Student art will soon be displayed across the state.
Graphic design students at Auburn were asked to submit designs for the cover of Alabama's voter guide. Secretary of State Beth Chapman chose the winning design for the cover.
The winner, Kyle Pauley, sophomore in graphic design, said this is not the first time his graphic arts professor, Ross Heck, has worked with the government.
"They have worked with him in the past and with other GDES students to design posters," Pauley said, "so they knew we would deliver unique and creative designs for them."
The secretary of state has worked with Auburn students for 15 years.
"Many of the projects were for poster designs to encourage specific age groups to register to vote," Heck said. "This year's request was for the voter guide cover design."
Heck's class was on a tight schedule.
"I worked with the students on a two-week deadline for completion of their individual designs," Heck said.
With limited time to submit work, working outside of class was necessary.
"A lot of the computer editing and printing took place in the classroom," Pauley said, "but we also had to work outside of the classroom with researching the voter registration subject and sketching our ideas."
Pauley said he didn't allow politics to enter his design process.
"I don't get to watch the news as much as I would like, but I definitely understand how important politics are," Pauley said. "As far as the competition goes, I was definitely more focused on my design the most."
Emily Brett, sophomore in graphic design, came up with her cover design through various thumbnail sketches.
"I knew I wanted to keep my design fairly simple, so I utilized basic shapes and readable fonts," Brett said. "I limited my design to three colors as well. I incorporated the shape of the state along with patriotic symbols."
Pauley said he was surprised his design was chosen.
"I thought anyone in our class could have won it, and I was very honored to be selected," Pauley said. "It makes me feel special knowing that the secretary of state and her staff liked and felt comfortable enough with my design that they put it on their voter guide that gets sent all over the state. It's a great opportunity, and I am happy they chose my design."
Brett acknowledged her classmates' creativity.
"Everyone came up with a completely different design, and it was interesting to see how each one of us interpreted the challenge presented differently," Brett said.
Constructive criticism was also part of in-class support.
"Feedback and collaboration of the entire class is present when you look at the work," Brett said.
Heck praised his students for their hard work.
"I feel the students did a wonderful job of time management, concept development on a difficult topic, provided sound design solutions for their client," Heck said. "And lastly, they did a great job in their final presentations to the client."
Along with this competition, Pauley has entered some of his work in other exhibitions.
"I have entered some of my early drawings and photos in the art department's student exhibition that was held in Biggin Hall," Pauley said. "Many of the art majors submitted their works and had to go through a tough review process before we could get in."
The students also had the option to create and submit more than one design.
"The client had approximately 30 designs to choose from at the end of the project, and I think they were pleased with the end product," Heck said.
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