Kauffman Center Blog

You can follow the painting progress of the Kauffman Center Mural on their team blog here.

KCAI Visual Advocacy Video

Check out this new video featured on the kcai.edu homepage about the g.d. department's visual advocacy studio. The video was made by recent graduate, Gerg Kaufman.

'08 alum rhianna weilert featured in "ink"

check out the article here

Design Saleries

You can check out AIGA's 2010 survey of design salaries here. Included up front you'll find some essays, by leading practitioners on what makes a successful designer, that are certainly worth reading.

Kyle Huber's project is featured in the Kansas City Star

Class project becomes a KC campaign of HIV/AIDS awareness
By MARÁ ROSE WILLIAMS
The Kansas City Star

Kyle Huber’s poster campaign is sponsored by the AIDS Service Foundation of Greater Kansas City.

Kyle Huber’s design started as a college class project and ended up in bar restroom stalls.

Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/05/29/1979930/class-project-becomes-a-kc-campaign.html#ixzz0pWLkHqNu

Kathy McCoy Workshop

Recently Professor Kathy McCoy conducted a workshop in the graphic design department. You can read Tom's (one of the participants) summation here.

2009-2010 Graphic Design Department Year-End Accolades

It's been quite a year for the graphic design department. Here's a look at all the projects, design related activities and student honors. Congrats to everyone!

Community-outreach projects
KCAI becomes a founding participant of the National “Design Ignites Change” program. Awards went to seniors Ramzy (2nd place) & Logan, (3rd place), with honorable mentions to morgan, Ian and laura.
Visual Language studio designed posters for the 2009-2010 Jazz Concert Series at the Folly Theater. The winning posters by juniors Micah, Sean, Dmitri, Carly, Kate, Johnna, and Amanda
Senior Josh Eithun and a team composed of UMKC students, local architects and planners won the first annual KC Design Week challenge with their “Take Away the Hunger” concept for Harvesters.
Senior Kyle Huber was interviewed on 90.1 KKFI and has spoken in front of the Millennial League about his “Spread the truth, not the disease” HIV awareness campaign.
Junior Luke Babb designed a poster for the Livestrong Army of KC
Seniors Morgan Allen and Jessica Lyee-Ayee degree projects are displayed at “Troost Troost Troost”, a collaborative exhibition by KU and El Dorado Architects at Project Space.
Junior’s (Abby, Bryan, Micah, Lance, Luke, Mo) were selected to design a mural for the interior of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
Seniors Ramzy and Ian curate the “Pattern and Form” show at the Crossroads Gallery
Senior Matt Urlaub’s bike awareness campaign is written about on Pitch.com

design-related activities
Teams from the Senior Spatial Studio designed concepts for an exhibit for KCAI 125th anniversary (for next year). Winning concept is by seniors Ian, Blake, Veronica, Jessica, Genia, and Ramzy
15 Student’s participated in Frankie Oviedo’s “start your own business” workshop
14 Students participated in Katherine McCoy’s audience-center research workshop
16 students attended the annual spring break trip (this year to Colorado). Trip included studio tours in Boulder and Denver and a co-crit with Rocky Mt. College of Art.
Type 2 participates in AIGA Blue Ridge “Change One Thing” Poster competition
josh eithun, ramzy masri, gerg kaufman, and dustin maberry were selected for this year's "design team". some highlights include the kcai street banners, a video documentary of the department's visual advocacy efforts, the 125th anniversary gala program, and a host of campus promotions.
The 3rd issue of Ampersand is published (designed by Ramzy, Laura, Morgan, Ian Tirone, Corie Chambers, Josh Lambert, Dustin Maberry)
Seniors Matt Urlaub, Laura Berglund, Josh Lambert and Ramzy Masri exhibit projects in the 2010 KCAI BFA show at the H&R Block space
Juniors Tammy Shell and Johnna Pasch are selected to exhibit posters in the annual KCAI Junior show
17 student’s participated in AIGA portfolio workshop
AIGA students tour various local design studios (including Willoughby, Vahalla, Hallmark)
Steve Frykolm from Herman Miller lectures and is a guest critic

Other recognitions
2009 graduate, Monina Velarde wins the AIGA’s National Conference Command X competition
Sophomore Brandon Lyon “compost” poster is one of the winners of the AIGA Blue Ridge Change One Thing competition
Sophomore Kelsey Anderson wrote & receives grant from AIGA KC to hang Change One Thing Posters around KC
Senior Laura Berglund is selected to design the AIGA student portfolio workshop identity
Senior Morgan Allen wins AIGA KC’s student scholarship; the second year in a row for kcai students.
Junior Johnna Pasch wins KC Ad Club scholarship
Junior Tammy Shell’s project titled "a light on washington street” gets recognized by Design Observer
Senior Laura Berglund’s packaging is featured on the Dieline

Faculty
Chris Chapin is hired as the new graphic design department chair. He comes to us from Otis College of Art.
Tyler is invited to participate in a political poster exhibit called "printervention" in Chicago
tyler's billboard project from last year's visual advocacy class receives press from channel 41 news which features one of the participating paseo academy students.
Jamie presents at the Centre for Learning & Teaching in Art & Design International Conference in Berlin
Jamie is a guest speaker at the AIGA KC “Next” presentation
Kidwell converts from a contract to tenure-track position
Eppelheimer is hired as Associate Creative Director at top interactive design firm, VML
Kelly Ludwig, Paul Diamond and Chris Chapin advise the 2010 Senior Show, unusual behavior, with great success

congrats to our graphic design achievement award winners

The Weingart Award: Awarded for superb achievement in formalism.
Josh Lambert

The Kalman Award: Awarded for imbuing work with conceptual depth and meaning.
Tammy Shell

The Hofmann Award: Awarded for outstanding rigor and diligent process.
Micah Barta

The Lausen Award: Awarded for outstanding social/ethical awareness and advocacy through design.
Logan Smith

The Tschichold Award: Awarded for significant growth and transformation.
Amanda Laffoon

The Bierut Award: Awarded to the most articulate in oral and written communication.
Ramzy Masri

The Emigre Award: Awarded for a fearless and exploratory approach.
Matt Urlaub

The Poyner Award: Awarded for insightful contribution in critique.
Ian Tirone

The Cooper Award: Awarded for boldly embracing designing for emerging technology.
Gerg Kaufman

The Lupton Award: Awarded for outstanding participation in KCAI's graphic design studio community.
Kelsey Anderson

latin cd release show this saturday

i recently designed the cd package for k.c. rock band latin's first album, "storytelling" and you can get a free copy of the disc at their cd release show when you pay the $8 cover. it comes complete with four interchangeable covers. show info is below and here is a link to check out a few of their songs.

saturday may 14,
club time (10ish?)
the riot room (broadway and westport rd)
 latin, pet comfort, gardening not architecture, maps for travelers

kcai gd dept student acheivement awards

You've worked hard - and you've earned a celebration!

At the end of the year the g.d. faculty awards students in the department that we feel embody the key attributes of an outstanding design student. Awards of distinction will be given at all levels - sophomore, junior and senior. The awards ceremony will be the evening of May 14th at the Senior Exhibit space.

enter ADC Young Guns

www.adcyoungguns.org/enter

senior show opening: unusual behavior

visit the website for more info

interested in book arts?

M. J. Poehler at the library just announced that "Booklyn artist Kottie Paloma will be visiting Jannes Library at KCAI on Wednesday, May 5, from 10 a.m. until noon. He will be showing Booklyn’s new publications and work by Booklyn artists." Why not stop by on your lunch break?

Summer Visual and Graphic Design internship in NY

Application Deadline: May 7
Submit portfolio, cover letter and resume to: interns2010@behaviordesign.com

Behavior is an award-winning New York web design consultancy focused on building compelling and elegant digital user experiences for business and culture. We have led the user experience and interaction design strategies for clients and projects across many industries, including HBO, BusinessWeek, The Smithsonian Institution, McGraw-Hill, JPMorgan Chase, The National Geographic Channel, AARP, the AIGA and The Onion.

Skills
· Must be able to create visual interaction designs (layouts, color palettes, typography, user interface elements, etc)
· Proficient in Adobe CS4 Suite
· Understand Information Architecture and Concept Design
· Conceptual and Hands-On Required

more info

Upcoming workshop for graphic design juniors and sophomores!

Sub-culture & audience-centered design research: a workshop with Professor Katherine McCoy

During this special intensive workshop with selected sophomore and junior students, you will learn a unique methodology for audience-centered design research and apply it in a hands-on project. Teams will collaboratively research and design, while working under the specialized tutelage of Professor Katherine McCoy. The end result is a poster and presentation summarizing your findings.

To apply, email Jamie by 3pm on 4/29. Write a brief proposal on two possible local subcultures that you would be interested in researching, and describe the need/opportunity for understanding each community's unique communication characteristics. Your proposed subcultures need to be be readily accessed for research in the short workshop time period.

The workshop is May 12th & 14th from 8:00-2:30 during normal studio-time (plus any work-time on your own).

Graphic Design Seniors: sign-up for meetings with Katherine McCoy

Professor Katherine McCoy will be available for private sessions the last week of school. In this time of transition from student to real-world, I can't think of a better person to have a chat with!

Come prepared to discuss a direction that you hope to pursue further, either in your upcoming employment, in graduate school or in independent exploration (and bring along a project or work to help facilitate the conversation).

The 20 minute sessions run Wednesday & Thursday and are first come first serve. Sign-up sheet is at Lisa's office.

Frankie Oviedo workshop summary

Many of our design students participated in a recent workshop with Frankie Oviedo. Sounds like those involved really enjoyed it. Taylor Pruitt has written what the experience was like for her, on her blog. What was it like for you?

KCAI graphic design, making waves

Of late the faculty have been receiving emails about job and internship opportunities for our students. I think it is important to share some of the words that were expressed in those emails...

"I am reaching out to you today in the interest of establishing a relationship with KCAI that can benefit those top Junior and Senior level students... I am impressed with the level of work that is produced in your program and would love to take part, forming relationships with staff and students moving forward." - Denver Colorado

"I wanted to reach out to you about a new internship program we are starting this summer. I had a glance through your areas of studies, and the type of creative thinkers you have attending your school are just the people we are looking for!” - New York City

"I have just been too, too impressed with KCAI students. I praise you for the great people you are helping bring into the market. These are excellent talents." - Kansas City

love it!

Paper based visualizations. If you know me you know how happy this makes me.

Congrats to scholarship winner

Johnna Pasch has been awarded a scholarship from the American Advertising Federation Kansas City Foundation. Good job Johnna!