Less Bling—Works Great In our previous articles about creative resumes for graphic designers, we’ve seen some imaginative and inspired examples of resumes that are “outside the box.”
Some of the resumes were quite flamboyant, but not everyone wants to design their resumes that way.
You can put the design principles you have learned from your graphic design school to use by creating a professional looking resume that is more subdued, but can distinguish itself from other “plain Jane” resumes. . In part 2 ofthis series, we’ll show you some examples that are distinctive but more low-key when compared to high-profile resume designs.
Click on each image to see a larger version of the graphic.
Just a Face Kenji Enos designed his resume with just a bit of color plus a graphic that sets his resume apart from others by including a caricature of himself in the upper left-hand corner.
Its simple and effective. * * * * * * * * * * * * * . Simple Graphics What can you do to make a standard looking resume more noticeable without going over the top?
Ryan Gilden, a graphic designer, has added a simple circle motif to highlight the general appearance of the document.
The pastel colors work well and the contact information is offset through the use of maroon colored text and his logo. * * * * * * * * * * . What, No Color? Colin Nederkoom put together this resume template with only black text.
The placement of text, selection of different fonts and sizes, the effective use of negative space and the inclusion of a small graphic design element in the upper right-hand corner gives a very clean and professional presentation, which is pleasing to the eye. * * * * * * * * * * * . Where Everyone Knows Your Name Managers and human resource representatives conduct interviews and see many people a day. Sometimes remembering a person’s name can be a problem because of the volume of applicants.
Sara Rohacik has elected to use her name as a stylized graphic element in her resume.
Although the concept is simple, it is an effective method in setting her resume apart from others, while also making her name memorable. * * * * * * * * * * . Resumes Unlimited There are thousands of examples on the Internet for resume ideas.
Get inspiration from these unique creations and modify them to your own tastes and needs.
If you have the proper career training from a graphic design college, some job experience under your belt, and a resume that is professional looking and unique, you may be able to increase your chances of a successful and memorable job interview. * * *
It’s a Jungle Out There In today’s economy it can be difficult to land a job but it doesn’t mean that you can’t get the job. The “trick” is to be persistent and have a positive attitude while going on your job hunts.
Patience and You There’s a story of a man who had very little patience with others and inconvenient situations. He realized his predicament and decided to ask God for some help. He prayed, “God, help me to be more patient.”
During the next several days he found himself in traffic jams, delayed airplane schedules, and long lines at the supermarket. He complained to God and said, “I asked for patience and there has been nothing but problems since I asked you for help.” God chuckled and said, “Well, you learned how to deal with traffic jams, late airplane schedules, and long lines. You’ve become a better person and I think your prayers have been answered….”
Job hunting can be frustrating and somewhat discouraging at times but just like the man in the story, a good deal of patience is necessary to deal with adversity and delays.
If you are flustered and negative about how your job search is going you’ll reflect this attitude and mood during your job interviews. Your interviewer will pick up on this and wonder why you are so bothered and will take note of this in the final analysis of you.
Things may get frustrating during your job search, but try to let off some steam before you go job hunting.
Social Networking and You Never underestimate the power of networking with others. If you are attending graphic design school this is a very crucial time for you to develop contacts in the graphic design industry. Your teachers, the people from the internship you are working at and friends that are already in the industry may be the link for inside information about job opportunities.
If you are already a graphic designer and are seeking new career opportunities, the clients you work with and your fellow co-workers are a good source for job leads. In some cases those company “meet and greet” events are not just about showing your loyalty to the company–they can also be very crucial occasions for you to make important contacts for future use.
Persistence and You When Thomas Edison was in the process of inventing the light bulb his main obstacle was finding a suitable filament that would burn brightly and not burn out quickly. He tried 1,500 different materials–all of them failures until he happened upon the element tungsten. This metal was exactly what he was looking for in order to make his invention work.
When Edison was asked about all the failures that he experienced while doing research on his inventions he replied, “I haven’t failed, I’ve found 10,000 ways that don’t work.”
Now that’s persistence…and wisdom.
Job hunting can be a very stressful situation. You are faced with uncertainty, doubt, and frustration. But if we may rephrase Thomas Edison’s quote, “I haven’t failed at getting a graphic design job, I’ve found several jobs where I don’t want to work.”
Job Hunting: The Journey and the Process The job interview is the device that employers use to sift through various applicants in order to select the right person for the job.
You may have been to dozens of job interviews and the whole process may have worn you down around the edges, but it is imperative to always show up to your interviews fresh and expectant.
When you don’t land the job you want, try to turn this into a positive and see it as a momentary delay in finding the right job. Job hunting is a process and if you understand this, you’ll be better adapted to take on the pressures that go along with looking for a job.
Beauty and the Building Are you an architecture student, a graphic designer that revels in the beauty of architecture, or someone who loves the melding of art and architecture?
If so the Art in Architecture 2010 Competition is seeking submissions from individuals or collaborative work that demonstrate the connection between the relationship of art and the exhibition place.
According to the sponsors of the contest:
“Art in Architecture” [contest theme] intends to generate ideas about the relationship and interaction between the two.
“The thematic goal is to seek images about architecture as a repository for art, revealing how art is expressed in architecture and how art and architecture affect and are affected by each other.
“In focusing on the capacity of art and architecture to be transcendent, this competition’s resulting exhibit will add special voice to the current debate between the “container” and the “contents” that has been taking place across the global art scene.”
Competition Details Submissions must be original. All 2D art is accepted. The entry must be mounted on a 40″ x 40″ rigid foam board (3/16″ thick). Identification through a signature or other means on the face of the artwork is prohibited.
There must be two manila envelopes attached to the back of the entry. One envelope must be labeled “Statement” and include an 8 ½” x 11″ sheet of paper that describes the project in 200 words or less.
The other envelope, labeled “Identification”, should include a complete registration form and a CD/DVD with a file representing the full image. This image must be in PDF or JPG. The image dimension must be 12″ x 18″ and have a resolution of 300 dpi.
All individuals and groups are eligible for this contest but only one submission is allowed per individual/group. Members of teams may not submit work as individual entries.
A non-refundable entry fee of $75 is required.
Judging and Awards The winning entry will be selected by a jury of professionals in art and architecture. The prizes are:
First Place: $3,000 Second Place: $2,000 Third Place: $1,000
Other Details For a full description of contest guidelines click here. For the official registration form, click here. For the identification form for your submission, click here. The deadline for registration is April 1, 2010.
The time-line for this competition is as follows:
February 1, 2010 - Registration opens. April 1, 2010 - Registration closes. February 1 - April 1 - Questions regarding the competition may be submitted to information [at] somersetart.org. April 15, 2010 - Answers to questions will be posted at information [at] somersetart.org. June 1, 2010 - Submissions are due. July 2010 - Notification by mail of award winners and entries to be exhibited. September 10, 2010 - Opening reception, announcement, and presentation of awards. September 10 to October 31, 2010 - Exhibition of selected entries.
Let Your Little Light Shine Most of us use candles only when the power goes out. But candles are more than a source of light–they can also be works of art as well.
Imageglow Candles is sponsoring the Imageglow Candle Contest and is announcing an open call to all graphic designers to submit their candle graphic designs to its competition.
Imageglow candles, which are made entirely of wax, have unique and artful designs that glow and are backlit when the candles are lighted.
The Contest Designs can be hand created or generated through a computer.
Give a brief description of how you created the design and why you think it would be appropriate as a Candleglow product. Your entry should be submitted through the official online entry form. This can be accessed by clicking here.
Uploaded entries should not exceed 2000KB in size and should be in JPEG format. For submission tips and the PDF design template, click here.
The Prizes According to the sponsors the winner will receive:
* A case of six lantern-style candles in their own design! (Retail value $160.+) * Excellent HomeWorkshop.com recognition and fame. * At Imageglow®’s option, it will produce and market candles with the winner’s design!!
The winner will earn a royalty of 5% of the wholesale selling price, paid quarterly.
Other Information Three finalists will be selected by the judging panel. From these three entries, the community will vote for their favorite design. The winner will be the one who receives the most popular votes.
The deadline for this contest is March 17, 2010. The winner will be announced on March 29, 2010 at the following locations:
What Is NewActon Nishi? NewActon Nishi is a new apartment complex with over 280 residential units located in Australia’s NewActon Precinct. The development offers cutting-edge green rating systems and is geared towards sustainable operations.
According to the NewActon Nishi developers, the new apartment complex will be a:
“…building that causes people to stop and take notice… to change minds… that we are no longer in the age of glass towers, but in the age of living, breathing buildings, and ecological rejuvenation. Nishi is a building that relies less on technology, and more on a passive solution, to deliver an incredible environmental outcome.”
The Contest The developers are asking graphic artists to develop a logo and “visual language” that depicts the concept and brand name of NewActon Nishi.
The contest sponsors state:
“The key is the message. Your design must respond to Nishi‘s core values of sustainability, affordability and design excellence. How you choose to interpret those words is up to you but like Nishi itself, the answer is bound to be both progressive and flexible, using creative thinking to arrive at a smart solution.
“We don’t want to buckle you down too much, but you will need to bring a fresh color palette and use sympathetic typography to tell the story. You might want to compose a slogan or use random words to convey Nishi‘s inner beauty. Photography and illustration will also help bring your ideas to life.”
“…think about the ways in which your design will be used. There will be brochures, posters, construction hoardings and a website as well. Maybe we’ll make wallpaper for our display suite or project light onto the building itself.”
How to Enter The first step in entering this contest is to register. This can be done by clicking here. After your form is accepted, you will be sent registration information, details about the contest, and other information about the competition.
Once registered you must submit an overview of your logo idea in 500 words or less. Your brief should include details regarding the creative process of your design and how your submission meets the contest guidelines.
Awards The winner will have his/her design used for the promotion of the NewActon Nishi development.
There are two categories for prizes in this contest:
Popular Choice The most popular choice through the online public vote will receive a Mac Book Air valued at $1800. This is Apple’s Greenest laptop to date. Using highly recyclable materials and meets the EPA and U.S Department of Energy 5.0 Energy Star rating.
Judges Choice The judges choice winner will receive a $2,500 cash prize
Other Information For the complete rules to this contest, click here. The contest deadline is March 15, 2010. The winner will be announced on April 19, 2010. See the video below for more information:
Clothes Make the World Go ‘Round You may be wearing a simple t-shirt with a graphic design on the front or you may be wearing the latest fashion produced by Dior but you are making a statement about who you are by the clothes you wear.
Retail sales of clothing reached an astonishing $150 billion for 2009 in the United States. If you want to pursue a career in fashion design here are some tips and guidelines on how to do this.
What Does a Fashion Designer Do? Fashion designers are responsible for creating the wide variety of dresses, suits, shoes, and other clothing articles that consumers purchase at retail outlets and exclusive fashion design houses.
The concept of a retail clothing design to the production of the clothing line takes about 18 to 24 months. Fashion designers must have a sharp eye for future trends in clothing styles and must be able to produce fashions that will be in vogue at the time of their release.
What Are the Qualifications for a Fashion Designer? Fashion designers should be proficient in using computer assisted design software and have a bachelor’s degree in fashion design.
Internships with clothing manufacturing companies or design houses provide important career training experience for aspiring fashion designers.
Fashion designers must have a good eye for aesthetics related to color, proportion, spatial relations, creativity, and an intuitive sense for what looks fashionable. Although computer design software is useful for creating art for fashions, the importance of being able to hand sketch fashion ideas and designs cannot be overemphasized.
The Employment Outlook for Fashion Designers Job openings in fashion design positions will increase by 1 percent from 2008-2018. The competition for these jobs will be extremely competitive. A solid portfolio of design sketches is crucial for job interviews.
Receiving the proper education at a graphic design school or fashion design college is important in qualifying for positions in the fashion industry. In some cases brilliant talent in combination with the right contacts in the industry may open opportunities in fashion design.
Fashion designers make a mean annual wage of $71,400 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2008).
Less Bling—Works Great
