Crafting a Distinct Footprint in the Creative Realm
A Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Graphic Design with a focus on identity design, art instruction, and freelance work offers a diverse range of career paths and opportunities. One such individual who has benefited from this degree is Oscar Merritt, a former Air Force veteran now thriving in the creative industry.
Career Paths and Opportunities
Oscar's BFA in Graphic Design has opened doors to various roles, including graphic design, art direction, design direction, brand design, visual design, art teaching, art instruction, and freelance work. He has found himself drawn to identity design, where he designs logos, brand identity systems, marketing campaigns, and integrated visual communications in various media.
Additional Related Roles
In addition to his primary roles, Oscar has also explored other creative avenues such as advertising direction, animating, digital art, illustration, typeface design, and graphic arts technician.
Key Skills Developed in a BFA in Graphic Design Program
Through his BFA program, Oscar has honed his skills in mastery of industry software, digital and traditional art techniques, visual communication and campaign design, real-world client-based projects and internships, and vector and image creation for print and electronic media.
Oscar Merritt's Journey
Oscar Merritt, a former Air Force Logistics and Transportation specialist, found the BFA program at IMC to be more modern and stylish, offering more as standard compared to his previous educational institution. He encourages continuous creation, stating that every day is a lesson.
His favorite project so far has been the phase three assignment where he created a narrated video, which led to the launch of his own YouTube channel, Finesse The Challenger, and his subsequent acceptance into the Indian Motorcycle Ambassador Program.
The Inspiration Behind the Project
Oscar's project, which focused on a museum-like event about American motorcycles, specifically American-made V-Twin motorcycles, was inspired by his love of motorcycles and his indecision between two manufacturers, Indian Motorcycle (IMC) and Harley Davidson (HD). The project aimed to promote the similarities and differences between IMC and HD to help people who are undecided about which brand to purchase.
Future Goals and Advice
Oscar is pursuing a career that combines identity design, art instruction, and freelance work. His creative goals after graduation include freelancing as a logo designer and potentially teaching grade school art.
For those considering a creative career, Oscar's advice is to be true to oneself and let one's unique perspective shine through in their art or designs. He emphasizes the importance of understanding proven styles and philosophies to allow for conformity when needed and creativity when necessary.
[1] [Source 1] [2] [Source 2] [3] [Source 3] [4] [Source 4]
- Oscar's BFA in Graphic Design not only opened paths in graphic design, art direction, design direction, and brand design, but also led him to explore other related roles like advertising direction, animating, digital art, illustration, typeface design, and graphic arts technician.
- Oscar's future career aspirations involve pursuing a career that combines graphic design, education-and-self-development through art instruction, and personal-growth via freelance work, while also considering teaching grade school art as part of his learning journey.
