Introducing: The SPD Master Class

Our goal: an exclusive bi-monthly workshop providing inspiration, education, hands-on skills to SPD Professional members through intimate access to well-respected, award-ridden, top-dog design professionals. After this 1-day intensive workshop, you'll have a new mentor, a deeper professional network, and a broader skill-set to take to work on Monday morning.


Our plan: mentors will lead each 1-day workshop offering critical analysis of one of their areas of expertise, using samples of their own work as "case study" examples to provide insight into the editorial process and to highlight the key factors that shape their body of work. Each workshop will include conversations about and experiences with the brainstorming process, how to collaborate with editors, keys to proactive leadership, dealing with deadlines, working within and around your budget, great research techniques, and more. The seminar day is centered around in-class exercises, offering participants the opportunity to learn from an intimate community of colleagues and under the supervision and influence of a great mentor.


And for our first Master Class: Dirk Barnett // TYPIDENTITY

How does typographic storytelling create identity?
Join us SATURDAY, APRIL 17th for a 1-day workshop where you will analyze magazine identity through typeface, hierarchy systems, and editorial voice. Explore effective type treatments in display copy, sidebars, and infographics. Learn how fonts work together to subtly build the overall look of the magazine.

Dirk Barnett is the Creative Director of Maxim magazine. Previously, he was the Creative Director for Blender magazine, Key (the New York Times' real-estate magazine), Play (the New York Times' sports magazine), Premiere and Popular Science. Dirk's work has been recognized by the AIGA, the Art Directors Club, the Type Directors Club, British Design & Art Direction, and the Society of Publication Designers. He teaches at the School of Visual Arts and has chaired and juried various design and illustration competitions. He is currently the Vice President of SPD, where he has been a board member for three years.


**A note about workshop materials: you will need to bring your own laptop to the workshop in order to complete the workshop assignments that day. You will also be sent an pre-class assignment to complete and bring with you that morning.

Consider yourself alerted and save these dates:
Tuesday, March 16th, 2010, 3PM EST: tickets go on sale -- first come, first served, and class size is limited to 10. (Really.) We'll have more details each week leading up to the workshop about what to expect from your Master Class.

Saturday, April 17th, 2010 -- TYPIDENTITY with Dirk Barnett. The first of many great Master Classes to come! Register below: