Design Club Spring Semester

Hi guys! Thanks to everyone that came to the design club meeting yesterday! Here's a recap of what we talked about:  

1) Sounds like people are interested in meeting more regularly, so we are going to plan on meeting every other Tuesday at noon in the student center. So our next meeting will be on February 9th at noon.  

2) We have a BIG event planned for March 19th with AIGA. It is an intercollegiate event called PIVOT and MCAD is the first school to host it! We will be inviting other students from schools throughout Minnesota. Great chance to meet the competition and create contacts. If you are interested in helping to plan this, please contact Jenny or myself.  

3) February 4th, is the next Cocktails with Creatives. This is a great event held every month that allows different designers, students, copywriters, ect to get together and network. It will be held at the American Swedish Institute, for their new, all female, Swedish design exhibit, "17 Designers". The exhibit is free this night, and the first 200 drinks are free - so come early! We are thinking of carpooling to this, so let us know if you want to go! Also, some students from the Missouri AIGA group will be meeting up with us there to hang out and see what design students in Minnesota do.  

4) Just a reminder that Design club has a blog! http://mcaddesignclub.blogspot.com/ If you have any interesting design news and want to start posting, let Jenny and I know so we can make you an author.  

5) We also talked about possibly having a weekend trip sometime this semester to the Hamilton Woodtype Museum.  

6) AIGA MEMBERSHIPS UPDATES: As far as I know, they are still working on them. I emailed the director last week and he said they were just swamped over the holidays. They should be finishing them anytime now. You can help speed up the process by creating an account. I already emailed the information, but some of you have not done this yet. Please do it asap. It takes less than 5 minutes and will help you get your membership faster.  

Create an account on http://www.my.aiga.org/vango/core/createaccount.aspx This first asks for your email, name, and zip code. Then it will ask for a billing address... but this does NOT make you pay again. It is just the address that will send you mail in the future, or if you sign up for future events. After you do this you will get a confirmation email with a username and password. With this info you can update your member profile, change your address, ect.  

Thanks Guys! Any questions, feel free to email Jenny or I. -Sonja

Spring 2010 kick-off meeting tomorrow!

Tuesday, January 26
Round Table (College Center)
12noon

Come one, come all, to the first Spring 2010 meeting of the MCAD Design Club!

This will be a time of discussion! What would you like to see Design Club do this semester? What events are you interested in going to as a group? Share any ideas you may have, let's make things happen!

AIGA table and upcoming events

Hi Everyone!  Just one last reminder about the AIGA table tomorrow (Friday)!  It will be in the student center from 12-1 tomorrow. Please bring$25 cash or a check written to MCAD. I will also need you to fill out your information on a sheet that i'll be handing in with the money.  

AIGA would also like new members to create an online profile.  This makes sure that they have the correct address to send you things, otherwise they send it all to MCAD. To create one, go here: www.aiga.org/member-account   

Also... here are some upcoming events that you all should go to!  1)So...How ideas are turned into results An event for emerging designers  Thursday, December 10, 2009 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Modern Climate 800 Hennepin Avenue, 8th Floor Minneapolis, MN 55403  

Want to know what it takes for design to be successful these days? How are ideas turned into results? Understanding the difference between design and design strategy is the first step in developing and implementing an effective design solution. You are invited to the next “So…” event, "Strategy: Behind Design".  Listen and engage with a panel of local agencies who effectively use design strategy to add value to their client interactions, advertising campaigns, print, electronic, and packaging solutions. See the case studies behind some of their most successful projects and how incorporating design strategy resulted in amazing results. Find out how to develop skills that will help you emerge as a strategic designer.  Panelists: Jason Tell from Modern Climate | Brad Surcey from Zeus Jones | Mike Schwab from Colle+McVoy | Kelly Munson from mono  

2)Create Don't Hate A mentorship program with students from Washburn Highschool. Starts in January. Every Tuesday 8:30-9:30 for about 9 weeks.  This is a program where college students are the mentors and the high school students are the mentees.  It is sponsored by Adobe and World Studio.  In these 9 weeks, mentors will guide the students in creating a billboard based on the idea of tolerance.  There will be midway and a final critique by design professionals.  Then at the end, a winning billboard will be chosen... and will actually be hung up in Minneapolis.   If you are interested in helping out with this or being a mentor, email me and I can set you up with all the information.   

Thanks everyone! Good luck with finals.  -Sonja

AIGA $$$$

Hi Everyone!  Hope you had a good Thanksgiving Break! This is just a reminder that if you plan on signing up for AIGA, I need your $$ this week by Friday.  You can give us your money anytime this week, but Jenny and I will also be setting up a table in the student center on Friday from 12-1 to make it easier for everyone.  Please bring $25 cash or a check written to MCAD.  I will then check you off the list and we can get everyone's memberships processing over winter break!  Also, if you would still like to sign up, we would love to have you!  New or renewing members! Any questions?  Feel free to email me or Jenny. Thanks! -Sonja

AIGA Minnesota informational meeting,

TOMORROW at NOON in the STUDENT CENTER...

there will be PIZZA.

and,

representatives from AIGA MINNESOTA will be coming to talk to Design Club about what the AIGA is and how it can benefit you! Come with questions and consider becoming a member.


SEE YOU THERE!

Chip Kidd at MCAD!

THIS WEDNESDAY, Chip Kidd will be lecturing in MCAD's Auditorium 150 at 7pm. This event is coordinated by Minnesota Book Publishers' Roundtable.

Information for purchasing/reserving a ticket can be found here. But hurry, it may sell out! Tickets for students are $15 each. Worth it.

ACTUALLY, THERE IS A FREE CHIP KIDD LECTURE AT NOON THAT DAY, FOR THE MCAD COMMUNITY. Check your inbox for details from Tom Garrett.

One Good Chair

Sometimes it's nice to look to other design fields for some inspiration... Currently and organization called One Good Chair is finishing up their 2009 chair designing competition. Check out their website to see the other competing designs!

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Details for competition criteria:

"The focus of the competition is the lounge chair or similar casual seating—simple objects to assist the body in repose. Commercial office chairs and other specialized functions are not appropriate, but otherwise you have as much latitude as you can explain and illustrate in a convincing way. Outdoor and public furniture are especially encouraged. Entries are restricted to original concepts that have not been built. Commercially sold products are prohibited.

In addition to the special criteria of the “Fit Right Here” challenge, entries should demonstrate the three basic principles of “One Good Chair”:

• Make good (Material conservation). How can shape optimize resources in design, fabrication, and shipping? What forms create little waste but lots of taste?
• Feel good (Physical comfort). How can shape aid the body in the act of sitting? How do different people sit? How might they?
• Look good (Emotional resonance). What kinds of images create emotional bond between viewer and product? What is the intersection of sustainability and sensuality?"