Second Semester In Graphic Design Reflection

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Second Semester in Graphic Design Reflection

Infographic

          At the end of first semester, we were asked to create an infographic about a topic we were interested in. At first I couldn't think of what I wanted to do, but after some input from friends in my class, I decided on "Christmas in America", because we were nearing Christmas time, and I thought it would be a fun topic. The project took me about three weeks to complete, including time for brainstorming, sketching, and actually creating the infographic in illustrator. This was a fairly easy project for me, I constantly had ideas, but toward the end (and the bottom of the infographic), I began to loose creativity. From this project, I definitely took away from collaboration skills. I communicated with my peers for their input on things I should keep the same and aspects I needed to change. I constantly asked my peers questions about the layout toward the end, because I needed to make it less empty. My original idea was much more crowded, and the majority of space was filled. But this project just felt empty. Although I do like the final product, I do wish I would've found more information during the research portion of the project so that I could fill the white space.

Typography

         When presented with this project, I was really excited because we were able to figure out our graphic styles through it. We were asked to create 4 quotes, using different fonts and colors. This assignment only took about 2 weeks to complete, and I'm pretty satisfied with how it turned out. I did face some conflict when we neared the end of the project, because I spent too much time on two of my quotes, which, I think it's easy to tell which ones I spent more time on. From this project, I think I gained new skills with pairing fonts, which will most likely help me next year. Most of my feedback came from those sitting around me, and I made sure to get their opinions on colors and fonts. My original idea for my last two logos was much more detailed, but I didn't really invest myself in them, so I don't think they turned out very well. Overall, I think this project turned out pretty decent, and I think I discovered my style through it.

Concert Advertising

          From the start, this project seemed like something I'd be really interested in, and it proved to be true. At the beginning, I had some trouble finding an artist who someone else wasn't doing, and that I actually wanted to do. After a day of brainstorming, I finally settled on Troye Sivan. I presented my research about him, and got to work soon after. This project took about a month to complete, between the poster design, the ticket, and the postcards. I really enjoyed the freedom of starting from scratch and working without many constraints. This project really taught me about time management. My final product was identical to my original ideas. I wanted to keep it simple, like the graphics of his most recent album. I frequently asked those around me for their opinions of where information should be located, and what color scheme I should go with.

Class Time

          This semester in class, there were times where I was distracted, but I almost always got back on task. There weren't many times where I finished early, but when I did get done, I would talk with those who already finished. I further advanced my technical skills this semester at home by installing the adobe suite on my computer at home. This definitely helped me advance my skills in graphic design and influence my decision to pursue it next year. When I finished, I always asked my peers if they had any input, and I would make the necessary changes. 

My Improvement

          When I first joined the program, I only knew about one Adobe software, which was photoshop. Over the past two years, I have my advanced my knowledge in several different programs, like Illustrator, Premiere Pro, and Photoshop. I entered eComm with hopes of going into entertainment, but after two years in graphic design, I have discovered a different interest and found my strengths in it. I think I've been great this past year at communication, collaboration, and leadership.

Where I Need to Improve

          I think I need to improve with project management and time management next year. My vector project was a disaster when it came to project management, and I'll take it as a lesson learned for next year in graphic design. I can always work on collaboration, although it is a strength, as I believe I need to find more people to help critique my projects outside of my typical group.

Conclusion

     My favorite part of my graphic design experience this year was definitely the collaboration aspect. I got to meet some new people and grow my friendships with those I didn't know as well. I also took away a new understanding of the software which will benefit me for years to come. I think the overall experience was really good, and there isn't anything that I would change about it. Next year, I want to experiment more with my style and not just stick with my typical dark pink and blue color scheme.         

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