What was a daunting start to the year is now coming to an end; an end of a much anticipated and exiting year in which I hope to safely say, on the whole of the class, that we would feel that step closer towards our new career pathway.
Straight from high school and the de-stressing of the HSC, I felt as though this course would be the ideal option to landmark the start of a career in Graphic design. Now nearing the end of the fundamentals course I feel like it has done just that.
It’s a good feeling to finish off the year with some new skills, friends, teachers and inspiration to take away with you over the break and hopefully put to good use next year. With this all said, there are certainly some things that I have learnt which I hope to apply to next year in terms of the work load which I understand will be much greater than now.
This year I have learnt:
- Time management is the second most important key to completing any design, creativity and inspiration is the first
- If a design isn’t working, most often its easier just to start over with something new
- Indesign & Illustrator
- The more fonts you have, the longer it will take you to finish a project
- Crop and Bleed marks!
Things I hope to stick to in the future:
- Try to do thumbnails on the first day you get a brief
- Keep things organised – both on computer and in folders
- Have a time management plan
- Balance design with everyday life
- Have social time when it fits
Sunday, November 23, 2008
ROGAN : My road to Kingscliff TAFE
Why i chose to study graphic design...
It all started in primary school when my dad brought me my first skateboard, i was blown away by the graphics it was a Santa Cruz deck, a bit of a retro throwback, it had big old Bones 'bomber' wheels. I used this new toy to begin terrorizing my neighborhood. Soon the neighborhood was not enough, i began broadening my horizons, catching the train all over Brisbane in the unending search for spots. It was then that i started noticing the graffiti along the train lines it was thoroughly inspiring. I began taking paint and pens with me when i went out on skating missions and writing my name all over the city, at every opportunity. Soon enough i was painting pieces on the lines and graffiti began to take precedence over skateboarding. I began to build a name for myself even though few knew who i actually was, which was a really amazing feeling for me. I would ride the train during the day and hear kids talking about my pieces, unbeknownst to them i would be standing right behind them or sitting in front of them. When pieces of mine started getting published in globally distributed magazines i was able to network with other writers across the globe and it has given me some great opportunities to travel and live in a number of other countries and paint and party with kids from different cultures that are doing the same damn thing i started out doing all those years ago. So basically it all started with skateboarding, i am still blown away by skate graphics and they have always influenced my graffiti art and design immensely. So skateboarding lead to graffiti and i'm hoping graffiti leads me to a career as a designer. Anyway, i'm not trying to promote graffiti even though i have definately gone off on a self-rant, but i am rather just trying to promote skateboard graphics as a wonderful branch of design, just check out work by Ed Templeton or Mike Giant, or even graffiti artists turned fine artists like Barry McGee or Todd James. These guys have been great influences on me and their work speaks volumes.
www.toymachine.com
www.mikegiant.com
www.toddjames.com
http://giantmonster.com/twist/
ALEC shares thus cares
Don't know where to begin. This year has been an epic onslaught of fun. Having said that I still managed to learn some things along the way (both on and off the graphic design pitch)
A little list of things that I love/respect now that I didn't 12 months ago - all thanks to Graphic Design Foundation 7890
InDesign
InDesign
InDesign
Fontology (thanks Kurt)
Photo collage
Mac computers
Teachers can be down with graffiti too
Browne's Choc Honeycomb Thickshakes - often on special at Kingscliff Woolies for $2.20
A clean desktop
A clean desk
A clean pencil case
The value of art galleries
Crop marks - still hate them but respect them (sort of)
Woolies dropping the price of pizza rolls from $1.80 to $1.30 - love that value
Free print media
The amazing live trace tool
The amazing history tool
The amazing Adobe Suite
Partying can not only be fun but a great source of inspiration
www.hipsterrunoff.com - an hilarious form of procrastination
Graphic design can be hard work
You can never do too many thumbnails
The virtues of carrying a little black book every time you leave the house
Blogs - music or otherwise
FONTOLOGY- Kurt-
Well after all is said and done it,s been a great year and i've had lots of fun learning about all the different sides to Graphic Design. I don't know why but i guess i can say i've got a problem, that i really dig Typography and i,m a Fontoholic.
So as a present to you all if you go to my drop box on the College server there is a massive Font collection (sorry Mac only)
for you all to copy and use in the future (make sure not to just drag and drop this, hold the option key when dragging and dropping).
Yeh so Enjoy!! cheers thanks for a great year!!
Govinda - The Forgotten Tiles Blog Post
The first tiles blog that I forgot about
I’ve been having a hard time trying to come up with a concept for this tile project. The whole visual metaphor thing is spinning me out. I wanted to explore a medium that either I’m not familiar with to challenge myself, or use photography.
I couple of my ideas:
1. Use typography and colour to explore the roles of members in a design practice. Use a variety of fonts to represent the different roles. For example, a clean, bold and mature font representing the art director.
2. Use photography to explore developing strategies to stay abreast of industry trends and directions.
3. Use ink and paint to explore the journey or process of design.
I am leaning towards number 3 as it will be more interesting than the 1 and easier than 2.
I’ve been having a hard time trying to come up with a concept for this tile project. The whole visual metaphor thing is spinning me out. I wanted to explore a medium that either I’m not familiar with to challenge myself, or use photography.
I couple of my ideas:
1. Use typography and colour to explore the roles of members in a design practice. Use a variety of fonts to represent the different roles. For example, a clean, bold and mature font representing the art director.
2. Use photography to explore developing strategies to stay abreast of industry trends and directions.
3. Use ink and paint to explore the journey or process of design.
I am leaning towards number 3 as it will be more interesting than the 1 and easier than 2.
Rosalind -Something to share
I've had a little think about what I'd like to share with everybody and decided on ... useful facts on how to bring up a child because aside from Tracy I'm the only other one in our group who has a child, unless any of you have any secret love children out there that none of us know about.
1. Talk to your child in proper english, no goochie goo rubbish, believe me they are not that stupid.
2. Don't make idle threats unless you intend to see them through; children are experts at winding you round their fingers and getting their way.
3. Let them watch lots of animal documentaries so when the dreaded "how do you make babies?" question comes up, you can relay it back to the animals, much less confrontational.
4. Remember, up until a child is around 10 years old their brains don't judge distance and speed very well, no walking to school by themselves.
5. Laugh a lot it keeps everyone happy.
6. Last but not least never stop watching cartoons.
So hopefully some of these pointers may be useful later on in life. Have a great Christmas and New Year everyone.
Cheers
Graphic Design
Is There A Future
Every one is talking about the credit crunch, a looming depression, an economic downfall. What ever happens, it is obvious that we are in for some harder times. Money will be tight. People will not be spending like they use to and some industries will be hit harder than others. This brings me to the question: will people still need graphic design?
This could go two ways. Companies may, in all the reclining money dilemmas, begin spending more on advertising and marketing to try and keep their sales alive. This would keep up a sufficient amount of work for the competitive graphic design industry.
Or the workload will dry up. Advertising budgets could be cut and with many companies going bust and closing down, there could be a huge decline in the need for graphic design.
Were does this leave us. Young graphic designers just starting out in an already established and competitive industry may find it hard to find any work.
Hopefully the effects of this financial crisis wont hit too soon, and we will have an opportunity to get ourselves going in the industry before it all goes sourer.
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