Pro Bono Project

Scenario: You are a graduate of the SFCC Graphic Design or Web Design program currently seeking employment. Within your portfolio you will present student work and an actual printed piece or published site. This printed piece clarifies to a potential employer that you have the production skills necessary to enter the work force.

By researching, networking and contacting non-profit organizations you will need to find an organization that needs a design piece, web page or web site produced pro-bono (free of charge). By offering your services free of charge, you are able to help the community, help the organization meet specific needs and at the same time create a piece for your portfolio.

Note to print designers:You will need to coordinate costs of the job with your client. The client should pick up the production costs for the final print job. Depending on the job, this may include negatives, plates, paper, blue lines, and bindery costs. You will need to get cost estimates through various print shops depending on client budget. This piece should be a minimum of one color and produced on a offset press.

Step 1: Meet with your projects instructor.

1. Go tothe projects page and collect the project information:
   • Project criteria
   • Terminology
   • Student examples
   • Project Schedule
   • Assessment
2. Print out a copy of the sign-off sheet
3. Schedule a meeting with the projects instructor, who will be your client for this project.

1. Go to the process page and collect the process information.
   • Industry examples
   • Creative techniques to use
   • Exercises
   • Terminology
   • Outcomes and criteria
   • Instructions for presentation
   • Assessment
2. Schedule a meeting with the process instructor, who will be your art director for this project.

1. Contact potential clients contacts provided by family, friends or business acquaintances.
2. Contact non-profit agencies who migh have need of design services.
   • Check the community groups directory at spokane.net:
   • Check volunteer opportunities at Spokane.net
     

1. Define the target audience.
2. Define the client need.
3. Collect examples of similar projects.

1. Create three different concepts.
1. Sketch initial concepts in thumbnail form.
2. Verify that your work meets thumbnail criteria.
3. Submit thumbnails to the art director for approval.

1. Develop roughs from thumbnails which were approved by the art director.
2. Rough layouts will be presented to your pro bono client and should communicate more detail than the thumbnails.
3. Verify that your work meets roughs criteria.
4. Submit roughs to the art director for approval.

1. After the art director approves your roughs, meet with the pro-bono client and present your designs.
2. The client will approve on of the designs to be taken to final stage.

1. Create all native files (raster and vector images) using Illustrator and Photoshop.
2. Assemble text and images using QuarkXpress.
3. Conform to standard prepress criteria for all file preparation and type formatting.
4. Make backup copies of all files after each work session.
5. Print a black and white laser proof and check for correctness and accuracy.
6. Make appropriate revisions.
7. Print color separations and check for correctness.
8. Make appropriate revisions
9. Create a PDF version of the final file presentation.
10. Copy all final documents to the server folder(s) specified by the client and production manager.

1. Preflight your file using Flightcheck.
2. Fill out the print project checklist.

Step 11: Submit final comp to the client.

Step 12: Fill out self-assessments:

• Projects
• Process
• Lab