Obama-rama

There's a lot Obama comemorative t-shirts, pins, dolls, shoes, and etc. You name it, someone probably already did it. One that I recently saw is a pop-up card of the Inauguration featuring the Obama family taking their oath with Chief Justice John Roberts. Not only am I amazed at how something 2D becomes 3D, the card is also free and designed by book artist Carol Barton. All you have to do is download the image, read the instructions, and put in some work, which is not difficult at all. This reminded me of the class discussion of creating something with a purpose in mind. It would've been neat and fun to do the AIGA poster in a pop-up style card. 

California

I came across a June 2008 article in the LA Times called, "Louise Sandhaus digs into California graphic design history at L.A.'s Municipal Art Gallery," which addresses how California can be portrayed. Louis Sanhaus, a CalArts faculty member, is currently working on her project "Earthquakes, Mudslides, Fires and Riots: California and Graphic Design." What interested me about her title is that California isn't only about the sunny oceanside, but also about the geography. I feel that many times, we portray California in our own image, creating an identity and culture rather than focusing on the land itself, which can be both beautiful and dangerous.  The movie poster  titled "The Endless Summer" (1964) by John Van Hamersveld is an example of a designer going against popular notions that orange was not to be used, at least "by serious designers on the East Coast." Another example of a design pioneer is April Greiman's fold-out poster where she included her self-portrait in the nude and caused many people to talk, so much so that it's still mentioned, 23 years later.

Here's the full article if you're interested: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/arts/la-ca-posters22-2008jun22,0,358900.story

The Connection

As a learning and growing graphic designer, it's very easy to sit behind a computer, focus on my screen, and do my own thing without talking to others. However, if I want to succeed in it as a career, it's very important to also see what others are doing and get feedback on my own work, which requires talking.

A better word is communication. What I do and what we do as graphic designers is relay information in the best possible way that is aesthetically appealing and functional. A great place to test out our ideas is with one another. We can learn from one another what works or doesn't work, and may even be inspired, encouraged, or challenged in our soluction. The importance of connecting to a community of designers is to sharpen one another's talent, which benefits the individual as well as the field.

AIGA is an example of designers coming together to discuss, display, and learn. The beauty of having a community of talented designers are the various perspectives and approaches each person brings. It is in a community that connections, friendships, and progress are made.