• About the Program
• Career Opportunities
• Alumni Profiles
• Student Gallery
• Student Links
• Faculty

Objective

To develop a self-promotion leave-behind and/or mailer for self-promotion purposes. To showcase your design skills for the purpose of obtaining employment as a graphic designer.

 

Secondary objectives

To utilize Adobe Creative Suite as layout and production tools.

 

Description

Create a self-promotion piece that showcases your strengths as a designer. This piece should supplement your resume/identity package and can be used either as leave behind or mailer. Your project proposal must be approved by your instructor before you begin.

Your project can be executed in any form. Some suggestions are:

• Poster
• Postcard/Card
• Brochure
• Package
• Book
• Web Animation
• Interactive CD
• Other

Your project must communicate a concept creatively and show an understanding of design principles.

Note: High resolution stock photos and illustrations are now available from Photospin. Contact your instructor for more information.

 

Procedure

1. PROJECT PROPOSAL: Write a project proposal in Micosoft Word. List the due date for each phase of this project. All projects are due on the final review date for this class (see Calendar), so plan accordingly! Email the proposal to pyoung.parkland.edu@gmail.com.

2. RESEARCH FOR INSPIRATION: Research existing award winning self-promotions by professional graphic designers. Be sure to review books (i.e. Art of Promotion), trade publications (i.e, How Magazine's Self-Promotion Annual) and annuals. Look specifically for creative concepts and creative use of typography, photography or illustration. Publish your research on your personal process page for critique (be sure to caption each scan and cite the source). Be prepared to explain why these examples are successful.

3. INCUBATION: Absorb the information you have gathered and sleep on it. Allow your unconscious mind to make connections for you.

4. DEVELOP THE CONCEPT: In your sketchbook begin to conceptualize ideas for this project (see examples of sketches). Make at least 10 sketches of all possible directions you might take this project. Edit your concepts down to your best three ideas and redraw them on 8.5 x 11 white paper using a felt tip pen. Scan (scale/crop in Photoshop: no wider than 800 pixels) and publish your concepts on your personal process page. Test how successful your concepts are by presenting them in class for critique.

5. EXECUTION: Based on the critique of the above, use the computer to translate your sketches into digital files. Export JPEGs (scale/crop in Photoshop: no wider than 800 pixels) and publish them on your personal process page for critique. Be prepared to talk about what design principles are utilized in your layout.

6. PORTFOLIO PREPARATION: Based on the critique of the above, make adjustments as needed. Add revised JPEGs of your designs to your personal personal projects for final critique (do not delete older versions). If necessary, make refinements until you are 100% satisfied with the project. Be sure to save all your files for future editing.

7. GRADING: Submit two high quality laser proofs with your name on it for grading. File the graded proof in your Process Book for individual review along with all the preliminary work you did for the project (research, sketches, preliminary proofs, final color "comp"). You will not receive credit for this project if any of the above elements are missing.

8. STUDENT GALLERY ARCHIVES: Prepare a low resolution PDF (smallest file size) of your project and drop it in Angel's drop box. Your project may be published in a showcase of student work on Parkland's website.

9. INTERVIEWS: Prepare one copy of your self-promotion piece as a leave-behind piece for every interview you go on (including the mock interviews scheduled for this semester).