<em>What’s in a name?</em> A lot, if you’re a designer. First year students in Sean Thorenson’s Typography class discovered that form plays a large part in communicating content. In this exercise students were required to design twelve name tags for themselves, each depicting a distinctly different personality or physical trait. The idea behind projects like this is to help prepare students in choosing or creating type (form) that appropriately communicates the intended message (content). Many designers are tempted, when working with type, to simply use it ‘straight from the tube’, but like any medium it should be worked fully and perfected to visually ‘say’ what it is meant to say.

Apple has sold nearly 15 million iPads since it’s release and the second you try one you will understand why. The technology is amazing and intuitive.

On Friday, students from the Graphic Design and Communications Department got a chance to test drive the iPad. Bismarck State College’s mobile iPad lab was wheeled into the classroom, and with the help of Scott Helphrey, BSC’s Instructional Technologist, the students were up and running quickly.

The first step into using the iPad lab was a small one – a contest was created in which students voted between two designs. A bracket was created and the process was continued until one design was considered the popular favorite.

The introduction of this technology into the classroom was interesting. We may soon see students using this kind of a device rather than a laptop or even instead of a textbook.

Mark your calenders for Wednesday, April 20th, 7 PM to see Von Glitschka in BSC’s NECE Auditorium for Creating 5ive-Alarm Concepts. This event is FREE and open to the public.

A designer’s work demands they produce original ideas on a daily basis. Von’s talk will demonstrate the importance of designers being great thinkers, by expanding their knowledge base from outside the industry in order to facilitate unique concepts within their work.

Glitschka is principal of Glitschka Studios and has worked in the communication arts industry for over 23 years. His work reflects the symbiotic relationship between design and illustration. Glitschka Studios, is a multi-disciplinary creative firm. The studio shines as a hired gun for ad agencies, medium to large design firms, and in-house corporate art departments working on a diverse range of illustrative design projects. Contrary to popular belief Von does not have a clone and can often be found on Twitter sharing random creative thoughts and rants.

Glitschka will be coming to campus as part of this year’s ArtsQuest celebration thanks in part to grants from ArtsQuest and the BSC Foundation.

The Sophomore Graphic Design and Communications students recently completed a beverage photo shoot. Beverages can be tough subjects because the take the shape of the container they are in. The beverage photos require a lot of preparation compared to other assignments the students have shot. As the level of difficulty has risen, the students have met the challenge with better work.