Thanks to everyone who came out to our first meeting. Couldn’t make the first meeting but want to join? Read below for what we’ve covered, and feel free to come to next week’s meeting — same time, same place! (K155, 6:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.).
What We Covered:
1. AIGA — The Professional Association for Design
AIGA is a national organization with over 20,000 members in 66 chapters. It was founded under the name American Institute of Graphic Arts, but it now simply goes by its acronym, AIGA. AIGA is the source for current information in the design world, opportunities to network with design professionals, educators, and students, and further your growth in the design field. Learn more about AIGA here. New membership categories were set up this month. While membership in the AIGA Student Group at COD is free, we strongly encourage everyone to join to national association so that you have access to benefits such as job listings and free or discounted Chicago events that we can attend as a group. (Hold tight until we figure out if there will be a fall student membership price where you can get a discounted price; otherwise, it’s just $50 a year, a cost you’ll earn back after attending just a few events!)
2. AIGA Student Group at College of DuPage
The COD group is an offshoot of the Chicago chapter of AIGA. This year, we will get involved in as much as possible—lectures, gallery show viewings, studio tours, and more. We also want to put together at least one gallery show, create small weekly projects to present and critique, and work on real-world projects that prepare us for a job in the design field. Find our schedule and more information on the COD’s AIGA Student Group webpage.
3. Gallery Show
We reviewed past student galleries at COD (see past shows here). We discussed some possibilities for our first show (most likely small scale, perhaps at a coffee shop?). Come to our next meeting to get in on the planning.
4. First Weekly Project — Due Next Meeting (Tuesday, September 4)
For our first weekly project, each member will create a minimalist poster, using a simple illustration or icon to reflect themselves. Don’t be too literal—don’t just draw a picture of yourself. How can you reduce who you are to a simple icon?
Notes:
– Set up your document as 11”x17”.
– Bring in your project as a digital file—a jpeg to post on our blog, and the original file for us to print and hang. We’ll present them to the group and provide our feedback.
– Elements should include the icon/illustration, your name, and an optional quotation that reflects your personality.
– Need inspiration? A Google search of “Minimalist Movie Posters” will get your creative juices flowing. Of course, your poster will be about you and not your favorite flick. (If you were Marilyn Monroe, your first weekly project might look something like this.)
Questions? Talk to Dan or Meghan at school, or e-mail us at aigacod@gmail.com.
