Engaging in a project to address worldwide or local issues that they think need to be changed, students in Mr. Jeffrey Ball’s Graphic Design I class are sharing what they want their future to look like through self-portraits with Adobe Illustrator.

“I ultimately want them to create something that they can reference to in the future and use it as an inspiration or a goal they can complete,” Ball said.

An organization known as Amplifier.org works with world renowned artists to show students that their future is in their hands. Using the style from constructivism that’s been stylized from by Shepard Fairey, students will emulate that that movement to help deliver their message.

“Currently, [students] may see some issues around the world and say ‘this isn’t fair’ or ‘that’s not right’ and it’s them taking on those topics and saying that in my future that is going to be different,” Ball said.

After everything is completed, Ball will print out each portrait to allow students to see their portraits sized to a realistic proportion. Students will be submitting their digital file for the campaign.

“For the most part they are tracing themselves, but anybody who has tried to trace a picture in Illustrator knows that it isn’t quite easy but again, this is still a fairly new assignment for them so it’s a good test of their skill,” Ball said. 

In previous projects, students had to present their finished product to the rest of their class. However, this project is going to be presented to other graphic design classes.

“I am honestly a really shy person, and with that I decided to do ‘We the Future’ shatter your shyness,” freshman Carmella Beria said.”Shatter is a really powerful word when you are using it against people.”  

Campaign organizers will choose 10 students’ submissions to post on 20,000 walls.

“I am enjoying this assignment even if it is difficult and challenging at times,” sophomore Sandra Amores said. “This project is helping me learn more about thinking outside the box and expressing my creativity to others.”