Designs come to life
Picture it. The design you created on your small digital laptop comes to life as a large scale installation, viewed by thousands. This happened to Rue Thi, a senior graphic design major and summer intern at UNC Charlotte.
She, along with Kim Mai, a junior fine arts major, and a team of other Niners interned with the bookstore and licensing department in the Division of Business Affairs. Their assignment was unique, and their efforts will be visible for years.
The team was charged with creating a series of murals for the redesigned Upper Prospector Building. Thi and Mai each created two of the murals. Thi’s are “Niners in Transit,” located near the lounge area and “Niner Nation,” located near the Halal Shack. Mai’s are “Garden Oasis,” located in the new Oasis bar area and “Path by the Moonlight,” located near the window facing the Smith Building.
Before their work could come to fruition, they had to brainstorm ideas, create visual mood boards and refine concepts, while representing the University. This required a lot of research and collaboration among the interns.
“This project was a way for us to take a dive deep into the culture of UNC Charlotte,” said Mai, who found the opportunity through Hire-A-Niner and included a link to her LinkedIn profile and portfolio. “Designing these murals was a way to give back to our community.”
Receiving feedback and suggestions in a team environment encouraged the interns to explore different design choices.
“I definitely learned to voice my own opinions and be more communicative of my preferences without shying away,” said Mai.
This internship experience showed Thi and Mao that designing in a professional work setting is very different from the classroom. They now have a better understanding of the expectations that come with being a professional designer.
This insight is already shaping how they will approach their studio classes, assignments and creative projects this semester.
“I am going to be more intentional with how I allow my designs to come across,” said Thi. “I’ve learned that design isn’t mainly about making something look good, it also has to be able to communicate the message or branding clearly to its targeted audience.”
Mai appreciated learning more about the tools in Adobe Illustrator and how to use them in a more systematic workflow.
“Learning more about the tools also opened up more creative possibilities in my design process,” she said. “I hope to create designs that are both well-informed and aesthetically pleasing.”
Want to see Thi and Mai’s work? Stop by Upper Prospector!
