With over 120 different digital and traditional art pieces there was something for everyone to enjoy. When first entering the gallery guests were immediately drawn in by traditional art pieces, followed by innovative creations from the 3D Animation program, beautiful photography, and a variety of graphic design digitally created masterpieces!

Archie Acosta, a presenter in the exhibit and is currently working on his Graphic Design Degree at Platt, had 18 pieces on display at the exhibit. He is a talented digital media artist with a passion for photography. Although, this was Archie’s first exhibit his display of photography was professionally delightful! Ranging from pets, to portraits, and even landscapes he has a skill for capturing beauty in the world that surrounds him. When asked what type of camera he uses he explained that it was a combination of film and digital cameras, which allows him artistic versatility with his photos. Archie’s goal is to travel after graduating and continue with his passion for photographic art.

Platt Graphic Design student Archie Acosta with his photography

As a Graphic Design student at Platt, Archie is learning new and innovative ways to incorporate his talents through new media platforms, thus expanding on the graphic design services that he may offer to clients. In his current class he is learning how to make downloadable publications for mobile devices. Like Archie, Platt students are not only learning how to produce traditional print magazines but also downloadable digital magazines, brochures, etc. Using traditional graphic design tool like photoshop, illustrator, and indesign, students are given a hypothetical client to design and produce both printed and digital brochures. They learn new functions for mobile devices; such techniques as, pinch and zoom, swipe through a photogallery or text, embedding videos and more directly into a downloadable publications. So for Archie, who works with clients to photograph their special events this new skill set will expand his industry knowledge with the latest graphic design technology and ultimately give him the ability to offer new services to his clients. He is exploring how he could possibly use it as a way to display his portfolio to prospective clients or even by designing apps for his wedding photography. Imagine having your whole wedding album in an app you could share with your friends and family!

Another Platt student featured at the exhibit, Felix Honda, had 6 pieces of his vector illustrations on display for the first time. One piece in particular is a portrait of the actress from tv’s Fringe, Anna Torv, and with a first glance at this piece you would think it was a real photograph! In reality it is a highly detailed vector piece made using Illustrators gradient mesh tool which he first learned how to use in his Intro to Vectors class at Platt. When asked about his vector work Felix explained that each piece was a learning experience as well as a challenge, and when creating new work he always tries to exceed normal expectations, which has given him a great sense of accomplishment. After finishing his Associates in Graphic Design, Felix plans to continue into Platt’s Bachelor program for 3D Art and Animation to continue to improve his skills as a designer and find new artistic challenges.

Platt College Web Design student Andrea Gonzalez with her photography

Andrea Gonzalez, a web design student at Platt, also had her work on display. Despite her passion being in web design she discovered she also had a passion for photography once she started school at Platt. She said it all began in a one week class in her first term where she learned the basics of digital photography, and has only been taking pictures for a year now. It is apparent in her work that she knows how to capture inspiring photos! One particular piece in the exhibit she took while traveling around Chiapas, Mexico with her father, she expressed that this trip was very inspiring to her as an artist. As far as editing her photos she explained she doesn’t like altering them more than needed, if she does anything to them it is usually cropping in Photoshop. Andrea’s goal is to have her own web design firm while still pursuing photography on the side after graduation.

As an added bonus to the end of the evening, Platt teacher Jodi Cilley presented 3 student short films each with a unique style of directing. The first film shown titled Lonely Boy produced by Vanessa Robbins is best described on the films website as, “A story of self discovery and realization. Caught in the secluded world of digital entertainment, Jace finds it hard to connect with people in the life outside of his living room. When the power mysteriously goes out, Jace‘s life takes a dark and lonely turn.” The second film titled Night 6 directed by Adam Padjen is a very dark film about a detective who is out to catch a serial killer on the loose. It keeps you guessing until the end! And the last film shown titled Ten, by Berlin Kerney is about a muay thai fighter who attempts a comeback despite several major concussions and a warning of the price he may pay if he continues to fight. It was very apparent that these 3 films were crowd pleasers and will do very well when submitted to the San Diego Film Festival!

Get a sneak peek of the films through the links below:

Lonely Boy – http://lonelyboy.myplatt.com/
Night 6 – http://night6.plattvideo.com/
Ten – http://ten.plattvideo.com/

Platt College has given all of its students a wonderful opportunity to put their creative art on display for many to see and appreciate. Hopefully those who had a chance to view this wonderful multimedia exhibit will leave feeling inspired and with a new idea on the many different types of art that exists now thanks to what the ever changing world of technology has to offer! If you missed this exhibit be sure to visit our facebook fan page often for future event notifications.[[Show as slideshow]]

Photography & Blog By Natasha Englehardt

An article about Platt’s Digital Publishing training was recently published in SD METRO‘s March 2012 magazine.  SD METRO is San Diego’s journalism magazine that gives San Diegans updates on local happenings. The article showcases the class and teacher behind it all.

Platt College Student, Jennifer Brewer, Joe Juette and Carrie Ann Caranci

Platt College San Diego offers a course in Digital Publishing for Multiple Applications and Devices. This course essentially puts the students’ prior knowledge of typography, layout, Photoshop, Illustrator graphics and composition to work as they produce elaborate designs of publications that employ video, animation, and interactive graphics.  The course introduces the trend of “dual-use” publications for conventional print and tablet/mobile devices.

Using InDesign 5.5, teachers at Platt have been able to enhance the curriculum for digital publishing classes. As part of the Graphic Design Associates of Applied Science Degree program, Platt Digital Media Designers are now not only learning techniques in print but are also learning to design  publishing applications for tablets and android devices.  For example, a student of Terry Warner; a Graphic Design Instructor at Platt College, has designed a swipe-and-touch slideshow for a cruise line application. The student’s design lets the user ‘pinch’ and zoom images to view details. Another student features a tablet application for Cabrillo National park in Point Loma, which offers information on the park’s history and activities. This application engages the mobile devise user to tap & swipe pictures, text content and watch a video about Cabrillo Park all from a mobile device. Other developments by students for the iPad and Android devices have been acknowledged and praised; making us anxious to see what else Platt Designers and teachers have up their sleeves!

Not only will Platt College Digital Media Designers gain the knowledge to design for both print and mobile device publications during their Associates Degree program, but they will also learn HTML/CSS in an introduction to Web Design and Development course.  These courses and others not mentioned in this article are part of the well round Associate of Applied Science Degree: Graphic Design.  After earning an Associate of Applied Science Degree: Graphic Design, students have the option to pursue a Bachelor of Science Degree: Media Arts and may choose an area of study from Web Design, 3D Animation, Digital Video Production or Visual Effects & Compositing.

The response and feedback Platt has received is impressive. The college congratulates its students and teachers for working so hard, bravo! The next time you are reading something on your tablet it may be the result of a talented, hard working Platt Digital Media Designer!

To learn more about Platt College San Diego’s Diploma or Degree programs, contact the Admissions Department at 619.265.0107 or toll free at 866.752.8826.

To read the full article featured in the SD Metro March 2011 edition (found on page 14, visit www.sandiegometro.com and download the digital version of the San Diego Metropolitan Magazine.

Blog Article co-written by Jocely Bishop, Platt College Intern

Platt College Student are invited on Thursday, April 12th, as Platt College San Diego and Gaslamp Media bring you an exclusive workshop that will detail what it takes to work at a web design firm. Platt College Digital Media Designers learn what to expect during the interview sessions, what type of work to prepare, and more importantly expectations in the workforce.

Thai Yin, President of Gaslamp Media, will present digital media trends within the Web Design and Development field. This is a great opportunity for Platt Designers to learn the insights into what most development firms look for in their upcoming talent recruitment.

This event is open to All Current Students of All Terms. Please RSVP by going to the Administrative Office and sign up with Career Services.

Event Details:
Thursday, April 12th, 2012
12PM – 1PM
Platt College San Diego Campus
General Education Purple Room

It was an exciting day in February when Platt College Digital Media Designers met Craig Dowsett from DreamWorks. Craig not only presented a very impressive live 3D modeling demonstration, he also conducted exclusive one-on-one meetings to review Platt Designers’ portfolios.

DreamWorks Animation is one of the leading animation studios in Hollywood. The studio is responsible for some of the largest featured films; such as: Shrek, How To Train Your Dragon and the more recent, Puss N’ Boots. DreamWorks was recently ranked one of the top companies to work for in the United States. (http://money.cnn.com)

Craig Dowsett is currently a lead animator at Dreamworks. His endless talent and creativity on character/prop models can be seen in featured movies like Puss N’ Boots, and the much anticipated movies “The Croods” and “Turbo”. Craig’s project responsibilities include poly/nurb modeling, UV layout, and model trouble shooting.

Both students and alumni were treated to a 30 minute live modeling demonstration. The demonstration showcased some of Craig’s tips and techniques used for organic modeling; as well as, adding details to a base mesh using some new features of the zbrush 4.0 rendering engine software.

You could feel the excitement in the room while students began to day dream about their future careers. Learning directly from a DreamWork’s expert, such as Craig Dowsett, was both inspirational and surreal. Craig discussed his journey into DreamWorks and shared real world experiences. It was definitely an insightful day-in-the-life of a 3D Animator!

After the demonstration, Craig conducted individual portfolio meetings with Platt Digital Media Designers. Platt designers were advised to work diligently to perfect their portfolio; and furthermore, to include projects that the designers worked on above and beyond their classroom time. Here at Platt College digital media designers are given the tools and knowledge to start an impressive portfolio and create their own demo reel with the guidance of their professor. A demo reel is a digital collection that runs less than a minute and features the designer’s best work.

Opportunities with local and high profile companies, such as this event, allow Platt designers to receive candid expert opinions regarding their portfolio and demo reel. The feedback and direction from Craig proved to be invaluable. Designers were encouraged to focus on their best work and showcase their most proficient skills. It needs to be simplified and to the point, therefore, less is more! Craig cautioned that prospective employers will see the difference in designer’s who have been inspired by industry leaders and who have worked hard to perfect their portfolio projects.

We would like to thank DreamWorks Animation and Craig Dowsett for this great opportunity!

Be sure to follow us on facebook, twitter and check the blog for more exciting events and news! To view student work visit http://www.youtube.com/plattcollege or the gallery sections of platt.edu

What: We are looking for: 5 Representative Icons– simple, yet modern symbols that provoke a visual recognition for each of our study areas. One black version would be used on a white or light background. One white version would be used on a black or dark background. The end product is a set of icons that represent each of our 5 areas of study: Graphic Design, Web Design, 3D Animation, Digital Video Production and Visual Effects/Compositing. For the icon specifications, the final size will be approx. 30px x 30px, but the art would need to be vector so that the images could be scalable. This is History in the making…remember our rebranding theme- Digital Media Design. Best of Luck to All!
If you need more details, please contact me directly – kharbert@platt.edu.

WHY: For the prize, how does having your icons be in the running and possibly selected for display on the Platt College Digital Media Design New Website sound?!!! That would look great on your resume and impress your future or current employer. But if that isn’t enough, will an iPod Touch inspire you???!!! So there you have it… bragging rights and an iPod Touch! Nice!

WHEN: Entries are to be submitted directly to kharbert@platt.edu or stop by the Admissions Department. Deadline: All entries must be submitted by Wed. Feb 29, 2012, at 6pm. This competition is open to Platt College San Diego current and past students only. Thank you for participating, get creative, inspired and enjoy!

The opportunity to mingle with amazing people, enjoy flavorful music, colorful decorations, and tasty treats made this first Friday night of December a great one to remember. Our classrooms were transformed into galleries that were full of creative and colorful art work designed by Platt College Digital Media Designers. Our 3D Animation, Video Production, Web Design and other Digital Media demonstrations were showing throughout the event. It was apparent that audiences of all ages cheerfully engaged talking about our favorite topic of the evening, our student’s impressive creativity. However, who could forget the generous and abundant raffle baskets; the anticipation and waiting to hear the winning raffle numbers brought out the kid in each and everyone!

Thank you to all who joined in our Winter Art Festivities. It was great to see everyone smiling from ear to ear as they mingled with friends, and family, admired the inspiring performances, student media design work and, of course, won prizes! This is truly an event that brings all students, family, friends, faculty, staff and our community together.

Trivia Moment!

Did you know some say the American version of St. Nicholas, or Santa Claus originally came from the Dutch version called Sint Nikolaas or Sinterklaas. The Dutch settlers in New Amsterdam (New York) brought this fun and lively tradition to America. This version of Santa has given the current myth its visual form and these most curious traditions:

A merry old man with red and white clothes.
Eight flying reindeer, later joined by Rudolph the red nosed reindeer.
A home located on or near the North Pole.
The habit of filling socks or stockings with presents on the night of December 24th.
Also the habit of entering houses through the chimney.

Santa brings us all together! Kids all over the world know who Santa is… And although he may be a little commercial, who can help, but love the jolly old elf? (Lone-Star…Christmas Connection)

The wonderful thing about this time of year is that people from all backgrounds share a goodwill for one another. It’s the idea of giving that reminds us; we are all on this planet together, for the long run. So with that said… Good cheer to all and be well all year round!

Fun Note!

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Boas Festas e Feliz Ano Novo (Portuguese), Joyeux Noel (French), Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto (Japanese), Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar!or Zalig Kerstfeast (Dutch), Mele Kalikimaka (Hawaiian), Froehliche Weihnachten(German), Maligayan Pasko! (Philipines), and a Happy New Year!

To see more languages visit: http://www.worldofchristmas.net/merry-christmas.html

Platt College San Diego
Digital Media Design

Come and enjoy artwork exhibited by our students and teachers! Live music, poetry, dance, a visual journal of our Platt Campus life, be part of our demonstrations from each department, Raffle, prices, refreshments and an opportunity to be creative!

Festivities kick off at 6:30 PM on campus. Address to the campus as follows:

Platt College San Diego
6250 El Cajon Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92115

December 2^nd, 2011
6:30pm-10:00pm

This is also another opportunity to view The Legend of Zelda: Art Exhibition for the last time in its full amazing glory!

Catch up with your teachers and friends.

We hope to see you all there!

Come and join us on November 18th (Friday), 2011 as Platt College San Diego celebrates the 25th Anniversary of  The Legend of Zelda.  This exclusive event will call upon the talents of Platt College San Diego students/alumni, local artist, and industry professionals within San Diego community to showcase artwork that pays tribute to The Legend of Zelda.

Cantua will also be live at the event to perform some of the most memorable theme songs from The Legend of Zeldaseries. Cosplayers are also encouraged to join the festivities. Live entertainment, snackes, and raffles throughout the night!

Platt College San Diego is proud to team up with Industry ShowRoom for this exclusive event. Located within the Gaslamp District of downtown San Diego, the Legend of Zelda Art Exhibition is minutes away from the San Diego convention center, Petco Park Stadium, and footsteps away from parking and bustling downtown eateries.

Everyone is invited to attend the opening reception at 7:30PM

Platt College San Diego is proud to team up with Industry ShowRoom for this exclusive event. Located within the Gaslamp District of downtown San Diego, the Legend of Zelda Art Exhibition is minutes away from the San Diego convention center, Petco Park Stadium, and footsteps away from parking and bustling downtown eateries.

Everyone is invited to attend the opening reception at 7:30PM!

Event Location:
Industry ShowRoom
345 6th Avenue
(Between J Street & K Street)
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 358-9221

Event Times:
November 18th, 2011 (Friday)
Reception – 7:30PM
Gallery Opens 7:45PM – 10:30PM

For more details visit the official event page here

When Tim Burton is mentioned, movies such as the well-known Nightmare Before Christmas and the 2010 remake of Alice in Wonderland typically come to mind.  The exhibition at the LA County Museum allowed students to explore beyond the Tim Burton that they know and discover that the artist’s success is the direct result of a combination of talent, diligence and perseverance.

Tim Burton is an artist who was able to find his niche and visual language early in life and continued to pursue it despite frequent refusals in his early career.  While touring the exhibit, students became increasingly aware that Tim Burton’s unique and macabre style has remained consistent throughout his pre-career and career.  His eventual prosperity should serve as confirmation that talent isn’t everything and that diligence and perseverance play a large role in success.

Most notably during the exhibit, students were amazed at insider’s look that they were given at the concepts of Burton’s work.  While final drafts, puppets and costumed characters were also presented, a large portion of inspiration was gained from viewing hand sketches of characters, storyboards and other conceptual artwork.

That being said, a lesson to be taken from these awe-inspiring conceptual pieces is the importance of capturing ideas immediately.  At risk of losing that initial raw idea, students are encouraged to capture ideas as soon as possible, be it on paper or in a digital format.  With the introduction of tablets among other digital design tools, the ability to record ideas instantly is no longer limited to paper and a pencil.

So what is the appeal of Tim Burton’s work to our students?  Perhaps it is that students can identify with his use of creating digitally imaginative works of entertainment as an outlet and quite literally putting ideas into motion.  Perhaps it is because Burton’s style fits the era of the current generation, with the fairytale-like stories and characters of past generations sprinkled with a generous dose of eccentricity.  Burton’s on-screen characters, while unusual and typically outcast, still have a good heart, and that in itself is greatly admirable and relatable.

Tim Burton has inspired Platt College’s digital media designers to continue their creative and unique concepts using multiple mediums.  As with any opportunity that Platt College offers outside of the computer labs, the Tim Burton exhibition allowed students to explore the influence that current day artists have on the digital media design industry.  Whether it’s Graphic Design, Web Design, 3D Animation or Digital Video Production, digital media designers are encouraged to seek inspiration from the innovative and ground-breaking visionaries that came before them.