Josh Eriksen

Over this winter break, the GradComD student blog The Kerning Point came back online and is ready for your contributions. Yes, yours!

The Kerning Point is an online community for all GradComD students and faculty to share thoughts, stories, and ideas on design. It is also a great way to connect with other students and see what others find interesting or what other students are busy with. If you love a certain design blog, discovered a new typeface or read a design book that you think everyone should read, we want to know about it.

GradComD students, this year, the Pentawards are opening up to Packaging Concepts AND to students.

"At Pentawards, we believe that creative ideas move the world; but also that packaging must be constantly reinvented and provide intelligent solutions in order to improve our life and to show more respect for our planet.

We are aware that all kinds of ideas are born every year, but most of them remain confidential and do not benefit humanity.

That is why we decided to create the Pentawards Concept.

We are an award winning graphic design firm that works with top level clients. We have been developing creative graphic communications in print and digitally for more than 25 years for leading companies. We are looking for a talented, organized, focused, designer with at least three years of professional electronic media and print experience. This is a very hands on job. We are looking for freelance as well as full time designers.

You have to know how to take something from start to finish. You must be computer savvy and know how to communicate to clients. Required application skills:

The political elephants in the room that are getting little primetime media attention are two bills—SOPA in the House and PIPA in the Senate—that, if passed by Congress, would allow the U.S. government to block websites that are in violation of U.S. copyright laws. If passed, these bills will have a significant impact over how we use and view the Internet.

Season five of AMC's Mad Men begins in March and they've started to promote it on billboards and the Internet. The poster is brilliant and beautiful. The creatives have done such a great job in packaging the show that the created aesthetic has become iconic by itself. The poster's minimalist approach does well to communicate "Mad Men" through association alone. The falling man references the show's opening titles and the "March 25" text line references the show's red and black logotype. It is striking how well it communicates given the lack of graphic elements.

The Pratt Incubator (www.incubator.pratt.edu) seeks two Communications Design students to assist a rebranding project for a wireless speaker company and its sub-brand.

In this paid role, the assistant designer will help with visual research and presentation design as well as contribute to the identity roll out. The project also holds opportunities to learn more about product design, market research, brand positioning and sustainable production.

The project lasts from February through late April 2012.

Beginning today and lasting through February 20, new and renewed AIGANY student memberships are only $50 for the year. If you're interested in joining, please check out their offer and other membership information here: http://www.aiga.org/membership-student/

There are some great events scheduled for this February, including:

1. Karin Fong of Imaginary Forces on 2/21
2. John Gall, Vice President and Art Director for Vintage/Anchor Books on 2/28
3. Designer Todd Oldham on 2/14

4. Students interested in studying in Copenhagen this summer should attend the information session in Brooklyn on 2/14.

5. The TDC and GAG also have some great events planned.

Be sure to check out the Pratt GradComD Event Calendar for details and more information.

https://prattgradcomd.com/events

The Print & Graphics Scholarship Foundation is now accepting applications for the their scholarship.

To check out the details or to apply, please refer to the following website: https://www.printing.org/form/9717