Interview with Pete Panciera

I interviewed Pete Panciera, senior designer at NYC based skate company Zoo York.

I chose Pete because he does editorial and apparel design work for a skateboard company, and that’s a big interest of mine.

http://www.connect-design.com/

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1) How did you get started in Design and how long have you been doing it for? Did you go to school for it?
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I got interested in design because I skated a lot. I was exposed to the art on board graphics since the age of 8 since my older brother skated. I remember my brother’s first board, it was a Mark Gonzales board with this guy that had a shaved head. Later on I was really into Greenlady (Gary Benzel and Todd St.John) and the stuff they were doing. That was right around the time I left high school and decided to go to college for design, so that work influenced my life course I guess. So yeah, I went to design school for four years and got a BFA in Communication Design at the University of Connecticut.

2) How long after college did it take you to find a job doing Design work? What was the job?
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Actually I had jobs lined up before I left college. Before I left school I did a lot of professional work and I ended up doing some stuff along with Lance Violette from JDK. The job never panned out, but a week later Zoo York got in touch with me and I interviewed with them. I started out as a Jr. designer for Zoo York designing all of the ads and printed material.

3) If you could go back and change the way you approached schooling or job finding what would you change and why?
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I think everything kinda worked out how I wanted it to. I didn’t go to a prestigious design school, but I had great professors who were really supportive. My personal theory is that you can do a lot no matter where you go to school if you love design and want to learn and work. Finding a job just depends on who you know or can get in touch with. I just met as many people as possible and everything worked out.

4) Describe a typical day at work for you:
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I started freelancing full-time lately, so my work days are all over the place. A typical day would probably go like this: Eat some breakfast at my desk / catch up on blogs and what’s happening in the world. 2) Make a list of things that are pressing for the day and write all of my emails to stay in touch with clients. 3) Work on a project before lunch and try to finish it, if not work on it after lunch. 4) If I have no projects for the rest of the day, I paint or make art until I finish a piece or get something far enough where I decide it’s time to quit.

5) Who is/are your favorite graphic designer(s)?
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Tough question.
Historically: Paul Rand, Herb Lubalin, Milton Glaser, Charles and Ray Eames, Alexander Girard
Contemporary: Todd St.John, Mark Owens, Cody Hudson, Michael Leon, Geoff McFetridge

6) What is some of the best advice you have been given directed towards Design?
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“Keep designing like you want to design. Eventually people will catch on.” -Edvin Yegir

7) How would you describe your creative process?
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Semi-Organic? I usually make a small thumbnail sketch or do free writing or something to get ideas, then I start designing. This depends on the project though. If it’s like a book or a logo or something the process is more involved, I do more research and sketching and brainstorming.

8.) If you get stuck on a project you are working on, what do you find to be the best way to get back on course?
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Make some art, go skateboarding, do anything except think about that project. Give it a couple of hours or a day and a solution usually pops up.

9) What is your favorite piece of design work you have done? Why?
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Probably the book I designed “Immediate, Direct” with Justin Smith, Dylan Gould, and Vadim Gershman. That was back when I was leaving school and we just designed this insane book that had secret messages in varnish, pages that you could rip open as you were reading through, and all kinds of other fun things. The process for that was so fun with my friends and it ended up in Print magazine’s Regional Design Annual, which was super exciting also.

10) What is the longest amount of time you have spent on one of your designs? What was it?
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Hmm. Not sure really, it all depends on the project I’m working on how long things take. Probably the book I just talked about was the longest, it took 4 months from start to finish of intense work.

11) What are some of your hobbies outside of doing design work?
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Skateboarding, snowboarding, hanging with my friends and girlfriend. Normal stuff.

12) Do you have any advice for me as a second year Graphic Design student?
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Design a lot of stuff. Look at a lot of work. Read a lot of books about design. Read a lot of books about stuff you are interested in. Make a lot of stuff all the time. Just never stop making things. The more you have in your head, the more ideas you will have and the easier it is to output them to paper.

China Design Now

Going into the China Design Now exhibit I expected to see things similar to what I would imagine being in Japan. Flashy really bright, lots of stuff going on, etc. China wasn’t quite like that. Japan might not even be like that(design wise) since I’ve never been. I was surprised that most of the Design work started not too long ago(Late 1980′s and early 1990′s). The fact that most design companies only had 2-3 designers.  Also that the first skateboard company came together in 2001. I found a lot of things interesting and thought provoking. Some of the things that stood out the most for me would be Chen Mans photography with 3d rendering. His photos I attached are awesome. Some other things I really like were; the building made in Tibet that was built in a way where kids could play outside regardless of the fierce wind. All of the buildings for that matter. All made with lots of thought before hand and very intricate. I’m glad we were able to go together as a class and see the exhibit! It was a lot of fun. Hopefully the Portland Art Museum gets a lot of new exhibits before September 2010. I look forward to going back.

KMHD Radio Logos

Still working on the circle and having it work. I think it would work better being 89.1HD2 maybe. Do the letter and number version have to be the same or can they be completely different?

KMHD Radio Logos (sketches)

Still working on a couple more logos. Will post later today or tomorrow.

King Lear Poster

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Still working on the text. It will change most likely completely. Will add some color and change the layout. I feel the tree by itself is too plain but uncertain what to add. Still working on everything. Some input would be great though!

Where the hell is Matt

Not design related I know.  But a good video to take a break from doing HW!!! Old video I had forgotten about. Very inspiring. Almost 25 million views on Youtube.

 

Cover Letter

Jane Hartline,

I read the requirements and information on the Oregon Zoos internship for Graphic Designers and it suits me perfectly! I have done numerous creative and challenging design pieces using Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. I love the Oregon Zoo and make a point to come at least once a year to see the exhibits, specifically the Giraffes. I think designing media to communicate the zoo’s messages to the community sounds like fun and rewarding work.

My career goals are to work for a skateboard magazine doing editorial design or work for a skateboard company doing apparel design. This internship will help me achieve this goal by filling my portfolio with creative, inspiring, and beneficial designs for the Oregon Zoo. I hope to gain as much as possible through this internship including; working with numerous different people, gathering information about the types of current and past design work done for the Oregon Zoo, and learning any new design tricks or tips employees at the Oregon Zoo have to offer.

I have lots of experience working in Adobe CS4 Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign that will make me a valuable intern. I have made posters, magazine layouts, a calendar, cd pamphlet, tee shirt design, and more. I have a great understanding and use of type, color, and layout.

I am interested in learning how designs are decided upon. Color choices, type, quotes, placement, etc. I am also interested in the research and time that goes into different types of designs.

I am very passionate about the Oregon Zoo and feel I can portray it’s values and message informatively as well as creatively through my designs. If chosen for your summer term internship I wont disappoint you. I am dedicated to getting work completed in a timely matter and love the idea of helping the zoo save endangered species and the environment through my designs. I would really enjoy meeting you in person so we could talk more about the internship.

Thank you for your time and consideration,

Thomas Unterseher

Resume Second Draft

Thomas Unterseher

645 NW Battaglia Ave. Gresham, OR 97030 | 503-484-6234 | T.Unterseher@gmail.com | Website in near future

OBJECTIVE: Creative and dedicated Graphic Designer interested in doing editorial design for a skateboard magazine.

SUMMARY/ADVANTAGES:

Hard worker
Attention to detail
Very good listener
Polite
Honest
Artistic
Devoted
Great imagination
Works good with others as well as alone

SKILLS:

Adobe Creative Suite 4:

Illustrator

InDesign

Photoshop

Dreamweaver

Bridge

EXPERIENCE:

Art History project: Learned about all the main Art History movements and their designers. Collaborated with another person in gathering information for the art movement “Modernism.” While using the same photos and text, I designed a two page spread using InDesign. Clean and resourceful design with a strong hierarchy and good working layout.

Art History calendar: Designed two four by six double sided calendar prints. One was for Futurism and was for the month of July and the other was for Russian Constructivism and was for the month of November. Both pieces were created in Adobe Illustrator CS4. Color, types of art, images, font, line, and season(for the month) all played a big part in the completion of the design.

Color Layout project: Designed an informative two page spread of Color. Template was created based upon the look and feel of a spread in the Portland Monthly. Laid text and images accordingly to importance and visual aspect.

Designed dvd cover for “The Rebel XTI”: Used images taken by a photographer and input from others to establish a very suitable dvd cover. Strong use of creativity with use of layout of imagery and text.

Pictograms: Designed six pictograms for six different recreational activities. Climbing, paddling, Surfing, Skating, Sailing, and soaring. Used equal amounts of black and white, line weight, and positioning. This allowed pictograms to work as strong together as a group as they did individually.

Jazz Festival poster: Designed a 12×17 poster for the Mt. Hood. Jazz Festival. Poster had specific lines of type and photos used. Summer time colors.

Jazz Festival logo: Created a logo for the Mt. Hood Jazz Festival. Vegas/50′s theme for type and feeling with warm and bright colors for a summer feel.

Queen of Hearts project: Scanned and traced a Queen of Hearts card into Adobe Illustrator CS4. Used pen tool to create outlines of all the lines and shapes then colored card do look identical to the real thing. Once the project was finished it was then transformed for a look and feel of a  Hip Hop crowd. The Queen was a DJ and the shapes and colors were those found in the Hip Hop lifestyle.

CD cover/pamphlet: Designed a CD pamphlet with the use of specific paragraphs of type for band members and track listings using Adobe InDesign CS4. Full control of illustrations, photos, and layout.

How-to website: Designed a five page how-to website on the use of the Holga 120 camera. The five pages consisted of a main page, history, how-to install film and take photos, links, and contact page. Simple, enjoyable layout with text and color working well with the subject matter.

Favorite things website: Created website of my four favorite things(music as the category). Used a coda slider with images and text appropriate to my favorite musicians. Informative, eligible, and stylized web page made with Adobe Dreamweaver CS4.

Portfolio website: Conveyed my portfolio work in a single page website using Adobe Dreamweaver CS4. Website includes four photos that represent my portfolio work and my contact information.

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Photographer.  An eye for a good photograph. Skilled with the use of 35mm SLR cameras, 120 film cameras, and digital point and shoot cameras.

Videographer. Capable of setting a 3ccd camcorder for filming without the use of the auto mode. Made my own full length video “It Takes Two” in 2003.

CHRONOLOGICAL WORK HISTORY:

Ron Tonkin Gresham Honda – Detailer – 2008-Present

Ron Tonkin Gresham Honda – Lot Attendant – 2004-2008

Harvest Mill Bakery – Baker – 2003

PGE Park – Opposing team locker room janitor – Summer of 2002

Harvest Mill Bakery – Janitor – 1999-2000

EDUCATION:

Mt. Hood Community College, Gresham, OR 2010

Gresham High School, Gresham, OR 2003

Resume First Draft

Thomas Unterseher

645 NW Battaglia Ave. Gresham, OR 97030 | 503-484-6234 | T.Unterseher@gmail.com | Website in near future

OBJECTIVE:  Creative and dedicated Graphic Designer interested in doing editorial design for a skateboard magazine.

SUMMARY/ADVANTAGES: Very good listener, polite, capable of working in a large group or alone, able to work on projects for extensive amounts of time during any hour of the day or night

SKILLS:

Adobe Creative Suite 4:

Illustrator

InDesign

Photoshop

Dreamweaver

Bridge

EXPERIENCE:

Art History project

Art History calendar

Color Layout project

Designed dvd cover for “The Rebel XTI”

Pictograms

Jazz Festival poster

Jazz Festival logo

Queen of Hearts project

CD cover/pamphlet

Favorite things website

Portfolio website

How-to website

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Photographer for ten years.  An eye for a good photograph. Skilled with the use of 35mm SLR cameras, 120 film cameras, and digital point and shoot cameras.

Videographer for seven years. Capable of setting a 3ccd camcorder for filming without the use of the auto mode. Made my own full length video “It Takes Two” in 2003.

CHRONOLOGICAL WORK HISTORY:

Ron Tonkin Gresham Honda – Detailer – 2008-Present

Ron Tonkin Gresham Honda – Lot Attendant – 2004-2008

Harvest Mill Bakery – Baker – 2003

PGE Park – Opposing team locker room janitor – Summer of 2002

Harvest Mill Bakery – Janitor – 1999-2000

EDUCATION:

Mt. Hood Community College, Gresham, OR 2010

Gresham High School, Gresham, OR 2003

Thomas Unterseher

645 NW Battaglia Ave. Gresham, OR 97030 | 503-484-6234 | T.Unterseher@gmail.com | Website in near future

OBJECTIVE: Creative and dedicated Graphic Designer interested in doing editorial design for a skateboard magazine.

SUMMARY/ADVANTAGES: Very good listener, polite, capable of working in a large group or alone, able to work on projects for extensive amounts of time during any hour of the day or night

SKILLS:

Adobe Creative Suite 4:

Illustrator

InDesign

Photoshop

Dreamweaver

Bridge

EXPERIENCE:

Art History project

Art History calendar

Color Layout project

Designed dvd cover for “The Rebel XTI”

Pictograms

Jazz Festival poster

Jazz Festival logo

Queen of Hearts project

CD cover/pamphlet

Favorite things website

Portfolio website

How-to website

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Photographer for ten years.  An eye for a good photograph. Skilled with the use of 35mm SLR cameras, 120 film cameras, and digital point and shoot cameras.

Videographer for seven years. Capable of setting a 3ccd camcorder for filming without the use of the auto mode. Made my own full length video “It Takes Two” in 2003.

CHRONOLOGICAL WORK HISTORY:

Ron Tonkin Gresham Honda – Detailer – 2008-Present

Ron Tonkin Gresham Honda – Lot Attendant – 2004-2008

Harvest Mill Bakery – Baker – 2003

PGE Park – Opposing team locker room janitor – Summer of 2002

Harvest Mill Bakery – Janitor – 1999-2000

EDUCATION:

Mt. Hood Community College, Gresham, OR 2010

Gresham High School, Gresham, OR 2003

Resume Building Pt. 2

Gresham Ron Tonkin Honda
Detailer
- Detail the interior and exterior of new and used vehicles. Customer vehicles and dealership vehicles. By making the vehicles look as good as I can I help in the selling of the vehicle. I make key decisions on what needs to be done to vehicles before they are put out on the lot to be sold. I do a little extra when possible to make customers happy and keep them as repeated customers. I contribute in repeated customer business and new customer business(in hopes of customers telling friends). I help make the company I work for make money.

Gresham Ron Tonkin Honda
Lot Attendant
- Washed new and used sold vehicles, parked cars in a straight and orderly fashion, put stickers on vehicles for sale prices or payment plans, made sale tags for vehicles, inputted web descriptions and sale prices online, etc. I boosted sale with the way I would display vehicles on the lot. I kept customers satisfied with their new or used vehicle by perfecting them when cleaning them for delivery. I also kept the managers in a good mood by helping get them food or find out something they are too busy to do themselves. I helped bring customers in, kept them happy, and helped in the happiness of employees around me.

Harvest Mill Bakery
Baker
- I baked all their bread from start to finish. I was responsible for the size, taste, and feel of all the bread sold. Without me the bread would never have been as delicious and desirable.

PGE Park
Portland  Beavers
Opposing team locker room janitor
- I kept the floors clean of food and garbage, made sure all dirty laundry was to be cleaned after practice and after games and put back in specific lockers, got food ready for after the opposing team was done with practice. Occasionally would get chewing tobacco, food, or misc. items for team mates before or after practice. I kept the opposing team in a good mood and was always helpful whenever I was able.

Harvest Mill Bakery
Janitor
- I swept and mopped floors, cleaned counter tops, took out garbages, washed rinsed and sterilized dishes and kitchen utensils. I contributed to the happiness of employees and customers by keeping a positive outlook on my job and being a very well mannered, happy, and respectable person. I also made sure that all my duties were done on a timely manner in order for others to get their work done the same way.