UAB Graphic Design Awarded Sappi Grant

Assistant Professor Douglas Barrett and UAB Design students, Samantha Gibbons, Amy Clark, Daniel Twieg, and Jenny Waycaster, are the recipients of a 2012 Grant from Sappi Fine Papers. The grant will fund the creation of a printed book that will tell the story of the Chaba River. The book is being developed in conjunction with The Cahaba River Society (a non-profit organization), Alabama Engine and Cayenne Creative. 

More info on Sappi's website.http://www.na.sappi.com/ideasthatmatterNA/

Chris Murphy on Everywhere Project

UAB Design Alumni, Christopher Murphy was asked by the Everywhere Project to design the badge for the city of Chattanooga. When talking about the project Murphy said:

"Chattanooga is a perfect example of the new south in the 21st century. It's a city in transition from its historic and industrial past to its technological and environmental future. Its a city that's creating its own typeface, a city that can see seven states. Chattanooga is the scenic city with plenty on the horizon, Y'all!"

Murphy used a typeface designed specifically for the city of Chattanooga as a way to reinforce the importance of design and how it can build a powerful message about everything that we do. Murphy's "Chat" Badge is also featured on Smithsonian.com in an article that explores the importance of design to development.

UAB Design Graduate Awarded CORE77

Last week, Alyssa Lauren Mitchell was awarded a Student Runner-up award in the Packaging category for the Core77 2012 Design Awards program. The project, Split Milk, is for the Earth Fare milk products made of French Paper Company’s Smart White line to employ the mill’s commitment to conservation. The concept highlights a growing trend in America’s eating habits. The cows that appear across the packaging rotates so that the cartons form a shelf stable system and also encourages the consumer to interact with the product.

Recognizing excellence in all areas of design enterprise, the Core77 Design Awards celebrates the richness of the design profession and its practitioners. In 2012 there were 17 categories of entry, providing designers, researchers and writers a unique opportunity to communicate the intent, rigor and passion behind their efforts. From client work to self-initiated projects, entrepreneurial to pro-bono engagements, the Core77 Design Awards embrace a wide diversity of enterprise: commercial, cultural, social, environmental and discursive.

For more information about the full awards program please go to Core77DesignAwards.com

9th AIGA Birmingham Student Portfolio Review

This Saturday, April 14th, the AIGA Birmingham will hold their 9th Annual Student Portfolio Review. This year the review will be held at UAB's Design Studios in HB 104. The reviews begin at 12 noon and continue on to 3pm. Local designers from many of Birmingham's top design studios and agencies will be on hand to give feedback on student design portfolios.

After the reviews, stay for the round-robin discussion, "You Have the Degree Now Get a Job." 5 recent UAB grads will be on hand to discuss their first year out of school and what it takes to get a design job in Birmingham. The discussion will be held from 3 to 3:45.

Sign up for the review at: AIGA Birmingham

$5 for AIGA Members, $15 for non-members.
Current students only please.

Emerging Designer Showcase

Thanks to everyone who participated in the First AIGA Birmingham Emerging Designers Showcase. Special thanks to this year's judges, Marion Powers, Anna Denbo and Sara Cannon. The show was a big success and we are looking forward to making this a bigger and better event next year. Congratulations to all the winners.


Best of Show 
• First Place - Split Milk Cartons, Alyssa Mitchell
• Second Place - Findley Market, Campaign, Liz Springer
• Third Place - Handmade Books,  Ashley Lindsey


Best of Category
• Broadcast/Interactive = BluPrint, Andrew Williams
• Logo = Stitch, Brittany Fox
• Stationary = AM Self promo, Alyssa Mitchell
• Editorial = Caffeine, Carey Marks
• Poster = Fold 4 Piece, Brittany Fox
• Non-Traditional = Stitch Garment Hang tag, Brittany Fox
• Campaign = Finley Market, Liz Springer
• Packaging = Split Milk, Alyssa Mitchell
• FIne Art = Handmade Books, Ashley lindsey

Runner Up
Fine Art: 2D = Ashley lindsey (Birds), Katie Hale (Photos)
3D = (Turkey) Lindsey Warner, (Vase) Leah Hamel

Packaging = (Olio) Brittany Fox, (Taste This) Brittany Fox, (AM Boxes) Alyssa Mitchell, (Dixieland Delights) Jennifer Waycaster
Logo = (Elizabeth Gross) Melissa Frennea
Editorial = (Whale Book) Jin Chung
Non-traditional = (Cahaba Auto Tags) Emily Kerley ,
Poster: (Crime Poster) Alyssa Mitchell, (Hiroshima Poster) Charles Carraway
Interactive = (AM Website) Alyssa Mitchell

Design Students Win 2012 Addys

UAB Graphic Design Students were awarded 12 Student Addy awards at the 2012 Addys. Design student Jin Lee Chung was awarded the Best of Show for student work. 

Best of Show - Student

• Jin Lee Chung

Gold - Student

• Alyssa Mitchell, Split Milk Packaging
• Jin Lee Chung, "Alabama Eats" Snack Chips Packaging
• Brandi Wilson-Sides, Unesco Monarch Butterfly Reserve Promotional Material
• Mat Powell, Ruffner Mountain Run Poster

Silver - Student

• Emily Kerley, Alabama Snack packaging
• Brittany Fox, OLIO, Olive Oil Package Design
• Jin Lee Chung, Emily Kerley, Jennifer Waycaster, Group Project - Cahaba River Society Brochure
• Samantha Gibbons, Amy Clark, Chasity Simms, Group Project - Cahaba River Society Brochure
• Daniel Twieg, The Consigliere, Poster
• Mat Powell, Surviving a Science Fiction Film, Booklet
• Alyssa Mitchell, Generating Bright Ideas, Self Promo

Brandi Wilson-Sides BFA Exhibition

UAB Design graduate Brandi Wilson-Sides' BFA exhibition is on display from November 21 thru December 19, at the UAB Mervyn-Sterne Library. The BFA work is on display in the first floor display cases.

"This exhibition features three campaigns based on companies that represent standards that I find admirable and unique," said Brandi. Each campaign contains a business system, a product, and product packaging. You can see all three of these campaigns as well as a diagram and examples of the process used to create them.

Design Team Project chosen by CRS

The Cahaba River Society has chosen team H2O's brochure campaign design to use as their official marketing materials. Monica Carmichael of the CRS said it had been a very hard decision based on the outstanding quality of the work they received. The final brochures are in editing now and will go into production at Vulcan Materials later this month. Congratulations to team H2O.

H2O 

Members: Daniel Twieg, Lindsay Warner, Jasmine Gooden 

See the other teams and designs after the jump:

Design Students Present to Local Agencies

On Thursday, November 11th, UAB's Intermediate Graphic Design students presented their final work for the Cahaba River Society to Monica Carmichael and Gordon Black of the Society. The students worked in teams of 2/3 for the past 3 weeks, visiting the Cahaba river, taking photos and developing their own visual narrative about this wonderful Alabama resource.

Matt Leavell from the Alabama Engine and Dan Monroe from Cayenne Creative were also part of the group listening to presentations and offering feedback. The Society will choose a direction form the eight  options and work with that team to finalize the project.

Previously, students had present the work to David McMath at Intermark and Sara Cannon and Dan Gavin from Scout for in-process feedback.

Watch for more info as the project develops.

Design Grad Chosen for DoD Design

UAB graphic design graduate Christopher Murphy's poster design was chosen as the winning entry for the Birmingham Day of the Dead festival for 2011. The poster and children's tees will be available at the festival.


Dia de los Muertos #9 will be held at the old Bare Hands gallery location in downtown Birmingham. Wednesday, November 2, 2011 from 5pm - 10pm.

For more information go to barehandsinc.org or on facebook -

Dia de los Muertos.