Design Uganda 2012
This self-imitated project is an example of how a designer can become the author of their own content. As a social awareness designer, I have to be willing to be proactive and seek opportunities to trumpet a cause that I am passionate about. Design is both a noun and verb. The act of designing involves one becoming an expert in various topics in order to communicate an intended message successfully. The design process can be divided up into four important parts: research, ideation, execution, and final product. As a Graphic Design Professor in the age of Wikipedia and information at our fingertips, I have found that students negate the importance of hands-on research during their design process. Midwestern State University awarded me a research grant to travel to Uganda from June 13, 2012 – July 4, 2012. The purpose of this trip was to gather research for a new body of social awareness design work that covers topics in Uganda from orphans of HIV/AIDS to sex trafficking. This work included textures, colors, and patterns inspired by Ugandan crafts.