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2013 Student Award Winners

RGD announces the recipients of our 2013 Student Awards

TTC Creative Award for Northern Ontario Winner: Tom Beltrame, Cambrian College 

Winning Project: Jamnasium Branding
Based on the format of a fitness gymnasium, the Jamnasium is Tom’s idea for a community facility where local musicians can practice playing their instruments. The branding targets 18-25 year-old musicians, establishing a vintage look to attract a youthful audience.

Honorable Mention:

  • Jason Sanders, Cambrian College
  • Eric Moss, Sault College

50 Carleton Award for Northern Ontario Winner: Chantal Abdel-Nour, Cambrian College 

Winning Project: Smart Little Seeds Branding
Targeting young families, this website and identity focuses on engaging parents and their children with the process of gardening to create a sustainable food supply. The goals of this project are to raise awareness and promote adaptive strategies for families growing their own food.

Honorable Mention:

  • Dennis Houle, Sault College 
  • Juli Apolloni, Georgian College

McMillan Award for Eastern Ontario Winner: Mike Wing, St. Lawrence College

Winning Project: Frontenac Cycle Branding
Established in 1972, Frontenac Cycle has a rich history of catering to a wide range of cyclists. By treating the type with a vintage barbershop influence, Mike’s logo communicates the inviting familiarity of the small-town shop while integrating a sharp, modern-looking chain ring to add visual interest.

Honorable Mention:

  • Tina Tran, St. Lawrence College

Cinnamon Toast Award for Eastern Ontario Winner: Amy Hamilton, St. Lawrence College

Winning Project: Beyond Fourth Grade Editorial Illustration
Targeted to an audience of creative young professionals and students, Amy’s illustration for Relevant Magazine depicts what it means to reach one’s full potential and find hidden opportunities for success

Honorable Mention:

Branko Dundjerovic, Algonquin College

Quarry Communications Award for Western Ontario Winner: Kevin Tome, Conestoga College

Winning Project: Dead Elephant Beer Packaging
A reimagining of the current beer label, Kevin’s design is based on the story of Jumbo, a circus elephant who died in a train accident. The light beer label depicts Jumbo alive while the design for the normal beer incorporates darker elements to illustrate his death. The labels are designed with a sense of humour to appeal to a young demographic. Credits: Dead Elephant name – Railway City Brewing Co.

Honorable Mention:

  • Morgan Rose, Conestoga College

Hagon Award for Western Ontario Winner: Loretta Ryan, Conestoga College

Winning Project: Foil Literary Journal
Loretta’s design for Foil Magazine is targeted to a mature audience interested in literature, art, and culture. The aesthetic is based on the magazine’s logo, which represents the ink droplet from a fountain pen. Original abstract illustration creates visual interest and a unique reading experience, bridging the gap between classic literature and progressive, bold imagery.

Honorable Mention:

  • Warren Jones, Conestoga College

Forge Design Award for GTA Winner: Heather Wimmi, York/Sheridan Joint Program

Winning Project: Nostalgia Book Design
Inspired by the concept of nostalgia, Heather’s design makes use of stylistic conventions from the four different eras represented by each book in the set. The use of different textures, paper stock, foldouts, and binding create a tactical user experience, representing the physicality of history.

Honorable Mention:

  • Franziska Erlebach, York/Sheridan Joint Program

TAXI Award for GTA  Winner: Jenny Lien, George Brown College

Winning Project: Fuck Self Doubt Type Exploration
This self-directed typography project was created to illustrate the transient nature of self-doubt. The use of matches planted in the sand represents a connection to nature and the rawness of the message. The project used 500 Redbird ‘strike anywhere’ matches and was shot with a Nikon D70 in the Humber Bay Park area. Video: https://vimeo.com/65862576. Credits: Process photographs by Jonathan McKinnell, music in video by The Books.

Honorable Mention:

  • Pallavi Thampi, OCAD University

Q30 Design Award for Branding Winner: Erica Yasuda, York/Sheridan Joint Program 

Winning Project: Toronto Humane Society (THS) Branding
Erica’s branding is a refresh of the existing THS identity, targeting a demographic of 20 to 40 year-olds with the goal of bringing in a new generation of donors for the charitable organization. This new direction takes an illustrative approach to convey an energetic, playful, and more approachable atmosphere.

Honorable Mentions:

  • Jenny Lien, George Brown College 
  • Kimberley Fabiano, George Brown College 
  • Justine Anweiler, ACAD

Shikatani Lacroix Award for Packaging Winner: Loretta Ryan, Conestoga College

Winning Project: Oryza Rice Packaging
Created for a fictional line of high-end, fair-trade rice, this packaging is designed to attract customers looking for a higher quality product. The minimalist approach keeps the focus on the brand, with each photograph reflecting the fields of the rice’s particular country of origin. Ample white space and thicker line weights evoke quality and elegance. Credits: Stock vector illustration copyright Denis Semenchenko, shutterstock.com.

Honorable Mentions:

  • Jemuel Datiles, York/Sheridan Joint Program
  • Katrina Densmore, Conestoga College

Entro Award for Information Design Winner: Jiani Lu, York/Sheridan Joint Program 

Winning Project: Window Farming Guide
This book guides new urban farmers through the stages of planning an indoor farm, visualizing various types of data and instructions for assembly and planning. The binding, paper, cover material and playful formatting of the book emphasize the handson message through foldout posters, information graphics and illustrations. Credits: Content referenced from official Window Farm website www.windowfarms.org

Honorable Mentions:

  • Teresa Yung, York/Sheridan Joint Program
  • Eman El-Fayomi, York/Sheridan Joint Program

Bell Media Award for Motion Graphics Winner: Ming Mikaeo, OCAD University

Winning Project: Self-Promotional Video
Targeted to potential employers, Ming’s video showcases work samples in an engaging and playful manner, providing a glimpse of the designer’s personality and taste. The use of typography and scattered letters build interest by making the viewer work to follow the narrative. Video: https://vimeo.com/62315635 Credits: Music by Efterklang.

Honorable Mentions:

  • Chris Wong, York/Sheridan Joint Program
  • Kendra Boyles, York/ Sheridan Joint Program
  • Dylan BelykSeymour, Chris Wong and Adam Zabunyan, York/ Sheridan Joint Program

Bureau Award for Digital Marketing Design: Terrie Barksey, Cambrian College

Winning Project: Postcard App
This web app is designed to introduce children under the age of 10 to the email process and online etiquette. Young children will learn how to interact digitally through message-writing, digital drawing, audio recording, and webcam photos, all controlled by parental security functions which limit and monitor use of the app. Credits: iPad template from Teehan + Lax, UI portraits from iStock, interface icons from The Noun Project.

Honorable Mentions:

  • Michelle Wu, York/Sheridan Joint Program
  • Andrew McNamara, Conestoga College

Riordon Design Award for Typography Winner: Pallavi Thampi, OCAD University

Winning Project: Tangents, Thesis Work
A social design experiment, Tangents investigates the intersection between culture and conversation through the creation of design artifacts. Experimental papermaking, photography, scripts, and designed notations are used to explore the tangential nature of conversation and intercultural encounters.

Honorable Mentions:

  • Jenny Lien, George Brown College 
  • Reginald Leung, OCAD University 
  • Monica Herrera, Seneca College

Interbrand Award for Corporate Design Winner (TIE): 
Scott McNeill, George Brown College, Toronto

Winning Project: Designed to Travel Publication Design
A series of publications targeted to young creatives, these booklets are designed to curate and organize information to help guide travelers to inspiring destinations.

and 
Jean-René Lagacé, Humber College, Toronto

Winning Project: Kids & Company Branding
Designed for a corporate daycare, this identity is targeted to potential clients as well as the parents and children who will be the end-users of the service.

Critical Mass Award for Web Design Winner: Branko Dundjerovic, Algonquin College

Winning Project: Algonquin College 2013 Gradshow Website
This responsive website was created to showcase the work of the 2013 graduates of the Algonquin College Graphic Design program. The concept is based on equality, featuring randomized images of all students, each with a hover state listing their strengths, a click-through option revealing samples of their work, and a link to their personal websites and social media platforms. Credits: Front-end development by Chris Plosaj, Logo by Corbin Dowd.

Honorable Mentions:

  • Talia Dimerman and Noah Ortmann, OCAD University 
  • Terrie Barksey, Cambrian College

Harlequin Award for Print Design Winner: Suk Young Won, George Brown College, Toronto

Winning Project: Home Alone: The Simplicity Manual + Kit
Targeted to young adults between 20 and 30 years of age, this project is designed to help users develop healthy habits for cleaning, eating, and organizing when living alone in the city. Relying on visuals to communicate the information creates an interesting and memorable reading experience.

Honorable Mentions:

  • Danielle Zablocki, York/Sheridan