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.

Blog 3: What is Design?

Design is...everything and "that's why looking for a definition may
not help you grasp what it is."

The word design itself can be used to describe so many things in the world. When you type the term 'design' into Google you get an endless amount of results, the same way as when you mention the term design to someone and their brain goes off thinking about all the possible designs out there. Designs vary from cars to landscapes to hair styles to posters, that's why the definition of the word it self is so difficult to figure out. Since design is everywhere around us, I think that's what it means to me, design is everything, at least for now until I actually come to the conclusion what it is.

Blog 2: Take on McQueen

 Alexander McQueen was born on March 17th 1969 and sadly passed away on February 11th 2010. He was a British designer who left school at the age of 16 to peruse something he was very passionate about, fashion. Through out his career he has been heavily influenced by his idol Isabella Blow, whom bought his graduation collection once he graduated. He has come a long way to what his reputation and image represent today.

I can say that when I first saw his designs in afashion magazine, I was speechless, I had never seen anything so unique and breathtaking. McQueen's designs were something different, they were a combination of fragility and provocativeness, they expressed power and emotion, something that everyone could recognize in his designs. What he has done for our fashion industry as well as our Design inustry we will forever be thanful for because what he has done, no one can.

"Arguably the most influential, imaginative, and provocative designer of his generation, Alexander McQueen both challenged and expanded fashion conventions to express ideas about race, class, sexuality, religion, and the environment. " - Andrew Bolton.

Blog 1: Introduction

Who is this girl?

My name is Ivana Musutova and I am currently in my second year of studying Graphic Design at Humber College. During high school I wasn't too sure of what I wanted to do with my life, I just knew I enjoyed art and communication, which has led me to this career choice, and so far I don't regret it one bit.

A bit more about my background, I was born and raised in Slovakia. I moved to Canada at the age of 10, because my dad loved to travel and believed that life was better here. I have also traveled quite a bit and have been fortunate enough to be introduced to different cultures, people and environments.

Why is she blogging?

This blog was created to express my thoughts and opinions about what is currently going on around us. Design is one of those things that is everywhere. Through this blog I want to discover myself and what I feel about Design and what it has done for us, not only in theory, but overall. I hope to gain better understanding of how it makes the world function and how without it and creative minds, we have nothing.