So for today's class we have to create a reputable business and design a graphic for a letterhead, envelope. and business card. Here is my design for an organic bakery

Back at it

All of my entries for the online logo projects that were required. It's the end of the semester so this is a final wrap up!!  I had alot of fun in this semester's classes, and I look forward to next year :)

Logo Competitions

Our final project for Graphic Design is to enter 3 logo design competitions and submit our creations to the professor. Here is what I have so far:

This is for a sewing company called Cosmic Thimble

                     And this is for a floral arrangement company called Violeto Flowers

Fuzzy Monster

The latest project for Visual Literacy class is to create a fuzzy monster. The way the tutorial was worded was definately an oxymoron. It described the monster to create as a furry fuzzy cute monster. Haha.  Mine is cute in a weird way. Anyways, not exactly what I had sketched, but considering I have more important projects waiting on me, this will do.

So I have created my worst looking project so far. Unfortunately, this week my creative juics have been running low and I had no inspiration for this project. We were given a few basic shapes that we could not manipulate and had to create a scene out of them.

This is what  I came up with:

Ahhh, it turned out so elementary, but I am tired!

Last week's project was to create Distressed Text. This means that the text looks old and weathered. An example would be like an old wild west saloon sign, or something of the sort.

The option was to to make uo a name of a small business, but I decided to choose an a historic type Charleston restaurant. I chose to distress Queen Anne's Revenge.

Today I believe we are creating a box around the text to make it appear like a sign.

Our newest project is creating a logo for the Bridge program here at CSU.
Here is my first design:

Okay, so the Jaguar logo was a good idea, but too complicated for this project. The point of the logo project is to make a simple logo that one can easily recognize, and the company could easily produce.

Therefore, I really would have liked to do something really cool, but seeing as it is due tomorrow morning and there is no way I could finish another one tonight a super simple design for my second logo.

I also made another design for the Roxio logo. I am not really satisfied with either one, but again-deadline. Without further ado, here are my two final designs for this project. (remember, they are hypothetical logos, so don't judge me too harsh!)

Roxio

Here is what I have so far for Roxio. Trying to play off of the original idea for now:

Reinventing the wheel

We finally finished the presentations, and are back to the drawing board. Problem is, I can't draw (well).
Either way, I am going to gather every creative gene in my body and start sketching. The purpose of the project is to make an existing (preferably well known) logo better.
So the hard part is, how do you make something, that's already been copyrighted and paid for, better?
I guess we will see!

I chose Jaguar/Jaguar Racing and Roxio. The point is to stay simple so I am!
I just feel like the jaguar in the Jaguar logo is not as ferocious looking as it needs to be to reflect the speed and drive of their actual cars.
 I chose Roxio because of my genuine interest in computers, and thought the flame in the original logo is too soft.

I will make two separate posts for each logo I work on.

Originals:

Presentations

Today is the day-  we have to start giving our computer technology presentations for graphic design class. I am number 6 in line, and I am so ready to get this over with.

My presentation is on LCD Displays, which turned out to be quite interesting, despite my initial thoughts. I think I learned most of how an LCD works. Atleast well enough to tell others about it.

Wish me luck!

Technology in 8 minutes

Today we have been assigned a presentation for our next project. We have to decide upon a topic dealing with computer science and founding technology. For example, essentials such as motherboards, vacuums, etc; or founding companies such as IBM, Apple, etc; OR new technology like Blu-Ray, LCD, etc.

I would like to choose LCD screens. If I do, then I will have to create a powerpoint presentation covering the history of the product and its effects on the technology industry. It must be 8 minutes long so I better start preparing! I cannot imagine speaking that long on LCD displays (considering Im not that big on talking), but it will be fine.

Well, I must start researching!

Can you hear it? Feel it? Good.

Production is such a cool thing. An experience is not complete until you see the lights, hear the music, and feel the bass. At a concert, the crowd really livens when the lights dim out and strobe lights color their way through the darkness; the bass rumbles hard and it starts to vibrate.

I visited a church in Anderson last night- NewSpring- who really knew how to implement these elements without distraction. The music was loud, the bass turned up and the layout of lights and how they reflected off of stage decorations was an amazing example of how we can make church exciting. But in doing so, it is vitally important that we don't lose our purpose in the midst of the scene. Our aim is to worship God, but do so in a lively manner that engages the heart and mind.

NewSpring, without boasting , clinched all of this together. Their 6:00 service was more modern than the morning services. They had an amazingly talented band, the stage was arranged in a tech-savvy way, with ambience streaming from the lights and powerful vocals and instrumentals. Yet, through the worship set, they kept humble. It was all about God, as it should be. They sang aloud and played hard with the crowd dancing and singing.

This is how I like graphics, used in so many different arenas, it is most amazing to see it implemented in the worship of our God. I do hope He is pleased with us as we serve with our talents to glorify Him. I run lights and video for our church and know how crucial it is to get every mood captured in the lighting, and every word appearing at the right time. It is what I love to do and the reason I am in this program at CSU. I only hope I can bring those talents forth in a capacity such as I saw last night!

Everything's better in Color!

Assuming that I will not find any mess-ups or anything I need to change, I think it is safe to say that I am finished with my two logo projects. I hope! I decided to make two options for each- one in black and white (as posted yesterday) and one in color (as shown below). It is entirely up to them whether they use the B&W or colored options; I just hope that they like them!

 

Something Different- Really

Wow I haven't talked to you in a while! not.
As promised, here is my next post for the day!

I thought that now would be a good time to let you know that aside from this Graphic Design blog, I have a blog that I fill with my writings and thoughts about the world around me. Preview: poems, political commentary, and spiritual thoughts are what you will find there! (it is more interesting than it sounds, really. You must check it out for yourself)
Read Blog Now!!


Thank you for taking your time to read my thoughts. You are too kind :)

-Sarah

Posts, Projects, & such...

So I have been making most of my posts lately with a picture of my completed project and a few words here and there. Not acceptable I suppose. So I should elaborate on the importance of this class.

Adding Graphic Design as a second major is the best thing I have done for my education so far. I has added sanity to my busy schedule, and added somewhat of a breather for my mind. Aside from my graphic design classes, I focus on my Political Science major. I have American History and American Government this semester, and then these two art classes, Art 218 and Art 216. I also have public speaking which is an in-between-er.
I feel like I have a happy balance of left side/ right side brain activities. I like to have everything centered, so when taking more classes of one career than the other tends to throw me off a bit!

I love reading, I love writing. I love Graphic Design and the media. Such a smorgasboard of interests occupies my time, so I must make space for them all. Crazy? I suppose.

All this to say I am really enjoying Professor Speyer's classes so far. I talk about how relaxing they are but know that that is not true all of the time! There are stressful times when I am working on projects for different areas (class, clubs, church, etc) and the times when I am dead stuck on ideas and cannot get my creative juices flowing for anything! (perfect example: Mr Sparkle logo)

But of course there are days when I feel satisfied with my work (example: see last post)

AND, writing this blog is an ongoing assignment. Thus, as I will undoubtedly be spending my weekend with my new nephew, I will not have time to write the 5 more entries I need to have by monday.

So if it doesn't bore too much, I will be writing a few more today, and try to change things up a bit.

Until the next post in 10 minutes, au revoir!

We have been asked to design a logo for the SC Correctional Association, and given the opportunity to enter a contest to design a logo for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

It is difficult to decide which symbols to incorporate that will relate the associations' character and purpose. It must be clean cut and easy to read, yet deep enough to convey the sentiments of the associations.

That being said, these are the two I have come up with, still with a few alterations (as is apparent)

I hate that my blogs have been short, but hopefully you get the idea from the pictures. I am quite busy seeing as I have about 7 hw assignments and my new nephew is to be born in a few hours!!

sparkle?

Mr. Sparkel! the name of the company for whom we have to create a logo; not exactly an easy name to create a logo for. Considering the only thing you can use to represent a sparkle is a star or well, a sparkle, makes my final product look ridiculous.  I struggled to think of something unique to represent this. It is a glass repair/cleaning business, thus I decided for the first logo to be a 3 paned glass figure, with a man squeegeeing some grime. The second is only a marquee upon which I would place the name seen beneath it. (I have it separate only because we were required to save the name separate from the icon.

I hope they don't look too cheesy, but hey, it's what I could do!

Busy in the lab

ah I am loving being in the lab just creating designs; there are so many options! But unfortunately I am feeling kind of under the weather;  I want to make six more designs but I am afraid this headache is not going to let up, SO. This is what I have so far. I like some more than others, but this is a screen shot of all 6 designs I have just created. I honestly expected to be here in the lab for 5 hours doing this, but it has been merely 3 hours or so.

So this is it:  til Monday- stay creative!

Hollywood Style

So I am working on an extra curricular project that is Hollywood themed, and these are a few things I have so far

My Dream Car- A Graphic Design reality

Graphic Design Class has been going quite well. We have done several projects (all of which I have posted) and were hard at first, but easy after catching on. Today I am posting my final picture of the 1969 Dodge Charger (aka Color Replication Project) that I posted last week.

I will admit, it was not quite as hard without having headlight to gradient. Nevertheless, it was still time consuming.  I am not entirely satisfied with the way it came out; I feel it could have been a little smoother. However, once I have concluded a project, it is hard for me to go back and make alterations without completely changing it. I am somewhat of a perfectionist, and like to do the best I can. At some point though, I find it hard to do much more.

All that said, after tracing this picture and filling in colors and gradients, I now leave you with my dream car: a 1969 Dodge Charger- with a HEMI

Gimme a HEMI!

WeWWell, Here is what I have so far for my second visual literacy project- working with color in Illustrator, I hope it looks much better when Im finished!

And another one done...

Second project for Art is finished! This one was quite easy I must say, as our assignment was to create a travel brochure in MS Word. Now as our instructor pointed out, MS Word is the least desirable interface for a graphic design student...for anyone really. It lacks the aesthetics and depth that you can get by using something like MS Publisher, or more so Adobe InDesign; but it gets the job done.

The point? To have the ability to maneuver through MS Word and use the trial and error method through which process you will learn the whereabouts of any function needed to create a normal Word document.

Basically, without boring detail, when using MS Word 2008, you:

1. click columns->four. After doing this (the columns will be invisible, simply find where to insert text by clicking the cursor on the page). Change page dimensions to "legal", and all margins to 0.5

2. Research the internet for the travel information of any destination that interests you. Insert relevant texts and pictures, interspersing each, to creating a layout pleasing to the eye. Insert picture by clicking insert->picture->from file

3. Click insert->picture->autoshape, and select a rectangle. Drag to the size of the text, and fill with a color. Right click->arrange->behind text to put the box behind your writing.

In the end, it will look something like this:

Adobe Ilustrator Pen Tool

Our past 3 classes here in Art 218 have consisted of working on a project for Adobe Illustrator's Pen Tool. This is not a simple task, and quite time consuming. 

To describe what we have learned thus far, I must show you step by step; this won't take long.


Step one: Open up Ai, and select the artboard tool. Drag the edges to create a small, even square. Place the cursor on the square-while holding down alt- and drag twice to create two additional art boards. 


Step two: go to Google images and find a picture that has the ability to be zoomed in and have a good amount of detail. Save.


Step three: go on Ai and click "File" -> "Place". Place your picture on the screen. Now size it dow to the size of your first art board, so that the full picture is in view.
For the 2nd artboard, make the picture slightly bigger so that the you see a particular part of the picture in the box that you'd like to focus on. For the 3rd artboard, expand the picture further to include the detail you want to finish with. Be sure and hold shift while you resize the pictures to keep the pixelation the same as the original.

Step four: select board 1 and save it as a layer as "small". select the 2nd board and save it as a layer as "medium". Finally, select the 3rd board and save it as a layer under the name of "large". After doing all of this, click the first artboard with the picture, and click the eye beside the med. and large layers so that the small picture is all that you see.


Step five: Before working, create a sublayer, lock the small picture layer, and select the pen tool. Start on a straight line by clicking one spot and clicking another to create a simple line. Drawing over curves is harder as you must click one point, and while clicking another, drag until the curve expands to the size of the curve on the picture.  Do This until you have drawn over all of the lines you wish to display. Now click the eye beside the picture to see just the lines you have traced.

Annndd about 10 hours later you will have this:

Isn't it Beautiful?

Graphics- the source of vibrant color in the modern world. While there are many ugly advertisements- some displays should not be, well, displayed, there are so many brilliant ones out there!
Take this picture for example- it just takes your breath away- 007, Bond, James Bond-Scottish hero :)

Okay a little exaggerative, but this is a good example of a colorful work of art, recognizable and simple. This was found late one saturday night as I strolled down Queen Street, a source of en vogue fashion retailers whose graphics shone in the moonlight.

So this brings us to a thought of graphic design. If this profession sounds easy to you, think again. Fun-yes, easy-no. It is true, the excitement of creating a new deisgn is indeed easy on the eyes and easy to talk about, but chances are there were many grueling hours behind that masterpiece.

Art of the past was painting with oils and hand held brushes; Art of the future is pixels and brushed shaped like rainbows. Anything is possible on the computer- just wait and see....

Hello Graphic Design!

So my first week of school is almost over, and there is a new addition to my educational career- in 4 years I will be a Graphic Designer! And for those of you who know me to be aspiring in the political department, hold your gasps- in 5 years I will have a bachelors in Political Science. Ah yes, I now endure the stress and joy of being a double major- easy no, dorky-maybe.

I will never be able to explain how in this infinite world that I can be interested in politics and graphics- as I am not proficient in either at the moment, I hope  I can say that in 5 years I will know enough to have both interests and NOT be schizophrenic.

All this said, my very first assignment for Art 218 is a new blog- all about Graphic Design. If you havent gotten tired of reading my blog on politics, or if you havent even read that yet, happy reading to the newest addition of my blog family- Saruwa Designs

<3Sarah