Judging by the currrent crop of graduating students, the future of the visual communications industry looks bright indeed. The 2011 Student Awards received the highest number of entries yet (a 33 per cent increase over the previous year). More than 90 pages of work graphically demonstrates the coming strength, in categories covering advertising, design, interactive, broadcast, photography and illustration. The November/December 2011 issue of Applied Arts Magazine also includes two essays by type designers Rod McDonald and Patrick Griffin ("One Font to Rule Them All"), looking at how sans serif has become the predominant type genre of our age; the portfolio of The HIve, which is finding innovative ways to connect to Generation Y; profiles of up-and-coming Young Blood talents; and much more.

Single copies of the issue are available for purchase. Please contact Anna Brown at assistant@appliedartsmag.com for more details.

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Departments

Three Cheers for Ignorance by Matthew Clark

Design at the End of the Economy by Will Novosedlik

Fonts Aren’t Free by Rod McDonald

Clients in the House by Doug Dolan

Do We Have to be Such Asses to Each Other? by Chad Borlase

Start Saying the C-Word by Eric Karjaluoto

Evolution

Garrison’s By The Park Barbershop

A new barbershop demands an identity that is “a modern take on an old classic.” 

Essay

One Font to Rule Them All by Rod McDonald and Patrick Griffin

in less than 200 years, sans serif has gone from novelty typefaces to become the predominant genre of our age. How did we turn into Sans City?

 
Design Unlimited

Knight With Balls by Pamela Young

Landscape architect Claude Cormier has established himself as an original talent, with a wonky sense of humour, in an earnest profession. 

Young Blood

Up-and-coming talents selected from our awards winners: Toronto AD Kyle Lamb, Toronto AD Mike Donaghey, Vancouver Designer Antonio Alarcon Roman. 

Portfolio

Buzz Factor by Alison Garwood-Jones

The Hive is creating a buzz with its proven ability to connect to social-media-loving Generation Y using the latest technology and trends. 

2011 Applied Arts Student Awards

More than 90 pages of student winners in advertising, design, interactive, photography, illustration, etc. 

The Buzz Factor: Portfolio of The Hive

Senior VP and chief creative officer Simon Creet believes, as creatives, you not only have to be experimental but disruptive. “Many companies have immersed themselves in a lot of processes and surrounded themselves with external partners who have vested interests in keeping the old ways alive,” he says. 

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Design Unlimited: Knight With Balls

“Landscapes are constructed,” states the short and snappy manifesto on the Claude Cormier + Associés website, “and we believe they should look the part.... We want to translate each unique situation into a bold and pleasurable design that will connect with people physically, sensually and playfully. We want to wake our audiences up and force them to take a fresh look at their surroundings. Our work may be artificial; it’s also anything but fake.” 

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Young Blood: Antonio Alarcon Roman

"In 10 years,  I want to keep developing my skills and understanding of new technology so that I can always be on top. I want to be known as an individual who works really well in teams and whom you can always count on to have a good idea."

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Young Blood: Kyle Lamb

"Sometimes we all need to step back and remember it’s just advertising. Have fun with it. Either make people think or make them laugh. And remember to breathe."

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Young Blood: Mike Donaghey

"I will say that when I am inspired I want to drop everything and pursue whatever craft I’m experiencing (for example, great type makes me want to be a typographer; great bands make me wish I hadn’t chosen the French horn in Grade 6)."

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2011 Applied Arts Student Awards

One of our judges, Mary-Lynn Bellamy-Willms, of Suburbia Advertising in Vancouver and Victoria, was pleased by both the online judging procedure and the quality of the entries she considered: “The process was elegant and well thought through. It helped to make the judging a pleasure. It was refreshing to see the diversity of work that the students were exploring. It felt like they were thinking for themselves and not attempting to ‘fit’ into a particular populist trend.”

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