Picking The Direction I Want to Follow

This week we have had to try to find a company that we think we might want to work with. Once we have settled on a potential candidate, we have to answer a few questions regarding our choice and the reasoning behind it all.

Here we go.

Who Am I Targeting and Why?

Ballistic Arts Media Studio Inc. (www.ballisticarts.com)

I checked out a great number of studios, design firms and even freelancers in the greater vancouver area, and I really liked the vibe that Ballistic throws around on their website. They seem to have a great energy about them and also seem to convey a great sense of humour in what they do. So many websites and designers carry on and on about how creative they are, where as this firm shows their creative side tempered with a sense of humour I didn't see too often in my search.

What Type Of Work Do They Do?

A little bit of everything really. Video Production, Graphic Design, Photography, and Web Design. They have done print for brochures, websites, large scale transit labels and decals and a TON of other stuff. My only critique of their website is that their portfolio page(s) are a little on the overwhelming side. I guess it shows that they get a lot of work.

How Does This Choice Reflect With My Own Values/Designs/Goals?

I love the headline on their careers page 

"Not wanting to be a cog in the corporate machine? Want to work in a place that actually cares about your career?"

I know that the design world is serious business, and that I am to be expected to act as a professional, but I stress enough about that type of stuff already. I don't want to work in a stuffy and overly serious design studio. I can be corporate when I have to, but it would be nice to wind up working for a place that lets the creativity run crazy in the studio. Heck, their staff page has all the employees tied up in straight jackets:) I would like to find a bit of fun in my job and my work environment. Live to work, don't work to live.


I want to work for a place that allows me to grow, learn and become a better designer.
They also state on their careers page that they are looking for people who:

• are skilled and have lots of potential
• want to be part of a team
• care about what they do and what impact it has
• work hard
• and take pride in their achievements

 How could someone not want to work for a place like this?

Separating the wheat from the chaff.

The first step of making my portfolio is to pick the pieces I want to show to potential employers....

I have to admit, going back to first year projects made my blood run cold. I started to panic, then as I meandered from disc to disc through my academic career to date, I started feeling a little more reassured. I have since managed to cut this down to 13 pieces. 

The first draft pick looks like this. I understand this will be culled down further, but this is the start. The list includes my reasoning for picking said piece and how I feel they may need to be changed if need be.

1. BLACK METAL POSTER (Ellen's Scanning Project) - to date I feel this is still one of my best executed projects visually, and I feel that it was successful as I gifted a copy to an old friend who assisted in my enrolment in school and she was offered money for the print numerous times. I had no typographical knowledge at the time so that will have to be addressed when it is submitted to my portfolio.

2. MARIO COIN BOX (Keith Leinweber 2nd year typography) -  Keith REALLY liked this one project and claimed it was a portfolio worthy piece when I submitted it. It will have to have the type reworked a bit, but the concept is strong. 

3. RICHARD CHEESE PROJECT (Nancy CD project) - My first attempt at a unified marketing project. CD, Poster, online banner ad. Even though the project deliverables might be a bit dated now, it shows my first attempt at a unified project. Also our first time working with a client, Terrence.

4. CRIMESTOPPERS (Ellen Poster Project) - I feel that the concept of these posters was pretty strong. Even though I didn't win the contest I am still proud of the execution of the final project.

5. FORUM POSTER (Keith 2nd Year Typography) - my 2nd in class competition win. It was selected for use by the VIU theatre department to advertise the play around the Nanaimo area. I have to go back in to the project and review some spelling errors that were pointed out.

6. PORTAL MAGAZINE COVER (Ellen 3rd Year Photography) - This is still one of my favourite projects. It was short listed as a potential winner, but I didn't win. It was yet another project that had us working alongside a client.

7. WAYFINDING PROJECT (Patrick Environmental Design) - Our first major group project. I worked in conjunction with 4 other people to accomplish this final result. Shows evidence of my ability to work as part of a team. I also had controlling share in designing the posters submitted that contained our work.

8. MUDSKULL SHIRT DESIGN (Rick 3rd Year Illustration) - Showcases a bit of my illustrative skills, my first attempt at working in a completely foreign medium (clothing) as well as having a project guided beyond my initial intent by a client. 

9. MARIO PACKAGE REDESIGN (Nancy Package Design) - I am very proud of the final product. Shows how I can operate inside constraints of a redesign.

10. LENINADE (Nancy Package Design) - My first package design project. I thought it was pretty clever coming up with the military styled carrying case. It also showcases my sense of humour maybe giving future employers a concept of who I might be personally.

11. FINAL PROJECT (Nancy) - It only makes sense to include a major project like this as a larger scope project. I need to go back in and make some general tweaks to some small things I never got around to.

12. SERIAL KILLERS INFOGRAPH (Patrick Information Design) - Yet another project, yet another skill to showcase.

13. RESTAURANT MENU (Patrick Information Design) - another example of reworking existing content into another project.