Individual Voice Project

Lou Brooks, Illustrator

CTW Graphic Design Assessment Project:

Individual Voice Design Project:

Since entering the Graphic Design program at GSU a few years ago, each of you have been asked to perform and experience certain degrees of proficiency which are universal to most graphic design majors in their respective schools.

Throughout your time at GSU I’m sure each of you have discovered your strengths and your weaknesses but most importantly is that each of you have perhaps identified areas of interest which you have wanted to pursue with more in depth investigation.  This semester you will have a chance to identify what you feel are those missing creative “gaps” in your design education and portfolio by writing your own creative contract on work to be completed. This contract will exist between student and instructor. 

In this project each student will identify a set of creative goals/ideas by writing them down with some detail of what they wish to accomplish in its final presentation. These ideas should be specific in what each student wishes to accomplish. Students will also present their ideas to the rest of the class for feedback before initiating the agreed upon individual project. 

Graduating students will bring in their entire portfolio of work to review with the class and Instructor prior to starting their Individual project. This process will take some time but will result in a more thoughtful and applicable project for the semester.

The idea of how to begin this senior design class began during a senior trip to NYC in October 2007 to visit design studios. Many of the Art Directors (Psyop and Trollback and Nick) stated that they are always looking for new design recruits based on what they can “uniquely” offer to their respective companies and design firms. They are seeking designers who have a style that is unique which has been described as their “inner design voice.”  This project will allow you to literally ‘flush out” your uniquely personal graphic design goals. You might wish to create a set of animations based on your interest in art or travel or language; others might wish to create a uniquely different set of print work; many of you might wish to work on typographical areas of your portfolio which you feel need more attention.

Each project for each student should be uniquely different. That is the strength of this project.

You think it and you design it!

Do you need more print and editorial work?

Do you need more Illustration work?

Do you need more animation?

Do you need more political work?

Do you want to show more of your multimedia work?

Learning to discover (and uncover) your unique “voice” as a creative person can be a life-changing experience.

Finding your “inner voice” as a designer certainly will allow you to become more self-confident when you begin your job search upon graduation.