SWFC New Identity Mark

SWFC Marketing launches updated campaigns along with logo rebrand. Introducing a 295 blue palette with knockout logo mark.

Cares of Virginia

Mark Cesal, a recent graduate of the Graphic Design Program at Southwest Florida College, has redesigned the logo for the Cares Foundation of Virginia.

"Through personal tragedy, C.A.R.E.S (Community Awareness in Recognizing & Educating on Suicide) has banded together for the prevention of suicide. We are the parents, siblings, family members, friends, members of the community with a voice.

Together we are loud enough to save a life."

Southwest Florida College New Brand Package

Chip McElroy was tasked with creating a new identity package for SWFC. Concept is based on the original compass symbol mark which has branded the college since 1974. The concept of a star of light was captured by combining the top portion of the compass with a torch bottom. The symbol mark was completed with an academic framing of wheat. The letter mark was updated using Adobe Caslon Pro with an emphasis of letter form changed to Southwest and the overall mark modified into a more compact mark. Pantone colors of 872 and 295 were selected. SWFC meets the 21st century.

Portfolio Summer 2010

Students prepare for their Summer 2010 Portfolio Showcase. Each term graduating seniors take part in a series of mock interviews with community leaders. Local businesses and organizations that currently employ an SWFC graduate, are looking to hire a design student, or have hired Southwest Florida College design students in the past. During the two hour event, each student has a series of 20 minute interviews with each of our corporate guests. At the end of the Portfolio roundtable, students are provided with feedback based on their interview performance and portfolio designs. 

College Bus Graphics for Major Tampa Route

Chip McElroy designs bus graphics for tampa campus marketing campaign. Design is reflective of current billboard campaign and utilizes current collegiate imagery found on multiple branding pieces. Emphasis of concept is on bold colors, fluid lines, and focused imagery.

Digital Design Students

Digital Design students learn their way through the Adobe Illustrator program with skills such as live trace/ live paint, text on a path, clipping masks, and 3-d revolve. Students were tasked with creating a logo for a company, create a product for that company including label and 3d product. Here is an excellent student example of the powers of a vector program.

Student Poster Designs

Students in Advanced Concepts will be developing multiple design pieces for a single client. Their design challenge started with the selection of a local event taking place at either the Barbara B. Mann Hall for Performing Arts or the Naples Philharmonic. After selection, the students were required to complete a creative brief. The first design application of idea was for a poster advertising the event. Here is a sample of student solutions.

SWFC Website Redesign

Chip McElroy and Aaron Belchamber team up to give the swfc.edu website a design overhaul. Chip was tasked with creating a new look and feel while Aaron's undertaking included developing the vast multimedia experiences on the site. Design concept is based on a contemporary interpretation of education 2.o. Cool grey color palette with a splash of a gold tinted with a bit of burnt umber for a fresh look to a traditional color application. Overall design is in line with the visual scope of 16x9 and expanded imagery panels. Level One and primary navigation is well defined and largely accessible. Animation has been introduced in key elemental areas to spark activity on the page. Most content areas are dynamically driven keeping the look "fresh".

Image Editing Showcase

Students, in the Image Editing class, showcase their photo manipulation ability within a Polaroid Project. A commonly used technique in advertising today and a fun project for learning masking, selection saving and loading, and the power of layers.

SBDAC and college students partner for “Race 2 the Finish” Gala

A group of Southwest Florida College students helped design the Official Program booklet of the SBDAC spring Gala, “Race 2 the Finish.” The March 27th event will raise funds to complete the remaining $2 million renovations on its downtown historic building headquarters.

Gala programs play a crucial role in advertising and sponsor appreciation notes. This year’s booklet was designed by Southwest Florida College students in Shell Redfern’s Publication Design class. Ms. Redfern, adjunct professor at the college, is Creative Director of the marketing group, Get Groovy, which works closely with SBDAC.

"This is a terrific opportunity for the students to learn first-hand what it’s like in the real world. From deadlines to working with budgets to last minute changes, this is the real deal. The experience gained from this project cannot be taught in a classroom," said Ms. Redfern.

The partnership benefits both sides, says Jim Griffith, Executive Director and CEO of SBDAC. "It's been a wonderful experience for all involved. The students have great ideas and contributed a lot to our event, both inside and outside of the program they designed," he said. The students will also volunteer at the Gala.

Gala Director, Kimberly Becker, explained this year’s unique approach to the Gala. “Galas tend to be high-priced, strictly black-tie events. But this year we’ve designed a gala fit for this economy. We looked for ways to involve everyone. This year’s Gala will be just what the community needs, an upscale relaxing, outdoor event to celebrate our strengths and look forward to the future,” said Ms. Becker.

Student Christine Johnson enjoyed her experience working with the nonprofit organization. "This was great! It moved us from the imaginary realm to the reality of business. Kim met with us several times and really listened to what we had to say. I saw our suggestions used in the final product - that was the best part. No, actually, the best part is that I designed the back cover!” she said.

The newest auction items include a Private Tour of the Joe Gibbs Racing Team Headquarters in North Carolina hosted by Don Meredith, executive vice president of Joe Gibbs Racing. The Gala will feature an array of cars, motor sport fundraising activities, a taste of the track, and music by Clint Wiley’s Band, None Other.

Interactive Media Students

Interactive Media Students develop website redesigns for non-profits such as the Humane Society and United Way. Students learn concepts such as table design, designing on a grid, navigation location, rollovers, hotspots, and textual hierarchy.

McElroy talks about the Design Programs

Southwest Florida College's Program Manager for Graphic Design, Chip McElroy, MFA explains the two associates degrees available for Graphic Design students.

Southwest Florida College prepares digital design students for a successful career in both design and production through an emphasis on developing the student's capacity for critical thinking, and stimulating imagination and innovation.

The critical skills of perception, interpretation, and inventiveness are fostered as well as an understanding of digital design business practices. Industry standard software applications are used while solving design problems, planning, and executing solutions. The Students focus is to sharpen their ability to visually translate ideas of an intended message to a targeted audience.

________________________________________________

SWFC Graphic Design Program: Digital Design Portfolio Roundtable Event

The Graphic Design Program at Southwest Florida College held Digital Portfolio Roundtable event where we invited local business leaders as our guests to hold mock job interviews with this quarter's graphic design portfolio students. Usually, it is their last class and it is up to each designer to present themselves with a clear and creative vision.

With our 12 "employers," each job interview lasted about 4 minutes and put the spotlight on our students' creativity while providing them a challenging exercise in performing a confidence-building job hunt.

According to Aaron Belchamber, the Digital Design Portfolio Instructor, "All students were under a tight deadline. In 10 weeks they had to collect the best of their materials and create new designs, produce a compelling portfolio in digital form as a stand alone website, design and print their resumes and business cards and mentally prepare for the Portfolio Roundtable Event. Mr. McElroy, myself, and all the Graphic Design adjuncts are very proud of our Graphic Design students."

As a wrap-up after the event, the employers were gracious enough to spend some time providing constructive feedback for our graphic designers. This event was an incredible opportunity for our graphic design students to learn from real business people with a real world perspective.

Here is a list of all of our "Guest Employers" who conducted the interviews. Thank you so much for your time!

Brian Thompson – Alliance Digital Solutions – (Co-owner) also owns Cape Coral.com
Nichol Blanco – Associate for Larazza Films
Daniel Herrera – Producer, Director for Larazza Films
Brendan Stanley – Alliance Digital Solutions – Creative Director
Scott Jacobs – Allstar Marketing – President
Katie Romano – Get Groovy – CEO
Jodi Hopper – G.M.P. Employers Retiree Trust/Dzine Gallery
Shell Redfern – Get Groovy – Creative Director
Manzie Lawfer – 2 Way Radio Express – Owner/President/Book Author
Denise Spence – Dunbar High School – Magnet Grant Technology
Nancy Coker – Child Care of SW Florida – COO – Early childhood services in 10 counties

Lane Spaceboarding - Digital Design Student Sample

This cartoon was illustrated by Phil Rood and animated by Aaron Belchamber at Random Art House video studios, located in Cape Coral, Florida. The cartoon debuted on television during the "Random Art House TV Show," which currently airs on Comcast in Southwest Florida. This cartoon highlights Random Art House's diverse creative capabilities and we are available to design and produce new advertising campaigns for your business or organization around the world!

________________________________________________

Student Testimonials

Southwest Florida College prepares digital design students for a successful career in both design and production through an emphasis on developing the student's capacity for critical thinking, and stimulating imagination and innovation.

The critical skills of perception, interpretation, and inventiveness are fostered as well as an understanding of digital design business practices. Industry standard software applications are used while solving design problems, planning, and executing solutions. The Student’s focus is to sharpen their ability to visually translate ideas of an intended message to a targeted audience.

Special thank you to Phil Rood, Angeli Chin-Franz, Jessica Kelly and The TJ Kelly Band! 3D animations in this video were modelled and produced in 3Ds Max by Aaron Belchamber, the Graphic Design Department's full time web design and 3D animation instructor.

________________________________________________

SWFC Students Intern for Naples International Film Festival

Ten graphic design students have landed internships with Naples International Film Festival (NIFF), where they are assisting the organization in launching its inaugural event November 5-9. The interns, all top-design students at Southwest Florida College, are beneficiaries of the college’s proactive Career Services department, where professional career counselors facilitate real-life training and hands-on opportunities as an integral part of all SWFC diploma and degree programs.

“I love the atmosphere,” said Lindsey Phillips, of her experience interning at NIFF. Phillips recently graduated from Southwest Florida College with an associate's degree in graphic design. She is currently working on designing posters and advertisements for NIFF, one of which has been used in Gulf Shore Life Magazine. “I appreciate the opportunity of them giving me the offer to do this in their first year,” she said.

Phillips said that the internship gives her and all the interns first-hand access to the nuts-and-bolts of how a professional team carries out all the design elements for a specific market.

“Our interns/students are a great group of young cultured and inspired artist. We have been very fortunate to have these talented individuals among our NIFF family,” said Daniel Herrera, Director of Outreach for Naples International Film Festival and Director/Producer for La Razza Films.

“It takes institutions like SW Florida College to offer the curriculum's to refine the incubated talents of its students,” Herrera said. “I am glad to see, that distinct artistic personalities do exist in such a conservative community. I personally feel that there is no need to have to recruit from other cities like New York, Miami and or LA, when there is great talent pool here.”

________________________________________________

3d Logo Animation

Students learn to animate logos in 3-dimensional form using the modeling software 3DS Max. Here is one of the solutions created by an animation student.

________________________________________________

Computer Animation Degree Offering

Mr. Chip McElroy was tasked with developing a new Computer Animation/Multimedia A.S. at his college. Developing a program including the Autodesk software 3d Studio Max was the solution. And the students have taken to this modeling form of animation. Here is a sample of a student's project based around the concept of "bring it to life". Compositing was the technique taught and here is the result.

________________________________________________

Entry Level Graphic Design Students

Students in the entry level design class "Digital Design" were asked to create a logo for a company, apply that logo to a unique product that was to be rendered in 3-d in Adobe Illustrator, and develop an advertisement selling that product in Adobe Photoshop. Here is a sample of one of the student solutions to the project.

________________________________________________

Self Portrait Project

Students in the Adobe Illustrator class were tasked with creating a self portrait based on an electronic photograph taken of themselves. They were to use such skills as clipping masks, compound paths, gradients, meshing, and the appropriate drawing tools to make themselves as realistic as possible. Here is an example of a second year students solution.

________________________________________________