Final Thoughts on This Semester

This is just going to be stream of consciousness because my brain has basically melted at thispoint, so here we go:

Downtown Dallas. Finally feeling validated for the work I've done. Feeling disappointed for the work I haven't done (but should have) Heavy lifting (mentally). My classmates are awesome. They're a genuine support system like no other. I'm really going to miss them. Frances is a bonafide bad ass. I don't know how she does it. I've met so many amazing people this year. Wow. I'm truly blessed. I have some of the best mentors out there. I hope that I still like design in five years. So far it's been 4 and the passion hasn't really gone away. I think I'm getting faster. (I hope I'm getting faster). My feet hurt. My back hurts. I have bad computer posture. I gotta remember to fix my posture. I gotta remember everything I've learned this past year. Never was good at keeping a journal but I have one in this tumblr I suppose. That's nice how that worked out. This class was so relaxed but we got so much done. And discovered a lot about ourselves, or at least I did. Everything I learned has just fed back into itself. Every minute I spent on work for this class has been an investment in my future. That's more than I can say truthfully about many of the years I've spent in school. Thanks for the wonderful whirlwind of a final fall semester of my life, UNT.

Behold, the coolest passport on the planet 

Norway will have a passport that reveals an image of the Northern Lights when placed under a black light. 

What are you thankful for?

It seems that I'd been so busy chugging away at all my projects that I lost sight of what purpose my visual mark should serve. When considering my final mark, I had been operating under the thought that the "S" for "Sisomphou" was not as important to me as the "G." But on the drive home from class, I had solid amount of time to think about it, and that just isn't true at all. After much thought, I found that I am most thankful for my parents and everything they've done for me, and that my visual mark is an homage to their love and sacrifice for me and a representation of who I've become because of it. Sisomphou may be an arbitrary name given to my dad when he emigrated to the US, but that name is the only one my family has to encompass the profound obstacles both my father and mother had to overcome in order for me to even exist. The Communication Design program has been my biggest mountain, and while I don't mean to downsize what that means to me, the intensity of it pales in comparison to what they've been through. In the end, I am thankful for the opportunity to make a mark that honors their role in my life and the ability to recognize it before all was said and done. I am also thankful for tacos, tools, calculators, and the overwhelming support and friendship I have in my Com Design classmates.

Design Hero(es) | DKNG Studios

 Nathan Goldman & Dan Kulhken of DKNG Studios

I missed the chance to see these guys when they came to speak at a DSVC event. According to one of my co-workers who got to meet them, they are some of the most humble, quiet people they've ever met in this industry. Sometimes I think people get the impression that they need to have a larger-than-life personality to match their work. But sometimes your work just needs to speak volumes for you. And they are able to execute that notion better than anyone I know. Their penchant for conveying simple ideas through charming illustration never takes a back seat to their extreme attention to detail. I feel like I could take a magnifying glass to one of their posters and still find something new to get excited about. The fact that they work for musicians is a HUGE inspiration to me. I love the idea of being inspired by another medium of art and then making a complementary design to elevate it.

Design Hero | Aaron Draplin

Does this look like a man who can brand like hell? It is. And he also went through a hellion's path to get to where he is. The first few years out of high school he snuck into community colleges to use their machines to make his first personal business cards. He spent a summer in Alaska washing dishes and spent all that earned money on a computer. I could go on, but in his words, there were "bumps, peaks, valleys, and bullshit to get to the point where I was able to go out on my own and put my foot on the gas. There was a decade there where I really had to scrap, but I’m proud of my path." Being an non-traditional student who has to cut through plenty of obstacles and red tape on a weekly basis, I really respect someone who finds a way to do what they want regardless of circumstance.

As far as his work goes, he doesn't seem to be a slave to any kind of style, but you can spot his stuff from a mile away. His identity work especially peaks my interest - there is just SO much and they all are so simple and effective. His work is unparalleled, but it's his about section that really sets him apart to me. I'd love to meet this guy. This The Greater Discontent article on Draplin really says it all.

Design by Geena

Here is my website in progress. I am just sloooowly eeking this thing out, but it's still really exciting to see it finally take some shape!

Future Linked-In Recommendation

Geena is a passionate, innovative designer. She has great design insights and never settles for less than excellence. She is not afraid to push boundaries. Her easy going personality makes her fun to work with. She also has a talent for communicating in a way that is approachable and easily understood. I would recommend Geena to anyone. She has a obvious devotion to good work that made her a true asset to have on our team here at DesignStudio. It's been really inspiring to see her connect music and design in the way that she is now. I can't wait to go see her band in concert when they come to town!

What are you passionate about?

I am passionate about living in this profoundly fantastic world and using all my senses and time to experience it. No matter how busy, stressed out, or tired I am (I'm using those adjectives because those are the ones that would describe me best lately), I find that I have a good habit of taking a moment to appreciate what is before me in the present moment. This is especially helpful when I am dead tired, or have lost my ability to think straight, or find myself feeling anything but creative. Whether it's a deep ochre moon like the one I saw during tonight's long drive home, a thought-provoking radio news story while I'm fighting traffic on the way to work, or the touch of my dog's fur on my ankle as I design at my desk, these little things inspire me to keep my mind alert, my eyes open, and to always keep going.

Speaker | Rolf Nelson

I knew that this talk was going to be a good one when the slideshow started with a photo of the speaker in muppet form. Throughout his presentation, Rolf Nelson exuded this quiet yet radiant positivity that I appreciate so much. From what I gathered, he feels most inspired when he is with his friends, getting lost, or just taking life in stride with every whim life throws at him. My interpretation of his design philosophy is to live well and make good. Be positive. Work hard, but remember to do something for yourself. Based on these facts, we'd get along pretty well. It's reaffirming to know Dallas is home to designers who are as invigorated and motivated by their work as Rolf.

What am I scared of?

I am scared that I will make the wrong choices and end up somewhere in life I never wanted or planned to be. Sometimes life feels like a constant series of choices that will hopefully lead to happiness in some way or another. So I guess it's safe to say I am scared of being unhappy. But there's no real sense in fearing that, is there? I just have to trust in myself to know who I am and what kind of life I'd like to lead.

Where do I see myself in 10 years?

I see myself living in Seattle or London. Being disciplined and waking up early as shit and LIKING it. Staying in touch with my family wherever they may be. Maybe there's a kid. Toddler-aged at the most. With a life partner, of course. Giving myself weekends to hike the gorgeous wilderness around me. Allowing myself to work on passion projects like making music when I get home from work, instead of more work. I'll be employed at a place that allows me to do that. That celebrates the fact that I'm a multi-faceted human being that likes to do things other than design. That understands that those things help me tackle design work with a unique set of skills and experiences. This place allows dogs in the office. We have chili-cookoffs and Halloween costume contests and celebrate each others birthdays. People talk to each other and genuinely care about each other.

I'll be honest. I truly feel most of the above feelings toward the place I work at now. Except it's not in Seattle or London, so that's where it gets confusing for me. I am strongly determined to live in Seattle or London, not much can stop me, unless the zombie apocalypse breaks out in one of those places. But I am devoted to RBMM for now, so thinking of plans for the next decade makes me feel weird inside. I'll just have to take it in stride and see where life leads me. I'm sure it'll be quite an experience to read this entry in ten years.

What would you like to improve on?

I want to improve upon my time management. I'm faced with this weakness every day of my life. It's become more and more important that I improve because I am working at a place that thrives on teamwork. Dividing and conquering. I absolutely hate letting my teammates down, whether it's in sports, or playing in a band, or at the design studio I work at. As the slowest person with the least amount of experience there, I am the weakest link. While that drives me nuts, my ambition, ever-faithful, usually overrides whatever fear I have and pushes me to become better. So now's the time to really nip this issue in the bud.

I've been told that the answer is giving yourself time limits. When I was a kid, I remember my piano teacher would always say, "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time." She must've seen the look of panic on my face whenever she set a new, much more difficult piece of music in front of me. I've since learned to put on a poker face. But I still always hear that bit of advice. One bite at a time. The problem is that I'll chew each bite for a disproportionate amount of time and eventually have to swallow the remaining bites whole. I am no stranger to impending deadlines and find that I work more efficiently the closer I am to a deadline. It must have something to do with being very aware of the amount of time I have left. So it makes me wonder if it would help to begin every project with an assessment of how much time I have vs. how much I have to complete, and break it down into digestible bits.

Another improvement would be to step away from the computer and work by hand. It's not a matter of forcing myself to do this, but more a matter allotting myself more time to do it. It usually puts me in major focus mode. It also helps me with decision making because once I've sketched out a semi-final, I can go onto the computer for the final and make decisions much faster.

The hope is that I will become braver and more resolute in my design decisions every step of the way, and not linger too long on one area while neglecting others.

Leonardo Gubboni's personal logo is abstract as all get out. It's unusual. It is not your typical logo by far. It's a vertical strip. That simply would not fly by most logo shop standards. But you know what, this is a personal logo and this is the one thing you get to really OWN. So bravo to him for that.  The potential for this logo to be a pattern is tantalizing. I wish he had explored that! His presentation deck on Behance is pretty awesome though, and encourages me to get a little creative with the way I present my work, especially now that we are moving onto our portfolio design.

Design Hero | Nicholas Felton

Nicholas Felton is known for his personal annual reports that create a visual tapestry of things he was up to in the past year. Why is he my hero? He seems like the perfect blend of completely bat shit anal and fun-loving. I dig that. That he takes details of his life and morphs them into some of the most beautiful, modern data porn. I mean, look at that shit. If you don't think that's gorgeous then gtfo. His attention to detail tells me that he takes himself seriously as a designer, but the subject matter tells me that he pokes fun at himself regularly. It's like the weirdest way that you could keep a journal. He's basically completely self-centered and is celebrated for it, which I find hilarious.

Design Hero | Catherine Renee Dimalla

Fairly certain that Catherine Renee Dimalla is my age, but she is one of my design heroes. I first saw her work in the 2013 Brand New Awards for her Paper Moon project. The above paragraph just about sums it up. She's into fine arts, she's a bit of a science geek, and she loves to learn. Her aesthetic has the capacity to work globally, but never feels too large scale or corporate. As far the amount of work she has on her website, it's not much. But that's inspiring. As senior design students, we're not too far from where she is. It's great to see people at our level of experience breaking the mold a bit, eschewing trends and getting recognition for just a few stellar pieces.

Seasoned Pros: Arthur Eisenberg

Arthur Eisenberg has been described as "a rolling ball of knives." I'm not completely sure what all that entails, but it makes for a compelling mental image and a very interesting man. During his talk, Arthur shared with us a lifetime of work and of working with others. His ability to remember most of the people he had worked with in the past 30 or so years was not only impressive, but endearing. The main takeaway for me is that he worked has worked for a long time and still enjoys what he does. That's incredible. I continually find people in the Dallas design industry that are doing just that - being, to be frank, old in age but still calling shots and keeping their head in the game. I really hope to be like that some day. Just alive and kickin' for as long as I can manage.

It's always eye-opening to hear how someone got their start in the industry and what their journey was like. He shared with us a moment that must've broken his spirit as well as more triumphant moments. It's always a relief to hear that even design bigs like him haven't always been a whiz at what they do.

Here's a tiny peek of something I've been working on.