I’m the Black Sheep of the Family

My project this week was to was to use Cinema 4D to make text and then animate it.  This was just about the most frustrating and rewarding project I have done in this class.  I have never set foot in Cinema 4D and I was told to make a word and animate it.  Most open ended project ever.  Loved that my instructor left it open ended.  It gives me a release from my more structured studio and allows me to create what I want.

My word for the project was rebel.  I was motivated to use rebel because as a graphic design student at Iowa State I feel very limited to the instillations we are allowed to do without getting in trouble.  It’s kind of like an appropriate middle finger to the man without actually using the middle finger.  I feel like the college should be allowing us to be creative and fueling our fire.  So I guess, in a way, I am rebelling (sorta).

Making the word was the easiest part of the assignment.  I decided to add barbed wire and on the third try of watching the YouTube tutorial, I finally got it to look all right.  I definitely had a little dance party when I figured it out.  I then wrapped the second E in REBEL in barbed wire.  The font I chose was to represent prison suits as well.  It adds to the “rebel” rule breaking feeling.  Since there are two E’s in rebel, I wanted to show them in two different ways which leads me to my animation.

For my animation, I wanted to rotate the second E so it was backward.  This was the most frustrating part.  I had to look on YouTube and Lynda to figure out if I could even animate using the software.  When I figured out how, it was pretty easy from there.  My video below is pretty simple.  Just 6 seconds of handwork and late nights.  Maybe I’ll use it in a campaign or another project.I always find the most frustrating projects the most rewarding because I feel like I actual learn something.

Huston We Have Type in Space

Hello fellow space travelers!  For project number two, I was assigned to put 3-D type in space.  I chose one word and portrayed it two ways.  My word, passion, is portrayed throughout the clip.  At the beginning, is starts off with a women at work portraying passion for a career.  In the middle, and the bigger chunk of time, is passion for family.

I started off by picking my word.  I picked passion because it could be broad.  Everybody has a passion for something.  I started to narrow down my idea.  As a student, I have a passion for a few things.  A future career, a future family, a social life, music, food…. Well the list can keep going.  I decided to go with the two most important things I want to have after I graduate and that is a career and a family.

The women in the beginning of the video is my Mom.  She allowed me to video tape her at her small town screen print and embroidery business.  I wanted to capture a day at work.  The day to day rituals she goes through.  I chose this specific video because it shows the process of screen printing and cleaning screens is kind of a boring task.  I also loved the sounds I got while I was recording.  This is a passion for a career.

I then switch over to family.  I was lucky enough to go home for the weekend to film my family at my Aunt’s surprise 70th birthday party.  I wanted to keep my mom in the picture so I started the family scene with her, my dad, and my nephew.  Then I follow the baby around to show most of the family members.  I liked placing the word next to the baby because there were always people around him.  This is my passion for a future family.

I chose to keep the original sound at the beginning of the video because it told more of the story than drowning it out.  I switched over to a song I found on Vimeo (Greatness by Adam Selzer) to add happiness to the video.  I then match the video to the sound of the track.

I loved this project because it gave me a chance to record my family and show what is important to me in the future.  I had more fun recording my family than recording strangers.  Also type in space is hard if you don’t want people to touch it.  I found it easier to just let the type do what it wanted but keep recording because you could use it.

Life Lesson: Family is important, no matter how old you are.  Families are unique so embrace what God has blessed you with.

Projects Galore

So far on my blog, I’ve been showing you projects from one class.  I’m going to let you in on my other class as well!  I know it’s exciting!!  Right now I am working on logo design.  I have chosen to develop a logo for an organic farm and produce stores.  For my background research, I looked at organic farms and organic grocery stores.  I made a list of all their attributes and the common colors used throughout the field.  I chose to frame my company off of Earthbound Organics.  My companies attributes are local, compassion, and natural.  It was easier to think of the attributes than the name of the company.  After brainstorming for a couple of days, I chose Backyard Barn.  This project is not finished yet but so far this is what I have.  I want to apply my logo to brown paper bags, business cards/tags, and the last one is a surprise!  I have not applied them to the paper bags but pictured below are the tentative logos I will be using.  I will be posting pictures of my attempt to print on paper bags!

Paper Bag Logo

Business Card 1

Business Card 2

 

Animation Station: Stop Two

After using Premiere Pro, I moved into using After Effects.  I used most of my original videos for this project.  I did add one video and sound to this video.  Our instructor wanted us to use a clipping mask for the videos and to add text with the video.  I enjoyed this project because I was able to work with music.  I loved the challenge of making the video move to the music.  I made my music in Garage Band which was also one of the more challenging parts of the project.

For the first part of the project I made the music to work with my videos because I figured it was easier to match the videos to the beat.  Clipping and cutting the videos to match the music was pretty easy and a lot more fun.

My idea behind the video was to show how headphones isolate people.  You can be in a crowded room and be alone.  You can tune out the world with simple pieces of plastic and sound waves.  It amazes me how some people chose to purposely take themselves out of social situations.  That is what I wanted to focus on in this project.  Granted the text flying in and out of the video is kind of cheesy but I am new to After Effects so don’t laugh.  The more comfortable I get with using After Affects, the better word transitions will be.

All Aboard Animation Station

Hello Readers!  Sorry I have been MIA for, well, a while.  I am already a month in to the second semester of my Sophomore year!  Crazy how the time flew by.  I just finished up a project using Adobe Premiere Pro and I am obsessed with animation.  For this project, I had to pick an object and a word that relates to my object.  My chosen object was a pair of Beats on the ear headphones.  The word I related to it was isolation.  Now you may be thinking that isolation may not be the typical word you would pair with headphones.  Maybe music, noise, or relaxation.  I chose to go with isolation because on a college campus people always have their headphones in and it disables them from having a conversation with anyone else.  You could be in a room with 100 people and when you put on those headphones, you are instantly alone. Hence my use of isolation.  Once I had my word and object, my next task was to project the word on the object or move the object through the word.  When I designed my word, I decided to make my type red on a black background with every intention to parody the Beats colors.

When I got to editing my video in Adobe Premiere Pro, I was very cautious at first.  I just worked with clipping the videos and moving them around.  I did not work with any filters or transitions until my fourth or fifth rendition.  Once I figured out how to apply all of the affects and transitions, my video started to take shape.  This was by far my favorite project this year.  Maybe because it was new or maybe because animation is something I really enjoy.  I guess I’ll find out with this next project when I start using Adobe After Effects.  So exciting!!

 

An Open Letter to my Parents

This blog is primarily used for design but I thought I’d take time to thank my parents and all that they have taught me in honor of the Thanksgiving season.

To my amazing parents,

I never thought the rumors were true about missing your parents in college.  When I graduated from high school, I thought I was ready to live 3 hours away from my family and make my own rules.  Freshman year, I broke the curfew you gave me in high school.  Sophomore year, I broke the work ethic you guys taught me.  Now, during my Junior year, not a day goes by without me thanking my parents (in my head) about everything they taught me when I was growing up.  I know I don’t say it enough, but I want to thank you for everything you have taught me and have done for me.

1. Thank you for teaching me a good work ethic – I may have broke the work habit you guys taught me my sophomore year, but I have regained it this year.  You taught me to put my head down and do what needed to be done and because of that my design work is thriving.
2. Thank you for teaching me to stand on my own – You probably don’t realize that you have taught me to be independent, but you have.  You have taught me to think for myself and be my own person.  I value this trait of myself everyday.
3. Thank you for teaching me to follow my decisions – This is huge because ever since I switched majors, both of you have been nothing but supportive.
4. Thank you for supporting me – Even though you guys are Hawkeye fans, you still manage to put on Cyclone gear once or twice a year and come support the marching band.
5. Thank you for letting me be me – You guys have never pushed me to do anything I don’t want to do and have always let me make my own choices (even if some you didn’t agree with).  You let me make my own mistakes and let me grow as a person.
6. Thank you for the not so frequent phone calls – You understand I am a busy college kid.  Even though I try to call you once a week, sometimes it turns into once a month.  Mom usually gives me the down low of what going on at home and Dad never fails to make me laugh before handing the phone back to Mom for the final good bye.  I realize now that I should call you more often just to say hello.
7. Thank you for teaching me self discipline – Remember how I said my freshman year I didn’t have a curfew.  Well now I do.  Now I have a curfew and a list of things I have to get done before I go out on the weekends.  You guys taught that school work comes before any party.  You also taught me how to manage my time wisely so I can work and have fun.
8. Thank you for teaching me the value of a dollar – Money management was difficult for me my freshman year.  You guys taught me if I can’t afford it now then I need to work and save up money to get it myself.
9.  Thank you for teaching me to be respectful – It’s amazing how many times in a day I run into people who have little to no respect for others.  I’m glad I had you to teach me.
10. Thank you for teaching me common sense – It’s called common sense because everybody is supposed to have it.  Well that’s not true.  Even though it is frustrating to be around some people without it, you have also taught me to be patient with those who don’t have it.
11. Thank you for being the greatest parents ever – I know this one is kind of general but I wouldn’t trade you guys for the world.  I could sit here and list the way you guys rock but then this post would never end.

Love,

Your Daughter  

 

Welcome to Potato Stamp University

For project number five of my graphic design class, I stepped away from the computer for awhile.  And yes you guessed it, I made stamps out of potatoes.  The task for me was to make 5 compositions that either used the design principles or emotions throughout the set.  I like the effort to make this project fun but as a designer, I wish I would have been able to explore other stamping mediums other than potatoes.  Like corn, acorns, leaves, any found object.  Other being limited to a potato in this otherwise open project, it was pretty fun.

Originally I wanted to do potato stamp graffiti.  I carved two potatoes with words in them.  And they looked really good.  Except when went to stamp them on my mixed media paper, turns out I forgot to take into account that carving left to right makes the word backwards when you stamp it.  So two of my compositions only work when you hold them up to a mirror.

After my attempt at graffiti, I decided to stick with shapes and lines.  I found that working with simpler shapes was a little more fun.  I could make multiple compositions with just one stamp or combining stamps.  My compositions turned out well.  My featured image is my anomaly representation.  My composition could also be a representation of asymmetry.  The five compositions represent direction anomaly, radiation, proximity, and similarity.

With those five compositions, I had to take pictures of my final five compositions.  My requirements were to have at least three pictures of each using different lighting.  I liked using the light to manipulate how my composition looked.  I think I had more fun taking pictures of my compositions then actually making them.

Even though I wished the project allowed more freedom with the stamping medium, it was kind of fun.  I felt like a little kid during craft time but this time I could use the knife to carve.  I do wish the class would have been given a class day off or two to work from ones own apartment or dorm because I think two hours for two to three weeks is a little to long for this project.  Granted I did work ahead because I have a busy schedule. I also worked outside of class because I felt more comfortable using paint in my own apartment rather than in a classroom.  Then I did not have to worry about drying time or wet paint in my book bag.  Not sure if my professor will actually read this, but maybe he will take some of the concerns I listed into consideration for next  time he does this project.

Life Lesson: Sometimes you are going to be given specifications with a project/client that you really do not like but that doesn’t mean you can give half the effort.  Always give 100% no matter what.

To use Photoshop or Illustrator? That is the question…

Don’t you worry your pretty little head because I have the ultimate answer, at least for the use of text.  I have done some extensive research on this subject.  Ok, you caught me.  I have done a project on using text in Illustrator and Photoshop but that makes me and almost expert on this subject.  My assignment was to use Illustrator to make five compositions using only type to convey a design principle or emotion.  I then needed to use Photoshop and create five compositions using only text.  I had been told Photoshop absolutely sucked for type.  I wanted to prove everybody wrong and make a beautiful composition in Photoshop. But as it turns out, Photoshop really does suck for using type.  And if you don’t believe me here are the main reasons why.

Reason 1: Layering

Just like all things in Photoshop, you have to use layers.  Layers are frustrating when working on a page with multiple different sets of type.  It gets really tedious when you have to click on your layer and then move or adjust your type.  Maybe I am just being difficult when it comes to layering.  I believe  you should be able to click on the text you want to change and then change it and not have to worry about making sure you are on the right layer.

Reason 2: Transformation

When transforming type in Photoshop, it is also difficult.  Most times you will distort the text.  If you have mastered using the scale tool, you might be better at it than me.  No matter what you use to scale the text or how masterful you are in Photoshop, the text still gets fuzzy edges.  In the marching band, we like to call it “Fuzzy Letter”.  Meaning the letter does not look like it should.  It is not clean and is hard to read.  No one likes to read fuzzy letters!

Reason 3: Filters

Filters are great… for pictures not for text.  Now a days we need filters for every picture we take.  It was hard for me not to use filters for the text.  I was instructed to “use all of the horrible filters for this project because after this project is over you are never allowed to use them for type ever again.”  So you could say I had a little fun with making the worst type in the world.  Being able to use the filters and warping tool made me feel like I was back in middle school again.  It brought me back to the good old days where my friends and I used Word to make poster.  I thought I was the coolest kid on earth and then I learned how to use the Adobe programs.  All I can say is thank God for design software because without it, who knows were society would be.  Imagine all of the posters you see being designed in Word.  Disgusting.

To summarize this rant: Do Not use Photoshop for making posters, type compositions, or anything related to type.  Save yourself the headache and time.

Life Lesson Post: It takes more energy to hate something than it does to accept it.  Just accept Photoshop as it is and don’t use text.

Pics or it didn’t happen

Project three for my graphics class included multiple pictures.  Day one I was assigned to take pictures of of two days in my life.  I realized how boring my day was.  As a student, I am either in front of the computer, in a book, or working on something.  Nothing too adventurous except marching band practice and maybe work.  Fifty photos of forty-eight hours in the life of a design, marching band member, and working college student.  I chose five pictures and modified them in Adobe Photoshop.  As seen in my last blog, five pictures that are Instagram worthy.

Day two of the professor let me upgrade to a DSLR camera.  It was like my kindergarten graduation into first grade.  I learned how to modify the camera settings to get a good exposure for the picture.  I learned the longer there shutter is open the blurry the picture.  The aperture of the camera controls the lighting.  I had to take multiple pictures to get the desired exposure.  I had fun messing around with the camera and the settings.  I have not used a DSLR camera for a while.  It was nice to get back in the swing of things and get to taking pictures again.  In the future, I will be taking more pictures.  Maybe one day I will be a famous photographer.  You will look back on this blog and tell people you knew me.  Anyway, I modified ten pictures with photoshop.  I used the contrast, brightness, and the RGB levels to modify my pictures to my liking.  I decided I really like the color green in my pictures.  I was glad I was able to take pictures of the the trees before the leaves change.  I plan on taking pictures after the leaves change too to compare my pictures!

To further my knowledge of Adobe Illustrator, I was required to use the Clipping Mask tool.  The tool is very interesting.  It is like framing your pictures with the computer.  Being able to use the clipping mask tool will fuller make my future work absolutely amazing.

I think I will use the DSLR camera a lot more now that I put my foot in the door with.  But life lesson for my blog today: Take time to do what you love, to do what make you happy.  Also, Photoshop is used for much more then making models skinnier or prettier.  Photoshop is used to make good photos better.  Photoshop is used to modify pictures to the designer specific needs.

#Filtered

All the pictures below are shot with a iPhone 4s and edited in Photoshop.  The represent a day in the life of a design student.  You also get to experience a day in the life of a member of the Iowa State University Cyclone Football Varsity Marching Band ( The ISUCF’V’MB).  In my class, I am experimenting with mobile cameras, DSLR cameras, and the effects in Photoshop.  So yes all of the pictures for this project will be #filtered.  I’ll be putting my Instagram knowledge to the test.

Just a country girl in a design world

Design and Pumpkin Spice

Essentials to being a design student

The calm before band practice

Loyal Sons Forever True