Hawkeye Community College Graphic Design
Where Creativity
Meets Career.
At Hawkeye, we don’t just teach software; we cultivate designers. This gallery is a curated look at the projects coming out of our studios—from brand identities and typography to digital illustration and print design. Whether you’re a prospective student, a local business looking for talent, or a design enthusiast, we’re glad you’re here.
Visual Voices:
Making Our Mark.
Magazine Cover
"This project demonstrates advanced Adobe Photoshop proficiency through the creation of a professional magazine cover. Key techniques include high-end photo retouching, complex masking for 'masthead overlap' effects, and a strategic use of typography to establish visual hierarchy and brand identity."
Ambulance Logo Redesign
"Tasked with a cost-effective brand refresh, this project involved designing a localized wrap for a Hawkeye Community College ambulance. The design specifically focuses on seamless integration, utilizing the existing vehicle contours while precisely overlaying new logo assets to maintain the integrity of the original wrap."
T-shirt Mockup Design
"Created in Adobe Illustrator, this single-color apparel mockup highlights the power of clean, vector-based design. The project focuses on line weight consistency and negative space utilization, ensuring the graphic is optimized for high-quality screen printing and scalability."
Meet the Mentors:
The Hawkeye Graphic Design program is led by instructors who bring years of industry experience and a passion for mentorship into the classroom.
Dan Jensen:
With over 25 years of experience at Hawkeye Community College, I’ve been helping students unleash their creativity and solve complex visual problems since 1997. My background includes serving as an Art Director for Scale Models and managing prepress for several printing firms, alongside earning accolades like the AAF-Cedar Valley Lifetime Silver Medal Award. I hold degrees in Graphic Design from Iowa State University and am a firm believer in the practical power of our craft. I often tell my students and their parents that the best way to describe a Graphic Designer is simple: “We’re artists with a regular paycheck.”
Chris Hamilton:
As a graduate of Hawkeye’s Graphic Design program, I’m thrilled to continue our program’s legacy! My background includes a lifelong career in sign painting and graphic design, complemented by a degree in Art Education from the University of Northern Iowa, where I focused on Drawing with a minor in Art History. I’ve spent years channeling that diverse experience into my work as an educator, and I love finding unique solutions to tough design projects. I can’t wait to see the incredible work you’ll create here at Hawkeye!