ecampus blog

Continuing our coverage of summer/end of the year-related posts, this week we’ll be covering a valuable school resource available during the summer. As you probably have guessed by now, thanks to the title, we’re talking about Lynda.com.

Even if this happens to be your first quarter, there’s a good chance you’ve heard about Lynda.com from one of your professors. Depending on your major, you might have heard about it from all of them. The quick description you’ll usually hear is that Lynda.com offers tutorials for various software programs like Photoshop, Flash, etc.

While that is definitely a part of it, there’s a lot more to it. Keeping some of these things in mind during the break, and using them, can do nothing but help you in the long run.

We’ve mentioned briefly the software tutorials available on Lynda.com, so for now we’ll leave them be. It’s safe to assume they’re the most familiar aspects of the website to students. Instead, we’ll start with a Lynda resource that is a little more obscure: documentaries.

It’s true, Lynda.com has documentaries available for instant streaming. And this isn’t just one or two of them, we’re talking about 52 documentaries ranging from 15 minutes to 1 hour in length. A large majority of these are closed captioned and they all focus on the art field in some way.

Documentaries on Lynda generally fall into two categories: those that focus on a particular artist or company, and those that focus on a broader subject of the art world. The great thing about both kinds of documentaries, is that they focus on people and subjects that have value to your education.

Take for example the documentary on Italian artist and designer Simone Legno. Creator of the popular tokidoki clothing brand and designs, his documentary focuses on character design in Adobe Illustrator. Not only do you get a glimpse into the artistic process of an established, successful artist, you also get an insight into how that artist uses the same software you are more than likely using in your classes.

This one-two punch of information gives you the advantage of knowing what goes in the mind of a successful artist, while also picking his brain, figuratively of course, for the best techniques to use when developing your own character designs. And all of this in a quick and easily accessible video format. If your summer happens to be particularly busy, this is arguably the most efficient and least time-consuming resource available at Lynda. Try having one on while you work, inspiration may strike you depending on what you watch.

But, let’s say you’re looking to have a more hands-on summer. Maybe you’re looking to work on something new, something different from an art-related program. Well, Lynda is still a valuable source, believe it or not. See, not only does Lynda offer design tutorials, it also offers plenty of business-related ones. Thinking of brushing up on your branding/self-marketing skills? Maybe you’d like to know more about how to work social media to your advantage? Or would you prefer to just go over some Microsoft Word functions to create a better resume? All of these options, and more, are available through Lynda’s “Business” subsection.

Don’t let the word “business” throw you off. There isn’t any stuffy or dry language here. It’s just a collection of tutorials made with a design focus in mind, so the language will be familiar and accessible. And, if you could spend your summer doing even something small to increase your business sense, is that really so bad? Your bank account will thank you in due time.

Of course, it wouldn’t be Lynda without the opportunity to learn more about design software like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, etc. Here, finally, we come to some familiar territory. But don’t rest on your laurels, this section of Lynda is just as important to keep in mind during your summer as the last two sections. Whether you’re searching through a broad subject like “Photography” or looking for help in programs b a specific company like Adobe, Lynda.com remains one of the best resources. Plus, since you’re a student, it’s all free. What better way to learn while saving money from any summer job/regular job/freelancing you might have?

In all likelihood, you’ll have a busy summer. However, part of the beauty of Lynda.com is that the resources available aren’t time consuming. The documentaries are relaxed due to their nature as something you watch and the tutorials are separated into small sections that you can go back to at your will. It’s easy to fit time in your schedule for them, and we recommend it, because knowledge can only help your career.

So you’re working on a project for class, and you need to do research. Luckily, SCAD’s library website offers links to some of the most thorough online databases. This post will go through some of the most popular databases available.

To find the following databases you’ll have to navigate to SCAD’s library homepage. To do so you can either log on to MySCAD and click the Library tab, or go directly to the library website. Both options will lead to the same page, so this step is more of a matter of convenience and ease.

Once you’re on the library’s homepage, you’ll see a row of drop-down menus. The left-most option, titled “Library Services” has a link called “eLearning.” Clicking that link will take you to a page detailing all the different services offered through SCAD’s library system. For now, focus on the section titled “Online Information Sources.” Click on the hyperlinked “Databases” and it will take you to this page. There you can search for databases based on subject, title, and source type (video, image, journal etc.).

If you’re confused by the amount of databases available, here’s a couple that have proven to be reliable and trustworthy.

JSTOR: Arguably the most used journal database, JSTOR features articles from scholarly journals spanning a broad area of subjects. From Finance to Paleontology, there’s something for everyone here. JSTOR’s homepage is simple to use. You can either browse journals by subject, or you can input a specific search term. The results will include all journals that use the term you searched.

Like all databases featured in this post, JSTOR has an advanced search option. It allows you to narrow down your search by language, item type (article, review etc.) and subject. This is probably the better option for those of you that have a clear idea of what you’re looking for.

A word of warning: JSTOR does not, unfortunately, have the most recent journal volumes online. Generally, volumes from two to five years ago are not available.

LexisNexis Academic: Besides boasting a name that would make Lex Luthor proud, LexisNexis is also the go-to database for newspaper articles, legal news and documents and company financial information. In contrast to JSTOR, LexisNexis’s homepage is slightly more cluttered. The upside is that search options have already been divided, meaning you can search for something specific as soon as you enter the site. The amount of searchable material is also very large, including most major newspaper publications (from the 1980s to today) and information from 43 million companies.

ARTstor: Of course, there’s no way to ignore a database for images. This is SCAD after all. ARTstor contains over one million images encompassing nearly the entirety of art history. It’s a pretty broad area to search without a specific term in mind. Much like JSTOR, ARTstor features a simple search option on its homepage and an option to browse artwork by broad categories like area and classification. Additonally, the database offers an advanced search option that allows you to search artworks by geographical place of origin, time period and more specific classification (painting, film sculpture, etc.). There’s no need to worry about using the actual images as sources in your paper. As long as it’s for educational purposes, you’ll be allowed to print or download images from the site.

This is just a small sample of the databases available to you. Though they’re the most popular, they’re by no means the only ones. In order to make your project the best it can be, you’ll have to decide which database bets fits with what you’re going for.

Game developers, mark your electronic calendars. Registration is open for the 2011 Game Developers eXchange, a major SCAD event that draws some of game design’s most talented artists and designers. Scheduled for May 13 in Savannah, GDX unites SCAD students with game development experts who have directed and programmed some of 2010′s best-selling games. GDX offers a variety of sessions on game art, design and production techniques. Find out more about the event and take advantage of early-bird registration prices at SCAD’s newly launched http://www.scad.edu/experience/events/gdx GDX Web site.

Tuesday, March 8, 7:30 p.m. EST

Tonight David Bram, photographer, editor, founder and curator of Fraction Magazine, will discuss opportunities for young photographers online and the importance of a professional online presence. Bram was the recipient of the Griffin Museum of Photography’s Rising Star Award. Learn more online at http://davidbram.com and http://fractionmagazine.com.

To attend, go to http://livestream.com/scadelearning or http://mobile.livestream.com/scadelearning.

LinkedIn has a new feature available that helps you visualize the networks within your LinkedIn contacts: LinkedIn Maps.

LinkedIn Maps pulls all your contacts into a web of networks and visually displays them by work type and color. It’s a neat way to see who you know from each group, and who they might know that you do also in between groups. If you click on a contact’s name, a neat profile sheet pops up on the right.

To access the feature, go to http://inmaps.linkedinlabs.com.

Professional Pursuit is a weekly eCampus blog column about career news and discussions. Please post questions or suggestions, and go to LinkedIn.com and search for SCAD eLearning to join the career-focused group.

On Friday SCAD’s Learning Resource Hive will present the Materials, Tools, Techniques, and Terminologies workshop. The workshop is comprised of a series of sequenced art-making activities where participants work with a variety of art materials, use different artist tools, apply basic art making techniques, and apply terminology addressed in Foundation level Drawing I and II, Design I and II, and foundation-level Color Theory courses. The drawings and paintings produced in the workshop activities can serve as a learning tool to facilitate understanding of basic drawing and painting assignments issued at the foundation level.

The workshop will be held tomorrow, Friday, February 4, at 10 a.m. EST. For log-in information, go to MySCAD > Resources > eLearning > Events and look for the Materials, Tools, Techniques, and Terminologies workshop.

The 2011 Adobe Design Achievement Awards deadline is fast approaching. The first deadline is Friday, January 28, 2011. Both individuals and groups may enter.

Categories include Interactive Media, Web and Mobile Analytics, Video and Motion, and Traditional Media. Winners receive a trip to Taipei and cash. The award is free to enter.

For more details go to www.adobeawards.com/us.

LinkedIn can connect you to potential employers in more ways than ever thought imaginable. Networking has always been an important part of a successful career. Meeting other professionals, handing out a business card at events, and staying in touch are just a few ways to network for your career. LinkedIn ups the ante with updates of people in your network, e-mail and groups. If you would like to meet someone through LinkedIn, it is possible someone in your network already has a connection and can introduce you. You can also look through the networks of your current contacts to see who you know and can add to your network.

It is important to grow your network periodically by searching for people you know and respect. If you know them, send an invite directly. If you do not know them personally, see if you know someone who does. Networking also benefits from keeping up with people in your network. Find articles or updates that will be relevant to someone in your network and send a link to the person. It is important to show you care even when you don’t need something. Updating your profile with similar information will help your name stay in everyone’s updates. Also, participating in groups that interest you will keep your network strong and active.

Visit LinkedIn to view or create a profile at www.linkedin.com. To locate the SCAD eLearning group, search for SCAD eLearning and request to add yourself to the group.

Professional Pursuit is a weekly eCampus blog column about career news and discussions. Please post questions or suggestions, and go to LinkedIn.com and search for SCAD eLearning to join its career-focused group.

Mashable.com presents “How To: Land a Job at Microsoft,” an article about strategies to obtain employment at the prestigious technology company.

In addition specific to landing a job at Microsoft, Mashable.com offers great tips about how to stand out in a sea of résumés, conducting company research and appropriate ways to follow up after you submit an application. These are written to accommodate a job seeker for Microsoft, but with some tweaking, also could be applicable to any job.

Read the article at http://mashable.com/2010/12/26/land-job-at-microsoft.

Professional Pursuit is a weekly eCampus blog column about career news and discussions. Please post questions or suggestions, and go to LinkedIn.com and search for SCAD eLearning to join the career-focused group.

College Central is a career service database service provided to the SCAD students and alumni through Career Services. You can post your résumé in College Central, search for jobs posted to your school, and College Central will even host your portfolio. Work-study jobs at SCAD are also posted. To access College Central, go to MySCAD > Resources > Department Directory > look for Career Services. A link to College Central is on the left-hand navigation in the Career Services MySCAD site.

Professional Pursuit is a weekly eCampus blog column about career news and discussions. Please post questions or suggestions, and go to LinkedIn.com and search for SCAD eLearning to join its career-focused group.