Design Is Video

This is my Design Is statement video..
Turned out a little bit silly, but Design is fun so it's okay.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTemtdkTdnA&context=C4151bd5ADvjVQa1PpcFN6eG9B7gqv5DAkw6Mkksue2QwbECFi8jw=

Blog9: My Mentor

In my life I have come across many people that have made an influence on my life. I look up to my parents for raising me and showing me my way in the world, I look up to my bosses and mangers to be a better leader, and I look to my peers to better myself.

One of the people who has made a very big impact on me as a person was my grade 12 math teacher. Mr P is a wonderful person who is so incredibly understanding and I wish there were more teachers like him. Teachers are sometimes intimidating, angry and boring, but Mr P was the complete opposite. He was a math teacher who was full of enthusiasm, patience and knowledge. Math was one of my weakest subjects in high school and thanks to him I manged to get the best grade in that class.

I am thankful to have had him because he made something so difficult (so I thought) seem so easy. He has taught me patience and hard work pays off. This is something I keep telling myself to this day because this applies to graphic design in so many ways.

Blog8: Command X

Before we watched this show I didn't even know things like this existed and I think it was really cool that this show was specifically directed to students. To be on a show like this would be such a great experience. I did find however that during the first round I found the logos to be okay, I did not think that they sucked like one of the judges stated. However, during the second round I found their work to be much better. On a show like this you have to be prepared to hear the worst which could actually work out in your favor provided with useful feed back.

Five Presentation Tips:
1. Explain the work you are about to present, don't just show it and expect the audience to understand
2. Present all information with confidence
3. Be able to justify why you made certain choices about your design
4. Take criticism head on
5. Have a nice concluding thought

Five Worst Errors:
1. Not being fully prepared to present your work (not fished, technical errors..ect)
2. Do not put your audience to sleep, do not give long elaborate speeches that have nothing to do with your work
3. Never say "and that's it" and be awkward at the end
4. Never admit your work printed out wrong and blame it on the printer
5. Do not argue with a judge, ever.

Blog7: My Incomplete Manifesto

Bruce Mau is a very inspirational man, his list of Manifestos is infidelity something that I think most people can agree with and live by. So, in my list I approached my statements from a designer point of view as well as a human being. They are the things that keep me in line and keep me motivated for a better and happier life.

1. Breathe - Personally, this is something I feel I sometimes forget to do. When things get really busy and stressful there is nothing better to do then just stop and take a deep breath and push through.

2. Failure is knowledge - To my experience I have indeed failed many times with projects, even people, but really it's true what they say, you really do learn from it..eventually.

3. Take naps - This has gotten me through my whole college experience and it's so essential! Babies and old people aren't the only ones who do it, Graphic Designers do too. Plenty of rest is always the best.

4. Do Zumba - I have an addiction I think. Zumba is something I do because I enjoy it. I need the energy and the music to clear my head,  to sweat and have a good time to regenerate and return to my work.

5. Do your part - Something I have learned is that whether working on a project with a partner, or being in a relationship, do everything you need to, 50%-50%, and no more because you put in the effort and now it has to be reciprocated or else.

6. Don't give up - Sometimes I think of myself as a quitter in certain situations but I usually keep my head up the whole time. If it's a dream you're after, don't stop until you're live it.

7. Laugh - I know Bruce Mau also had this on his list, but I completely agree. There is something about when you're laughing, you create a connection, you feel so much more comfortable with the person or people you're with, you feel free.

8. Paint your nails - There is always something that can make your day a little better, when you know you spent a little time on yourself you feel a little bit brighter, and when you feel better you attract more positive energy from the environment around you.

9. Listen to foreign music - I don't speak every language even though I wish I did, but I love listening to Spanish, Portuguese and even French music. It intrigues me, you learn so much by listening.

10. Go outside - Warm weather and sun on your skin can make you feel care-free, on days when sunshine wakes you - you know it's a day worth getting out of bed for.

11. Explore your brain - Incredible device that leads us to great ideas, bad ideas and the unthought of. The more you think sometimes the better your results, however sometimes it can be the exact opposite. Explore yourself.

12. Doodle - Take a pencil to a paper and let your hand to the rest.

13. Face your fears - Being thrown into an uncomfortable situation can change one completely. You grow from theses situations so take them head on.

14. Be less forgetful.

15. Only time will tell - If it's meant to be, it will, if not then you'll know. Life is unpredictable and everything around us shapes it, where life takes you depends on the decisions you make and people you surround yourself with.

Blog6: My Process

This is the process I go through when designing something from beginning to end. Sometimes my process varies depending on the given task but I usually stick to this.

1. First I go over the given brief in detail so that I have a good understanding of what I need to make
2. I start thinking about ideas and solutions that would work
3. Get some references off the internet and do research about the project
4. Get distracted by Facebook and Twitter
5. Start drawing up some ideas
6. Decide on an idea and further develop it
7. Start working on it digitally
8. Get distracted by Facebook and Twitter
9. Continue on finalizing the design
10. After the design is complete I nap!
 

Blog5: Reflections on Heidi's RGD Visit

I was very interested in Heidi's visit when she came to our class to talk about the RGD. Before this visit I vaguely knew what it was about and what it stood for but after she elaborated on what it was I thought it was really neat organization. What they do is certify graphic designers in Ontario who met the standard levels of professionalism through a successful completion of a portfolio as well as grasping the concepts of design, business, research ad theory. I think this is a great opportunity for every designer and I think a license like this  articulates something about your skills.

My out look on spec work is probably the same as the opinions of many designers. I completely agree with Heidi and how it is not fair when a company or a client asks you to do work for free. I think that when you choose to do something for free, you have to be passionate it about it and give out your work with permission. I think clients should pay their designers for everything that they design, even if it is rough process work.

Blog4: Values, Beliefs, Paul Rand & Me

I think that Paul Rand is a huge influence for any aspiring designer.  His ethics and influences shape us into better thinkers and creators because we want to continue what he has started. We ultimately all want for our design to be recognized all over the world and be understood in any language. I believe that designers have the opportunity to communicate any message to anyone though a creative solution anywhere in the world. It's our responsibility to please our client and also please ourselves with the work that we've created. And on top of that, we always have to keep in mind the people who will be influenced and effected by what we produce. Paul Rand has said that designers now-a-days make things beautiful instead of making them functional, I hope that one day my design work will reflect on what hes said and be practical.

Some things that are important to me as a designer are:
Clarity - is someone who looks at my design going to understand what it is, and what it represents
Emotion - every good design evokes a feeling inside which makes you relate it to a certain aspect of your life
Interest - is the design interesting to look at and something that the viewer hasn't seen before
Different  - does it have its own unique style
Entertaining - is the final product pleasing to look at as well as fun.