Unveil 2018
During our final semester of the SJSU BFA Graphic Design program, my classmates and I put on a senior show. Planning for the unveil exhibition happened in conjunction with designing our personal identities in the Graphic Design Portfolio class. Each of the twenty students had promising skills which soon turned into squads such as marketing, content, exhibition design, and finance. Like in SUBLIMINAL the semester before, I was drawn to marketing.
With the guidance of our professor, my classmates and I began by drafting initial concepts and iterating on the most promising ideas. Once our theme was solidified, I turned my focus to the marking squad and went on to design the invitation postcard, the way finding poster, and our 90+ page exhibition show book.
The invitation postcard and way finding poster allowed me to exercise my best skills, my ability to quickly and easily apply the given brand and content to differing formats. Contributing to the exhibition book was the true challenge, as it taught me a great deal about designing under pressure. Originally, a classmate other than myself had been tasked with compiling letters, project shots, and student biographies into a 6 x 9 inch show book. However due to unforeseen circumstances, and with just a day before the deadline to submit to printers, I was handed the files.
With the assistance of another classmate from the marketing squad, I designed layouts, created master pages, established type styles, placed the content, rectified color profile issues, and packaged the files. The show book turned out beautifully. Professionals visiting the exhibition could claim a copy in exchange for their business card.
Side note: Each of the twenty featured students received 10 copies; if you are interested in owning a sample of my work (with more samples of my work inside), please reach out as I am still in possession of eight. Otherwise, projects from my four years at SJSU can be seen on Bēhance.
Unveil was set up in the Student Union Ballroom of SJSU just one day before opening. Every two students shared a structure that they were responsible for putting together, while also making time to display their work in a polished manner. The exhibition officially opened the next morning so that Spartans and professionals alike could swing by and spend time gazing at the dozens of graphic design projects on display. At my structure, one could find six projects, a portfolio book, and personally branded copies of my resumé and business card.
On the fourth and final day of unveil, each student presented their thesis. I titled mine “From San José to San José,” as the aim was to document the discovery of my family’s ancestry and any newfound perceptions. Specifically, I chose to design a trilogy of zines that tell the story of my family and also explore how the divergence from our indigenous roots may have occurred.
As of 2021, I have picked my thesis back up in an attempt to update the project and companion process book with recent findings. I hope to eventually distribute the trilogy or display the process in Projects, or maybe do both. For now, please enjoy the covers:
Unveil 2018 Exhibition held at SJSU's Student Union Ballroom in San Jose, United States of America from May 14 through 17, 2018. Coordinated by Prof. Chang Kim and the BFA Graphic Design class of 2018. Unveil on SJSU Graphic Design BFA’s website.
Contributions include: Postcard, portfolio book, exhibition setup. Pieces include: ECHO Type, Mezcali, Alfons Mucha, Bury Your Tropes, The Psychedelic 60's, Climate Change, Portfolio Book, From San José to From San José (thesis presentation and process book).
