For Class April 26

CLASS CANCELLED THIS WEEK. Happy to meet with anyone who needs to when I return. Will keep you posted precisely when that is; later this week. Ask other faculty for help. We’ll have another week before Senior Open House.

Get the best quality prints that you can for your final portfolio pages. Loved the tip about Staples: good quality prints for a good price. If you’re still sequencing the order of the pages, you can make do with cheaper prints, from our 3rd floor Konica Minolta. I recommend you lay out the pages in InDesign, with facing pages. If you choose white backgrounds you can make the page size the insert sheet size. Don’t forget to consider pacing and scaling. Don’t make everything GIANT. It can enliven the progression through the pages to have quieter moments: smaller pieces or a blank page.

One last thing: Please fill out the student evaluation form for this and all your other classes. Your feedback and constructive criticism can help us make the courses and program better and more effective. Thanks.

For Class April 19

Bring in prints, preferably of a size that will fit into your portfolio case, of ALL the work you’re considering putting into your portfolio. They don’t need to be high quality prints for this run-through. We’re looking at content and pacing. We’ll meet in the classroom at 8:30am and collectively give feedback to each student about how to sequence the work, whether to put in labels, establish different sections, etc.

If you need to have photography done at the Women’s Building, make an appointment in advance: 315.443.3711. Plan for that; give yourself and them time.

You should have your actual portfolio case by now; bring that to class. Bring all your questions, too.

For Class April 12

One on ones; your last project, in progress.

For Class April 5

We’ll meet at The Art Store (935 Erie Blvd. E) at 9am to look at portfolio cases and discuss the pros and cons of different types. Let me know if you need a ride; glad to pick you up. Afterwards we’ll reconvene in the classroom (307) to talk about MoCCA Fest and your final project for portfolio class.

For Class March 29

Class will be group critique, an assessment of your body of work for your portfolio. Bring in all relevant work, done for any studio class or for yourself. Show prints of recent working pin it up so we can review it easily. You can also show older work that you might want to include in your portfolio.

For the last hour of class, James is going to bring in the sophomores so they can get a sense of where they’ll be in two years. Remember two years ago? Can you believe what you can do now? You’ll inspire them.

For Class March 22

Bring in your latest portfolio project for group feedback.

Bring in your MoCCA product as well. It’s almost done, isn’t it?

If you are involved in the Syracuse Poster project, did you give me the hi-res artwork yet? If not, let’s make sure that’s done tomorrow.

See you at 8:30 am in 307.

For Class March 8

Sign up for one-one-ones during class time. Have your self-promotional postcard designed and ready to go to print. Contact me if you have issues with design or production.

For Class March 1

Illustrations by Jonny Wan

Class will meet at 8:30 in the classroom. Bring all of your work so far for the semester, including work for other classes that you think belongs in your portfolio. We’ll do a collective assessment of your body of work so you can make adjustments in your planning as needed to ensure you final portfolio has the balance you’re seeking.

Have in mind which image you want to use on your self-promotional postcard. Many students also print a business card but if you have only one, the postcard is more useful. Look at standard postcard sizes and design the card accordingly. There are online printers on the resources page of this blog.

For Class February 22

Illustration by Selina Alko and Sean Qualls

Let’s do one-on-ones again this week. Bring work in progress and specific questions. Go into Google Drive, look for a shared document called Feb. 22 One-on-Ones. Let me know if you have any trouble signing up.

On Thursday Selina Alko and Sean Qualls will be looking at portfolios during Biz class. They do children’s books so I urge anyone not signed up for biz class this semester but interested in that genre, come, take advantage of their presence and wisdom. Sam and Honni, I’m thinking particularly of you… However anyone working in any genre, it can be enormously instructive to get outside feedback.

Even if you’re not signed up for VALS at 6:30 in Shemin Auditorium, do come to seen Sean and Selina talk. They have the lived experience of being an interracial couple with parallel careers in illustration. The ways in which they work together and support one another creatively and socially are positive exemplars.

The following week, March 1st, we’ll have a group crit for your Project #2 in class. Pace yourselves accordingly; be prepared.

For Class February 15

Illustration by Steve Brodner

For class this week, a link will be emailed to you with a sign-up sheet for one-on-ones. We’ll meet in my office. Bring everything you’ve got, including questions.

On Thursday afternoon, even if you’re not in the Biz class this semester, come to room 332 at 2 pm to hang with Steve Brodner, visiting artist. He’ll be looking at portfolios and giving feedback. Particularly if you’re interested in editorial work, do come and bring what you’ve got. After the bruising election cycle last year and the current political climate, Brodner is an acerbic and insightful voice for the left. Even if your politics don’t align with his, you can marvel at his caricature skills, his craftsmanship with media and his thoughtful conceptual process.

If you can’t make it to the Biz class, come to the VALS lecture at 6:30 in Shemin. You will be entertained.