American Graphic Design Award

American Graphic Design Award

Ameera Steward

Campus Writer

A fellow student, Lesley Foote, has been awarded with the American Graphic Design Award by Graphic Design USA magazine. She was awarded for her design of a chocolate bar wrapper and box. According to Foote all she had to do was submit one photograph to the magazine and she received a letter in the mail telling her she won the award.

Foote said the chocolate packaging project was for Introduction to Graphic Design. The project wasn’t just to make a chocolate package but her professor had a process to it. They had to create a character and they had to come up with where they live and what the character would like, they just had to describe the character.

According to Foote the chocolate had to appeal to their character. They came up with a process book of where the character would go, wear, eat and everything the character would do. Her character was from the 50s and had a pinup girl style.

 Foote said that next was how they wanted the package to look. Because her character was from the 50s she decided to go with a cigarette packaging style. To help with the design Foote researched music and the culture of the 50s which is how she found the poster that influenced her color pallet.

Foote said, “I also listened to Rockabilly music. I would have in my ears Rockabilly music while I was thinking of the concepts and I was getting key phrases and words from what they were saying.”

According to Foote she then chose one color. Next she starts looking at typefaces or font families. She was so dedicated to the project she bought some of these typefaces she chose from. She said she chose typefaces that fit the era. She also looked at words from different posters, packages and things she’s heard from the 50s era to help her come up with a company name as well.

“It’s real important to show your process because it can’t just be something you said okay that’s cool I want to do it. You can’t you do that, you have to really show that there’s real thought put into it,” said Foote.  

Another part of the project, according to Foote, was to go out and buy some chocolate to help think of what type of chocolate they want to do. She went for chocolate she had never tasted before and they tasted the chocolate in class to discuss it. This helped her come up with specific names of each individual type of chocolate bars.

Foote said that they also had to pull nutrition facts, which she got from other chocolate bars. The students also had to use which shapes and textures to use. Her textures and shapes for the individual packaging came from the ingredients of the chocolate. For example, one of her chocolate bars had a bacon taste so the texture she used for that was one that reminded her of bacon.

According to Foote she then had to build her packaging box which caused her to have up to 12 to 15 different prototypes. They then had to photograph it and present it. They had a presentation board outside of the classroom, but for the in class presentation they had the actual box so that others could touch it.

“It was fun, it was really fun. When you’re doing this kind of project you kind of have to set your own taste aside and you kind of have to whatever is good for the project,” said Foote.

Foote said she feels honored to have received an award. She said she knew the project was worth it and she loved it and had a pleasure doing it. Foote also said she can’t believe they picked her project.

According to Foote it’s good to be an award winning designer because it’s good for the portfolio. She said awards validate a person’s work and that she will continue to submit her work.

“I’m thrilled that Lesley’s work is being recognized by GDUSA. It is a testament to her creative abilities and dedication to her major as well as to the quality of the Auburn Graphic Design program,” said assistant professor of Graphic Design, Robert Finkel.