We are proud to announce our 2016 Keynote Speaker, Paul Tuorto. Paul is a talented young designer with great energy, a career jam-packed with experience and a portfolio of work that is undeniably fresh. His most recent position, Art Director at Baldwin& he landed after attending an AIGA Studio Tour.   Paul graduated from Appalachian State University […]

One of my favorite things about being a designer is watching my projects come to life. It’s totally awesome and rewarding when a web page I designed goes live. What’s not so great is when the launch fails. I recently experienced a setback at work, two weeks in a row, for the same project. After […]

Jordan Godwin, a participant in our 2015 Student Portfolio Review, shares her experience of the Portfolio Review.

I live about a mile from downtown so I love walking to Morning Times any chance I get. Walk after walk, I’ve noticed more public art, galleries and craft shops taking over downtown. Passing a mural and peaking into a shop, I get a jolt of inspiration and an appreciation for my city that puts […]

Design for Good is a pillar of AIGA Raleigh’s mission and role in the community. As we celebrate the life of Martin Luther King Jr. and prepare for the upcoming presidential election, this pillar becomes especially relevant. It’s so interesting to note how the design of campaign slogans and picket signs can influence an entire group of people’s […]

It was a typical Wednesday, I haven’t had a typical Wednesday in some time now. I had spent most of the day running errands and crossing items off my to do list. By the time I had gotten home, I was exhausted and not in the mood for people to witness my lack of excitement. […]

Board member Chelsea Brown’s seven resolutions for 2016 aim to help her live a more creative, productive and independent year. What are your New Year’s Resolutions?

“Here’s one often on the minds of our students: in-house, agency, or freelance? What’s right for me?”—@aiganeworleans   In response to this question tweeted by AIGA New Orleans, Ram Castillo from AIGA National explains the best time in your career for all three work environments. Castillo recommends working at a creative agency right out of […]

To combat the problems with the typical job hunt process, Woody Holliman has resorted to sneakier means of getting in front of people. These guerrilla tactics may be unconventional but they are more satisfactory than the standard approach because
these strategies allow you to arrange dozens of interviews with agencies you want to work for, and you are typically only competing with two to three other applicants.

I recently renewed my AIGA memembership, but unlike last year I decided to take advantage of my membership benefits. One of the benefits I decided to advantage of was a 30% off  on an annual SkillShare membership, or if you are new to Skillshare, AIGA members will receive one month free. I know there are lots […]

Long story short, the AIGA Raleigh Studio Tour was awesome. I’m always on a bit of design-high after any AIGA event. It’s so inspiring to learn from other designers in the community and know that we can all call AIGA “home”.

Most mentors aren’t given an official title, and may even be a peer, but they all certainly help the development of our careers, and especially help in the following ways: ONE – They give honest feedback and support, especially on your portfolio, resume and interview skills. TWO – They help you avoid the mistakes they made on their career […]

Yesterday, Su Mathews Hale, president of the national board of directors of AIGA, announced today that Julie Anixter has been hired as the next executive director for AIGA National.  We are extremely excited and want to congratulate Julie on her new position! Curious and want to read more, check on AIGA National. The following content has […]

Pola Changnon’s work at TCM brings together classic and contemporary styles on your home screen. Jon Roth at AIGA National writes about Changnon’s passion for these films and how she approaches the challenge of bringing their enchanting look into the digital age. The following content has been sourced from AIGA National to share with our AIGA Raleigh Students […]

I have always been envious of my friends who are doctors, stay at home moms, and/or chefs, because they knew exactly what they wanted to be when they grew up. Me on the other hand, I knew I wanted to go to bed with paint under my finger nails, spend my days surrounded by logos, […]

Scraps of cardboard, tattered art supplies and remnants of late night snacks scatter the basement studio in Brooks Hall. For several first year students at N.C. State’s College of Design, this studio has become a second home for the summer. Jeanna Young, a first year student in Art and Design, said the accelerated studio has […]

This summer I am determined to find my way back into my studio.  I have been trying for months, but life keeps happening and I forget where that creative haven is located.  This week I have a new plan, a shut in! Sounds crazy, but this week I plan to sit in my studio for […]

Why your LinkedIn profile could use some love (and design sense). So, you have a LinkedIn profile. Maybe you created it freshman year of college and haven’t touched it since. Maybe you updated it when you were job searching but now it’s out of date. LinkedIn often seems like an afterthought to other forms of […]

We are AIGA Raleigh’s Board Members that represent the Design Ability team. We’re here to create opportunities that leverage your skill set and knowledge as a creative as well while provide support for students, emerging designers and professionals in the Triangle area. We’re extremely excited and look forward to serving the local design community. Want […]

  How would you summarize the Portfolio Review, in regard to your experience? The portfolio review was one of the last big events that the graphic design seniors at ECU had to participate in before graduation. As a junior, I had volunteered to help set up and run the event, so by the time it […]

Curating a first portfolio was one of the first steps in finding myself. It was like feeling in the dark for different pieces and trying to make them fit together. I thought talking about myself would be a lot easier but by trying to say everything at once, I ended up saying nothing at all. […]

The Basics: – Bring all work in a format that is portable and presentation ready – Keep portfolio limited to your best pieces: quality over quantity – Tangible items are good to bring as well but physical space is limited – Fully charged laptop/tablet and extension cord,  if showing any digital work – Business cards and copies of your […]

I studied web design and code while I was in school, but I still find it difficult to say I create websites.  If it were not for my friend/web coder Shawn Lowe, I would be lost.  Creating a website is complex and can sometimes require learning a new skill. With so many free ways to create […]

When people ask me what my favorite design piece is, I say my portfolio.  Why you ask? Because I had to work with the most difficult client ever, ME! Nothing was right and there was always another reason to reprint my pages.  I struggled with my branding and how I wanted to be perceived as […]

  How would you summarize the Portfolio Review, in regard to your experience? A rare glimpse into an honest window Open dialogue with famously shrewd creative directors Closely-guarded tips to crack into a monolithic ivory tower It takes guts, strong will, and dazzling talent to be invited to a Student Portfolio review. I have seen […]

As design students, we’re always taught that people come first. We base every idea, product and project on a human element. For most of our projects as underclassmen, that human element is ourselves. During the first few years in design school, we focus not only on strengthening our skills but also defining ourselves as designers. […]

In the beginning, SHIFT began as an idea, like a lot of great things do! It sprung from multiple brainstorming sessions and conversations with students, emerging designers, professionals, and the Raleigh community. There was a consistent need and a yearning for a place to learn more about various topics, skill sets, and the ability to network […]

New Year’s Resolutions are like belly buttons, everyone has one, but we do not know what to do with them. For years I have avoided the pit fall of the December 31st game plan to get my life right. However, now that school is over and I am an “adult”, I feel as if I […]

Overview: AIGA Raleigh is happy to announce that the 2016 AIGA Raleigh Student Portfolio Review is scheduled to be held on Saturday, April 9th at Citrix  in downtown Raleigh. As a participant, each student will receive a constructive, one-on-one evaluation of their work from a variety of design professionals located in the Triangle area. Portfolio Review Agenda […]

All this focus on UX design leaves us wondering, where do we go from here? Can we teach ourselves this invaluable skill? AIGA National posted an article highlighting specific places to jump start your UX design education. Check out AIGA’s tips and resources for learning UX design online from Roman Castillo’s Are there any good […]

  Are you a fan of Spoonflower yet? Because I sure am! Spoonflower is a company right in Durham that makes it possible for you to design, print and sell your own fabric, wallpaper, decals and gift wrap. I just happened to come across Spoonflower’s post with the top ten 2015 tea towel calendars and […]

We cannot get enough of UX and we know you cannot either. The more I learn the more I want to know. Here is explain more of the finer points is John Romano. John is a UX Director that designs mobile apps and Web sites at PointSource in Raleigh. He enjoys working on collaborative, multi-disciplinary teams […]

  You asked and we found the answers, or at least the amazing people who know the answers. Part of UX discussion we are interviewing Sarah Kahn a rogue librarian turned UX/UI developer. Sarah went to grad school at the School of Information and Library Science at UNC-Chapel Hill, where she realized that people are more […]

UX design “encompasses all aspects of the end-user’s interaction with the company, its services, and its products.” Nielsen Norman Group. It is the entire user experience, with company and their products. The design of a product does not stop once the layout and color have been created. Take Apple for example, their bells and whistles […]

Since graduation, I kept hearing the sic-fi initials, UX (User Experience) and UI (User Interface) , I just assumed it was some new short lived web programming term (and we all know what happens when people assume).  Then I heard the term at several AIGA meetings, and thought I really need to do my research. […]

You just ate your last Almond Joy from your niece’s Halloween stash, and now your parents are asking about your Thanksgiving plans.  Yes, Thanksgiving is a few days away, not to mention Hanukkah and Christmas. While I love this time of year, I find it hard to stay on task while I am planning where […]

AIGA National is featuring six up-and-coming designers in it’s new video series, presented by Wacom Technology titled, “Rise and Shine.” The series will be spotlighting an array of designers in multiple stages of their careers. Take a look at the first three amazing stories below. The following content has been sourced from AIGA National to […]

We are seeking talented creatives to feature on our Student and Emerging Designer blog! We would love to hear your stories and insights for our Bird’s Eye View feature spotlighting local student, emerging and professional designers. Students and Emerging Designers get to share there stories and thoughts on the design. Professionals offer their perspective on […]

Losing your inspiration after a big project can make you feel like Dorothy in the middle of a tornado.  It can feel like a downward spiral of hopelessness and despair, minus the munchkins and a well-dressed green witch.  However, like Dorothy, your inspiration can be found at “home”,  not your real home, but a place […]

When I was first approached at the prospect of telling my story, I became conflicted. Mostly, I couldn’t understand why anyone would want to hear it. Then, I realized as designers we all have unique stories that brought us to this field, each as different as the next. Everyone has different ways of getting to […]

Looking for jobs can be a gruelingly daunting task. AIGA National has posted some recent articles underlining some of the highlights and pitfalls of the job search. Whether you are pursuing your dream job, looking for a change of pace or just trying to get your foot in the door, AIGA National has some great […]

As a designer I am sure you spend many hours of your day, and probably nights, in front of your computer screen.  A part of our duty as designers is to stay informed on the latest trends and technologies in the ever-evolving field of design. As the internet’s vast array of information pours into our […]

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose.  By any other name would smell as sweet”.  Shakespeare may have been right when it comes to roses, but not when it comes to branding. As a designer your name and brand are vital to your career.  Brands are not reserved for major companies. Your […]

For some of us, designing for the web is that monster under the bed that can cause most of us to push creating an online portfolio to the end of any to do list. However, having an online portfolio has become a must have in the design community.  It is a convenient way to share […]

Even though we are designers and we love layouts, we were not all born Ansel Adams. Your Instagram account and the photos you took at your sister’s wedding may tell a different story, but let’s be honest, taking exceptional photos of your design work is a different story altogether.  It will require staging your pieces, […]

As a design student, the semester before graduation is a haze of late nights filled with Five Hour Energy drinks, discarded pages from your portfolio, and moments of self-doubt. This semester is the defining moment to your college career, and the catalyst to your post-college occupation– the stage in life where you find a real […]

The new year has arrived and we are preparing for one of our biggest events—the 2014 AIGA Raleigh Student Portfolio Review. The Student Portfolio Review is an event established for senior, undergraduate level students that are beginning their transformation as emerging designers. As a participant, students will receive constructive, one-on-one evaluation of their work from […]

The sun was shining, spring had sprung and the weather couldn’t have been more perfect to set the tone for the event I had been building up to for the last two years. I arrived, coincidentally, at the same time as my classmates and we entered the two-story glass front building to begin our adventure. […]

BRIDGE: Student to Professional It’s been nearly a year since I attended my very first Raleigh AIGA Community meeting. Within that year, things have drastically changed for me. I’ve gone from being an inquisitive student to a knowledgeable graphic designer and member of the Raleigh Board in less than 12 months! AIGA is a great […]