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Designing Your Future

T r oy U n i v e r s i t y A rt a n d D e s i g n D e pa rt m e n t

A note from department chair, Greg Skaggs Interviews with Art & Design Alumni Insight from current Art and Design Students International Arts Center & The Idea Bank

Artwork by Greg Skaggs

mage makers are a special breed of people. I’d venture a guess that half the world takes random photos with our phones—our pets, food, maybe new shoes or a hat and post them on social media for others to view and make comments. But what about images that we remember? The images that we carry with us throughout our lifetime? I remember the first time I went to an art museum. I was in the second grade and we took a field trip to the Dallas Museum of Art. The space was grand and overwhelming for such a small tyke like myself. I don’t remember much about that trip except for two pieces of art. The first was a Richard Serra sculpture in the garden. Its large rusted curved walls created an excellent space to run around and play hide and seek. The second piece that I remember was Robert Rauschenberg’s “Retroactive I” painting. I think it was its subject matter of astronauts and its large scale that drew me in. I believe as image makers this is what we strive for. To be remembered. To be remembered takes commitment and hard work. Random art making and experimentation is so very important, but getting into the trenches and fighting the battle with media, idea, and process—that’s the struggle that makes us artists. Art requires work. ArtWork. Some of my fondest memories of working in the

studio are the struggle. How to break through times of doubt and lack of confidence. It’s those battles that make us stronger. Work it out. Paint through it. Show it. Love it. Hate it. Repeat. Rauschenberg is one of my favorite artists, and I’m sure it comes from my initial introduction to him in the second grade. I didn’t know him then, but I remember when I saw that painting in a text book years later and recalled that moment. It stuck. Rauschenberg is still remembered as one of the hardest working and prolific American artists in history. He is remembered. We are thrilled to share with you this magazine featuring our students and alumni. We are proud of our department and our graduates, and this collection proves the wonderful diversity of creativity that has made its way through the Troy Department of Art and Design. Their hard work is evident within these pages and we hope that you take away something that you will carry with you and remember.

Artwork by Greg Skaggs

Designing Your Future

Greg Skaggs Professor of Art and Design Chair Department of Art and Design

Professor Beverly Leach with parents

IDEA Bank

Amelia Nettles

Chris Stagl, Associate Art and Design Professor at Troy University unveiled the Fall 2022 Typography student murals at the Troy University Idea Bank. These murals we’re created to inspire big ideas, leadership, and represent Troy. The students didn’t hold their creativity back and created spectacular murals to reflect the given prompts. The murals line up outside the Idea Bank and move inside the building to the lobby of the Idea Bank. Students Jared Hester, Emily Cousins, Laura Phelps, Reanna Thompson, and David Saner attended the event, as well as professors, students and

their families, and onlookers joined the event and voted on their favorite murals. Reanna Thompson’s “Big Ideas” mural won first place, Emily Cousins’ “Create Your Own Future” came in second place and Laura Phelps’ “Innovate” came in third. This event helped show the creativity that Troy University’s Art and Design Department has and continues to display.

Jared Hester

Idea Bank 2

Amelia Jenkins 2023

American Advertising Awards Ceremony The Troy University Art and Design Department’s graphic design students showed out in the ADDY’s (American Advertisement Awards) in 2022 winning 24 awards. The Art and Design Department held a get together with students who entered work and students interested in seeing the results. Troy University Senior, Nathan Hobbs was named Students Designer of the Year bringing in two gold awards and three silver awards. The atmosphere was filled with jubilance and happiness as more and more students went up to take their photos when their name was announced. Along with Nathan, other graphic design students won awards in the Dothan and Montgomery division. Silver ADDY winers in Dothan,

Alisa Detlefsen and Abby Vignuelle: The Great British Bake-Off Titles, David Saner: Apple Commercial Series. Gold ADDY winners in Dothan, Howard Purvee and Nathan Hobbs: Coke Commerial Series with a Judge’s Choice, Jill Hall: American Horror Story Freakshow Titles, and Cole Patterson: Dexter Moton Titles selected as Best in Show. Silver ADDY winners in Montgomery, Nathan Hobbs: Driver Intro Titles, Nathan Hobbs and Reanna Thompson: Dr. Pepper commercial.

2022 ADDY Award Winners Designing Your Future

Perry Brown

Local designer Perry Brown breaks down life after college

Troy University’s Art and Design students were tasked with reaching out to alumni in order to better understand the professional world after college. Perry Brown, 2009 Troy graduate, has designed everything from albums to websites and t-shirts to logos. Heavily influenced by music, album covers, and posters, his work has a lovely vintage texture. This brief interview with him is just a taste of his wisdom gained from over 14 years in the graphic design business.

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Describe your work. What is a typical day like for you? I work a few different jobs at the moment. During the day I work full time for Troy University as a Webmaster within the IT Department. I, along with others in the Web Division, design and update Troy University’s internal websites. I have also been operating a successful freelance design business on the side for the past 15 years. I usually have multiple, ongoing projects for various people and businesses. This work encompasses logos, websites, posters, album artwork, signage, etc. What do you enjoy most about your job/ professional life? Since I was a child I have always wanted to have a career doing art in some form or fashion. I feel very blessed to be able to provide for my family by doing something I actually like to do. I also enjoy the variety of projects that come my way. It truly is something different every day. What qualities do you think an artist or designer needs? Problem-solving skills are a must. Graphic design is visual problem-solving. I would say at least 60% of the work on a project is completed in the planning and preparation stage of it. Being well-organized and responsible is a must, as well. How important is your location to your art/ design work? Honestly, all parts of every job that I do could be done from my home. That’s where I do all of my freelance work, but I still come into an office for my job at TROY. I do enjoy coming in to an office space that is separate from my home though. It’s nice to delineate your work and home lives with a change of scenery. What are some of your influences as an artist/designer? Music album artwork and concert posters are what got me into graphic design. I’m also influenced by the art of old matchbooks and

Designing Your Future

Perry Brown Logo

stamps from the early 1900s. Those last two aren’t supposed to be pretentious answers, seriously, go check out matchbook and stamp artwork. It will impress you. When you feel stuck or uninspired with a project, how do you motivate yourself? I take a break from the project. I just walk away for as long as I feasibly can, or switch to something else for a bit. 90% of the time that’s all it takes. When I come back and see the project with fresh eyes things seem to fall into place. It seems counterintuitive to do this, but trust me on it. What did the art/design program most teach you about? The instructors that I had were always very encouraging. They never tried to dissuade me from doing what I was passionate about. They made me honestly believe that I could accomplish my goals. There is a lot to be said about that.

“College WILL NOT teach you everything...” 5

“Go on and get that in your head now while you are still in school. You ARE an adult already.”

B I N G O!

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What is something that you want to do creatively in the future? I make music as well. There was an album that my band started working on almost 10 years ago now. I’d like to finish that. In what ways did you feel prepared or unprepared after college for building your

professional career? Were there experiences in addition to college that were useful? College WILL NOT teach you everything. As I said in my previous answer, I felt very confident in my instincts after college, but I knew very little about how to function fully in the professional landscape. Every employer is different, so there are many variables that are impossible for a school to teach you. Students today have a treasure trove of resources available to them online. You could seriously watch design/business tutorial videos on YouTube for an hour every day and GREATLY increase your skillset. Read design books, there’s a ton of them. Do those things now while you have a little extra time. Life only gets busier after college. What’s something you wish someone had told you about working in the art/design field post-graduation? You’re not going to get to do exactly what you want on every single project. Don’t overly-romanticize the design business. Sometimes you have to do jobs you aren’t that excited about to make money. That’s life. But, the infrequent, creatively-fulfilling projects will always remind you why you wanted to do this in the first place. What was it like interviewing for your first professional art/design job, and what advice would you give on the interviewing process? My first interviews were ok, I’ve always thought that I interview decently. Be honest about your skills with potential employers. They have a good idea about what a recent grad is capable of, you’re not going to pull one over on them. Be humble and make sure they know you are willing to put in the time to learn the job. What was the biggest transition from college to the real world? The realization that I am actually an adult and no one is going to do the work for me. Go on and get that in your head now while you are still in school. You ARE an adult already.

Design Credit: Jared Hester Designing Your Future

Carolina Hechart Discusses Getting Started as a Creative Professional

Carolina Hechart

Carolina Hechart works as a Design Lead at Uptick Marketing. Her social media posts feature dynamic typography and illustrations. In this interview, Carolina discusses her day-to-day workflow as well lessons she has learned throughout her career.

Design Club Logo for Troy University

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What qualities do you think an artist or designer needs? As an introvert, I hate to admit this but Communication is so important. It can be difficult at first, especially in a new environment, but it is very evident when it is lacking. Being able to express what you need for a project, being able to answer questions and discuss your creative choices are all things you will probably have to do at some point in your creative career. Refining your communication skills early will help you so much in the long run.

Oh Man, Social Media Graphic

Describe your work. What is a typical day like for you? I am the Design Lead at a digital marketing company, so my day is pretty varied. A normal day for me involves checking in on my other team members, fielding questions from other teams and account managers, as well as designing ads and landing pages for our clients, along with collateral for our own company. What do you enjoy most about your job/ professional life? I am very fortunate to work at a smaller agency that gives me a lot of creative freedom. I love working on our own, internal creative projects and given the space and time to do so!

Designing Your Future

How important is your location to your art/ design work? Having a comfortable and inspiring place to work is very important to me. I find that I am easily influenced by my surroundings, so having a place that feels inspiring is crucial for me. I think being able to relocate easily throughout the day is also very beneficial for me. A change of environment is really nice when you feel like you are in a rut. In a broader sense, I think the city you’re in is also important. Living in city where you can find a community with similar interests and inspiration all around you is a very nice thing to have.

“Having a place that feels inspiring is crucial for me”

What are some of your influences as an artist/ designer? It changes often, but other artists for sure. I also love to take influence from old design work. For example, last year I was really into old baseball cards and tried to incorporate those styles wherever I could. There are so many places to grab inspiration from and looking to the past is definitely a good way to do it! When you feel stuck or uninspired with a project, how do you motivate yourself? I tend to peruse Pinterest, Behance, Dribbble, the usual spots. Looking through my own sketchbooks and designs is also very valuable. You wouldn’t believe how many ideas you’ve had that you’ve probably forgotten about, or concepts you can recycle! Also relocating like I mentioned above. The change of space really helps sometimes. It doesn’t have to be a big change–sometimes I will just go to a different part of the office or to a nearby coffee shop.

“You would not believe how many ideas you have had that you probably have forgotten about.” What is something that you want to do creatively in the future? I would love to design a mural. Working in that scale sounds really intimidating but so exciting.

Poster Vector Illustration

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House of Empanade Branding

What did the art/design program most teach you about? Time management and overall how to conduct yourself professionally. Every workplace is different but I think the DTI program helped set a standard of what to expect in the real world. In what ways did you feel prepared or unprepared after college for building your professional career? Were there experiences in addition to college that were useful? I felt prepared in my skills and on receiving critique. I think I would have liked to

Designing Your Future

have more experience in some real-world environments. Doing an internship was very helpful–I wish I had done more! What’s something you wish someone had told you about working in the art/design field post-graduation? There are a lot of tools and resources out there that can make your processes easier. As long as you know how to do something well, it’s ok to use tools that save you time. What was it like interviewing for your first professional art/design job, and what advice

Illustration, Our Ocean Our Problem

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“If you are sitting in for an interview they already saw your work and liked it” would you give on the interviewing process? It was nerve-racking for sure, but after being on the other side I can assure you the interviewers are nervous as well! Many agencies and companies are hiring for your skills, sure, but hopefully your work can speak for itself. If you are sitting in for an interview, they already saw your work and liked it. Many places want to make sure you are a good culture fit, so it’s important to be yourself and not be too caught up in those questions you memorized. What was the biggest transition from college to the real world? Working with bigger teams and having a chain of command required for approvals. Having to manage your time more efficiently as well. What is one thing that we as students could do now to begin preparing for life and careers after college? Try to get an internship before a full-time job (if that’s an option for you). Even if it’s after you graduate. I think this can take the pressure off your first real “job” and give you a better idea of what to expect! It

Our Ocean Our Problem Campaign Stickers

also gives you a chance to check out a place and see what kind of environments/ industries you prefer.

Design Credit: Grace Kish Designing Your Future

Alumni Designer Leigh Farrior Breaks Down Life After College Leigh Farrior, a 2003 Troy graduate, is a designer of all things marketing, including print, web, broadcast, and social media. Leigh has won multiple ADDY awards and AAF Montgomery Art Director of the Year, to name just a few of her accomplishments. An interview with her gave us insight on just a few things she has learned in her professional endeavors. Describe your work. What is a typical day like for you? My day is made up of management, meetings, design, development, and any random things that need to be done. As production director, I oversee the creative department and all projects, including print, digital, and interactive, along with conducting employee reviews and interviews. On any given day, I’ll be doing creative/art direction, production work, concepting and/or creating animations, overseeing photo shoots, hand assembling pieces, writing front-end code, correcting ADA compliance, handling client relations, presentations, and vendor relations, etc.—whatever is needed to get the job done. I also participate as one of six senior leaders using the EOS (Entrepreneur Operating System) to operate our agency business. My non-paying job is my volunteer work with the American Advertising Federation. Our mission is to protect and

promote the well-being of advertising. I hold positions at the local, district, and national levels, currently serving as Vice Chair of the National Council of Governors (the highest elected volunteer executive committee in the AAF). I also chair AAF Montgomery’s American Advertising Awards and can’t wait to see the amazing work Troy’s students submit this year. What do you enjoy most about your job/ professional life? That it is never stagnant. It’s always changing, evolving, and surprising. I also love that I still learn on the job constantly. Traveling with the AAF and speaking across the country is a huge bonus in my professional life. What qualities do you think an artist or designer needs?

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Good intuition, the ability to listen, able to manage time, and the ability to pop their ego balloon. Anyone can be creative but knowing what to do with it is important. Good work comes from listening to the client and strategy (and your senior creatives), making good design decisions to meet those goals, and knowing when to push or compromise on a decision. How important is your location to your art/ design work? Tracing A Line - Book Cover and Spread Everything. Art is everywhere. I also follow a lot of sites online, get email digests of the best new fonts/websites/photography, read magazines, etc. When you feel stuck or uninspired with a project, how do you motivate yourself? Get off the computer. Do something mundane, go for a walk, or do a puzzle… anything to give my brain a breather. More often than not, a fresh idea will pop in to give me inspiration. (Think, shower thoughts.) I’ve also done brainstorming trees and group critiques to help move a project along.

Not super important. Graphic Designers can work remotely but being able to make that connection to your team is important. Whether in-person full time/partially or remotely via Zoom, most creatives tend to be better when they can bounce ideas off others and build on team brainstorming and opinions. I work in the office, at home, and even from my front porch rocking chairs.

What is something that you want to do creatively in the future? I’d like to do some paintings. I haven’t painted true art (that wasn’t a cardboard prop or something) in years, and really want to get back to it.

What did the art/design program most teach you about? I think the major thing I learned is that my best work comes at the last minute. I pulled so many all-nighters in the computer lab. What are some of your influences as an artist/ I also learned how to take critique, thanks to designer?

Designing Your Future

“Learn a little of EVERYTHING; you never know what you’ll ACTUALLY like doing...” had those resources and been more prepared. AAF also did a way better job of preparing me for public speaking than my public speaking class at Troy. I used to want to throw up at the idea of talking to a crowd or presenting creative a client, but now it’s second nature.

Smug Pup Media Logo class reviews, and how to keep taking my idea further and further to set it apart from others.

What’s something you wish someone had told you about working in the art/design field post-graduation? Learn a little of everything; you never know what you’ll actually like doing. You may have one idea going into it, but find your true calling could be something else. I had no plans to work in the interactive field, but after learning web design/development, I

In what ways did you feel prepared or unprepared after college for building your professional career? Were there experiences in addition to college that were useful? My internship was THE BEST for my career. I learned so much more than you can in the classroom, and it led to a full-time job after graduation. I do wish the things the American Advertising Federation has now existed then. AAF provides portfolio reviews, mock interviews, continuing education, mentor programs, leadership skills, etc. I feel I would have understood more about the industry if I Zero K Logo Design

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can design every single piece of a campaign. And understanding development makes a designer more efficient and, in turn, the development more efficient. Lastly, you won’t be working on “glamorous” projects every day. But shoot for a job that will give you a good balance between the boring clients/projects and fun clients/projects. What was it like interviewing for your first professional art/design job, and what advice would you give on the interviewing process? I was just a sophomore when I interviewed as an intern and stayed at the company for almost six years. I was super nervous since I had never really interviewed before, but I was confident that they would want me there after seeing my portfolio. My advice is to always be open-minded about the future. I was willing to move wherever for a decent job and really lucked out. But just know that there are so many amazing small agencies and in-house departments that you can really shine in instead of getting lost in a huge agency in Atlanta, New York, etc. Be willing to take something that may not be your dream job

because everything is a learning opportunity and could be a stepping stone to your next gig. What was the biggest transition from college to the real world? No more spring break, summer break, or tons of holidays. No more scheduling late morning classes so you can sleep in. Everything was about work and paying the bills. That’s why it’s important to love what you do. It’s a big transition, and really hard when you leave your friends behind at school or they move to other cities. Find at least one co-worker that you can build a friendship with. What is one thing that we as students could do now to begin preparing for life and careers after college? Make sure your resumé and portfolio are the best they can be. Apply for internships (paid only) everywhere. Ask for mentors to do mock interviews and portfolio reviews with you. Check out the AAF District 7 student podcast Mighty Mentors for great advice. https://www.aafdistrict7.com/about/ student-chapters/ and when you find your job, make sure to find an AAF chapter near you. Every single job I have gotten is thanks to connections through AAF (even my internship, which was due to winning Student American Advertising Awards). Most of my continuing education comes through AAF. I have connections all over the country and made so many friends thanks to AAA (https://AAF.org).

RSA Website Design

Design Credit: Emily Cousins Designing Your Future

Troy alum Stephanie Jackson breaks down post-college life Stephanie Jackson

Stephanie Jackson, a 2005 Troy graduate, is a freelance illustrator and designer who gets to work from home. Most of her work centers around dynamic character design. In this interview, Stephanie talks about how she went from a desk job to full time design. Describe your work. What is a typical day like for you? I work from home as a freelance illustrator and designer, so my day usually starts around 9am. I get up, have my coffee, check my email and my phone, then get started on whatever art project I’m currently working on. If I finish or send a project off to the client for review, I’ll get a head start on my next project. I keep a spreadsheet of every job that comes in so I have a tidy to-do list. I work until around 4:30 to 5:00. I love what I do and working from home means it would be easy to keep going all evening, but I really try to set that time boundary so I don’t get burnt out and have time for other things.

little design work, so it’s been great to finally get back to doing what I love. Being able to do it from home makes it even better. I’m a lot happier now than I was with my 9-5 desk job. What qualities do you think an artist or designer needs? Good time management and organizational skills, working knowledge of color theory, the ability to take feedback and critique, and the ability to take art direction from others. I know that last one might sound a little weird but it’s important.

What are some of your influences as an artist/ designer? I love following fellow illustrators whose art I admire. The artist who’s had the biggest What do you enjoy most about your job/ influence on my art style as it currently professional life? exists is Colleen Larson, but I also admire Working from home! And being able to do art and love the work of artists like Drew and design full-time now. I worked for the Struzan, Lois van Baarle, Ginevra Grigolo, government for 13 years which involved very Devin Elle Kurtz, and Kyle Lambert. 18

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When you feel stuck or uninspired with a project, how do you motivate yourself? I usually take an hour or so to do something else that interests me—read a book, play a video game, take a soak in the bathtub. Usually if I spend a little time away from the project and come back to it with fresh eyes, I can get around the block. Other times I search out art that accomplished whatever it is I’m trying to accomplish in my current piece to see how other artists tackled the problem, hoping to find inspiration or useful techniques for my own art. What is something that you want to do creatively in the future? I’d love to become a published author! I’ve already achieved my goal of becoming a published illustrator, so it would be wonderful to see my name on the cover of a book one day. Barring that, I’d love the chance to do art for bigger name clients. What did the art/design program most teach you about? (time management, creativity, collaboration, experimentation, etc.) Definitely time management! I was always a big procrastinator but the art/design program really hammered into me the importance of managing my time and getting projects done so they didn’t all cram up at the end of the semester. I have a clear memory of Ed Noriega, my advisor, once asking me something along the lines of “why are you not afraid of me?” and I replied that it was because I got my work done on time, therefore I had nothing to be afraid of!

“I’m a lot happier now than I was with my 9-5 desk job.” Designing Your Future

Aida

In what ways did you feel prepared or unprepared after college for building your professional career? Were there experiences in addition to college that were useful? DTI prepared me to be a good designer, but it didn’t prepare me for the ruthlessness of the job field once I graduated (but, I don’t think anything could have). I had a good internship straight out of college, but once my internship was over, my opportunities dried up. Everyone I interviewed with said I was overqualified for an entry-level job. It took me three years to find a professional job, and that was because I knew someone who worked there. And when I decided I wanted to move on from that job, I couldn’t because I hadn’t built a portfolio there. I still haven’t decided if my struggles were more indicative of the competitiveness of the job field, or me as a designer. What’s something you wish someone had told you about working in the art/design field post-graduation? Networking matters! Knowing other designers or people already working in the field really helps a lot when it comes to finding a job, or if you decide to seek other employment later on down the line. Join groups on Facebook, Discord, or other forums. Get to know fellow artists. You never know when a connection might come in handy. 19

Full Team Poster

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Marvel Pins

What was it like interviewing for your first professional art/design job, and what advice would you give on the interviewing process? I met a recruiter for the company I interned with at a portfolio review that I attended with other students shortly before graduation. The recruiter was impressed with my web design examples and suggested I apply for their interactive design intern position for their summer internship program. When I went in, I interviewed with the head of the interactive design department (the recruiter I had met) and the man who would be my boss. This was 17 years ago so the details are fuzzy, but I remember both of them were very laid back and eager to talk about my work, which helped to put me at ease. Since I had already met the head of the department, the interview was essentially a slam dunk case. I felt very fortunate. I’ve never been good at tooting my own horn in interviews, but my advice for interviews is to be honest about your strengths and weaknesses and to also remember that you are interviewing your potential employer as well. If you feel they aren’t being completely upfront or even if the vibe seems off, you can discount them. And if they aren’t transparent about pay range, discount them completely. What was the biggest transition from college to the real world? Honestly? Leaving that insular bubble of friends and professors and moving to a place where I had no friends or family close by and no job, just my husband for company. Social media and smartphones were in their

infancy then and I didn’t even have a texting plan, so it wasn’t as easy to keep in touch with people. It was a very big adjustment. What is one thing that we as students could do now to begin preparing for life and careers after college? I know I’ve said it already, but networking! Even if it’s more of a social effort at first getting to know other artists and designers. Like I said, you never know when a connection will come in handy. It’s gotten me a few jobs here and there over the years! As for life... remember that even if you truly love doing art and design, a job is still a job, and you need to make time for yourself, family, and other pursuits and hobbies if you don’t want to burn out.

Combined Poster

Designer Credit: Laura Phelps Designing Your Future

Olivia Lopez and her Let’s Go Studio

Olivia Lopez

Olivia Lopez graduated from Troy University and is now a business owner. She founded and formed a team, specializing in website design and logos. In this interview, we can get an insight to her daily life at work, and the process behind her designs. Describe your work. What is a typical day like for you? I am self-employed! I wake up, check emails, and then design all day. I do have a team of people that helps me, including a virtual assistant, another senior designer, and an SEO specialist. I design websites and logos, so sometimes in one day, I work on many brands and logos and website design as well. What do you enjoy most about your job/ professional life? I love that I get to be my creative self and work with several different clients. I don’t like having the same work all the time with one brand, so having many different brands is very fun. I also love the flexibility of my work as well—I can take days off when I need to, sleep in when I need to, etc!

What qualities do you think an artist or designer needs? Drive. They need to feel driven toward this work. You can learn skills, learn the principles of design, but you have to feel passionate and driven every single morning to wake up and grow and learn and create. Plus, a thirst to learn more about design! How important is your location to your art/ design work? Very important! I really crave a good, aesthetic atmosphere. I’m in the middle of moving right now so I don’t have pictures, but setting up my home office was very important to me so I could feel comfortable. I also love to surround myself with color and art so I can be inspired daily.

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What are some of your influences as an artist/ designer? Consuming media in all shapes and forms. It’s important to not be “too good” for social media or things like Pinterest, and to really sit and dig through to see where you find inspiration. I also let my own clients influence me, since I have them create vision boards. When you feel stuck or uninspired with a project, how do you motivate yourself? I try one of two things: 1.Set a timer and just DO IT. Turn off distractions and do at least one task. This one is very important to me because sometimes, I just need to get going! 2.Take a walk or do something else. I have found that just by turning my brain off, it gives it a break. I’ll go do my dishes or go for a walk or write or draw and just not think about work at all. Rest is also productive!

What is something that you want to do creatively in the future? I’d love to start on a series of something. Perhaps some really cool posters or a personal website or archive. I design for clients so much that I don’t really find time to design for myself a lot! What did the art/design program most teach you about? (time management, creativity, collaboration, experimentation, etc.) Truly, Troy gave me my foundational design skills. Color, light, shape, typography. Had I not gotten those foundations, I would have been not as set up for success. Learning the basics in terms of design is crucial. Foundational skills are called foundational for a reason. I am amazed sometimes at how much I teach to surprised audiences all of the time who don’t know basics.

Brand Design Designing Your Future

Logo design

“You have to feel passionate and driven every single morning to wake up and grow and learn and create.” In what ways did you feel prepared or unprepared after college for building your professional career? Were there experiences in addition to college that were useful? I felt very prepared! I had a body of work since Troy let me work on real world projects and even some fake ones so that I had a portfolio. I had a ton of design work to show after graduating, so I got a job very quickly: I was hired as a junior print designer three months after graduating. I only worked corporate for 3 years, however, before starting my business.

What’s something you wish someone had told you about working in the art/design field post-graduation? You’ve GOT to learn way more about art/ design! You really do also have to have interpersonal client management skills. Clients are obviously the hardest part about designing, so learning how to manage projects is key. I’d say I do about 30% design and 70% just running my business. What was it like interviewing for your first professional art/design job, and what advice

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Brand Design

would you give on the interviewing process? Interviewing was very fun for me, because I had a lot of confidence! Be sure you can speak to all of the parts of your portfolio from idea, process, creation, and beyond. All components are very important. Also speak to your skill set as a person, not just the design pieces. What was the biggest transition from college to the real world? Learning to manage money and projects and other people’s expectations. In the real world, there are no more professors to help you and guide you and be kind to you. Deadlines happen really quickly! What is one thing that we as students could do now to begin preparing for life and careers after college? Design! Design! Design! Build a body of work. Your friend’s t-shirt design, the cover of a book, start a personal Instagram or a personal blog. The more you can create, the more you learn, and the more you can show. You have to have things to grow! Designing Your Future

Illustration by Lopez

Designer Credit: Gao Li 25

Holly McSwain

An Interview with Holly McSwain Holly McSwain is a graphic designer for Legal Associations Management in Dothan, AL. She creates innovative corporate designs that stand out from the crowd. In this interview, Holly provides insight on what it means to be a good designer, managing burnout, and maintaining work-life balance.

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Describe your work. What is a typical day like for you? My day usually starts with checking my email, Teams, and ClickUp (a task management software). I typically work on projects according to the due date, unless there is one that I am particularly excited to get to first. My projects will range from event branding to email creation to video editing. I am part of a marketing team made up of another graphic designer, a content writer, an email specialist, a social media manager, a projects specialist, and a marketing director. We all collaborate to promote our events, associations, and clients. Three days per week, I have virtual meetings that I attend through Teams. There are days that I design nonstop and some days that I really only have one or two things to do and end up with a lot of downtime. I work Monday through Friday 8am to 5pm.

we each have specialized roles, it is very collaborative. The office itself is fun and casual— there is actually a ping pong table 10 feet away from my desk. It’s a fun workspace (and team) that encourages creativity.

What do you enjoy most about your job/ professional life? I love the environment that I work in. I am part of a marketing team, and although

What qualities do you think an artist or designer needs? Thick skin—you have to be prepared to change things about your design to make the client happy. Even if you feel like you know better (and you probably do, hah!), at the end of the day you have to put out a product that satisfies your client’s wants and needs—not yours. Good time management is also crucial. You will likely be juggling multiple projects. Creativity—This may seem obvious, but it goes beyond being “artsy.” Let me give you a real world example - We are promoting an upcoming event. It is the first one ever, so we don’t have many photos to use beyond the ones provided by the venue. We are bound to a brand kit, so the color palette is limited. And we are sending out multiple graphic emails each week. So when I or my fellow

Desk & Decorations

Holly’s Workspace

Designing Your Future

influence, I will mostly look at what comparable events/associations are doing with their marketing. It helps me determine what will stand out from the crowd but still convey the ideal tone.

Graphic for The Business of Law

designer put together one of these emails, we have to really get creative and find a new way to present the information and pull in the target audience without being too repetitive and boring. How important is your location to your art/ design work? Pre-covid, it was very important. Now that companies have gone through a pandemic, it is less important and remote positions are becoming more common. I personally live 30 minutes from where I work. I have coworkers that live across the country and work remotely. Those of us that work in-office have a sort of hybrid schedule, where we have the option of working from home one day each week. What are some of your influences as an artist/ designer? I work in a niche marketing field– we advertise to lawyers about legal associations and events. So as far as professional

When you feel stuck or uninspired with a project, how do you motivate yourself? I find that the best thing for me to do is to take a step back. I complete a smaller, “easier” project then loop back to the one that I was stuck on. This allows me to get out of my rut and look at the project with fresh eyes. Another thing I do is look back on past projects that were difficult to complete to

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Learn How to Build Your Billion Dollar Business! Graphic for The Business of Law

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remind myself how I worked them out and find some extra motivation to push through and find that solution. What is something that you want to do creatively in the future? I mostly just want to make art for myself. I have not been making enough time for personal projects, and I am trying to get back into the habit. What did the art/design program most teach you about? The program definitely gave me a solid design foundation. One major takeaway was to think analytically about design. Part of good design is creativity and imagination. But another huge part is that logical process– Original Artwork by Holly McSwain figuring out HOW to achieve the design, being conscious of your decisions. Instead of randomly throwing fonts and colors on a addition to providing a solid education. It page, you have the knowledge of WHY those was a little intimidating going out into the elements look pleasing. “real” world, but overall I felt prepared. I think that intimidation just came from my own nerves and anxieties.

“Think analytically about design”

In what ways did you feel prepared or unprepared after college for building your professional career? Were there experiences in addition to college that were useful? Our teachers did a great job helping us prepare our resumes and portfolios, in

Designing Your Future

What’s something you wish someone had told you about working in the art/design field post-graduation? It is okay to not have a “flashy” job. There were times that I felt a little bit of a disappointment for not working for a major brand or some well-known ad agency in a big city. However, I have found that even smaller positions can be just as fulfilling! I started with a job at a small print shop (where I learned some great lessons and had an overall positive experience). Now I am in a salaried design position where

I am designing for top law conferences, national law associations– including The National Cochran Firm! What was it like interviewing for your first professional art/design job, and what advice would you give on the interviewing process? The interview for my first job was simple. It was for a small business, so the owners interviewed me directly. They asked me basic interview questions, and we discussed my portfolio. It was a print shop, so they also quizzed me on some specific knowledge CMYK vs. RGB, document settings for print, etc. It was really easy!

What was the biggest transition from college to the real world? Honestly, the lack of breaks. I know that sounds silly, but after spending my academic life on a schedule that had summer breaks, spring breaks, etc. it was a bit of an adjustment. I had to really learn how to cope with burnout. What is one thing that we as students could do now to begin preparing for life and careers after college? Research the places you are considering working from. Cost of living, average pay for designers, commute expenses, etc. If you have your sights set on a job, know what comparable jobs pay. At the end of the day, a job is something we do for money. Make sure you are going into an area and a position that

Holly McSwain at her desk

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Email Infographic

will pay you fairly. You have to stay aware and be your own advocate—not all employers understand the value of a good designer.

“Be your own advocate—not all employers understand the value of a good designer.”

Target Email for The Business of Law

Design Credit: Grace Kish Designing Your Future

Designing with Joseph Melacon

Joseph Melancon

Former Trojan Joseph Melacon spends his time building art through design, drawing, and writing. In this interview, he gives us a behind the scenes look into his life post graduation. Describe your work. What is a typical day like for you? A large part of my efforts are currently focused on building a body of art through drawing, writing, and designing. For the past few years my personal work has started developing into a sort of amalgam of story/world-building elements, such as recurring characters, settings, and symbols. My pursuit, now, is to start defining and exploring those worlds through my work, which may take many forms including visual art, narrative works like comics and picture books, and various products. All of these explorations are expressed under the banner of my artist identity: Lost Rest—a name somewhat in the tradition of pseudonyms and pen names used by artists of many types, 32

and inspired by the restless pursuit of these inner worlds as well as the literal lost rest sacrificed in the name of this pursuit. My days as of now are quite varied, but are all centered around illustration, visual art, graphic design, and creative writing. Much of my time is spent doing commissioned work such as album art and posters for musicians, occasional design projects such as brand identities, and mural projects for city initiatives. I also operate a webstore in which I sell prints, stickers, original drawings, and other products. On occasion, I sell my goods in person at creative conferences and markets. I am also in the process of building my illustration portfolio for specific markets, such as editorial, publishing, and commercial illustration. I will soon 2023

Joseph Melancon

begin the process of pursuing targeted clients in these fields in order to establish working relationships—a process that I understand is an ongoing practice for any freelance illustrator.

even if they have wildly different ways of working and different personality traits. So the following are more like qualities that I think one can develop and nurture to help their career. Those qualities are, in no particular order: Be able to process What do you enjoy most about your job/ feedback, direction, and criticism with professional life? integrity. This means understanding the As an independent, I enjoy the freedom to needs of a task or project, the needs of the explore my true passions through my art stakeholders/clients, as well as the needs as well as the excitement and challenge of the creative (you), and navigating how of collaborating with others on a variety best to accommodate all of these. The goal of projects. I love that I get the chance to should always be to accomplish the goals of live my dream of earning a living through all these elements without sacrificing that creativity, and that I get to define for myself creative integrity. Focus. For someone like what that looks like. me, it’s easy to get lost in the process or in the pursuit of an idea (even if it’s the wrong What qualities do you think an artist or idea at the time) or even just in the research designer needs? for something. But to be a professional one I think anyone pursuing creative work will needs to be able to focus on the task at hand, likely already have certain qualities such and keep the goals of that task in mind as being curious or detail oriented or love throughout the process. Communication is problem solving, etc. But I also think that just paramount. The ability to articulate creative about anyone can pursue a creative career, concepts and technical ideas to a variety of Designing Your Future

Joseph Melancon

recipients is a constant in the working world. Mastering it takes practice so the more you get the better off you’ll be. This isn’t to say there’s any one right way to accomplish this, or that communications have to be grammatically perfect. I think it’s best to lean into what comes naturally, but to develop the skills and vocabulary to get others to understand and buy into your ideas. For instance, I tend to be long-winded and heavily explanatory while others are better at being concise and blunt. But if you can effectively get your point across and have the recipient feel that you really know what you’re doing, you will build strong working relationships and a good reputation. Another element of communication: keeping others informed. It’s very important in the working world (and, honestly, in school also) to be diligent about maintaining status updates, especially when anything goes wrong or if there’s a delay in something scheduled. It took me a while to learn this one because my natural tendency is to fear speaking up if something is going wrong, as not to disappoint the other party. However, this fear has burned me several times before, and a lot of stress could have been avoided with better and/or more frequent communications. Be thorough. Do everything in your power to get it right the first time. 34

Research ahead of time and be prepared. If anything isn’t spelled out in a project, ask for clarification. Make sure you know as much detail about a project as you can as soon as you can. This will often save everyone time and money. Speak up. Ask for help when needed. Ask for feedback from trusted peers when you’re unsure of something. No need to design in a vacuum. Vacuums suck and make for less good work. Try to find folks who really know their stuff and reach out to them. Many of them will be totally willing to help or give advice. As someone who tends to work in isolation, I wish I had developed this quality a lot sooner, at least when it comes to design. Be open. Explore new ways of thinking and working. Visit new places and open yourself up to new experiences. Challenge yourself to try new things. Avoid getting stuck in one way of approaching things. Find things that inspire you and learn everything you can about them. Fill your creative cup. Live a life of purpose, outside of your work. How important is your location to your art/ design work? This may be true about any location one may find themselves, but community has played a huge part in the development of my career to this point. Connections I’ve made as a result of being a part of the community in Columbus have led to many projects and working relationships, and I feel that it’s still just the beginning. Additionally, I do think it’s only natural for one’s surroundings to influence their work, and my case is no exception. Whether it’s drawing inspiration from regional wildlife and folklore, or depicting people and places I’ve encountered, Columbus has found its way into my little universe of artworks over and over again. What are some of your influences as an artist/designer? My biggest influences are fictional worlds that transcend their artforms. Those universes which find themselves seeping into culture in an almost unconscious way over time, and which are revisited and reinvented over and over again. These works include Star Wars and other sci-fi 2023

universes, the stories of Middle Earth and other high fantasy series, portal fantasies like Alice in Wonderland and the Oz series, and many more. I also have a similar fascination with mythology, religion, and history, and the works of art created about those. I especially love works involving symbolism and storytelling elements. Often the works I’m most attracted to have a visual density about them, which I feel encourages exploration and investigation. I would also say nostalgia plays a large role in my influences. I take great inspiration from cartoons, comics, video games, movies, and other multi-media—especially those I enjoyed in my childhood and adolescence. I think this plays out in my work both aesthetically and thematically. When you feel stuck or uninspired with a project, how do you motivate yourself? I tend to be working on many ideas or projects at any point, or at least have something on the back burner I can revisit. When I get stuck or uninspired, I often just move on to something else if there’s time. Another strategy I use is to simply preoccupy my mind with something unrelated to the task at hand. Often, if I’m patient and don’t try to force it, a solution or idea will come about. Changing locations, mediums, or style can also help. Other times, revisiting some art I love or even discovering something new and exciting can trigger a jolt

“Avoid getting stuck in one way of approaching things.” of inspiration. However, this can also become a trap of preoccupation and sometimes can even be discouraging if I overindulge. What is something that you want to do creatively in the future? I hope to get involved in the publishing world. To have my worlds represented on library shelves would be another dream come true. What did the art/design program most teach you about? (time management, creativity, collaboration, experimentation, etc.) One of the most important lessons I learned in the program, and in my time in college overall, is that you truly get out of it what you put in. The college setting provides you with great resources and opportunities, but it’s up to you as the student to take advantage of those, and to extrapolate the elements that will best serve you, your interests, and your ambitions. The environment is full of

Joseph Melancon Designing Your Future

inspiration and new things to try, and I’m thankful that I got to experiment with all sorts of creative endeavors. That diversity really helped to give me time to explore options and start to understand all the different ways creativity could be applied to working life. However, it is very easy to get sidetracked with other obligations and activities in college, so it’s up to you to use your time wisely. Another part of this lesson, too, was learning how to learn for myself. DTI provided a very diverse overview of design principles and creative best practices, along with access to some wonderful creative mentors, all of which served as

and taking on as much freelance work as I could round up. Doing that showed me a lot about what strategies were effective or not; what pieces in my portfolio were not strong enough, what elements in my resume needed changing, how to effectively communicate with potential employers and clients, etc. What’s something you wish someone had told you about working in the art/design field post-graduation? I wish I had been told to find a creative community sooner. When I left college and started working, I was sort of on my own, creatively. The type of job I had didn’t have me surrounded by other creatives and

“Invest in finding your voice. Develop and hone your craft and really try to make it your own.” a good foundation moving forward. But, finding your voice as a creative, keeping up with trends, discovering what fields and subjects interest you most, updating knowledge with evolving technology— these and so many other things have to be learned independently to a degree, and will improve with experience. That, in itself, was a very important lesson I first learned in the program.

sources of inspiration like I was in college (this may be different for agency jobs or being on larger creative teams). So after a while, I finally started going to conferences and other local creative and art events, and started building new relationships with fellow creatives who have been a huge source of encouragement, inspiration, and counsel. Being part of these communities has helped shape my career in its current state.

In what ways did you feel prepared or unprepared after college for building your professional career? As mentioned previously, the biggest lesson I learned was essentially to take responsibility for my own success, or lack thereof. For me, that took a while to settle in, and by the time I graduated I was still learning that lesson in many ways. A near-disastrous senior thesis was proof that I still had a ways to go, and had much more to learn about myself. However, that year spent between school and my first design job was valuable in giving me experiences that helped me prepare the rest of the way for the next step. That time was largely spent applying for jobs

What was it like interviewing for your first professional art/design job, and what advice would you give on the interviewing process? I was incredibly nervous as I raced from Dothan to Columbus, GA for that job interview. In fact, I was almost late because I hadn’t accounted for the shift from central to eastern time. I communicated with the interviewer on the way there to let them know what was going on, and luckily they were very warm, friendly, and accommodating. By the time I finally got there, they were so understanding and personable that it put me quickly at ease. When the actual interview started, I was very comfortable and casual, matching the vibe of

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the environment. At that point it was all up to my work, my knowledge, and my personality to get me the job, and I’m thankful that it worked out wonderfully. I think if the job for which I was applying had a different sort of work environment and culture, that interview may not have gone so well. But I now realize that the feeling I got from the environment—shaped by the people who put me so well at ease—was one of the most important factors in my desire to work there, and was the main factor that kept me at that institution for as long as it did. So never underestimate the importance of a good work environment. Who you work with is about as important as the work itself. What was the biggest transition from college to the real world? My experience may be quite different from others’, but I’d say the biggest change was to do with time. I feel that college is something like a time vortex—like a strange alternate reality in which time has its own rules. Sometimes it feels like you’ll never get all the stuff done you need to do and other times you spend an entire weekend playing video games. After college, the bubble burst and the real world began, and time started going by much faster. Now that my livelihood depended just on how I spent my time, the pressures of adult life began to set in. It took a while to adjust to this, but eventually I found a different kind of rhythm. However, the theme of change never really goes away. As you get older, have different jobs, start a family, etc. the way time works around you keeps changing too.

a creator, especially as the field continues to become increasingly democratized. Not to mention, it will keep you invested, interested, and motivated in your work. This may be easier said than done, and there is a lot of advice out there on how to go about finding your style/voice/etc. I would recommend diving deep into what interests you and what got you interested in the creative field in the first place. Go back and pull up things that inspired you as a kid, and things that helped shape your views and personality. Find creators that make you want to do better. Investigate the core elements that strike a chord with you, and try to figure out why. Then, translate these elements into tangible traits: colors, textures, type treatments, symbols, subject matter, etc. Over time you’ll start to see common tropes and themes. That’s when you can really start locking in on who you really are as a creative. It takes a long time, and many artists are never done searching and changing, so be patient and persistent. Best of luck!

What is one thing that we as students could do now to begin preparing for life and careers after college? Invest in finding your voice. Develop and hone your craft and really try to make it your own. This takes a lot of time, and will likely keep changing well into your career, but is essential for making you valuable as Joseph Melancon

Design Credit: Deanora Dupuis Designing Your Future

Former Trojan Alaina Hornberger Naden shares details about life after college

Mrs. Naden

After graduating from Troy University, Alaina Hornberger Naden spends her time working a plotter and designer. In this interview, she gave us a look into the life of a professional Graphic Designer. Describe your work. What is a typical day like for you? My job is 9-5 and does not allow for working from home, unfortunately, so I get in around 8:45 or 8:50 and turn on my computer, the printer, and the plotter. I work for a sign company currently, and am the Graphic Designer, but I also am expected to run the printer and the plotter. I don’t mind this though, since it at least keeps me moving around and gives me small and regular mental breaks. Since I work for a company that essentially sells my skills to different customers for individual projects, my work has a wide range of styles and applications. Most of the time, people have no idea what they want and I have to point them in the right direction. My favorite ones though, are when they have a design packet that tells me all of the design rules, standards, colors, fonts, etc. that the company uses. People almost never keep files though, so pretty 38

much every time we get a new company I have to completely recreate their logo from scratch, though sometimes I get lucky. We make everything from building signs and dimensional letters to feather flags and banners, so it is interesting learning about all of the different materials and such. What do you enjoy most about your job/ professional life? Being completely honest here, the money. I don’t actually make much and I think I deserve more, but the thing I like most about any job is making money. But trying to respond more to the heart of the question, I love it when I can make a customer very happy and surprised by the good quality of a design. Making signs that are just legible and that just communicate the point isn’t good enough for me. I want to make something that is pleasing to look at, and if possible, is consistent with any other branding they already have. 2023

Leafly Boba Bar

What qualities do you think an artist or designer needs? I think an artist/designer needs to be resilient more than anything. He or she should be able to take criticism and feedback and apply it well without taking it personally or having their feelings hurt. A designer should be able to use the principles of design to guide his or her customers to a better end product, even if it requires fighting with someone who has very bad taste. Respectful fighting of course, but fighting all the same. Don’t be afraid to fight for what’s best, but understand that sometimes, oftentimes, you will be shot down, and that’s okay. Just get up tomorrow, go back to work, and hope next time someone will listen to you.

Enjoying my surroundings may make me feel more like working, but won’t really change my work quality itself. Which is good because my current workspace is downright ugly, in my opinion. But at least we are getting to get rid of those ugly blue stripes (the walls are in the process of being repainted white) and if I don’t end up getting this new job I am going to beautify my space a bit so I can enjoy it more.

What are some of your influences as an artist/ designer? Speaking strictly from a design standpoint, I would say one of my biggest is Yayoi Kusama with her bold, bright, clean colors. Not so much the other aspects of her work though. I love her fun takes on things, and I absolutely How important is your location to your adore colors. Even my wedding was rainbow art/design work? colors because I couldn’t settle on just one. For me, I think my location isn’t as important In the wider world of art and story-telling, to my work itself as it is to my motivation. though, I would say maybe Yoko Taro, I need to be physically comfortable, but Junji Ito, and Neil Gaiman. I think there not too comfortable, so my mind can be is inspiration to be found in every corner properly focused. Beauty is also nice but not of life, so sometimes it is hard to settle on absolutely necessary. just a few artists, or pick one or two that influence you the most.

“banging my head against the metaphorical wall does not improve the situation.” Designing Your Future

Mrs. Naden’s Workspaces 40

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When you feel stuck or uninspired with a project, how do you motivate yourself? I get up. Move around. Leave it. Do other work first, come back, eat a snack, listen to music, think about it, then tackle it again. If I feel stuck, banging my head against the metaphorical wall does not improve the situation. Instead, it is best to give your mind a break and return when your subconscious has had a chance to mull it over a bit. If it is purely a lack of motivation however, I find a piece of music that matches my current mood and just force myself to begin. That’s really the only way I have found to create motivation. Usually once I have begun, my natural drive will eventually kick in. What is something that you want to do creatively in the future? A lot, if I’m being honest. I am currently working on creating a visual novel. I have finally dedicated myself fully to laying the groundwork for it; designing all the characters, firmly deciding and recording all of their backstories, personalities, motivations etc. and creating the general cultures and physical aspects of all of the races (this is fantasy) and cultures and religions, so that when I sit down and actually write the story lines they will feel more grounded and real. I also want to begin trying to actually sell handbound books, both actual books and notebooks. I’m also considering trying to make and sell clothing, though I rarely sew anything for anyone other than myself currently. I’ve also considered trying to sell baked goods, but I think all the licensing required for that may be too annoying to deal with. What did the art/design program most teach you about? Truthfully, what I would say I learned the most is design itself. The skills, and the eye. During my time at Troy, my ability in layouts, typography, animation, web design, just generally anything to do with design, all of it improved immensely. I learned so many skills and so much about design, and the classes challenged me and pushed me to grow constantly. Designing Your Future

Did you know that having limitations and boundaries, rules you have to operate within, has actually been proven to increase creativity in scientific studies? I didn’t until recently, but it makes so much sense to me. Each project in each class made me want to push the boundaries and see what I could achieve while still ticking all the boxes. I am extremely grateful for the growth I experienced during my time in the Troy design program. In what ways did you feel prepared or unprepared after college for building your professional career? Were there experiences in addition to college that were useful? When it comes to feeling prepared or unprepared, I thought I was at first. In my first job, I felt very confident and capable and got the job rather easily (in truth I was a little overqualified for it). I was easily able to meet all deadlines and worked very well with my coworkers, probably at least in part due to my experience at college. I have to admit I was surprised at how nice it is to work with someone who actually carries their weight.

“I think there is inspiration to be found in every corner of life” After I married, moved, and started the job search back up though, I didn’t feel able at all. It was hard to find jobs even remotely related to my field and when I did I couldn’t even get an interview, or I did and was rejected. One thing I was definitely not prepared for was being chained down 40 hours a week, and for receiving no praise or affirmation, which I will talk about more on point 12. While there is a lot of work involved with college, aside from having to be at class 41

Fastsigns

at certain times you get to set your own schedule. There is work to be done, and as long as you get it done by the due date it doesn’t matter if you do it at a certain time or not, and if you’re finished with the work you can move on to something else that you actually want to do. Working 9-5 there is no schedule flexibility. It also doesn’t matter if you finish all of your work or not, you have to sit at that desk until 5 or until something else comes up to do. It’s unfortunate, but it is what it is. What’s something you wish someone had told you about working in the art/design field post-graduation? I’m not sure there is a lot honestly. Maybe that it can be very boring, or hard to land a job, but I already knew both of those. We don’t really get paid that much either, in most places, but I already knew that as well. Perhaps I just went into the whole thing with eyes fairly wide open, but I wasn’t surprised by much after graduation. Or perhaps the teachers just did an excellent job at giving us as realistic of a view of what the world would be like post-graduation. What was it like interviewing for your first professional art/design job, and what advice would you give on the interviewing process? Nerve wracking, but interviews always are, particularly when you are desperate for a job. 42

Fastsigns Mounted

Essentially they ask about your history, how that pertains to their company, maybe to see your portfolio, and what experience you have with particular programs or jobs. My advice is to be friendly, open, and confident, humble as well. If it is an in person interview, try to mirror their body language (don’t outright copy it though) as this makes people feel more at ease. Mostly just be the most polite and honest version of yourself you can be, but do make sure to be yourself. You don’t want to be hired to a place where you as you are don’t fit. So don’t be fake.

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“ It may sound cliche, but build your resume and portfolio.” What was the biggest transition from college to the real world? Petty as it may sound, the hardest change for me would be getting little to no affirmation any more. Of course, this can be different depending on your boss/superior, but in most cases the only time you get feedback would be if you’re doing something wrong, or at least with my current boss that is the case. I was quite lucky with my first boss though. She was very nice and open with feedback, both positive and negative, and if she liked something didn’t hesitate to say it. At Troy it isn’t as if anyone fawned over me or anything, but in a way grades are guaranteed feedback, which can be affirmation or criticism. Being the way I am, I was always determined to make extremely good grades, and I did. This definitely played into my need for affirmation and recognition, which I didn’t realize I had until I got this job and no longer received any affirmation. It’s tough out here for those of us who need and want to feel appreciated and valued. What is one thing that we as students could do now to begin preparing for life and careers after college? It may sound cliche, but build your resume and portfolio. Get internships if you can, even unpaid ones if you can afford to do that. Unpaid work is still experience, and if you don’t have a lot of that outside of college it is almost impossible to get hired, as even entry level jobs tend to ask for years of experience. While personality, ability, and

Retractable

charisma definitely play into getting hired, it’s that experience that will get you to that interview, and most employers will just toss your resume out the door if they don’t think you have enough.)

Designer Credit: Laura Phelps Designing Your Future

Designing with Alex Watts

Alex Watts

After graduating from Troy University, Alex Watts landed a job where she has the opportunity to exercise her creative mind. In this interview, she shares her philosophy on life after college in the design world. Describe your work. What is a typical day like for you? I work in automotive advertising at Strong Automotive Merchandising, in Birmingham, AL. I am on a team of designers and each of us has a list of assigned clients. We work along with account coordinators who gather the jobs and information for us to be able to create the ads. I mostly create web and social graphics, but occasionally I will have print jobs like billboards or cardboard cutouts. I arrive at the office at 7 am, check my emails, then log into my workspace which is where our account team has opened jobs and given us information from the client. I check for priority jobs first, which are jobs that need to ship or proof by the end of the day, and get to work. I mostly work in illustrator and Dreamweaver. Once I have the graphic created I will save a proof and send it back to my account team where it will be proofed and either sent back to me for revision or approved to ship. If approved I will then ship the job. Shipping could mean that I post it to the clients website, email it to someone, or send it to another department within the agency. 44

What do you enjoy most about your job/ professional life? I honestly love the consistency of the work. I know what to expect from my clients and I have a set of rules from each manufacturer that I have to follow. Each month we have themes that one of our designers has premade that our clients can choose from. This makes it a lot easier for us to get a high volume of work done in a short amount of time. I like that we still have creative freedom, but with expectations and boundaries. I also really enjoy working with a team of designers. It’s helpful to see what others are doing so that if I have trouble with a layout or have questions about coding, someone is there to help and give advice. What qualities do you think an artist or designer needs? Patience, flexibility, and good communication skills! Working with clients can be challenging sometimes because everyone has their own ideas of how things should look. As a designer you should be willing to hear your clients ideas and 2023

communicate to them how the design will look best. Sometimes a client’s idea is just not functional so you as the expert will need to guide them in the right direction. It can be tiring going back and forth with a client so a designer must be patient and understand that some people don’t see things the way we do. How important is your location to your art/ design work? While it is nice that most of my team is in office, we are pretty flexible when it comes to location. We actually have two designers who work remotely. Since our clients are spread out across the United States, our location isn’t that important. The company that I work for holds high value in having everyone in office, though, because it does make

“graphics are like puzzles and sometimes you just have to play around with things until they work”

communication easier, and we have events every so often to get people away from their desks to socialize and have a nice break from working. We are able to work from home 4 days a month, which has been a welcomed change for me so that I can stay home with my daughter without sacrificing my career that I really do love! What are some of your influences as an artist/designer? I try to really lean in to trends in my design. It seems like the easy way out, but it’s important to stay relevant, especially in the world of advertising. I often find myself scrolling through Instagram and Pinterest making mental notes of designs that I see and try to replicate and put my own spin on things. When you feel stuck or uninspired with a project, how do you motivate yourself? I like to browse through previous projects and projects created by other designers. While we have templates that we work from, it’s really neat to see how each artist interprets it and makes it work for them. While I was training, one of the senior designers told me that our graphics are like puzzles and sometimes you just have to play around with things until they work - and all of us seem to build the puzzles just a little differently. If I have any down time I will browse SkillShare and YouTube and try to learn a new skill in illustrator or improve my knowledge of HTML and coding.

Hyundai Ad done by Alex Watts Designing Your Future

Hyundai Ad done by Alex Watts

What is something that you want to do creatively in the future? I would love to create my own line of stationery someday. I have created invitations for friends and family in the past and it is something I really enjoy doing, but have never had the time to commit to it. Maybe someday soon! What did the art/design program teach you most about? (time management, creativity, collaboration, experimentation, etc.) I definitely learned time management while in the program. Balancing 12+ hours of classes, sorority/social life, and a job was not easy, but I learned how to prioritize. For me, school always came first. I knew that I was there to get a degree, so it was always a given that my grades came first. Now in a professional setting I am able to get my work done on time so that I can have time with my family and friends after work, without it spilling into each other. I also learned how to collaborate with others. Before being in the design program I had never really worked with others on a project, but after taking a few classes I learned how to communicate with other designers and people who were not designers to create projects and designs. In what ways did you feel prepared or unprepared after college for building your professional career? Were there experiences

in addition to college that were useful? I think that having a strong portfolio really helped as I entered the professional world. I graduated from Troy in 2017 but I did not get my first job as a graphic designer until 2019, due to the lack of design jobs available where I was living. I don’t think that I was prepared for it to be so difficult to find a job in design. The first job I took was for a large format printing company, and on my first day the production manager told me to forget everything I had learned, and he was actually right. Aside from the actual design aspects and the way things looked, I had to rethink the way that I did and built everything. In the job I have now, pretty

Alex Watts’ Desktop setup

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was it like interviewing for your first “As a designer, What professional art/design job, and what advice you give on the interviewing process? you should be would I think interviewing for my FIRST design job was a little challenging, but to my advantage. boss was opening a sign shop and he had willing to hear My no idea what all it took to be a designer, he knew he needed one. Fortunately for your clients ideas just me I was convincing enough to be hired! At my current job it was a little bit more because I was interviewing to and communicate intimidating join a team of designers, at a much larger I would say that you need to be to them how the company. confident in your skills and and know what they are and also be willing to admit that are areas you can improve on, and be design will look there willing to actually learn those new skills. best.” What was the biggest transition from college

to the real world? A big change for me was really having to let go of having total control of my designs. much everything I learned at Troy I apply on Clients will have their own expectations a daily basis. One thing I have had to learn which may be completely different from or relearn is HTML and coding. I learned yours. Having to take what they want the bare minimum while at Troy, but now I and interpret it into a well designed final sometimes have to code an entire webpage product can definitely bring challenges, so or email before 8 am. I have really had to learn to roll with things and help people learn to trust that I know What’s something you wish someone had told what I am doing while also allowing them you about working in the art/design to have their input. field post-graduation? I wish I had been more prepared for how What is one thing that we as students could difficult it would be to get started in the do now to begin preparing for life and careers design field. After graduation I lived in after college? Troy for 2 years and had no luck finding a One way to prepare now for your future job in design and the only interviews I got career would be to build a strong portfolio were for jobs in Dothan, Montgomery, and and resume. Employers are going to want Enterprise, which is quite a long drive. Once to see your work and a strong portfolio can I moved back to Birmingham there were a lot really put you at an advantage. I would also more opportunities, but a lot of companies begin researching companies that you plan wanted a more experienced designer. I wish on applying to. Make sure the company you I had known that there are a variety of jobs take a job at reflects your values as a person. where graphic designers are needed. I had I have learned that your work environment my mind set on working in print, specifically is incredibly important and the way it makes publishing, so I was really narrow-minded you feel will really reflect in your work. The when looking for a job. In reality, there are a more you enjoy your workplace, the better ton of jobs for designers, so do your research quality the work, and the less likely you are and know your options! to become uninspired and burnt out.

Design Credit: Peyton Lawrence Designing Your Future

Icie Wallace “I just feel like I have a really good community that has helped foster growth and challenged me ” Artwork By Icie Wallace

What have you enjoyed that maybe you didn’t expect when you came to study at Troy? “I’ve really enjoyed being able to work with projects with other people who have different styles, work in different mediums than me. Like I said earlier, I noticed someone who had drawn something in the room because after one of the classes he had shared some of his work with me. And so being able to recognize work that’s made by other people and give them my opinion on it and help them improve if they ask for it and be able to uplift and then share their work with other people. Whenever I’m able to, I just feel like I have a really good community that has helped foster growth and challenged me while not beating me down. And so I feel like I’ve gotten to see a really wide variety of different mediums, different styles, people that work with their hands, people that work digitally, people who do a little bit of both.”

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Blake Green “He helped me find more of my potential and more of myself as not just a photographer, but as a creative artist”

Photos by Blake Green

Can you share with us a moment that really impacted you during your studies? “Professor Larry Percy, he helped me find more of my potential and found more of myself as not just a photographer, but as a creative artist, period. And I remember one time I was like, I struggled in class. It was the Time and Space class. We would always build and, you know, just create things. He left me a comment on one of my projects and said, “Blake, your ideas and everything are so perfect and amazing. You just have to learn how to put your vision with what you’re trying to make. Match your skills to you imagination.” And when he told me that, that’s when I knew, like, all right, I got it. I just got to put the two together. So it wasn’t just, you know, just photography, but anything I put my mind to creatively. So that was very impacting.”

Designing Your Future

Naimah Hakeem I got to see my professors as human... you guys are actually here to help us.”

What has been your favorite part of being in the Troy Department of Art & Design ? “Honestly, I will say I know this sounds really cliché and sappy, but like just like the people I’ve met because I feel like they really do make the experience. And you get to know the art community around you and even just relations with my professors — like when we went on a trip to New Orleans, I got to really see my professors as human and I was like, wow, you guys actually are here to help us. It was actually really cool. So I would say my favorite part is just meeting everybody and just like, kind of building our own community here.”

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Nathan Hobbs “The class projects open up your eyes to new opportunities... that you not might explore otherwise ”

Video Stills From Nathan Hobbs

How do your classes connect with your explorations outside of formal curriculum to shape your learning ? “I don’t know that I’d be in the spot that I am video-wise without the help of classes. It’s a very broad thing that kind of you have to decide whether you want to push it forward or not. Those class projects inspired me to want to know more because the first video project, you know, it wasn’t great. It was my first one, but I enjoyed making it so much. I decided I’m going to keep going with this. And by the time it came around for the next project, I had learned a lot on my own to be able to use it in that project to make it even better. And then what I learned from that, those class

Designing Your Future

projects gave me an opportunity to express things that maybe I wouldn’t usually. For example, the commercials. I don’t know that I would have done a commercial of my own. That was a class assignment specifically, and it ended up being one of my favorite things, and it’s something I just never thought to do. The music video, too. It was a class project and I hadn’t thought of making a music video before, but I’m enjoying it. I want to continue to do this because it’s a lot of fun. So just you have to put in the work to want to learn it. But the class projects open up your eyes to new opportunities that you could continue to pursue, and push you to explore things that you might not explore otherwise.”

Karvarus Moore “Practice. Make drawings, make photos or prints. Make little sculptures to do what’s necessary to grow your skills. ”

Artwork By Icie Wallace

Artwork by Kavarus Moore

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Student to Teacher—Karvarus Moore gives his advice to the current art students at Troy University. What advice would you give to students wanting to study art and design? “I think that whatever you’re doing in the art department, make time for it outside the art department, too. I like to think that you chose this major for a reason. You don’t have to go into it with the expectation of being a starving artist. It doesn’t have to be like that. I think that you have to grow your hunger for art creation, for painting, for sculpting, whatever the case may be. I don’t want a student to come just to kind of do to their minimum to get by. I want them to actually go home and have a practice

Designing Your Future

of their own at home, you know, incorporate their art practice at home into their school practice and assignments. Practice. Make drawings, make paintings, make photos or prints. Make little sculptures to do what’s necessary to grow your skills. To get it out there, to show, to exhibit, to interact and get to know other artists. Because this is just going to open up a world of opportunities for you in the world as well as perspectives and knowledge for you that you wouldn’t get if you’re not putting in the work outside of school, too.”

IAC Gallery

Dear Trojans and friends, At the International Arts Center, we stand on firm ground that art offers enlightenment to all, cultural exchange, and aids in personal wellbeing. These are pillars in our mission that drive our goals and create our path to offer unique exhibitions and experiences to our community. Our location at Alabama’s international university supports a platform of engagement with a wide range of people from different regions of the world, coming from a multitude of backgrounds. We come to find through art, and other creative outlets, that we are more alike than different. Our exhibitions offer space for inspiration and educational experiences. We refer to the IAC as a creative lab for our campus and we are thrilled that we can bring the art experience to a variety of departments. We’ve been able to host tours, workshops, classes, and lectures for various departments including Art, Theatre, Dance, History, Political Science, Foreign Languages, Mathematics, and Nursing, to name a few. Student engagement is a priority at the IAC, as seen in our staff, student workshop involvement, and helping with projects around the facility - we always look for opportunities to have our students learn and grow. Since our opening in 2016, we’ve displayed an array of regional artists and featured TROY faculty, students, and alumni as well. We have some exciting exhibitions coming up including an exhibition by multimedia artist Zdenko Krtić, a resident of Auburn, from April 17 to August 27, 2023. Our fall Foyer Gallery show will display TROY art faculty member Beverly Leach, featuring vibrant digital pieces and sculpture, from September 7, 2023, to January 14, 2024. Spring will bring in Montgomery graphic designer and artist Winfred Hawkins to showcase his paintings, from January 25 to April 7, 2024. These are just a few of the inspiring art exhibitions that are coming our way. 54

In order to have our art exhibitions accessible to as many as possible, we open our doors seven days a week. You can visit us Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., and Sunday 1 – 4 p.m. The Janice Hawkins Cultural Arts Park, which hosts our 200 Terracotta Warrior exhibition, is open 24/7. Exhibitions, Events, and updates, including days the museum is closed, can be found on our website: www. troy.edu/IAC. If you’d like to receive our updates, you can find a sign-up form under the “Visit Us” section of our website. We look forward to seeing you soon at the IAC! We are here for you to be inspired, explore and discover. Carrie Jaxon IAC Director and Curator

Students viewing an Exhibition

Students at print making workshop 2023

Contributors Alumni Perry Brown

Carolina Hechart Leigh Farrior Stephanie Jackson Olivia Lopez Holly McSwain Joseph Melancon Alaina Naden Alex Watts

Students Blake Green

Naimah Hakeem Nathan Hobbs Icie Wallace

Faculty Sara Dismukes

Will Jacks Carrie Jaxon Greg Skaggs Christopher Stagl Kavarus Moore

Student Design Emily Cousins Contributors Deonora Dupois

Jared Hester Grace Kish Peyton Lawrence Gao Li Laura Phelps

Creative Directors Emily Bumgardner Emily Cousins Jared Hester Laura Phelps

Photographer Blake Green Designing Your Future

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Where CREATIVITY BEGINS Designing Your Future

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