Semester 1 Review

What Did I Learn?

Technology

     Throughout the semester, I learned how to better use Illustrator so my patterns looked natural and connected together so when putting my pattern onto mockups and a digital layout of my box, it would all fit correctly and perfectly. I have learned so much in the technology department of e-Com. When I was a Freshmen, I could barely use Photoshop, and Premier Pro. I struggled so much, but i eventually learned how to use both of them efficiently. The next year when I was a Sophomore, I hated Illustrator because I didn't know anything. It was if I was starting over again in the learning process. I eventually learned the tools and shortcuts of Illustrator that I now use Illustrator whenever there's Graphic Design involved, even in my daily life. I used to do very small projects in Illustrator that would take a couple hours to about a day, but now I have done so many month long projects in and out of Illustrator that I have the stamina and attention span to dit down and do what I need to get done. My Sophomore year, we did many Photoshop tutorials, and then towards the end, I did a Vector portrait of my grandfather and many other vector portraits. The Photoshop tutorials took minutes, maybe a hour at most. The Vector Portrait took many weeks and hours to do. I had to stay after school to finish the project. I worked so hard and stayed after school so long that my muscles in my hands were sore. While I worked so much in Illustrator, I do need to go back and do some Photoshop work since those skills have been neglected for some time now. 

Collaboration and Communication

     In Graphic Design, I often asked my teacher and the people around me what they thought of my design once I was done. I'd get compliments as well as critiques. I did my best to fix my designs based on the critiques and see what worked best. Everyone around me had amazing ideas to share. In the past, I wasn't very open or vocal about anything. I was mostly introverted, and still introverted to this day. However, thanks to Video and other events outside of e-Com, I am able to fulfill any role needed and am ready to give my opinion or thoughts on something if need be. I am also more open about asking for critiques during random stages of the creating process. I have made great friends because of e-Com not just in the Graphic Design branch, but in the other branches as well. 

     Before I even entered high school, I was very communicative. I always told teachers when I would be absent and e-mail them when I was sick or gone unexpectedly. So, from a professional standpoint, I was communicative, but from a more casual standpoint, not so much. Once I get to know people, I become very open, but team projects were always something I didn't really like. Thanks to e-Com, I have had many opportunities to be open and communicate what needs to be done as well as goof around here and there.

Project Management

      In middle school and even sometimes to this day, I procrastinate quite often, however if I am away from distractions and given "free" time, then I get projects and other things done usually before the deadline. Going through the e-Com program, I have always completed projects and have been aware of deadlines. I have stayed after school for hours sometimes finishing a project. I try to use class time to my advantage and use as much of it as possible to work on a current project. One thing I wish to correct in the future, however, is to stay on task better and not get sidetracked by friends. 

Leadership

     I wouldn't consider myself a leader. In group projects, I fulfill any role that needs to be filled. However, if being a leader or director or head project person is the role that needs to be filled, I'll step up and be the leader. I do have many leadership qualities like listening to others as well as being able to take control of situations. 

Logo Designs

Process

     The latest project in e-Com is designing a personal logo. First, I started by writing my name in different ways like in cursive, my normal handwriting, and trying to mimic other fonts. Then I started drawing shapes around my name. I decided my name was too big for a logo, so I went with my initials. After three pages of sketching, I decided to write my cursive initials in a circle. I then worked on my logo in Adobe Illustrator. I first did it in black and white to make sure it looked good without any color. Once I was happy, I started adding color. The letters have a yellow outline, which, to me, makes it look like they are outlined in gold, and the circle is an red-orange color. I also tried outlining the letters in silver with the circle being blue or purple, but I decided to go with the gold and red-orange because it was bright and energetic. I then messed around with making the circle lighter or darker, and messed around with the letters. Some examples have the letters filled with a grey color with a yellow outline. I like a lot of the darker ones, but when making them smaller, it was hard to tell what it was, so I went with the red-orange circle with yellow outline on the letters. 

Here is my new logo!

Mockups 

     After I chose my logo, I then used the mockups my teacher let us use. A mockup is just an example someone can put their logo on. I decided to go with a round sign, business card, an iPhone app, a small billboard and a storefront. I only needed to do four, but I decided to do one more just to make sure I was happy with my logo.  My logo looked good and I was happy with it, so this is my new logo. I chose warm colors because yellow is happy and energetic while red/orange added to that happy, bright, and energetic feel to the yellow letters. I also decided to go with cursive letters because cursive is very elegant and added some class to my logo. 

Color Wheel

What was the project?

     This latest project was to create the color wheel in Adobe Illustrator. Creating the color wheel was very simple and easy due to the shortcuts the teacher taught us. If a student didn't use the shortcuts, the project would take longer, but it would still be easy. All we had to include was the primary, secondary, and tertiary colors. Some examples of tertiary colors are blue-green, red-violet, and yellow-green. 

What did I learn? 

     In Adobe Illustrator, projects are a lot easier if you know the shortcuts. Since I already used Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Premier Pro, I was already familiar with how Adobe works. I learned a lot of new shortcuts that made this project more efficient. I also learned how reshape the project to what it is now. 

How did I do? 

This is another Color Wheel that I made. 

     I think I did pretty good. It was a fairly easy and simple project that reintroduced me to colors and their relationship with other colors. I was very picky on the blue-green section because I don't use blue-green that often when I color. If I do, I just take a green crayon or colored pencil, shade in the section I want, then take blue, and color over the green. I guess I have a hard time with blue green because I didn't get it to the shade I wanted. That's what I would do differently. 

What would I do differently? 

     To be honest, this project was simple and easy, but it defiantly got me thinking more about graphic design as a whole, and how color affects us in our daily life. If I did have to change one thing it would to ask students to include some introduction to color theory. For example, students can choose either primary or secondary colors and explain, in their own opinion, how these colors affect them or others when they see this color.