Alyson Payne: Portfolio

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MISADVENTURESTR IAL S AN D TR I UM PHS I N TH E E R A O F D ES I G N SC H O O L

SELECTED WORKS BY

A G R A P H I C D E S I G N P O R T F O L I O

COMPLETION DATE FINAL THOUGHTS

This book contains the results of much creative thinking, a bit of cofffee, and a few happy accidents along a

journey that took many steps forward in [pretty much] the right direction. These are my misadventures.

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A LYS O N PAY N E » G R A P H I C D E S I G N E R

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A LYS O N PAY N E » M FA P O R T F O L I O

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» M FA P O R T F O L I O

Written and designed by Alyson Payne

M A S T E R S O F F I N E A R T S , G R A P H I C D E S I G N

The Academy of Art University79 New Montgomery Street, 5th FloorSan Francisco, CA, 94105

C O N TA C T M E

[email protected]

S E E M O R E W O R K

alysonpayne.com

A L L R I G H T S R E S E R V E D

Copyright ©2014 Alyson PayneNo portion of this book may be used or reproducedwithout prior written consent of Alyson Payne.

P R I N T E D A N D B O U N D I N T H E U S A

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Adventure should be 80 percent ‘I think this is manageable,’ but it’s good to have that last 20 percent where you’re right outside your comfort zone.”

— Bear Grylls

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and driven me to learn, grow, and see things differently. Today, I see each new design as the start of a great adventure where the journey is just as exciting as the destination. This portfolio represents a mile marker along the way.

and printing snafus that awaited me when I bounded ahead into the unknown. In the same token, my willingness to embrace uncertainty has become one of my greatest assets as a designer. My wild sense of adventure and (a just a dash of reckless abandon) is what has opened me up to inspiration

G R E E T I N G S, F E L LO W T R AV E L E R S

Four years ago I embarked on the wildest adventure of my short life when I made up my mind to become a graphic designer. Looking back, it’s apparent that my understanding of what a graphic designer actually did was, well, sparse. I couldn’t have anticipated the sleepless nights, paper cuts,

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WUNDERBARExploring the Lovin’ that

Comes from the Oven

It is widely believed that the main ingredient in bread is flour. False. I’ve seen enough to conclude

that it’s actually made of hugs which is why it makes us all so jolly.

K E E N I N S I G H T S


ADVENTURE COLOR PALETTE GUIDE[S] COURSE COMPLETION DATE

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P E R T I N E N T I N F O R M AT I O N


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CO N C L U S I O N S

After learning that the business owners had a soft spot fornostalgia and food that warms the heart, I decided to drawinspiration from vintage German decor. The carousel horse was a perfect accompaniment to this system and made its debut on their very own beer bottle.

O B S E R VAT I O N S

When I visited the business, I spoke with the staff and quicklylearned that Germans (well, these Germans) never missed bread at a meal. A carousel horse suspended from the ceiling caught my eye and upon asking about it I also learned that the family practiced a bit of antique restoration.

TA S K AT H A N D

I was challenged with choosing a local deli and develop a fresh identity and packaging system for their business. I was immediately inspired by a family-run German eatery and bakery with a quirky personality that I knew would translate into a vibrant and dynamic graphic language.

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URBANISMMimicking Artifacts From

the Urban Habitat

In my brief experience as an urbanite, I’ve surmised that the non-negotiables of morning ritual

include a cup of (artisinal) coffee, a morning bun, and off course, a bit of news.




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We decided to use the polywrap to highlight some of the mostwell-known Chicago neighborhoods. This would be done byusing typography to mimic the shape of city blocks and thevarying areas that city neighborhoods occupy. The vibrancy of city life was also reflected in the color of the wrap.

After working extensively with the Thompson Hotel brand, Ilearned that the hotel was centered around cities and people who thrive in them. The lifestyle of the city dweller and the pride they have for their home would need to be translated into the final piece.

A new Thompson Hotel property opening in the Gold Coastwas announced in true urbanite fashion by was creating adirect mailer inspired by the daily newspaper. This wouldcome complete with its own polwrap to graphically express what the brand is all about.

CO N C L U S I O N SO B S E R VAT I O N STA S K AT H A N D

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AUTHORITYObserving the Habits of the

Common Underdog


Power comes in all forms but San Francisco is a heck of a tricky place to spot who’s got the ace

card. Here, a million dollars looks a lot like an ironic t-shirt and unkempt beard. True story.



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Smith and Wesson would make life’s underdogs their primarytarget audience and their offerings would expand to includeother methods for taking the upper hand. They would achieve this by creating favorable circumstances in all interactions a person has with the world.

My research into the brand revealed that the founders were innovators in their field and at the heart of their brand was a desire to enable their customer to take the upper hand in whatever confrontation they found themselves in. This key finding took center stage in the rebrand.

For this identity project I was tasked with choosing a dead,dying, or defunct brand to refresh and imagine a new avenue for its business. I chose to tackle the legendary Smith and Wesson company who manufactures firearms for civilians and law enforcement.


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N O T E S

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SMITH + WESSON

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SERVITUDEGiving a Pint-Sized

Piece of Yourself


Just to be clear, this was not my first attempt to give blood. I did try a couple of times before and

may or may not have fainted in the process. Third times a charm though. Hooray for saving lives!


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The stories I had read helped me feel a human connection to the intimidating and sterile experience of donating blood. I decided that these stories deserved to be front and center in the Red Cross’s communication with its potential donors to shift the focus to the service being done.

I went to a Red Cross center to give blood and planned to takesome notes and ask questions while I was their. I learned thatnot many people come back to donate a second time. I also read several stories about those who had received blood which was a great inspiration for me to return.

For this project I was challenged to create a poster series toadvertise a nonprofit of my choice. I was inspired to lookinto volunteer blood donation at the Red Cross. I had been curious about giving blood in the past and wanted to take a closer look at the process.


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N O T E S

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NESTINGCreating a Home for Our

Feathered Friends


Even if you have lit tle to no knowledge of wood working I encourage you to give it a shot. Get

your hands dirty and if it doesn’t turn out Mom will totally love your “hand-made” Christmas gift.



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The final product took the form of a set of three birdhouseswhich reflected the diversity of the other Marimekko offer-ings. The identity was inspired by Finnish folk art and the name was chosen from a Finnish word meaning “house”. The packaging is made simply from sustainable products.

After investigating the Marimekko brand I learned all about its rich history and its mission to brighten peoples’ lives through their vibrant patterns and fabrics. This lead me to be interested in utilizing their pattern motif not only on the surface but also in the form of the birdhouses.

For this packaging assignment, I was asked to think aboutthe different forms that an object can take on. This objectwould come to life in the form of a birdhouse. I was askedto choose a brand and imagine what their offering of abirdhouse would look like. I chose Marimekko.


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RUINATIONFollowing a Path to the Edge

and a Few Steps Beyond


Walking a mile in another’s shoes is a worthwhile experience. While walking a mile through a

questionable neighborhood, I recommend bringing along a chaperone and an open mind.



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To reflect the obsessive nature of the characters’ behavior, Icreated patterns inspired by sacred geometry. These were usedin conjunction with photography I took in the more decrepitparts of town. They were treated to bring out acidic yellows and blues and create an overall ominous feeling.

Upon closer investigation of the films, I began creating a visual language that ref lected the perspective of someone who was going through a dark time in their lives. The themes of substance abuse and obsessive thoughts were the driving force behind imaging what we see in darkest of places.

I was challenged to imagine a film festival featuring the work of a director of my choosing. Any advertising, print materials, and giveaways were included. Filmmaker Darren Aronofsky inspired me to create a festival portraying the dark and obsessive qualities of his films.


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BADASSERYLearning that Life is Part Falling

Down, Part Getting Up.


Roller derby women are probably some of the coolest ladies I’ve ever met. They can out skate me,

drink me under the table, and take a hit like Mike Tyson. They truly earn the title of “rad”.



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F I N D I N G S

The women of roller derby were at once rough and femininewhich inspired me to incorporate hot pink tape as a graphic element. I mixed black and white with colored photography to portray the dichotomy of the grittiness of the sport and the spectacle of watching a bout (match).

G R A N D P L A N

A very close friend of mine has been a member of a roller derbyleague for several years and I had come to understand that the teams composed a very interesting subculture. They create their own names, have their own rules on and off the track, and have their own lingo when speaking with each other.

C H A L L E N G E

For this project we were asked to choose a subculture that we wanted to learn about and create a book that gives an insight into those who identify with that group. We were challenged to observe and interview people in order to better learn about the subject we were designing.

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REFORMATIONStarting Conversations to Change

How We See Ourselves


Almost every woman in the space-time continuum has had a negative thought about her body. It’s

a tall order to reverse the trend but conversations lead to ideas and ideas can move mountains.


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My goal was to use design to help the Girls Inc. organization reach a teenage audience more effectively. I achieved this by creating workshops that tie into social media, graphics that feel appropriate for the age group, and methods for fostering ongoing engagement outside of the organization.

I spoke with an organization called Girls Inc. to learn aboutwhat was being done to address these issues. I found that theyhave a successful and engaging program but their reach isn’twhat they hope it could be. They also don’t have the resources to take advantage of existing networks that teenagers use.

My thesis project brought a new level of creative freedom as the deliverables and subject matter were completely up to me. I decided to pull from something I was both passionate about and had personal experience with so I chose to tackle body image in teenage girls.


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BE REALbe

REAL

beBe

be REALBe

REAL

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Thanks for loving me when I was my most grumpy, unlovable self, for working your butt off to make sure I had somewhere to live, food to eat, and paper to print on, and somehow, after seeing me through three sleepless years of graduate school, still thinking I was marriage material. You’re a keeper.

I know it wasn’t easy to let me go so thank you for pushing me to go out and chase my dreams anyway. Thanks for the care packages, notes, and being so impossibly selfless in your love and support, and for being a soft place to land when I felt like I was going to crash and burn.

Thank you to my instructors and advisors for your tough love and for always pushing me to excel. Special thanks to Gaston Yagmourian for helping me become not only a stronger designer and but also an individual who better understands her capacity for greatness.

TO MY B E T T E R H A L FTO M O M & DA DTO MY T E AC H E R S

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» M FA P O R T F O L I O

P H O T O G R A P H Y

Alyson Payne and Ginny Wang

P R I N T I N G

Printlife Communications, West Berkeley

B I N D I N G

The Key Printing and Binding, Oakland

PA P E R

Mohawk, 100 lb. text

T Y P E FA C E S

Futura Std, Chaparral Pro

Alyson Payne: Portfolio

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