DIY-University: Graphic Design, Illustration, Comics and Marketing
Hi,
I think we haven't talked in a while. Some of you may follow me on other social media accounts but tumblr is the only platform I use where I can write longer texts properly.
You're probably wondering what the title of this post is all about.
I have decided to honestly pursue my dream of being an artist. Some of you may say: but haven't you said this already? This is not news! And you'd be right. I did say this but it feels like it's been a hundred years since.
(Beware this is a long text. It also mentions depression)
For the ones that started following me at a later period: i've wanted to be a comic artist when I was a teen. However I thought my art was not good enough and when my time came to apply for university I got scared and didn't choose art, design, painting etc. I chose Japanese and English literature.
Fast forward 8 years later and I finally(!) got my BA. I wanted to work at a publisher. Most of the time you'd need a MA for that unless you learned the profession of book seller then you'd also have a chance. (Or so I was told.)
I did not want to study anymore and chose that road. I also thought that it's a great opportunity because I'd have an income for the next three years. In those three years I wanted to advance my artskills and become an independent self-publishing artist. What a great plan!
I became a bookseller in January. Two of those three years were just filled with pain and depression. I realized that I am not made for working in retail. I was dead inside all the time but I didn't want to stop learning the profession as I didn't know what else to do. I also felt it looked bad on a resume if I just left.
So I've been jobless these past 10 months. I applied to entry level positions at different publishers. Unfortunately I'm bound to my region to look for jobs because of the horrendous uptick in rent everywhere. I will never find a cheap one bedroom apartment like my current one anywhere else. It's corona time too which makes finding a job even harder.
The job centre allowed me to pursue further education. (while still giving me money!) At the time I was still thinking about working at a publisher and chose the print/publishing specialist module. It's been 5 weeks (of a 5-month course) and it was eye-opening. I really, really want to work in graphic design or marketing as a day job. (The independent comic-artist route has not died yet.)
Now let's talk about the title of this post.
I have lessons in Adobe Photoshop, Indesign, and Illustrator. These are all part of my job centre-paid further education. On top I have access to LinkedIn Learning which is a video platform with lots of courses. (In my country LinkedIn is not used as much as in the US) I can also use the city library for free.
I can't study at a university and the profession training pays too little so my plan is to do the most intense self-study session of my life. I was a bit overwhelmed by all the knowledge at my finger tips. So I searched for university graphic design course overviews and looked at what they're actually teaching there. I then made my own (DIY) course book which I can use as guidance during my studies.
Left picture: Photo of a purple scrapbook titled DIY course book in German.
Right picture shows the table of contents: Design Basics, Communication, Design/Art/Media History, Drawing, Typography, Photography, Software, Writing or Storytelling, Social Media and Online Marketing, Media laws and Self-employment. After all this in the second module I have electives where I can pursue whatever lesson I want.
The content of the book is a list of books and videos I should read/watch. There's also active software training and drawing practice included. As this is not a real course book I could include stuff you wouldn't see in a usual graphic design course like marketing for example.
The goal is to create a proper portfolio this time and apply for jobs. The city I live in has a lots of agencies where I can apply. More than publishers to be honest. I'll cast a net and hope I can find a job early next year
I have no idea if this is going to work out but I'll keep you posted!
sandrinachi replied to your photo “Sorry for the spam but I just love the way I look today!”
Spam as much as you want! You look great! Have a nice and lovely day! ^^
Aww thank you! :) I actually had quite the eventful day, we wanted to bring my brother to the bus that would take him back to his city but there was a bomb from WW2 found in Bremen, so we got kinda stuck there... thankfully, the bus was delayed due to the bomb too and my brother has safely arrived at home a few hours ago!
You know what I just thought of? The next time Jian Yi and Xixi kiss it will be initiated by Xixi who has realized what his confused feelings for Jian Yi mean. That thought made me really happy and I wanted to share! Do you think this is likely?
i fucking wish omg
unfortunately zhan makes no mention of them both dating and instead references shit like him letting him copy his homework
instead of all the OTHER things that happened like
that time he jumped off a bridge and then saved his ass from drowning
that time he got smashed over the head by a rock protecting him
that time he kissed him and gave him a gay crisis
or that time when they both got kidnapped by gang members
but nah WHEN HE LET HIM COPY HIS HOMEWORK WAS THE MOST ICONIC MOMENT EVER
Hello, about the cafeteria thing. When I went to school from 1994-2008 (in Germany) we didn't have cafeterias in schools. Even nowadays they are not the norm I think. We brought lunchboxes and just ate them! Ohhhhh! I get it! We just ate it in our own classroom or outside on a bench. You don't have assigned classrooms like that in the US right? Therefore a place to eat (cafeteria) is necessary for schools in the US. Maybe this helps with the confusion!
Fascinating! Thank you for the response! A lot of kids brought their lunch to school as well, here, and we had an assigned classroom in elementary school, but yeah, we moved around for middle and high school classes.
I always figured cafeterias were The Thing because like… gosh kids are SO MESSY and eating in the classrooms seems like it would create the potential to attract insects or leave stains. That, and a floor and tables/chairs that can all be easily sanitized helps to cut down on germ travel in schools and hospitals.
sandrinachi replied to your post:It’s so funny how it rains every year on...
Ich wusste das du wieder gucken wirst! xD Ich habs letztes Jahr verpasst! Diesmal hab ich jetzt schon mal den Fernseher angemacht! ESC ich gucke zu! xD
sandrinachi replied to your post “sandrinachi replied to your post “sandrinachi replied to your post...”
Oh man... Nee. Das ist "unglücklich"... Das tut mir Leid. Dann kann ich dir nur die Daumen drücken, dass du den nicht jedes Semester hast. Oder das seine Stunden besonders oft ausfallen. Oder schneller vorbei gehen.
Danke^^” Zum Glück ist er notorischer Zuspätkommer, sodass die Vorlesungen wenigstens etwas kürzer sind, weil er immer pünktlich aufhört :D
