I can officially say that I am employed. It’s not a full time salary gig, but it’s still a gig. Even if it only ends up being this one project. I’m working for Spy Post, a San Francisco based post-production house, as a design assistant. Today is my second day here, and while the hours are long, it’s nice to be gainfully employed and not hating my job. I dare to say it, but aside from software hangups I think I’m actually enjoying myself. It’s kinda funny, I’m the graphic design version of what Jake does over at Ntropic (he’s video, not design) except I’m working at the studio he wants to be working for. So there is a bit of resentment on his part that I’m working over here and he’s not, especially since I was hooked up with the gig through his contact. Aside from that, things seem to be going well over here so far. I like the people I’m working with, the job is interesting, and it beats making coffee all to hell. Ooo, I can drink coffee while working and not get in trouble! (We weren’t allowed to have drinks on the floor at Sbux.) So hopefully my time here will go well and they’ll keep me on. I hope so. I like ti here so far.
san francisco
Bel-Ray Brings It
Finally, after putting up with all of the non-design, spreadsheet printing and other things I finally have control over a complete design project for Bel-Ray. I’m getting to make all of the press releases, VIP invitations and posters for the big AMA Supercross race happening here in SF at the end of the month. I’m stoked! That and it has been so long since I actually designed anything my ideas and work flow are a bit rusty. (Bad Tracy, bad!) However, with some time and caffeine fueled inspiration I have come up with a design that I think is pretty cool. Now we’ll just have to see if everyone else like it. I know I’m supposed to incorporate the “Bel-Ray Hell-Ya” logo into it, but it’s so hard to use. Anyways, enjoy my initial design. We’ll see if it stays this way or gets changed around.
Returning To The Hunt
The time has come. I need to find a new job. Bel-Ray is closing its office here in the City and I’m over Starbucks. So with Yukiko’s encourgement, I have been spending my spare time applying for jobs. (A side note—I love Yukiko as a roommate for encouraging me to do what I know I should do. For instance, last week she got me to stop being lazy and paint for the fist time in months.)
Some of jobs I applied for included a graphic designer at a bio-tech firm here in Emeryville all the way to working as an exhibition designer doing signage for the California Academy of Sciences (This one would be so cool!) So I’m excited. I also managed to finally make a package with my resume and some samples of my work that can easily be sent out.
All in all, I think I’m going to be able to make my new goal of getting a new job by the end of the year.
Walking In A Designer’s Wonderland
A full month into my internship, and I have to say I am definitely happy with it. More than ever I feel connected to the world of design. Whether it is the abundance of design studios and showrooms around my work or my delight at the nicely stocked graphic design section in the Borders next to my new apartment, design is around me. Today for instance I worked on a formatting project, helped my brother with a typographic issue and finally picked up a copy of ReadyMade—all day long there has been something related to design.
How’s My Internship? Call 1-800-AWESOME
It’s now been almost a month since I was hired by Bel-Ray Company, Inc. to be their graphic design intern and thus far I’m loving it. My office is small—there are only four of us—and it is out in Petrero Hill where things just seem a bit more chill than other parts of the city. I love that I still get excited coming into the city everyday for work. So far I’ve been working on a variety of projects ranging from wall charts to help the sales guys explain the product to decorative posters for the Bel-Ray display in a dirt bike shop in Illinois. One of the bigger and more exciting things I am looking forward to doing is arranging and setting up festivities in Las Vegas for the AMA Supermoto finale in November. All in all I think taking this internship was a good move on my part.
Mission: BelRay Internship—Accomplished
I finally made my first major step to becoming a creative professional: I landed a design internship with BelRay Company, Inc. They are the leader in high performance lubrication technology, and while I know that could possibly sound kinda dirty, they deal with motorcycles, marine equipment, and heavy machinery for manufacturing and mining. And as party of my internship I might have to go to trade shows and motorcycle races. So I’m stoked.
And seeing as this in an internship (it’s only 10-15 hours per week), I plan on continuing to work at Starbucks for the duration of the internship. However, if they want to hire me full time then I’m totally there. I really like Anna and Scott with whom I interviewed yesterday and that makes me glad as I’ll be working primarily with them.
Pending a pre-employment drug test and other hiring paperwork, I should be starting next Thursday.. And since I’m still living in Oakley, I’m going to have to commute for a few weeks until Yukiko and I move to Emeryville. Gah, I’m so excited!
