball strike where concepts, filming and production where all done in a week. Andrew's discussion was insightful and it was a pleasure to meet this down to earth Creative Director. I thank Andrew for giving of his time to pass along to the next generation of creatives. To view more of Andrew's work please check out his website where you can view many additional ads that he has created over the years.
