This was my very first Comm Design project assignment. I was asked to select any character from classic typefaces, at least one serif and sans-serif, and make an interesting crop of the letterform. Before making the final comprehensives, we learned about the process of thumbnail and rough comp generation. The final stage in the process also introduced color theory concepts and exploration of wet, dry, and digital media.

CMD281: Cropped Letterforms

This exercise expanded upon the concepts explored with the cropped letterforms and asked me to create a symbol using repeated letterforms from classic typefaces. I enjoyed the comping process which let me create pen drawings and cut paper. I found myself drawing on pieces of this exercise when creating logos for later projects.

CMD281: Letter Symbols

The penultimate step in our initial typographic exer-cises, the 3D letterform had me select yet another classic character, but this time, build it so it is 10 inches high and 5 inches deep. I selected a semib-olded Baskerville Q and had to rebuild it several times before getting to it a level of quality I was satisfied with.

CMD281: 3D Letter

The penultimate step in our initial typographic exer-cises, the 3D letterform had me select yet another classic character, but this time, build it so it is 10 inches high and 5 inches deep. I selected a semib-olded Baskerville Q and had to rebuild it several times before getting to it a level of quality I was satisfied with.

CMD281: 3D Letter

The Grid. Its usage isn’t intuitive to everybody, but it’s essential to every graphic designer. This assignment asked for two 12”x18” posters incorpo-rating elements from the type exercis-es in CMD281: one that adheres to the grid and one breaks it. This was the first project in which I was asked to organize several layers of image and text and I learned quite a bit about visual hierarchy.

CMD281: Typography Posters

Grid-based (Left)“Off the Grid” (Top)

that

aw

kwar

d m

omen

t whe

n...

Does this text bother you?

It should. Usually unnoticed and misused by those unfamiliar with design, typography gives a voice to every written communication. Inappropriate type choices often create a sense of unease for the reader before they even begin considering the content of the text. Many people opt for “fun” display fonts like Comic Sans or Papyrus while there are many classic fonts that require no modification to meet just about any need if used correctly. Next time, think twice before clicking the “bold” or “italic” buttons when word-processing or adding a stroke to your playful “WordArt.” By following just a few basic guidelines, you can be on track to making smarter type decisions and communicating your ideas clearly and efficiently.

Modest, yet stately, Baskerville is a transitional serif typeface best utilized to

convey a quiet voice of dignity while maintaining a unique charm. With a

history as rich as its illu

strative qualities, th

e font takes it

name from its

designer, John Baskerville, who created it in

1757. Baskerville made a living as

a japanner and printer, but his work with typefaces saw success after his

death. In the creation of his most fa

mous typeface, John Baskerville had

set out to improve on the work of William Caslon. In turn, Baskerville itself

has inspired many typeface designers, one of the most notable examples being

Zuzana Licko and her font, Mrs. Eaves, created in 1996. Classic typefaces such

as Baskerville are timeless and deserve to be cherished and preserved for

future generations of both readers and designers.

Bold

and

Beautiful

After selecting three words from a list (mine were “exaggeration,” “non-cooperation,” and “alienation”), the assignment asked us to create 8”x8” panels that communicate the words through image, type, pure form, as well as a hybrid that incorporates all three. After creating the panels, we had to construct an 8”x8”x8” foamcore cube that utilizes all six sides to communicate one of the words.

CMD281: Word Definitions

alienation

the state of being withdrawn or isloated

from the objective world.

alienationthe state of being withdrawn or isloated from the objective world.

“a mind enclosed in language is in prison.”Simone Well

疎外

aliénationentfremdung

alienação

alienación

utanförskapalienacja

NONCOOPERATION:refusal to participatein activities of or cooperate with individuals, governments, institutions, policies or laws that result in violence or

INJUSTICE.

w a s h e s w a s h e s

NONCOOPERATION:refusal to participate

in activities of or cooperate with individuals, governments,

institutions, policies or laws that result in violence or

INJUSTICE.

making to seem more important than it really is

making to seem more important th

an it really is

alienation

the state of being withdrawn or isloated

from the objective world.

alienationthe state of being withdrawn or isloated from the objective world.

“a mind enclosed in language is in prison.”Simone Well

疎外

aliénationentfremdung

alienação

alienación

utanförskapalienacja

NONCOOPERATION:refusal to participatein activities of or cooperate with individuals, governments, institutions, policies or laws that result in violence or

INJUSTICE.

w a s h e s w a s h e s

NONCOOPERATION:refusal to participate

in activities of or cooperate with individuals, governments,

institutions, policies or laws that result in violence or

INJUSTICE.

making to seem more important than it really is

making to seem more important th

an it really is

Along with a group of four others, I was asked to create a concept for a restaurant. We came up with Lunch Line: a quick-service restaurant serving childhood classics, like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Individually, we had to design a logo for the restaurant, as well as 18”x24” image and type driven posters to be displayed in an outdoor public setting. I really enjoyed developing a brand voice and carrying it through the art direction of the various pieces of the assignment.

CMD251: Restaurant Identity

Image-DrivenPoster

Type-DrivenPoster

“Open Haus” was a group exhibit project about the Bauhaus school. Built at 1/6 scale, the exhibit brings guests through the imagined workspaces of several notable Bauhaus masters. We also were asked to design an accompany-ing exhibit book, as well as individual advertisement posters to compel people to visit the display.

CMD251: Design History Exhibit

Not only was designing the space and its information an enormous challenge, but I also learned an invaluable amount about group dynamics. Amassing resources and executing the design was another huge piece of the experience. My group met many challenges along the way, including Hurricane Sandy, but we were left with an exhibit we were proud of.

open h

aus

art an

d life

at

the ba

uhaus

dec O6 2O12 - ja

n 12 2O13

warehou

se gal

lery

35O w. fayet

te st.

syracus

e, ny

Exhibit Poster

When assigned a project that required me to organize and design a mass of information, I turned to the Star Wars universe. Although fictional, the rich information available about the various iconic space-crafts of the series lent itself well to visual representation. I created several booklets about some of the best-known ships and a hand-built box for their storage. This project forced me to become much more disciplined in the ways in which I communi-cate information.

CMD282: Information Design

When assigned a project that required me to organize and design a mass of information, I turned to the Star Wars universe. Although fictional, the rich information available about the various iconic space-crafts of the series lent itself well to visual representation. I created several booklets about some of the best-known ships and a hand-built box for their storage. This project forced me to become much more disciplined in the ways in which I communi-cate information.

CMD282: Information Design

Spread Detail 1

Front View

Class: Light FreighterManufacturer: Corellian Engineering Corp.

Rebel Alliance, Smugglers

As the personal starship of smuggler Han Solo and his loyal partner, Chewbacca, the Falcon became a vital asset to the Rebel Alliance during the Galactic Civil war when the pair joined Luke Skywalker on his fateful mission to rescue Princess Leia Organa from Darth Vader on the Empire’s Death Star.

The Basics

What Goes Inside?Minimum Crew: 2 co-pilotsPassengers: 6Cargo Capacity: 100 metric tonsConsumables: 2 monthsEscape Crafts: 5

Front View

Top View

Sizing UpLength:

Max. Speed:

35 m

Class 0.5

Quad laser cannons

Quad laser cannons

Drive units

Cockpit

Escape pods

Concussion missletubes

Escape pods

Sensor dish

Equipmentaccess bay

Floodlights

Armor plating

Front View

Class: Light FreighterManufacturer: Corellian Engineering Corp.

Rebel Alliance, Smugglers

As the personal starship of smuggler Han Solo and his loyal partner, Chewbacca, the Falcon became a vital asset to the Rebel Alliance during the Galactic Civil war when the pair joined Luke Skywalker on his fateful mission to rescue Princess Leia Organa from Darth Vader on the Empire’s Death Star.

The Basics

What Goes Inside?Minimum Crew: 2 co-pilotsPassengers: 6Cargo Capacity: 100 metric tonsConsumables: 2 monthsEscape Crafts: 5

Front View

Top View

Sizing UpLength:

Max. Speed:

35 m

Class 0.5

Quad laser cannons

Quad laser cannons

Drive units

Cockpit

Escape pods

Concussion missletubes

Escape pods

Sensor dish

Equipmentaccess bay

Floodlights

Armor plating

A ColorfulHistory

- The gigantic space slug whose mouth Han confused for a cave and narrowly escaped in Episode V is called an Exogorth. The species can grow to become 900 meters, easily making the Falcon no more than a bite-sized snack in comparison.

As formidable as he is furry, Chewie is Solo’s loyal co-pilot and best friend. The lovable Wookie is also a gifted mechanic and has proven to be a brutal physical force in the face of the Empire.

ChewbaccaHailing from the planet Corellia, Solo spent his life smuggling before becoming a war hero of the Rebel Alliance. The Falcon is his pride and joy and he spends much of his time modifying the ship to perfection.

Han SoloThe Falcon’s previous owner and Solo’s close friend. Although his motives are usually questionable, Lando displayed heroism when navigating the ship in the assault against the Death Star II.

Lando Calrissian

Smuggling Scoundrels

As the personal starship of smuggler Han Solo and his loyal partner, Chewbacca, the Falcon became a vital asset to the Rebel Alliance during the Galactic Civil war when the pair joined Luke Skywalker on his fateful mission to rescue Princess Leia Organa from Darth Vader on the Empire’s Death Star.

- Before he lost the Falcon in a Sabacc game with Han, Lando Calrissian installed hidden cargo compartments for smuggling spices. They proved to be life-saving to Solo, Chewbacca, Luke Skywalker, and Ben Kenobi when the ship was taken captive on the Imperial Death Star and was boarded by Stormtroopers.

- Because of its heavy

ization, the Falcon is prone to malfunction. However, its quick getaway time is invaluable: the ship

within three minutes! Solo often boasts that his prized ship can “make the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs,” which is an impressive feat.

Spread Detail 2

A change of pace compared to other proj-ects before it, developing my “con/prog” book made me curate 24 images and crop them to an 8”x8” frame. Panels are presented side by side and “microconnec-tions” must be visible between panels. Layers of “macro themes” should also be present over the course of the entire book. I chose to show a change from fluid-looking images to stable-looking ones, as well as a transition from sparse panels to cluttered, and finally back to sparse ones.

CMD282: “Conn/Prog”

CMD282: “Conn/Prog”

Pupadour is an invented hair styling cream for dogs. for a project that required me to conceptualize a product that uses baking soda as an active ingredient. In addition to creating packaging for the product, I also designed a point-of-purchase display and magazine advertisement to push the product. Once again, I loved art directing with the brand’s specific voice and giving it different flavors in different contexts.

CMD252: Product Branding

Who says humans are the only species who can have stylish hair? Puppadour's all-natural ingredients are safe for dogs with even the most sensitive skin, all while providing classic style for your uncommonly refined canine.

Hair Styling Cream for Dogs

Classic Style for your uncommonly refined canine. Who says humans are the only species who can have stylish hair? Just rub a small amount of cream into your hands, massage into to your dog's wet or dry coat and style as desired. Puppadour's all natural ingredi-ents are safe for dogs with even the most sensitive skin.

Pupadour’s label reads:

Classic Style for your uncommonly refined canine. Who says humans are the only species who can have stylish hair? Just rub a small amount of cream into your hands, massage into to your dog's wet or dry coat and style as desired. Puppadour's all natural ingredi-ents are safe for dogs with even the most sensitive skin.

Pupadour’s label reads:

“Versatile” is a double-headed magazine targeted to vain gay men living in a metropolitan setting. Two versions of the magazine were designed: one for the “dominant” gay man and the other for the “submissive.” The content of the magazine is common between the two sides, with splash pages for articles about money, careers, and relation-ships, as well as a department, but differences in voice, design, and art direction create a division between the two sides.

CMD252: Magazine Design

Derek J. Horn6358 Smokey Hollow Rd. Jamesville, NY 13078

(315) 350-6240Twitter: @thedirtyderek