Some tips of the trade on graphic design school scholarships
Everyone has received tips on how to do something faster or better.

In this two-part series we’ll present some advice on the topic of scholarships and grants for graphic design college and how to avoid some of the red tape and pitfalls associated with scholarship applications.

1. Apply locally
There are literally millions of dollars in scholarship money available to those who are diligent, talented or in need of financial assistance. But keep in mind that national scholarship contests or grants are highly competitive.

You can still apply but expect a wide field of other applicants vying for the same resources.

However, another way to approach this situation is to apply for local scholarships at graphic design schools or various other organizations in your city or state.

While there will still be competition for local scholarships, the number of applicants to these programs will be substantially smaller and will give you better odds of being noticed.

2. Avoid paying for scholarship or grant information services
Scholarship information is always free. But there are new companies cropping up on the Internet that promise to fill out all the paperwork out for you.

Several companies offer assistance (for a fee) in applying for FAFSA (Free Application for Student Aid) from the government or other scholarship programs; steer clear of these scams.

Are these companies legitimate? Would you pay another person to go to the library to find certain books for you? Probably not, and neither should you pay companies to do the legwork for you in seeking out scholarships and filling out applications.

Applying for a scholarship is serious business and leaving your future to a company where there is no oversight on what it is doing for you is wasted money, and most likely a confidence swindle.

Graphic design school scholarships and financial aid
Getting the education you need to qualify for jobs in graphic design may be an important door opener for your career. Many entry level positions require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and proper training in graphic design principles is a must.

Graphic design college expenses can be offset in part by scholarships or grants. These are provided by government agencies, colleges, and private firms. Be sure to look into these for possible assistance.

Next time…
We’ll tell you about an industrious and persistent student who was able to pay for his entire college education through scholarships. We’ll also cover some of the things you should avoid when applying for scholarship money and grants.

Until next time, keep on designing!

Create a beautiful piece in gold or silver
Virtually every culture and society has a particular art form called jewelry. These pieces can be used in their purist forms for decoration or as a means of self-expression.

The Friedrich Becker Prize celebrates  jewelry making and flatware by presenting an open call to all artisans of this unique avenue of craft and creativity.

The contest details
According to the sponsors of the annual Becker prize, they are seeking entries from artists whose work embodies the following objective:

“A piece of jewelery or a small utensil, either one-of-a-kind or a prototype for serial production, may be submitted. The theme is open. Your latest work or an older object are equally welcome.
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“As [for] materials, gold, silver, platinum, and stainless steel will be accepted. Diamonds, other precious stones, pearls, glass and synthetic stones may be used as supplementary materials.”

General contest rules

* All gold and silversmiths, metal artists, and designers are eligible to enter this competition
* This is an international contest and anyone from any country may enter
* Only one entry per person is allowed
* All entries must include a digital photograph of the piece in .tiff or .jpeg file format
* The minimum image size is 1900-by-1900 pixels
* Entrants must provide shipping and insurance costs if they wish their submissions to be returned

Prizes
There will be 1 (one) cash award of €5,000 ($6,722 USD) to the winner. This award will be presented to the winner at the Goethe Museum, Schloss Jägerhof, in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Contest links and other information
All entries should be sent to:

Deutsches Goldschmiedehaus Hanau
Altstädter Markt 6
D-63450 Hanau
Germany

The contest deadline is March 14, 2011. There are no entry fees to participate in this contest. Please be certain to include the proper postage if you want your entry returned. See official rules.

Follow these links for more contest details:

The Association for Goldsmiths’ Art website
Official contest rules and entry form

The melancholy and choleric personalities
In parts one and two of Graphic Designer Personalities: What Type Are You, we presented the sanguine and phlegmatic personality temperaments.

While Samantha Sanguine is characterized as a bubbly and extremely sociable animal that loves attention and excels in telling stories and enjoying life, Phil Phlegmatic, by contrast, is subdued, even tempered, and non-excitable.

In part three we conclude this series with the choleric and melancholy and we’ll see how these personality types behave in their roles of a graphic designer.
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Curt Choleric: A study in motion and work ethics
If you have a choleric personality you are driven by being productive, meeting deadlines and possess a “take no prisoners” attitude towards project goals and work.

People who are choleric are typically described by others as natural leaders, highly organized, workaholics, driven, stubborn, bossy, and domineering.

If you are a graphic designer who has a choleric personality, you are known as someone who can always meet closing dates and will work around the clock in order to complete a project.

But at the same time, you are known for being argumentative and impatient with those who cannot keep up with you.

Choleric graphic designers can be great leads in projects because they are motivated to meet their goals at almost any expense. But this is sometimes to the detriment of other coworkers who get in their way.

Some of the personality attributes of cholerics are:

* Strong leadership abilities
* Self righteous
* Highly organized
* Self sufficient
* High work ethics
* Goal oriented
* Direct and blunt
* Bossy
* Impatient
* Strongly opinionated
* Insensitive to others feelings

Meet Matt Melancholy
If there is one trait that describes the melancholy personality best, it would be “thinker.” They have a high degree of intellect and will usually be the first to point out the flaws in a design proposal.

Melancholy graphic designers are seen as either realists or pessimists–very talented, serious, logical perfectionists. Mr. Spock of Star Trek could have been the poster child for melancholy personalities.

The melancholy tends to be withdrawn but can fully appreciate the aesthetic qualities in design. They have a deep sense of what it takes to create visually inspired graphics.

Because they are perfectionists, melancholy personality types can get mired in details that they cannot let go of.

Everything they create must be flawless and as a result, work-flow can sometimes suffer.

Melancholy individuals exhibit these personality traits:

* Analytical
* Self -sacrificing
* Gifted with talent
* High aesthetic values
* Idealistic
* Perfectionist
* Intellectual
* Low self-esteem
* Pessimistic
* Unrealistically high standards
* Withdrawn
* Inflexible
* Cynical

Now What?
After investigating the four personality types (sanguine, phlegmatic, choleric, and melancholy) it should be pointed out that no one is typically 100 percent of any type but actually a combination of all four.

Usually one or two traits are prominent with the others acting in a lesser role. Understanding which personality type you are, as well as those of others, may help you to work better as a graphic designer and with your colleagues.

Graphic design schools and the real world
Standard college courses usually deal with theory and facts. But at a graphic design school you’ll have hands-on creative sessions that can help you prepare for future career positions.

Graphic design colleges provide you with many opportunities to interact with your clients (teachers) and your coworkers (other students) which can be translated into the real world of graphic design.

You will experience the pressures of meeting deadlines and producing professional quality graphics.

To find out more about a career in graphic design, visit your local graphic design college or visit one online.

Free Studio Space in New York City
Have you ever dreamed about working in a studio of your very own in a metropolitan setting where you could create, develop, and hone your artistic and design ideas?

The Triangle Artist’s International Residency Program 2011 offers you an opportunity to do this.

What the Residency Program is About
The Triangle Arts Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement and support of emerging international and national visual artists. TAA states:

“The International and National Residency Program was created in 2003 to fulfill the need for more studio programs in New York City.

“Artists are provided with a free spacious studio ranging from 400-800 square feet.

“Each residency session includes Open Studio weekends with mailings and publicity and the possibility of a temporary exhibition.

“In addition, Triangle organizes visits from critics, curators and other art professionals.”

Artists selected for this residency will have access to the studios 24/7 for a period of 6 months.

General Rules and Guidelines
Triangle Arts is seeking visual artists that are emerging and underrepresented. The following are some of the rules and information regarding this residency program:

* You must NOT be currently enrolled in a degree program.
* You must be 18 years or older to be eligible for this residency.
* You may work in any medium of the visual arts.
* This residency is open to all national and international artists.
* Only studio space is offered for this residency program.
* Participants must arrange for their own housing, food, transportation, etc.
* You must utilize the studios at least 15 hours per week.

Submission Guidelines
For specific details about submission rules, visit the official contest website. The following are general rules for entries:

* Work must be submitted in jpeg format.
* Maximum size of digital work must be no more than 1200X1200 pixels.
* Resolution of your images should be 72dpi.
* You may submit up to 8 pieces of art for review.

Residency Benefits
In addition to a six month expenses paid studio, accepted artists will also benefit from an Open Studio exhibition of their pieces where the general public will be invited.

Resident artists will also be visited by critics, art curators and writers. This gives aspiring visual artists the opportunity to create social networks with those who are connected to the world of art.

Contest Links and Other Information
The deadline for application is February 28, 2011. Follow these links for further information regarding this residency program.

Triangle Arts Residency Webpage
Triangle Arts Mission Statement and Purpose
Submission Page / Entry Form for Artists
History of Triangle Arts Association
Contact Information
Triangle Arts Workshop Schedule

It’s more than just work
If all there was to work was work, this would make many of our lives easier. But in the real world we need to communicate and work with others.

And that means dealing with everyone’s various foibles and quirks. Understanding what makes you and others tick can help you to be a better graphic designer and team member.
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Meet Sam Sanguine
In part one of Graphic Designer Personalities: What Type Are You? we explored the first personality type of four: the phlegmatic. She’s dependable, low-key, amicable, and a bit shy; a person who cares but resists change.

In part two of this series we meet Sam or Samantha Sanguine. You’ll recognize these types of people immediately because they are always telling stories and talking. They are the optimist’s optimist and are always positive.

In the workplace, they are usually more concerned about how they are liked rather than what is at hand; work and deadlines. Sanguines are extroverts and love to be the center of attention.

Sanguines are extremely talented in getting along with everyone and revel in meeting new people. They love attention, are fun loving, and feel lonely when people are not around them. They are ultimate social animals.

Since sanguines are generally well liked by everyone, they have the ability to motivate and encourage people to do tasks or projects. But because they are so socially motivated they often get lost in project details or forget them altogether.

The sanguine graphic designer
Graphic designers who fall into this personality type will excel at customer relations. Their bubbly personality puts clients at ease.

They are natural born salespeople and can usually persuade clients to accept their design ideas.

But on the downside, since this personality type abhors details and deadlines they often find that they are behind in projects or fail to meet project specifications.
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Sanguine traits: The good and the bad
Typical traits for the sanguine personality are:
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* Extroverted, charismatic personality
* Expresses emotions easily
* Warm and friendly; loves people
* Loves to talk and tell stories
* Confident
* Persuasive
* Doesn’t Worry. Carefree
* Apologizes easily and quickly
* Always needs to be the center of attention
* Can be undisciplined and unproductive
* Tends to exaggerate
* Not detail oriented
* Overly concerned about being liked
* Restless; cannot sit still
* Can be easily angered
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Graphic design school and coworkers
A good graphic design school will not only provide you with the necessary education in graphic design and computer graphic techniques, it will also help you develop skills in working in a team setting.

In graphic design college you will meet many personality types. By understanding what personality categories they fall into, you’ll have a heads up on how to work and get along with others.

Next time…
For more information on how the theory of the Four Personality Types developed, see part one of Graphic Designer Personalities: What Type Are You?

When we meet again we’ll take a look at the personality type of the choleric graphic designer. These individuals live and die by keeping schedules. You’ll recognize them by their fierce yelling. Calm is not in their vocabularies!

So until then, keep on designing!

Cutting Edge Digital Art
Are you a graphic designer, illustrator or photographer who always strives to produce digital media that is above rest of the pack? Does your artwork and creative ideas push others to be more creative?

If you are this type of designer the PrixArs Electronica Competition for Cyber Arts is for you.

The contest sponsor states:

“Since 1987, the Prix Ars Electronica has served as an interdisciplinary platform for everyone who uses the computer as a universal medium for implementing and designing their creative projects at the interface of art, technology and society.”
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Now Is Your Chance
The PrixArs Electronica contest has seven categories to choose from. Awards and prizes will be given to each category’s respective winner:

There is a total of €117,500 ($152,149.68 USD ) in cash prizes for this competition. The awards ceremony for the Ars Electronica Festival will take place in Linz, Austria.

The prize breakdown for each respective category is as follows:

* Computer Animation / Film / VFX: €20,000 ($26,009 USD)
* Interactive Art: €20,000 ($26,009 USD)
* Digital Music & Sound Art: €20,000 ($26,009 USD)
* Hybrid Art: €20,000 ($26,009 USD)
* Digital Communities: €20,000 ($26,009 USD)
* u19 - freestyle computing: €9,000 ($26,009 USD)
* “The Next Idea” — Voestalpine Art and Technology Grant: €7,500 ($9,753 USD)

Contest Rules
Please see the complete rules and guidelines for more information. The general rules are:

* This contest is an international contest and anyone from any country may enter.
* Do not submit pieces that are irreplaceable originals. Entries cannot be returned.
* Be sure to see the specific rules for each category.
* An entry may only be submitted to one contest category.
* You may submit more than one work as long as each submission is for a different category.
* You must be registered on the Arts Electronica website to participate in this contest.

Other Contest Information and Links
This contest is open until March 18, 2011. There is no entry fee in order to participate in this contest.

For important details about this contest follow these links:

Official Contest Website
Prize List and Details
Rights of the Contestants
Contest Checklist
Contest Category Listing
Registration Site
Past Winner’s