Be Prepared
This phrase is the motto of the Girl and Boy Scouts. This is also good advice if you are applying for grants or scholarships to help you finance your education at a graphic design school or college.

In this article we’ll offer some tips regarding the logistics of applying, where to find funding, and how you can increase the odds in your favor for successful submissions.

Details, Details, and More Details
The good news is that there are funds out there for you to apply for. The bad news is there are funds out there for you to apply for. In other words, if you hate paper work and applications, this will definitely be a challenging experience.

Make sure you fill out all forms completely, accurately, and neatly. This will make the job of screening your application much easier for the person in charge of scholarship reviews. So always “be prepared.”

Here is some advice on the process of applying for scholarships:
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Does the Scholarship Apply to You?
Make sure that the specific grant or scholarship you are applying for is geared towards your specific needs. If you are seeking financial help for your career training at a graphic design college, applying for a science scholarship makes no sense. Do your research to be certain you fit the scholarship category.

Keep Your Grades Up
A good deal of scholarships require a minimum GPA of 3.0 or better. In some instances, a 2.5 or higher is acceptable. If you want scholarship money, your GPA scores are one of the first qualifying prerequisites that will be looked at.

Get Letters of Recommendation from Your Teachers
Anyone can say they’re great, but backing this up with facts is another matter. If you are exemplary in your scholastic abilities, talents or other positive qualities that fulfill the requirements for a scholarship, ask your teachers to put in a good word for you by writing a letter of recommendation.

Don’t Skimp on the Details
You will probably be asked to submit a written essay on the reasons why you are a good candidate for the scholarship. You need to emphasize your strengths and not shy away from making your case. Make sure to list any awards, activities or personal achievements that demonstrate your expertise in your field of graphic design.

Keep at It
Filling out scholarship applications can be tedious and tiring. But according to those who are in the know, they understand that the rewards can be worth all the work.

Where to Start
Now that you know the “how,” the next step is knowing the “where” of scholarships.

The following Internet links are filled with valuable information and strategies on scholarships and grants:
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CollegeAnswer.com
You’ll find a wealth of information pertaining to funding, selection of colleges, and college related topics. There is plenty of good advice and resources here.

FedMoney.org
This website describes itself as, “Your FREE Guide to All U.S. Government Grants and Loans Benefiting Students!” This website has an easy to use interface that can narrow down your search for government scholarships and grants.

Schoolgrantsblog.com
This blog was mentioned by Time magazine. This resource lists various grants that are available to students as well as listing the specific grant categories.

Next Time…
What are the specific scholarships available to you? Who runs them? What are the pitfalls in applying for scholarships? These questions and more will be answered in Graphic Design Scholarship Basics and You - Part III.

Until then, keep on designing!
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With a Little Help from Your Friends
Making the decision to go to a graphic design school is a wise one if you are aiming for a career in graphic arts or multimedia.

These institutions of learning specifically focus on the job training skills and background that you’ll need in order to qualify for positions in the industry.

But coming up with the necessary funding for your tuition, supplies or lodging can sometimes be as challenging as taking the courses.

But with a little help from your “friends,” you can be successful in both areas.

Graphic Design Scholarships and You
If you need assistance in paying for some of your education expenses there are various strategies in securing funds through various scholarships.

Scholarship College Programs - Some alumni and independent sponsors of colleges provide scholarships and grants to qualified individuals. Check with the graphic design college of your choice to see what type of funding is available.

Website Leads - There are many websites that offer direction and leads on graphic design scholarships and grants. An Internet search should provide a number of locations where you can gather important information.

Government Student Loans - In the United States federal loans are available to individuals who meet specific prerequisites. Fulfilling certain conditions and parameters may qualify you for student loans. For more information visit the official FAFSA (Federal Assistance for Student Aid) website at: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/.

The Alternatives
In some cases graphic design majors may not necessarily want assistance with tuition but seek alternative forms of education for their career training.

Community Colleges - Also known as junior colleges, these two-year institutions of learning can provide excellent education at more affordable price points. They offer various associate’s degrees and certificates of completion.

College credits earned at community colleges can often be transferred to other four-year universities for completion of a bachelor’s degree.

Online Education - If you are already working or have special circumstances that make attending a traditional campus difficult, you may want to consider online education for your graphic design classes. Online colleges provide more flexibility in course scheduling because you attend these virtual sessions anytime via the Internet.

Online graphic design schools and colleges offer a variety of two and four-year degrees in many graphic design and multimedia fields.

Next Time…
We’ll investigate some of the ins and outs of applying for scholarships and also provide some leads to different scholarships that are offered to design majors in part two of Graphic Design Scholarship Basics and You.

Until then, keep on designing!

More Sayings and Truisms
No matter what job category you are in, you’ll hear words of wisdom and witty sayings about your specific industry.

For carpenters it’s “Measure twice, cut once.” For the video game industry it’s “Your personal life ends when crunch time (final deadlines) begins.”

In The Wit and Wisdom of Graphic Designers and Artists - Part I we received insights from graphic designers and artists that were entertaining as well as thought provoking.

In part two of this series we’ll put the spotlight on some of the more humorous witticisms from those who make creativity their living.

The Anonymous Creators
What changes the perception of the world we live in, has work that is admired and seen by millions, but remains anonymous? Answer: graphic designers.

“Being a famous designer is like being a famous dentist.”

……………………..- Noreen Morioka, award winning graphic designer

Journalists have bylines, photographers have special exhibitions at galleries, and artists sign their names on their works of art.

But when was the last time you saw an entertaining ad in a magazine or striking packaging design that gave credit to the graphic designer?

Graphic designers are the unsung heroes of creative design. They do so much to change our perceptions, opinions, and look of our world but for the most part, remain anonymous to Mr. and Ms. Average Citizen.

Graphic designers receive their grounding in career training by going to graphic design schools, their inspiration from the environment around them, and spend countless hours in their quest to formulate designs that can communicate a message or concept to the public.

They may not achieve rock star status in the world but you can be assured that behind every rock star or band, a graphic designer was responsible for the album art that sold millions of CDs to music fans.

The Tools of the Trade Are Just Tools
There is a story about a photography student at a graphic design college who thought if he could just get his hands on an expensive, top-notch camera that his photos would improve dramatically.

After several months of saving his money he finally was able to purchase his dream machine.

He went to class and showed off his coveted camera to the other photography students. There were many “oohs” and “ahhs” from the envious onlookers as they marveled at the expensive high-end device.

After several weeks of shooting with the camera, the class noticed the composition and overall creativity did not increase one bit for the photographer.

This was rather puzzling until everyone realized that the only thing the photographer’s new camera did was to make his mediocre photos look sharper.

“You can’t do better design with a computer, but you can speed up your work enormously.”

………………………………..- Wim Crouwel, Dutch graphic designer and typographer

The modern computer age has increased the creation of graphics and images more than anyone could have dreamed or imagined.

Computer graphics and image editing software make the tasks of editing, creating, and redesigning graphics as easy as a few clicks on a computer mouse (but not always).

But at the heart of any successful design is the individual–the graphic designer. Computer software and hardware are just the tools for creativity.

So the next time when we ogle a new whiz-bang graphics tablet, software program or fancy camera, let’s remember that these items do not replace what is so precious in designers and artists—inspiration.

Next Time…
Our series concludes with more wisdom and advice from graphic design professionals. If you have any advice or thoughts about graphic design, feel free to post up your comments.

Until then, keep on designing!

It’s All About GIGO
The word GIGO is a familiar term to computer programmers.

It is an acronym for “Garbage In, Garbage Out” and describes the cause and effect relationship of entering bad code in a computer software program and reaping the resulting bad results.

In short, a good program is as good as the code that is in it.

This idea can also be extending to the quality of education you receive at your graphic design school. The better the education, the better your design career training will be.

As far as graphic inspiration is concerned our ideas and creative revelations often come from the sort of input and stimulation we receive from the world around us; the good stuff brings good inspiration and vice versa.

In Graphic Design Inspiration from Common Things - Part I, we displayed several examples of graphic designs that were inspired from everyday objects. In part two of this series, we’ll see how graphic design can be motivated by the simple action of simple observation of your environment.

Vitalize Infused Water
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In this entertaining approach in designing the graphics for this health-energy beverage, the graphic artist decided to go one step beyond by not only displaying the fruit on the bottle but incorporating the graphic of a zipper.

The idea is whimsical and emphasizes the drink manufacturer’s name (Zipp) by using the zipper as a graphic icon and device that “reveals” what is inside each bottle.
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Portland Mercury Biking News Feature
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When the Portland Mercury News was gearing up for a special bicycle feature, graphic designers Liz Meyer and Gavin Potenza were called upon to create the graphics for the article.

In this simple but striking treatment they have captured the beauty,challenge and isolation that can be part of the bicycling experience. The use of complimentary colors, angular geometric shapes, and good use of perspective draws the viewer deeply into the image.
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Nuzzles: Wood Puzzles

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Graphic designer John Christenson decided to do something in graphic design that is quite rare; he creates three-dimensional graphic pieces.

His Nuzzle line of puzzles is custom made of wood and can take on any name or message that his customers wish. Of course if you’d like to see supercalifragilisticexpialidocious in wooden type, it just might take a few more days for its completion.

Stern Grove Concert Poster
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Say “Stern Grove” and any San Franciscan worth his or her salt will immediately know you are referring to “The City’s” music concerts. The annual Stern Grove music presentations are free to the general public and offer great live music performances.

But familiarity has its downside as well. Just how do you publicize an event that is already well known without being too cliché?

In this event poster the graphic designer has chosen the path of keeping the design organic and fanciful. The different graphical elements have an eye-catching three-dimensionality to them. The poster also has a retro 60s feel to it as well.

The bright primary colors, the unique use of musical instruments found in the tree branches, and the overall balance of the piece is pleasing as well as informative.

Next Time…
Stay tuned for more examples of Graphic Design Inspiration from Common Things in the conclusion of this series. Remember, inspiration is only part of the story of successful graphic design; you’ll also need a solid education from a university or graphic design college too.

Until next time, keep on designing!

A Few Words Are Worth a Thousand Pictures
The adage that most of us are familiar with is really “a picture is worth a thousand words.” But in this article we believe the opposite is true.

In this series we’ll glean some wisdom from industry professionals, artists, and designers who have seen and experienced the world of creativity up close and personal.

Some of the insights may challenge you to rethink what inspiration and design is all about.

Regardless of whether these sayings are humorous or serious in tone, you’ll probably agree that they reveal some truths about the process and struggles connected to being creative.

So as they say in the restaurant trade, “Enjoy!”

How Hard Could It Be?

“Design is easy. All you do is stare at the screen until drops of blood form on your forehead.”

-Marty Neumier, designer and author

The statement from Mr. Neumier addresses two truths: design really isn’t easy and design involves a lot of hard work.

Those who work in design or the visual arts can fully identify with “empty screen” syndrome. We stare, we doodle, we try to grasp a thread of inspiration but are stonewalled with the stark glare of our blank computer monitors.

Designing can be rewarding and frustrating all at the same time. It is frustrating because the time leading up to a graphic solution can be slow and difficult. But this can turn into elation in a wink of an eye when “The Idea” finally breaks through.

Inspiration takes persistence and patience. So the next time you “hit the wall,” be assured that the wall can be broken through or climbed over.

Be a Kid as Long as You Can

“Every child is an artist. The challenge is to remain an artist after you grow up.”

- Pablo Picasso, artist

Most children do not see boundaries when it comes to being creative. A simple tin can, a large cardboard box or a playground can lead to wondrous adventures, games, and laughter.

The kernel of graphic design inspiration is similar in this way–it is stimulated by our receptiveness and imagination in what we see, hear or experience.

In some cases a failure to be inspired is just a simple matter of losing the ability to appreciate and observe the world around us.

A flower looks relatively simple and plain until you start to look at it with appreciative eyes. We can be inspired by maintaining a fascination and inquisitiveness with the things that are often taken for granted by us.

Next Time…
We’ll hear some more words of wisdom from design professionals and artists about their views on the topics of creativity and inspiration. Until then, keep on designing!

It’s Not That Funny If It’s You
Virtually everyone who has done any amount of job hunting is familiar with the process of the job interview. It may have been for a summer job, a position at a fast food restaurant or a job in graphic design; the face-to-face meeting is crucial and can be a real deal breaker.

British writer Angela Carter said “Comedy is tragedy that happens to other people,” and conversely tragedy is when it happens to you!

A job interview is an opportunity for you to inform your prospective employer about the graphic design school or college you attended, your experience, and your communication skills.

In some instances a job interview doesn’t go well because of a social faux pas (a social blunder; mistake in etiquette or tactless act or comment). It’s funny to hear these stories but we also know that the end results are blown job interviews.

So kick up your feet, get a cup of coffee and enjoy the following stories. If we all pay attention, we may be able to avoid some of these “funny” mistakes.

Five Things to Avoid Saying
The following comments were based upon actual job candidate responses from various job interviews.

While some of the comments seem hilarious, they are good examples of what to avoid when you see the human resources representative or hiring manager for a possible job.

Lack of Tact and Social Graces
“I recently got laid off.  I have a master’s degree and I thought this job would be an easy one to do while I wait for something better to come along.”

Not Understanding the Question or Lying
“I can’t really show you any samples of my writing because I used to work for the CIA and everything I wrote is classified.”

Bad Timing
“If I get this job I’ll need two weeks off in a couple of months.”

Being Critical of the Company You Want to Work For
“I heard in the news that your company had a major problem with quality control and lots of people probably got fired for it. That’s probably why you are hiring…”

Putting Your Worst Foot Forward
“I’m more of a people person and not too strong with numbers.” (The job seeker was applying for an accounting position.)

Next Time…
Now that we know some of the things to avoid saying during a job interview, the second part of this series will explore what not to do during a job interview. Until then, keep on designing!