The National Poster Retrospecticus is a traveling show of more than 300 hand-printed event posters from more than 100 of the most prominent poster designers in the United States. Celebrate the made-by-hand aesthetic of the poster and join us for a talk from designer Daniel Danger.
Continue reading “Meet the Speakers: JP Boneyard & Daniel Danger”
The worlds of design and fine dining seem to be colliding more and more. Baltimore designer Wesley Stuckey and restaurateur Andy Gruver both have experience in this particular design trend.
Continue reading “Meet the Speakers: Wesley Stuckey & Andy Gruver”
Alyson Beaton has always found inspiration in the world around her, but she discovered her true love for design while training to become an architect. Once she completed her degree, she jumped on a plane to Europe, sketching her way around centuries-old cities that made her feel magical.
The wait is nearly over…Baltimore Design Week 2016 is coming Monday, Oct. 17 through Saturday, Oct. 22. Get ready for a week of awe-inspiring events for designers and design enthusiasts alike.
Event registration is now open! You can RSVP to our Facebook event or sign up for our mailing list for further updates, but make sure you register for the events of your choice at baltimoredesignweek.org. We will have early bird pricing for the next two weeks for members and non-members! Don’t wait — many of these events might sell out quickly!
Don’t forget: members automatically get tickets at a discount! Be an active part of your design community and join us! Receive discounts on Design Week events, our other local design events throughout the year, and many more benefits that will amplify your design career. Join us today! Have questions about membership? Contact us.
Want to volunteer at events during Design Week? We are looking for blog writers, live Tweeters, photographers, and set-up/breakdown help. Contact volunteer@baltimore.aiga.org to learn more.
Want to help plan Design Week 2017? Fill out this form and we’ll be in touch!
BIG THANKS to Orange Element for branding #bmoreDW16!
Remember when summer vacation meant three months of care-free days? Your only worry was packing as much fun as possible into daylight hours and staying cool. Those were the days…
The AIGA Baltimore board members remember, too, and we’re ready to relive those bygone days. We’re taking this July off for some much needed R&R. But don’t worry! Even though we won’t be hosting any events, we’ll still be working behind the scenes, getting ready for a full calendar of events this fall, including our upcoming Design Week, October 18-24.
As always, you can still reach us via our emails and on all our social feeds. After all, we like you too much to disappear completely. Enjoy your vacation and we’ll see you in August!
Each year, we ask our members to vote on the entire slate of Board Members, each of whom volunteers for a minimum two-year term, helping shape the direction of our local chapter and the design community at large. Some of these individuals are brand new to the board, and others are in the middle of their term.
The proposed 2015-2016 slate of board members is below. Please take a moment to review the introductions for each board member. AIGA members will soon receive an email with a link to vote either for or against the entire slate. So be sure to cast your vote, as voting will end on Tuesday, June 23rd, 2015!
Interested in joining our team of volunteers? Check out our available volunteer and board member positions and get in touch with us at info@baltimore.aiga.org.
Vanessa Ulrich, President
Term ends: June 2017
Vanessa Ulrich is a communications strategist currently working in public relations. She has done freelance work in graphic design, brand development and writing, and is passionate about bringing clarity to complex ideas. Vanessa graduated from the University of Maryland with a dual B.S. in Marketing and International Business and from the Savannah College of Art and Design with an M.A. in Design Management.
She grew up both in Montgomery County and Thailand, and is proud to call Baltimore home. Vanessa enjoys downloading fonts she swears she’ll use someday, going on runs around Riverside Park, and networking with all the amazing people who make Baltimore such a fabulously quirky city.
After falling in love with graphic design in grad school, Vanessa sought out AIGA as a way to stay plugged in and give back to the local design community. As incoming President, Vanessa’s goal is to promote the value of design and design professions, and expand AIGA Baltimore’s presence and relationships within the community.
Chad Miller, Membership Chair
Term ends: June 2017
Chad Miller is a Senior Graphic Designer for MedStar Health and his passion is deep for design and illustration. If you were to follow Chad around on a weekend, you may just find him hiking the great outdoors, collecting designer vinyl, reading graphic novels, immersing himself in pop culture (the geekier the better), enjoying an adult beverage here and there, and spending time with his lovely wife and daughter. Oh, and also drinking coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.
As the newly appointed Membership Chair, Chad’s goal is to engage with the chapter’s members, hear their feedback and respond in kind, all in an effort to establish and improve relationships, ensuring a positive membership experience.
Joseph Anthony Carter-Brown, Programming Director
Term ends: December 2016
As a graphic designer and entrepreneur, Programming Director, Joseph Carter-Brown is what you might consider a “jack of all trades.” His breadth of experience (in tech sector consulting and training, apparel design, higher-ed teaching, web design, brand development, publication design and screen printing) has been a key factor in helping numerous small and mid-size companies throughout the DC, Virginia, Maryland and Atlanta areas conceive and execute key branding initiatives. Joe holds a BS in Graphic Design from Full Sail University and has a passion for all things art and design. He enjoys learning as much as he can and takes on new design challenges as often as possible.
As Programming Director, Joe is focused on raising awareness of design and its importance in the larger corporate, social and economic conversation. In his role, Joe works hard to connect designers to broader professional and developmental resources in the Baltimore community.
Jermaine Bell, Programming Chair
Term ends: April 2017
Jermaine Bell is a graphic designer who holds a BFA in Graphic Design from the Maryland Institute College of Art. Through his work at Havas Worldwide, he has gained footing in advertising with clients like Michelob Ultra, Liberty Mutual Insurance and Constellation Energy. Jermaine is also a Contributor for the Arts & Culture Blog Bmore Art.
Jermaine Bell is well-suited to his role as Programming Chair because he enjoys planning events that engage Baltimore designers and community members. His unique voice and his passion for inclusivity fuels him to work towards providing a comfortable space for people to talk about design and issues that can be solved through design thinking. Through programming geared towards embracing diversity, Jermaine will also work to give all designers—regardless of their race, gender, or any other demographic status—a more significant voice in the local and national design community.
Kerry Tasch Korrer, Social Design Chair
Term ends: January 2017
Kerry Korrer is a senior art director for an advertising and marketing agency and a freelance designer in her limited free time. She fuels her passion for branding, communications, interactive design and advertising with adventures in the great outdoors, yoga, craft beer, and funny gifs on the interwebs. Originally hailing from the great state of Wisconsin, she is now proud to call Baltimore home.
As the Social Design Chair, Kerry aims to educate, inspire and encourage involvement in social design initiatives. She comes to the role with a desire to connect design to causes that are important to the community, and to showcase the great work that is already being done throughout Baltimore.
Gary Rozanc, Education Director
Term ends: January 2016
Gary Rozanc is an assistant professor of graphic design at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, where he teaches responsive web design. He received his BA in Graphic Design from Cleveland State University and his MFA in Visual Communications from the University of Arizona. Gary has also presented his research and findings on inquiry and problem-based learning methods at international and national peer-reviewed conferences, including AIGA’s bi-annual National Conference “Head, Heart, Hand” and the “International Conference on Design Principles & Practices.”
As the Education Director, Gary continues AIGA Baltimore’s strong tradition of educational programming, which includes the annual spring student design conference and portfolio review, Ink & Pixels. Gary works to find new opportunities to grow design faculty involvement in the Baltimore design community and increase student engagement.
Vivianna Bermudez, Education Chair
Term ends: March 2017
Vivianna Bermudez is a Graphic Designer for the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. As a strategic communications professional, she enjoys fusing together creative vision, extensive design knowledge and marketing expertise with a passion for higher education. She received a BS in Fashion Merchandising from the University of Delaware, and is currently pursuing an MA in Communications from Johns Hopkins University. From a Blue Hen to a Blue Jay, Vivianna has relished the opportunity to work with talented students, faculty members and researchers, and will continue forging a path towards equality in higher education.
As the newly appointed Education Chair, Vivianna works to promote and expand student and faculty participation in the Baltimore design community. She also helps to provide growth and networking opportunities for design students and professionals.
Kate Lawless, Communications Director
Term ends: April 2017
Kate Lawless is a Communications Designer at the University of Maryland Faculty Physicians, Inc. With her BA in English from West Virginia Wesleyan College and her MA in Publications Design from the University of Baltimore, Kate has strengths in writing, making visual connections with words, and translating those connections into fully developed pieces, from flyers to emails to eLearning courses.
Through her role as Communications Director, Kate is able to help strengthen Baltimore’s creative community and grow the design profession by way of making ties with the people in it, both in person and online. She comes to the position with a passion for design thinking and a love for sharing it with others. By serving on the board, Kate is able to give back to the design community both far and wide and keep in touch with Baltimore’s creative undercurrents.
Meredith Burke, Web Chair
Term ends: January 2016
Meredith Burke, Web Chair, is a freelance designer who lives and works in Baltimore City. Having earned an AA in Publication Design from the Community College of Baltimore County and a BS in Corporate Communications from the University of Baltimore, she has a wide range of skills, including print design and production, web design and front-end development, project management, and writing. She also enjoys tutoring and training others in the use of design applications and coding for the web.
As Web Chair, Meredith’s goal is to help improve and maintain AIGA Baltimore’s web presence. She provides front-end web development, content management support, consultation on technologies and best practices, and connections with Baltimore’s web tech community.
Update: Since the time of first publication, we’ve added two *new* board members. Please welcome Leo and Rob to our team!
Leonard Brady, Board Operations Chair
Term ends: June 2017
Rob Schilke, Outreach Chair
Term ends: June 2017
I am incredibly excited to officially begin my first term as President of AIGA Baltimore this summer, replacing the leadership of our amazing outgoing Co-Presidents, Jennifer Marin and Stacey Fatica.
I’ve worked with Jen and Stacey for two and a half years since I joined the board in February 2013 as Visibility Director. In that role, I connected with other organizations in the Baltimore community to build relationships, collaborate on events and create awareness and understanding for AIGA Baltimore’s goals. I’m so inspired every day by all the people who make Baltimore a creative, innovative, and fabulously quirky city.
As incoming President, my goal is to promote the value of design and design professions while continuing to strengthen the chapter’s programming and community involvement. Under Jennifer and Stacey’s leadership over the past two years, AIGA Baltimore produced more than 60 amazing events to bring education and inspiration to the Baltimore design community. In 2013, Design Week was also recognized officially by the state. I seek to continue to strengthen this legacy.
Assisting me in achieving this goal is a board powered 100% by volunteer AIGA members. Each one has a specific area of focus, and each brings a diversity of thought, talent and passion to the board.
Education
Gary Rozanc, Education Director
Vivianna Bermudez, Education Chair
Gary and Vivianna led a highly successful Ink & Pixels student portfolio review conference this past April. They are currently planning next year’s annual conference, and are working to develop new ways to engage with AIGA Baltimore’s student groups.
Programming
Joseph Anthony Brown, Programming Director
Jermaine Bell, Programming Chair
Kerry Korrer, Social Design Chair
Joe and Jermaine are leading the planning for Design Week 2015, all while working to execute several special events as well as our regular monthly Blend and Converse events. Kerry leads social design programming, and she’s got a few key initiatives she’s gearing up for.
Communications
Kate Lawless, Communications Director
Meredith Burke, Web Chair
Spearheading our outreach online via email and our website are Kate and Meredith. They also manage a committee of dedicated communication volunteers who assist with our blog, social media, and other communications needs.
Membership
Chad Miller, Membership Chair
The newest member of our board, Chad, will cultivate AIGA Baltimore’s relationship with you, our members, encouraging you throughout the year to engage with us, give feedback, and add your voice to our initiatives.
I am honored to lead and work with such an amazing team. But nothing we do would be possible without a strong community of people passionate enough to volunteer their time to this effort—people who volunteer to speak at events, offer up their spaces for us to use, review portfolios and serve on committees. There are so many people who have helped make AIGA Baltimore what it is today. A two-year term is not a long time, and I hope we can continue to carry that torch and serve the evolving needs of our chapter’s membership and the Baltimore design community as a whole.
I look forward to a great two years serving as your new chapter president.
Thank you,
Vanessa Ulrich
Ben Jenkins, founder of OneFastBuffalo, toured the East Coast hitting up six cities in six days to talk to six AIGA chapters about how he evolved his design business and his personal life into a more satisfying and fulfilling one. We laughed, we learned a lot about his concept of work-life balance, and we talked about how designers have a natural inclination to be designtrepreneurs.
Ben Jenkins started his presentation with a disclaimer: “I can be a bit twitchy, and it can be contagious.” And as he continued through his talk, we watched him go into side tangents, witnessing just for ourselves how twitchy he was. We hung onto every word, anyway, as Ben told us a story about how he evolved his design business and his personal life into a more satisfying and fulfilling one.
Growing up in the suburbs of Dallas, Ben Jenkins loved two things: art and baseball. He admitted it’s an odd combination; there aren’t many sports fanatics that are also into art and design. Following his dreams, he got a scholarship to play baseball at Mississippi State University, where he studied graphic design and architecture. After graduation, Ben went on to play for the Phillies in the minor leagues, and out on the road he passed the time working on small design projects for whoever asked him. These projects put him on the path to freelancing after Ben realized that his career as a baseball player was not going to land him in the big leagues. He continued his education at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where he earned an MFA in Art & Technology.
In 1998, OneFastBuffalo (OFB) was born from the idea that conventional wisdom isn’t always useful. Using his competitive nature as a ball player, Ben grew OFB from a two-person operation to a boutique firm. OneFastBuffalo would move from one office space to another as they expanded, and each time Ben would strive to create the dream office that any agency and their employees would love to have, especially one that would impress clients.
Through the growth of OFB, Ben sought validation as a successful graphic designer. He felt strongly that in order to be considered a good designer, he needed a client list full of the big ones. He was collecting his own design trophies, so to speak. Over time, he would spend more energy managing than designing, more time at the office than at his home, and more time making calls for work. Those 10 years of trophy collecting took a toll on Ben. The man who had been good enough to play in the minor leagues had gained substantial weight and it showed (literally) in the photos his wife took of him just wearing gym shorts.
In 2008, Ben realized that it was time for another renovation, and not just one of office space. He turned his work and personal life upside down after realizing that he could work better in a different way. In a period of purging, Ben reduced not only his weight and a large portion of needless possessions, but also the size of OFB as the economy took a downturn.
He even subleased his office space (with the furniture), enabling him to do more with less. Plus this allowed him to spend more time with his wife and three sons. Instead of just heading off to work in the morning and getting home late from the office, he wakes up and has coffee with his wife, takes his sons to school, works in his home office (or wherever he feels like working), and spends time with the boys after school, too.
As Ben simplified the external aspects of his business, his branding process changed, as well. Now, instead of giving clients multiple logo concepts, Ben focuses on just one concept until he gets it right. This allows for more concentration and energy to be put into that one idea, as opposed to spreading the creative energy and time across two or three ideas, he says. And, as an added benefit, the client never picks his least favorite concept. And this process works, too! Since Ben began presenting one concept to clients in 2008, he’s only had to go back to the drawing board a few times.
As his business evolved, Ben also stopped worrying about collecting trophies. He now focuses on creative work to help good people make famous brands, and he’s quickly learned that it’s more enjoyable and more fulfilling to work this way.
While eating some authentic Mexican cuisine with his wife and kids, Ben came up with the idea of a Mobile Creative Lifestyle. Harking back to his days as a baseball player in the minor leagues and being out on the open road, Ben wanted to combine his passion for design and travel. Buying a 1958 Airstream trailer, Ben began to take his family out on “journeys” (not just vacations) and taught himself to “create big work in the smallest of ways,” by working within the confines of wherever he is at the time.
You can now find Ben working on a brand concept in the back of his truck on a lawn chair, parked by a lake, while his wife and three sons enjoy some fly fishing or playing in a nearby playground. This is how “Live Slow, Make Fast” became his new mantra. Ben says that living and doing beautiful things that you enjoy while resting and relaxing will re-energize your work. Working in this way allows him to stay more focused and fill the eight hours (and only eight hours) with a more productive workflow. He uses the 8-8-8 principle to demonstrate this: 8 hours of sleep, 8 hours of play, and 8 hours of work make for a much more healthier work-life balance. There’s time to make and time to live, all in one day.
Ben quickly noticed that this new found freedom of working anywhere at any time made his work better, too. The famous brands that Ben used to chase around now just come to him because they recognize the quality of work he produces and the energy and focus he puts into it.
With his new approach to working, Ben found he had the energy and focus to create brands for himself rather than for a client. He believes that designers are still artists at heart and that their ability to create and produce gives them a natural inclination to start their own personal brands. Armed with a passion for baseball, Ben started Warstic Bat Company, which produces handmade wood bats, baseball gear, and apparel. The company was recently featured in the pages of GQ and was even contacted by Coach to sell a limited run of men’s gear in their stores. Some other brands Ben has created are Treadsmith Board Co. (a snowboard producer), and INDIG (a strategic branding company for Native American owned companies).
The takeaway from Ben’s presentation is that a well-rounded work-life balance can be beneficial to re-energizing a creative professional’s focus and drive. He says you do not have to allow the pressure and distractions affect you as a whole. Spending time away from the computer and spending quality time doing things that make you happy will help you to be a better creative.
On June 1, 2015, Ben will shut OFB down for the summer and not reopen for business until September 1, 2015. He will travel around the country on a journey with his family, enjoying some quality time together while resting and relaxing. When September comes back around, with the energy he will have stored up, he most certainly will come out swinging his bat of creativity. And we can’t wait to see what he does next.
Chad Miller is a Senior Graphic Designer for MedStar Health who enjoys all things design and all things caffeinated.
I began attending Ink & Pixels in my junior year at Towson University. At the time, I was preparing to screen into the design program in order to complete my BFA in Graphic Design. The screening requires a phenomenal portfolio from all candidates to secure a spot, and as I walked into Ink & Pixels I thought I had one. I remember thinking how blown away the reviewers were going to be with my awesome portfolio and design skills. So I sat down across from my first reviewer and introduced myself.
Shockingly, the reviewer was appalled by my lack of professionalism. Despite my best efforts to enhance my appearance that day—I wore a shirt tucked in with a tie to match my personal brand colors—my work and portfolio presentation just didn’t stand up to the test. Looking back, it wasn’t much better put together than a wet rat. But I was stupidly cocky.
After a few questions in, I warmed up to the reviewer and we found our level ground. She complimented my work where it was deserved while detailing every nook and cranny that I needed to change in order to create a quality portfolio. My reviewer took the time to ask me about where I wanted to be professionally after graduating. She asked what designers influenced me and gave me tips to make my goals easier to obtain.
In the weeks to follow, when I was accepted into TU’s BFA program, I decided that my reviewer’s tough love was the best advice I could have gotten. I appreciated the feedback so much that I decided to return to Ink & Pixels the following year, too.
The review sessions from both Ink and Pixels ‘13 and ‘14 allowed me the opportunity to talk with professional designers, some of whom were hiring managers and many of whom I am still in touch with. They told me exactly what I needed to hear and didn’t sugarcoat it. No one held my hand nor did I receive a lollipop at the end. These professionals were there to make a real difference in the way I think and create as a designer, and the advice they gave me extended beyond just presenting my work.
In December 2014, I graduated with my BFA in Graphic Design from Towson University. Before graduation, I put together a fantastic portfolio using everything I had gained from Ink & Pixels. I also used the connections I made with my reviewers to get invited to 10 different interviews. Yes, 10! Those connections got me a full-time job.
So, now it’s my turn to dish out advice: if you’re a student thinking about attending an Ink & Pixels conference in the future, don’t think; DO. It will change your future.
For Ink & Pixels 2015, I knew it was time for me to give back as a portfolio reviewer. I helped several students take a look at their portfolios from a new perspective, guided them on their work and their portfolio presentation, and dished out all the advice and lessons I had learned over the past couple of years.
I reached out to each student I was fortunate to meet, and have even been able to pass on a resumé here and there to hiring managers who may have a fit for the graduating student. It feels fantastic knowing that I am now able to help make a difference in their careers.
A few more words of advice: if you’re a student who has passed through Ink & Pixels and working as a professional, please give back. We can continue to make sure great design is being ushered out on to the world, especially in Baltimore.
Register for Ink & Pixels Portfolio Review!
Liam Clisham, an AIGA member since 2012, owns and operates Five31, completing motion and graphic design for a variety of large and small business, including Exelon/BGE, Keller Williams, and recently Discovery Communications.
As designers, we don’t design in a vacuum. A good designer will need to learn to take the feedback from their peers, clients, and bosses to solve a particular design problem. Critiques will also help you broaden your communication skills as a designer, as there is always the opportunity to articulate why you did what you did or to better explain your idea to the reviewer if they don’t see it as clearly as you do.
A good critique can involve both positive and negative feedback, which can be tricky to navigate. Here are some quick tips on how to give–and receive–good design feedback during a critique.
The Love Sandwich
The best way to approach critiquing someone else’s work is to sandwich the feedback with love. If you think of your critique as the sandwich, the bread would be what you “love” about the work and the middle—the fillings—would be what you didn’t like as much.
First, tell your fellow designer what aspects you like about the piece, whatever they may be. Be descriptive. Instead of just saying “I like it” explain why you like it while using specific examples from the design whenever possible.
Next, move onto the constructive criticism. If you think certain aspects of a design aren’t working, try to explain why or offer suggestions on how they can be improved. Asking the designer questions may help them to see problems in the execution of the design that they may not have seen on their own.
You may also want to limit your use of personal pronouns, like “you,” to make sure your critique is about the design work and not about the designer. We all feel personally about our work, but during a critique it’s best to separate the person from the piece. For example, say you have a critique about a line intersection. You may want to say, “The way this line intersects with that line…” instead of “The way you intersected this line with that line…”. This will help reassure the designer that the criticism is about the work and not about them, as designers.
You don’t have to agree or like the decisions of the designer but their work deserves honest feedback. Put yourself in their shoes. If they are brave enough to share their work and ask for feedback, then they deserve to get that, both the good and the bad.
Finally, don’t forget to repeat or elaborate on what you liked about the piece so that the critique ends on a positive note. This way, the designer knows the piece may need some reworking, but also that there are aspects of the design that work as-is, too.
A Grain of Salt
Hopefully, your fellow designer will follow the Love Sandwich guidelines and give you a great, honest critique. During a critique, It’s important that when you hear the good and the bad feedback to take it with stride. Design isn’t math. There are no right and wrong answers; only subjective opinions that may differ from one designer to another.
That being said, remember that a critique is about your work and making it the best it can be; it shouldn’t be about you. If you disagree with specific feedback, explain your decisions thoughtfully but also listen to what’s being said. Remember, those who are giving critiques generally do so because they want to help you grow as a designer, so try not to get defensive or take their criticisms personally.
And, if you don’t agree with specific comments you receive during a critique, it’s okay to ask for other opinions, too. Baltimore is filled with great designers who are willing to help and who love to give a good critique. There are also online resources like Dribbble or Behance that you can log into and share your work with others around the globe. Anyone, even a non-designer friend or coworker whom you trust to give honest and constructive feedback, can be a good resource. And, a good round of feedback is always better than no feedback at all.
Students and recent graduates! Want to have your work critiqued by Baltimore area design professionals? Register for Ink & Pixels, AIGA Baltimore’s Student Design Conference, before it is too late.
What’s the best or worse feedback you have ever gotten during a critique? What advice would you give to someone taking part in a design critique for the first time?
Related Articles:
The 4 essentials of a design critique
The Art of the Design Critique
Design Criticism and the Creative Process
Photo by Jeremy Drey for AIGA Central PA
Kate Lawless often daydreams about how she can make a full-time job out of what she does for AIGA Baltimore. When her head isn’t in the clouds, you can find her designing communications, digital signs, documentation, and online software demonstrations and interactive elearning for the operations department of a large healthcare company in Baltimore. Tweet her at @katereeez
Shannon Crabill is a New Media Specialist at T. Rowe Price. She has a love for social media, tech, all things do-it-yourself, baking, coffee and the occasional cringe-worthy pun. Outside of the Internet, you can find her dancing, riding her motorcycle and binge-watching home improvement shows on HGTV. Tweet her at @shannon_crabill
