2022 Flux Student Design Competition Winners

Posted on by Krystal Carpintieri

Judging for AIGA Baltimore’s annual Flux Student Design Competition has been completed. Flux is a nationwide competition that recognizes outstanding design work produced by students in the categories of Identity, Packaging, Poster, Publication, Social Impact Design, UX/UI, and Video/Motion Graphics. This year, 205 projects were selected by a jury of creative professionals including Jenny Hoffman, Alberto Rigau, and Liese Zahabi. 631 entries were submitted making the 2022 Flux Student Design Competition one of our largest and most competitive yet.

The Flux22 awards reception and 15th-anniversary celebration were held at Price Modern on Friday, February 3rd. Thank you to our sponsors: Mindgrub, Alpha Graphics, & Price Modern. We honored recipients for the following categories; identity, packaging, poster, publication, social impact design, UX/UI, and video/motion graphics. Thank you to the AIGA Baltimore board and volunteers for putting on a fantastic reception!

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2022 Winners

 

 
 
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5 DMV Experts Weigh In: How to Start Your Creative Career

Posted on by Krystal Carpintieri

On Saturday April 23rd, 2022, AIGA Baltimore held a virtual panel discussion for Ink & Pixels, “From Portfolio to Offer: The Art of Getting Hired”. The discussion featured a fantastic group of established professionals while talking about how to rethink and refine your approach to getting hired in the creative industry. There was lots of insight on the dos and don’ts of resumes, portfolios, and interviews as well as the other things to keep in mind that Google doesn’t tell you.

The panel included Nate Brubaker, Owner & Executive Producer at Rock Shore Media;  Jordan Watts, Director of Design at Fearless; Amy Quarles, Creative Director at Visit Baltimore; and Hilliary Turnipseed, Director of Recruitment & DEI at Subject Matter and Founder of Hill Street Strategies, and was moderated by Nhu Nguyen, Vice President at AIGA Baltimore and AVP, Creative Director at Fenton.

Career Values

What do you value? If you don’t know, start thinking about it. What do you value in your career? Some of our panelists noted that experience, respect, and a mission you can stand behind, is very important when looking for a career. Don’t forget to think about values in your personal life—especially a good work life balance. Workplace culture shouldn’t be stagnant. Just like the field of design is always changing, your workplace should be full of people who are also willing to change.

HR Advice

When applying for a job, be prepared and know where you are applying. We suggest having a document of when and where you applied and know about all of them. If you aren’t excited for the job application or if it doesn’t interest you, don’t apply! The interviewer will know if you don’t care or aren’t familiar with the company. Don’t hit apply if you wouldn’t be excited to get a call back.

When you graduate from college, you might not have the career experience you are looking for, but you should have some job experience. 

Think about it:

  • Have you had a job anywhere? Starbucks or anything at all?
  • Have you done any passion projects? These make you stand out from the crowd. 
  • Have you completed an internship?
  • Have you had a career shift? HR calls these nontraditional backgrounds with transferable skills. Talk about what underlying skills you have that will make you effective in this new role. 

Make sure you are being seen, heard, and valued. If an offer comes in and it seems insulting—it is insulting. Negotiate and believe in your worth.

What happens if you miss the job application deadline? If the job is still posted online (such as Indeed or LinkedIn), just apply and go for it. Be sure to look for contact information and email the person hiring to let them know you have applied to the job. 

Embrace the Change: Seize the Opportunities. 

Hillary embraced that you don’t have to explain your career gap in a global pandemic! If the employer asks about your gap, that may be a potential red flag. If you do want to explain—it’s ok to be your authentic self. Nhu noted, “feel free to be authentic. If you need to take time off for family, or for yourself, you can say this.”

Sometimes it’s okay to fake it until you make it. If you are learning something new like photography, just keep welcoming new opportunities (school project, client project, etc.). This is how you can bring your ideas to the table.

Networking

There are lots of ways to network and create connections—make connections in real life at events or online via LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.! Always be in conversation, always be there to support people. Create GENUINE connections. There might not be an immediate benefit, but it can come back around. Connect with them because you share a commonality.

Cover Letters & Resumes

When you are creating your cover letter, make it personal so you can stand out. Make sure to show yourself in your cover letter with your passions, personality, and values. Go deeper into what you have learned and how it applies to the specific company. Go through each of your resume bullet points and see how it can apply to the job. Don’t forget  to address the cover letter correctly, including the right person and the correct company. 

Each of these pieces (cover letter, resume, portfolio) are just one piece of the puzzle. Some employers will look holistically at the candidate, look at the outcomes, and look beyond their title. As Jordan explained, “The cover letter is a great place to explain your “why” and have a personal letter to your hiring manager.” 

When designing your resume, don’t overthink it or overdesign it—assigning a percentage to a certain skill or software is often not recommended (for example, 56% in Adobe Photoshop is confusing). Instead, keep it simple and add your skills/software in bullet points. We also recommend having a PDF copy as well as a simple Microsoft Word copy—sometimes the PDF won’t work on certain applications when you have to apply online. Make sure your resume can be printed, no tie dye backgrounds or lots of color in the background, keep it simple!

Portfolios

A few things to consider when deciding your portfolio platform: What is the cost? How easy will it be to update over time? For you, this might be a PowerPoint presentation, or it might be a website. 

There are lots of ways to present your work (printed portfolio, website, Behance, slide deck/PDF) but you want to showcase your work in a simple and organized way. Make sure you present in a way that is efficient, effective, and clean. When presenting, have something that is ready to go and doesn’t require WiFi. If you’re an animator, don’t have a print portfolio. If you are creating a portfolio with Google Slides/Keynote/PowerPoint, make sure to save and send as a PDF for a more professional look.

If your portfolio is on a website, make sure it’s mobile friendly (you never know what device the employer is using!). The moment a recruiter or hiring manager is faced with a difficulty (such as a website not loading or doesn’t have the PowerPoint software to open your .ppt presentation), they will more than likely move on to the next candidate. 

If it’s a team project, make sure to specify what you were responsible for. Keep in mind that most people assessing your projects are likely not to spend more than 5 minutes looking at a specific project—be sure to be prepared to talk about each project. 

You can find more information about the number of projects, and what to include (don’t forget process and sketches!), in this blog: Best Practices for Creating a Design Portfolio & Preparing for Interviews in 2022.

Interview Tips

When you are being interviewed, it’s not just the employer interviewing you—you’re also interviewing them. You want to make sure that they are a good fit for you. Always ask questions—especially questions about the company’s culture. Don’t forget to do some research on the company! Always be prepared.

What happens if you need special accommodations for your interview? For example, if you are deaf, you might prefer to meet in-person or on a video call. You can ask for accommodations in the comment section of the application or when they email you back. If you can’t find an email or if there is no place to add comments, try looking the company up on LinkedIn and see if you can message anyone. Again, it is totally reasonable to ask for the accommodations you need in order to have a productive interview—whether that is a permanent or temporary condition.

Our panelists shared their top advice for job applicants:

  • Be genuine and authentic: Don’t be afraid to show your personality. Employers want to make sure you will be a good cultural fit. 
  • Know about the company: Show that you’ve done your research on the company you’re interviewing for and show a genuine interest in what their goals are and how you can contribute to their success.
  • Your portfolio isn’t everything: Don’t just “let the work speak for itself.” Your portfolio is only half the battle. Make sure you are articulating your skills outside of your portfolio as well. How well do you work in a team? What leadership skills do you have? Are you good at managing multiple project deadlines?

5 Key Takeaways from Our Panelists

Nate Brubaker
Seize opportunities! When hiring, we’re not just looking for a degree. Looking for the person who took advantage of all the opportunities available. 

Jordan Watts
Look for whether a company is willing to change and embraces change. Recognize imposter syndrome. From his colleague Kelsey Johnston—“if you think you’re 80% qualified, you are 100% qualified.” That remaining 20% is the room for growth, and learning on-the-job is expected.

Amy Quarles
For your portfolio: Think about what you learned from each job/project. Even if the design output wasn’t completely newsworthy, your hiring manager will be looking at it in the context.

Hillary Turnipseed
Only apply for as many jobs/interviews as you can show up for 100%. The interviewer will know if you don’t care or aren’t familiar with the company. Don’t hit apply if you wouldn’t be excited to get a call back. Rejection is Redirection.

Nhu Nguyen
Fight through the fear. Don’t let imposter’s syndrome hold you back. The best opportunities come from taking risks!

 

Meet the Panelists 

Nate Brubaker

Owner & Executive Producer @ Rock Shore Media
Nate developed a passion for entrepreneurship and the creative industry at a young age. According to Nate, the most rewarding part of creating Rock Shore so far has been the ability to grow his team and see them prosper.

Jordan Watts

Director of Design @ Fearless
Jordan has spent his career working to rebuild trust in government and public institutions. As the Director of Design at Fearless he leads a multidisciplinary design practice to help people deliver and get better government services.

Amy Quarles

Creative Director @ Visit Baltimore
Amy began her career as an in-house graphic designer at a labor union in Washington, D.C., and moved to the leisure and tourism marketing space in 2007 where she has been ever since. She works with one full-time, in-house graphic designer and marketing managers in a small group of freelance creatives—photographers, illustrators, stylists, and videographers.

Hilliary Turnipseed

Director of Recruitment & DEI @ Subject Matter
Founder @ Hill Street Strategies
Hilliary is a DMV area-based talent acquisition executive, with a rich background in early-stage technology startups, media and social impact organizations. She seamlessly integrates diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies into her work, with an emphasis on advocating for underrepresented/underestimated candidates and creating two-way interviewing experiences.

About the Moderator:

Nhu Nguyen

Vice President @ AIGA Baltimore
AVP, Creative Director @ Fenton
Nhu brings over 12 years of comprehensive experience within the multimedia, interactive, and traditional design space and creative industry to develop effective and impactful campaigns. She leads the creative team at Fenton, integrating strategy, effective design, and compelling storytelling to create memorable solutions that help grow brands and leave lasting impressions. Nhu has worked in a variety of different industries and is passionate about amplifying voices that are underrepresented.

Thank you to Kristin Kosmides, Nhu Nguyen, and Frances Miller for your help on this blog.

Meet the Designers Behind the Ink & Pixels Branding 2022

Posted on by Krystal Carpintieri

Ink & Pixels is coming up at the end of April! Save the dates for the virtual panel, “From Portfolio to Offer: The Art of Getting Hired” on April 23rd and the in-person portfolio reviews on April 30th. This year, the branding for Ink & Pixels was designed by Jamie Wheeler of Jelly Creative Co. (@jellycreativeco) and Jess Langley of White Coffee Creative (@whitecoffeecreativeco).

Can you tell us about yourself? What’s your story?

Jamie — My go-to line is, “I’ve been getting paid to design for almost 15 years.” It started with a high school internship, a design degree from York College of PA, various design jobs, a few years teaching, and now I own Jelly Creative Co. A branding and design studio for the creatively ambitious. I also like lava lamps, Nutella, my dog Nova, reading fiction, and playing board games with my husband. When I’m working towards a deadline you’ll find 90’s hits or EDM blasting on my Spotify.

Jess — My story has been full of lessons and ups and downs. In college, I landed my first design-related job as a Store Artist at Whole Foods. I learned lettering, how to work with others, and built up my confidence. That led to my first internship turned design job after graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design from Towson University. After being laid off from there in June 2017, I decided I was done with the typical 9-5 culture and went out on my own. I started White Coffee Creative and haven’t looked back since! My services, style, branding, and who I like to work with have changed drastically since then but I’m so grateful for the journey. I started coaching creatives in 2020 and now am learning to balance the two businesses with ease. When I’m not working, you can find me sipping coffee (obviously, with extra cream and sugar), bingeing Netflix shows, hiking with my 2 pups and partner, or dreaming about having a cabin in the woods.

How did you meet and start working together?

Jess had been running her business for two years when I DM’d her on Instagram asking if we could meet for coffee and talk shop. We met up at Spoons for breakfast and just clicked! She was my first local design/business owner friend and a huge supporter as I went full-time with my company in 2019. Community is really important to us both so when I brought the idea of a group for local designers to Jess she was on board to help start the Facebook group, Baltimore Graphic Designers, which now has 300 members! We have worked on local branding projects together, drank lots of local coffee, sent countless voice messages, and continue to cheer each other on. After Ink & Pixels, we’re excited to see what design mischief we can get into next!

How did you approach this branding project and what was your design process?

We were inspired by the juxtaposition of ink (organic) and pixels (geometric). We started with basic shapes within the AIGA color palette, then using only these shapes we started creating icons that can be used in various ways. The final touch is the wavy lines that intersect with the shapes and icons to create movement and bring everything together.

Having a stark black background allows the colorful elements to be brought to life and grab your attention while scrolling on Instagram or walking by on campus.

The fonts are designed by our friend Alex of The Routine Creative, a Texas-based designer. The jackknife font just felt too perfect not to highlight!

Can you describe your inspiration and any challenges you came across them while designing the branding?

If we had been working solo, there may have been more challenges, but we were able to pass the files back and forth when one of us was feeling stuck creatively. We have worked on branding projects together so we hopped right back into a nice groove. When we say it was a fun project, we really mean it!

What’s your favorite part about designing branding?

Jamie — Like any large design project there are the peaks and valleys, I think the moments right after the valleys are my favorite. I think all designers have the thoughts of “this is never going to work, what am I doing” but it’s the “oh yeah, this is it!” that I’m always chasing.

Jess — I love pulling visual inspiration and using strategy and color psychology to tie in meaning. It’s always a fun challenge to create branding that visually captures the essence of a business while maintaining simplicity. So that beginning exciting energy and the finale of when it’s all done and ready to show the world are my favorite parts.

Was there an aha moment when you knew you wanted to be a designer?

Jamie — Why yes, yes there was. It was when I photoshopped Ashton Kutcher into my homecoming photo and posted it to my Myspace. Technically, that’s when I opened the world to design, but the moment I learned it was an actual career and a college major I knew that was the path I was taking.

Jess — Yes! In college, I dabbled in a few different majors—journalism, photography, general fine arts, and design. I vividly remember one of my college professors (shoutout to Carolyn Norton!) in an Intro to Design class telling me I was already a designer. Getting that recognition and encouragement made me feel ready to step into this direction as a designer full-heartedly, and I got accepted into the GD program at Towson that following semester!

In the long term, what do you hope to eventually accomplish as a designer? What is your biggest goal/dream as a creative?

Jamie — This question is making me realize how much I have accomplished as a designer already, which is really cool. My dream client at the moment would be to work with a performing arts company. Lately, I’ve been searching for ways to bring all my talents and interests together while also helping other designers and keepin’ it real. A huge dream of mine was to host a retreat for designers, which is happening this spring, so I’m too sure what’s next!

Jess — I’m really enjoying running my own studio. I love being a multi-faceted creative offering design, murals, AND coaching. I hope to continue to navigate balancing a variety of tasks, projects, and clients while continuing to reinvent myself and where I want to go next. My big dreamy goal right now is to speak on stage at a creative conference one day about intentionally finding that balance as a business owner while having the freedom to explore a variety of creative outlets.

Thank you to Jamie and Jess for sharing their stories! We cannot thank you both enough for creating the branding for this year’s Ink & Pixels. Make sure to follow them on their various social channels!

White Coffee Creative
Designer + Muralist
whitecoffeecreative.com | @whitecoffeecreativeco

The Colorful Jess
Mindset + Pricing Coach
thecolorfuljess.com | @thecolorfuljess

Jamie Wheeler
Owner + Creative Director
jellycreativeco.com | Instagram | Facebook

Recap and Recordings | AIGA Baltimore Design Month 2021

Posted on by Krystal Carpintieri

This past October, AIGA Baltimore had a month-long celebration of design and designers in Baltimore and beyond! The theme for this year’s design month was Inside Out. We want to say a big thank you to everyone for attending events throughout the month and thank our branding sponsor, BCG Agency.

About the theme: Inside Out

It’s no secret that the pandemic has taken a toll on every single one of us. Many of us have experienced grief, loneliness, and isolation as well as freedom, triumph, and new beginnings.

As the world slowly evolves and “returns” to a new state of operation, we all find ourselves coping in different ways. A lot of us have grown accustomed to our routines at home while others are eager to go back out into the world again.

Whether you are in your healing journey, it feels like things are literally, and figuratively, turning inside out. That’s why we chose to use this as our theme.

We as a creative community acknowledge and understand you. We’ve seen how you’ve turned to art and creativity to express your feelings during a time of sudden change, and while the world continues to change again, we are here to celebrate your creativity, wherever you may be. Inside or outside. We are in this together.

Event Highlights

Through a series of online and in-person presentations, workshops, and social events, we aimed to inspire, strengthen, and showcase the Baltimore creative community. We held our mural hunt week, studio tours with Alpha Graphics, Duckpin, Fearless, & Indigo Ink, happy hour at Union Craft Brewery, the Baltober art challenge with MWCA, an artist panel with Lori Rubeling, and our first big event of the year, Spooky BBQ & Paint Night: Celebrating Creativity.

Paper, Pints, & Pizza at Union Craft Brewing

Check out the video below by our social media volunteer Caroyln Sangi for a recap of this amazing event! Special thanks to Jill Boorse and Rolland Papers for treating our guests, and Well Crafted Kitchen and Union Craft Brewing for supporting the event as a part of their Community Day program. The tasty and creative treats were made by Baker’s Best.

 

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AIGA x MWCA Baltober

The drawing prompts for this year included festivals, sports, neighborhoods, attractions, parks, music, transportation, and food. Thank you to all of those that participated! Here are some of the illustrations that were submitted! Featuring some illustrations and drawings from Beth Harper.

Likely Stories: Chaos and Cosmos Recording

Lori Rubeling’s “Likely Stories: chaos and cosmos” Stevenson University exhibition provides an example for how we might tell 9/11, COVID-19, and Climate Change “origin” stories.

This webinar was a panelist conversation. UX designer Ebony Kenney, artist and community activist Rikiesha Metzger, and artist, designer, and SoDA planning committee member Richard Stanley joined Lori Rubeling in discussing the themes presented in the “Likely Stories: chaos and cosmos” exhibition.

Studio Tours

This year, we brought back our popular Studio Tour event in a virtual format. Special thanks to our guests: Kim Loper, Senior Designer at Alpha Graphics (who also served as the event planner and made this series possible); Jordan Watts, Director of Design at Fearless; Chad Birenbaum, Creative Director & Managing Partner at Duckpin; and Matt and Liz Richardson, Owners of Indigo Ink Digital Printing.

Watch the recordings:
Fearless Studio Tour and Q&A with Jordan Watts
Duckpin Studio Tour and Q&A with Chad Birenbaum
Indigo Ink Digital Printing Shop Tour

 

Spooky BBQ & Paint Night: Celebrating Creativity

Thank you to all of the attendees that came out to one of the first in-person events in the past few years! Everyone had a great time painting ceramics, taking pics in the photobooth, eating BBQ, and socializing with the community. Check out our Facebook page to see the photos from the evening taken by photography volunteer Christian Escano.

Frances Miller, Krystal Cotriss, and Nhu Nguyen created this collaborative spooky playlist on Spotify, give it a listen!

Also big thank you to our event partners: Indigo Ink Digital Printing, Phim Her, Blue Pit BBQ & Restaurant, Brand Nhu Creative, and Baker’s Best Desserts!

Big thanks to BCG for designing this year’s Design Month branding!

14+ Events to Attend Around the World!

Posted on by AIGA Baltimore

9/15-10/15

Hispanic Heritage Talks

AIGA Unidos was created for Everyone!
We highlight Hispanic and Latinx creatives, so we can share their stories and work with the world—that’s you! Our first ever event is a series of talks called Hispanic Heritage Talks, which will take place during Hispanic Heritage Month. It is a series of virtual talks featuring Latinx and Hispanic creatives from different backgrounds and disciplines. ¡Acompañanos!

Join the AIGA Unidos familia, and hear from all the amazing creatives our heritage has to offer. From us to you, with love and a little sazón… who are we kidding? A lot of sazón! We are Unidos for Everyone!

Hosted by: AIGA Unidos
→ Register Here
FREE

10/1-31

Doors Open Baltimore

Doors Open Baltimore is going virtual-only in 2020 with a month’s worth of programming throughout October. Organized by the Baltimore Architecture Foundation (BAF), Doors Open Baltimore is the free citywide festival of architecture and neighborhoods that invites thousands of people to explore the city and make meaningful connections to the built environment. Replacing a weekend of open houses and in-person tours will be a month’s worth of virtual programs. Every week of October will include a new theme and new ways to virtually engage with Baltimore’s architecture and neighborhoods. 

Hosted by: Doors Open Baltimore
→ Register Here
FREE 

10/2-10/9

Phoenix Design Week – PHXDW

Phoenix Design Week (PHXDW) is a week-long celebration of design organized by AIGA Arizona to unite our state’s creative community and provide a forum for sharing best practices, showcasing exceptional work, and gaining inspiration.

Hosted by: AIGA Phoenix
→ Register Here
$25-$49 Tickets

10/5-10/10

St. Louis Design Week

St. Louis Design Week is a seven-day celebration of our local design community, featuring a variety of panel discussions, workshops, presentations, open houses, and other community growth-oriented events. Our mission is to grow design and breakdown design silos through making St. Louis design week all-inclusive, to all designers.

Hosted by: AIGA St. Louis
→ Register Here
FREE

10/5-10/9

Salt Lake Design Week – Dimensional Design

What is “Dimensional Design?” It is the idea that we, as designers and creatives, have to be multifaceted in our disciplines. Becoming a dimensional designer includes exposing oneself to creatives of other disciplines and perspectives to be able to see the broader context of their own work. Experience dimensional design in action during this year’s SLDW.

Salt Lake Design Week celebrates and promotes the impact of all design in Utah. By providing a forum for designers, business professionals, students, and the general public to interact, collaborate, and learn from each other, we build a stronger creative community. We are inclusive of all people and disciplines including; graphic, digital, product, fashion, photography, architecture, interior, and more. From October 5-10, 2020 we will host the first-ever virtual SLDW to celebrate Utah creatives and promote the impact of design throughout the state and beyond.

Hosted by: AIGA Salt Lake City
→ Register Here
FREE

10/7 | 6:30–8pm EDT

And She Could Be Next Virtual Screening

This film follows the grassroots campaigns of six women of color running for political office during the contentious 2018 United States midterm elections. Produced by female filmmakers of color, the documentary offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse of these women leaders whose personal motivations, political coalitions, and ground-level activism steamroll the expectations of their opponents and of the broader public — defying traditional notions of what it means to be a U.S. politician in the process. 

A co-production of POV and ITVS. A co-presentation of Black Public Media and the Center for Asian American Media.  Film running time is 40 mins. Watch the trailer for And She Could be Next.

The screening will be hosted through Zoom. Zoom information will be sent to attendees prior to start time. Event will start at 6:30 PM EST and screening will start at 6:45 PM EST to allow attendees time to log on. 

After the screening, there will be a discussion based on prompts created for the film. Attendees will be grouped into break rooms for open discussion. Discussion time will be 15 mins.

This event is part of Design for Democracy, an AIGA initiative to increase civic participation through design. This event is a collaboration with POV, the award-winning independent non-fiction film series on PBS www.pbs.org/pov

Hosted by: AIGA Pittsburgh
→ Get Your Ticket Here
FREE

10/9

Baltimore Innovation Week

A one-day virtual event series celebrating good news stories and innovation in Baltimore.

Baltimore Innovation Week 2020 is a one-day virtual Innovation Celebration featuring multiple sessions that are focused on showcasing local companies and good news stories that have emerged during these continuously changing and trying times. Save your seat at spotlight discussions with industry experts, workshops from top companies, and networking with local businesses. You’ll have an insider look at the positive effect this city is having on the U.S. and World markets with premier access to the latest products and ideas. 

This annual event series is a unique collaborative effort from industry leaders across seven defined sectors. This is where technology meets science, creatives, students, entrepreneurs, sales representatives, marketing executives, economic developers, social activists and everyone in-between.  The best part? It’s all FREE.

Hosted by: ETC (EMERGING TECHNOLOGY CENTERS)
→ Get Your Ticket Here
FREE

10/14 | 6:30 PM–8:00 PM EDT

Changing the Face of Voting with UX

Join us for a conversation with Kathryn Summers about making voting inclusive and accessible through design. Design has the ability to include or exclude people. Join us for a conversation with Kathryn Summers about making voting inclusive and accessible through design. We will be discussing the implication of bad design and its implication on the voting process in the wake of the 2016 election and the coming 2020 election. In addition, Kathryn will be showing us the benefits of using eye-tracking machine and how it helps to analyze the visual behavior of your user.

Hosted by: Ladies Wine and Design Baltimore
→ Register Here
FREE

10/14 | 7–9 PM EDT

Talking Strategy with Douglas Davis

Join us on October 15th as Douglas shares how to turn the rational language of business into the emotional language of design. Douglas’ inspiring journey has taken him from designer to strategist, to now teaching other creatives the business of design. Wherever he shares, he helps provide a framework for the design industry. A framework that can be applied to concept pitches or to how to think about your career. Strategy has been something design schools haven’t focused on, and it’s more important than ever we understand it. After stepping into Harvard Business school, Douglas realized how big the disconnect was for designers. Since then, he’s taught at NYU, HOW Design University, Manhattan Early College School for Advertising, and the City College of New York, all while running The Davis Group LLC. Douglas took it upon himself to fill the void between design and business and teaches left-brain business skills to right-brain creative thinkers with his book, Creative Strategy and the Business of Design. He’s helped creatives across the country better understand business goals, how to set them up, but most importantly, how to measure their success for clients. There is a need to understand more than what looks good for your career to blossom. Join us on October 15th as Douglas shares how to turn the rational language of business into the emotional language of design. You already have the creativity, now it’s time to gain the business insights.

Hosted by: AIGA Charlotte
→ Register Here
$10

10/19-23

AIGA Colorado Presents Colorado Creatives

Colorado’s creative community thrives when its members are able to come together to share stories and experiences, however, the pandemic has moved these communities online and made it more difficult for people to come together in person. That’s where AIGA Colorado Creatives comes in.

The best part? Our project is all about YOU, the AIGA Colorado Creatives. It’s your chance to share your stories, advice, experiences and inspiration in a short video. Selected videos will be featured on an event site and combined with others in a storytelling reel which will be shown to thousands of people.

→ Participate Here
Submit your Video by October 12

10/20-22

Adobe MAX—The Creativity Conference

Make plans to join Adobe MAX for a uniquely immersive and engaging digital experience, guaranteed to inspire. Three full days of luminary speakers, celebrity appearances, musical performances, global collaborative art projects, and 350+ sessions — and all at no cost.

Hosted by: Adobe MAX
→ Register Here
FREE (with Adobe Account ID)

10/30

Creative Mornings Talk – Speaker Lola B. Pierson

Your Home! (part of a series on Stress)

Lola B. Pierson is a highly collaborative artist who was born and raised in Baltimore City. She is a playwright, writer, and director. Her work challenges theatrical form, incorporating elements of social media, performance art, visual art, switcheroos, and boredom. Other words she has used to describe her work in bios include: presence, explore, dynamic, and representation. A graduate of Baltimore School for the Arts, Bard College, and Towson University, she is passionate about the intersections of language, time, presence, and philosophy. She writes new work and messes with classics (that deserve it). She is the co-founding Artistic Director of The Acme Corporation.

Hosted by: Creative Mornings
→ Register Here
FREE

10/31 | 6 PM EDT

Counter Narratives Show: Black Liberation & Queer Resistance

The purpose of the show is to provide a critical examination of society and culture through the intersectional lens of race, gender, and class, more specifically it seeks to provide a COUNTER-NARRATIVE. The Show encourages a reflective assessment and critique of unique standpoints and their potential contribution to popular discourse.

What you can expect from the COUNTER-NARRATIVE:
Quality conversations about critical issues in communities of color, with guests who don’t just talk about the problem they are active in finding solutions.  Guests share their lived-experiences, insights, information, opinions, and personal narratives.

Hosted by: Rasheem
→ Register Here
FREE

AIGA Get Out The Vote

Every four years since 2000, AIGA has activated its community of designers across the U.S. and beyond to Get Out the Vote. The campaign is part of Design for Democracy, an AIGA initiative to increase civic participation through design.

In 2020, AIGA recognizes the centennial of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote in 1920 with a special edition of Get Out the Vote: Empowering the Women’s Vote. It commemorates the first legislation for women’s voting rights. Not until the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965 were voting rights of all women protected and enforced.

AIGA members–submit your posters today until election day, Tuesday, November 3, 2020, and help us get out the vote! Posters received by National Voter Registration Day (September 22, 2020) and Vote Early Day (October 24, 2020) will have the greatest impact.

Hosted by: AIGA

There are two opportunities. Please see below for the submission portals and galleries:

Ink & Pixels 2020: Going Virtual!

Posted on by Bryan Burke

Ink & Pixels Goes Virtual!

Take The Next Step Towards Your Design Career

Thinking about the job market during these uncertain times can be daunting for designers at all levels of experience.  Whether you want to make a good impression in interviews, need a new perspective on your portfolio, or want fresh eyes on a current project, we’re here to help. Ink & Pixels is one of AIGA Baltimore’s largest events focused on helping designers prepare for a career or career shift. Due to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and our current Stay-At-Home mandate, AIGA is transitioning our in-person event, (originally scheduled to be held at Morgan State University on April 18) online! Now more than ever, we believe in the importance of finding alternative ways to come together in the community and share the knowledge and resources we have with each other. All events are free to attend!

Virtual Ink and Pixels (VIP) is now a series of events hosted online:

1. If I Knew Then What I Knew Now – Designer Panel

Saturday, April 18, 12:30–1:30pm

Join us via Zoom for an informative virtual discussion between AIGA Baltimore’s programming chair, Vaibhav Sharma (moderator), The Creative Group (TCG), and two experienced designers representing different aspects of the design field.

Our panelists include: 

Alexander Reynolds, Senior Creative Recruiter at TCG

Perry Sweeper, Design Strategist

Emilee Beeson, Designer and Illustrator

→ Register Today

2. Roundtable Workshops

Saturday, May 2, 10am–12pm

Here’s your chance to get (virtual) face-to-face answers to those questions you’ve been Googling. Join our Zoom roundtable discussions with experts on a variety of topics such as Freelancer Finance, Finding Your Creative Community, How to Get Hired, and Building Your Social Media Following.

→ Register Today

3. Portfolio Reviews

Portfolio reviews are designed to give you advice and insight that will improve the way you present yourself and your work. AIGA Baltimore will match you with three reviewers and provide contact information so you can meet virtually on your own time for portfolio critiques. Practice your interview skills and receive honest feedback about your work and resumé through Google Chat, Zoom, or whatever online platform you choose. More details will be coming soon!

Virtual Events to Help You Stay Connected & Creative this Spring

Posted on by Frances Miller

If one thing’s certain, it’s that we are all getting really good at video conferencing this year. From workout classes to happy hours, the world is finding creative ways to stay connected while socially distancing. AIGA chapter leaders across the country are connecting and working on ways to continue our programming online. We’ve collected a few interesting digital experiences that have crossed our screens here, and plan to continue updating this list as more events surface.

Do you know of an event or opportunity that belongs on this list? We’d love to hear about it! Email us at promotions@baltimore.aiga.org with your event or campaign information.

Virtual Events

 

Jump to:
MARCHAPRILMAY

3/17–3/24 | Watch Helvetica for Free

Filmmaker Gary Hustwit is streaming his documentaries free worldwide during the global COVID crisis, and you can find them on the website Oh You Pretty Things. Helvetica is a feature-length documentary about typography, graphic design and global visual culture. It looks at the proliferation of one typeface as part of a larger conversation about the way type affects our lives.

→ Watch at your leisure

 

3/23 | AIGA Nebraska Shift+Cmd+Join

Hosted by: AIGA Nebraska

Kelsey Janda, VP of Design at Hudl will share what it means to work remotely; designing remote, managing remote, and leading remote teams. After surveying the design team, they (the design team) have compiled their data on remote work and will present their findings to us in this Zoom-based event.

→ Register

 

Multiple dates available) | Online Yoga with Baltimore Yoga Village

Adding movement into our days spent mostly on the computer is another big topic of conversation, now more than ever. Join Shelly Boggs (formerly the owner of Design B&B, Design Manager at Proctor & Gamble, MICA grad, and longtime member of the Baltimore design community) for live streamed classes at a variety of times this week.

→ Sign up

 

3/23–3/27 | Free Online Procreate Event

Hosted by: Design Cuts
Over the next few days, you’ll be able to take advantage of some of the biggest names in the Procreate industry! This series of 7 free sessions will teach you all the best tips and tricks for lettering, illustrating, and animating in Procreate, all from the comfort of your home.

→ Find out more

 

3/26 | Webinar: Teach Your College Class Online

Hosted by: Adobe
As more faculty are shifting their courses online, they are looking for simple, easy to implement best practices that can keep interactions with students engaging, personal, and supportive.

Dr. Shannon Pufahl is a lecturer in creative writing at Stanford University and a celebrated novelist and writer. For the past few years, Shannon has been running creative writing classes using videoconferencing, digital office hours, and leveraging Canvas, her institution’s LMS.

In this talk, Shannon will share her insights, best practices, and how she’s learned to teach creativity effectively using distance learning tools and approaches. At the end of the talk, the host, Brian Johnsrud (Adobe’s Education Curriculum Lead), will share more information about this series, Adobe’s Distance Learning Resources, and Adobe’s integration with Canvas.

→ Register now!

 

3/31 | Adobe Summit

Hosted by: Adobe
Each year, Adobe hosts customers, partners, and employees from around the world at Adobe Summit and Magento Imagine to “talk about the future of customer experience, unveil the latest product and platform innovations, and get inspired together as a community.”

This year, Adobe’s conference will be held online and registration is free. The show starts on March 31st, but more content will be added continuously.

→ Sign up for free

4/4 | Virtual Icon Design Workshop

Hosted by: Scott Fuller

This is the rescheduled workshop with Studio Temporary, which is now happening virtually!

In this 3-hour workshop, we’ll be focusing on a very interesting subject…you! We’ll start with a walk through Scott’s personal work process, exploring the research, inspiration, and execution of a few of his icon design projects. Then comes the fun part: sketching and ideation of your own personal icon set!

This will be a special virtual experience where we are helping you hone your craft at the comfort of wherever you are. Some things you’ll need ready are the Zoom app, a free DropBox account, and Adobe Illustrator.

→ Get your ticket

 

4/4 & 4/5 | Canceled Con

Hosted by: HOCH
Canceled Con is a free online creative event to bring together the community of creatives. They’ll be live-streaming all day with special guests, fun games, and other assorted shenanigans. Come hang out on April 4-5 from 8AMpst until 8PMpst at CanceledCon.com.

→ RSVP!

 

4/6 | AIGA Boston Book Group: The Brand Gap

Hosted by: AIGA Boston
AIGA Boston’s monthly book group is moving online for the time being, which means you can join them in reading Marty Neumeier’s concise brand-building guide, The Brand Gap. In this business classic, Neumeier outlines the five disciplines that comprise his “unified theory of branding”.

→ Get in on the discussion

 

4/8 | Baltimore Women in Tech Virtual Happy Hour

Hosted by: Baltimore Women in Tech
Baltimore Womxn in Tech is doing a bi-weekly casual happy hour for our tech community. Feeling like you need to have an adult conversation or just chat with some humans who get it?

→ Grab a drink and join on Zoom

 

4/14 | Storytelling in User Experience

Hosted by: Baltimore UX Meetup
Basic UX practice knowledge and skills are important, but storytelling is the skill that will make the greatest impact — both in the work you do every day and on the trajectory of your career.

Storytelling gets you and the value of your work noticed; it has tremendous power to get buy-in and agreement when there’s objection to UX work; it can help you secure funding and resources for a project. And maybe most importantly, good storytelling can put your portfolio head and shoulders above the rest and advance your earning potential.

Joe Natoli has been practicing UX for nearly three decades, training and helping UX practitioners and leaders tell meaningful, compelling stories: tales that clearly communicate and demonstrate the importance and impact of UX on product design — and on the success of users, UXers and the companies and clients they work for.

→ Attend for free

 

4/18 | AIGA Baltimore Ink & Pixels Part 1: Designer Panel

Hosted by: Yours truly, AIGA Baltimore
We’ll be changing up the format for our annual Ink & Pixels portfolio reviews & professional development day, which will occur digitally across multiple dates this April and May. First up, an informative discussion with experienced designers representing different aspects of the design field, covering the topic of, “If I Knew Then What I Know Now.”

Our panelists include:
Alexander Reynolds, Senior Creative Recruiter at TCG
Perry Sweeper, Design Strategist
Emilee Beeson, Senior Designer at Mission Media
Moderated by Vaibhav Sharma, Freelance Motion Graphics Designer, AIGA Baltimore Programming Chair

→ Register for free

 

4/22 | Futurism(S) | Online Talk By Ellen Lupton

Hosted by: Society of Design Arts (SoDA)
Join the Society of Design Arts, AIGA Baltimore, and Stevenson University for an online talk on Futurism(s) by the curator, educator, and writer Ellen Lupton.

In 1909 the Futurist Manifesto triggered a series of avant-garde design movements that used design and typography to disrupt tradition. This talk takes a tour from Italian Futurism—with its Fascist bent and anti-feminist ideology—to alternative modes of techno rebellion, from Afrofuturism to the Cyborg Manifesto. It’s 2020, folks! The future is here, and it’s not pretty.

→ Register for free

 

5/5 | Make it Remote: Virtual Meetings Don’t Have to Suck

Hosted by: AIGA
Nobody wants to stare at a screen all day…, so how can we make our virtual meetings more interesting? In this webinar, workshop design specialist Matthew Manos will share best practices for making your next virtual meeting more productive and engaging. We’ll explore the nuances of virtual meetings, and discuss a range of fun activities and helpful strategies to help you get the most out of all that dreaded screen time.

→ Register to receive the Zoom link

 

5/6 | Early Light Media COVID-19 Marketing Webinar

Hosted by: Early Light Media
Early Light Media is hosting a special live event on Zoom Wednesday, May 6 at 12:30pm EST moderated by ELM Co-founder and Creative director David Larson. Join us and top agency thinkers for a virtual panel on how businesses, marketers, and communication experts are planning the transition to reopen from COVID-19.

→ Learn more & register

 

5/9 | Registration Deadline: Ink & Pixels Portfolio Reviews

Hosted by: AIGA Baltimore
Portfolio reviews will begin on May 16 and run through June 13, hopefully allowing everyone adequate time to schedule and hold their review sessions. We will partner reviewees (creatives needing professional guidance) with two or three reviewers (professionals who can provide advice and resources). Communication will be conducted on a virtual basis via the platform that works best for you: email, phone, video, etc.

→ Reviewers and reviewees, sign up here

 

5/27 | Digital Accessibility: The What, Who, Why, When and How

Hosted by: Baltimore Techies for Good
Technology has changed the way people interact with the world around them. In many ways, the technology boom has enabled people to do more than they ever thought possible. People are more in touch, able to connect faster and be more productive than ever before.

This is the case for many people, but what about the people who don’t experience technology as a convenient default? What about those whose experiences are limited due to the inaccessibility of the very technologies that could enable them to experience life in a whole new way?

Digital Accessibility is about the inclusion of our diverse population. Join Tracey Long on the journey to learn more about what Digital Accessibility is, who is impacted, why it is important, when to consider it and how to get started on your Digital Accessibility journey.

→ Learn more & register

 

Ongoing Campaigns

AIGA Wisconsin Positive Quotes
To uplift spirits while we all practice social distancing, AIGA Wisconsin would love to see what quotes are helping you to stay positive. Design a favorite positive quote or message you’d like to share with your extended design community from a few states away!
→ Share the love

AIGA Miami Dare to Design
Dare to Design aims to keep our skills sharp and our creativity expanding. Every month, AIGA Miami selects a design discipline (branding, web, fashion..) and a theme (polar bears, atlantis, outerspace…). Your job is to have fun with design. Break the rules a little and let your imagination roll. Share your design through Instagram DM or tag @aigamiami, and they will feature it on IG stories.
March Dare to Design: Come up with a name and design a logo for an 80’s rock band.
→ Dare to design

Free Movie of the Week
Filmmaker Gary Hustwit is streaming his documentaries free worldwide during the global COVID-19 crisis. Each Tuesday we’ll be posting another film here.
→ Watch

Got an event you think belongs on this list?

We’d love to hear about it! Email us at promotions@baltimore.aiga.org with your event information.

20+ Events for Creatives in Baltimore: March 2020

Posted on by Krystal Carpintieri

There are a plethora of amazing events in our area for creatives and creative professionals, so we’re shining a light on these events by groups like AMA Baltimore, BCAN, Baltimore Print Studios, AAF of Baltimore, Ladies Wine and Design Baltimore, and more. Do you know of an event that belongs on this list? We’d love to hear about it! Email us at promotions@baltimore.aiga.org with your event information.

Each month we will be featuring a Baltimore Designer, Photographer, or Artist! For March, our inspiration is coming from Courtney Glancy, Art Director at idfive. In her free time, she explores taking photos in Baltimore on her Sony A7III & Pixel Smartphone. In a recent post of the Patterson Park Pagoda, she said, “Way back in college, we had a photography assignment called ‘quality of light.’ I think I’ve been obsessed with light ever since. To me, this photo is the definition of when someone says that light is spilling or pooling.” Check out Courtney’s Instagram, @charm_city_gal, for more amazing Photography.

March Events

 

3/3

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She-Suite Marketing Leadership Panel
Get ready for a few of the area’s female marketing powerhouses to drop some serious knowledge. On Tuesday, March 3rd, during Women’s History Month, AMA Baltimore will host a signature event, the She-Suite Marketing Leadership Panel. Taking place from 6 to 8 pm at Price Modern, the event will kick off with networking followed by a panel featuring marketing leadership from the non-profit, higher education, and technology sectors.
Hosted by: AMA Baltimore

→ Get Tickets!

3/4

Women’s Leadership Forum
Join over 300 women for an exciting day of empowerment, learning workshops, networking, and vending. WLF is a venue for women to come together and experience other positive, influential and uplifting women from all walks of life. Women are able to acquire knowledge, obtain resources, and make connections that will help them elevate to reach their goals through various learning methods. Our vision is to be an event that brings inspiration and transformation to all women in a safe space.
Hosted by: Notre Dame of Maryland University

→ Get your Ticket!

3/5

American Advertising Awards
Gone are the days of the three-martini lunch. Or are they? Get ready for a truly special experience as Baltimore’s advertising community reunites to celebrate 100 years of the AAFB. Don’t miss this year’s extraordinary celebration, hosted at Port Discovery—a veritable Wonderland in its own right. On March 5, we invite you to tumble down the rabbit hole and join us in commemorating 100 years of the American Advertising Federation of Baltimore (AAFB).
Hosted by: AAF Baltimore

→ Get your Ticket FAST!

3/7

MICA Grassroots Design Fest
MICA Grassroots DesignFest, sponsored by the T. Rowe Price Foundation, is an amazing opportunity to contribute to the social change movement in Baltimore while collaborating face-to-face with other designers and nonprofits. Teams of volunteer designers work with grassroots nonprofits to prototype logo designs, website updates, branding strategies, and more – all in one jam-packed daylong event.

Comics & Zines on the Risograph
Learn how to use the Risograph to its greatest strength, high-speed, affordable color publishing of zines and comics. The Risograph is an affordable, eco-friendly high-speed duplicator, made in Japan. In true punk-rock style, we’ll create analog layouts using collage materials, hand-written and hand-drawn elements, creating literary and visual multi-page publications.
Hosted by: Baltimore Print Studios

→ Register Here

3/9

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Representing Baltimore–A Spotlight on Local Creatives
On Monday, March 9th, AIGA Baltimore will host the first in a series exploring the need for more diverse representation in the design industry and our city’s creative spaces. Join us at Flatform Studios for a night of inspiring presentations followed by a panel discussion on representation—as it pertains to the unique perspectives of the creative entrepreneur—featuring Jermaine T. Bell, Kaya Gordon-Levi, and Caprece Ann Jackson, and moderated by Charlotte James.

We all know Baltimore has a rich cultural heritage of innovation in the arts, music, and fashion, largely shaped by the immense contributions of the African American community. Unfortunately, this same community has been disproportionately underrepresented in the professional world of design and many other creative professions.
Hosted by: AIGA Baltimore

→ Get Tickets!

BCAN Help Desk – Building Your Cooperative Business
Co-op curious? Join Emily Lerman and Aishah Afadhalah for a drop-in discussion on worker-owned cooperatives and how their team is using a co-op model to build Mera Kitchen Collective. You’ll learn more about what a co-op is, why they are important, and gain resources for building and starting a co-op of your own. They’ll offer pro-tips on using the business model canvas as a startup tool, mitigating risks, starting a small food business, and managing finances.

At Noon, we’ll kick off a more structured lunch & learn discussion on capitalism, cooperatives and why we hope to see more co-ops in Baltimore and beyond. You bring lunch – we’ll bring the desserts!
Hosted by: BCAN & Mera Kitchen Collective

→ Register Today!

Screenprinting on T-shirts
This half-day, hands-on workshop covers all the basics of t-shirt printing. This is a followup class to our Intro to Screenprinting workshop. Attendees will learn what is unique about printing on apparel, appropriate inks, and mesh, how to set up multi-color prints and have a chance to print many different designs. No experience is necessary, but since this class is intended as a followup to our other Screenprinting workshop, attendees must take both classes before renting time in our studio.
Hosted by: Baltimore Print Studios

→ Register Today

3/11

BriarLevit lores for blog

Graphic Means, film screening and Q&A with Briar Levit
Graphic Means is a feature-length documentary about the history of graphic design production after the letterpress, focusing on the phototypesetting era and the transition that occurred as a result of the Digital Revolution. A discussion/Q&A with Director and Producer Briar Levit will follow the film.

Briar Levit, the 2020 Graphic Design Juror for YCP’s Annual Juried Student Exhibition, is an assistant professor at Portland State University in Oregon, where she teaches typography, page layout, and studio design classes. She graduated from San Francisco State University, with a BA in Graphic Design, and from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design (UAL, London), with an MA in Communication Design. Her passion is designing for content-driven projects—primarily in the publishing and cultural institution sphere. Her clients include Museum of Contemporary Craft, Flooded Fox Den Distillery, Sasquatch Books, Critical Craft Forum, Timber Press, Counterpoint Press, Seal Press, Bitch Media, and Cicada Books.
Hosted by: York College Art Galleries

→ Sign-Up for the Free Event!

3/12


Changing the Face of Voting with UX
Design has the ability to include or exclude people. Join us for an “Intimate Conversation” with Kathryn Summers about making voting inclusive and accessible through design. We will be discussing the implication of bad design and its implication on the voting process in the wake of the 2016 election and the coming 2020 election.
Hosted by: Ladies Wine and Design Baltimore

→ Get Tickets!

3/14

Icon Design Workshop
AIGA DC has teamed up with Scott Fuller of The Studio Temporary for a brand new icon design workshop! In this 4-hour class, we’ll be focusing on a very interesting subject…you! We’ll start with a walk through Scott’s personal work process, exploring the research, inspiration, and execution of a few of his icon design projects. Then comes the fun part: sketching and ideation of your own personal icon set! It’ll be a hands-on experience, so please bring notebooks, pencils (or pens, if you prefer) and a laptop with Adobe Illustrator.
Hosted by: AIGA DC

→ Sign-Up Today!

Intro to Screenprinting
This one-day, hands-on workshop covers all the basics of screenprinting. Attendees will learn first hand how to properly coat, expose, print from, and clean a silkscreen. Differences in inks, printing substrates, screen mesh, and film work will all be discussed, and various multi-color registration techniques will be covered. This class will provide you the skills to return and rent time to print your own work during our regular studio hours.
Hosted by: Baltimore Print Studios

→ Register Today

3/19

BCAN Connect – We Own This!
There is no doubt about it, the future of entrepreneurship is certainly female. Join BCAN to celebrate the unique spirit of Baltimore’s female founders. To start off the evening, attendees will enjoy a networking cocktail hour, followed by an intimate moderated discussion with female founders from Baltimore City. The evening will conclude with mingling and treats from local women-owned businesses! For all the female founders, entrepreneurs, and business owners out there, this one’s for you!
Hosted by: BCAN

→ Register for Free!

3/21

BCAN Help Desk – MDVLA Art Law Clinic
Are you a painter, musician or any kind of creative entrepreneur that lives or works close to the Baltimore / DMV area? Do you have legal questions or concerns? Come visit our Art Law Clinic in collaboration with the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts on March 21st, 2020, 1-4pm at BCAN HQ!

For our March clinic, you can snag a FREE 30-minute consult w/ one of our volunteer attorneys to sort out any general issues or questions you might have!
Hosted by: BCAN

→ Book Your Session!

3/25

SoDA Classic: Conversations In Design History | Reception
SoDA Classic is an exhibition celebrating 13 years of programs by the Society for History and Graphics (SHAG) and it’s reemergence as The Society of Design Arts (SoDA). View the past programs from a selection of the best posters and a look forward to the future of presentations and presenters as we explore new horizons in design.

→ Attend the Event at Stevenson University!

Excellence In Print
Get Your Tickets to Excellence in Print. The biggest event of the year. The competition is fierce. Who will bring home the wins?  You have to be there to find out.
Hosted by: Printing and Graphics Association MidAtlantic (PGAMA)

→ Get Your Ticket!

Tech Happy Hour Mixer
Baltimore Womxn in Tech is hosting a tech happy hour mixer on Wednesday. March 25th at Spark Baltimore. This event coincides with The Nonprofit Technology Conference (NTC), which is hosted in Baltimore this year.
Hosted by: Baltimore Womxn in Tech

→ Save the Date!

3/26

Glass Blowing & Networking
Join Monument Women’s Creative Alliance on March 26th at 6pm for networking with a creative twist. You will be led in an activity where you’ll make a unique one of a kind pendent. Keep it for yourself or gift it to a friend and add one of the chains we provide. Enjoy a spread of great bites to eat from the Abbey Burger Bistro, as well as wine provided by Vectors Southand beer from O’Connor Brewing Co. All food and drinks are included in your ticket price.
Hosted by: Monument Women’s Create Alliance

→ Get Tickets!

3/29

Intro to Letterpress
Our one-day letterpress workshop covers all the basics of letterpress printing on a Vandercook and a C&P tabletop press from our collection of antique wood and metal type. Attendees will learn how letterpress printing works, how to hand-set wood and metal type, mix ink, print from type and polymer plates, and how to troubleshoot printing and press issues.
Hosted by: Baltimore Print Studios

→ Register Today

3/30

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AIGA Design Conference 2020
The 2020 AIGA Design Conference brings the design community together in a once-in-a-lifetime, cross-disciplinary exchange of ideas about the changing world of design. Recharge your career with thought-provoking presentations, professional training, and meetups with design luminaries while taking in the City of Bridges.

March 30–April 1, 2020, in Pittsburgh, PA.
Hosted by: AIGA | The Professional Association for Design

→ Get Your Ticket!!

April Highlight

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Flourish: PCB 2020 Production Show
The demands on creatives and marketers continue to branch out into new directions. Your clients want solutions faster, cheaper, greener and more unique. And without a sense of the latest production techniques and technologies, project timelines and budgets can get out of control, leaving even the most seasoned designers and production specialists in the weeds.

Join the Production Club of Baltimore, along with hundreds of other local creative and marketing professionals, for an evening of networking and fresh production ideas from the mid-atlantic’s very best printers, paper suppliers, image producers, and technologists. Grow your swatch book collection and sample library. Cultivate new vendor partnerships. Seed your future project timelines with new media. Dig into deeper relationships with fellow creatives by face-to-face networking. This is a time to flourish!!
Hosted by: Production Club of Baltimore

→ Get Tickets!

Got an event you think belongs on this list?

We’d love to hear about it! Email us at promotions@baltimore.aiga.org with your event information.

Baltimore Creative Community Events: February

Posted on by Krystal Carpintieri

There are a plethora of amazing events in our area for creatives and creative professionals, so we’re shining a light on these events by groups like the Society of Design Arts (SoDA), LinkedIn Local Baltimore, Baltimore Museum of Industry, Baltimore Print Studios, and more. Do you know of an event that belongs on this list? We’d love to hear about it! Email us at promotions@baltimore.aiga.org with your event information.

February Events

2/4

Book Bash: What Designers Read
Join the Society of Design Arts at Greedy Reads Bookshop for a preview of some new books and review a few old favorites selected by our members. We will talk about our own personal design collections and pass them around for all to see. Bring your favorite design book!
Hosted by: SoDA (formerly the Society for History and Graphics)

Check it out

2/8

Image may contain: possible text that says 'BMI Baltimore Museum Industry AFRICAN WITH FABRIC AKOS "SUNDAY" WORKSHOP REGAL 員 வம்ம்ட் ரட் SATURDAY FEBRUARY 08| 11:00PM $5/STUDENT $10/PERSON $15/FAMILY'

African Fabric Workshop
Celebrate Black History Month with an intergenerational workshop on the meaning behind African printed fabrics led by Baltimore-based designer Akos “Sunday” Regal (Regal Clothes). Akos was featured in our Design Week Fashion Show! Registration fee includes museum admission for the day (open 10:00 AM-4:00 PM), a 90-minute workshop, and a fabric swatch to take home!
Hosted by: Baltimore Museum of Industry

Register Today!

Valentines on the Riso
Attendees can make their own, 100% custom and one-of-a-kind, 2-color valentines. All art-making and printing supplies are provided, just bring your creativity. Cards will be printed on our high-speed Risograph machine, and every attendee will leave with 30 cards of their own design.
Hosted by: Baltimore Print Studios

Sign Up!

2/12

Valentine’s Printmaking Workshop
As part of this class, you will receive a take-home linoleum block for you to create your own ‘mini printing presses’, use of all materials to create these blocks, and 10 quality cards and ink to print your beautiful Valentine’s! Aprons and gloves will be available. It’s a good idea to wear clothes that you may not mind getting ink on. Join us for this special event to tap into your creative side and release your inner artist.
Hosted by: Night Owl Gallery

RSVP on Eventbrite

2/16

Botanical Art at Rawlings Conservatory
Escape the winter chill and spend the morning in a tropical oasis at the Howard Peter Rawlings Conservatory in Baltimore, Maryland. Built-in 1888, the Conservatory offers a wide variety of plantings from throughout the world. Join Emily Carter Mitchell in learning how to develop an artistic eye with flowers and greenery as your subject.
Hosted by: Emily Carter Mitchell Photography

RSVP

Black Arts District Brand Launch Party
The Pennsylvania Avenue Black Arts and Entertainment District is officially launching its brand! In observance of Black History Month, we are celebrating the accomplishments the arts district has made and what is yet on the horizon. Come meet Tia Newton, the creative director behind the new brand, and the arts district team! There will be Dollar Skating and Bowling, DJs Spinning, Brand Inspired Giveaways, and more.
Hosted by: Black Arts District

No photo description available.

2/19

LinkedIn Local Baltimore
Join us on Wednesday, February 19th at The Alexander Brown Restaurant for our next #LinkedInLocalBmore Event! Learn how to beat the burnout and be your best self with Rachel Druckenmiller, Founder & CEO of Unmuted. Together we will explore ways to start 2020 more intentionally and become fulfilled and energized at work and at home.
Hosted by: LinkedIn Local Baltimore and Strategic Factory

Register Here

2/22

Intro to Screenprinting
This one-day, hands-on workshop covers all the basics of screenprinting. Attendees will learn first hand how to properly coat, expose, print from, and clean a silkscreen. Differences in inks, printing substrates, screen mesh, and filmwork will all be discussed, and various multi-color registration techniques will be covered. This class will provide you the skills to return and rent time to print your own work during our regular studio hours.
Hosted by: Baltimore Print Studios

Register Today!

2/27

Power Lunch Webinar with AIGA Baltimore and The Creative Group (TCG)
Briana Quetel is an Account Manager at The Creative Group (TCG), a Robert Half company, who has several years of experience recruiting and hiring for creative roles, and this month she is sharing some of her knowledge. She’ll sit down with a fellow recruiter from her office and give some insights into what they are looking for when recruiting for creative roles, portfolio do’s and don’ts, and how to set yourself apart during the hiring process. Registration link coming soon!

MICA Mixed Media Lecture Series: Palesa & Siphiwe Ngwenya
Representing the multi-award winning participatory tourism social enterprise, Maboneng Township Arts Experience, the South African creative place-making duo, Palesa & Siphiwe Ngwenya will be sharing their experiences regarding inclusive social design, emancipation mapping, and developing destinations in an African context. The public panel discussion with Baltimore industry peers and the attending public will strive to fuel a curiosity about the kind of creative place making that induces economic emancipation for neighborhoods while achieving social cohesion through new and innovative models.
Hosted by: Maryland Institute College of Art and MICA Center for Social Design

Get your free ticket!

2/29

Write Notepads & Co. Headquarters – Open House
The Write Notepads & Co Factory is celebrating its 7th year in Baltimore with an open house on February 29th, from 4–10pm. Stop by to see where and how their products are made, packaged, and sent. You will also have the opportunity to get the first crack at the new Limited Edition they will be revealing at the event. There will be tours of the manufacturing facility, as well as food, beer, and fun for all that show.
Hosted by: Write Notepads & Co.

Register Today!

3/5

Wonder Land: 2020 American Advertising Awards
American Advertising Awards
Gone are the days of the three-martini lunch. Or are they? Get ready for a truly special experience as Baltimore’s advertising community reunites to celebrate 100 years of the AAFB. Don’t miss this year’s extraordinary celebration, hosted at Port Discovery—a veritable Wonderland in its own right. On March 5, we invite you to tumble down the rabbit hole and join us in commemorating 100 years of the American Advertising Federation of Baltimore (AAFB).
Hosted by: AAF of Baltimore

Get your Early-Bird Ticket!

Got an event you think belongs on this list?

We’d love to hear about it! Email us at promotions@baltimore.aiga.org with your event information.

Top 3 Skills UX and UI Designers Need to Know in 2020

Posted on by Krystal Carpintieri

Thanks to Kelly Strine, owner of Left-brained Creative, LLC for writing this blog post!

The AIGA Baltimore community had the pleasure of sitting down with Fearless, a full-stack digital services firm, this January to discuss current trends and skills user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) designers need to know. And it’s not as scary as you might think.

Meet the Players

Held at Fearless headquarters inside of Spark Coworking Spaces in downtown Baltimore, the event was a panel-style Q&A. Panelists included:

Jordan Watts, Lead UX Designer, UX Coach
Antoine RJ Wright, Lead UX Designer, @ARJWright
Amanda Mancuso, UX Designer
Tyler Bolchoz, Product Designer
Rachel Petrucci, Product Designer
Daedriana Harvey, UX Designer

fearless tech baltimore designers seated for panel discussion
Photography Credits: Krystal Carpintieri

The Landscape

The UX/UI space is constantly changing as technology advances at lightning speed. Designing for non-traditional interfaces (smartwatch, eyewear, ring, etc.), voice user interface (VUI), and augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) will be the shiny new skills UX and UI designers will be homing in on. However, as technology changes, it’s often challenging for designers to gain experience in the latest and greatest and break into the UX/UI field.

What we learned from speaking with Fearless is that yes, UX and UI designers should have experience in design, code, content, research, and strategy (at varying levels of each, and that’s okay!); but that it’s equally important for UX and UI designers to possess super-sleuth soft skills and a fierce desire to learn. That’s far less daunting.

Photography Credits: Krystal Carpintieri

Skill 1: Collaborate Well with Others

In the past, there’s been clear segregation between designers and programmers. Designers would figure out what the “thing” (website, landing page, app, etc.) would look like, then hand it over to the programmers to code and be done with it. And as you can imagine, there’s bound to be some friction with this process.

“It’s not really a design hand-off, it’s a design implementation.”
—Rachel Petrucci, Product Designer

These days, the concept of a “hand-off” has vanished. At Fearless, as with many other agencies, designers and programmers work together in a very integrative process. Designers and programmers come together for scrum reviews and standup meetings, and developers are invited to design reviews and product testing. As Rachel put it, “it’s not really a design hand-off, it’s a design implementation.”

That means whether you’re a designer or a programmer or a magical unicorn who does both, you must possess strong communication skills and a willingness to collaborate. Designing in a technologically advanced space means you’ll need to rely on others to create a successful product. Designing at this scale does not happen in a vacuum. As Tyler said, “you’re doing the product a disservice if you just hand it over, but if you’re collaborating everyone is engaged.”

audience listening to panel discussion on UX design
Photography Credits: Krystal Carpintieri

Skill 2: Learn How to Build Empathy

We asked our Fearless panel what steps they take when asked to build a website from scratch. Across the board, step one was research. Before design is even a consideration, learn everything you can about the needs of your client. Do they need a website, or would they be better served by an app? The research phase also includes market research, identifying pain points and opportunities, and sitting with the users—it can take weeks.

“Your perspective is not the default”
—Jordan Watts, Lead UX Designer, UX Coach

But the critical part of researching is gaining the ability to build empathy for your users. Putting yourself in the shoes of the user is the most effective way to create successful UX and UI design. As we discussed inclusive design, Antoine suggested starting a design with the least-sited person in mind, then build up. Can this person use the product on a watch, how about on a mobile phone, tablet, non-touch computer, touch computer, etc.

Jordan summed it up best by saying, “your perspective is not the default.” Having empathy for users and being able to tap into how others will use the product (via user testing, research, etc.) will help you reach every user and create a better product.

AIGA baltimore attendees at spark coworking spaces
Photography Credits: Krystal Carpintieri

Skill 3: Be Hungry to Learn

As technology continues to evolve the only way designers and programmers can stay relevant is to stay hungry…to learn. Without a constant desire to learn, the skillsets of those in the tech industry will inevitably turn stale.

When we asked panelists what the top characteristic trait was that they look for in a new hire, Rachel and Amanda said they would hire someone who is curious and actively seeks out opportunities to learn and develop new skills. Antoine and Jordan discussed the merits of cross-functionality—and yes, there is value in knowing how to design and code—but it is equally important to understand your area of expertise.

So, if you’re looking to impress your current managers or are looking to break into the UX and UI space, take the initiative to develop your skillset. Attend hands-on boot camps and workshops (rather than lectures) to develop your skills, portfolio projects, and gain experience. As Amanda put it, in an interview she would rather hear about what you learned from failed experiences, rather than hear a candidate prattle on about what they think she wants to hear.

valerie anderson and alice rambissoon smiling for photo
AIGA Baltimore President, Valerie Anderson with the Interior Designer of the Spark Co-Working Space, Alice Rambissoon. Photography Credits: Krystal Carpintieri

What Did We Learn?

It’s no big surprise that the UX and UI fields are growing, and the demand to create beautiful, interactive products for numerous interfaces will continue to grow as well. Being on the cutting-edge of these technologies means possessing the technical skills, yes, but equally as important is being able to demonstrate how UX and UI can add value. That means learning how to be a strong communicator (and listener!), being empathetic toward clients and teammates, and being a dedicated, lifelong learner.

If you’re interested in learning more about Fearless, head over to fearless.tech; and if you want to join the Fearless team, check out fearless.tech/careers. 

Follow Fearless on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook at @fearlessbmore. And follow AIGA Baltimore—@aigabaltimore—on all your favorite channels so you never miss great events like this one!

 Share your thoughts below on what skills should be on the minds of UX and UI designers as we move into 2020!