I’ve always found it incredibly helpful when upperclassmen show up to talk to freshman about what they’re doing, especially with all of the students we saw being art majors. I really liked what all the students had to offer, especially Mary Counts.
Mary was a GDES major, with a minor in computer science. I automatically latched onto her presentation, as it was aligned with my major and carried a lot of weight in that sense. I was really impressed with her typography skills and her work on book making and illustration. Overall, the creativity was amazing, and definitely unique, and I felt excited to get into my own unique style as the years pass.
What really sparked a fire in my eye was the idea of User Experience design, which Mary listed on the front page of her website. With that being said, I definitely am now considering working in a minor in computer science, as that sort of field is a lot more profitable and rewarding than simply Graphic Design alone.
I thought Faith’s work with photography was very impressive, and it was very National Geographic-esque. I thought Diana’s art pieces were equally impressive, as they all had some sort of expressiveness within them, which was really interesting. Diana often said she didn’t know what she was doing, but I think she definitely made some awesome pieces regardless.
John and Omar were interesting, but I was slightly let down by what they had to display. However, I’ve heard the gaming program is quite new, so I guess what they’re doing is still a big deal. What they did show was impressive to me, as it was definitely more than what I’ve ever done in terms of game design, so I honestly respected the effort they put into their work, even if it wasn’t mind-blowing. I wish they had more to show off, but they were having technical difficulties. I just wish they had more to display in terms of 3D artwork, as I would’ve really liked to see what kind of designs were capable with the engine they were using.
All of these students had very professional websites, but they had a sort of personal flair, with each playing off negative space and using their own distinct cover images and title layouts. From what I saw, keeping it simple is important. Here are some websites I found interest me.
Devon Stank’s website has an eye-catching statement as his cover, “Let’s build something amazing together,” while his own promotional video plays in the background. This really stood out to me as an inviting, quirky, yet professional site, with his logo and various tabs all placed in a meaningful manner.
Sarah Chang’s website has a relatively simple layout, with her signature at the top, along with a short description and navigation tabs lined up side by side underneath the signature. It’s a really easy-to-navigate system, and it isn’t cluttered with excessive colors or confusing sidebars.
Anthony Wiktor’s website was stunning. His own personal logo is sharp and clean, with a video of himself playing in the background. The website has a clearly labeled navigation bar, but upon scrolling down changes the cursor to a plus sign, and even reveals cascading tiles with some of the reasons you should employ him displayed on each. It’s a development masterpiece, or at least brings something new to the table.
Robby Leonardi’s website blew my mind. Basically, it features an interactive resume that shows himself (in cartoon superhero form) navigating a video game as his achievements and qualifications are displayed with engaging animations and creative visuals. Ultimately, there is no way I could get on Leonardi’s level, but I could try if I ever get that far into coding. Simply fantastic work.