Masaki Koike + Paul Rand = Catalog Cover Stories

The catalog cover that is... UCLA Extension 2011 Fall Quarter Catalog by Masaki Koike

On Monday, July 25, the fall catalog will be here!

While I feel like this speedy timeline shortens my life somehow, that existential pain is dulled by the fact that one of my favorite designers and instructors crafted the catalog cover. AND, I got to interview him about it.

Curious about which covers didn't make the cut? Want to hear about Masaki's process? Wonder about the title of this post? Then read on!


A catalog cover that will never be, also designed by Masaki Koike.

See more of his comps in the interview here.

Interview on UX with Jeroen Hermkens

Sketch by student Bryan Carichner

Jeroen Hermkens is an award-winning Dutch interaction designer with 15 years of experience making technology transparent and easy to use for a wide variety of consumer, government, and business projects. He is the founder of Het is Simpel (It is Simple), which specifically focuses on interaction, communication, and concept design.

Jeroen has taught User Experience (UX) design online from Rotterdam for the Design Communication Arts Program since 2009. Wonder what kind of experience you'd have in the class? Recently, Jeroen put together a great page of student experiences and sample projects here from the spring 2011 quarter. Check it out!

I also asked him a few questions about the field via email:

When people ask you what you do, how do you explain it?
It can get confusing [very fast] for people if I try to explain them that, depending on the assignment, I do Interaction Design, UX Design, Information Architecture, Communication Design or Conceptual Design. I usually say, 'I make technology easy to use'. This always sparks a conversation.

When you're teaching UX Design, what do you consider the most critical principles that students come away with?
To trust their intuition and create an open mindset to WHY users are doing what they are doing. In the end the WHY is always something very basic.

What are companies looking for when they hire a UX Designer, both in terms of skills and portfolio?
Companies who do not understand UX are looking for nice graphics and flashy Flash presentations. Companies understanding UX look for thoughtful concepts and excellent execution.

What have students said they enjoy most about the course? What is the most difficult for them?
The main thing I am teaching is letting go of the judgements of how it should be or students think it should be. When students get this a complete new world opens up in which good UX design becomes much more easy. Students who are not able to make this step struggle a lot inside rather 'normal' projects.

What have you learned from teaching UX Design?
I have been involved in Interaction Design since '94 so a lot of the theory I have discovered myself. It was very interesting to see a lot of formal documentation on topics I had figured out in my own way. Ever since, I enjoy following all kind of expert views.

Any student success stories that you know of, like someone being hired?
In my last course one of my students got his first UX Design job. He applied at a major healthcare company, had interviews, they liked the mindset he created in the course, [along with] his wireframes and the iPad2 app he designed within the course project. Over the last [few] years I have had emails from several students who got into the UX field as a result of the course.

Check out Het is Simple, Jeroen's company.


Wireframes by student Ena de Guzman.

Farewell, Friends!

This has been one awesome job, let me tell you.

I have loved working with students embarking on creative design adventures and seeing thoughtful portfolios of those whom, when I met them for the first time, had not yet taken Design Fundamentals.

I have also loved working with talented instructors who delight in inspiring others with their work and teaching.

And, if only I could tell you about the parties in the visual arts. There are lots of them, and they involve copious amounts of homemade cake and peanuts. Also, really nice people who make me laugh and think.

However, I'm departing next week for new adventures of my own. While I'm sad to go, as DCA students know, it's exciting to try something new. If you'd like to find me, you can at almasdiary.tumblr.com.

Be sure to tune in to facebook.com/uclaextensionvisualarts to stay informed about what's going on with your design community. Soon, a new blog will be launched (bye, whiteboards) and you don't want to miss it.

Also, keep your eye on the UCLA Employment page for a great opening in the UCLA Extension Visual Arts!

My best to you all.

Comics Heroines, Feminism, and Lacy Underthings

Illustration by fashion illustrator and newspaper comic strip artist Tarpé Mills, from the 1940s.

Michael Dooley's latest interview for Print magazine's imPrint is here! Trina Robbins on Comics Heroines, Feminism, and Lacy Underthings is not just a provocative title. It's a thorough profile of underground comix pioneer and comics herstorian Trina Robbins. In it Trina discusses feminism, fashion, and "Miss Fury."

It's also bursting with awesome vintage comic illustrations and hypothetical match-ups (not the kind you may think). It's a delight!

Read it here. You can sign up for Design History and Context in the fall quarter with Michael, here.

Do We Need Business Cards?

DCA instructor and 3D type designer Andrew Byrom has been contemplating this question and isn't convinced that YES is the answer. Hear him deliberate in this video.

For more on this topic, check out this post on his recycled desk.

Adobe Illustrator User's Group: Social Media + 'Helvetica'

If you can't make it to the AIGA Student Group event tomorrow with Terry Lee Stone, you're in luck! You have options:

Join Border Stylo which will present their first product, Glass, a browser add-on for Firefox, Chrome and Safari that creates a virtual canvas over the entire internet. With this canvas – or virtual glass – you can literally place notes on top of any website and share them with whom you choose.

Additionally, there will be a screening of the documentary 'Helvetica' about typography, graphic design, and global visual culture, followed by a discussion.

Enjoy free food provided partially by G.F.C. / Good Food Catering of Santa Monica.

See Facebook for more information.

Web Designer Needed

I’ve been in touch with Kim Merritt, who is working on a really exciting web project in the Department of Pharmacology at UCLA. Here are some highlights:

Phase I. Public Site with Public Login (for marketing data collection and document posting) and Member Login (for BSC member docs, such as course docs).

The purpose is for marketing and communications about activities events, achievements, the Business of Science Course, partnerships, etc.

Strong back-end architecture planning is desired to accommodate Phase II, which we will host on our intranet for reasons of security, as well as future applications that may be required for marketing and communication.

Early integrative planning is a priority for driving traffic to our site and for better Admin content management on our side.

Phase II. Internal Secure Site. The long-term vision is to use the public site above as a gateway/portal for Venture Teams to access a private password-protected document-sharing and perhaps internal messaging platform for securely sharing confidential documents about their projects.

It is not essential that the same web designer build Phase II, but that person should be aware of and plan for the requirement to later plug in the Phase II module.

***
Want to learn more? Email dca (at) uclaextension.edu before July 22 and I will share more details.

Type Making with John Clark

Type design by Aileen Tu.

We are thrilled to announce a special summer workshop for DCA students, with John Clark of Looking:

This workshop takes students through the design process, from overview to concept to creation. Students are given a project and work on creating their concepts without the use of computers. By immersion into a real-life situation (presenting a concept to a client on a deadline), students are able to focus on clearly conveying their concepts rather than spending time on the mechanical or technical aspects of their design. Students experience the creative process as a whole and move smoothly through the stages of concept, creation and presentation.

Here is what Aileen Tu, our AIGA Student Group President had to say about her experience (and see her experience in her design, above):

I had the opportunity to participate in the first Typemaking workshop with John, which was sponsored by the AIGA LA Education Committee, and it was AMAZING! It was a fantastic experience that I highly suggest for anyone--not just those interested in typography, but design in general...

When I took the workshop, I was only halfway through Design Fundamentals so I really did not know that much about design. But this workshop showed me what I was capable of, and inspired me about what I could potentially do with more knowledge and skills.

Don't let your lack of knowledge prevent you from registering. John purposefully did not require prerequisites because your level of knowledge is of no consequence to what you can accomplish in this class.

The workshop is next weekend, July 23 & 24 and enrollment is extremely limited. Register now if you would like to attend! Reg. W8279

Happy 4th From Masaki

DCA instructor Masaki Koike sends his designs via email now and then, in celebration of various holidays. This one, which honors Ai Wei as well as the freedom U.S. citizens enjoy, is one of my all-time favorites.

You can see more of his work at www.phyxdesign.com.