Pro Practice: Bio & Resume

BIO
I am a friend, a brother and an uncle, a likable guy, a coffee enthusiast, somewhat of a hoarder, and with six ethnic backgrounds I am sometimes even called a mutt, but wait just a minute, I am even a graphic designer. I am am the type of person who appreciates the modnar (that's random spelled backwards). After relocating to the Kansas City Art Institute in 2009 from Pikes Peak Community College in Colorado Springs, Colorado, I have emerged into an experienced and enthusiastic designer. I desire to combine my passion for illustration with my passion for design. My interests pertain to branding development, social change and advocacy, hand generated typography, book and magazine design, and even motion work.

RESUME

DP: A beginning

Currently, my process book for my degree project is 8"x10", vertical. When my process book is finished at the end of this 13 week period, I plan to use blurb.com to produce it. The layout right now allows for personal comments and thoughts in the small caption area, a nice wide body paragraph allowing for deep explanation of the project and critiques (set in Futura, a font appropriate for technological subject matters), a header (set in Trade Gothic), a subhead (set in Orator - a nice "techy" contrast font, and spot for the date, some folios, and a grid structure for any accompanying photos.

Experiments and Solutions

MOTION PIECE/ANIMATION
I would really like to fine tune my skill set in the area of motion. I am entertaining the idea of learning/working with After Effects to create a piece that highlights the functionality of the technology.

POSTERS/INFORMATION DESIGN/INFOGRAPHICS
I want to create some sweet informational posters and possibly infographics. Seeming as how this project has the potential to be very technical due to the subject matter, I think some nice organized beautiful informational posters would be great, even as a quick reference.

IDENTITY
Maybe I could create an identity for a company/person/blog/website/online community that allows people to share and collaborate their innovative solutions. These solutions could be a different use for a type of technology or just a new innovative design that impacts people.

QUESTIONNAIRE
In three words, describe technology.
How much of your life is filled with technology?
Do you think some of these areas/technological artifacts could be improved?

My life in the long run

My professor at my previous college once told me, "Lance, you're more than just coffee." I have worked for Starbucks for more than four years now, and it's really been tough to let go. This "job" has turned out to be a constant giving machine. It helped me get out of my shell (if you think I'm a quiet person now, you should have seen me before), it gave me coffee a free pound of coffee every week that I never drank, it helped me network to get my first ever internship with a small graphic design firm, it gave me an opportunity to illustrate chalkboards, it gave me furniture for my apartment, and the list just goes on. It's been hard to give up something that has turned out to be so rewarding. For a couple of years now, I have been saying that I wouldn't mind designing somehow within Starbucks, and it's still true. I wouldn't be totally against it. Plus, there are travel opportunities that come with it, and I would love that just as much.

Being a little more realistic I guess, I would like to stay local for a couple of years and work for a design agency, firm, house, boutique. I can see myself working for a couple of different places, though I'm not entirely sure I would be a good fit. I like the idea of working for Hallmark or Barkley, and though VML and Liquid 9 are more interactive/web based, I can see myself gaining a lot of experience and practice from either of those places. I'm not sure. I do know, I am not opposed to moving. The more of this world I can see, the better, and if graphic design is the way I will get to do it, ideal! I'm also liking the idea of doing more advocacy work. The Rosedale project was just the tip of the berg, but it was really great helping a community in need. I will need to research a little more into firms that do advocacy work.

CMYK Magazine

So I decided to enter. The uploading process was not user friendly and kind of wonky, but I got it done. Check it out.

2011 STARBUCKS LOGO

You hear correctly....



Taking away the type and leading with a mark.

Starbucks is about to enter the new year with a modified minimalistic approach to the old logo. How do you feel about this? I'm not sure how I feel about it just yet. In a way I like it and agree that the old one looked a little dated, but in another way I'm afraid the public won't respond as well with the change.




Check out the A Look at the Future of Starbucks video.
Images by Starbucks.com