Sara Hagale, senior in graphic design, won the Judge’s Choice Award at the American Institute of Graphic Arts Atlanta Student Pin-Up show where several Auburn graphic design students showcased their work Jan. 24.
Twelve Auburn students in the graphic design program attended the show with Courtney Windham, assistant professor of graphic design, as their supervisor.
Windham said this was her first time going to this particular event, and it was a very artistic space that was similar to a gallery opening.
“It was a big photography studio, so there was lots of loft space,” Windham said. “The students could just put up their artwork with pushpins on the wall. It was a great experience for them to meet other graphic design students from the Atlanta area.”
Windham said there were about 10 other schools there.
Because of the large amount of competition, Hagale’s win represented Auburn’s graphic design program well, according to Windham.
“I think it definitely reflects well on us,” Windham said. “She is very talented, and we’re very glad that she’s part of our program.”
Hagale said she spent three weeks working on the project that was constructed for her intro to design class, taught by Robert Finkel, assistant professor in graphic design.
Hagel said the assignment was to design a set of chocolate bars and the packing of them that would appeal to a particular audience of their choosing.
“We were told to make a specific audience for our chocolate bars, so I did a widowed woman that was obsessed with connecting with the spirit world to contact her dead husband,” Hagale said.
According to Hagale, the graphic design professors are always trying to get them to submit their artwork to competitions such as AIGA Atlanta Student Pin-Up.
Hagale said she was originally not planning on going, but decided to go at the last minute.
“This was my first time at this event,” Hagale said. “I’ve actually never been to a graphic design event like it before. There were about 10 other schools, and it was very casual.”
Since the event was somewhat impromptu, Hagale said the award caught her off-guard.
“I was pleasantly surprised,” Hagale said.
Finkel said he was very impressed with his student’s work.
“The conceptual side is that you have to tell a story with these projects,” Finkel said. “We were trying to capture the idea of visual storytelling.”
Finkel said he was not surprised by his student’s victory.
“All of her work is really outstanding,” Finkel said. “She’s really pushed some boundaries in terms of the kind of design aesthetics as well as the kind of conceptual thinking behind it. It works very nicely as a conceptual project piece.”
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