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Joy Ohler Portfolio –

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Joy Ohler Portfolio –

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copyright © 2011 joy ohler

All rights reserved.

00947534

Academy of Art University

School of Graphic Design

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No part of this publication may be

reproduced, stored in a retrieval

system or transmitted, in any form

or by any means, electronic,

mechanical, photocopying, recording

or otherwise, without permission.

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f irst edition

December 2011

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printing and binding

www.blurb.com

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paper

Mohawk Superfine

Eggshell Ultrawhite

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typeface

Fairfield

Univers

course

Graduate Portfolio

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instructor

Mary Scott

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term

Fall 2011

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duration

15 weeks

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contact number

415.370.2844

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e-mail

[email protected]

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web site

www.ohlerdesign.com/joy

Personal Statement 005

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graduate thesis

Akin Families 006

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graduate work

Falling From Grace 020

The New Saab 036

Futura 052

Table Talk 062

Let’s Go 072

Reaching for the American Dream 080

EyeCon 2011 092

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professional work

Berry Promotion 106

Adobe Carousel 114

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Acknowledgements 120

Decision is the spark that ignites action.

Until a decision is made, nothing happens.

Decision is the courageous facing of issues,

knowing that if they are not faced,

problems will remain forever unanswered.

wilfred a. peterson

As a visual communicator, I believe that

my job is beyond making things look good.

My real job is to communicate ideas well,

assist people to understand the issues and

persuade them to act accordingly.

joy ohler

fuse

Because of many misconceptions, a disproportionate

number of children ages five and above are currently

languishing in child care institutions waiting to be adopted.

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spark

bright colors, hopeful photographs of parents

and children, Paula Scher, Paul Rand, Saul Bass

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flame

Akin Families creates awareness and stimulates action to

counter the current adoption disparity and give every child,

regardless of age, an opportunity for future success.

My goal is to correct the misconceptions about adopting

an older child. I also would like to emphasize the benefits

of having a loving and caring home for a child and the

rewards of being a parent of an older child.

Akin Families provides accessible information for prospective

parents and adoptive parents about older child adoption.

Akin Families’ web site hosts an online community where

members help each other by sharing their life experiences

and stories about their adoption.

AKIN FAMILIESFinding Forever Families

For Older Children –

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combustibles

course

Graduate Thesis

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directed study advisors

Michael Kilgore

David Hake

Doug Hebert

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semesters

Fall 2009 - Fall 2011

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typeface

Frutiger

Serifa

photography

90% Joy Ohler

10% stock photography

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audience

prospective adoptive parents,

general public

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deliverables

ad campaign, web site, identity

guidelines, introduction to adoption

book, life book kit, adoption

planner, promotional materials,

thesis process book

3x

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fuse

Design materials for a film festival that celebrates

the work of a chosen director. The various film

festival elements must be cohesive and reflect

a unifying concept.

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spark

films of Robert Altman, religious objects,

dark and gritty photographs

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flame

Known as the “actor’s director,” Robert Altman had

the tendency to sketch out only the basic plot as

a guide for action and allowed his actors to improvise

dialogue. Altman favored stories that presented

interrelationship between several characters. Each

character’s journey included making personal

decisions and avoiding temptations. Referencing

Altman’s Catholic background, I explored the idea

of the seven deadly sins in his films. Seven of

his films were selected that each represented a sin.

FALLING FROM GR ACEObserving Human Transgressions

in the Films of Robert Altman –

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combustibles

course

Integrated Communications

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instructor

Hunter Wimmer

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semester

Fall 2009

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duration

15 weeks

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typeface

Avenir

Caledonia

Turnpike

photography

60% Joy Ohler

25 % movie screenshots


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audience

film lovers, followers of Robert

Altman and people who would

like to celebrate his contribution

to the film industry

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deliverables

logo, poster, catalog, books,

DVD box set, sound track,

business system,event ticket,

outdoor advertisements,

schedule, event location map

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fuse

Select an obsolete or defunct brand to reinvent by

developing a new identity, visual standards and

stationery system. In addition to the updated look,

brand extensions must also be considered.

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spark

speed, Swedish design, car catalogues,

conversations with Saab enthusiasts

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flame

My strategy was to emphasize Saab’s inspiration

from aircrafts and its quirky but stylish design. The

new Saab would appeal to drivers who want a car

that reflects their free spirit individuality. During the

research process I connected with some Saab

enthusiasts and learned that it was not just the style

and performance of the car that made them treasure

their Saabs, but also the memories that are attached

to their cars.

THE NEW SA ABReinventing A Brand –

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combustibles

course

Nature of Identity

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instructor

Hunter Wimmer

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semester

Spring 2010

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duration

15 weeks

typeface

Avenir

Serifa

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audience

young professionals,

Saab enthusiasts

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deliverables

identity guidelines book,

stationery system, web site design,

environment graphics

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fuse

Create a type specimen box composed of three

different sections; the first section shall have pages

based on classic type artifacts designed by masters

of typography such as Wolfgang Weingart and Emil

Ruder; the middle section must include font studies

that involve exquisite technical skills in typesetting;

the last section needs to comprise experimental

typographic pages that demonstrate the use of type

in non-conventional ways.

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spark

Bauhaus, Wolfgang Weingart, Emil Ruder,

various typography books

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flame

I chose Futura because of its geometric yet fragile

nature. The use of the colors, black and bright red

helped associate the project with Bauhaus. The

specimen pages were printed on 100% cotton paper

to resemble the delicate nature of Futura. I was

able to develop a keen understanding of the subtle

nuance of type while completing this project.

FUTUR AType Specimen Box –

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combustibles

course

Type Survey II

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instructor

Jennifer Sterling

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semester

Spring 2008

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duration

15 weeks

typeface

Futura

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audience

designers, typography enthusiasts

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deliverables

box labels, exercise sheets, font

study sheets, experimental sheets

onde 20

onde 18

onde 17

onde 15

onde 09

onde 11

onde 12

onde 14

onde 08

onde 07

onde 05

onde 01

onde 02

onde 16

onde 13

onde 06

onde 03

onde 04

onde 19

onde 10

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fuse

Select an object or routine to be carefully observed

for at least a week. Then design a book based on the

observations and data collected.

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spark

food, lunch bags, conversations occurred and

overheard, distinct neighborhoods of San Francisco

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flame

I used this project to look at a lunch break as more than

the time to eat. Afterwards I realized that a lunch break

could be a short getaway from everyday obligations for

those of us who have a 9 -5 job. I was also able to

get to know my colleagues better. Together we explored

different cuisines and culture around Chinatown,

North Beach, and San Francisco’s Financial District. The

final book contained personal thoughts, conversations,

overheard statements, and photographs taken during

my observation phase.

TABLE TALK:Accounts of A Lunch Break –

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combustibles

course

Type Experiments

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instructor

Stan Zienka

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semester

Spring 2009

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duration

5 weeks

t ypeface

Univers

Goudy

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photography

100% Joy Ohler

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audience

anyone who works about

8 hours per day

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deliverables

book

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fuse

Design an experimental typographic poster based on

a song. The poster must exhibit the mood and depict

the visual translation of the chosen song. During the

experiment, type manipulation is limited to only the

use of projectors and transparencies.

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spark

music, travel photos, the movie Little Miss Sunshine,

songs by the group Devotcka

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flame

My song was Let’s Go by Devotchka. Although it does

not contain lyrics, it evokes strong emotions through the

different beats and intensity of the song. Throughout

the poster I used text from a poem that I wrote while

repeatedly listening to the song. The sound wave

graphic is composed of the various photographs taken

during the experiment.

LET’S GOExperimental Music Poster –

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combustibles

course

Type Experiments

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instructor

Stan Zienka

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semester

Spring 2009

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duration

5 weeks

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typeface

Univers

Goudy

photography

100% Joy Ohler

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audience

nusic enthusiasts, visual designers,

photography enthusiasts

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deliverables

poster

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fuse

Pick a topic and investigate its opportunity

gaps. Examine both sides of the issue and

provide attainable solutions.

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spark

travel documents, immigration and other

government documents

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flame

Reaching for the American Dream is a book that analyzes

both positive and negative points of view regarding

immigration. Those who are opposed blame poverty in

America on immigration; they say that immigrants take

jobs from Americans. On the other hand, those who are

in favor say immigrants help boost the economy. The

contents of the book came from my research findings

through reading books, web sites, research papers,

audience profile studies and round table discussions

with two sets of focus groups.

REACHING FOR THE AMERICAN DREAM

Exploring the Effects of Immigration

on Poverty in the United States –

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course

Integrated Communications

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instructors

Phil Hamlett, Jeremy Stout

and Hunter Wimmer

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semester

Fall 2008

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duration

15 weeks

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typeface

Berthold Akzidenz Grotesk

Adobe Caslon

photography

85% Joy Ohler


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audience

immigrants, general public

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deliverables

information graphic poster,

focus group invitation, sets of

research cards, book

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fuse

Choose a topic that is related to typography and design

a conference around it. The deliverables must include

a promotional mailer, catalog, poster, event schedule,

map and conference badge. All the pieces must be

cohesive as a group but also work as an individual piece.

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spark

medical books, typography books, visual illusions,

design conference materials

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flame

EyeCon 2011 was a 3-day conference primarily for visual

designers and art directors who were interested in

understanding the science of eye movement. The events

included talks, film screenings, a visit to the Museum of

Vision, workshops and an on-the-spot design competition.

All of the pieces reflected the conference theme by

using playful type and visual cues that examined the

reader’s eye movement.

EYECON 2011

An Examination of Eye Movement

Through Typography –

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course

Typography III

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instructor

Ariel Grey

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semester

Spring 2010

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duration

15 weeks

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typeface

Univers

Serifa

photography

30% Joy Ohler


40% medical books

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audience

visual designers, art directors,

creative directors

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deliverables

promotional mailer, catalog,

postera, event schedule, map,

conference badge

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fuse

Promote featured summer flavors of Torani to the

consumers and help cafe owners increase sales.

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spark

refreshing summer drinks, fruits,

food photographs, Italian cafe culture

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flame

Following the form follows function principle, our team

designed an integrated marketing system that highlighted

the bold flavors of Torani and the various refreshing

drinks that can be made with it. The rectangular form of

the poster, table tents and window decals visually acted

as glasses that contained various drinks. A newsletter was

sent to the café owners which showcased ideas on

how they could attract new and retain customers. A set

of six tear-off recipe cards of the featured drinks was

also included in the newsletter.

BERRY PROMOTIONRefreshing Flavors of Summer –

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combustibles

client

Torani

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f irm

Firewood Inc.

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year

2009

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duration

8 weeks

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typeface

Futura

creative director

Paul Huber

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associate designer

Ryan Aquino

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copywriter

Megan Enright

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audience

cafe operators and owners,

consumers

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deliverables

2-sided posters, tent cards, recipe

cards, window decals, newsletter

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fuse

Design a simple yet time engaging instructional guide for

Adobe Carousel. The guide must clearly demonstrate

the use of multi -touch gesture and cloud technology for

multiple devices.

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spark

digital illustrations, icons, multitouch technology

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flame

The interactive guide included “how to” instructions

and demonstrated the features using iconic but not

intimidating illustrations. The topics were contained in

a collapsible bar in order for the users to see the

different sections without scrolling down the page. The

tone of the instructions was personal and humble, more

like a friend talking to the user rather than commanding

the user what to do.

ADOBE CAROUSELGetting Started Guide–

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combustibles

client

Adobe Systems Inc.

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f irm

af Studio

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year

2011

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duration

4 weeks

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typeface

Adobe Clean

creative director / associate designer

Andrew Faulkner

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illustrator

Carl Peterson

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audience

tech savvy people, general public

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deliverables

getting started web page

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acknowledgements

I would like to acknowledge my professors, fellow

students and professional colleagues; I’ve had the good

fortune to work with you over the years. I also want to

thank my family and friends who has always supported

me, through the challenging times and late nights.

Documents

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