Just Accepted Apparel Industry Management Student is Passionate About Hip Hop, Sneakers, and Streetwear

Full Name: Bryan Joseph Morales
 
Age: 17 years old
 
Hometown: Cerritos, California
 
Year in School: Senior at San Juan Hills HS

FIDM Major: Apparel Industry Management

Campus and Start Date: Orange County, Fall 2012

Admissions Advisor: Joleen Harris

Tell us a bit about yourself. I've always taken pride in the way that I dress as it expresses who I am. I've been dressing myself ever since I transferred from a private to a public school in third grade. My elementary school classmates would tell you I wore nothing but NBA jerseys and Dragon Ball Z t-shirts. I began to stray away from the cartoon t-shirts around the age of 12, and by the seventh grade, streetwear was all I knew.

I'm an avid fan of Diamond Supply Co. and have been supporting their line for years. I aspire to own a line as successful as the owner, Nick Tershay, one day. As far as my style, hip-hop has easily had the most significant impact on what I wear. I have always appreciated the styles of Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, and many other music artists. My love for hip-hop has not only altered my perspective on many things growing up, it has played a large role in shaping my wardrobe throughout the years.
 
Basketball is something I have always loved as well. I have not stopped playing organized basketball since the age of seven, and I am currently playing AAU. With my love for basketball as well as clothing, it only makes sense that I'm the type that will drool over a pair of sneakers. I have a huge appreciation for Air Jordans because of how much I love the game of basketball and the history behind each sneaker.

What are your proudest accomplishments so far? Making the decision to study at FIDM in order to pursue my dream career is something I am very proud of. Along with making the decision, I'm proud of the person I am growing up to be. I have matured a lot since my passion for clothing first began. Being mentioned on tournament websites and on scouting reports for basketball throughout my AAU career is something I am very proud of as well.

What made FIDM right for you? The Apparel Industry Management Program is the perfect major for giving me the tools that I need to reach my career goals. 

Describe your entrance project. I had trouble finding inspiration until about a week before my appointment when a song lyric hit me. I immediately started sketching and it led me to create a 10-page black and red booklet. My essay was on the first two pages followed by outfits of my clothing line, which I had sketched. My clothing targeted the young hip-hop and skateboarding cultures.

On the back of every page in the booklet, I taped the album artwork of artists such as Kanye West, Curren$y, Kendrick Lamar, A$AP Rocky, A Tribe Called Quest, Jay-Z, and many more. The reason for the album art was because many of the artists' lyrics and styles inspired my sketches.

What are your career goals? I want to create a line that caters to the hip-hop and skateboarding community. I hope to fulfill my dream of owning a store in Los Angeles. I long for the day when music artists, skaters, actors, actresses, and athletes come in to my store to shop. Expanding my clothing internationally is a goal of mine as well. To open up stores in countries across the world is something I have dreamed of for quite a while. But for the most part, I want my clothing line to be successful enough to give back to my entire family.
 
What do you expect to learn at FIDM? I expect to learn the skills needed to efficiently manage a clothing company. I want to learn everything there is to know about successfully managing and producing my line. I can't explain how much I am looking forward to the education FIDM will provide me with.

Just Accepted Visual Communications Student is Inspired by Rachel Zoe and Wants to be a Stylist

Full Name: Caitlan Szabo

Age: 19

Hometown: Long Beach, CA

Year in School or Previous College History: Some Community College

FIDM Major: Visual Communications

FIDM Campus and Start Date: Orange County, Fall 2012

Admissions Advisor: Susan Pope

Tell us a bit about yourself. Among other things, I love fashion and I love to shop. I am blessed to have landed a job at Nordstrom where I get to surround myself with things I enjoy, as well as helping others feel beautiful. It’s very rewarding.

My Nordstrom carreer  has lead me to the realization that I want to spend the majority of my life doing something that I enjoy. I'm in love with the fashion industry and making a difference in people’s lives. My inspiration at this time in my life is Rachel Zoe. She is an amazingly talented, strong woman and I aspire to be like her.

What are your proudest accomplishments so far? I am proud of the woman I have grown up to be. I have a good head on my shoulders and have surrounded myself with people who have integrity and authenticity. I’m proud of the way I carried myself through this journey which has lead me to FIDM and pursuing a career in fashion.

What made FIDM right for you? The atmosphere at FIDM caught my eye. After touring and meeting people at FIDM, I got an immediate "at-home" feeling. I fit right in with the other students and that’s an amazing feeling. FIDM has so many more things to offer me than your standard college; it feels like "the sky’s the limit" here.  I’m inspired, hopeful, and excited!

Describe your entrance project. My favorite outfit was the inspiration for my three entrance projects. I used it as my overall theme. I created a little boutique that was reflective of my personal style by using circles, triangles, and squares; I made a Jeffrey Campbell "Lita." I wanted to use acutal objects as those shapes so I used flowers for the circles, cutouts of lace triangles, and mosaic tiles for squares.

For my window display I kept it simple. I had a wooden design in the background and three models wearing bohemian-inspired clothing to portray what would be inside. The interior display of my store was a boutique so it was very clean and didn’t incorporate too many pieces that would overwhelm the client. Throughout my three projects I used coordinating colors and designs. I used real leather and denim to give texture.

What are your career goals? I plan to become a personal stylist! Styling is my passion and I love creating looks for people and being the one to make them feel amazing in whatever they wear. If given the opportunity, event planning is also an interest of mine.

What do you expect to learn at FIDM?  I want to really learn the way of the business and the lifestyle of being in this industry. I am excited to be hands-on and be working on my major right off the bat -- I can’t wait to explore all the aspects of the Visual Communications major.

IMPD Grad Continues Her Studies with Bachelor of Science Degree at FIDM

Whidbey Island native Ariel Carroll just graduated from FIDM with a degree in International Manufacturing & Product Development (IMPD). She is continuing her studies with plans to finish her Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management at FIDM by March 2013.

Name: Ariel Carroll

Campus: Los Angeles

Major: Product Development/International Manufacturing and Product Developement

Hometown: Whidbey Island, Washington

Tell us a little about yourself: I a grew up on a hippy island, and I ended up in the big city of Los Angeles, going to FIDM—I am loving my life here. Wouldn't change it for anything. I am 21 years old and have my second Associates Degree and will be finishing my BS in March 2013. I love so many aspects of design and product development that it is so hard to decide what I want to end up doing in my career. So, I plan to go with what life gives me and stay at the top!

What is one of your proudest accomplishments? The fact that I have made it this far. I've been indecisive in the past, and now I am on a track that I love and I am doing well at it.

Tell us about your experience in the IMPD Program: I designed missy tops for our target mom. This program was the best. I made so many connections and friendships, and gained so much knowledge that I can take with me throughout my educational journey and career path. My teachers have been absolutely amazing, and traveling to Europe and Hong Kong has given me a new perspective on research and manufacturing. 

What was the biggest lesson you learned in the IMPD Program? Teamwork. It's not always about what you think is going to sell; it's about research, validation, and working with your team to collaborate on determining the best trends. 

Tell us a little about your traveling experience in the IMPD Program: I traveled first to Paris, France and Milan, Italy for trend research. My experience at Premiere Vision and Trend Union, and observing street fashion helped me in my trend research; it was something else. Knowing that Europe is 1.5 years ahead of American fashion made it a little easier to go there and pull what I think will sell in America and use that to inspire my designs. Later in the program we went to Hong Kong for production. We looked at manufacturers to get the real experience of what it is like to visit a factory. This gave me real life experience, which helped me to understand it better.

Tell us about the upcoming Fall 2012 trends: We mainly did reseach on trends for Fall 2012. I saw blush tones and pastels giving a feminine feel, even in the fall season, mixed with complimentary rich dull colors.

What fashion sites/blogs do you love? Stylesight, Doneger, and WGSN

How did you hear about FIDM and what made you decide to go here? I told a family friend, who is a teacher at a college, that that I was interested in clothing; he told me I had to check out FIDM. I had looked at other college campuses, but I didn't feel like they were home. When I looked at FIDM, I knew it was for me!

How did you choose your major? I wanted something that involved design and business. And Product Development fit this description to a T.

What are your career goals and how is FIDM helping you get there? Through my majors I realized that I enjoy many aspects of the industry. I definitely want to go into product development in a well known company, more corporate at first, and then I will let life come at me. As long as I love my job and I'm still learning, I will be happy.

What advice do you have for someone thinking about going to FIDM? If you like fashion then COME ON OVER! This is the place to be if your heart is in it. You will have a blast!

Anything else you'd like to share? I loved my experience here so much, and I'm sad that the IMPD Program is now over for me.

Just Accepted Fashion Design Student Wants to be a Designer With a Purpose

Name: Grace An

Age: 18

Hometown: Murrieta, California.

Year in School: I'm a senior at Vista Murrieta, fast approaching graduation. Go Class of 2012!

FIDM Major: I'm starting with Fashion Design and then I want to take Merchandise Product Development my next two years.

FIDM Campus and Start Date: I'm going to the L.A. campus in July.

Admissions Advisor: The fabulous Christian Moralde.

Tell us a bit about yourself. I'm seriously obsessed with the pop culture of the 1980s. Everything from the style to the multimedia was perfect then. I definitely get much of my inspiration from that time era (as well as the 1950s). I'm also crazy about cats. I walk around our city's Old Town for fun. I love dancing even though I'm not a dancer and my favorite food is the soft potato taco at Taco Bell.

What are your proudest accomplishments so far? I got to be a part of the O'Neill Gen Next design competition, which was really cool. Although I partook in such a huge event, I'd say my proudest accomplishment was completing a small clothing line each year for our school's fashion show. That definitely took a lot of my effort and it was through that experience that I realized where my best interests for the future were.

What made FIDM right for you? What drew me in was the awesome majors and curriculum that FIDM provided. I also didn't mind all the cool resources that I'd get to use once I go.

Describe your entrance project. I actually signed up for Merchandise Product Development first and my entrance project was to choose five basic clothes and make changes to them. After that I would mark a price for these clothes and create a store where I would sell them. I chose sweaters as my clothing category and grunged them up. I came up with a name, theme, demographic, etc. for my store.

What are your career goals? I don't want to be just a fashion designer. I think fashion should have a good purpose behind it. Otherwise it's meaningless to me. I hope to take my talents and creativity to become successful and help people who are in need of anything. It sounds pretty ambitious. However, I want to make a difference no matter how small or big that difference is.

What do you expect to learn at FIDM? I hope to hone in on my creativity and learn to use it effectively. I want to learn all the skills it takes to be successful in the fashion industry. I'm pretty stoked to be a student.

Just Accepted Visual Communications Student is Competing for Miss California

Full Name: Heidi Kathryn Uzelac
 
Age: 18 years old
 
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
 
Year in School: I am a Senior at Beverly Hills High School.
 
FIDM Major: Visual Communications

FIDM Campus and Start Date: Los Angeles, July 2012
 
Admissions Advisor: Kyle Pahel
 
Tell us a bit about yourself. I love making art, following fashion blogs, designing clothes, watching movies, participating in pageants, and planning events. I am currently Miss Bel Air and am running for Miss California, USA next March. My platform is to raise awareness for heart disease which is the number one killer of people in Los Angeles. I became inspired to advocate for the American Heart Association after my mother suffered from cardiac arrest this past October.

Advocating for others is a great passion of mine, which is why I became a peer counselor at my high school. I am also the founder/president of the Beverly Hills High School official FIDM Fashion Club and was a competitive cheerleader for nine consecutive years.
 
What are your proudest accomplishments so far? Maintaining a high GPA on top of supporting myself through the second half of my high school experience, as well as founding the Fashion Club, and being able to help others. I have found out that good things come to those who are patient and willing to help others.
 
What made FIDM right for you? EVERYTHING! The campus is absolutely to die for. I am an aesthetic learner, and the environment that the FIDM classrooms offer is unlike any other. Inspiration is everywhere -- not to mention the fact that this school is one that I used to dream of attending.
 
Describe your entrance project. My tasks were to design the interior of a store, a window display, and on a blank 8" by 11" sheet of paper I was to draw anything that my mind came up with, as long as it included a triangle, a circle, and a square. For my interior display, I chose to draw a watch display. It included a man and a woman dressed in trench coats with watches hanging on the inside of their coats as well as up and down their arms. Above the display hung a quote saying “Late for a very important date?”

For my window display, I chose to dress mannequins in baby doll dresses with a butterfly theme. Each dress incorporated beautiful butterfly wings and pretty butterflies surrounded the display. The final part of my entrance project was my absolute favorite. On a blank sheet of paper, incorporating circles, triangles, and squares, I drew a super cool hippie bus in the woods next to an exotic tree with hands forming ‘peace signs’ and animals were hidden throughout the drawing. With the use of vibrant colors and blending techniques, I was able to really make the picture come to life.
 
What are your career goals? To travel the world, meet inspiring people, and to have a job that challenges me every day. With all of these, happiness and success will follow.
 
What do you expect to learn at FIDM? While attending FIDM, I plan to enhance my aesthetic skills, and learn all there is to know about the fashion industry. I would love to learn about what goes on in the back end of business in fashion, and what it takes to have your own company.

Just Accepted Visual Communications San Diego Student is Passionate About Art and Design

Full Name: Charmaine Rose Ann Ramos Lim

Age: 18

Hometown: San Diego, CA

Year in School: Senior at Great Oak HS

FIDM Major: Visual Communications

FIDM Campus and Start Date: San Diego in the Fall of 2012

Admissions Advisor: Roxy DeGuzman

Tell us a bit about yourself. I enjoy a variety of things that surround art. I love Polynesian dancing, I've been active for four years now in and outside of high school. I like to write poetry (slam/spoken word) during my free time and I enjoy music as well; I'm still a beginner at the acoustic guitar, as I am still learning in class that I take currently at Great Oak.

Lastly, I like to take the time to sketch and paint even if I'm not the best. I like to utilize all forms of expression - mainly fashion of course. It's naturally become a crucial part in my life. I'm easily inspired and have this overwhelming appreciation for beauty thus creating my path towards FIDM.

What are your proudest accomplishments so far? I am quite proud of myself for being accepted as a FIDM Student. I am proud that I am not afraid to pursue my goals and turn my dreams into my reality. I am proud that I was given this opportunity and that I took advantage of it, I am also proud that I am creating this process (because education is something you have to want) so that I can not only make myself proud in the end, but give thanks back to both of my parents who deserve a lifelong appreciation.

What made FIDM right for you? FIDM is right for me because I can receive two degrees in four years, including my creative major as well as a business degree -- there's no where else to turn. This school values individuality and self expression as much as I do. I admire the curriculum and the placement rates are beyond amazing!

What are your career goals? I am focused on a career, not just a job in my field of study. In this economy, FIDM will allow me to find and explore the areas that best suits me. I aspire to intern for magazines, assist at fashion shows, and to simply be a member of creation. I am not entirely sure on what I would like to turn into a permanent career, but attending FIDM will help me discover what that will be.

What do you expect to learn at FIDM? I expect to learn not only the art of the fashion industry, but the business aspect of it also. I am more than certain that this is place for me. I expect FIDM to help me with intern positions, job fairs, and a professional approach to this industry.

Visit Charmaine's YouTube Channel!

IMPD Grad Talks About Study Tour in Paris, Milan, and Hong Hong

Rancho Palos Verdes native Bernadette Lansing just graduated from FIDM with a degree in International Manufacturing & Product Development (IMPD). Her extensive research has shown the key fashion colors to expect for fall include ruby wines, woody browns, rich neutrals, forest greens, and deep and pale blues.

Tell us a little about yourself: I am 21 years old and a middle child. I have always loved being creative and working with my hands. When I was little, I enjoyed doing crafts and making greeting cards for my family, which I still do when I find the time. I also fell in love with photography in high school, and carry a camera wherever I go. I wasn’t the girl who grew up sewing and definitely knew I wanted to attend FIDM. I always liked fashion, but I had many interests. In fact, before I came to FIDM I had already acquired an A.A. degree in General Studies. However, as soon as my admissions advisor, Richard Kim, took me on a tour of the campus and told me about the IMPD program, I knew that it was for me.

What is one of your proudest accomplishments? Completing the IMPD Program. It was exhilarating to put in all that hard work, get up on stage, and give my presentation showing the fruits of my labor. My classmates and I have taken this 9-month IMPD journey together; to see the final products come out so well, and to receive such positive feedback, has been incredible and gratifying.

Tell us about your experience in the IMPD Program: You really do learn everything from concept to consumer, and working with a mentor really puts what you are learning into practice. I designed bottoms and outerwear for the Cherokee Tween Girl, ages 5-14. Some of my pieces included denim jeans, corduroy pants, cable knit capes, and jean jackets.

Who was your target? My target customer for Cherokee was Tween Girls aged from 5 to 14 years old. However, her mom, who is between 25-45 years old, and who is Cherokee’s main target market, does most of the shopping for this girl. She will be making the actual purchases for her daughter as well as the rest of her family; therefore, I had to make pieces that the mom would want to buy and that the daughter would like to wear.

What was the biggest lesson you learned in the IMPD Program? Definitely communication! Having to work with 12 other girls in this program and trying to get everyone to work together and communicate well was challenging. Whenever a problem or disagreement arose, we were always able to work through it and get to a solution. This experience has improved my skills in working in groups and communicating effectively; I feel completely confident that I will be able to put my communication skills to good use in the future.

Tell us a little about your traveling experience in the IMPD Program: For this program we traveled to Paris, Milan, and Hong Kong. In Paris, we did trend research for Fall 2012. We shopped the stores, looked at street styles and even attended the fabric show Première Vision. All of these things could be done in a real-life job. Also, visiting factories is important to do in a real job in order to check on your company’s products, which is what we did in Milan and Hong Kong. We visited Carrera in Italy and the Frontline factory in Hong Kong. It was a great experience.

Tell us about the upcoming Fall 2012 trends: One main trend we focused on for Fall 2012 was this theme of the outdoors and the countryside with a crafty feel. Key colors include ruby wines, woody browns, rich neutrals, forest greens, and deep and pale blues. Important silhouettes will be chunky knits, full skirts, fun trench coats and many denim and corduroy pieces.

What fashion sites/blogs do you love? Some of my favorite sites I love browsing through are WGSN, WWD, and Stylesight! Also, I am always on Free People’s blog, BLDG 25 Blog. It is fun and inspiring, and I am always checking to see what’s new.

How did you hear about FIDM and what made you decide to go here? I found out about FIDM by doing research online. I decided to take a tour. After seeing the campus and learning about all the programs, I knew that this type of school was the right fit for me.

How did you choose your major? I originally wanted to go into the IMPD Program, but after finding out that it was a third year program, I decided to go into Merchandise Product Development first because I wanted to learn how to create a fashion line, sketch garments, etc., as well as learn the business side of fashion.

What are your career goals and how is FIDM helping you get there? I am open to all opportunities, from pre-production to production. Specifically, I am interested in kidswear, wedding gowns/eveningwear, and environmentally-friendly fashion. FIDM has provided me with the skills necessary to obtain a job in which I will excel.

What advice do you have for someone thinking about going to FIDM? FIDM really provides hands-on learning experience. The instructors are in the industry and know what’s going on. The classes are small, the environment has a creative feel, and the resources available to you are tremendous. If you are interested in any of the majors FIDM offers, take a tour and talk with an admissions advisor; when you see it for yourself you will know how amazing this school is.

New Interview: Apparel Industry Management Grad Makes T-Shirts for The Voice Contestant

Maritza Whittaker (in photo, on left) graduated from FIDM two years ago with a degree in Apparel Industry Management. She's now doing PR for fellow FIDM Grad Cheesa Laureta (in photo, on right), a contestant on NBC's The Voice. Vote online for Cheesa tonight starting at 9:55pm PT; you can also vote through The Voice's facebook page.

Name: Maritza Whittaker
FIDM Grad Year: 2010
Campus: Los Angeles
Major: Apparel Industry Management
Job Title: Owner (Sourcing, Production, Consultation)
Company: L7society

Tell us a little about yourself? I was born and raised in Inglewood, CA. I am a very outspoken person who has always felt the need to be challenged. Growing up in my environment so many people told me that I would never amount to anything. I had no real guidance. High school seemed pointless because I had no plans to attend college. No major really appealed to me. Then I found out about FIDM and my entire life changed.

I began to apply myself to my school work like never before, and raised my GPA and self-confidence. One of my biggest achievements was getting accepted to FIDM. Once I became a student, I had a platform to challenge my passion for fashion. In doing so, I learned to really appreciate my interaction with the teachers and my fellow students. My teachers really helped me stay on the right path all the way to my graduation.

What are you doing now? I am currently freelancing as a designer. Prior to that, I was a Production Coordinator at a small LA-based manufacturing company. That was one of the best jobs I have ever had. It offered me massive amounts of on-the-job experience, while allowing me to hone my problem-solving skills. The most exciting project that I worked on at that company was a Lady Gaga kids' collection. Every detail had to be perfect. It really challenged the entire team. The bar for perfection was so high that some people even got fired. The pressure was intense but it really sharpened my problem-solving skills.

How do you know Cheesa? Cheesa and I were in the same Global Human Resource Management class. Mrs. Pender put us in group from the first week of school and we have been inseparable ever since. From there on, we were the "dynamic duo." We registered for the same classes to spend as much time together as possible. It was a perfect combination, for we are complete opposites when it came to school. All my weaknesses we're her strengths and vice versa. All in all, having her around made learning dynamic and fun.

Tell us about your experience with doing PR for Cheesa on The Voice? The experience has been great. We still work great together, and it gives me the sense that we are still at FIDM. Cheesa loves fashion, but her true passion is singing. That is her "red" zone, you might say. I really believe she could win the competition; she is just a natural talent.

What's your PR strategy? To get the word out we used multiple grassroot strategies including printing T-shirts, handing out flyers, and engaging in social media. Her friends and family really support her so we have promo teams in Los Angeles, the Philippines, and Hawaii. Of course we had to use Facebook and Twitter. Her fan page is http://www.facebook.com/CheesaOfficial

What fashion websites/blogs do you love to visit? I love: Put This On, We Are The Market, Issuu, Complex, Hypebeast, and Agenda.

How did you know FIDM was the right college for you? Everything just felt right. The ambiance and environment gave me a good feeling. FIDM was the only college I visited. My counselor recommended I go check out other colleges for comparison, but I refused. I knew, without a doubt, that it was the school for me.

How did you decide on your major? Mrs. Ester Jang listened to my ideas and picked Apparel Industry Management for me, so I love her so much for that. She helped me through the whole process on a personal level.

How do you feel FIDM prepared you for what you’re doing now? FIDM prepared me in a lot of areas so after graduating I was able to handle a variety of freelance projects. The Apparel Technology class I feel helped me look at and embrace the future. All-in-all, FIDM prepared me mentally to put theory into practice.

Any advice for current FIDM students? Your life will revolve around deadlines and more deadlines, so be prepared and stay focused. Those end of the quarter projects prepare you for sleep deprivation.

What is your biggest goal right now? Starting a line with Cheesa. It was our dream at FIDM. We would stay up for three days straight to finish projects, take naps in the library bean bags and always say to each other, "One day it will be worth it!" We would also love to start working on non-profit projects.

Anything else you’d like to share? Support Cheesa Laureta on The Voice tonight!

Let's get Cheesa to the finish line! Vote online starting at 9:55pm PT tonight (Monday, April 23rd); you can also vote through The Voice's facebook page.

**

Every Monday for the next few weeks we'll be doing a Cheesa T-shirt giveaway (designed by Cheesa, and produced by Maritza). Just tweet about Cheesa and The Voice with @fashionclub and you're entered for the random drawing!

Just Accepted Visual Communications Student Wants to Style and Design Windows

Full Name: Kelley Johnson

Age: 17

Hometown: Olympia,WA

Year in School: 12

FIDM Major: Visual Communications

FIDM Campus and Start Date: Los Angeles Campus in Fall 2012

Admissions Advisor: Kristen Chocek

What are your proudest accomplishments so far? My proudest accomplishment was getting into FIDM. I worked so hard on my application and my project, and I was proud to say that because of my hard work, I got into the school of my dreams.

What made FIDM right for you? I have always wanted to attend FIDM. The college feautures the major I want, Visual Communications, and allows me to be surrounded by people who share the same interests as me.

Describe your entrance project. I wanted my entrance projects to reflect me in the best way possible. A lot of my projects included things that I love, such as Pac Man, the beach, or peacocks. I wanted to express my ideas and also share a little piece of me in each and every project.

What are your career goals? I am not completely sure what I want to do with my Visual Communications Degree because the choices are endless. I am mainly interested in styling or becoming a window designer at this moment though.

What do you expect to learn at FIDM? I expect to learn professional skills, more about my degree, and more about the world of fashion.

Just Accepted Graphic Design Student is an Award-Winning Artist

Full Name: Quinn Palmer

Age: 18

Hometown: Concord, NH

Year in School: 12

FIDM Major: Graphic Design

FIDM Campus and Start Date: San Francisco, Fall 2012

Admissions Advisor: Jennifer Roach

Tell us a bit about yourself. I'm a self-taught digital artist and have been learning the trade for the last few years essentially from the internet. Two years ago, a friend of mine offered to buy a print of one of my pieces, and that sparked the proverbial lightbulb glowing brightly above my head: people would pay money for my artwork!

The next week I set up a website and began selling prints, and from there my website has evolved into having tons of products available to get the artwork printed on. I update the website every week with new artwork and new products whenever I can.

What are your proudest accomplishments so far? Winning first place in the nation in a scholastic art competition with my piece, Cold Fury. Out of thousands of entries, mine was chosen to win not only a gold circle, but was selected as the best piece submitted overall.

What made FIDM right for you? Because I'm working on my artwork with a spin towards the business aspect, FIDM really stood out to me as a school that's very up-to-date in the industry and could also train me in the aspects of business I need to make my company really take off.

Describe your entrance project. My entrance project was also based around my business. I created a magazine cover for it, a large page advertisement, and a bag design with my logo on it. All of these designs featured my artwork.

What are your career goals? To continue my business on the side at the very least, if not as a
full time job, and to make a career for myself in the graphic design industry.

What do you expect to learn at FIDM? A much better grasp of the aesthetics of graphic design and publicity.

Visit THESKI.IN to learn more about Quinn's digital art.