Book1 cv

[ INTRODUCTION ]

RJTHOMPSON

Oh, hi there. W hat you are about to browse through is my design portfolio. It is ver y much a statement of my capabilities. That’s about it. Oh, and that’s me to the right working through the creative process.

Cheers,R J

INTRODUCTION

I encourage students to start at the core of any project, to strike at the very heart of a project’s purpose. Students must identify problems and construct several solutions. Designers are cre-ative problem solvers, and there is more than one way to solve a problem; therefore, I encourage students to develop several solutions. To reach these solutions, however, I suggest that students work smarter, not harder. Read. Research. From the research, collect and employ language. Words identify certain criteria designers seek to include in their projects. Words also create the descriptive and visual associations that drive designs. Using language as a base, I encourage design students to sketch their ideas. Regardless of how they ultimately render those ideas, the fact that students put their thoughts on paper is sufficient, as they have switched their line of thinking to a more visual approach. This is how I begin every design project. Identifying all the

problems. Identifying necessities that must be found in the solutions. Conceptualizing.

There are some students who have developed their own creative processes, but the process described above is simple and universally sound: it can be applied to any situation where thought, creativity and effort are required. Graphic design is a creative, problem-solving field; therefore, my main objective is to develop problem-solving skills that are straightforward yet sufficiently flexible to conform to any unique circumstance. This is where it all begins. When I was a student, I thought that learners should be challenged to become more than what they are. I believe in the transformative power of education. Professors must challenge their students in an effort to enhance students’ skills and enable them to become as creative as they can be. Creativity is expected in an industry that demands talent.

When I envision myself as an educator, I imagine that my greatest reward will be encouraging and enabling students to take initiative with their graphic design talents and further develop those skills to become as good as they can be. This is how I will make a difference.

Confidence. Compassion. Growth. These elements are essential to fulfilling the interwoven processes of learning and teaching. Every teaching moment provides opportunity for learning; and this begins in the classroom with the educator. This is how good design educators instill a sense of creative courage in their students. My professors taught me this way.

This is how I teach others.

RJTHOMPSON

Confidence. Compassion. Growth. Educators must possess these skills and must have confidence in their abilities to impart these skills to their students. Furthermore, educators must teach compassionately, while still remaining motivated in the areas of personal self-improvement and professional development. Good design educators live and breathe their discipline, and effective design educators transmit that enthusiasm to their students. One’s students must witness in their professors a passion and energy for design. If students do not perceive this passionate commitment, they will come to understand that their professors do not expect them to excel. A quality design professor leads by example. To do less would be to limit students’ ambition and stunt their growth in enhancing their craft and improving their industriousness.

Professors having compassion for students’ needs helps to facilitate a fertile classroom environment that allows for effective teaching and learning. Students learn and retain best when professors possess the ability to focus their students and immerse them in their lectures and demonstrations. The knowledge students retain, coupled with the professor’s enthusiasm,

potentially can motivate students to teach others. This important process begins with educators and filters into their classrooms. When professors create effective learning environments, students’ and educators’ goals are jointly focused and tightly aligned to work in harmony for the shared benefit of all involved. It is this passion that my professors imparted to me, and the lesson improved not just my skills but my fellow students’ skills, as well.

Design educators also must communicate clearly, honestly and constructively—nurturing the learning process, giving it direction and focus. Knowing the measures of the industry, design educators must impart trust and instill ideas within their students in order to inspire them to become immersed in this discipline. Through immersion, students’ growth arrives at the forefront: growth in their educational responsibilities; growth in their ambitions; and growth in who they are and in who they shall become.

Courage has its place in our nation’s classrooms; therefore, design educators must be brave so that they can assist their students in becoming more courageous themselves. The rationale is quite simple: many choices—positive and

negative—confront designers. Positive choices in design projects are based upon strategy, research, appropriateness, and visual necessity. Negatives might include: insufficient strategy, insubstantial research, a lack of appropriateness, an absence of visual strategy, and, unfortunately, students simply not taking chances. All student designers make negative choices. It is the nature of students to make negative choices; however, through the learning, they become better able to improve their designs and gain focus, thus transforming negatives into positives.

Taking chances requires a measure of intellectual curiosity and courage. Without which no one would make mistakes, and humanity would deny itself the opportunity to learn from its important failures. As a design educator, I would encourage my students to learn and to explore. It is through this exploration that students make mistakes and gain valuable first-hand experience pertaining to what works and what does not. Wanting one’s students to make mistakes requires a courageous educator; nevertheless, that courage reveals an understanding of the learning and creative processes.

the basis behind design, education, community, and commerce.

[ STATEMENT OF INTENT ]

Discussing a senior student’s design projects at La Roche College Portfolio Show, April 2010.

//

STATEMENT OF INTENT

RJTHOMPSON

[ CURRICULUM VITAE ]

[ Objective ]

A position that enables me to prepare future designers for excellence in design practice and technique, design theor y, design writing , and critical thinking through the instruction of the fundamental principles of graphic design theor y and visually-driven problem-solving. To communi-cate the value of design to a myriad of professions, students, and applications using sound program development, design theor y and histor y, methodolog y, typography, in-depth research, business practices, and the social roles of designers in culture. To become a mentor and re-source to students that will enable the creation, fostering , and promotion of skil ls that students need to succeed.

[ Education ]

Master of Fine Arts, Graphic Design [ expected graduation Summer 2010 ]Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, GAThesis: The perception of ideal physical beauty as it applies to women in histor y and contemporar y society contrasted with the promotion of the perceived idealistic state of World War II propaganda communication– and the devastating consequences of both.

Bachelor of Science, Graphic Design [ August 2007 ]California University of Pennsylvania, California, PA

Associate Degree in Specialized Technology: Graphic Design [ December 2005 ]International Academy of Design and Technolog y, Pittsburgh, PA

[ Academic Positions ]

La Roche College | School of the ProfessionsDepartment of Graphic & Communication Design, Pittsburgh, PA

• Adjunct Professor [ June-August 2009 ]• Visiting Professor [ August 2009 - present ]

[ Teaching Experience ]

• Encourage conceptual and aesthetic innovation through process development while teaching students about practical industr y needs. • Develop course assignments with emphasis on both traditional print and digital media.• Build relations with the graphic design industry professionals to ensure practicality of projects.• Focus on strong foundation of the elements and principles of design as they apply to visual problem-solving.• Lead position in the development and formation of on-campus graphic design studio.• Oversee student graphic design club (Praxis) and secure memberships for with AIGA , American Advertising Federation, and Pittsburgh Advertising Federation.• Supervise selection of non-profit organizations for select students, Praxis and the design studio.• Require students to develop original imager y and construct pencil concepts before moving into the digital designing process. • Conduct student advising , portfolio reviews, and recruitment activities.• Proficiency with Macintosh and PC platforms and industry standard graphic design software.

[ Course Instruction ]

• Multimedia One: Web Design [ Dreamweaver ]• Digital Fine Art [ Photoshop ]• Graphic Design One• Graphic Design Methodologies

CURRICULUM VITAE

RJTHOMPSON

[ Administrative Experience ] • Faculty Advisor, Professional Student Design Organization: “Praxis” [ September 2009 - present ] • Balanced Heart Healing Centers account [ October 2009 - present ] • Connor Michaelek Family [ November 2009 ] • Father Ryan Art Center [ January 2010 - present ] • Wildwood Country Club [ March 2010 - present ]• Studio Director, La Roche College Graphic Design Studio [ November 2009 - present ]• AIGA Student Chapter Faculty Advisor [ September 2009 - present ]• Student Advising [ September 2009 - present ]

[ Curriculum & Program Development ]

• Member, Graphic & Communication Design Web Design Minor [ September 2009 - present ]• Course Development: GCD229 Multimedia One: Web Design, GCD 210 Design Methodologies, GCD 421 Design Studio, GCD400 Special Topics: Advanced Web Design [ March 2010 - present ] [ Committee and Service ]

• Board Member, Coalition to Affirm Real-Estate Management [ Januar y 2010 - present ]• Member, Faculty Development Committee [ September 2009 - present ]• Member, Graphic Communications & Design Web Minor Committee [ September 2009 - present ]• Volunteer, Bishop Leonard / Saint Mary on the Mount Academy [ January 2010 - present ]

[ Professional Memberships ]

Board Member, American Institute of Graphic Artists, Pittsburgh [ July 2007 - present ]• Director of annual Designer Dialogues speaking series• Member of Young Professional and Student Development committee • Bridge the gap between student designers and industr y professionals• Student Chapter Leadership• Membership Drives• Program Management• Reputation of design in Pittsburgh

Member, Pittsburgh Technology Council [ September 2009 - present ]• Attend workshops and seminars specializing in technological and business topics• Attend networking events sponsored by the Pittsburgh Technolog y Council

Member, Pittsburgh Urban Magnet Project [ September 2008 - September 2009 ]• Inspiring young Pittsburgh professional to af fect change in our community through civic engagement, professional development, recreation, and social networking.

[ CURRICULUM VITAE ]

CURRICULUM VITAE

RJTHOMPSON

Zola Design, LLCPrincipal, Art Direction and Design [ August 2008 - present ]

• As Principal , responsible for day-to-day operations– including management of equity, client contracts, and contracts with freelance designers, programmers, and photographers.• As Art Director, oversee the quality of work completed by freelance contractors and guide their work to meet or exceed client expectation.• As Designer, create quality design work that meets or exceeds personal standards and client expectation. Prepare f i les for print and communicate with printers on standards for each individual project. • Attend networking events to potentially build client base.• Attend business, marketing , and design workshops and seminars.

Prisma Inc. / H.J. Heinz CompanyGraphic Designer [ October 2007 - present ]

• On-site designer at H.J. Heinz Company• Responsible for creating marketing materials for brands such as T.G.I. Fridays, Jack Daniels, Boston Market, Bagel Bites, and the Heinz stable of products. • Specialized in branding design for various internal and external corporate programs.• Art director for photography vendors– photo manipulation and color correction.• Physical mock-up construction of conceptual Heinz products.

Pennsylvania Educational Publishing Association Graphic Designer [ June 2007 - October 2007 ]

• Design, layout, production, writing , editing , and inter viewing for Y-PA Magazine. • Developed print materials from concept to completion for outside clients.• Design, implementation, and maintenance of company and magazine web sites. • Managing writers and designers.• Responsible for in-house printing of client projects.

California University of PennsylvaniaGraphic Designer [ Januar y 2005 - October 2007 ]

• Design and maintenance of promotional materials across multiple academic departments.• Advertising for and photo documentation of art gallery shows in the Manderino Art Gallery.• Implementation of original photography for use in all promotional materials.• Postcard designs for potential students with multi-thousand print runs.• Logo and identity design for Cal U Career Ser vices. Dymun + CompanyIntern [ December 2006 - May 2007 ]

• On-Site and off-site designer for California University of Pennsylvania account.• Photography used in academic magazines and promotional materials for Cal U. • Designed digital bil lboard campaign for Dollar Bank account.• Signage design for Kennywood account.• Booklet designs for Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation.

Blair CorporationFreelance Graphic Designer [ August 2005 - Januar y 2007 ]

• Creation of promotional product graphics used in online stores and catalogs.• Page layout design for promotional magazines and f lyers.• Color correction on promotional photography to reflect versatility of products. • Maintenance of advertisements and signage used in in-store promotions.• Searched, edited, and relocated images for Lagos image librar y.

[ PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE ]

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

RJTHOMPSON

[ VOLUNTEER ] [ EXHIBITIONS + AWARDS ]

• Bishop Leonard / Saint Mary on the Mount Academy [ Januar y 2010 - present ] • Revitalized Identity Design and Website Implementation

• Balanced Heart Healing Centers [ Januar y 2010 - present ] • Revitalized Identity Design and Website Implementation

• C.A .R .E. - The Coalition to Affirm Real Estate Ownership [ Januar y 2010 - present ] • Board Member • Identity Design and Website Implementation

• Cystic Fibrosis Foundation [ July 2008 - present ] • 65 Roses Ride • 65 Roses Baseball Club • 65 Roses Sports Auction • Casino Royale • Couples For A Cure • Great Strides • Three Rivers Underground Brewers

• AIGA [ July 2007 - present ]• Designer Dialogues

• Portfolio Show • Context • Pecha Kucha Night • Xposed Studio Tours

• Warren Public Library [ December 2005 - August 2005 ] • Galler y and Computer Maintenance

AIGA Pittsburgh | Context 2010 [ March 2010 ]Entr y: “25 Book Covers”

AIGA Pittsburgh | Ho Ho No Logo 2009 [ Januar y 2010 ]Entr y: “Galler y Espresso”

AIGA Pittsburgh | Context 2009 [ March 2009 ]Entr y: “Thompson Design Methodolog y”

AIGA Pittsburgh | Ho Ho No Logo 2008 [ December 2009 ]Entr y: 52 for 51 logos

California University of Pennsylvania, Manderino Gal-lery | The Intercollegiate [ April 2005 - 2007 ]Entries: Underground Cafe

California University of Pennsylvania, Vulcan Student Gallery | Vector Show [ February 2007 ]Entries: Underground CafeNotes: Exhibition creation and management.

Jozart Studios | Idea-Mechanics [ May 2006 ]Notes: Exhibition creation and management.

Warren Public Library | Works of RJ Thompson and Maria Papalia [ August 2005 ]

[ Awards & Publications ]

Logo Lounge | 2010Logo Lounge Master Librar y: Animals and Mytholog y

“Hillview Tavern Logo”

AIGA Context| 2009Design Excellence Award

“Thompson Design Methodolog y”

GDUSA Magazine | 2006Best of In-House Graphic DesignPublication Date: July 2006

“Underground Cafe: Two Work Studies Short of a Clue, CD”

Warren Art League | 2005Three “1st Place Awards”Categor y: Graphic Arts and Photography

“Doctor Octopus”“Ainao the Amazing”“Secretina”

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

RJTHOMPSON

Richard Helfrich, MFADepartment ChairAssistant Professor of DesignLa Roche CollegePittsburgh, Pa[phone] 412.847.252[fax] 412.536.1093[e-mail] [email protected][web] www.laroche.edu

Trudy Abadie, MFAProfessor of Graphic DesignSavannah College of Art and Design[phone] 904.654.2745[e-mail] [email protected][web] www.scad.edu

Greg Harrison, MFADepartment Chair, ProfessorCalifornia University of PennsylvaniaPittsburgh, PA{phone] 724.938.5751[fax] 724.938.4279[e-mail] [email protected][web] www.cup.edu

John Riley , BFAArt DirectorPrisma / H.J. Heinz CompanyPittsburgh, PA[phone] 412.237.0119[e-mail] [email protected][web] www.heinz.com

Doris Short, BFACreative DirectorGlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare1000 GSK Drive :: Moon Township, PA 15108[phone] 412.200.3425[web] www.gsk .com[web] www.schawk .com

Dennis Moran, MFA352 Urquhart RoadScener y Hill , PA 15360[phone] 724.945.5600[web] www.morandesign.com

[ REFERENCES ] [ COURSE EVALUATIONS ]

“R J taught the Multimedia for Web Design class that I took this past summer. I had limited experience in designing for the web previously, and the class gave me a better understanding of how to use web design software ef f iciently and ef fectively. R J was extremely helpful in the classroom, always available before or after class if his students had questions or needed additional help. He made sure that class was purpose-ful , engaging and fun.“

“I attended Professor Thompson’s Web Design course, which I found to be one of the most informative and productive classes I have ever taken. His past design experience allowed him to share a wealth of information with his students, both related to the course, and also to the entire design profession. I personally feel he helped me tremendously with my web design, and as a graduating student, what to expect as I started my professional design.“

“Professor Thompson is a ver y relatable and approachable teacher, who is always ready to share a new idea or suggestion to improve an existing design with his students.“

“RJ will bring a unique perspective to La Roche because he is a young professional with his own business. This means he keeps current on the information he is teaching because he uses it every day. In Multimedia I, we were given exposure to different professional tools and tricks of the trade that we may not have learned otherwise. RJ is a good teacher and a hard teacher. He gives an abundance of information and actually expects his students to learn it, as well as to take initiative and experiment on their own. RJ always took time to help us, even extending class hours and coming in especially for us at the end of the semester to make sure we had all the help and understanding we needed for the final proj-ect. RJ is always available, even if he’s had a rough day or is very busy, to talk or answer questions about design, whether they’re related to his class or not. I would consider it a privilege to take another class with RJ, as I believe it would greatly enhance my professional development.“

“R J’s class Multimedia I was amazing. Previously, I had no experience with Dreamweaver, or web programming at all . Through the course of the class, he challenged and taught us. I learned so much! Now, I can create websites from scratch using HTML and CSS, I can upload sites to ser vers, and redesign sites for better functionality and design. One of the best things about R J is that he is ver y close with us students and easy to interact with. He understands our problems and what we are dealing with in terms of homework , stress, and projects. He is also an ex-ceptional designer and ver y open to helping students. He has personally helped me with several outside projects as well as my portfolio and resume. I highly recommend him and think the staf f of La Roche College would do ver y well to hire him as a full-time professor.“

REFERENCES / COURSE EVALUATIONS

RJTHOMPSON

[ RESEARCH ]

Compare/Contrast: The perception of female beauty in history and present society contrasted against the perceived idealistic state of World War II propaganda. [ January 2010 - present ] Proposal: The proposed topic of research will primarily involve the perception of ideal physical beauty as it applies to women in histor y and contemporar y society, as well as the promotion of the perceived idealistic state of World War II propaganda communication– and the dev-astating consequences of both that occur/occurred as a result. Both subjects will be researched individually, then compared, contrasted, and unif ied into a cohesive result that will have specif ic emphasis placed on the choices made in both subjects that have long-lasting , yet ever-present ef fects on contemporar y society. Execution: Thesis will be collected into book format available as a physical publication and digital download.

Entrepreneurship for the Post-Graduate Graphic Designer [ August 2008 - present ]

Purpose: The seemingly constant occurrence of a f luctuating economy has greatly hindered the immediate post-graduate from attaining a graphic design position in the current job market. For all intents and purposes, the concept of freelance design is mostly suggested to be an extracurricular opportunity outside of a full-time design position. However, in the absence of secure design positions, freelance design is the preferred option of generating revenue for oneself. This research project , known mostly as Zola Design, is an experiment that a graphic designer can act independently from the design job market, formalize into a state-recognized company, and attain business for themselves. The promotion of forming a business to the newly-graduated designer should be emphasized and supported in academia– this project is a response to the inclusion of such an education in graphic design programs across the world. Execution: Formalize freelance career into a state-recognized business. Attend business-creation seminars and become actively involved in SCORE: the Ser vice Corps of Retired Executives. Attain the ser vices of an accountant and lawyer to maintain proper business registration protocols. Draft a business plan and marketing plan and fully integrate the plans of both into the business. Attend networking events, busi-ness seminars, marketing seminars, and join professional organizations in order to potentially attract and subsequently gain business. Main-tain business through a concerted ef fort of maintaining excellent quality of work and customer ser vice.

• Geolate iPhone Application [program patent pending]

Purpose: Optical character recognition of foreign languages on printed materials

Execution: iPhone users will be able to take a photo of printed materials written in a foreign language through the Geolate program, at which point it translates the information into the language of the user in either text-to-speech rendering or vocal/audio output.

Example: An English-speaking American person walks into a Starbucks in Japan. The menu, i l legible to the American, is completely written in Japanese. The American person then launches the Geolate program on their iPhone and takes a picture of the menu. After a brief moment, Geolate translates the information into the English language. Once attaining the information on the menu, the user selects the translated text in the iPhone application and chooses “vocal output.” The audio is then played to the barista in their native language. • Match Your Story iPhone Application [program patent pending]

Purpose: Match Your Stor y matches your dilemma with someone else’s stor y (anonymously) so that you can f ind a happy ending to all of your problems.

Execution: Match Your Stor y, once launched on the iPhone will enable a person to review the dilemmas of others and allow you to interact with other users by offering sound advice or solutions. All interaction with Match Your Stor y is recorded and reciprocated into the website equivalent of the application.

• iCF iPhone Application

Purpose: Cystic f ibrosis is a life-threatening genetic disease that causes mucus to build up and clog some of the organs in the body, particu-larly the lungs and pancreas. Approximately 30,000 children and adults in the United States have cystic f ibrosis. An additional ten million more—or about one in ever y 31 Americans—are carriers of the defective CF gene, but do not have the disease. CF is most common in Cau-casians, but it can af fect all races. Execution: The iCF application will al low CF patients to access crucial information about their i l lness, their medications, and connect them with other CF patients [as direct contact and/or space sharing with other CF patients is highly disallowed] through digital video, forums, and over the phone. Store all of your CF information in this app and back it up onto your computer, where it can be printed immedi-ately for use in doctors appointments or clinical trials. Family members of those with cystic f ibrosis can use the app to promote the search for a cure and donate money through the innovative new technolog y known as “Square,” an external device that plugs into the iPhone that allows for instant credit card swiping.

RESEARCH

RJTHOMPSON

[ STUDENT WORK: DIGITAL FINE ART ]

STUDENT WORK

RJTHOMPSON

[ STUDENT WORK: GRAPHIC DESIGN ONE ]

STUDENT WORK

RJTHOMPSON

[ STUDENT WORK: GRAPHIC DESIGN METHODOLOGY ]

STUDENT WORK

RJTHOMPSON

[ STUDENT WORK: PRAXIS DESIGN CLUB DADA DESIGN SHOW ] [ STUDENT WORK: PRAXIS DESIGN CLUB VECTOR SHOW ]

STUDENT WORK

RJTHOMPSON

[ STUDENT WORK: MULTIMEDIA ONE ]

STUDENT WORK

RJTHOMPSON

N E X T

Book1 cv

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