FIDM Named in Top 10 for Graphic Design

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Top 10 Universities for Graphic Design Majors

November 28, 2018 // by Corey Marfitt

Elementary school taught you ROYGBIV and complementary colors. Now you know design is more than colors, shapes and letters—it’s a language. More than ever, companies and agencies need graphic designers fluent in technology to create designs that evoke feeling. Everywhere you go design surrounds you. Further your creative education at the top graphic design schools in America. Equipped with the latest technology, newly renovated studios and workshops, and talented professors, you’ll build a portfolio at these colleges that could land you your dream job.

6. FASHION INSTITUTE OF DESIGN & MERCHANDISING

Get your creative design juices flowing at FIDM. Aside from traditional graphic design classes like advanced typography, students also take “Graphic Design for Mobile” where they build an engaging mobile marketing application by the end of the course. At the Annex, Design Studio West offers studio labs, computer terminals, drafting tables and more. Students can also access the world-class FIDM Museum and Galleries plus FIDM Library, the largest fashion library on the west coast. Outside of the classroom, students interact with on-campus events like the DEBUT Runway Show, media lounge screenings, book signings from famous authors and designers and different exhibitions in the FIDM Gallery and Museums. Graphic design students can showcase their skills getting involved in FIDM Mode, a student-run magazine covering fashion, beauty, student life and career advice. FIDM also sets up industry partnerships so students can work on projects with companies like TOM and Signal Snowboards. More recently, Vespa San Francisco collaborated with FIDM graphic design students to create a custom look for the Vespa LX.

visit www.collegemagazine.com for the full list

Adobe + FIDM Creative Jam

I had the opportunity to help produce and co-host an Adobe Creative Jam for FIDM students in San Francisco and Los Angeles. During this half-day bootcamp-style design tournament, students quickly learned the basics of Adobe XD and then worked in teams of 3-5 to design an interactive prototype. Instructions given the day of the event: “Your challenge is to address a community and its residents, and design a way to make a tangible, measurable effect on their communities."

Eight teams working in three labs in Los Angeles and one team working at the Adobe offices in San Francisco were connected via CrowdCast and presented their work to the judges and other participants via this video chat. During the challenge, Creative Jam participants also heard from inspiring speakers Brycie Jones, Senior Communications Officer of Digital at Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Antoinette Carroll, Founder & CEO of Creative Reaction Lab. Judges included Heather Haselwood, UX Designer at NFL Media, Pau Hershey, Sr. Experience Designer at Electronic Arts, and FIDM Alumnus Daniel Santos, Design Director at Kettle.

The winning team—made up of L.A.-based Conger, Emma, Carmen, and Erika—created an app, Walking Buddy, to help people feel comfortable walking in areas they may or may not be familiar with. Jordan, Marilou, and Stephanie took home second place for their Respect You app, while Vanessa, Ari, Chelsea, and Emily won third place for their Trans Ally Community app. 

 All competitors who successfully completed the Jam received a three-month subscription to Adobe Stock. Team members on the first place team won Amazon gift cards worth $250, second place team members won $150 each, and third place won $50 each.

 Documentation of the event can be seen here:
https://www.facebook.com/adobecreativejam/videos/301452467248055/
https://www.facebook.com/adobecreativejam/videos/196376257920237/

CosmoProf + FIDM Challenge 2018

Cosmoprof North America is one of the largest beauty industry conferences in the US. This year they sponsored a special collaboration with FIDM. We combined Beauty students with Graphic students and challenged them to work in teams to create a connected beauty concept for 2050. The Graphic Design students brought to the project their understanding of target market research, design thinking, as well as logo, and packaging design skills. The Beauty Industry Management students focused on trends, consumer preferences, and product development. The winning team was flown to Las Vegas where Tina Perez, Director of Beauty Industry Management, and I presented the project at the annual conference and introduced the finalists. Congratulations Alysha and Quiana!

The Original Man in the Hat, Larry Harvey

Yesterday Larry Harvey, the founder of Burning Man, passed away. In tribute to him I wanted to share the story of the design of the 2013 BRC Map which was inspired by his iconic hat.

I always wanted to embed a game into the Map and I decided 2013 would be the year to pull it off. The theme Larry Harvey chose for Burning Man that year was “Cargo Cult”. As I began doing research and tossing around ideas for the BRC Map, Larry’s iconic Stetson kept coming up for me. Cargo Cults tend to worship objects left behind by travelers. Larry’s hat was one of those symbolic objects. 

My main collaborator in the design of the game was Brent Boe. As we began the game design we developed a story (poetic version included below). In the story the person who held the hat, held the power to lead and we wanted many people to take a turn wearing the hat. For those patient enough to solve all the puzzles, they were led to a special shiny version of the Stetson. The hat was to be worn for a period of time and then returned to its place so that others could take their turn as the wearer of the hat.

While we were in early development of the game, Burning Man Project’s Global Leadership Conference took place. At the conference that year Larry tossed out his hat during his keynote address proclaiming in essence, the hat belonged to everyone, and Larry thought it looked great on everyone who tried it on. This was a completely synchronistic event that made me feel even more confident that we were on the right track with this concept.

Larry, thank you for the hat and all that you inspired while wearing it. We will keep those memories alive always.

STANZAS FOR THE CULT OF THE HAT

== The Man in the Hat ==
The Man in the Hat, Builder, Originator
Seeking a Perfect Workspace, The Man in the Hat found Playa
Smiling in Delight and Exclaiming with Joy
"Here we create freely"

After Seven Days of Building, The Man in the Hat built a shelter
Shelter from the Sun for rest
A Great Wind descended upon the shelter, and Destroyed it

The Man in the Hat rebuilt from the ruins.
Something new, not built before
Skilled Hands of Effort, Perseverance, and Creativity Begot the Man

== Lady Dustmask ==
To glance in her eyes would ignite a spark
And bring forth a flame to conquer the dark
Burn out your false idols, tis no easy task
And so do we turn to Lady Dustmask

The Wind it did howl, the dust it did sting
And Lady Dustmask had the spirit to sing
She stood in her camp, back straight and chest tall
for nothing of hers would break, bend, or fall

A tribute! She sought to make the night bright
Desire expressed, that we might ignite
Destroy all your demons, you might rightly learn
Refreshment of spirit and watch the man burn

=== CoyoteSpider/Trickster ===
I buffoold two-legs skilldidly
At minds time redo laughs, all eyes
You, sly eyes, comprehentionate this
When do the game make move play hand?  Moves it?
Force with rules? Turn eyes backupwards and sly eyes see

All howling chase self to flat dust
Dances wind circles, clouds make, bamfuzzled she
Howls find two legs, now self free
I tricks every-all!

Has trinkets, which time trisksties on self
Moon-time flat dust has fire spot
Two legs has pretties, fun.  Make tricksties, show fun and join
Tricksties builded it, destroyed it, wised the none.
 

Larry Harvey’s Flying Stetson – a true story from the Global Leadership Conference

https://journal.burningman.org/2013/04/global-network/regionals/the-legend-of-larry-harveys-flying-stetson-a-true-story-from-the-global-leadership-conference/

Congratulations, Travis! (Yes, I MADE Him Do It)

Congratulations to 6th quarter Graphic Design student, Travis, who won first place in the Young Designer Competition sponsored by ICMAD.

SUDZ design by Travis Cuellar

More info on the FIDM Digital Arts Blog