FIDM Magazine

Interview With Just Accepted FIDM Student Danielle Heer

She's only 16, but Danielle Heer knows that she wants an exciting career in Graphic Design. She'll begin her studies in Fall 2010 at the San Francisco campus.

"I come from a small town and I've been doing Graphic Design for four years, specializing in abstract, but I have fun doing anything. I work for a software company called Alight, doing design and video work. I'm also into makeup artistry, video production, fashion, surreal art, and music. I'm outgoing and I love to meet other artists. I'm always wearing stilettos."

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

FIDM OC Graphic Design Students Earn Praise for CANstruction Project

The Breast Cancer Network of Strength is raving about FIDM Orange County's incredible effort to help raise money not only for the Food Bank of Orange County, but also the Breast Cancer Network of Strength. Here's what they had to say: "Move over, Jimmy Choo, the talented students at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising of Orange County (FIDM) are hot on your heels." The article continues, "Wondering why you have been unable to find Bumble Bee tuna cans at your local supermarket lately? Well, now you know…over 4000 of them were used in the construction of the shoe – each can bringing with it a donation to Breast Cancer Network of Strength as part of Bumble Bee’s sponsorship commitment to our organization – a win-win-win-win for all involved." Click here to read the rest of the glowing article!

For more on the Graphic Design program, head to FIDM.edu.

Graphic Design and Digital Media Grads Reunite in L.A.

A record 90 grads turned out for the recent Graphic Design and Digital Media Alumni Event at the Target Terrace at The Grammy Museum at L.A. Live. Guests enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, while catching up with one another. "Since graduating, I took the top design students in my class and started a small design firm made up of all FIDM students," said new alum Matthew Mau of Undefeated Creative. "What we learned in school is being applied in the real world, so if a client comes to us with a project, we'll sit down and go through the creative process just like we did in school."

Graphic Design Students Create Logo for "What a Pair" Event

Last quarter, students in FIDM's Graphic Design Program worked on the branding for What a Pair, an annual event where stars are paired up to sing duets. The proceeds for the event benefit breast cancer research. Pictured are FIDM Students in front of the logo they created.

Tanya Smith's Wimzie Prints Featured in Premiere Episode of "Castle"

One of FIDM alumna Tanya Smith's greeting cards from her Wimzie Prints line was featured on the premiere episode of ABC's Castle. "I was so excited to watch the show so we could glimpse the card," explains Tanya, whose elephant card was hanging on the refrigerator in the NYPD break room on the show. Castle's set decorator Daryn-Reid Goodall bought a few cards while on a summer vacation and later emailed Tanya to see if he could use it on set. "Of course I was delighted!" Tanya says.

FIDM OC Update on CANstruction Project

Back in June, we told you about the charitable competition, CANstruction, which benefits the OC Food Bank. FIDM Graphic Design students at the Orange County campus are constructing the high heel shoe and here's a sneak peek at the progress!

Please contribute pink Bumble Bee tuna cans, red Tyson chicken cans, and/or cash donations to Student Activities on any FIDM campus. You can join the students for an all-nighter on September 4 to construct the stiletto at South Coast Plaza!

FIDM OC Graphic Design Students Help "Heel" Hunger

FIDM Orange County Graphic Design Students are competing in a charitable event, CANstruction, to benefit the OC Food Bank. Constructed from approximately 3,000 cans of food, the students will design and construct a woman's high heel shoe and the competition will take place at South Coast Plaza from September 5 to September 27. Please contribute pink Bumble Bee tuna cans, red Tyson chicken cans, and/or cash donations to Student Activities on any FIDM campus. You can join the students for an all-nighter on September 4 to construct the stiletto at South Coast Plaza!

Interview With the Digital Media Students Behind Living the FIDM Life

Read FIDM Fashion Club's interview with the Digital Media Students behind Living the FIDM Life. Students Hartley Haverty and Melissa Wong produce, film, edit, and bring to life everything that's in the reality show. Read the full Q&A here.

Learn more about FIDM's Digital Media & Graphic Design Boot Camp for High School Students in August!

Graphic Design Student Wins 3rd Place for IRON MAN Movie One-Sheet

Congratulations to FIDM Graphic Design Program Students Aaron Avila and Omar Rajput! Both students qualified as semifinalists in the one-sheet division of the 8th Annual Key Art Student Awards Competition and Aaron was awarded THIRD PLACE! The prestigious competition celebrates excellence in creativity and craftsmanship in motion picture making. There were 12 semifinalists from colleges across the nation and students and instructors came from as far away as New York and Pennsylvania to attend the awards ceremony held at FIDM's Museum & Galleries.

On-hand to present the awards were Creative Director Jeff Bacon from top entertainment marketing agency The Designory who revealed one reason why he and his agency are involved in the student competition: "When I was about sixteen, I won an art contest and this told me it could be a career I could pursue. When I got into the business, I wanted to help create that opportunity for today's students."  He'll be pleased to know that Aaron Avila told us that "the award gives me even more confidence that I can succeed in the industry."

FIDM Instructor Doug Haverty explained how he approaches the competition in the classroom: "We watch the movie and talk about the marketing campaign and then I tell them to forget all that and come up with a completely new approach. I think it's pretty amazing that they all start with the same materials, but yet look at all the different ideas they've come up with."

Images: Top, one-sheet for Iron Man by Aaron Avila; Bottom, one-sheet for Iron Man by Omar Rajput

Graphic Design Alumna Tanya Smith Debuts Whimzie Prints

Graphic Design Alumna Tanya Smith, who has run the successful firm TGS Design, has just opened Whimzie Prints, an online shop stocking fashionable note card sets. All of the products are designed and illustrated by Tanya, who resides in Renton, Washington.