“All I’ve ever wanted to do is design and make; it’s what I love doing. It’s great if you can find what you love to do.”

It’s Official… Apple’s Design Director Jonathan Ive was knighted today in Buckingham Palace, with Princess Anne performing the honors. 

“You can have this barely formed thought and then suddenly something does actually exist. Then that thought that is so tentative and so fragile normally becomes a tentative discussion and you’re trying to bring body to the thought with words. Generally what happens is that’s a conversation between a couple of people and is exclusive.”

“And then you start to draw to try to describe and develop this fragile idea. Then a remarkable thing happens at the time you make the first object, the time that you actually give form and dimension to the idea. In the whole process, that’s the one point where the transition is the most dramatic and suddenly you can involve multiple people. It brings focus and it can galvanise a group of people, which is enormously powerful.”

Ive’s knighthood was announced in December, however the official ceremony was not held until today. 

Congratulations! Sir Jonathan.

What’s Now in Atlanta!… Museum of Design, Portfolio Center’s Stories in Form: The Chairs of Portfolio Center

A destination stop featured in Atlanta Now Magazine, the official visitors guide of Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau. Visit the exhibit, Stories in Form: The Chairs of Portfolio Center through June 3rd. Don’t miss it at the Museum of Design Atlanta where you’ll find inspiration and learn at the same time.

Great Advice for visual designers about to graduate… for that matter all designers

A bit of sage wisdom comes from designer Joseph Michael Essex in Chicago for those  about to be graduates or for that matter all those seeking design brilliance.

Hank

ps: and to support that thought here are some excellent references… after perusing these you’ll be a design force to be reckoned with…

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Read up— online references:

http://dwt.pixelsparks.com/  http://www.itcfonts.com/Ulc/4012/?AID=10274004&PID=3662453&SID=skim725X71162X6b8fdf414edf9e4e5211208c9c149e3a   http://www.cameronmoll.com/archives/000240.html  http://dwt.pixelsparks.com/    http://webtypography.net/  http://www.markboulton.co.uk/journal/comments/five_simple_steps_to_better_typography/   http://www.istockphoto.com/article_view.php?ID=153   http://webtypography.net/   http://dwt.pixelsparks.com/  http://www.cameronmoll.com/archives/000240.html

Know the typography community 

http://www.typecon.com/  http://www.typesociety.org/ http://www.typeradio.org/loudblog/  http://www.tdc.org/ http://designarchives.aiga.org/#/entries/%2Bcredits%3A%22Cook%20%26%20Shanosky%20Assoc.%2C%20Inc.%22/_/detail/relevance/asc/5/7/11496/dot-symbol-signs/1http://www.typesociety.org/   http://typophile.com/ http://www.typographer.org/  http://typographica.org/

Learning Typography & Cool Doing’s @ Portfolio Center

At Portfolio Center students often create new pathways and unwire learning— sometimes alternating the traditional classroom environment for a great afternoon on the front porch deck— what sticks! is always the insatiable curiosities, motivations and a bit of ‘Concept {and Helvetica}’ on a great Atlanta Portfolio Center day.

Pictured in Typography Class (l.to rt.): ‘Janson Jess Gerjets, ‘Bodoni Beth Heasley, ‘Archer Asha Pollard, Instructor,’Modern Melissa Kuperminc, ‘Machine Michael DiCristina, and ‘Champion Gothic Chris Yoon

Hank

Designer and recent PC alum Mastaneh Khoshro joins Iomedia in New York to create extraordinary media driven solutions…

From the New York Yankees, Genentech, TedMed, Cardinal Health, Glaxosmithkline, Walt Disney, to MTV— Iomedia’s amazing blend of artistry and technology and most importantly their storytelling abilities reflect and create these great brands by both imaginative messaging and design in stunning creative communications. Mastaneh couldn’t be happier as she rolls up her sleeves and joins their innovative team. As she says,”THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! Portfolio Center.” We say, CONGRATULATIONS Mastaneh!

Iomedia is an amazing design firm that focuses on the bigger picture- Strategic brand-centric solutions from architecture to sports & entertainment, film to interactive.

Mastaneh is a visual designer and a recent grad of Portfolio Center. She as well holds a Masters degree from New York University and a BFA degree from Georgia State University. 

Hank

Guess who got the Job!!!… Portfolio Center Illustrator Alum Tex Grubbs

Tex joins Marc Tetro Studio’s and celebrated illustrator and designer Marc Tetro. Tetro’s black signature outlines combined with brilliant color are used to convey his favorite dog and animal subjects and are unparalleled. The artist takes animals and transforms them into extraordinary images. They are seen around the world in numerous embassies, in designs for the World Wildlife Fund, Yellowstone National Park, West Point, World Philharmonic Orchestra and at Disney. 

Illustration by Tex Grubbs

Angie Smith Hranowsky Rock’n Style Featured as Southern Living’s New Tastemaker

Spotted in the hot-off-the-press issue of Southern Living Magazine: It’s Portfolio Center Alum Angie Smith Hranowsky, Designer and Owner of Angie Hranowsky Design Studio! in Charleston, S.C. featured along with four other designers in a style feature titled “Meet the New Tastemakers” showcasing five of the South’s Top Young Designers. 

Hank

Caroline Petters photography redux-to-beauty wins in CMYK Magazine…

Photographer Caroline Petters earns tandem honors for her photography in CMYK Magazine, just breaking with her two amazing images— and when asked, How do you create? her approach resonates as less than orthodox: “I don’t focus on what the photography will look like; I focus on what it will feel like.”

All form comes from wonder, and Caroline’s work is pure imagination that adds color and light to bring memories and captures in an f-stop that magic split second—a place the viewer experiences in the fantasy she is expressing.

Congratulations, Caroline!!! for your wonderful work and for bringing us a united colors and these joie de vivre moments.  

Gemma and Hank

Designer Samantha Peek joins red hot Fahrenheit 212

The New York based consultancy Fahrenheit 212  spans the globe, bringing innovative design that drives some of the planet’s top corporations- P&G, Hershey, Starwood, Warner Music, Coca-Cola, Nestlé, and the Gucci Group. Fast Company calls Fahrenheit 212 the idea factory that is “scorching the consultancy biz.” 

Sam is a Portfolio Center alum and a graduate of the University of Texas, Austin. 

Hank

Goodbye Hillman.

“I don’t know what the hell I’m doing?” that’s what inspired me about him. This past week the creative world lost one of its ‘rock stars— Hillman Curtis. In early 2007, I had the opportunity to share the dais with him at the amazing AIGA ‘Y12’ Conference- Push Conference in San Diego. As we rehearsed in the before time to go on stage what struck me first was his kind-to-empathetic voice and how it was wrought with an undercurrent of confidence- so reserved, and so much the antithesis to seemingly his lifelong approach to his art.

His work, he designed early on websites for Adobe, AIGA, Fox, Aquent, The Met, Yahoo and switched over to ‘Film as his medium of choice literally quitting Website design and the early days of ‘Flash and after such notable success.

His entry into film was always one of— just beginning. It was a no heralded announcements and it was just the true artist coming through. You have to so love and respect that… as designers and creatives it’s what we all should do. He went around New York making small films of artists and creatives (the artist series) and that is how he learned the craft of filmmaking— just from diving in and doing it. That was his way of being the artist and his mantra,”it’s one of those things that I should always remember, to try and take the courageous route.”

Hillman’s talent is personified in these amazing films, take a look and be inspired by some of the ‘artist series video films,’ as well this excellent interview by Jake Cook, founder of Digital Wax Works in Montana on Behance’s 99%  (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldNcZ59lmDY; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNXlrQHVfIw; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3pXEdvI9xA&feature=fvsr; http://vimeo.com/29402609). 

The only thing we carry with us when we go is what we might leave behind. Thank you, Hillman. 

Hank 

Congrats Graduates! The future is what creativity is…

and the present looms large with future as our newest graduates celebrate their hard work and amazing efforts. HOORAY!!! for the avant-garde Portfolio Center graduates Kim, Jessie, Caroline, Ryan and Cameron! 

Your Portfolio Center Family

From Industry to the Classroom… Brett Player takes the Creative Lead at Jackson Spalding

Instructor Brett Player advocates for education as he brings his expansive knowledge to Portfolio Center students each week teaching advanced packaging and branding classes. He has recently joined Jackson Spalding as the new Creative Director. Since beginning his career in 1998 with the global branding firm Landor Associates in NYC, he has led design thinking for some of the world’s most loved and valuable brands on a professional journey that has taken him from New York to Hong Kong.

At Jackson Spalding, Brett will direct the 20-member design team, overseeing their numerous clients’ creative needs (Orkin, LLC, Delta Air Lines, Chick-fil-A, Cousins Properties, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Primrose Schools). 

His career experience includes leading brand, packaging, digital, product and experience design with numerous fortune 500 companies. 

Brett is a Portfolio Center alum and a graduate of Florida State University, where he serves as a counsel and member of the Dean’s Advisory Board for the College of Visual Arts, Theatre and Dance.

Packaging important!? It is the global language…

In the time of cradle-to-cradle products and ever-changing consumer trends, global packaging has become more important in defining brand equities than ever before. As consumers live busier and busier lives, packaging has become one of the most important ‘creative’ marketing tools today. Last year, packaging was worth $670 Billion last year and already forecasts are suggesting that the packaging industry will top a value of $820 Billion by 2016… with the food and beverage market accounting for a value of $440 Billion. 

Packaging trends show up as how goods will arrive as the internet becomes our buying source. Playful packaging, innovative packaging, biomimetic packaging, ecological impact and the embracing of sustainable materials, packaging that creates a second life are all contributing to the appeal of consumers globally in packaging. 

Packaging has become an amazing career path for designers as it drives top-line growth within all industries and in almost all countries on the planet. It is one of the top 5 industries in almost every country. “It is the only industry that encompasses every single product made, as it is the most important means of differentiation and the best way of providing identity. It is the only medium that reaches 100% of consumers.”

Hank

Pictured above: Gerlinde Gruber/ Austria and the Aufschwung Swing Packaging

Route 66!?… design principles + a typeface

Excellent Story and site! (http://ilovetypography.com/2012/04/19/the-design-of-a-signage-typeface/) Great story on the development and adoption of the typeface Wayfaring Sans Pro and the importance of well designed typefaces, readability and legibility in our everyday lives. Check out the references and related posts while you are there. 

Hank