Visual Communication
portfolio class

 

 

resources :: syllabus :: calendar :: binder :: AIGA salary calculator :: tips

"A portf

 

 

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Books about portfolios/personal IDs
Flaunt by UnderConsideration
Building Portfolios
Letterhead and Logo Design
Handbook of Pricing & Ethical Guidelines

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Where to buy...
:- Blurb
:- Pina Zingaro
:- L
ost Luggage (portfolios)
:- Paperhaus (portfolios)

*Coldsnow Creative in KC carries or will order Pina Zingaro. The advantage of ordering from them is that you save shipping cost and if we order as a group you save a bit more money. So if you want a Pina Zingaro or any other portfolio Coldsnow carries. Don't order it until we are ready as a group.

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Examples

on the server are plenty of examples by former KU students (pull the folder for ref)

also check out these on ISSUU
confessions
stream
ampersand

methodologies
playbook
bloom
case study

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SEPTEMBER

36 Hour Blitz: KU and Cerner
Thursday Oct 16 - Saturday Oct 18. ALL majors and years are welcome to participate

Hallmark Symposium
October 23, 2014: Lori Nix

110 Budig 6pm

Hallmark Symposium
October 30, 2014: Bill Carman
110 Budig 6pm

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NOVEMBER

Hallmark Symposium
November 13, 2014:
Ben Ferencz
110 Budig 6pm

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DECEMBER

Hallmark Symposium
December 4, 2014:
Vivian Beer
110 Budig 6pm



 

 

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C A L E N D A R
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MONDAY, AUGUST 25
intro to class, expectations, links, readings, suggested resources, hand in binder.

Files and examples you will need for this class are on the VISCOM server under Herstowski/Portfolio

HOMEWORK
___ Individual Meetings. Meet me once a week one-on-one sign up on Doodle poll that was emailed to you!

___ Binder: work on your binder you will need the content for Jeremy's class and for portfolio.

___ Expand: which project do you want to expand choose one of you projects from Tim's or Patrick's classes and start researching and sketching how you can expand it out. Come to your meeting with me with research, sketches and a plan. Any project from food truck to app to mag to ...

Project expansion due via pdf on Sept 8.

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8
PROJECT DUE!

project expansion..
. present to the class as a pdf.

have your pdf on the server before class starts so we can start and get through everyone. Will be a long class so BE PREPARED. Snacks... :)

HOMEWORK:
look through your process books. bring in 2 - 3 that show how great you are a process.

Project Redo. Due Project Redo due Wed October 1.

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10

MEET AS A FULL CLASS

Designing the Boulevard Experience with Payton Kelly
October 6, 5:45pm - 7:45pm
(do we go?)
Free for students but you must RSVP

Parallax Scrolling (defined)
Examples: Sony, Atlantis, more

Responsive Design (defined and examples)

YOU HAVE 3 WEEKS SO DO SOMETHING GREAT WITH YOUR TIME.
These guidelines may help.
Branding project
Magazine or book to an ipad and/or app
Font
Packaging

In small groups show and discuss progress towards your project redo. Use these 3 hours to work together and individually.

AFTER you have meet in small groups you are required to upload 3 projects to Creative Hotlist. This is going to be worth 20% of your final grade. Make sure I can search with your name on the site and find you. You have until Monday, Sept 15 at 5pm to complete this task. No excuses will be accepted.

Communication Arts is publishing a Student Showcase in our March/April 2015 issue that will feature a select number of student portfolios posted on Creative Hotlist, the career site from Communication Arts. To be considered for inclusion in the Student Showcase, students need to create a profile and post a portfolio on Creative Hotlist before October 1st, 2014. The listing and portfolio are completely free.

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1

PROJECT REDO IS DUE: SNACKS for the long class.

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The rest of the semester will be spent on your business system, portfolio and senior show branding.

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8
What goes on a resume look here!!


HOMEWORK

Design 20 different resumes designs. Print out in color. If you are enjoying the Royals game please upload your pdf to the class dropbox.

To make 20 smart designs... create a word list about yourself 50 – 100 words, 10 definitions, identify 3 – 6 key words that identify/describe you, quotes about design that = your philosophy, your strengths, why are you a designer ...reflect about yourself, how can you express who you are as a design, 5 – 10 design objectives that you want your resume, leave behind/send ahead to say/do, 20 typographic solutions using your name (any font combinations): what reflects you? 3 color palettes (3+ colors), textures, patterns that identify you as a designer and supports your concept.

You are exploring what you name should look like, do you have a monogram or not, a logo or mark or not, typography, color, hierarchy. A resume is a type exercise. It is the thing that shows someone that you understand typography -- and if they should talk to you more. It IS NOT a place for too much personality. You personality comes through other points of contact.

Be prepared to hand in the 20 (printed out) when class starts on Wed Oct 15.

Examples: good and bad are on the server.

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WED. OCTOBER 15

Hand in the resumes
Building out the system. Examples. Thinking about color, patterns, how to express yourself as a brand. don't just stick your name on stuff. How do all the pieces start to tell your brand story. All the pieces together tell your story. Give a glimpse into your personality.

HOMEWORK DUE MONDAY!
Define your concept and build out your brand story (toolbox) 5 full directions/concepts

EACH DIRECTION CONTAINS some samples on behance
_ concept
_ logo/logotype/name lock-up
_ tag-line(s) (not required but if it strengthens the concept)
_ type specs what typefaces and why
_ color palette
_ patterns or textures (not required but if you want them now is the time to develop them)
_ business card (6 different design options) (what goes on a b-card)
_ resume (2 design options) (I beg of you please read what goes on a resume)
_ thank you card
_ last page of your portfolio

Prepare a pdf of the 5 directions into 1 pdf presentation. PLEASE indicate in some way on the pdf which 3 directions you think are the strongest. Upload the pdf (yourname_5_branding.pdf onto the class dropbox)

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MON. OCTOBER 20

What is a portfolio? What is its job? What is the difference between a portfolio and a presentation? Will you have just a website and digital presentation or will you have a website and a printed book? Will you use behance and or square space... what are the pros and cons of different formats? types of portfolios? Read Flaunt by UnderConsideration and look at these links confessions | stream | ampersand | methodologies | playbook | bloom | case study

Present 5 personal brand directions/concepts to the class. I will break you up into 2 groups.

HOMEWORK DUE ON WEDNESDAY!
Refine your concept and build out your brand story (toolbox) 3 full directions.
Each direction should contain these pages
_ concept
_ logo/logotype/name lock-up(s)
_ tag-line(s) (not required but if it strengthens the concept)
_ type specs what typefaces and why
_ color palette
_ patterns (not required but if you want them now is the time to develop them)
_ business card (3 refined design options)
_ resume (1 refined design options)
_ thank you card
_ last page of your portfolio

Prepare a pdf of the 3 directions into 1 pdf presentation. Upload the pdf (yourname_3_branding.pdf onto the class dropbox)

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WED. OCTOBER 22

preparing your online experience
behance vrs behance pro vrs square space vs cargo collective
printed portfolio pros and cons of post bound, hand made, individual booklets
ipad presentation pros and cons

Alumni visits (postponed due to Monday due to World Series)

square space examples
clairepedersen.com
alexandersoncreative.com
sally-carmichael.com
druegdavis.com

behance pro
alyssabastiendesign.com

cargo collective
emilymullett.com

Luke Lisi

HOMEWORK
Make a shoot list: what needs to be re-photographed? how will you shoot it on white paper? color paper, on natural surfaces, in context? with studio lights? in natural lighting? FIND examples of how you would like your work to be shot. what needs to be digitally mocked up? how does how you show the project tell a visual narrative of the project? concepts? audience profiles? how can you show process?

*when you are looking at professional portfolios and you like how something is shot or presented grab it and save it as an example to remind you how to shoot/ present your own work.

Titles and Project Descriptions/blurbs: Titles and blurbs are very important that they are descriptive, clear, well written and consistent. How do you title your projects. Make them consistent.

Edit/rewrite your project descriptions so they are in the same voice. Are descriptive but not obvious. ie this is a letterhead! .
no "This project", no "We or I was asked to"... use the active voice.

Update 2 projects on your Behance website. How can you present the project better? Make sure everything is sharp, clear and legible. If it isn't you have to redo it or take it off your website.

IF you are planning on using behance pro, square space or cargo explore different temples and upload a project (or 2) so you can see how it will look.

Bring a print out and UPLOAD a word doc or your tiles and project descriptions to the class dropbox. These descriptions will be used both online and in print.

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MON. OCTOBER 27

crit project descriptions
portfolio examples successful portfolios

Alumni will be here to show you their portfolios AND give you some tips for success!

HOMEWORK DUE MONDAY GIVNG YOU A WEEK TO GET THIS DONE!
R
ead: Chapter 02: How do I get a Job

Portfolio/Promo book Round 1
Explore formats and sizes (11 x 17 is TOO big do not make it that large)

Take 2 of your projects that you know you want to include in your portfolio. Explore how to present it visually. Try at least 2-3 different formats (sizes) try landscape, try portrait.

How does your concept follow your brand system/concept. *You can use placeholder photographs (someone else's photos/projects) to show how this project would be presented. Explore 3 different design directions (ways to layout the projects) Explore composition, typography, scale, tension...

This is the time to test what size you want your portfolio to be. AND explore how the projects are presented. Does it have a verbal and visual narrative or just a visual narrative. Minimum blurbs are recommended.

* Are you going to purchase a portfolio 11 x 14 tall, 11 x 14 portrait? what type? are you going to bind it yourself what size? Paper? are you going to print a book or a series of booklets off lulu, blurb, jayhawk ink? or are you going completely digital. What are the pros and cons for you?

* Start re-shooting your work

Print out full size in color. AND upload a pdf to the dropbox by MONDAY NOV 3 we are still meeting on Wed Oct 29 to go over Coverletters and you can show me what you have done for your portfolio -- status check.

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WED. OCTOBER 29


HOMEWORK DUE MONDAY (THIS WILL TAKE TIME : DON'T WAIT_
PLEASE READ THE INFORMATION ON THESE PAGES
| Content and Tips | What makes a Great Cover Letter | Top 10 Cover letter Tips | Top 10 Mistakes | Peer Examples |

1. Coverletters: Write a coverletter to 3 different firms you want to apply to. You need to find out who to address the letter/email to. no info@! and you need to research the company. Each cover letter should be personalized (content) to the firm. It is not a cut and paste exercise. Upload your 3 cover letters to my dropbox for this class.

2. Update 2 more projects on your behance website. How can you present the project better? Make sure everything is sharp, clear and legible. If it isn't you have to redo it or take it off your website.

Thanks for appreciating this on behance Josh W, an excellent example (minus the typo)!

Tips on how to make a project image bleed in Behance.
Nice pacing and includes a lot of spreads.
Nice use of animated gifs

IF you are planning on using behance pro, square space or cargo explore make sure you know which template / design you want to use and start building it out.

3. Printed Portfolio: Print out the 3 different design directions (using 2 projects in the directions) of your portfolio full-size in color. You need to see it printed to be able to make an informed decision on which direction works best for you. Pring AND upload a pdf to the dropbox by MONDAY NOV 3. New templates are on the drop box, folder: Templates

4. Blurbs: I have given comments on the blurbs you handed in they are digital on the class dropbox. Many of you need to re-write your blurbs. Less narrative. Less personal. Less description of what the things is physically. Try very hard not to use the words "this" "their" "I" "my"...

Blurb examples:
Porter is a mobile application that helps travelers document, navigate, and share their experiences with friends and family while they are abroad. Integration of location, journaling, data-free maps, reviews, and helpful hints allows users to document their daily travel experiences without the stress of documenting everything by hand.

You Can be an Expert Rifleman is a beginner's guide to the sport of riflery, complete with images, diagrams, and step-by-step instructions on how to improve your marksmanship and accuracy. Text taken from the book by Frank Briggs and re-designed to better connect with its target audience.

Meridian is beauty with deviance. Offbeat, obscure and intriguing, it appeals to women who embrace their oddities and affirm to express them. Meridian aims to dissect the clichéd notions of beauty in order to discover the lovely peculiarities that lie within each of us.

The lemon has to be the most versatile fruit known to man--in addition to being cheap, eco-friendly and multi-talented, it is of course deliciously flavored and aromatic. This essential guide to the power of lemons shows you how to clean, polish, deodorize, deter pests, garden, protect pets, take care of your skin and improve hair, improve your health. By using hand lettering and fun illustrations, it makes this book an invaluable guide for the home.

EVOKE magazine aims to showcase innovative art and design that has been influenced by our natural environment that encourage a shift in human behavior. The content goes beyond promoting awareness about the environmental issues and instead focuses on the progressive ways people are interacting and incorporating nature into peoples’ lives. This project was a collaboration with three other visual communication students and these pages are the spreads I personally designed.

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MON. November 3
Coverletters on dropbox, portfolio design directions printed out and on dropbox for feedback.

HOMEWORK

Behance website updated with only the work you want professionals to see, revised blurbs, new photographs and mock-ups.

Portfolio/Promo book Round 2
Refine how 3 projects will be presented in your printed portfolio / onscreen presentation

Do not have place holder images any longer for those 3 projects. Real images and mock-ups. This should be a portfolio of 3 projects ready to present to professionals. Upload a pdf to my drop box. New templates are on the drop box, folder: Templates

Put a pdf on of yourname_round2.pdf on the dropbox by Monday Nov 10.

* Start re-shooting your work

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WED. November 5
Working in class in the 313 lab.

HOMEWORK
Put a pdf on of yourname_round2.pdf on the dropbox by Monday Nov 10. See above expectations.

NOTE:
From Monday Nov 10 - 24 you need to continue to work on your portfolio while you are working on the Senior Show Branding. You should catch up on refining projects, your brand and building out your potfolio. By Nov 10 have 3 projects in the portfolio.
get it done,
-- use place holder images,
-- use images you have taken

NO MATTER WHAT just get all the projects into your portfolio so you know exactly what things need to be refined. If you get all your projects in then we can talk about portfolio pacing, what parts of projects need to be refined, what parts are missing, what needs to be added. Do not wait to get your portfolio started. Work on it from Nov 10 - Dec 1! Looking ahead: By Monday December 1st you need a all your projects in your printed/presentation portfolio.

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MON. November 10

We are not meeting as a class on Monday Nov 10. You must be able to attend the senior show meeting on Tuesday Nov 11 at 5:30 if you are in hand lettering please remind Amber that you won't be in class until 7pm.

From Monday Nov 10 - 24 you need to continue to work on your portfolio. You should by now have 3 projects that are in the portfolio. Looking ahead: By Monday December 1st you need a all your projects in your portfolio, get it done, use place holder images, use images you have, get the projects into your portfolio so you know exactly what things need to be refined. If you get all your projects in then we can talk about portfolio pacing, what parts of projects need to be refined, what parts are missing, what needs to be added.

put a pdf of your entire portfolio on the server on Dec 1.

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Senior Show:
Tuesday, November 11 meet in 203A
5:30pm

Senior Show, Initial Meeting, Concept Ideas continue working on initial ideas, concepts and rational as homework for tomorrow's meeting, be prepared to present to the class.

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WED. November 12

Present 1st ideas, concepts, atonal to the class. Regroup

HOMEWORK
Senior Show Branding: refine idea, concept, rational. Make a mood-board what does it look like/ feel like/tone/mood... Start designing initial ideas of the logo, invitation, social media

Content (reorder how you like, establish a clear hierarchy)

You are invited or Join Us (or something to that effect)
NAME OF THE SHOW
KU (or The University of Kansas)
Visual Communication + Illustration & Animation
Senior Show (optional)
May 8, 2015
5:30 – 9:00 (5:30 - 7:00 professionals only)
The Guild (not set but use it as a place holder)
1621 Locust Street, Kansas City, MO 64108
ku-seniorshow.com

Website keep in mind that there are over 50 of you that need to be represented on the website.

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MON. November 17

Present refined to the class: ideas, concepts, rational, mood-board. What does it look like? Present initial design ideas (we have to see what this is going to look like): logo, invitation, motion, social media..

After presentations working in class on refinements

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Senior Show:
THURS. November 20: meet in 313
6:30pm

Present Senor Show ideas to Alumni for feedback. Full presentation: concept, why, who, what and design direction for the invitation, website, motion (teaser, invitation) social media (twitter, instagram, facebook).

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Senior Show:
MON. November 24: meet in 313
6:00pm

Present Senior Show concepts to peers and faculty. Faculty will decide which concept is strongest. Upload the final presentation pdf to dropbox.

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THANKSGIVING

By Monday December 1 you need a all your projects in your portfolio, get it done, use place holder images, use images you have, get the projects into your portfolio so you know exactly what things need to be refined. If you get all your projects in then we can talk about portfolio pacing, what parts of projects need to be refined, what parts are missing, what needs to be added.

Complete portfolio (draft) put a pdf of your entire portfolio on the server on Dec 1.

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MON. December 1

Full draft of your entire portfolio due onto dropbox by start of class.
Working in class

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WED. December 3

Working in class
Contacting professionals. Cleaning up social media.
Refine online portfolio, print portfolio and brand system.
Anytime you want me to look at something put it on dropbox and let me know.

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MON. December 8

Working in class
Refine online portfolio, print portfolio and brand system
Anytime you want me to look at something put it on dropbox and let me know.

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WED. December 10

Prepping for Interviews...
Feedback on what is due.

Examples of Sample Sheets. They are the sheets you ATTACH to your resume and business card at the senior show. You will only use the sample sheet at the senior show. It is a visual way for designers to remember you the next day. Only put your strongest work on the sheet.

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FINAL Dec 17
6:00pm

Handed in printed out...

– resume
sheet with projects on it (3 - 5) for senior show (you need to do this)
– business card
– cover letters
– thank you note
– laser print out of your printed portfolio or presentation. You do not have to print it on nice paper just on the LASER in color. I will give you feedback.

All of the following should be on the server make a folder called YourName put all of the following in it and make sure you get it into the Portfolio Folder on the server. I will not hunt around for it.

_ project expansion.pdf or link to website
_ project redo.pef or link to website
– final resume.pdf
– samplesheet. pdf (sheet with projects on it (3 - 5) for senior show)
– bcard.pdf
– coverletters.pdf
– thankyou.pdf
– portfolio.pdf


website link
– link to your online presence

You need to give me a link to your Behance PRO or Square Space site or Cargo or ... Behance regular is not enough for getting a job. It is enough after you get a job. If you are using something that is not yet public you need to figure out a way for me to see it. There is a way. (This should not have been a surprise -- you were supposed to start this way back on Oct 22.)

 


 

 

 


 

 

     
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