A Drug Deficit

Megan Larkin's love affair with art began at an early age. Since the girl could hold a crayon, she's been colouring inside the lines, outside the lines— she's been drawing the lines themselves. In school she took every art class that was on offer, including the college level courses, and when graduation day came, it was clear whatever career path Larkin took, it would have to allow for some creativity. She originally had her eye on photography, another passion of hers, but on a gut feeling, enrolled in the Graphic Design program at Pacific Design Academy. This turned out to be a good call as Larkin showed immediate promise, and has continued to shine. Photoshop and Illustrator are subjects she both loves, and excels in. She can swiftly feather some edges, multiply some layers, and clipping mask up a masterpiece. She has also been unofficially dubbed the "queen of textures"; a title that might not be on your average resume, but should definitely be on hers. Now, with our graduation just a few months away, Larkin's been dreaming up some dreams. She plans on moving to the big city with hopes of becoming a freelance designer, illustrator and artist. With her fancy new skills tucked in her back pocket, there's no doubt she'll go far.

The prescription drug shortage in Canada is an issue many of us may not have even heard of, but for Megan Larkin's mother, it's one she knows all too well. A pharmaceutical buyer at a hospital, she and her staff are currently working around the clock to try and remedy the countless drug shortages which are being exasperated by the misuse or overuse of unnecessary prescriptions. Dedicated to the hard work of her mother and her colleges, Larkin's infographic sheds some light on this weighty problem that really hasn't been given enough attention. As Canadians, we count ourselves lucky having access to the drugs we need, but could that all change?

you can follow Megan Larkin on Twitter @_sparkylark

Gamer's Delight

Ah yes, the age old question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?". Well, Taylor's answer was always the same, "I want to be an artist!". The kid drew on every scrap piece of paper he could get his hands on, recreating the kind of intergalactic battles, and giant spaceships that could only live in a little boy's imagination.

Years later, and all grown up, Taylor stumbled into doing some freelance graphic design work, and found that it was a great way to put his artistic talents to use. He loves the process that goes into building an aesthetically pleasing piece of work, and finds great satisfaction in that final product. While dabbling in the design field was fun, it was clear that he would only be able to take himself so far. At this point he decided going to school would be the best way to expand his knowledge and understanding of the skills and principles needed for design. So far, Taylor has excelled in his program at Pacific Design Academy, and is excited to be in an environment where he is constantly learning and growing as an artist. Consequently, Taylor's style has definitely evolved from his space themed days as a tike. You could classify his take on design as very clean, and modern. He's always trying to push the boundaries where he can, and isn't afraid to take some risks here and there on the quest for innovative, striking design. Also, if he can include a custom illustration into his work, then that's the cherry on the design-job-cake! 

It's clear that there is a bright future in design for Taylor. He truly is an artist, and we look forward to hearing where those skills of his take him. 

you can follow Taylor Sato on Twitter @kiyoji_sato or you can reach him at taylorsato@gmail.com

  

Crackbook

Erika McMurray was born on the mainland, but grew up an Island girl. She attended high school in the quaint coastal town of Ladysmith, then moved down to Victoria where she spent a year at Camosun College studying fine art. All things art related speak to Erika. She has an infatuation with colour and loves to draw. While she enjoys being a fine artist, Erika felt having another trade-like set of skills would be valuable. This train of thought led her to Pacific Design Academy where she has combined her past experience with a new set of digital skills. After almost two years of training, Erika is now looking forward to venturing out into the world of graphic design, and has been known to quote, "Graphic Design will save the world right after rock and roll does."— a statement by David Carson that I'm sure resonates with more than one of us.

"What's Facebook?" These are words you just don't hear anymore. Over the last few years this social networking tool has firmly woven many of us around its finger. Now with electronic devices like iPhones— which allow you to never be without your Facebook page— one has to ask: Just how addicted are we? Erika's infographic illustrates the answer to this very question... although I don't think anyone's surprised. 

you can follow Erika on Twitter @ErikaM1980 or reach 
her at airbear_1818@yahoo.ca

Food For Thought

For Carrie, design has been an obsession she's danced around all her life, however, it wasn't until moving to Victoria B.C. that she made the decision to hone her skills. Attending Pacific Design Academy turned out to be a perfect fit; design, and this little coastal city swiftly stole her heart. Coming from a customer service background, Carrie is undoubtedly a people person, and finds the psychology behind the choices they make as consumers fascinating. She has an insatiable curiosity, a real passion for sharing knowledge, and is constantly finding new inspiration at every turn. When it comes to design, to say that Carrie is organized would be the understatement of the year. We love her for it, and look on in envy at her beautiful, colour coded calendars. Time management is certainly something she's got nailed. Just as obvious is her love of bold colours, researching a new project, and her zeal for branding. With the guidance of PDA's industry professionals, and experience working on real world projects, Carrie has built a portfolio to be proud of— one that will certainly jump start her career in the graphic design industry. 

In a time when there are so many food fads, it's hard to know who to listen to, or what to believe. Unfortunately, Virgin Coconut Oil has been unjustly criticized and is largely misunderstood. Carrie's infographic goes over the reality of the super oil's unbelievable health benefits. And as we all know, the girl has definitely done her research, so read on with confidence.

This is a topic Carrie is very passionate about, and is one that has aided her own health and beauty needs. She'll soon be putting together a more in depth infographic, with even more tasty bits of information and useful tips on how to incorporate Virgin Coconut Oil into your life. So stay tuned via Twitter! 

follow Carrie on Twitter @care2design 
or you can reach her at carrieann.hubka@gmail.com 

Deadly Effects

Our next infographic was put together by Tina Louise Spalding. We didn't meet Tina until our second semester last year. She was always this mysterious name called out during attendance, but never present. When the paperwork was sorted, and she finally materialised, we were immediately charmed by her sharp wit and calm, loveable disposition. There was also no doubt that Tina wanted to be here. Living on Salt Spring Island, she made the long journey over land and water to get to class each morning. She would then turn around and make her way home after a full day of Photoshoping this and InDesigning that. A good challenge isn't something she shies away from, but rather faces, head on, with a smile.

For the previous 17 years Tina has been a fine artist, focusing on wild life and metaphysical art. Her wealth of experience as an artist, and obvious talent with a paintbrush has served her well in the program, giving her an admirable edge. She has now enhanced her creative skills to include the digital world, covering web design, digital art, and print media to name a few. While Tina's list of career suited attributes is long, one of her most invaluable is her consistent and contagious enthusiasm— and that can't be taught.  We're all pleased she joined our class. It's like they say: better late than never!

Tina's infographic below brings to light some shocking statistics about the effects of prescription drugs. You'd be hard pressed to find an adult who hasn't had to take some kind of prescription in their lifetime, and I'd say on the same note, it's unlikely they knew just how big a risk they were taking. By no means is this a stance against the drug companies, nor does it deny the good these pills can often do. The aim here is only to educate, and perhaps to begin asking questions about an industry we've so blindly trusted until now. 

you can follow Tina on Twitter @Tina_Spalding or reach her at 

tinalouisespalding@gmail.com