Semester Reflection

As a fourth-year e-Communication student, this year in particular was very different from past years. Our new Junior and Senior graphic design teacher exposed me to new methods right away. I have since begun to use a design process, work on my presentation skills, and have a better understanding on the production and print side of the industry. Since August, I have completed two t-shirts: one for the Senior powderpuff team, and another for a suicide prevention awareness memorial golf tournament. With an emphasis on typography, I have completed a series of twelve name plates, and a series of three art boards expressing a given quote. Other projects include branding for a mock-company and several elements for the Olathe Northwest High School homecoming dance.

In the beginning, I had a hard time conforming to a new learning style. I was never used to working on projects as a class. I now realize that it has helped to push my creativity, and be able to pull inspiration from other people's works and make it my own. Another benefit to working on the same projects as my peers is that I am able to receive better feedback when we critique because they understand the purpose of the assignments.

Our group discussions and critique time is a big part of me learning to problem solve and move along in the design process. For example, when I was working on the powderpuff tanks, I took my classmates' advice and ended up changing major elements such as the colors, diction, and fonts.

I really felt like I grasped the design process when working on the mock-company branding. I started with sketches of the company I thought I wanted to pursue. Then I chose a few of my best sketches and developed them in Adobe Illustrator. Once I printed off my concepts for critique, I hung them up on the wall and took a step back. That's when I realized the importance of having contrast in logos and having hierarchy in type. So I nixed the ideas and went back to the drawing board. In a nutshell, the process consists of lots of sketching, developing one or two of those ideas on the computer, get feedback, narrow it down to one solid concept, and multiple revisions. This is the process that worked for this project in particular. I may need to adapt it for other projects in the future.

An important technical skill I have learned this semester is how to properly mount my work on matte board. This is important because if I ever need to present a physical portfolio, all of my work will look clean, presentable, and uniform. The process of mounting often relies heavily on sending files to the print shop correctly (with all marks and bleeds present). Using the T-squares and an exact-o-knife, I am able to cut straight lines. Mounting with spray glue also keeps the edges from warping and peeling up.

As a Senior, I have been able to help my classmates. I help Morgan a lot by showing her some of the keyboard shortcuts that I often use. I have also helped her with a gradient glow, clipping masks, and refining paths.

Next semester, I want to improve and build up my client-based work. Now that I have finished several in-class projects, I hope to get more opportunities such as the memorial golf tournament t-shirt. I want to improve my Adobe Indesign skills, as in learning how to set up different documents with margins, bleeds, and grids accordingly. I hope to learn more about the knife and scissor tools in Adobe Illustrator, and what types of application that they would have.

For a full view of all of the work that I have completed this semester, please visit by Behance portfolio! https://www.behance.net/jessicarichards1022

Gestalt Principles

Similarity

    Similarity refers to what elements look like and how they effect grouping. When your brain tries to take in a complicated work, it processes it by grouping. The three ways to group items is by size, value/color, and shape.

    The author, James Saw, argues that the more alike the items are, the more likely they are to form groups. Saw contributes supporting evidence though example images. The article does a great job of grouping and organizing text so that the concept is easy to understand. In Saw's conclusion, I like that he pointed out that "it is important to understand that it is possible, often necessary, to deliberately make items look different in order to make them stand out or to create more variety in a composition."

    The author's argument does support his main points. He did a nice job of describing the three different ways in which similarity can or cannot be achieved in three paragraphs. However, more visuals would've been a little more helpful. As a graphic designer, I look most forward to using dissimilarity in order to make a certain element stand out. I fully understood the article.

    I thought that it was interesting that size was more dominant than shape. I also was surprised to learn how shape can also create direction and appeal to our "sense of order."

    http://daphne.palomar.edu/design/simnprox.html

Continuation

    Continuity is the idea that an audience/reader will tend to continue shapes beyond their ending points. Shapes, lines, etc. will continue on until it is met with other elements or the edge of the frame. Continuation allows a designer to portray relatedness within a piece of work. It is especially handy for indicating and understanding.

    Continuity creates a fluid connection among "compositional parts." Author Andy Rutledge does a nice job of defining continuation as "elements arranged on a line or curve are perceived to be more related than elements not on the line or curve." This Gestalt principle is also very important for conveying information. For example, the lines of text in this paragraph are linear, and guide your eye where to read next. It is also helpful in visual structures, such as infographics. 

    I like how Rutledge pointed out that linear arrangement for good continuation can also be vertical. I also liked how Rutledge talked about the grid system, because I am familiar with it. I use it everyday, sometimes in my graphics, and in my yearbook spreads.

    http://www.andyrutledge.com/gestalt-principles-3.php

Closure

    The principle of closure is about drawing conclusions. Common references to closure in design are cliched and clever. 

    When the reader looks at a piece of work that is not complete/missing an element, they will automatically use closer to fill in what they believe should be there. As humans, we tend to make the wrong assumptions. This Gestalt principle is rarely associated with real life.
    Author Andy Rutledge makes a good connection when he states, "And since we almost never have the full picture anyway, the principle of closure is at the core of almost every decision we make, every understanding we claim, and our every effort to grasp the complexity of the world around us."
    There is a fine line to be aware of when designing with closure in mind. As a designer, we must find the perfect amount of closure that allows our audience to still perceive the work. If too much of the pattern is missing, closure is less likely to occur.
    When working with closure, it is typically easier for an audience to identify another human face than it is an object. Nonetheless, the audience is generally successful in identifying the reference as long as the design provides an efficient function of closure. Rutledge also provides interesting examples of how closure can be used to show motion as well.
        http://www.andyrutledge.com/gestalt-principles-3.php

Proximity

    Proximity is often associated with similarity. It refers to where elements are and how they effect grouping. The main types of proximity are close edge, touch, overlap, and combine.

    The author, James Saw, argues that "proximity relationships will generally dominate over similarity relationships." However, he qualifies his argument though the use of images. This particular article does a good job of describing in detail how the four specific types of proximity relationships work to our benefits as designers. Saw concludes that it is important, as a designer, to use proximity and similarity together in order to gain the "strongest control" of the work. 

    The author's argument does support his main points. He did a nice job of describing the four different ways in which proximity can be achieved throughout short paragraphs that allowed the reader to really grasp the information being given. However, more visuals would've been a little more helpful. As a graphic designer, I look most forward to using the proximity relationships with elements other than just type. I fully understood the article.

    I thought that it was interesting that even once the letters of "close edge" were spread further apart, the brain still registered the two separate words. I also really enjoyed the hierarchy of overlap. I think that would be another great way to push myself as a designer. 

    http://daphne.palomar.edu/design/simnprox.html

Figure/Ground

    Figure Ground Relationship is defined, "elements are perceived as either figures (distinct elements of focus) or ground (the background or landscape on which figures rest). Determining this relationship is important because it is the first thing people register at first glance. The brain gives immediate attention to figures. Ground is not as important, but it still can provide meaningful context.
    This Gestalt principle is especially important as a designer considering what order of priority you want your viewer to see your elements in. Author Andy Rutledge safely sums it up as "allowing us to determine what we're supposed to look at and what we might safely ignore."
    Figure ground relationship is often implied in working with dimension. There can be different levels of hierarchy in the ground element.
        http://www.andyrutledge.com/gestalt-principles-3.php

Symmetry and Order

    Symmetry is important in design because it ensures that your viewer will not be given the impression that something is out of balance/missing/wrong. If an element is asymmetrical, the audience will likely spend more time trying to find the problem instead of admiring and concentration on the work as a whole.
    Order provides stability, consistency, and structure to a work. The arrangement, or order, of elements allows a designer to portray a positive or negative connotation of the work depending on the communication trying to get across.
    For example, traffic signs, sets of instructions, and reference books must effectively present the message so that it is comprehensible and can be retained quickly. People are so used to receiving information that is very simple and organized. Therefore, trying to complicate that design will frustrate the viewer for having to put in too much effort in order to comprehend.
    http://facweb.cs.depaul.edu/sgrais/gestalt_principles.htm

Personal Project Review

Homecoming is right around the corner, and as e-Communication students, we were approached to create a poster for the dance. The client expressed the importance of conveying the theme "Trick of the Lights" as well as color scheme (black, white, and maybe a hint of red). This piece needed to be visually appealing and easy to read for a student passing by in the halls.

With quick deadlines and turnaround time, it was important to stay on schedule and follow a strict process. I benefitted from working on my personal laptop because I was able to work from home as well as in class. Pre-production began right after meeting with the client. The client provided a Pinterest board in which I took notes on the style and feel, in order to convey a similar depiction in my work. I also looked for other similar Pinterest boards, key word searched the internet, and browsed through Bechance for ideas. I took all of these ideas and grouped them into different concepts. This then lead to twenty completely different sketches. The process of sketching allowed me to stretch my creativity a lot further than I'd ever imagined. From there, I choose two of my best sketches and took to the computer. Immediately I knew which project I wanted to push. It didn't take long for me to put together my design, however, every time I printed I ended up back on the computer making edits. This process of refinery was also very helpful thanks to feedback from my peers. It was such a good feeling to finally send it off to print. It was an even better feeling to cut and mount my work neatly on display for the client.

Along the way, I learned a new process of design. I had never sketched so many different ideas for one project. And along each step of the process, I received feedback from my peers. I learned how to manage tight deadlines by working on a schedule (and the importance of sticking to it). As far as technology goes, I learned the importance of using full black which is 100% key, compared to the registration black that uses a combination of CMYK and ultimately increases the cost of printing.

If there were one thing that I could do differently, it would be to find a way to implement a little touch of red into my design. After seeing the work my teammates were putting out, the pieces with even the slightest red stood out a lot more from the rest.

If there were one thing that I could do the same, it would be to take my time on cutting and mounting. This is such a vital step in the process of presenting the final piece to the client. Even the slightest uneven or jagged edge could make your project unappealing.

Before this project, I would have gone straight to the computer and designed the first thing that came to mind. However, I'm glad that I was forced to sketch multiple ideas, and I will continue to implement that step in my process in the future.

Overall, I selfishly wish this project wasn't a class project because at the end, the client only chose one poster out of twenty. Mine sadly wasn't chosen, but that will hopefully encourage me to push myself on future projects.

Graphic Design: Resume / Identity Package / Online Portfolio

To conclude my year as a junior in graphic design, I've put together an identity package that can be viewed on my Behance account (see link below). I have a wide variety in my color pallet because I love all of the bright colors, and I felt that it would be very useful to have choices when it came to the layout of various applications such as t-shirt, business cards, stationary, etc. I have a three-font package so that depending on the type of logo used, the fonts apply. A script, brush stroke, and serif font were chosen because of their contrast with each other. It's preferable that either the script or brush stroke always be paired with the serif unless under a special circumstance. I love the feminism, classiness, and cleanliness of my fonts. I've created three different logos: one complex, one simplified, and one elongated. The circular and rectangular brush stroke are both offset by a simplistic shape because its symbolic of my personality. There's a part of me that loves to be creative and color outside the lines, but the other half loves perfection and simplicity and structure. 

Visit my Behance profile to see some of my projects!

https://www.behance.net/jessicarichards1022

GEAR: The Final Frontier

Introduction

              As students in the e-Communication program, we thought it would be beneficial to get to know a local company located in Lenexa, GEAR.  This company designs and mass produces apparel and media for big name brands that they have bought-out such as Champion, Under Armor, and GEAR for Sports. Their projects ship worldwide. While on our tour, we visited different divisions of the company and saw the employees in action.

Experience/Tour

              Our tour of the building began in the printing warehouse. Dozens of high-tech printing machines, ovens, packaging stations, and storage. The organization of the whole process of printing shows the company's dedication to organization and success. We were shown the production of the apparel templates, which was carried out in a dark room in order to preserve the slates. Then we went into a room with a very large printer that could print different sizes, paper types, staple, bind, hole punch, etc. I couldn't help but think how amazing it would be to have one of those in our classroom. Next we visited one of the most interesting and important part of the building, the graphic design department. It's a huge space arranged into groups of cubicles according to company and another group for the designers who put together catalogs and other media. They have trending boards as areas for sources of inspiration, and areas to critique and converse. The reason they are set up into teams is to keep branding unique to each company/brand. The department had very dim lighting and it was calm-- no music. According to a poll taken by GEAR, the designers described this as an ideal environment to meet their tight deadlines.

Conclusion

              GEAR was my favorite field trips of this school year because apparel design is my favorite part of graphic design. I was inspired specifically by the graphic design department's attention to detail such as printing mediums, always pushing the boundaries in order to stay on top of trends. It's hard to even wrap my mind around the fact that we saw only a very small scope of the company.

Design Challenge

I was asked to create a graduation party invitation for a couple of friends of mine, so I decided to use elements from my design challenge in my project. I LOVE invitations, especially how in today's society many people opt to go with online "e-vites". I hope to create more invitations as graduation rolls around the corner! My goal was to create something that would look well on screen, as well as printed. I chose to make it a 5x7 for printing purposes. As you can see, I pulled elements from the three pieces above:

• Blocking of the text and enclosing it with lines from source 1, 2, and 3
• Dual font pairing with the alternation of bolds and italics from source 1
• Use of one color from source 2 and 3
• Bordering dominant photo from source 2
• Layout using one dominant photo from source 2

Polygonal Design

A polygon is defined as a closed path or circuit which is made by joining line segments. In a polygon, each line segment intersects exactly two other line segments. (Below is the 'Violin and Jug' of 1910 by Georges Braque)

Artist: The collage you see here is the work Charis Tsevis, an award winning visual designer from Athens, Greece. His client list includes companies such as Nike, PepsiCo, Toyota and IKEA. His work has been featured in many books, magazines and websites around the world. This series of illustrations was created for the Turkey 2010 Basketball World Championships

Modern application: Polygons are popular in the digital world. They can impart your image or text in a unique 3D, retro style. Initially, polygon graphics were used for creating 3D models and scenes in videogames because of their render speed, which was achieved due to low polygonal resolution.

Historical application: Polygon design has had a historical precedent in art since the beginning of the 20th century. It was the time of multiple expressionist movements emersion. The advent of photography influenced this art tendency as well. Since photographs could capture an exact image the need for accuracy in art seized its topicality.

Here is the work of Marcel Duchamp on the left, and Francis M. Naumann on the right. Historically, polygons were used commonly used in video games for wire frame illustrations.

Tutorial

1. Download application.mac OS X from server

2. Open/install TriangulateImage5OSX app

3. Select "Choose an Image". Image must be a JPEG.

4. Make sure that you're on the O or "original layer"
5. Use cursor to place points along the edge of the object. The more dots, the more accurate. 

6. If needed, select the "ON/OFF Eraser" or (E) to remove any points placed incorrectly.
7. (M) or "Mesh" allows you to see the triangles and the original image simultaneously, where you can add points if needed.

8. When you're finished, choose (R) or "Result" to see the final product.

9. To save work, select "Write to PDF" and save the file to your computer!

Strengths-Based Leadership

Top five leadership strengths:

1. Achiever (Executing)
2. Restorative (Executing)
3. Competition (Influencing)
4. Strategic (Strategic Thinking)
5. Focus (Executing)

Achiever:

This describes my drive and constant need to accomplish things. Every day has an agenda, and if the goals aren't met, I feel as if my day is incomplete. It helps bring me the energy I need to work long and hard hours on projects. It also is the source of my productivity. In groups, I am good at creating reasonable goals and making sure team members meet deadlines and produce sufficient work. Achieve is defined "to bring to a successful end; carry through; accomplish".

Restorative:

This describes my ability to solve problems/ come up with better solutions and ways to do things. I enjoy fixing things so that they can work again. I also find this problem solving trait arise in design, when I find all of the errors and find ways to tweak them. In groups, this would be my constant checking to make sure the team isn't headed for failure. Restorative is defined as "capable of renewing health or strength".

Competition:

This describes my constant comparing myself to others, in both the physical and intellectual sense. Even if I reach my goal, I always feel the need to be the best, be on top, and outperform my peers. It is also true that I like to participate when I feel I have a good shot at producing the best outcome, and avoid contests where winning seems unlikely. I always feel like when people ask me, "What did you get on the test?" I have to have a higher score. That's why I study and work so hard in school. Competition is defined as "the act of competing for some prize, honor, or advantage".

Strategic:

This describes my ability to sort through clutter and find the best route. It is a distinct way of thinking. It's a perspective that allows me to see patterns and play out alternative scenarios. This is my productivity, and a little of creating lists. I wouldn't say it's daydreaming, but I constantly find myself out of focus and running through dozens of different scenarios even though half of them aren't even plausible. Strategic is defined as "pertaining to, characterized by, important in, or essential to the nature of strategy".

Focus:

This describes my ability to set and reach my goals. My focus forces me to filter and prioritize what gets done in what order, and decide how it will help me reach my goal. The downside to my focus is that I quickly become impatient with delays, obstacles and tangents. I keep my team members on track by reminding them that if something is not helping us move toward the destination, then it is not important. I can study for hours on end if needed to. Focus is defined as "a central point, as of attraction, attention, or activity".

Reflection:

I found that learning the importance of knowing and using my strengths to my abilities, versus trying to build strengths where I may be lacking, was most valuable from the activity of Friday with Mrs. Knight. I had an "Aha!" moment during the presentation when she noted that people with my traits tend to make lists. I make lists 24/7. I love lists and once she said that, it all made sense to me. Now that I am able to recognize my strengths, I think it will allow me to find a better position for myself in group projects. I think it would be best suited for me to take a position such as project management, where I can oversee the entire project to make sure things are on time, following guidelines, people are working together, the client is happy, and we are achieving goals we set for ourselves along the way.