Christmas Break '09

Another semester has come and gone.  Ending with a bang and a sigh of relief.  I was not sure that I would make it about two weeks ago, first with the art show, then final projects and finally exams breeding panic in the pit of my stomach.

The art show ended well, it was a very good show I believe the judges did a good job picking the artwork (with a few exceptions).  I only entered only 3 pieces in this semester as opposed to the usual 4—unfortunately this was just not the greatest 'show' semester for me personally, but rather a growing semester because I was exploring brand new media.  I entered my 'Oxymoron' piece, 'Cappuccino to Go' logo, and my 'Stair' photo.  Both of my typography pieces made it in, but my photo did not... that was a little disappointing, and I took my first trip down the "walk of shame"—which is what we affectionately call the walk to the 2D room right after the show, because everyone knows that means at at least one of your pieces didn't make it in.

I wasn't completely heart broken, I did not have much confidence in my photo and so few photos were chosen this time around that I was not surprised.  But it would not have killed me to have all my pieces make it.

Now I'm home at last!  I have been much better about homesickness this year—but the last 2 weeks or so were difficult.  I was ready for family, rest, and Christmas! Although rest was not something I found right off the bat—my first night I had a 'college age' party, the next morning (Saturday) I spent the day shopping and came back just in time to babysit for the rest of the night.  I returned from that just in time to shower before passing out and going to church the next morning.  Still going strong, after a long lunch with friends mom and I went shopping again and finished up for my siblings before I went back to the church to chaperone the youth Christmas party with Evan and Sarah (photo).  Monday was a much needed lazy day!

Hopefully I will get a chance to update all of the artwork that I've done over the past week or so, but I do not have access to all of the files while I am at home...

Dear Blog...

I am dying to update you.  Really, I am.  Unfortunately, the pressures and demands of college life are holding me back and you will not be touched again until Thursday afternoon—if there is time to be found at that point.

I am truely sorry—and I promise to spend oodles of time updating and providing attention as soon as the final exams and projects of 2009 are non-existent.

Farewell for now,

Me

Visual Chapter Project

This poster represents a chapter in my Intro to GD book.  I was really excited about this piece, and I got an "A-", which isn't bad :)

My poster represents Art Deco and Plakatstil—as well as posters from the World Wars (thus Uncle Sam's addition)

I was really proud of it, but in hind sight it's not that wonderful—and my professor was not very impressed with my plakatstil illustration...

Murphy—long

Third and final "Murphy's Law" headline—the long one!

Played with shadows both in the figure, the photo and the text itself. Trying to convey the feeling of failed invisibility—and hopefully still legible!

Feedback?  This series is due on Friday (11th)

Updated 12/11/09:

The critique for this project was this morning (about 5 minutes ago). This one went over well though it is probably the weakest of the bunch.  Professor Shaw commented on the repetition of the cast shadow in the text (normally something that Graphic Designers try to avoid) not only in the figure but along the entire edge of the image.  The color also was a plus—Nothing on purpose, just the color of my living room wall

Natural Flaw

This is another one of my "Murphy's Law" headlines.  The "hidden flaw" in the text is that the "a"s and the "e"s are flipped—basically everywhere that you would see an "e", it's really an "a" that has just been flipped upside-down.

This is my Medium headline—long one will be posted soon

Updated 12/11/09:

Critique was today!  My classmates loved the font that I modified which was great.  It's Harabara, but I created the 'leaves' and elongated the descenders/ascenders.  My hidden flaw was also caught which was great.  Professor Shaw also liked that I left a small amount of extra space to the right of the text (something I did on purpose but didn't expect anyone to notice).  The use of color went over well too—it was a really encouraging morning!

Murphy — short

Alright, our final project for Typographic Design is headings.  We have to make 3 different headings, all from one of Murphy's laws—a short, a medium, and a long.

So this is my short as of right now.  It's very simple but I really like it anyway.

Thoughts?

Update 12/11/09:

Just finished the critique—all of my headlines went over really well, I've been pleased with the outcome of this project :) Unfortunately, with this project the "don't mess with" didn't go over as well. The italic is 'too feminine', so I've played with it a little more and now it's simply bold text fitted in. The blue shadow was received really well which was nice :)

Starting on the portfolio...

At the end of the semester, I have to have about 10 photos perfected and matted for my portfolio–a major part of the final grade.  I'm starting to work on it now and the pressure is building! 

Feedback is appreciated of course—hopefully there will be updates again soon!

During My Free Moments...

...I like to work on small graphics—usually fun photo edits, or logos (the leaf symbol for example).  Which makes me feel a little better when I doubt my future—you know you'll succeed when you spend your free time doing something similar to what you've done all day!  Here's a photo edit that I did today in between writing a paper and doing photography.

It was fun, but it's nothing very interesting—just thought I should be adding the small things that I do for myself as well as the work that I try to pump out for my classes.

Christmas Lights in the Dorm

Mom bought us some Christmas lights!!! Hurray! haha, we put them up this evening and have been having a great time!  We hung them up around our bedroom window, and they are so pretty :)

I'm kind of geeked, it looks really pretty and with the shade down we still have enough light (soft, pretty light) to see around our room!

I'm excited, and ready for Christmas all of the sudden... haha—it's going to be a long next few weeks!

Christian Photography

Here's the first examples of my photography this semester.  I've been using black and white film—SLR camera.  This assignment requires that we take 2 Christian photographs and take them to class for a large critique.  The photos also have to be around 8x10"—we can crop, no worries.  The one of the knees in the grass is actually 5x10", and the photo of the lamp is about 8x9".

I'm really, really hoping that a Christian message is evident.  I don't think of any of my art as 'non-Christian' because I am a Christian!  So this assignment was very difficult.  Trying to convey a Christian message more obviously...

Feedback is appreciated!

Fall '09 — over half way though!

Half an hour until Em-o and I go to pick up the two high school seniors that will be spending the night with us.  Pondering over the night ahead and sick of doing homework: A new post is born!

I can hardly believe that this semester is over half way complete!  It it still only the beginning in my mind.  At the same time, I feel like I never left this place—as though I've been here since mom and dad dropped me off on that horrid move-in day.  I lot has changed this year, my group of close friends has brightened in many corners, and dimmed in a few others.  But I am thankful for each area of growth—it has been an insightful semester.

The classes are certainly harder, especially the art classes (who knew that the upper level classes would be more difficult?).  But I am learning a lot this semester, exploring areas of my mind—creatively—that have not been worked in a long time.  It has been a struggle, and there has been—and will be—frustration, but I love what I am succeeding in! The fight makes it that much more rewarding in the end.

The room situation is also much better this year.  I get to room with my best friend and I love it!  Our room has been full of laughs, tears, venting and companionable silence(rarely, but it does happen once in a while).  I have also had the joy of seeing our home-away-from-home turn into a hang-out for our friends.  The futon has a guest or two on it constantly, and we are often forced to sit on the floor too because there is not enough space at the desks and futon (a GREAT problem to have!!)

It has been exciting, and I am almost afraid for it to end!  I don't even mind the homework—it's the due dates that are the poison to all things right and beautiful! haha  But I truly will be sorry for this semester to pass away.

OH!  It is time to pick up our nervous guests!  Hopefully we will be able to show them a good time and they will end up coming next year.  I'm sure it will be a blast :)

Continued prayers are appreciated!  The stress has only begun, and as the art show begins to peak around the corner, I can feel my heart start to pound!  It's going to be a bumpy ride, but the thrill is half the fun...

Oxymoron Poster

Kind of going for an ironic approach.  I found these "oxymorons" and don't really agree with them so I thought I would find verses that would show them as not true oxymorons.

We'll see what Professor Shaw thinks, he might not appreciate the view of oxymorons that aren't really... oxymorons...

oh well :) 

Ps. Which color scheme? Monochromatic or contrast?  Leaning towards the latter myself

Updated 11/15/09

I've changed a few things—including some of the oxymorons!  Once again, feedback is greatly appreciated, and would help a lot!

Updated 11/24/o9

I did end up going with the one on the left—but the colors are slightly different.  The gray has more blue in it and the value of the red is darker and more saturated.

I got my grade back on Monday and I got an "A"!!!!!  Very excited, I am pleased :)

Out in the Fields with God

The little cares that fretted me,

I lost them yesterday,

Among the fields, above the sea,

Among the winds at play;

Among the lowing of the herds,

The rustling of the trees;

Among the singing of the birds,

The humming of the bees.

The foolish fears of what may happen,

I cast them all away,

Among the clover-scented grass,

Among the new-mown hay;

Among the rustling of the corn,

Where drowsy poppies nod,

Where ill thoughts die and good are born—

Out in the fields with God.

—Elizabeth Bennett Browning

My new favorite poem - I've been singing it to myself for the past few days as I walk across campus (not a good idea...)

Patriotic Program

This is the program I made for Typography.  This isn't the finished product, but I have to save the updated version as a jpg again.  

We were required to include all of the text that was written on a (poorly written) document, the title, as well as a sponsor and a location (that we had to pick).  I did not like my program very much, I think I started off with a few good ideas but I am not at all confident in the end result.

The bad feeling of my work was heightened by the fact that I got the unavoidable B+.

He said that the text on the inside of the program was too choppy - I understand that, but I thought that gave more visual interest... there is only so much that you can do with miles of body copy (the text)!

I plan to try and fix it and update this post with an almost acceptable piece

Trunk-r-Treat

Some of the members of our floor went to Trunk-r-Treat dressed up as 'Apples to Apples' cards!  We picked that theme about a year ago, didn't know that we would actually DO IT! haha, but it was a lot of fun!

It was super cold outside, so we all got in a line and started dancing to whatever music came on the radio (there were about 10 of us total).

It was a lot of fun, the kids were interested in the candy (and the apples that we were handing out - hehe)  and the parents were laughing at our cards!

Next year we plan on being Eskimos—we want to be WARM next time!

"Cappuccino To Go" Logo

This is one of my logo designs for Typography.  We had to pick out one of the "company" names from a list and design a company logo for them.  I will also have to choose the font that the company will use in all of their advertisements and written documents.

The "go" on the left represents a traffic light - thus the green filled "o" - that would imply speed.

Updated 10/30/09

I have added my new, revised version of the logo.  I made the "go" text within the "traffic light" myself using the pen tool (I'm getting better with using Adobe!)  I was having trouble with the "Cappuccino To Go" font choice.  I was trying to play with different typefaces, but I was never sold on any of them...  What I finally settled on was "Dear Joe 2" (found at DaFont.com)

I do like what I have now.  I might change the value of the green, and maybe decrease the saturation to give it a more organic feel.

Feedback is appreciated!

Updated 11/6/09

I have added the complete, finished set.  I also had to design a letterhead, business cards and and envelope that went with the logo :)

Updated 11/10/09

It's on the WORK OF THE WEEK board!!!!

SO excited!  I got an "A-" on it, the '-' is for going a little overboard with all of the extra items (but I kind of forgot about them until about 2 days before the assignment was due! So I'm okay with that being the reason)

But Professor Shaw also said that the logo was "very creative!" — I don't get that very much, and I'm LOVING it now!

The Mist and All - by Dixie Willson

I like the fall

The mist and all

I like the night owl’s lonely call

And wailing sound

Of wind around

I like the gray

November day

And dead, bare boughs that coldly sway

Against my pane

I like the rain

I like to sit

And laugh at it

And tend my cozy fire a bit

I like the fall

The mist and all

This is one of my favorite poems.  I do LOVE the fall - it is absolutely beautiful!  The colors - bright, cheerful, and crisp!  

I am constantly excited by God's beauty outside...  I love the fall, the mist and all...

Leaf Symbol

This is my first attempt at a logo...

I'm brainstorming for my Intro to Graphic Design class.  We are supposed to create a logo-style design that represents something.

I was originally doing a pencil (we had two options), but I couldn't think of anything :'(

SO this is what I've got now.  Trying to convey the seasons and the color changes of the leaves

——

I got the project back today!  And I got an "A"!!!  Excitement is an understatement!  Professor Shaw also showed mine to the class along with 4 other student's work and told me what he liked about it.  I wasn't sure how I did on this one (still figuring this Graphic Design thing out), so I was VERY excited to see the A, I would have guessed a "B", maybe a "B+"

Professor Shaw thought that I should have given the red-brown leaf harder edges to convey a crunchy, dead effect.

Love Note - Bright and Early

I walked out of the dining commons this morning, slightly panicked because I had decided to stay and listen to a friend of mine vent some frustration instead of leaving at my usual time.  It was definitely worth it, but after the interesting last few days (more on that later) I was in no mood to have even the slightest amount of stress added to my day.  Especially at the very beginning (we're talking 7:50 am here-I've only been up an hour).

Thankfully, my Betrothed was prepared.  I walked out to see the BEAUTIFUL sky that God had made!  The rising sun was hitting the clouds just right, and had turned the tops pink and yellow.  Gorgeous <3

I suddenly had the energy I needed.  God always knows what to do, He knows how much I love color, and how crazy-happy I get when I catch those few moments.

Needless to say, I was able to get through today - including 10 hours in the art center

Side note: I still made it about 5 minutes before class started.  A little late for me, but totally okay :)

Typographic Hierarchy

In my Typographic Design class, I have to create 4 different "flash cards" with one back.  These flash cards need to be part of a selected theme and have a family resemblance.  I choose the Typographic Hierarchy theme (because nobody else was doing it!) and have to tell the viewers different methods of controlling the eye of the viewer.

I'm not sure how I feel about the entire design... I'm really out of my league in the classes right now - mostly because everyone else has had experience with this type of art while I haven't.

Either way, I'm hoping that my professor will like them.  I think I might change a few things on the 4 pieces still - I don't really like the "controlling the eye of the viewer" wrapping around.  I did until a little while ago, but it's just too much as of right now.

Updated:: 10/10/09

This is my final design, we had a critique this morning (well, Friday morning) and that went very well!  I was really scared, but I didn't get many bad comments--in fact, I got a lot of positive feedback!

And Professor Shaw said he liked my cover--the "logo" design.  Which is always a plus!!!

Updated 10/12/09

Turns out that Professor Shaw isn't as fond of my design as I thought... I got a B+ on this piece.

Solution to Problem:: B+

Creativity:: B  (Story of my life)

Technique:: A-