Student Spotlight: Sande Edwards

NOVA communication design students are awesome! Many of them don't just come to class and do homework, but work part- or full-time jobs and, on top of that, still have the energy to pursue exciting hobbies. In some cases, like Sande Edwards's, these hobbies turn into a little design/art/craft business on the side.

Design Apps for the iPhone

In this post, we will review a number of iPhone, iTouch and iPad applications that can be useful to graphic designers.

Do you know a design app worth mentioning that we haven't listed? Have you designed or developed one? Please, submit your URL and we'll be happy to review it and add it to the list.

Some Interesting Design Blogs

This blog is also meant to be a design resource for our students. In this first post about design resources, we will be exploring other design blogs that are worth following to keep up with what's going on in the field.

Do you know a design blog worth mentioning that we haven't listed? Do you write one? Please, submit your URL and we'll be happy to review it and add it to the list.

Haiti—The Day After

One year after the mighty earthquake that devastated Haiti, the small Caribbean country still needs our help. The earthquake literally destroyed the capital Port-au-Prince, which counted a population of 704,766 as of the 2003 census. The Haiti earthquake is therefore considered to be "the largest urban disaster after WWII," as David Meltzer, senior vice president for international services at the American Red Cross, stated in an online live chat hosted by The Washington Post. Still much needs to be done to rebuild the country and ensure safer and healthier living conditions for its inhabitants. How can we, as the NOVA communication design community, help?

Go Font Yourself

On November 9, 2010 the Tyler Gallery at NOVA Alexandria hosted the opening for the Communication Design Topic Show. Every year, each of the three art programs (Fine Arts, Communication Design and Photography) organizes an exhibit on a special topic, usually inviting guest artists. This fall semester, the communication design program decided to involve its students in the special topic exhibit.

Everything started with a workshop that was offered in April. Students, faculty and advisory board members gathered to make improvised letterforms from found objects and the most unexpected materials. Some of these creations were so exciting that they ended up inspiring a show, as communication design instructor Angela Terry explains in a brief interview that we had with her.

A Conversation with Rodney C. Williams, 2010 AIGA DC Fellow

Rodney C. Williams, advisory board member for the communication design program, was awarded the 2010 AIGA Fellowship from the AIGA DC Chapter on October 6.

Stepping into RCW Communication Design Inc.'s headquarters is almost like entering a Zen temple. The furniture in the conference room is clean and essential, with a sleek, black bookcase carrying all sort of design books and magazines on one side of the glass table, which faces another sleek, black bookcase neatly displaying samples of the company's design work. The ample glass window lets in plenty of natural light while soothing and uplifting classical music is playing in the background. Rodney C. Williams, President and Founder, is extremely approachable, laid back and friendly, as are his team members.

Get Inspired with... Bookstruction

Starting October 2010, our blog is hosting a "Get Inspired" feature in which we will more often than not be interviewing local artists and showcasing their work. Sometimes the work may not be strictly graphic design, but it will be in some way, shape or form related to it and will serve as wonderful inspiration for graphic designers and graphic design students.

Our first artist is DC-based Robin Delaloye from Bookstruction, who specializes in altered books and exhibited on October 2nd at Crafty Bastards (the DC arts and crafts fair sponsored by City Paper, Hello Craft and Etsy this year in its 7th edition) where she won second place by popular vote.