• Ricky Ramshaw
• The Art Institute of Washington
• Poster Design Competition 2011

This poster is showing what I call the "Art Kid." I wanted to show as if his life is surrounded by art and music much like mine. The idea came to me one day while listening to music and doing designs in my graphic arts class. Day to day my time is consumed with art. If it’s not drawing or doing assignments in my graphic arts and design class, it’s producing music. Art is my love. I have been doing graphic design for almost two years now and I have become quite fond of it. I love how I can have an infinite imagination and demonstrate it on a screen. Music has always been my first love and I have been drawing since I was a kid. I think my imagination came after my siblings went off to college and instead of bonding with them, I had to use my time otherwise. I also found myself in trouble during my childhood for arguing with my sister or not doing a chore which resulted in a punishment. No tv. No games. No fun. So I had to make my own fun. I read and doodled cartoons. I've made many portraits of famous actors and rappers. They weren't that good but it was always something I could do to pass the time. I began hanging art on my wall and my parents admired my newly found talent. Honestly I think if I was never on punishment I wouldn’t be as interested in art as I am today. I plan on pursuing a bachelor’s degree at The Art institute of Washington. Hopefully after college I will be prepared to make a career out of it. I see myself doing designs for well known companies and maybe owning a business myself. I also plan to get a associate in film production because it's something else I’ve been interested in. With that being said I hope you enjoy my poster, and thank you for this opportunity.

• Morgan Lawrence
• The Art Institute of Tampa
• Poster Design Competition 2011

In my design I wanted to present two different views of life, with art and without. On the left, the scene is an old rundown town with no color present. The dead tree represents the dullness of life with no color. The tree is still alive but with no leaves present which adds to the lifeless appearance. The buildings are all rundown and the whole town looks unconscious. The stuffed- bunny on the ground shows that you cannot live a life with no color or art! The next aspect added in the dull side of the design included a heart with an arrow through it because a life with no art would pierce my heart. The right side of the design is full of color and life. I was attempting to show life and passion exploding out of the flower. I added grunge effects into the background layer and lowered the opacity. The flowers and the rays both have added strokes and color fills. I wanted to use bright colors because that is what my opinion of art is. I personally love abstract art and designs so that is what I am striving for. I used the shape tool to create the stars and bubbles. Then I gave the text a low opacity so you can still see through it and a stroke to make it stand out. Being able to see through the texts represents the many different ways the world interprets art. There are always different perspectives and views. I would really love to enhance my abilities in art and graphic design. I would love to attend the Art Institute of Tampa but financially it feels impossible. Therefore I am doing as much as I can to try and earn scholarships and financial aid so I will be able to further my career in a field that I am extremely passionate about. Ever since I was little I have been the creative one in my family. Whenever someone needs something drawn or poems written they come to me. For example, I have helped my aunt mosaic and make signs multiple times and written riddles for Christmas activities. I personally enjoy doing creative projects for my family because I am putting my skills to good work and helping others. I aspire to use my skills to help better the world and liven up the society in any way possible. For instance I would be more than happy to donate artwork or create free advertisements for nonprofit organizations such as the big bend hospital or programs for children with cancer. I believe that with the right help and efforts from a great college, I can accomplish this while also doing anything I put my mind to.

• Desiree Thatcher
• The Art Institute of Dallas
• Poster Design Competition 2011

The world that we live in is full of challenges. Some are mundane like chores or homework. Others are more significant; like illness, heartbreak or the end of valued relationships. Whatever the obstacle, they all take energy, both physical and emotional, to overcome. There are some periods in our lives when we can feel like a battery that is slowly being drained of its charge. No break in the action, no pause in the battle, just one hit after another after another…I believe that everyone needs a chance to recharge that battery. Some people call it “sharpening the blade” and others call it “a chance to unwind.” However we describe it, it all means more or less the same thing – reconnecting with ourselves. After we stop to smell the roses, we are often able to remember what is really important to us and to refocus our energy. For some this path to self-rediscovery could mean lying on a warm beach. For someone else, it might be calling a friend or reading a good book. For me, I feel the need to create something. What I want and need is to do something that balances out all of the negativity. Creating is, to me, the opposite of the tearing-down that I see all around me. It is the opposite of mean words. It is the opposite of objectification. It is the opposite of lies, of rumors, of all the things that tear someone or something down. It is the building up of a dream – my dream. I create through my art. Through art, I can be whatever I want to be. I can express my emotions in ways that others only dream of doing. I have no one telling me that I cannot achieve goals because of my age, gender, social class, or any other limitations. The art I create tells me that my dreams are everything but impossible. This feeling of entering my own paradise was the goal behind designing this poster. I want to show the viewer through these images the feelings I experience every time I pick up a pencil or pen. I wish to invite the audience of my poster to feel the weight of the world being lifted from their shoulders as they, in their minds, climb the stairs of their imagination along with me. I want to allow each person to design their own world that they themselves climb toward. Every person should be able to scrape off the muck of the world and find solace in another place. For me, this just happens to be through my art. I take comfort in knowing that when everything seems to go wrong in the “real world”, I can always escape to a place all my own. My life is truly better with art in it.