final blog

graphic design final reflection blog

One of my favorite parts about graphic design was making the vector illustrator portrait. For this project we had to choose an image of ourselves, a family member, or a family pet. We then had to choose if we wanted to do an organic vector which is tracing the facial features on the objects face or a low poly geometric vector which is when you make lots of different and tiny triable on the subject. I chose to do the low poly geometric because I felt it would look better on my dog. It took me around two weeks to complete this project. I was gone towards the end of the first week, if I wasn't gone I most likely would have finished the project sooner. I faced a few challenges along the way. At the very beginning of the project I didn't know how big to make the triangles. I decided to do small triangles on my dogs features and bigger triangles on my dogs body. Another challenge I faced was having all of my triangles looking very similar which didn't compliment the technique I was going for. I got a lot more comfortable with the pen tool while doing this project. Which made it easier to do the projects I would be doing in the future. A critic I took from my peers was having the triangles too big on certain parts of my dog. I took that correction and fixed it before submitting my project. I made a few changes from my original idea. At first I wanted to make my dog a lot of different colors but I ended up just using the eyedropper tool and using the original pictures in the photo. in my opinion I think my vector portrait is good. At first I didn't know how it was going to look because the whole time you are working you are zoomed in. I was really happy with how mine turned out.



Another one of my favorite parts about graphic design was working on my typography. For this project we had to find around 10 quotes that we liked on the internet. From those 10 we had to sketch out ideas that we could use to make a typography picture with a logo. After sketching we started creating in illustrator and picking fonts and colors. the project took me around a week and a half to do. It took me a while to pick my quotes and create logos to go with it. some challenges that I faced was finding where to put all pot the words. I didn't want my words to be squeezed together or too far apart. Some skills I learned while working on this project is how to find different and unique fonts together. You can't put two crazy fonts together, you have to pick one carry one and put it with a more simple font. Some feedback I got from my peers was finding more unique fonts. I was too scared to pick really outside of the box fonts because I wanted my fonts to look simple and not too crazy. I tried my best to take the advice and find fun fonts. I made lots of changes from my original idea. I ended up changing two of my quotes completely because I found better graphics to go with different quotes. Overall I like my typography projects but I also feel like I could have done better on them.


I also really enjoyed creating our logo designs which was our most recent project. we are told to sketch out 30m different designs about anything that we thought represented us. I chose to work with my name/initials because that came easiest to me. we then had to bring them into illustrator and less around with different color schemes. The project took me around two weeks to complete with the sketching process and picking colors. some challenges I faced were having my designs not looking as good in illustrator as they did in my sketches. Some skills I learned in this process was making different colors look good together. they don't have to be the same color in a different shade to look good. Some feedback that I received from my peers was to use different fonts for my letters. At first I had very simple fonts for my initials but I ended up choosing different fonts so that my letters would be a design of their own.  made lots of changes from my original idea. I ended up using two ideas that weren't even in my 30 sketches and I just create them in illustrator. Overall I really like all of my logos, they are unique and very cute.


I have done a good job about time management with my projects during second semester I missed around two weeks of school between both of my dance nationals but I came in to work on what I missed and used my time in class wisely. If I ever finished early I would create new logos or try to fix some of my old projects. I never did research on how to improve but I would look on Pinterest and find different designs or logos that I liked. I feel like I really found what kind of designs I like and developed a style. Before turning in my projects I would double check them and make sure there were't any last minute things that I had to fix. outside of class I look a different things like clothing, posters, and store fronts to kind of criticize the design of them and find ways they could I'm prove and then put the things they could have done into my designs.


I think that my strength in e-comm is video. Last year I enjoyed video but I wasn't'y very good at it. I felt like I was better at graphic design freshman year. But now that I am a sophomore I feel like I am much better at video and not as good in graphic design. I feel that I am creative but not in the way or creating logos. I'm more creative with my story ideas and writing. Which is why I am going into journalism next year as a junior. even though I am not the best a graphic design I feel like I have improved since the beginning of freshman year.


some areas that I can improve in in e-comm is to work on being more creative and not as basic with my graphics design projects. Which I can still work on even though I will not be in graphic design next year. In my free time I like to sketch and make little logos. Working on that could pay off in the future. I also have lots of room to improve in video. I feel that I am the best at journalism which is why I am going into that, and I enjoy that the most. I can also work on other strand of video while in class whenever I have free time.

I enjoyed doing things with typography most in graphic design. That's where I was able to be the most creative and make things my own. The only thing I would change habit this year would be able to create more at the start of the year. I understand that we have to learn how to use the programs but I felt like most of the first quarter and half of the second we had to follow tutorials instead of creating A goal that I am setting for myself going into next year is to be more creative and talkative, What I mean by that is to try and creative new and fun. ideas for e-comm and not be too scared to share them. be able to be confident in myself and my ideas to share out loud. I really enjoyed my sophomore year and graphic design and e-comm in general. I am happy that I found the strand I am most passionate for and am excited to work on it next year and the next years to come.