For those of you who couldn’t make it to the event we held at The Apple Store Doncaster, here is a bit of a wrap up.

The night started a little behind schedule as people slowly filled the store, but once everyone was ready, the Apple team introduced the event, I said a couple of quick word and we were off and running. The theme was “Out of Sight, Out of Mind”. Each of the three teams had 30mins to sketch out their concepts using iPads that were wirelessly linked to 3 iMacs, allowing the audience to watch what each team was thinking in real time. I must admit, it was a pretty amazing being able to see people sketch and draw live. It was the closest that I have ever go to seeing the inner workings of a designers mind.

After the first 30mins was over, each team had to put down their iPads and move onto the iMacs and Adobe Illustrator CS5 to complete their posters. Again, each computer was linked to a screen opposite, allowing the enthusiastic crowd to see the earlier sketched concepts come time life. It was fascinating to see how other designers used the same program that I use on a daily basis. A couple of the team members had a strong background in illustration so it was interesting to see how they used digital tools like a pen and paper, ink and canvas, to create their poster.

The whole event nearly came unstuck at the completion of the second 30 mins. Two of the teams iMacs were slightly moved for photo opportunities before the judging could take place, and as they were moved, the power cords at the back ripped out, resetting the computers and sending the newly designed posters off in the vastness of the digital Mac world. (Ironically the computers did not have time machine activated) 
But, in true Mac style, this was no problem, as the posters were still being displayed on the ‘shared screens’, allowing our judges to give their final verdict.

And the verdict was? The team from Swinburne Uni took first place, followed by Monash Uni and Box Hill TAFE. The Swinburne poster was actually a lot different that the type of solution I thought we would get. It depicted a man, I think in a suit, holding a ballon, flying carelessly through a clear blue sunny sky. And sitting below him, a homeless man, in tattered clothes an looking far less comfortable with life.  The rational was simple and powerful. The man with the ballon had it all, a job, family, house etc. and was cursing through life at the top, not noticing what was going on underneath him. The homeless man was out of sight and out of mind. It was a very powerful message and powerful poster. A great outcome from the event.

For more images from the event click here.