#Arts102

[zsumnerarts102-005]

Blog Post #4 - 10/20

This past project was really fun! I loved being able to look back on old characters that I loved and rewatching the movies for this project.

The characters that I chose to make a logo for were Jedediah and Octavius from Night at the Museum. These characters made up an iconic duo in this movie franchise, and everyone loves a good bromance. There was no way I could do one of them and not the other.

In starting this project, I was immediately starting something new by following the tutorial provided to work completely from my iPad. Procreate is the main tool I use for drawing, so I was really excited about this. It was a bit tedious at times, but I ended up liking the end product more than I imagine I would have if I worked solely in illustrator. That being said, I will definitely be trying it again in future projects.

For Jedediah, I thought it was interesting how different his final logo ended up being compared to the initial sketches that I favored the most. The one I thought I would end up with was either a simplistic lining of a typical cowboy or a full silhouette of Jed holding up his pistol. After critique from the class, I fiddled with both of these ideas more, and actually went against the majority and chose to shorten the silhouette and use that. I ended up really liking it and it was even easier for me to color than the logo idea that I had liked before. I also got to learn really quickly some extra skills that I hadn't had before in illustrator, like how to turn a gradient.

Lastly, for Octavius, I had a lot of different ideas for his logo, but I knew whatever the final product would be, it would include his helmet in some way. The tiny roman soldier is iconic in many ways, but I think his armor, and especially his helmet, are the most memorable and identifying part of his character. I did like some of my sketches a little more than the final product for this one, but I decided to go with what the class favored. I did so because I didn't necessarily dislike the logo they chose, but it was more iconic.

[anguyenarts245-001]

The images being displayed are drafts of logos based on characters from a film of our choice. I chose Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy from The Muppets.

My thought process with the Miss Piggy logo was to use something fashionable and stylish like her pearl necklace while also incorporating a more quirky trait like her snout. I used a cursive and elegant typeface to symbolize her character and chose pinker tones to complement her personality. The gradient from the pearls adds a shine and texture to the piece while also retaining the simplicity of the logo. The separation from the strings and text was purposely done to provide a neat composition for the logo.

My thought process with Kermit's logo was to illustrate the iconic banjo he uses and add some child-like features, including the collar and simple typeface. The strings from the banjo are meant to stretch out of the composition to add depth and make the logo look more like a banjo. The monotone color palette from the banjo and the green shades from the collar and text create a balance in the piece. The logo is meant to have a slight curve upward to adhere to the radial balance of the banjo.

Overall, I'm mostly satisfied with how the logos turned out, but they're not final yet. The pieces use a recognizable item from the characters while also combining physical and literary characteristics from them to make it clear which muppets were used.

[ccannadyarts102-003]

Final Blog Reflection

Sad to say this will be my final blog post for ART102, and has been an weird experience to have to use tumbler to do so; as I have not ever in the past. After a semester in this class I can definitely say I have relearned a lot of information from back in high school and some new ones I can definitely take with me. I have strengthened my knowledge in photoshop, indesign and illustrator and hope to continued to use them in the future if needed now that I know the basics of designs. I have enjoyed this class as well as the acquaintances I have made. I am very glad I hade plenty of class time to work on each project as it was hard with the application to do so at home. As for the last project I had fun creating a process book, and seeing it come to life at the very end. I wanted the book to represent myself and iI feel it did just that with the many colors and groovy pattern. I wish I took more screenshot during the process of each project but I feel I had enough to show how I got to the final. I very happy with how this semester has ended and the final project. Thank you.

[asteinbergarts102-04]

Final Reflection...

This class has provided me with a great opportunity to expand my knowledge of digital design. Looking back on all of my projects, I can see some improvement from the first project we were assigned to. This semester in ARTS102 has taught me so much about how to use and operate Adobe programs while also maintaining a good design. I will admit, coming into the semester only knowing a tiny bit about Photoshop, I was hesitant. After moving through the course I now have a better understanding of not only Photoshop but programs like Illustrator and InDesign as well. I am glad I had the opportunity to create and work through all of these projects and will take the skills I learned here and be able to apply them to other aspects of my life. I am so glad I got to experience this class and have learned so much.

For the final duration of project six, I worked on completing my pages and cleaning up the final product. I stuck with a simple design to let the artwork inside speak for itself. Figuring out where to place everything was a challenge in itself but I am happy with how the final turned out. It is nice to get to see all of my work displayed in one place.

Thank you to my class for being so constructive and helping out whenever it was needed! I will never forget my time in ARTS102 and I am so thankful for the knowledge it brought me. Have a great summer everyone! 

[c-mccormick-svad-2022-2025]

(ARTS246) Ch. 10: Typographic Design Education & Project #3 Progress

I spent this week working on the process book for project #3, which is due on Wednesday, April 3rd. The upcoming deadline has been causing me stress because my previous process book had a more flexible and longer timeframe for the deadline. Nonetheless, I am determined to tackle this challenge.

I spent most of Monday getting acquainted with the website and software that we'll be using for our process books. The website is called Blurb, which offers an extension in the InDesign software to design books using their templates. These templates need to be customized before creating the design file. It's important to note that the front and back cover are separate from the actual pages of the book and the files need to be combined before finalizing and submitting them for printing and shipping. The printing process takes about two weeks, which is why the turnaround time for this project is shorter compared to the previous two projects. Although I'm not an expert in using Blurb, I'm excited to experiment with the service more and potentially use it to print my other portfolios in the future.

The process book's layout has been a challenge for me, mainly due to the grid and margins. Although the margins are pre-set from the Blurb template, I found them to be too small for my liking on the spreads. To fix this, I took inspiration from my old process book from ARTS102 (Introduction to Design Technology and Concepts) and incorporated a similar margin and grid into my new process book. Initially, I felt strange using my old process book's layout and ideas, but I also thought, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" This was particularly true for this project, as I loved the balance and harmony of my original layout. I aim to achieve that same look and feel with my new process book while showcasing my detailed process and the improvements I have made from each project.

The cover design of the process book draws inspiration from the traditional analog movable type process, where typography uses a movable component, such as metal or wood letters and ink, to reproduce the elements of a document on different types of paper. The design is also influenced by the artwork of Brad Vetter, a designer and letterpress artist who visited and spoke at the University of South Carolina. His work inspired me, and I wanted to emulate his style in digital art form. I took inspiration from my mood board, my traditional style of geometric surface design, and the multiple typefaces used throughout this process book, such as Cabin Bold, Josefin sans, and Josefin slab. My main concern was that the cover might feel too crowded and confusing, making the text difficult to read. However, after receiving feedback from my professor and peers, I realized that the color palette is balanced, the title is easy to read, and the visual hierarchy is well-balanced. The only suggestion I received was to change the colors of the large circle in the top left corner of the cover, as that element slightly threw off my visual hierarchy.

My process book follows the theme of my cover art, but I've decided to make the geometric shapes less prominent. Instead, I want to highlight each project and its process on the pages. I aim to let the typeface be the main focus and make each project stand out to catch the audience's eye. To make some pages look better, I may add subtle geometric shapes to fill in empty spaces or where some pages look too wordy. I also need to work on the visual hierarchy of some spreads, as some elements feel like they are competing. Overall, I have made a good start with my process book for Typography I and II. I plan to improve it before submitting it for the final class critique and printing.

The reading for this week discusses the importance of conducting in-depth studies of common typographic design issues and how professional designers can develop creative solutions by applying all the skills learned throughout the textbook. This includes integrating type and image on posters, establishing a visual system to unify various materials, experimenting with content in publication design, thinking about typography in terms of time and motion, creating dimensional and environmental typography, analyzing and visualizing data, and developing a unique visual language for everyday events. This chapter combines all the concepts learned in this book, summarizing why educating oneself on typographic principles is crucial. Having taken Typography I and II courses, my views of typography have entirely changed. Previously, I paid little attention to the use of type, the visual hierarchy of typography, or even the fonts used in various works. Now, I pay attention to these elements even more, and I have a greater appreciation for typography than ever before. I understand that many decisions go into creating something related to typography, whether it's a book cover, magazine spread, poster, social media post, etc. I am grateful for these courses, even if they were challenging because they helped me become a better graphic designer. I have come to see type as an art form, not just words on a page.

[zsumnerarts102-005]

Blog Post #7 - Final Post

This class, overall, was really enjoyable and I feel like I learned a lot. I think the biggest things I learned were adding new steps into the creative process and learning new Adobe Applications like InDesign.

The last project went by a lot quicker than I thought it would. I remember checking the schedule and thinking I could take it easy for the rest of the semester until finals week came along. The design process took up a LOT of time, and, if I'm being honest, I'm still not 100% satisfied with the end product. As all do, with hindsight, I would have done things differently down to the first project. I think my favorite thing about my classmates' projects was their cohesiveness and consistency between their projects. That, in turn, gave for a very consistent and well-flowing process book. I have always had an erratic and inconsistent style in my art, so I know it couldn't have been helped for me, but I do think I did the best with what I had. Although not 100% satisfied, I think I did well and I am not dissatisfied with what I ended up with.

Moving forward, I believe the skills I learned through these projects will be useful in my future.

[anguyenarts245-001]

Process Book: Final Post

As of now, I'm currently working on my final project for arts102, which is basically a portfolio/process book of all the projects we've done in class.

My process for the front and back covers of this book was to combine the shades of a monotone color with regular and irregular shapes. The monotone color is for the outside of the piece because I didn't want those pages to fight for attention with what's inside the booklet, which are my projects. A variety of shapes and shades create a simple yet unique cover for the booklet.

My overall idea for this final project was to have everything look neat and aligned with each other because I wanted to focus on having the projects be the main source of focus but didn't want to have a plain background for my portfolio. Since Project Five only took one class period, I'm planning on just writing an overview of the project and then a small paragraph on the methods I used to make the final piece.

[ccannadyarts102-003]

Project six prob has to be the easiest project to date. I was glad we had the optional to choose our theme. It really gives me time to expand my creativity. For my syntax + semantics project I chose different styles of Yeti cups, a total of four. I always have one cleaned in my kitchen for my ice coffee. I had fun with commenting on the four categories and thought outside my bubble. I chose to keep the layout simple and photos clear on the top of the page with text underneath. I also learn paragraph styling, which was a major help it kept everything together and each typeface the same for each section of the text I was writing. It turn out way better than I thought.

[smillinerarts246]

Week 11

The reading this week introduced the challenges of modern typographic education and then proceeded to outline different influential projects used to teach students the nuances, meaning, and interrelationships of type. It was interesting to see multiple projects featured that I have done during my time in the GD+I program here and reading about their significance to typographic education as a whole. I remember being less than thrilled with some of the assignments, but afterwards, having a clearer, deeper understanding of concepts. For example, we were assigned the visual organization and grid structures project where we had to make 3 grids by hand which showed the differences between weights of type. It was definitely a detailed process but it forced me to learn how different applications of type appear to the eye.

I have split my focus this week between the TypeHike project and the process book project. I was feeling stuck at the beginning of the week because I felt that my designs for my Carlsbad Caverns poster were incomplete and no longer exciting. I would sit at my computer and stare at the design for amounts of time I am not proud to admit, trying to figure out what was missing. I finally had a breakthrough after I jumped in and started experimenting with variations. I added in what looks like the mouth of a cave, which opens to reveal the cave-like letters I designed initially. I think I am very close to the final piece with this variation and am excited to work to coordinate it with my type specimen and postcards. I have also been brainstorming for my process book. I am excited to approach this process book with more freedom and awareness than the one I did for ARTS102. My idea is to produce a book which is a square shape (7 in x 7 in), and which is centered around the idea of the fluidity of my design process. I have come to learn in my classes that each new project I take on has a different workflow – a changing element which I am excited to discover with each new assignment. So my goal for my design right now is to draw out a different shape for each typography assignment I have done representing the shape my process took. I would like to keep the design meaningful, yet still simple to let my projects shine.

[amirandaarts246-01]

arts246 - ch. 9 - typography in time and motion

Dynamic typography incorporates both form and behavior to convey messages effectively, offering designers unique communication opportunities.

Designers select typeface characteristics such as serif, sans serif, italic, etc., along with attributes like size, color, and case to imbue meaning into a message, similar to STATIC TYPO.

Motion sequences in dynamic typography involve animating type elements to engage viewers and convey emphasis

Filmmakers like Lev Kuleshov and Alfred Hitchcock have demonstrated the power of montage in eliciting different emotional responses from audiences by manipulating the order and combination of shots.

Designers utilize both denotative and connotative meanings to communicate ideas.

Continuity is crucial (!!!)

Visual links, i.e., consistent color schemes or repeated imagery, contribute to smooth transitions between segments, enhancing overall coherence and comprehension.

class >:(

hate the project, i can say that. every single time i try an animate this stupid poster, my computer crashes. i literally went through 3 crashes yesterday. SUE ME IF IT DOESN’T ANIMATE. i hate animation, could you tell? it’s my least favorite thing in design, i’d rather cut my fingers again with Meena’s 9 square project than animate. I love my poster, it’s just animating it is a pain in the ass. excited for the process book though. my arts102 wasn’t really exciting, i liked it but it wasn’t really me, you know. but im trying my best here okay, i know you can tell im suffering so don’t make my grade suffer too :’)

Slightly going off the rails, Alecia Miranda

[k-do-arts246-03]

3/22 Reading + Reflection - Project 3

Chapter 9: Typography in Time and Motion

Animated type is definitely something I would like to get into. Project 2 forced me out of my comfort zone and I experimented with simple frame animation in Procreate, but I know more could be done in Adobe After Effects. This chapter made me think about advertisements where the typography is the main focus instead of video or imagery. A lot of phone commercials do this, where there is a lot of white space and black text as the attention-grabber, either fading in or moving in some way to indicate a meaning. I like the example on page 169 where the actor's frantic thoughts seem to pile onto him. It's simple but the meaning is clear and universally understood.

I have previous experience with creating a portfolio book from ARTS102, when I was applying into the GD+I program. Looking back at it now, I still like most of the spreads I made, but it was not my best work. That's fine, I was just starting out. It's interesting to see how I thought through projects back then. The book never was printed physically so I'm excited to be able to do that with this project, to see the pages in person. At the time, I chose a palette of blue and neutral colors. I think now I have a preference for deep jewel tones, especially forest green, that I want to incorporate. I'm also thinking of having a less structured, simple layout and leaning more towards maximalist collage. I will reference Emigre magazine.

[plloydarts246]

Reading and Reflection 10

Typography in Time + Motion

(Chap 9)

This weeks reading is about the history and significance of typography in motion which to me is an interesting connection. Type has so much "expressive potential" it is our job to find it. The text highlights its use in things like film title sequences and digital media. One intriguing notion is the phrase " manipulation of time". The text talks about how it enhances typographic design in several ways like Sequence and Pace, Mood or emotion, Hierarchy, Symbolic meaning, and a few others. By controlling the sequence and pace of the message, designers can create a specific rhythm and engage the viewer. ​ They can determine the order in which events or information are presented, and use foreshadowing or flashbacks to manipulate time and create anticipation or surprise. The pace at which a sequence unfolds can evoke emotion on its own. Type meshed with sound and/or images allow designers to explore and express ideas in a different or engaging way. This is very applicable to our latest project where we are having to create an experience of sorts with our design. Hierarchy is one of the most important tools of a designer, it can be used to manipulate the "time" as you will in a design. Hierarchy can establish emphasis and can control the viewers experience. Lastly the symbolism behind every "sequence" is important. Designers can hide callbacks and associations in their work that may be hidden to some or very obvious to others. It is a much more nuanced but effective technique in conveying ideas.

I submitted this artwork for a show coming up in April. The prompt was Monkey and Robot and had to be on canvas. I did not know how expensive canvas prints were. Anyhow, I made this design in my first semester (ARTS102 logo project) I was given the words monkey and cassette tape. This I what I came up with. The design below features some embellishments in Illustrator using the 3d tools. I also have another variation of the design. This is my first time featuring my work anywhere.

Earlier this week, I took a deep dive on the etymology of the word Sequoia and its various spellings in the written Cherokee, or Tsalagi language. Like Sequoyah who was the name of the man who created the language, or Sogwoli, or Ssiquoya, and Sikwayi. Their written language is what is called a "syllabary" so the characters correspond to a group of syllable organized by vowels.

I sincerely tried to incorporate this aspect into my design but I may use it as a secondary element. Some of the characters are uniquely beautiful and some closely resemble our own letters. I downloaded several fonts that supported the language and tried to manipulate them, but I did not get very far.

[zsumnerarts102-005]

Blog Post #6

Process booklets are harder to make than I had expected. I now believe I chose correctly in not aspiring to be a magazine designer.

The challenge that has come from this project was surprisingly large for me. Not in the content, or finding the right layouts for words, but in the overall design itself. I absolutely love the color blocks people are doing for their process books. Everyone seems to have a nice aesthetic to go along with their previous projects. I, do not feel as if I had that. As I see it right now, my booklet is stuck between boring and empty and (still) boring and cluttered.

However, complaining never got anyone anywhere. So, I'm looking forward to this next critique where, for the first time, I will heavily be relying on the opinions of my peers. For now, I have just *put* color on the page. I have a bit of a pattern going with placement, and I like the color palette I have. I didn't initially like it, but I've now experienced firsthand that it really does look different when it's printed out. I felt it was too dark and saturated on the computer, but when it was printed out, some of the pages, to me, didn't even look like they needed changing. So, for this next critique (maybe I'll post an update for myself) I hope to get some honest opinions and maybe some helpful suggestions from my classmates because I obviously wasn't made to design magazines.

[anguyenarts245-001]

Backtracking to Project 5

(I haven't included project 5 in my blog yet so I'll use this week to do it for my process blog)

For this project, we had to organize and display semantics and syntaxes while applying them to the field of design. We had to choose similar objects and lay out four different versions of them. This applies to a real-world situation, as a project like this would be shown to clients who needed to brand or understand a potential product. In this case, I used teddy bears that can be detonated on a stuffed animal, children's toy, etc. At first glance, I thought I could get this done quickly, but I found the project really tedious and challenging due to having to write statements and align everything the way I like it.

My method for creating this was to find four different versions of a teddy bear with a transparent background. Then, I had to align my images and text to a certain margin and layout that I found satisfying to me. I used Chakra Petch as my font for the piece and made sure to try to keep the body text mostly even throughout. My favorite part of the project is where it says, "Little: a romantic date; Lots: a divorce trial," under the Valentine's Teddy Bear. 

[ccannadyarts102-003]

Blog post #4 for ARTS 102 —

This week we submitted project 3 GoTv poster, as well as started project 4 Logo marks. I believe my presentation went well for the poster project. I created it using adobe illustrator. I chose a quote by Martin Luther King, and representantes the quote using another common quote, “hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil,” because of being ‘silent about things that matter”, I also chose to use skeletons because that what are bodies become when ‘our lives end.’ I drew out the skulls and hands while adding colors using organic shapes. I chose a bold text type and the background a gradient blue. The women’s nails are red and the skulls are a prominent white; to represent the colors of the flag. I had a hard time choosing the background because I didn’t want to take away from the text and illustration of the poster, so I went simple. I quote I found from the reading by Richard Wurman that ties into this project, “You should use words when words are better; you should use pictures when pictures are better. And you should marry them both when thats better.”

I’m excited about starting Project 4, Creating a logo seems fun especially choosing our own two characters as the theme. We started with a thumbnail sheet and a concept matrix which I’m not best at simple sketches. I chose Snoopy and Charlie Brown as my two concept characters. I started on the concept matrix; I found on google a website about the Peanut characters, this helped a lot which themes of my two characters. I didn’t draw much on my concept matrix or thumbnail sheet. Once I got my idea I like and knew I could create a fun logo using shapes with, I stop drawing.

[elliotthenavigator]

This has been such a fun course. I appreciate the students and community that is created within these classes. This was my first Arts class in college and my very first experience with these design concepts and Adobe programs. It has been very challenging to me learning these programs, yet super informative. I’m glad to have a little experience and familiarity with the Adobe programs now.

As stressful as this course has been for me our instructor, Daniel Machado has been the most helpful and supportive to every one of his students. I truly appreciate his commitment and patience with everything. It has made the biggest difference for me personally snd sure others as well.

#finalreflection #arts102