Induction Week

The new Semester begins next week and as usual we will be running a full Induction programme. Induction week gives all our new intake the chance to work, share and collaborate in the studio before the main classes kick off (starting 31st August).  At the end of the induction week, teams will present their solutions to the group.

The HNC and HND groups will be collaborating on a project (devised by two of the current HND students) to design a 12" record sleeve.  We'll be supplying some classic LPs are part of their research -





The NC group will take on a research project, investigating inspiration and pop culture. Part of their week will include a visit to the Edinburgh Museum of Modern Art to see two excellent exhibitions - Roy Lichtenstein (at Modern One) and Esher (at Modern 2).

Dystopian Design Buddies

As if we aren't busy enough getting our HND class ready for the first Mentoring Evening of the session (Wed 24th), we're about to launch a new employer engagement strategy for the HNC group.

This new idea is the 'Design Buddies' programme, where students get to buddy-up with some of our recent graduates, who will then form a mentor-student relationship, popping into college to do crits and providing feedback and art direction on various projects. The idea is to get our HNC class acclimatised to working with industry people so that when they move into the final year and join the mentoring programme, the transition is less daunting and smoother. Initially we've asked ten of our former grads, all working in agencies across Edinburgh and Glasgow, to sign up to be a Design Buddy. First up for them to get their teeth into will be a book cover design project.

This project is set every year at HNC, and covers a lot of the techniques, ideas and process required for the Typography and Design in Context units at SCQF level 7.  Last year the project brief was to design covers for four classic Raymond Chandler novels.  This time around, we've decided to go with the theme of 'Dystopia'.  The brief asks the students to design three covers from list of eight titles suggested by the client, Penguin.  The solution needs to be purely typographic, and the titles must be part of a collectable series. The list includes works by the likes of George Orwell, Philip K. Dick, Marge Piercy and William Gibson.

The Design Buddies can expect a sizeable PDF in their inbox soon containing sketchbook ideas and early versions of design work for Dystopia.

Not Another Deadline...

Hot on the heels of the recently passed D&AD deadline, this week sees the cut-toff for student entries to the Marketing Society's annual Star Awards.  Hopefully all of our final year students have submitted their entries (even though they are on holiday).

The first submission is a written brief, which is then shortlisted, and we should hear early-May if any of our students have made the shortlist this time around.

Our 2012 graduate Steven Brown won the Star Creative award last year, whilst 2011 graduate Ross Duncan took Silver the year before.

More:
Marketing Society Scotland Star Awards 2013
Star Awards winners 2012

Learner Conference Logotype - Inspire!

In between their Induction Brief and their first Mentor brief, HND Year 2 have just completed a short live brief for Edinburgh's Telford College.

The College are holding a Learner's Conference in November, and the brief was to create a logotype based around the Conference theme, 'inspire'. The class had to present their logo ideas, and then take some interim client feedback into a second round of development. The concepts were then whittled down to four examples, and the final idea was selected by letting College staff vote on the visuals.

Anita Wroblewska came out the winner with her funky hand motif and a casual script typeface. Anita will get £75 worth of artshop supplies, and of course we'll all see her work around the College in the near future.