#grde 326

[hollenbeck-blog]

Junior Year Review

I have attempted this post three times now and I can't seem to break away from writing some mindless cliche drabble about rewards and challenges, so instead I think I'm just going to list off what I've learned this year. I will include the big things, the small things, and the quirky things, just to keep it authentic.

So - to begin - my junior year in the graphic design program and the communication design classes has taught me:

A design at its core is an idea. Visual appeal is important, but ideas win top prize.

Designers are educators, innovators, engineers, artists, politicians, and leaders.

Even the best idea can fail if nobody stands strong behind it.

Sometimes a weak concept can be sold simply by talking it up.

Process is necessary for the benefit of everyone, and it certainly cannot be rushed.

Time is a valuable resource and MUST be managed well to be a successful designer.

Sleep is absolutely necessary in order to be creative.

Typography can make or break a project. It MUST be considered fully.

Folios can be beautiful additions to a page.

Conceptual freedom can be an extremely scary prospect.

Detailed art-direction can bring out the best in a project.

Design inspires change.

Sometimes life is better unscripted.

I'm a terrible baker.

A single folded page holds infinite creative possibilities.

Paper stock adds another dimension to the perception of a printed piece.

Social media can be a powerful job-seeking and networking tool.

A logo is not a brand, but it can be the face of a brand.

Thumbnails matter.

Believing in my ideas helps them grow.

Sometimes stepping away from the computer is the best decision.

Tape things to the wall, and look at them often.

Do not let a project become depressing.

Design is not life, it is only one facet of life.

The design community is a rewarding and valuable entity to be a part of.

Talk about design, and it becomes completely enjoyable.

Don't let Facebook become a distraction.

Strong ideas lead to strong visuals, and tend to grow on their own.

Print two copies. Chances are one will get folded wrong.

Books can be powerful interactive experiences, but should be designed completely.

Carry a sketchbook and let it become a spiritual companion.

Some of the greatest inspiration can be found in the tiniest things.

Think strong and live well. Don't give in to doubt.

I am a powerfully creative individual.

I am growing, learning, and improving every day that I immerse myself in design.

I will continue to grow and I WILL become a designer.

I've exhausted my current list of things learned, even though I'm sure there are thousands more. These classes were a rewarding experience and one that helped me transform from a student interested in getting a design degree to a desginer interested in seeing where this industry will take me. I will remember the experience for a lifetime. Thank you William Culpepper for giving me this. You will be sorely missed.

[well-thats-pertty-neat]

#13 Three Down One to Go

Junior year of graphic design was defiantly a challenge compared to the previous years but one thing remained constant, the amount that I learned. The first two years of design at Ferris State University really focus on the design principles, how to use the programs, applying typographic and compositional rules guided very closely by the professors. Junior year was a completely different learning experience instead of set outcomes and a project that had specific rules to follow it was up to us to figure out a lot of the project details. This year was more about creating a firm and detailed concept, sticking to that concept guided by research and the deadlines set by the professor.

This year was all about removing the consistent interaction with the professor and letting us take what we learned from the previous two years and applying it at a higher level. One of the things that I think that I benefited from the most was being able to learn how I worked as an individual. Structure my work time around my unique design process. Before we had to do every single step in the design process and show concrete evidence that we have completed it. This year there was more freedom in how far we wanted to take each step of the process catering to the needs of our own individual concepts.

This year was also the year to be completely exposed to the outside design world, which is important since we are located in Big Rapids, MI. We went on multiple trips to different printers and design firms here in Michigan and in Illinois. The highlight of the year was defiantly the trip that I took to Chicago with my GRDE (Graphic Design) group. I’ve never been to a big city before and it was an eye opener to where I might be living or where graphic design might take me. I’ve also never seen a design firm until that Chicago trip; they are exactly as I imagined clean, white walls, wood floors, big glass panes for doors, fun people in a fun atmosphere. The Chicago trip was amazing, I just wish we could go to more places just as big as Chicago to go look and see more of the design world.

On top of all the fun projects with tons of creative freedom, all of the real world exposure and learning about myself and how I work I got the opportunity to meet and become close with my class GRDE 2013. My classmates are always there for each other trying to help out in any way possible. I’ve heard stories of classes ahead of us that don’t mesh well with each other and are constantly on each other’s backs. My class is completely opposite we all pretty much have the same personality and accept the weirdness in one another. After this year, which was a struggle to stay sane all the way through, I realize that my classmates are a big crutch for me and I couldn’t have done it without them.  (Love you guys GRDE 2013)

So overall junior year was completely rewarding it made me push my limits, get outside my comfort zone and take risks. It made me realize what hard work actually is and expanded my horizons within the graphic design world. Most of all getting closer with my class and creating those life long memories and friendships that can benefit out there in the real world of design. All I can say is three down one more to go. 

[kate-murphy-blog-blog]

Design Reflections: The Year in Review

Once again, the spring semester is at a close, and I find myself at the end of an another academic year. I successfully managed to work my way though my junior year of graphic design. All that's left is next year's Senior Experience. I must admit, I am both excited and a little nervous. While this means one more year down, it also means that the most rewarding, but challenging, one of all is up to bat. Before I can get ahead of myself and start focusing on what's to come, it will probably do me some good to focus on what I have learned and can apply for the coming year. Let's begin with the Fall semester.

Fall 2011

This was a challenge. I can't lie. This was the most difficult semester I have ever experienced in college thus far, and I was entirely to blame for it. Of course, something should have told me right at the beginning that trying to juggle a job, an internship, three design classes and two gen. ed. classes would have been a bit too much to take on at one time. This resulted in me pulling an all-nighter or two each and every week for the entirety of the semester. My quality of work dropped, my health declined, and I became quite familiar with what happens when one overworks oneself. It was a lesson in scheduling well-learned. 

The semester wasn't a complete train-wreck, however. I gained valuable experience from my internship at the Office of International Education. While not a formal, corporate setting, I learned basic meeting behavior, boss and client interaction, and discovered the rewards of a job well done when I was praised at the office's open house for the newsletter I designed and produced for them.

Despite the long nights, I could feel my confidence growing in my classes — if sleepily. This was the semester that I truly felt like I could embrace my writing and public speaking abilities on top of building upon what I was learning about design. The Objects and Artifacts deadline was my favorite part of the semester, seeing all of the books come together (and seeing everyone's awesome presentations. Who'd a thunk I could carry a Brooklyn accent?).

Spring 2012

Not having a second job to worry about and scheduling a bit of a lighter class load for myself caused an instant improvement in this semester. I managed to reign in my perfectionist side, choosing to get to bed early to work in the mornings versus staying up through the night to finish something. I was getting more sleep, more work done, and my entire well-being changed for the better.

This semester brought about my first step into the world of branding. I had worked on a logo for my internship as well as one for my church back home, but never before had I contemplated what a brand beyond the logo meant. The 15 weeks of the spring opened my eyes to a concept I never knew existed, and by starting with a good idea and concept for rebranding a local non-profit with, I was able to complete what I think is the best project I have ever done in these three years. The process taught me that a great story behind the work is key, and, in the end, I was able to present (without notecards)  my finished project with confidence and passion. (In what I believe was also my best presentation. Never before had I felt that comfortable in front of an audience.)

In the end, it has been one heck of a year filled with its ups and downs. All of these experiences are serving to shape the designer I will become, and (provided I don't fail my Econ class. That'll throw a wrench in the works.), I am looking forward to my final year here.

It's going to be tough, but the class has made it this far for a reason.

We're tough as well. And we're a family.

[zachkelly]

GRDE326 - No. 13

For the thirteenth and final Tumblr posting, I plan to write about some retrospective reflections, thoughts, and  on my junior year in the FSU design program for the 2011-2012 school year. 

I came into the school year not knowing what would be in store for the next 30 some weeks and having memories of the past spring come back to me too quickly. I was excited to be back and feel productive again, as I had a not so productive summer. I enjoyed taking trips with the class and ended up very satisfied in the ones we did end up going to, especially Chicago. 

Looking back on it, fall semester was completely different from spring in quite a few different ways.

This whole year was completely different from the past two. Instead of learning material, or learning how to do things while being guided along the entire way, it was more of a brief learning period, and then a much longer self-managed production period. I enjoyed that very much and finally felt that I was able to make my own decisions, but receive help if I needed, (which was quite often).

Having that new style of learning and creating led me to begin to think harder, and really develop my ideas before moving forward. I think that was a HUGE part of this year: learning the importance and value of having a strong concept and really using that higher level thinking to do so. Initially I struggled with it, and still do, at this thinking stage, but I am getting better, faster, and more adept to the idea. 

Not only does having a strong idea make designing easier, it made me feel more motivated to work on the project. In previous school years I found myself not wanting to work on a project sometimes, but this year was different. With the objects and artifacts books for instance, I had a lot of fun with my idea and had no problem working on them the whole time. At first I had really had a tough time coming up with an idea, but I went with something off the wall and out of character for me and ended up satisfied with the results. 

When second semester came around, I knew we were going to get into the branding project, however, I knew little of all that would entail. I had recalled seeing some of the seniors books when we went to Chicago in the fall, and previously the year before when the 2011 seniors showed us their portfolios before review. 

Working with a timeline helped a lot towards managing my time and myself. It helped me to stay on track with the project by having intermittent deadlines, as I had smaller goals to work towards. Though I needed to keep the end result and goal in mind, I focused on chipping away at the entire project little by little to get it completed, in the end which, helped me progress towards the finish. The branding project was a total learning experience, and I'm looking forward to refining it next year as a senior. Having some (a little...probably not much at all [now that I think about it]) to revise it will be great and make me feel more confident in what I had created. 

A year ago I never thought I could complete a project by myself as big as the one that we just did. I was amazed by everyone in the class and how well everyones brands turned out, and where they can go in the next year or so. 

In addition to learning to think more effectively, managing and producing quality work while on deadlines, I also began to feel more comfortable with presenting and being out in front of people this year. I have a BIG fear of public speaking and we had the opportunity to present many projects, in both your class (William's), and Alison's in the fall. By the end of the year, I was nervous, but not nearly as much as I had been in the past and I was able to over come it to present my brand. I learned that practice makes everything 1000x better for me, and I cannot present without any practice or extemporaneously. 

Junior year was quite the experience, but I feel I have learned more, and experienced more than I had in the past two years. I enjoyed many parts of it and struggled through others, but made it in the end. I am nervous to move to the senior level due to all of the rumors and gossiping, but am more confident and excited to be there as it will be another good year. Our class works great together and it should be a strong finish to our design education.

But now... it's time for summer! I feel burnt out so a break will be nice.

[hollenbeck-blog]

Typeradio Topic Number 13: Julia Kahl

Graphic design is a visual medium. It channels our messages toward a viewer and pins to them any variety of emotional qualities and undertones. It is a powerful communicative tool. 

However it could be argued that it is not the strongest method. The discipline of writing, and its various forms and nuances, sacrifices visual qualities for literal symbolic meaning. When coupled with graphics, a project's ability to connect with a reader increases tenfold. Often, written words are required to adequately describe the nature of a concept. Imagine a breaking news story. The photograph set large on the page instantly captures a reader's attention. It communicates gravity, scope, and subject matter instantly (and in fine form, if the photographer is skilled!), but often the message ends quickly as the viewer finishes scanning the photograph. Writing gives body and form to the author's message. It provides a filling banquet of information beyond what any image can communicate, and it does so with relatively no chance of misinterperetation.

Julia Kahl - a designer interviewed by Donald and Lysa on Typeradio.org - recognizes and combines these two creative avenues to create stunningly unique and informative bodies of work. As a designer, she has the aesthetic sense that allows for beautiful composition and heightened visual interest. As a writer and interviewer, she claims mastery over the ability to research and describe deep and powerful conceptual matter. She is neither an artist or a journalist; designer or author. She merges these two skills.

In doing so, Kahl proves the importance of good writing skills to any designer. Writing can profoundly impact a project's tone, for good or bad. Subtle differences in an author's chosen words create vast differences for the reader. Gritty, raw, in-your-face paragraphs full of swearing and harsh descriptions may be perfect for a counter-culture magazine but not so much for a resume, which would be better equipped with friendly, professional, and neat text. Satire and comedy can equate to laughter and high regard within a body of college students, but does nothing for a poetic and sing-song childrens' book. Whatever the purpose of the design, the writing can and should match it.

Failure in this task can even have dire consequences. There is a huge difference between the phrases "Lets eat, Grandma!" and "Lets eat Grandma!", and everyone can remember signage with misplaced apostrophes, and the impression they leave upon us. A restaurant sporting an advertisement that reads "Try our burger's and shake's" labels itself as foolish and ignorant, despite the intentions of the manager. Mistakes like these can prove fatal for young brands, whose sole intent is to impress themselves upon others.

Often, errors in writing may even lead to anger and dissatisfaction. Finding a typo in an expensive textbook or publication leads readers to believe they've gotten a raw deal. Annual reports rife with mistakes communicates nonchalance and snobbery to their shareholders, who expect perfection in these documents. A single spelling error can cost a young, talented graduate a job if found on a resume.

To conclude, writing is essential to most design. Julia Kahl would certainly agree that its communicative prowess and subtle tonality cannot be overlooked, and may very well influence the opinion of a reader. Good writing helps foster good typography, layout, concept, and communication. It's relationship to the design industry is without question, and should be a tool in the arsenal of every level of designer, worldwide.

[hollenbeck-blog]

These are from Slanted Magazine's current issue #17 about comics and comic strips. Excellent illustration on every page.

[hollenbeck-blog]

Typeradio Topic Number 12: David Crow

Perhaps it is his Western European lineage. Perhaps it is his ability to talk, write, and communicate effectively. It may be the breadth and depth of his interest in the graphic design industry. Whatever the reason, Typeradio.org's interview with David Crow struck my fancy more so than many of my recent posts.

Crow's experience within the design community extends far beyond creating pretty pictures. His mastery extends into teaching, managing, and writing as well. But it was not these aspects of his life that intrigued me. Rather, his reason for evolving his career provided much keener insight and helped me identify with the man behind the designer.

Crow makes the case that sometimes politics can interfere with our personal goals as a designer. As students we are given free reign to discover and create outlandish work. This type of work often fosters growth for the student. But as we age and our lives meander into metaphorical pastures unfathomable from where we stand now, so too do our goals and our outlooks change to. We see the darker side of the design industry - its role as a cog in a machine of mass-consumption that we as human beings neither believe in nor wish to support. David makes the point that a young, idealistic ego may not cope well with this fact.

And yet it puts bread on the table. So it forces acceptance upon us. Pushing forward, we break through this barrier and see that we have come out somewhere far removed from where we started; somewhere we believe in being. For David this was the transition from Design to education. For me, and for many growing designers, there is no telling where we might turn up. We struggle with the change to a point that it almost seems odd considering ourselves a part of a new community. But as days and weeks pass our fragile existence becomes more solid and more a part of our lives that we achieve a new level of satisfaction.

I personally feel that I am at the edge of one of these transitions. My experiences, hopes, and desires are culminating into something I feel will become the next years of my life. I am unsure of where this change is going to lead me, but I can understand and identify with Crow when he speaks to this idea. Change will happen whether we want it to or not. But keeping in mind where we come from and thinking about where we want to go helps make it seem much less a monster and much more an opportunity.

[kate-murphy-blog-blog]

Design Reflections 12 - A Place in the Design World

For the last of my design reflections based on podcasts from Type Radio, I listened in as TR interviewed Thomas Hitthaler and Andreas Koller of Strukt Design Studio. Strukt is based in Vienna, Austria and specializes in interactive and event-based projects. On top of graphic design, the studio also works with generative design, motion design, and stage design. That's quite a versatile, if formidable, list, and it hasn't gone unnoticed. Some of Strukt's international clientele have included the likes of Adidas and Mercedes Benz. Now, they are focusing on ad agencies in and around Austria and Germany. 

While listening to the partners of Strukt talk, I began to mentally draw connections between their studio and the firms my class visited in Grand Rapids back at the end of March. Thomas and Andreas spoke quite a bit on their process, and when they mentioned that they divvied up project work according to the employees' individual strengths and talents, I thought back to Conduit and Visualhero. At those firms, everyone had their own personal niche that they filled. Somebody specialized in web design, while another specialized in web development. Somebody specialized in print while yet another handled the interactions between the firm and its clients. 

After listening to the Strukt podcast, I thought for a bit about where I could see myself fitting in once I was out in the field. Where would my niche be? As of right now, I know what I feel comfortable doing and where my strengths may lie, but I feel like the overall picture will become much clearer when I am brought in to the industry — however that may happen. After what I have seen and experienced between now and the beginning of last fall, I am determined to try to land a job at a smaller, close-knit firm like Conduit and Visualhero or even One Design Company in Chicago. But, I also think I would like working as an in-house designer in some sort of corporate setting. Well, who knows what the future holds? The one thing we all have to do is to try.