Design & Personality Instructor: Alan Lidji J Term Spring 2017 SMU ID 4713-1569 Course description Have you ever wondered what are the underlying reasons for extraordinary creative work. Why is there so much average work today? What makes extraordinary work extraordinary? This class will examine the role of personality on the process behind transcendent design outcomes. The class will combine an overview of significant design practitioners from a biographical and professional point of view with the intent of learning what personality traits might exist in all successful designers and how those personalities are reflected in their work. Additionally, students will participate in group creative assignments that will challenge them to tap into their unique personality traits to solve communications problems, as well as, writing assignments that will challenge critical thinking skills. Class content Morning lectures will examine extraordinary creative talents of the 20 th century with a focus on their individual biographies and creative accomplishments. Group discussion and creative warmups will follow the morning lectures. Afternoons will consist of a guest speaker each day who has accomplished their success by applying their personality to their work. Discussion follows. Text
No specific textbook will be used in class, however handouts and readings will be supplied for the biographies and examinations of the selected designers. Assignments Creative The class will be divided into small creative groups and given an assignment to be determined based on the college makeup and majors in the class. Writing Students will be given 3 to 5 creative personalities to examine. They will write a paper that will uncover the individuals unique personality traits and make connections to their work and in a way that can be substantiated in a meaningful way. Evaluation Students will be a given a team grade for their creative assignment and an individual grade for the writing assignment. Consideration will be given for class participation. Enduring understanding
Students will be able to identify the character traits and creative process of significant designers and other creative communicators and reflect and connect those understandings to their own personalities and professional aspirations. Full disclosure: This class was taught by Milton Glaser at School of Visual Arts in New York for more than 30 years. I attended the class and will adapt the principles he set out for this J Term class. The class took place over 5 days and was structured much like J term. CV Alan Lidji's career in advertising and communications design has spanned more than thirty-five years as a creative director, designer, writer and teacher. He is a past president of the Dallas Society of Visual Communications and the 2012 recipient of the Golden Egg, the DSVC's highest honor for lifetime achievement in visual communications. His work has been recognized internationally by Communications Arts, Graphis Packaging, The New York Art Directors Club, The Art Directors Club of LA, The Dallas Society of Visual Communications, The Houston Art Directors Club, the American Institute of Graphic Arts, Adweek s King of the Road," Print Casebooks and Design in Texas, A Retrospective. His posters are included in the permanent collection of the United States Library of Congress and the Hiroshima Museum of Art. Lidji studied graphic design with acclaimed poster designers John Sorbie and Philip Risbeck at Colorado State University and with Milton Glaser at School of Visual Arts in New York.
Lidji has served as adjunct professor of communication design at Texas Christian University and continues to lecture frequently at TCU and SMU. In August 2010, Lidji published Eye to Eye, a retrospective of posters from the Lidji Design Office. Lidji has, for the past 28 years, operated Lidji Design Office, a full service visual communications consultancy in Dallas Texas serving a variety of clients in branding, advertising creative development, and marketing strategy. Education B.F.A. Graphic Design, Colorado State University Fort Collins, Colorado Teaching Adjunct Professor of Graphic Design Texas Christian University Adjunct Professor of Graphic Design East Texas State University Visiting Lecturer, Texas Christian University, Visual Communications Professional Organizations President, Dallas Society of Visual Communications, 2nd Vice President, Dallas Society of Visual Communications, Treasurer, Dallas Society of Visual Communications, Board Member, Dallas Society of Visual Communications, Board Member, AIGA Texas, Advisory Committee, Texas Christian University Continuing Education Invited Participant, Visual Dallas,
Invited Participant, Design America, December, Exhibitions Images for Survival, Hiroshima, Japan, Graphic Design East meets West, LTV Pavilion, Dallas Design in Texas, A Retrospective, AIGA Texas The New York Art Directors Club European Tour Awards, Citations, Publications Recipient of DSVC s Golden Egg 2012, for lifetime achievement in visual communications D Magazine Best Brand Advertising for 2013 The Dallas Society of Visual Communications, The Dallas Show, Gold, Silver, Bronze Dallas Ad League, Gold, Bronze The Houston Art Directors Club Gold, Silver Communication Arts Annual The New York Art Directors Club The Art Directors Club of Los Angeles, Judges Choice AIGA Graphic Design U.S.A. 5 Contemporary Graphic Design, by Ronald Lutz Published Graphis Packaging 7 Hollywood Reporter 15th Annual Key Art Awards First Place Print Casebooks, Best of Posters Library of Congress Four posters included in the permanent collection Creativity 13 Graphis Posters Print Regional Design Annual Goodwill Industries Public Service Award Adweek's 1990 "King of the Road" Best of Show Design in Texas, A Retrospective, AIGA Texas Noah's Art, Published by Quon Editions
American Association of Museums, Museum Publications, Award of Distinction