The Smell of Success

Design Intelligence ranked SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) #1 for Interior Design for both Undergraduate and Graduate programs regionally. And now, as finals conclude tomorrow, I am feeling the weight of that title. My newest feat has been putting together a digital portfolio. As with most things, it will be a progressively changing process. As more projects find their way onto my work resume, the portfolio will morph itself to fit its new form.

I enjoyed the capabilities of having your business card in a stamp.Or some part of your branding package incorporating into something so flexible and reusable. Potentially a branding move in the near future....

The result of what I came up with came from a stringent process, of SCADs curriculum, and of my portfolio preparation class, was really figuring out who I am as a designer, as a person, as an employee offering a company my services. It was, for the first time in my collegiate process, that I saw myself as a product arranged on floor fixtures for buyers to peruse. Up until now, I had a misconception that all the hard work I've produced and the hours of sleepless nights endured would somehow sell itself to potential employers. I did not see my services as they should be seen as. It was a really interesting but gradual epiphany for myself.

 Still, I challenge myself as to why we market ourselves the way we do?

I think its good to ask yourself this as you design your brand. Asking what message you want to send, and how you come across initially. Some approach the topic in assertive colors with lines that suggest dominance, others Asian background affect the organic nature of their logo. Interestingly so, the brands (as they should be) become a graphic transformation of who we are, not only as designers, but as people. It might not have been the initial motive when creating a brand identity, but in seeing the finishing products of both a print and digital portfolio, there is a consistency with the design and the designer. I like this. I enjoy exploring how we can more accurately, better represent, ourselves visually.

Additionally to the history class, I finished as of a few short hours, my studio class is wrapping up beautifully. It is a exhausting sigh of relief to know that in a short 30 hours I will be exhaling the sweet breath of completion. This being one of the more meaningful quarters of my education, has given me the opportunity to choose a design problem and solution specific to my interests. Similar to the brand identity observations between the design and the designer, the problems we chose to address as designers seem specific to our interests and extendability. I am going on break soon and look forward to updating on the process of the Atlanta project for my Capstone!

Adieu SCAD, hello [short] break!!