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I'm often asked "What all is out there in the field of Visual Communications? Boy, I wish I was just beginning college in Visual Communications... there's never been a more exciting time than right now to enter the field. Such wonderous things to do -- your biggest problem will be deciding what NOT to do... from movie set design and production to interactive media production... from traditional graphic design to web and multimedia graphic design. Visual Communications touches any industry where an image is to be delivered to an audience -- any of the video and movie industries... any of the print media industries from book publishing to signing and screen printing to thermography, and even the newspaper biz. To make the most of your journey... Forget about the social and party life... you'll have lots of time for that later when you can afford it... avoid drugs and alchohol. They'll only dull your senses. Concentrate on soaking up as many visual opportunities and experiences as you possibly can. Freds Tips for a Successful Launch in Visual Communications: get out your day planner, do ALL of the following: Set the alarm to go off two hours earlier each day until you're down to a maximum of 6 hours of sleep per day. Get a digital camera, and never be caught without it. Wear a different bright color accent item each day. (scarf, kerchief, belt, socks, etc.) Ask a stranger what they think. Observe their reaction. Take a walk in a different direction at least once a month. Walk an hour out and an hour back. Shoot the whole flash card full of photos... save them to your hard drive. Shoot anything that grabs your eye. (Pace yourself... maybe a shot every 10 minutes.) Spend at least an hour in a different Art Gallery each month Spend two hours each month in the Art section of your local Borders, Barnes & Nobels or other yuppie book store. Don't sit down. Spend two hours each month in your school's library -- in the Art Books department. Don't sit down. Engage an instructor in an "after class" discussion at least once a week Spend one Sunday afternoon a month with a huge sheet of white wrapping paper. Use acrylic Paints, or Gauche, and some very big brushes -- or rather large pieces of colored chalk. Use your hands and feet -- get dirty. Go to the movies -- by yourself -- at LEAST twice a month. Go to a different restaurant at least once each week for dinner -- by yourself. Ask the server what they like about this part of town. Listen to them. Go to the Grocery store at least once a week -- walk up an down every isle, but don't buy anything. Rent the latest action film video and watch it three times in a row. The last viewing, move as close to the screen as you can and turn the sound off. Climb a tree (don't forget the camera) Ring the Salvation Army bell one afternoon during the holidays Make all your holiday greeting cards and wrappings from scratch Volunteer your services to design at least one poster for a nonprofit organization Attend at least one high school choral concert Attend at least one high school football or basketball game Field Trips Take at least one field trip (per year) to each of the following (or have your instructor arrange it) A screen printing company A 4th grade public school class A bakery A Metal Forge or casting foundry A dairy farm A mountain bike or downhill ski race A TV station A sign company A large web printing firm A sculptor's studio A Potters' studio A Dance school or Dance studio (Not Aerobics) A public swimming pool The maternity ward at the hospital (don't forget your digital camera on all these) After each of the above exercises spend a few minutes and write in a journal what you thought and how you feel about it. Write down at least three small details that describe something you saw on the trip. Paste anything you run across that you like -- magazine illustrations, brochures, junk mail, food wrappers, etc. -- into the journal. Send me another email on January 12, 2001 and let me know how you did. I really wish I were going along with you Fred :-) Back to the letter that inspired this article

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