Name: Anthony Walker

Age: 20

High School Year (Junior, Senior, etc.): Graduated Canandaigua Academy in 2011

Hometown: Canandaigua, New York

Major: Graphic Design

FIDM Campus and Start Date: Los Angeles, Summer

Admissions Advisor: Steve Aaron

Tell us a bit about yourself: I am a really laid back person. I love art and music and am very interested in the apparel industry; I am just trying to make the best for myself.

Previous degrees: Finger Lakes Community College (FLCC) graduating in May, Associates Degree

What are your proudest accomplishments so far? This SIGG contest is by far my proudest accomplishment, along with graduating high school and college.

Tell us about the SIGG contest in which your design was printed on a limited edition SIGG bottle: When I came across the design contest, I jumped right on it. The idea I came up with was to take SIGG's logo and put a little twist on it. I knew that their bottles were all about slowing down the use of plastic water bottles, so in my design I included animals from all around the world. I started with the bottom of the logo with the sea animals at that level, and next through the middle I placed the land animals, and last I placed the flying animals at the top. And the world behind me was a last minute addition because I wanted to make sure that it included the entire world.

What made FIDM right for you? The environment itself, and how connected the instructors will get with their students, and how they are actual professionals out in the industry, it really caught my eye. And then seeing the job placement after graduating from FIDM also was a big pull.

Describe your entrance project: My entrance project is something that I really had fun with. I chose to create my own clothing company, and it is something that I would really like to pursue for my career. I named my clothing company Supernova where it had like a space theme but would also be open to pretty much any designs that would come to my head. So I had to create a shopping bag, magazine ad and catalog cover. And I am actually continuing on with this idea as of now.

What are your career goals? To one day own my own company, hopefully a clothing company. Diamond Supply Co. is one of my biggest inspirations when it comes to my work, it's not really the success of the company or "Nicky Diamonds" himself, but on how much people love his work. Having people love your work or love what you do for a living is a great goal for myself.

What do you expect to learn at FIDM? Hopefully they will help expand my learning to the fullest, and help me make a name for myself. I am very excited and I can not wait to start at FIDM.

Three FIDM Student Teams won scholarships in this year’s Cotton University challenge, sponsored by Cotton Inc. Each team of three students was asked to design a product for a particular sport using cotton fabrics that would benefit the athlete. During the 12-week process, students attended workshops on Consumer Research, Cotton Textiles, Finishes and Fibers, while collaborating to design their lines.

Congratulations to FIDM’s three winning teams!

First Place (pictured above): Breanna Broach (Graphic Design), Angelica Villegas (Graphic Design), and Natasha Endrei (Business Management) won $10,000, for Snowboarding designs.  

Second Place: Claire Fulk, Taylor Gregory, and Carrie London won $6,000 for Running designs.

Third Place: Jamie Lawrence, Shannon Maynard, and Amanda Ziegler won $3,000 for Crossfit designs.

FIDM Graphic Design Grad Caitlin Connell is a Creative Coordinator at Universal Pictures, a major Hollywood studio. Here is how she turned her education into a career she loves in the entertainment industry.

What was your major?

I graduated in December 2011 with a degree in Graphic Design/Entertainment option.

How did you find your job?

Nonie Hillier, my Career Advisor, helped me make the contact at Universal. I interned in this department as a student and it took some time but I always wanted to go back to Creative Services, as a full time employee.

What does the job entail?

We split up all the films in my department, so I am in charge of all our Catalog and Amblin properties—about 80 properties. I retouch film images and approve/give art direction  for incoming product, asset distribution, and product photography. I work under great bosses and am learning so much!

How did FIDM's program prepare you?

The Graphic Design program prepared me in  many ways. It taught me all the programs I need to know in this industry. I use Photoshop, Illustrator, Keynote on a daily basis. I am constantly working on different films so it definitely taught me how to deal with the pressure of deadlines. My instructors Steve Reaves and Kevin Reagan inspired me to work really hard and always do better when I was ready to give up. 

The Business of Fashion recently interviewed famous art director Fabien Baron, whose work has probably influenced you if you’ve read the fashion glossies over the course of the past 20 years. 

Considered a modern-day icon whose design aesthetic has influenced the high fashion publishing industry at large, Baron has designed for Italian and French Vogue, served as creative director of Harper’s Bazaar and is currently the editorial director of Interview magazine. Baron is one of many art directors whose work is discussed in FIDM's  Graphic Design program in classes like Publication Design.

Read the full interview here.

Image: Harper’s Bazaar cover designed under the creative direction of famous art director, Fabien Baron.

Read more about this topic on the FIDMDigitalArts Blog.

Billings, Montana native Ryan Eaton (pictured with brothers Dusty, left, and Dallas, right) passed away in February from synovial sarcoma, a rare soft-tissue cancer, but continues to inspire others thanks to an idea he had when applying to to FIDM's Graphic Design program: a t-shirt business called United Luv. 

After attending FIDM, Ryan began to work on a business plan for the line with his brother Dallas, but life took a sudden turn. After being diagnosed with cancer in 2011, and enduring multiple rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, he realized that something as simple as an iPad could connect patients with family and friends and provide a much needed distraction. Ryan's family went ahead and produced the t-shirts and today, sales from United Luv and other donations are going toward providing iPads for patients in need.

Ryan's mother Vicki Eaton told the Billings Gazette: "Obviously our hearts are broken, but this is helping to mend them by giving back and through the amazing support we've gotten from the community already."

Never Underdressed, a startup fashion magazine out of the UK, is being touted as the first full-on glossy to bypass print and go directly to the web. Starting with a multi-million dollar investment and a staff of 14 including former Elle and Vogue digital editors, what sets this concept apart is the lack of a brand name—and the fact that all of its content will be freshly created for multiple electronic platforms including mobile.

As editor Carrie Tyler, former digital director of Elle UK explains to Fashionista: "Magazine brands save their best content for print, while their websites are given little budget or full time staff to fully develop creative, engaging and unique content."

FIDM Graphic Design Grad Bri Emery of Designlovefest will be hosting a promotional event at the Splendid store at the Grove on Saturday, April 13th, 2 to 4pm. The store is offering free sips and snacks, a photobooth by Smilebooth, bouquets and hair accessories—and 20% off. Drop in on Saturday and say hi to Bri!

Signal Snowboards recently partnered with FIDM on a contest calling Graphic Design Students to design snowboard decks. The winning designs will be produced by Signal Snowboards and featured at the FIDM 2013 DEBUT Runway Show next month.

Congratulations to the winners: Anthony Rodriguez, Henson Garcia, Jade Mclain, Joe Macri, Jon Ezell (winning design, top right), Kelsi Calahoun, Krislyn Perez, Patrick Pin-Tsung Lee, Quinn Palmer (winning design, top left), Angelica Villegas, and Regina Gomez.

London’s Edge tradeshow highlights the latest trends in graphics and prints for the goth, punk and skateboarding markets, featuring both emerging and established action sports and lifestyle brands. Delivering details to us from across the ocean was leading trend forecast and analysis company Stylesight, who recently reported their findings for Spring/Summer 2013. Read more about this graphic design trend and more on the FIDMDigitalArts Blog.

Above: 1 Gypsy 4 men’s T-shirt (left) and Mirror men’s T-shirt by Liquorbrand // 2 VM Roses Crew T-shirt by Sullen Clothing // 3 Dead Dancer women’s tattoo tee by 2K2BT // 4 Graphic T-shirts designed by FIDM Graphic Design Alumnus Danny Osterman

More headlines from FIDMDigitalArts.com:

Faculty Focus: The Remarkable Expressions of Age in Illustrations by FIDM Graphic Design Instructor and Fine Artist William Fogg

Whether the portrait emanates a maniacal grimace or a serene expression, FIDM Graphic Design Instructor William Fogg’s mesmerizing fine art will have you second-guessing whether you’re gazing into a photo or a drawing. Read more about Fogg’s remarkable portraits on the FIDMDigitalArts Blog.

Eight Rad Fashion Video Lookbooks for Brands We Love

Luxury fashion brands have been using online videos as a marketing tool for some time now, and we are excited to see a rise in fashion video lookbooks among leading surf/skate/action sports brands as well. In the past year alone, Vimeo has welcomed brands like Hippy Tree, SOCIETY Clothing, and OBEY for our digital media inspiration.

Watch seven more exciting fashion brand video lookbooks on the FIDMDigitalArts Blog.

FIDMDigitalArts.com first spoke with art director and founder of the Los Angeles-based eponymous Marc Friedland Couture Communications about the future of graphic design in 2011. At the time, Marc Friedland had become the first graphic designer ever charged with the exciting task of customizing the Academy Award® winners’ envelopes. Today, Friedland’s role with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has extended beyond the winners’ envelopes to include a complete wardrobe of social communications, as well as the Oscar Collection by Marc Friedland exclusively for Evite Postmark, and some fun Oscars Red Carpet Bingo Cards available for free download. Read more on the FIDMDigitalArts Blog here.

Other headlines from the FIDMDigitalArts Blog:

Free Downloads: Wallpapers Inspired by Academy Awards' Red Carpet Looks

With the opening of the 21st Annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design at FIDM Museum & Galleries featuring all of the Academy Award® nominated costumes, we can’t help but be excited for Hollywood’s biggest night of the year happening this weekend.

We've designed some free wallpaper downloads  inspired by red carpet looks from last year’s Academy Awards ceremony, complimented by the Oscar Wilde quote that captures the spirit of our amazing student body, "one can never be overdressed or overeducated."

Download free wallpapers inspired by Academy Awards' Red Carpet Looks on the FIDMDigitalArts Blog here.

Trend Watch: Sweet Retro Packaging Design Elements Will Have You Craving Confections this Year

It’s pretty common for confectionary packaging to offer decadent designs as tasty as the treats they house, and we love the fair share of retro design pieces spotted at The International Sweets and Biscuits Fair (ISM) by leading fashion trend forecast and analysis company, Stylesight.

Grasphic Design Trend:  Sweet Nostalgia

Above: 1 Willa’s Shortbread packaging designed by Anderson Design Group (image via The Dieline) // 2 Valentine’s Day chocolate wrapper by Love vs. Design (which is available to download for free here) // 3 Chacha confection packaging concepts by FIDM Graphic DesignAlumnus Jayson Cainguitan // 4 “Chocolates with Attitude” specialty chocolate gift packaging byBessermachen Design Studio // 5 Confectionary packaging by Mr. Stanley // Red Ganache Lovebugs specialty chocolates by John & Kira’s

Read about this graphic design trend and more on the FIDMDigitalArts Blog.

Full Name: Dillon Schehr

Age: 19

Hometown: San Clemente, CA

FIDM Major: Graphic Design

FIDM Campus and Start Date: LA Campus Spring 2013

Admissions Advisor: Cathy Chambers

Tell us a bit about yourself. I grew up in the small beach town of San Clemente, California and started out at a young age of racing motocross and pursuing that as my career. After many years of racing and numerous injuries, I decided to take a different path in life and follow my other passion of becoming a graphic designer for a top clothing or action sports company.

What are your proudest accomplishments so far? I would have to say one of my proudest accomplishments, so far, is when I qualified for a national out in Ponca City, Oklahoma.

What made FIDM right for you? For me FIDM fits just right. I didn’t want to take the path of going to a community college and just getting my AA and transferring, but I wanted to pursue the career I've always wanted to in Graphic Design.

Describe your entrance project. For my entrance project I designed a type of snowboard that was made out of special materials and shaped like no other snowboard on the market. 

What are your career goals? To first graduate from FIDM and after get a job in the motocross industry designing motocross gear that is unique and like nothing else out there.

What do you expect to learn at FIDM? I want to learn and know everything about graphic design so I can take my knowledge from FIDM and pursue my career with the help of FIDM, family, and friends.

Above: Fashion photography by FIDM Graphic Design Alumna for Bianca Lowkeen.

Photographer and graphic designer Bianca Lowkeen has been a busy freelancer since graduating with a Graphic Design degree from FIDM. Since graduating in June 2009, Lowkeen has worked as a graphic designer for nonprofit organization What a Pair; as a photo assistant, retoucher and photo shoot project manager for leading action sports brand Volcom; and as a digital painter and retoucher for video game company Yoostar (where she worked alongside FIDM Digital Media Alumni Ryan Sommerville and Andrew Persing). 

At her most recent job as an in-house photographer at contemporary women’s fashion brand ANGL, Lowkeen quickly took on additional creative responsibilities. Read more about Bianca on the FIDMDigitalArts Blog.

More headlines from FIDMDigitalArts.com:

Videos of the Week including Disney’s Innovative “Paperman” Animated Short, a Flipbook Take on Gangnam Style, “World War Z” Super Bowl Spot and More

Catch up on your pop culture news in online videos you may have missed last week, from Disney’s ground-breaking Academy Award-nominated short, “Paperman” to the chilling “World War Z” Super Bowl spot.

Above: Walt Disney Animation Studios debuted its Academy Award-nominated short film “Paperman” online, which Wired writer Graeme McMillan suggests, could be indicative of the future of animation with its blend of hand-drawn and computer-generated imagery. It’s six and a half minutes of Disney Animation at its best with a touching storyline, set in a minimalist black and white mid-century New York that will convince you of its hand-drawn authenticity. Watch our other videos of the week on the FIDMDigitalArts Blog.

Trend Watch: Stylesight Notes Quirky Characters in Prints and Graphics at the BRIGHT F/W 13 Streetwear Trade Show

European streetwear brands are taking on cartoonish characters reminiscent of those seen in ’90s Nicktoons animated series like “Doug,” “The Ren & Stimpy Show,” and “Rugrats” for Fall/Winter 2013. Leading trend forecast and analysis company Stylesight visited Berlin for the 16th annual BRIGHT trade show featuring more than 300 skateboarding, streetwear and action sports brands to take note of upcoming prints and graphic design trends.

Stylesight noted “Quirky Characters” as an upcoming graphic design trend in its BRIGHT Prints & Graphics F/W 13 report stating “character tees are given a humorous and artistic look.”

Above: 1 Men’s graphic tee concept for Toby Clothing by FIDM Graphic Design Alumnus Justin Hellwig // 2 Bananadap T-shirt concept by FIDM Graphic Design Alumnus Josh Mandap // 3 Astro – White T-shirt by Dephect // 4 IC Backbone T-shirt by Billionaire Boys Club // 5 Sody Surf T-Shirt – White by Stussy //  6 “Sombrero Toast” Women Scoop Neck Tee by Cleptomanicx

Read about this graphic design trend and more on the FIDMDigitalArts Blog.

 Above: “NFL Total Access” by Capacity

While most of our digital media posts are dedicated to topics like theatrical and video game advertising, short films and motion graphics, we can’t overlook the enticing visual graphics that dominate the sports marketing industry.

We’ve dedicated this week to sports marketing in anticipation for Superbowl Sunday, including this round-up of the best NFL motion graphics, title graphics and digital media spots.

For sports graphics enthusiasts, Graphics Mafia is a great site for your visual inspiration, founded by creative director and 2D/3D animator Brian McCauley.

“A lot of people get into sports motion graphics as stepping stone to other types of digital media, which is great, but I want everyone to know that you can make a great career out of sports motion graphics,” says McCauley in an interview with FIDMDigitalArts.com. “Just like any career, with passion and discipline you can truly create great art.”

Watch the rest of our picks for the best NFL motion graphics, including McCauley’s sports graphics reel on the FIDMDigitalArts Blog.

More headlines from FIDMDigitalArts.com:

Trend Watch: Varsity Lettering, Pocket Details, and Pattern Infills Spotted in Athletic-Inspired Casual and Streetwear Apparel

Above: 1 Small Check Pocket Tee by Huf // 2 Metallic Paisley Boxy Tank by Brothers Stret Luxri, owned by FIDM Graphic Design Student Joshua Lirio // 3 Win T-shirt (back) by Password Athletics, owned byFIDM Alumnus Miguel Urias// 4 Supreme/Champion® Parka (back) // 5 Stussy+80 Tee by Stussy 

With Superbowl Sunday approaching this weekend, it’s no wonder that athletic-inspired apparel graphics are catching our attention this week for Tuesday’s Trend Watch. From streetwear brands to men’s casual wear labels, design elements that hint at traditional sports uniforms are dominant.

Leading fashion trend forecasting and analysis service WGSN cites “super-minimal typography and bold numbers” in simple colorways as key design elements for men’s casualwear, street and denim brands.

“Moving away from multicolored and pictorial influences, designs are simple, referencing the classic varsity style for single color typographic designs,” states Alice Clarkson of WGSN.

Check out more examples about this athletic-inspired streetwear trend and more on the FIDMDigitalArts Blog.

Four Vintage-Inspired Superbowl Sunday Graphic Designs: Typographic Posters, Unique Tailgate Invites & More

As much as we love the slick on-screen animations and motion graphics that dominate the visual landscape of Superbowl Sunday, these vintage-inspired graphic design pieces caught our attention for their unique, organic qualities.

Above:  Custom “San Francisco 49ers” and “Baltimore Ravens” Typographic Posters by August Park Creative

Check out the other four vintage-inspired Superbowl graphics on the FIDMDigitalArts Blog.

When it comes to Valentine’s Day for the digital media or graphic design enthusiast in your life, forget the flowers. We’ve rounded up some design-y gear worthy of typography lovers and aspiring film makers’ approval.

Above: 1 “I Love Typography a-z” T-shirt by TypographyShop.com // 2 Lorem Epsom necklace by Plastique // 3  “Celebrate Order” CMYK Pop Art Poster Series For the Modern Graphic Designer by Neue Modern Press via Etsy // 4  2013 POLAROID Camera Illustrated Desk Calendar via Etsy // 5  Love Story: The ’60s poster by TypographyShop.com // 6 Pewter Film Strip charm via Etsy // 7  Big Lebowski throw pillow designed by Ale Giorgini and Stormwalking throw pillow designed by Gareth Payne via Society6 // 8 You + Me = Really Good Films venn diagram card via Etsy

For more inspiring graphic design and digital media inspiration, visit the FIDMDigitalArts Blog.

More headlines from FIDMDigitalArts.com:

Seven Inspiring Motion Graphic Infographic Short Films that Educate and Entertain

Educate the Heart

By digital media and motion graphics artist Giant Ant.
On the Topic of:  Emotional and social skills-conscious education for the Dalai Lama Centre.
Fact you might not know: A study of more than 270,000 students found that social and emotional learning programs strengthened overall attitudes and behavior and led to an increase in academic scores by 11 percent.

We are witnessing the rise of compelling animated infographics, videos that translate complicated facts and figures into digestible, visually compelling short films using motion graphics and digital media.

By editing fluid visuals seamlessly with powerful music and sounds in short films, motion graphics artists are skilled at our capturing our attention long enough to learn something new. FIDMDigitalArts.com compiled seven amazing videos for your digital media inspiration, including the one posted above.

Watch six more inspiring motion graphics short films on the FIDMDigitalArts Blog.

Full Name: Cody Pham

Age: 17

Hometown: Murrieta, California

Year in School: Senior

FIDM Major: Graphic Design then Business Management

FIDM Campus and Start Date: Los Angeles and San Francisco, Summer 2013

Admissions Advisor: Cathy Chambers

Tell us a bit about yourself. I love anything art, anything sports, and anything social. I spend mostly all of my time at school, whether it be for sports, ASB, art-related, clubs, and all sorts of school events. A huge chunk of my time is spent with the cross country, basketball, and track teams, as well as a few of the clubs I am a part of, such as ASB, NHS, and the BBC (a spirit club), at my school, that was voted most spirited school in the nation.

As for art, I’ve always loved to get as much experience in the art world as I can, making anything from custom shoes, shirts, bikes, logos, illustrations, graffiti, backdrops, sets, canvases, murals, ceramics, to home décor.

What are your proudest accomplishments so far? My proudest accomplishments art-wise have been the street art campaign a friend and I have started in my town, as well as my freelance company, that has helped me expand my ranges in art and taken weight financially off my parents' backs.

What made FIDM right for you? Everything.

Describe your entrance project. For my entrance project, I created a fixed gear cycling shop, making a catalog cover, a magazine ad, and various logos for it, inspired mostly by street-cultured biking.

What are your career goals? I would like to build up a design company and work with various clients on all types of mediums and materials, and own a studio to fund relief work and projects overseas to third world and less fortunate countries.

What do you expect to learn at FIDM? To obtain the tools necessary to be a more creative and have a keen eye for everything around me, while sharpening my skills and understanding of graphic design, fashion, and the world of commercial art.

Above: Pretty Foo Foo mobile app, one of the projects that FIDM Digital Media Charlotte Hodgson has contributed to. Images courtesy of Charlotte Hodgson and 1boxapps.com

It’s been less than a year since Charlotte Hodgson earned her Digital Media degree at FIDM and she’s already begun a dream career as a Mobile Applications Developer and freelance videographer/editor.

“There’s not just one thing that I love about my job. I love the team I work with, I love editing CSS, and I love being able to design something knowing that it is going to be live for thousands of people to see,” says Hodgson, a 2010 graduate of Valley View High School in Moreno Valley, California.

As a Mobile Applications Developer at 1BoxApps in Temecula, California Hodgson works with Photoshop, Illustrator, HTML and CSS to design and develop smartphone apps for iPhone and Android.

Above: FIDM Digital Media Alumna Charlotte Hodgson ('12) is a Mobile App Developer & freelance videographer.

In addition to Hodgson’s newly discovered interest in HTML and CSS, she continues to pursue her passion for digital media, video editing and videography.

“In this field, I kind of get to incorporate things I learned while I studied digital media. I still get to be creative and express my creativity in a way that I enjoy,” she says. “And I still do freelance videography and editing on the side!”

Read the full interview with Charlotte about her career path on the FIDMDigitalArts Blog.

 More headlines from the FIDMDigitalArts Blog:

Tuesday Trend Watch: Spring 2013 to Bring Feminine Whimsy & Organic Illustration to Apparel Graphic Design 

Despite the plethora of digital design tools available for modern day graphic designers, it seems that organic forms and imperfect lines are favored over structural elements for Spring graphic designs this year, according to leading trend forecasters.

In its Springtime Stitch: Original Graphics – Women report, leading fashion forecast and trend analysis company Stylesight cites “a fresh series of original graphics, depicting hand stitched portraits and floral illustrations, with loose and delicate lines” for Spring 2013. Read more details about this trend on the FIDMDigitalArts Blog.

Above: 1 Bridget watercolor fashion illustration by Cate Parr // 2 Fashion illustration by FIDM Graphic Design Alumna Lucile Lesueur // 3 Dance Studio with Glitter print by Paper Fashion // 4 Fly Your Own Kite fashion illustration by RoEnArt // 5 Bird Illustration Giclee Print by FIDM Graphic Design Alumna Julia Walck // 6 The Owl and Cat Frank art print by Sonnenzimmer

VH1 is kicking off the new year with a much needed update to their logo, stripping the colors away from its former 10-year-old mark and replacing it with a modern monochrome icon.

Designed by New York-based graphic design firm Gretel and announced on VH1′s Blog and the channel’s social media outlets, the new logo incorporates a plus sign to correspond with a new #plussed Twitter hashtag and advertising campaign. Read more about VH1’s new look on the FIDMDigitalArts.com Blog.

Above: VH1 logo before and after. Image courtesy of design blog, Brand New.

More headlines from the FIDMDigitalArts.com Blog:

Go Behind the Scenes of Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit" with SoundWorks Collection

Dedicated to “profiling the greatest and upcoming sound minds from around the world,” SoundWorks Collection is constantly introducing compelling short film interviews with sound designers and other digital media professionals– and the site’s sound profile for The Hobbit: an Unexpected Journey is no exception.

The SoundWorks Collection crew went all the way to Park Road Post Studios in Wellington, New Zealand to capture interviews the pros behind The Hobbit‘s amazing sound design including Re-recording Mixer Michael Hedges, Re-recording Mixer Chris Boyes, Re-recording Mixer Michael Semanick , Co-Supervising Sound Editor Brent Burge, Co-Supervising Sound Editor Chris Ward, and Dolby Atmos Re-recording Mixer Gilbert Lake.

Sound and audio design is just one facet of video post-production that  FIDM Digital Media Students study. Read more about SoundWork Collection’s The Sound of the Hobbit on the FIDMDigitalArts.com Blog.

Graphic Design Trend Report: Urban/Streetwear T-Shirt Brand Roundup

We’ve come to expect consistent high-fashion and packaging trend reports from Stylesight, but every once in a while the fashion forecast and trend analysis company releases some great urban street style reports, like their most recent trend forecast Brand Watch: Graphic Tees S/S 13. 

Stylesight inspired us to gather some of our favorite urban streetwear-inspired T-shirt designs by recent FIDM Graphic Design Graduates. Some of the trends we’re seeing from these young up-and-coming designers include:

• “Secret society” inspired icons,
• Play with graffiti
• Bold athletic-style typography and
• Illustrative motifs.

Check out the selection below:

Above: “Be Classy” T-shirt by IN//BEINHABITED, FIDM Graphic Design Alumna Bana Bongolan’s brand  // 2 “Depict” T-shirt design concept by FIDM Graphic Design Alumnus Martin Murillo // 3 “Grind” T-shirt design concept by FIDM Graphic Design Alumnus Glen Sese // 4 “Stay Sharp” T-shirt design concept by FIDM Graphic Design Alumnus Brandon Lozano // 5 T-Shirt design concept by FIDM Graphic Design Alumnus Danny Osterman // 6 Graphic design T-shirt concept by FIDM Graphic Design Alumnus Ryan Beckman.

Read more about this trend and more on the FIDMDigitalArts.com Blog.

Current Graphic Design Student Crystal Chau recently designed Miso For Life, the second book in the A Melting Pot of Thoughts series, which is edited by FIDM OC Financial Aid Director Mai Bui. "This was one of those shining moments in life that just happened to fall into the palm of my hands so I had to seize the opportunity and put my best effort forward," explains Crystal, who will graduate in March. She designed the book's cover and its contents. 

"The inspiration for the design came from the kimono wardrobe that was featured on the model," she explains. "Holding the printed book and seeing my name printed inside and outside of the book was pure happiness." Crystal's career goals include designing conceptual advertisements, magazine layouts, and video game and product packaging. 

The book is available for purchase at Amazon.  

With access to industry trend reports at the FIDM Library, one of the largest specialized fashion libraries in the United States, FIDM Students stay current with upcoming trends for fashion, color, graphics design, and more.

In its Prints & Graphics: Packaging Highlights Holiday 2012 report, leading fashion forecast and trend analysis company Stylesight pinpoints organic illustrative techniques, letterpress-inspired typographic treatments and more in upcoming holiday prints and packaging this year.

Above: 1 Christmas Cream Ale packaging design by graphic designer Forrest Causby // 2 Typographic Christmas-themed playing cards by New Zealand-based firm Dashwood, photo courtesy of LovelyPackage.com  // 3 Holiday cards for Bao Vo Creative, Inc. by FIDM Graphic Design Alumna and graphic designer Melissa Bergen // 4 “Christmas Spirit” packaging by design firm Stranger & Stranger, photo courtesy of LovelyPackage.com

Read more details on the FIDMDigitalArts Blog here.

More headlines from the FIDMDigitalarts.com Blog:

Third Installment of "One Day on Earth" Film was 12-12-12, Inviting Thousands to Film “A Day in Your Life” for Documentary Project

Did you participate?  On Wednesday, December 12 (12-12-12), thousands of people from all over the world simultaneously filmed a day in their life in the third installment of the global film event One Day on Earth. The general public was invited to participate in this unique and extraordinary event in which personal documentary footage from people all over the world will serve as an archive for future generation.

"Together, we are showcasing the amazing diversity, conflict, tragedy, and triumph that occurs in one day. We invite you to join our international community of thousands of filmmakers, hundreds of schools, and dozens of non-profits, and contribute to this unique global mosaic," states the project organizers on www.onedayonearth.org. "One Day on Earth is a community that not only watches, but participates."

Read more on the FIDMDigitalArts Blog here.

Amoeba Hollywood's Windows Feature Amazing Album Cover Art by FIDM Graphic Design Instructor Graham Moore

If you’re in Hollywood any time soon, don’t miss the window display at the renowned Amoeba Hollywood music store, which is currently splashed with amazing vinyl album cover collages by Graham Moore, a FIDM Graphic Design instructor.

Amoeba posted an interview with Moore about his designs currently on display at the Ivar Street window of Amoeba Hollywood where Moore visits weekly to acquire new vinyl for his art pieces.

“My process is employing techniques that I use and teach in my design classes, techniques I learned in art school, applying the basic elements and principles of design and the technique of collage,” says Moore.

Read more on the FIDMDigitalArts Blog here.

With holiday shopping season in full-swing, it comes as no surprise that leading retailer Target (known for its amazing brand marketing) is delivering top notch graphics with its gift cards, some of which even double as interactive toys, games and puzzles.

With so many unique illustrations and graphic designs, we thought it would be fun to track down one of the graphic designers behind the gift cards that keep us so entertained and inspired.

Graphic design/illustrator duo Don and Ryan Clark of Invisible Creature have tackled several design projects for Target, including environmental graphics and several gift cards, including the company's most popular WOW gift card of 2011, a Lego 3-in-1 (which sold 350,000 copies). Read more on the FIDMDigitalArts.com Blog here.

More headlines from FIDMDigitalArts.com:

Design Inspiration from Around the Globe: Get Lost in Herman Miller's Film Series "Why Design" by LA-based Firm "Hello Design"

The design team at Los Angeles-based interactive design agency Hello Design recently embarked on a unique design-focused journey for Herman Miller’s Why Design film series that will keep you captivated and, perhaps, ready to invest in a Herman Miller chair.

Visiting eight cities, the Hello team captured 7,268 photos and wrote 600 lines of code, according to AIGA/Los Angeles (who toured Hello last month), to capture the spirit of legendary Herman Miller designers including surfer Yves Béhar, paper sculpture artist Irving Harper, the company’s original graphic artist Steve Frykholm, and more.

No matter what type of design interests you, whether it’s industrial design, architecture, interior, graphic design or digital media, Hello’s amazing digital storytelling ability will help you discover new creative inspiration from these amazing designers from around the world. Watch one episode here and more on the FIDMDigitalArts.com Blog here.

Packaging Design Trends: Playful, Interactive Novelty Packaging for Food, Beverage & Holiday

Leading fashion forecast and trend analysis company Stylesight cites Novelty Packaging as an emerging trend in a recent Packaging Highlights Report, stating “playful concepts are breathing new life into food and drink packaging.” Read more about this fun packaging trend on the FIDMDigitalArts.com Blog here.

Above: 1 Conceptual design for Annie’s Instant Oatmeal by FIDM Graphic Design Alumna Kathy Calderon // 2 Delilah interactive chalkboard coffee packaging designed by Lun Yau // 3 Three-inch Sweet Relish Dunny packaging designed by Sket One // 4 Corporate holiday chocolates self-promotion packaging for Daines & Associates Architects by Think Packaging // 5 Bzzz Armenian Honey packaging designed by Backbone Studio

It’s been less than six months since Bana Bongolan earned her Graphic Design/Branding degree from FIDM and already she’s engrossed in the streetwear apparel graphics industry as product designer for a major label, and also as an entrepreneur.

Prior to graduating, Bongolan had already been hired as a product development assistant and graphic designer for the popular urban lifestyle brand Crooks and Castles, where she designs women’s and men’s T-shirts, and occasionally hats, and develops the garments’ patterns and tech packs.

In addition to her full-time job at Crooks and Castles, Bongolan has been focused on building her own streetwear lifestyle clothing brand IN//BEINHABITED along with FIDM Visual Communications Student Caitlin Berger, IN//BEINHABITED’s art director and co-owner.  FIDM Graphic Design Alumnus Daniel Foster recently joined the team as a photographer and web designer, while FIDM Graphic Design Alumnus Colin Nesbit serves as a regular model. Currently Berger and Nesbit work alongside Bongolan at Crooks and Castles, while Foster interns for another leading streetwear label Hellz Bellz. Current FIDM Digital Media Student Justin Enriquez has also been involved as videographer and editor of the line’s most recent lookbook teaser for the brand. Read more about Bongolan and her streetwear brand on the FIDMDigitalArts Blog here.

Check out more news from the FIDMDigitalArts Blog!

Filmmaker Friday: Rhyming Illustration Inspiration & the Roots of the "Keep Calm and Carry On" Poster by Studio Canoe

Temujin Doran of Studio Canoe is an illustrator and filmmaker based in London who developed the clever short film below that pinpoints the history of the ever popular “Keep Calm and Carry On” poster design that have become so widespread that several parodies have emerged. Watch more videos and read more about Studio Canoe on the FIDMDigitalArts Blog here.

Stylesight Foresees Graphic Design Prints Inspired by The Golden Ratio for S/S ‘14

Intricate geometric patterns and detailed structures are design elements that will be prominent in activewear prints and graphics for Spring/Summer 2014, predicts leading trend forecast and analysis company Stylesight. Read more about this trend on the FIDMDigitalArts Blog here.

Above: 1 Logo for France-based company that specializes in designing new zoo parks and services relating to wildlife animal housing by Jan Zabransky // 2 Personal branding for FIDM Graphic Design/Entertainment graduate C. Brennan Woo // 3 Golden rectangle design by Carl Kleiner // 4 Branding for a Greek cosmetic production company Philab by Chris Trivizas

Anthony Young

Major: Graphic Design, Business Management

Where did you go to school?

After high school in Baltimore, I want to FIDM San Francisco for Graphic Design—an easy choice since I’d been designing since I was about 8.

What did you like about studying Graphics?

The teachers open you to new ideas and let you explore. Also, unlike designing alone, you learn to think critically.

Why the B.S. in Business?

Graphic Design Alumna Allyssa Perez discovered her love of design at age nine, when she created a music magazine called Smash, from cover to cover. Her godfather Keith Holman, who designed for Michael Jackson and Dolly Parton, suggested that Allyssa consider FIDM. "When I got back home I looked up FIDM and instantly fell in love," she says. "The teachers are all working professionals who know what's happening in the industry at the moment."

Allyssa, who now works as a Graphic Designer at North Coast Medical, says that FIDM prepared her for challenging clients and tight deadlines. She loves music and has recently designed merchandise for the band Issues, and is in the process of designing a new website for her company. "My plate is full and then some, but I am extremely blessed and grateful to do what I love," she adds.

"I found this amazing publication based around weddings and something told me 'This is for me,'" says Graphic Design Alumna Gloria Waters who designs Wine Country Weddings magazine. "After a few phone interviews and a test run on my design skills, I am getting paid to do what I love to do." She says that seeing her creations and hearing positive feedback from readers is an amazing feeling.

"FIDM taught me how to standout as a candidate for any desire position in the industry and for that I am grateful," Gloria adds. "Classes like Portfolio and Professional Practices taught me how important it is that you present yourself on paper just as well as you would in person."

FIDMDigitalArts.com congratulates many Digital Media and Graphic Design Alumni and industry partners of FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising selected as finalists in The Hollywood Reporter Key Art Awards.

Below, read details about FIDM Digital Media and FIDM Graphic Design/Entertainment Alumni and the leading entertainment advertising agencies for which they work selected as finalists this year. (Follow the links to read a list of full trailer/campaign credits).

Create Advertising’s Premium Rush “Thrill Domestic Trailer 2” is a finalist in the Motion Graphics category, while their humorous “Huggins Online theatrical trailer for The Campaign is a finalist in the Online category. Several FIDM Digital Media Alumni work at this leading firm, including senior motion graphics artist Mario Hernandez, motion graphics producer Ryan Verseman, motion graphics artist Justin Hamilton and creative director for motion graphics Jonathan Gitlin. Read more about these Alumni here.

FIDM Digital Media Alumni Kyle Brosius and Kyle Thorsen, lead animator and lead motion graphic designer, respectively, at Greenhaus GFX worked on the domestic trailer for Anonymous, a finalist in the Motion Graphics category.

Leading agency The Ant Farm has been recognized for several pieces including: theatrical trailers for George Harrison and Footloose, game trailers for Aliens: Colonial Marines (teaser) and the Assassin’s Creed 3 “Revolution: In-Cinema Trailer,” along with Campaign nominations for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, and for the Disney Epic Mickey 2 billboards in the Print & Print Technique medium. FIDM Digital Media Alumnus Jay Trumbull is a games capture director at The Ant Farm.

PETROL, which employs numerous FIDM Alumni, is a finalist for Single Standard Packaging for Xbox's Metro: Last Light; Billboard, South Park: The Stick of Truth; Illustration, Darksiders II; Illustration, Metro: Last Light; Building Wrap Campaign, Call of Duty: Black Ops II.

The 2012 Key Art Awards will be held in Hollywood on October 17th. Read more on this story at the FIDMDigitalArts Blog. 

“Once a year, tens of thousands of people gather in Nevada's Black Rock Desert (also known as "the playa") to create Black Rock City, a temporary metropolis dedicated to community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance. They depart one week later, having left no trace whatsoever,” from burningman.com.

FIDM SF instructor Lisa Hoffman has been designing the maps for Burning Man since 2001. She discusses her process and the evolution of the event.

Q. When did you start going to the festival?

A. 1991 was my first trip to the Black Rock Desert for the annual Burning Man event. There were about 250 people there that year. Like most everyone else who goes out to the playa for Burning Man, I came back excited and ready to invite everyone I knew for the following year. I returned for five years in a row and saw the population double each time.

Q.  When did you start making the maps?

A. The first city plan and corresponding map and guide were introduced in 1997. In 2001, I took over the design of the map and guide.

Q. Since it changes each year, how do you select a theme?

A. The map design is always based on the art theme for the event. Larry Harvey, Executive Director of the Burning Man Project, dreams up the theme each year. I bounce his ideas around in my head for months before I start designing. While the design is taking shape, I begin working with the Placement Team to collect all the data. In the early days of designing the map I’d go to the Burning Man headquarters and meet in the heavily guarded off limits space where a giant CAD map of the city plan was printed in sections and taped up around the room. For years this process of placing the theme camps and villages was done with pencil and paper. As the Placement Team has grown and become more geographically spread out, it has become necessary to do the mapping on computers, so the delivery of the placed camps now comes to me digitally.

Q. Tell us about some of your favorites.

A. “Metropolis: The Life of Cities” was the theme for Burning Man 2010. I had always wanted a reason to be inspired by Harry Beck’s iconic London Underground map and this theme was the perfect fit. I also really wanted to create a Black Rock City version of the iconic roundel logo used to brand the underground. I knew a friend of a friend who worked at Transport for London and with his help was able to get official written permission to use the version of the circle with the open top mimicking the shape of Black Rock City.

A. With the Rites of Passage theme in 2011 I decided to use a timepiece (see art at top) for the face of the map to suggest the passage of time. The production process for this map was a special one because I got to use so many resources around me. I borrowed a collection of gears from FIDM instructor, Dale Carlton, and a beautiful collection of pocket watches from Career Center Advisor, Julie Arnone. One particularly fabulous watch with an intricate sculpted edge became the star of the map.

Q. Have you had any guidelines in designing the maps?

A. One of the goals I’ve had in doing this project is to try to make each map look different from previous years. I feel I’ve succeeded when I hear people say they didn’t realize the same designer has been doing the maps all these years.

Q. What do you see in the future for Burning Man maps?

A. While I enjoy the process very much and appreciate the freedom I have in choosing a design every year, I’ve always felt there needed to be an end. Next year will be my 13^th map for Burning Man and it will be the last in my series. The doors will be open for a new designer to take over. As the city and event continue to evolve, so will the map.

Lisa Hoffman is the Department Coordinator for Graphic Design and Visual Communications at FIDM in San Francisco. Lisa’s professional career includes time spent as a Window Designer for Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlors; a Production Artist, Art Director and Production Manager for various multi-media companies; a Graphic and Textile Designer for Esprit Corporation; and, Map Designer for the Burning Man organization. Lisa’s work has been featured at ProArts Gallery, Diego Rivera Gallery, and the Exploratorium. For more information and samples of work go lisatized.com. 

Browse recent highlights from the FIDMDigitalArts.com Blog below:

New Portfolios by FIDM Grads Offer Fresh & Inspiring Film & TV Marketing Campaigns

FIDM Graphic Design/Entertainment portfolio by Joseph Macri. Key art movie poster design and extended marketing campaign concept for "Drive."

Visual Communications Alumna Shana Wardle is the Web Art Director at BCBGMAXAZRIA. We recently caught up with her to hear all about this exciting career.

How did your position come about at BCBGMAXAZRIA?

While at the Retail Design Collective on the FIDM Visual Communications trip to NYC, I met Sean Sager, a talented Los Angeles based creative consultant who also lived in Los Angles. Through him, I was able to make several phenomenal professional connections which led to many creative job opportunities including Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, Jessica Simpson, Juicy Couture, BCBGMAXAZRIA, etc.

After being in the visual department for Juicy Couture and looking for more of a challenge, I reached out to a contact I had made at BCBG regarding an available Art Directing position. After a fabulous interview and two short weeks, I started my new journey and am absolutely ecstatic to be part of a company that is visionary and the front-runner of fashion.

What are your day-to-day responsibilities?

I am an Art Director focusing on web as a whole, and it is very rewarding knowing that I am designing for a large scale audience, being that the online atmosphere is continually growing and expanding. I work closely with my team of designers, the site editor, and the chief creative officer to create branded messaging through emails, homepages, landing pages, hybrids, catalogs, and  lookbooks.

I oversee all online collateral for several of our brands including (but not limited to) Runway, Herve Leger, BCBGeneration, Lola, Factory, etc. as well as all international repurposes for Europe, Canada, Japan, and Mexico. We utilize editorial imagery per delivery to speak to the customer through the ever-evolving world wide web.

What do you  love about this job and why?

The brand concept, marketing tools and creative outreach of BCBG do a fabulous job of implementing the way of bon chic, bon genre, and the overall necessity of grace and class. With long days and immense effort, we all work together to generate a consistent, cohesive message to the customer. Craft is the driving force behind each day, and with so much passion and positive energy, it’s hard not to love every second of every day!

How did FIDM help prepare you for your career?

I can’t even begin to describe how FIDM prepared me for my professional career. While I was attending, I was a sponge, completely engulfed in everything my instructors taught, hanging on their every word. From Windows to Styling, Set Design to Graphic Design, I felt exhilarated and found my time in class to be crucial to my career. The hands-on atmosphere and projects seemed to be like a job itself, and once in the “real” world I felt such a comfort of knowing I was fully capable of what I was doing because I had done it before in a class at FIDM.

We recently told you about Merchandise Product Development Graduate Miguel Barragan visiting FIDM to meet with the Premiere Product Development Group. In addition to serving as a Creative Director for a Los Angeles lingerie company, a friend at DC Comics based a comic book hero on him. His character, also called Miguel Barragan, hails from Mexico.

After serving as a lead designer for a web agency last year, Graphic Design Alumna Melissa (Bergen) Phelan has struck out on her own as a designer for clients such as Pastilla (pictured), Mas Malo, and director Brenton Covington. "After working with a large team on the same project every day for over a year, it made me want to design for my own clients once again," reports Melissa.

The Pasadena-based designer says that FIDM is part of her success story. "FIDM helped me land an internship that turned into my first job out of college," she says. "Later on, I was given a lot of great connections in the industry; I'm still getting work from contacts made four years ago."

 FIDMDigitalArts.com caught up with Graphic Design Alumni at Career Connections to ask what advice they had for graphic design interns. Click here to read more on the FIDMDigitalArts.com Blog.

More headlines from the FIDMDigitalArts.com Blog:

Geeking out Over the Primetime Emmy® Awards' Key Art & Best Commercials Nominees

FIDM Museum & Galleries is currently exhibiting its 6th Annual Outstanding Art of Television Costume Design, featuring more than 75 costumes from a variety of Primetime Emmy® – nominated shows including Boardwalk Empire, Downtown Abbey, Game of Thrones, Once Upon a Time, Pan Am, Smash, and Magic City.

As Graphic Designers and Digital Media Artists who appreciate the art of entertainment graphics, we found ourselves geeking out over other Emmy®-related design, like the key art and Outstanding Commercials nominees. Read more here.

Eight Trends Shaping the Creative Team of the Future (Tip: Brush up on your Video Skills)

Leading staffing agency The Creative Group (TCG), which specializes in recruitment for the creative and advertising industries, recently collaborated with the American Advertising Federation (AAF) to pinpoint eight major trends influencing the advertising and design industries in a report, “The Creative Team of the Future.”

The eight trends, which includes “Video blurs the boundaries between online and TV” demonstrate future possible career opportunities for those earning their Graphic Design degree or Digital Media degree at FIDM. Read more here. 

San Francisco company Eden Bicycles challenged FIDM Graphic Design Students at FIDM San Francisco with creating a unique jersey for women. Each of the twelve jersey designs submitted by students were strong contenders and the company had a difficult time deciding on just one. In the end they choose Alyson Zimmerman's (pictured above) for the flattering panel design and feminine, but not too girlie, look. Eden Bicycles currently has 35 members on their Cinderella Ride team and the jersey is also available for sale inside the Eden Bicycles store in Castro Valley.

Above: Breaking Bad key art by PETROL

From Call of Duty: Black Ops to Breaking Bad, Get Inspired by Leading Agency, PETROL

Leading entertainment advertising agency/design firm 

PETROL recently updated their motion  graphics, advertising and interactive reels packed with tons of inspiring creative work.

Employer of several FIDM Alumni, PETROL’s range of work includes print marketing, outdoor advertising, trailers and other video projects, and interactive online marketing for films, television shows, UFC and video games.

PETROL's Motion Graphics Reel

Click here to watch more reels by PETROL on the FIDMDigitalArts.com Blog.

Packaging, Applied Branding and Portfolio Leave Behinds Designed by FIDM Graphic Design Students 

Graphic design involves more than computer software skills in programs like Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign. Students earning their Graphic Design degree at FIDM learn hands-on skills like measuring, trimming and mounting for presentation boards, which translates to construction for packaging using die lines, projects with hard-cover book covers and multi-page layouts, and more.

Above: Applied branding project by FIDM Graphic Design Student, Calvin Bu

Browse examples of packaging, portfolio leave-behinds and applied branding projects of FIDM Graphic Design Students.

NBA Careers, Gaming Consoles, Bigfoot & More – Infographics by FIDM/SF Graphic Design Students

Graphic Design can evoke emotions, communicate complicated ideas, and ideally, do both. Infographics (a.k.a. information graphics or graphic visual representations of information, data or knowledge) represent graphic design at its best.

Students earning their Graphic Design degree at FIDM San Francisco got the opportunity to tackle their own infographic project last quarter. Design II Instructor Kyle Chan at FIDM San Francisco challenged her students to select a topic of their choice and illustrate information about their topic using their own photographs.

Click here to see more infographics designed by FIDM Students.

Imprint, the online magazine of Print, the prestigious visual culture magazine, has an in-depth profile of FIDM Graphic Design Instructor Graham Moore this month. Entitled "A Designer's Mid-Century Mod Music-Graphics Mashup," the article showcases Moore's manipulation of album cover art into fine art collages. As the graduate of Wimbledon School of Art in London explains: "It was the love of album cover art that made me want to pursue a career in graphic design in the first place, and here I am using it in a way I would never have dreamed of."

FIDMDigitalArts.com recently highlighted the exciting work of Create Advertising, which has created movie trailers for The Amazing Spider-Man and Tim Burton's Frankenweenie. Create Advertising in turn blogged about FIDM, calling the college "one of the top design schools in the nation" and mentioning that many of the artists who work for Create are FIDM Grads.

Jonathan Esquivel

Major: Graphic Design

Where did you go to school?

West Covina, H.S., West Covina, CA 

How did you find FIDM?

A FIDM rep came to my high school and made a presentation. Then I took a graphic design class in high school and really liked it.

What do you like about your major?

The teachers are professionals who are really into what we like to do—like designing movie posters and magazines.

What is your dream job after design college?

I would love to be a graphic artist at Disney.

Merchandise Product Development Alumna Leah Welch is the Creative Assistant/Graphic Designer at Modman, the design-rich branding and marketing company. "I am on Illustrator 80 percent of the day, working on everything from packaging to logos, signs, branding, collateral, and anything else that can be designed," she says. "I just had my first website design approved for programming!"

Leah collaborates with her boss on various projects and says that her team is clever, talented, and visionary. "They inspire me more than any  professional group I've ever been a part of, and I'm amazed at the growth that my boss has pulled out of me already," she adds. "Before FIDM, I did not know how to use any Adobe software. I could not have gotten this job without those skills."

Graphic Design Firm Lo Siento Creates Amazing 4D Letter Sculptures

Combining their appreciation for architecture and lighting with typography, Barcelona-based graphic design firm Lo Siento developed an amazing set of sculptural letters that may be read from virtually all angles. Read more on the FIDMDigitalArts.com Blog.

Featured Portfolio: FIDM/San Francisco Graphic Design Award Winner, Stephanie Kim

FIDM San Francisco recognized Stephanie Kim as the 2012 Graphic Design Student of the Year Award at graduation this year. Selected by the senior creative director for Impact Unlimited, Bill Smith for her impressive range of work, Stephanie's versatility is what set her apart from her peers. Check out Stephanie's final portfolio and read more here.

Check out more portfolios by FIDM Graphic Design grads on the FIDMDigitalArts.com Blog.

Motion Graphics Inspiration: Four Quick Title Designs by Multimedia Firm, Digital Workshop

Digital Worshop’s team of directors, producers, animators, illustrators, and graphic designers describe themselves as “a concept driven production company,” specializing in a variety of multimedia and app development services. Watch more inspiring motion graphics videos by Digital Workshop on the FIDMDigitalArts.com Blog.

Two FIDM Alumni have been featured in the article “Invasion of Beauty Bloggers” on LAWeekly.com. FIDM Graphic Design Alumna Bri Emery, author of the Blog Design Love Fest, and Interior Design Alumna Erika Brechtel, of brand styling studio Small Shop Studio, are both quoted in the article.

Regarding her experience at FIDM, Emery tells FIDMDigitalArts.com that FIDM's Instructors “pushed me to be creative, proactive, and gave me the tools to become a good freelancer!”

Read more about how Emery applies the Graphic Design/Branding skills that she learned at FIDM in her career as a freelance graphic designer on the FIDMDigitalArts.com Blog.

The top three finalists have been announced in the FIDM Facebook Graphic Design Challenge!

Congratulations Jon E., Angelica V., and Marianna H. who customized the FIDM logo using eye-catching, patterns, typography and graphics to design the images shown above. Now it's time to cast your vote to determine which design will be FIDM.edu’s Facebook cover image.

Click here to cast your vote.

The deadline has been extended for the FIDM Facebook Graphic Design Challenge! FIDM is giving YOU the chance to design the next cover image featured on the official FIDM Facebook page. Anyone interested in art and design is eligible to enter and the new deadline is Sunday, May 13 at 11:59 p.m. To enter, visit the FIDMDigitalArts.com Blog.

A+D Museum to Exhibit Work by FIDM Graphic Design Students in Annual Design Exhibit "EMERGE"

Five Graphic Design Students who are members of the FIDM AIGA Student Group The Red Dot have submitted work in an annual design event showcase, EMERGE, hosted at the A+D Museum by AIGA, the professional association for design.

Nicole Antonian, Sam Arias, Marianna Holguin, Grayden Kough and Jessica Threde, have submitted samples of their graphic design work to be on display. Read details here.

Visit the FIDMDigitalArts.com Blog for more graphic design and digital media-related headlines.

Full Name: Danielle Marie Eastberg

Age: 27

Hometown: Minnetonka, MN

Current City: San Diego, CA

Previous College History: I hold a B.S. in Computer Engineering and an M.S. in Systems Engineering. Time to change things around! I'm looking forward to being more creative.

FIDM Major: Graphic Design (Branding Track)

FIDM Campus and Start Date: I will be commuting between Orange County and L.A. beginning this Summer.

Admissions Advisor: Christina Haynes

Tell us a bit about yourself. I love photography, cooking, yoga, traveling (small towns, big cities, abroad), I get inspired by cooking/lifestyle blogs, nature walks, camping, and reading fiction. I also know the Thriller dance.

What are your proudest accomplishments so far? I made the decision to leave my very stable corporate job and make a complete life transition in order to come to FIDM and pursue a career in the arts. It's the boldest move I've ever made, and I know it will be rewarding.

What made FIDM right for you? I want to start my own business designing websites and FIDM had the right blend of courses to give me the tools and structure for that. I also was floored by the students' final design projects and the successful careers I've seen coming from FIDM Alumni. I want all of that too!

Describe your entrance project. I designed a blog (header, social media buttons, layout, etc.) for a "Mixed Tape Project." This was a fictitious start-up I created where my client wanted to introduce a drag-and-drop playlist that included retro vector graphics of cassette tapes - where you could 'gift' playlists to friends. I designed the website to draw in a target market who would have respect for the vintage feel of an old mixtape, while embracing new technology. It was a blast!

What are your career goals? I 100% want to start my own business designing websites and e-book covers for bloggers and companies. I also draw comics, which would be fun to turn into a business if possible. Everything I want to do will benefit from understanding design theory and becoming a graphic designer.

What do you expect to learn at FIDM? A friend once told me that "design school teaches you how to see." I expect to start paying closer attention to design in the world. I want to be able to have a critically trained eye to know what I like and what I would improve on. With these skills I want to start a business creating my own designs for other bloggers.

Check out what’s new on the FIDMDigitalArts.com Blog:

FIDM is giving YOU the chance to design the next cover image featured on the official FIDM Facebook page. Anyone interested in art and design is eligible to enter the FIDM Facebook Graphic Design Challenge. The deadline is Sunday, May 6 at 11:59 p.m. To enter, visit the FIDMDigitalArts.com Blog.

FIDM Alumni Focus: Graphic Design/Branding Grad, Kathy Calderon, is Lead Graphic & Web Designer at Beverly Hills Salon

Since earning her Graphic Design degree from FIDM /Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in 2011, Kathy Calderon has been working as a Lead Graphic and Web Designer at Cristophe Salon in Beverly Hills, where she works on everything from packaging to Web design, photography and video editing. Read more about Kathy on the FIDMDigitalArts.com Blog here.

Featured Digital Media Contest: The "VIEW SOCIAL CONTEST" for CG Students & Pros

View Conference– Italy’s leading digital media conference, is calling for design and digital media projects focused on current social themes for the VIEW Social Contest. Read more about this contest on the FIDMDigitalArts.com Blog.

Visit the FIDMDigitalArts.com Blog for more graphic design and digital media-related headlines.

Beauty Industry Merchandising & Marketing Student Olivia Martinucci recently did the makeup on a photoshoot for the brand Kid Dangerous. Little did she know that a photo from that shoot would be published on the Vogue Italia website.

The photographer, Neave Borzagi, is a Graduate of FIDM's Graphic Design Program and the stylist Jessica Ozette is a Merchandise Marketing Alumna. "The beauty industry is truly amazing," says Olivia. "I am so proud to say that I am part of this circle."

Just Accepted 18 year-old Graphic Design Student Quinn Palmer is already selling his artwork on his website, THESK.IN. His incredible digital creations have also won national art competitions.

"Because I'm working on my artwork with a spin towards the business aspect, FIDM really stood out to me as a school that's very up-to-date in the industry and could also train me in the aspects of business I need to make my company really take off."

Read the entire interview on FIDM's FashionClub.com Daily Blog.

Since graduating in 2009, Graphic Design Alumna Jocelyn Goode has worked in San Francisco and New York City on a mission to change the world through graphic communication. With an emphasis on working with non-profits, Jocelyn has been keeping busy, and her latest venture is the NYC LUV Tour.

The NYC LUV Tour, which premieres in Oakland, Berkeley, and San Francisco from April 26-29, is a bi-annual traveling showcase compromised of NYC artists and performers who visit different cities and present their work in collaboration with local artists in a vareity of interactive art and cultural events. Artist, poet, and collector Danny Simmons (older brother to Russell and Rev Run) will guest star at the event.

“The reason this project is a social enterprise is because of the Heal The Hood Prize,” explains Jocelyn, who serves as creative director/producer/promoter. “Part of the vision is to utilize the art and culture as a tool to raise money to support individuals operating programs that uplift and progress the community.” Sista Linda Johnson, founder of the Umoja House--Oakland’s oldest African home school, is this tour’s honoree. The goal is to raise a $500 cash gift on her behalf.

Ron Pastucha

Majors: Graphic Design, Interior Design & Visual Communications

Industry Experience: Art Director, Universal Studios, Japan, Florida/Scenic Designer, Venetian and Alladin Casinos, Las Vegas/Set Direction, Titanic, Alien Resurrection/Concept Designer, World of Warcraft/Visual Designer, Locale Magazine

Q: What can grads do with a graphic design degree?
A: Once you learn the elements of design you can do anything. I’ve moved between the fashion, entertainment, and hospitality industries since getting my degree 24 years ago.

Q: What is your teaching philosophy?
A: My calling as a teacher at FIDM is to figure out each student’s creative process and then break down my techniques to help them communicate their ideas. They are all visual thinkers so I work with them one-on-one. I’ve had students who didn’t think they could draw, become sketch artists in my classes.

Learn more about the Graphic Design major at FIDM.

Check out what’s new on the FIDMDigitalArts.com Blog:

It’s portfolio week on the FIDMDigitalArts.com Blog and we're showcasing new portfolios by FIDM Graphic Design/Branding and Graphic Design/Entertainment Graduates! Check out the FIDMDigitalArts.com portfolio gallery here.

Graphic Design/Entertainment Grad Nicole Antonian Designed Live-Action Movie Posters for her Favorite Disney Films

Graphic Design/Entertainment grad Nicole Antonian presented her final portfolio last week. One of her favorite projects was a modern day, live-action entertainment campaign she developed for five of her “all-time favorite” Disney films: Tinker Bell, Snow White, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Sleeping Beauty. Read more about Nicole on the FIDMDigitalArts.com Blog here.

FIDM Students Get 50 Percent Discount for "Sounds Like Music," An Event for Digital Media Students & Pros on March 25

Known for his innovative approach to sound design and music composition, sound professional Diego Stocco will be conducting a special presentation along with composer, Nat Evans, at an upcoming networking event hosted by The Art of Music– an event series dedicated to the “criminally overlooked specialty of music for film, TV, video games and other media.”

FIDM Students get a 50 % discount on tickets (original price is $20.00) using the promo code “FIDM” at checkout.  Read more about this great event on the FIDMDigitalArts.com Blog here.

New Portfolio: Graphic Design/Branding Grad Lauren Corallo Hired as Jr. Graphic Designer upon Graduation

While earning her Graphic Design degree with an emphasis on Branding at FIDM, Lauren Corallo also worked as an intern at Undefeated Creative, a creative studio founded by FIDM Alumni in downtown Los Angeles. The firm specializes in graphic design, digital media, branding, marketing, e-commerce, photography, and social media management with a focus on the fashion and entertainment industries.

Read more about Lauren on the FIDMDigitalArts.com Blog here.

Graphic Design Student and FIDM Tumblr blogger Angelica Villegas is in competition to design the cover of PlayStation Access Magazine.

"What better way to illustrate the world domination of gaming than with a play on the renowned commercial that introduced the revolutionary Macintosh® computer to the world?" asks Angelica.

Vote here through April 5, 2012.

Graphic Design Alumna Tanya Smith wrote a blog post featuring tips on How to Get a Job After Design School. From networking to your location and resources, Tanya encourages new graduates to be open-minded and proactive.