Final Journal Entry
My masters education experience is almost done! Just a few days before I have completed my last assignment.
Over the past year I have had some amazing experiences. Looking at my last journal entry you can see how some of the different projects evolved. In todays entry I will look at how each class has effected me. Below you can see my experience map showing the highs and lows of my time in the Media Design Master of Fine Arts Program.
The introductory course had me reflect on my experience as a designer so far in my life. It was interesting to look back and see the progress I had made since I started almost 20 years ago. I created a personal logo and looked at what I needed to do to develop myself both personally and as a leader. We went through each course and set goals and strategies to achieve those goals. I had no idea the ride I would go on over the months following the first class.
In the next course we looked at Margo Chase and other designers to see what they did to become successful. Margo Chase’s story really captured me. I ready many articles about her and was sad to learn she had passed away. As a part of this class we shared some of our successes and I had just finished my biggest local project, rebranding a large local nonprofit that works with at-risk families and individuals. This was a high moment for me, I felt good about my work and I was proud to share it with my class mates.
The next course was the start of what would be my favorite project of the program. We had to choose from 3 cities, Morocco, Kyoto & Reykjavik. I chose Reykjavik and began my fascination with Iceland. In fact my reward for completing my masters is a trip to Reykjavik to see the country I have come to love. This is the first time I have really done major research for a project. Most of my previous clients had already done their research or couldn’t afford to have me or anyone else do research. It was daunting at first but so rewarding in the end, it made my work on the project over the year so much easier. I really came to love not only Reykjavik but the process of research and getting to know my client.
In the fourth course we chose a nonprofit organization to create action ads for. I chose a cause that was near and dear to me and poured my heart and soul into creating an informative action ad that I felt portrayed the cause of raising awareness against discrimination against adopting parents. This was another step up in my high during the first 4 classes. I was able to use my new love of research along with some new avenues in my own life to create a project I was proud of.
The beginning of the next trimester was a complete turn from the previous classes. We created a mood board and mock-ups for charity event. I chose to raise awareness through a concert for sea turtles. This was a little more difficult than previous projects because I wasn’t passionate about the cause, nothing against sea turtles, they are amazing. On the design side it was easy, I have many projects over the years that are similar to this and like this one my passion came from needing to pay my bills. It was just interesting to notice the difference in my zeal to complete the work. It was toward the end of this class that there were a couple of huge upsets in my personal life, I was able to finish this course with out too much trouble but it was the start to a huge landslide in my experience.
I ended up taking the next class three times before I was able to pass, there was so much going on and continuing with the sea turtle project was a huge mistake. It wasn’t until I switched back to Reykjavik and had to wake myself up as I faced either stopping my education or moving forward with a different attitude. I think my biggest take-a-way from this course was the importance of leaving my personal life at home, the problem was I worked from home... This section of my education was a sharp fall into a deep dark pit. My final instructor was instrumental in the change, we really connected and his energy on positivity was so helpful in pulling me out of my funk.
Most of the rest of my experience has been focussed on Reykjavik in one way or another. I created a motion poster in the next class, a series of ideas for PSA’s as marketing and I chose one of those ideas in the following class. In the next class I refined the PSA add and after the questionnaire in the next class I completely changed from a PSA to a Cinemagraph. The interesting thing about these classes was the evolution of what started as a motion poster and ended as a fancy motion poster aka cinemagraph. At each step of the way I was proud of the deliverable and at the beginning of the next I was rethinking everything.
I loved receiving instructor, peer and public feedback. Each time I was made aware of something I hadn’t though of. I remember when I first became a designer I was so sensitive about my work. I took critique very personal, after 20 years not so much. I have learned that it is the criticism/feedback that really allows me to be a great designer and take my work to the next level because I am able to step out of my own head and prejudices and ensure my deliverable is of the highest quality. There were many ups and downs, but over all I was working my way back up the latter out of the dark pit.
My last two classes (current class included) have been spent reflecting on my time in the program and what I have learned and how to apply that to my career. It is fitting to end the class the way we started. I didn't realize just how much I have learned until going back over the process. I have been able to pinpoint something each month that has been helpful for me.
In this last class we have been looking at ethics, morals and our responsibility as media designers to not only just do no harm but to do good. I was raised to be honest and had good examples in my life of people with high morals and good ethics. It wasn’t until last week that I really looked at how easy it could be to slip in to that greedy place where morals can waiver. It has been nice to review why we do what we do as designers and to look at examples of what can happen when we lose sight of our responsibility to look out for the clients.
It is nice to end my experience on a high, with a great view, not only of my journey so far but the journey ahead. Thanks to my masters and the experiences I have had I have been able to gain employment for one of the best companies in the world to work for. I am thankful for the highs and lows. I have found that all the experiences have clearly shown me what I do want in my life through contrasting experiences. You can’t know what you want until you know what you don’t want and I definitely know I don’t like the bottom of the pit.
This is an extremely accurate representation of my experience over the program. Such an amazing journey, every valley making the next peak that much more beautiful.















