Project Corrections / Time Spent: 7 hours making corrections to the work in my portfolio. The projects I worked on were:
Event Ad: changing font size, design element manipulations, changing information, modification of image.
Montage: I changed the images of the children and worked on the mask shading, as well as moving the text.
Logos: I placed all the logos on the same page to have a better representation of the development of the work.
Stationary-Letterhead: I changed the appearance of the font by removing the stroke and making other small text changes.
Brochure: I did some screen prints and manipulation to show the front cover in a separate image from the back to give a better idea of what the front of the offset would look like.
I added a description of the master page design on the last page of the portfolio.
Message:My personality was evident as I worked on the master page background. It was influenced by an image I saw in the examples.
Audience: Potential client and employers.
Top Thing Learned:There is still a lot more to learn. Each time I work out a process it leads to a new idea that requires practice and research to get it right. Practice, Practice, Practice.
Future application of Visual Media: I have recently started working for a graphic company and look forward to using my skills and improving them each and every day.
Color scheme and color names: Monochromatic, coral
Title Font Name & Category: French Script – Script
For an offset single fold brochure, I needed to determine the dimensions to utilize the fold effectively. The canvas size for this project is 11” x 8.5” with a portrait layout. I set up the guide lines at 6.25” on the outside and 4.75” on the inside.
I started the project in InDesign. The company I selected is my neighbor’s pool and spa maintenance and repair business. He had a basic idea for a logo and the name of the company, “Bright Pools”. He specifically liked the Bauhaus 93 font highlighting the “b” and “p” and blue and yellow in the color scheme. I incorporated a few of those design ideas into my project.
The Logo
The logo was designed to imitate the “b” and “p” from the Bauhaus 93 font. The color yellow was a representation of the “Bright” and the blue for the “Pool”. Gradient was used to utilize those colors in a number of locations in the brochure, particularly the logo.
The simple items – I used the Line Tool and Arc Tool in Illustrator to design the basic shape. The arc was 3 segments then rotated. To make the loop of the “b” and “p”.
I used Adobe Illustrator to create the inner circle of the logo with the sunrays extending outside the letter. This took a few tries before I was able to design what I wanted. I used Pucker, Bloat, Scallop, Crystallize and Wrinkle in an attempt to create the rays. I found that each try did not produce the image I had in mind.
The next attempt was to just extend lines out from the circle on the top half. Although that would have worked I was still not satisfied. The final attempt included use of the Line Tool, Ellipse tool, and Arc Tool. Once I had the shape I wanted, I expanded the shape and utilized the Direct Selection Tool to delete the lines that I no longer needed. Once I had the shape it became complicated to group. I ended up using Photoshop to make a solid shape and placed that shape in InDesign, used the gradient tool for the color and sized it to fit with the basic letter shape.
The Images
The photos used were a variety. I used the picture of Christian Geddes with the blowup dolphin from his facebook page. The other images were random from internet searches.
The image of the pool on the inside section of the brochure was a download from the internet. I imported it into Photoshop and cropped the image with the Magnetic Lasso Tool. This was the first time I used the magnetic lasso. I tried with the regular Lasso Tool, Polygonal Lasso Tool but neither of them created the effect I wanted. I had to do a few, okay, 7 tries to get it right with the Magnetic Lasso but in the end I was pleased with the result. The Quick Selection Tool removed the background so I could Import into InDesign. The Refine Mask tool cleaned up the lines a little and helped me blend the edges.
Message: Inform my audience about the options available by Bright Pools and the importance of regular pool and spa maintenance.
Audience: Individual that own pools and spas
Top Thing Learned: How to use multiple programs to accomplish the effect you are looking for. Text wrapping is great, the magnetic lasso tool, use of the arc tool, practicing with the tools in each program.
Color scheme and color names: Complimentary, Blue and Gold
Title Font Name & Category: Bauhaus 93 – Decorative
This logo was designed to promote HOPE, COURAGE, FAITH and LOVE. This idea is a work in progress and this is one more step in the progression to a completed project.
The color choices are specific, the target audience is precise, design skills are being learned as I explore each objective, and tools/tricks that I used have been objectives of this class.
Fairy God-Mother words of wisdom:
Color:
The colors I have chosen have specific meaning. ORANGE is MARY’s favorite color. It is the same ribbon color associated with blood cancers. RED is my favorite color. It is also a color of power and courage. I added the teal in the smaller headings, the wings, the Title of the page and the wand with the butterflies exploding. This gave me the three colors, ORANGE, RED, and TEALto represent the split complementary color scheme.
Target Audience:
Magical Mary Fairy will target all individuals of every economic range, educational level, and gender that are influenced by cancer. Cancer is not respecter of persons, rich or poor, old or young. The idea is to provide support to patients, family and friends that are in need.
Design:
There were many designs that I toyed around with. The idea if incorporating a fairy into the logo was important. I wanted the ’F’airy to represent the body of the fairy. It was originally my idea to have the wings represent the ’M’agical ’M’ary. I am still working on a way to incorporate this. I tried a font for the ’F’ but it was not successful so I used the pen tool to draw an ’F’ in the style I wanted. This worked better than I would have ever imagined. The wings were relatively simple. I tried a variation of fonts and placement of the fonts. This was by far the favorite among all. It was a suggestion from one of my evaluators (Melanie). I worked on having contrasting colors and fonts. The colors were great but decided to stick with a single font at this time.
Tools/Tricks
I used Illustrator and InDesign. I utilized a number of different tools and tricks to manipulate the image. The main tools were the ellipse, pen tool, type on a path, and the text tool. The font is Vivaldi Italic.
Description:
Matching letterhead and business card designed using a personally created logo for Professional Pole Climbers Association. I don’t know if there is such an Association but there are Pole Climber Competitions.
Process (Programs, Tools, Skills);
Initially I used InDesign to create my logo and design features. I used the ellipse, line and pencil tool to design the shoes. The rectangle tool was used to create the pole. The pencil and ellipse tools were used to make the body parts.
The gradient tool was used for coloring parts of the shoe.
After the initial submission I used Illustrator to add texture to the pole by using: Artistic Rough Pastel.
Stationary: Utilizing the Pole as one border and the Text at the top and bottom of the page as the layout seemed to balance the page. I did a right align but also aligned the text on the left with the pole. The shoes were used as a watermark as well as with the climber. I used track, kernel, and lead variations with the text to align it with the page and provide spacing.
Business Card: The front of the card is vertical with the Pole on the left and the Text at the top Right aligned and the text in the middle and bottom left aligned. I used the same pole and climber on the card as well as the shoes.
The back of the card is horizontal. I am not sure if that is an issue but the text is the same with the water mark of the shoes.
I used track, kernel, and lead variations with the text to align it with the page and provide spacing.
Programs/Tools Used: Adobe Illustrator & InDesign
Message: This was a totally fictional company but it represents an Association of Pole Climber.
Audience: All those that climb poles for work or play.
Top things learned: How to utilize both programs to design a project. I tried a couple of times to work in Illustrator and then paste the objects into InDesign. The first few attempts did not create the effect I was aiming for but eventually I was able to put the two together. This will take more practice but it is enlightening.
Color scheme: Complementary and color names: Blue and Brown
Font Name & Category: Stencil- Serif, Agency FB -Sans Serif
Description: The idea this week was to design Logos for a specific company. The company I chose was my own web site Magical Mary Fairy.
Process: I spent a few days looking at logos online and formulating a plan. I watched several of the Illustrator training videos to get an idea of what I was doing with the program then started to create.
Just a side not – I love illustrator and find it frustrating at the same time. I love the creative opportunities but find I am frustrated at not knowing the program better.
I had a number of ideas that I had put together in word to kind-of see what they might look like in a program rather than my poor attempt at drawing. I did this because I had some down time at work and did not have Illustrator on my work computer.
The first attempt was based on a watermark with text over it. “Magical” was the watermark with a “Mary Fairy” overlay. This worked much better in word. When reproducing the idea in Illustrator it just looked cluttered. I tried working with the opacity. I still did not have the same results. As a result I have thought that I need to reformat the first attempt by separating the text. There is also the possibility of including a fairy on one of the letters – either I or l in “Magical”.
Attempt two – I was trying to have the “mm” from “Magical Mary” be the wings of the f in “Fairy” I turned the “mm” to follow the curve of the “f”. That worked a little but it may need a different font to be truly successful. The “agical ary” was difficult to really see well and figure it out. The possible changes are to manipulate the “mm” to include the “agical ary” with them. Possibly stretching the first “m” bigger with the second “m” smaller and including the text around it. The font used had a funky tail on the “f” so I did some manipulation to make it look better.
The third – I hand drew the “f” and added circles for the wings creating a fairy. I used the curve of the “f” to incorporate the text. This was the easiest Logo to see and understand and thus was the favorite among the three. There were a few suggestions: add color to the font, change the color of the “f”. For the most part the color scheme, font selection and simplicity of the object were well received.
Programs/Tools Used: Adobe Illustrator for the final project, Word for a few ideas.
I used the following tools: paintbrush, text, ellipse, rotate, eye dropper, line, pen, anchor point, direct selection, and select
The pallets I used: color, swatches, brushes, color guide, stroke, and transparency
Message: To provide an imaginative and creative but simple logo for my website.
Audience: Those that visit my site.
Color scheme: Split Complementary: Orange, Coral, Black/Blue.
Top thing learned: How to create in Adobe Illustrator. I love this program.
Font #1 Name & Category: Title: Modern – Hobo Std Medium
Font #2 Name & Category: Copy: Script – Vivaldi
Description: This is a montage using multiple images combined into one project and incorporating a spiritual theme.
Process: I selected several images and set the format on what I wanted the project to look like. Then I proceeded with the manipulation of the pictures.
The background was a picture of the sun breaking through the clouds. This I cropped to an 8.5 in x 11 in. Initially the resolution of the picture was only 72 pt so I had to increase the resolution. I modified the levels, vibrancy and color. This was fairly simple since we did this last week.
The second image was of the temple spires. I had difficulty transferring it to the background. I had to lasso several times and try the copy paste more often than I would like to admit till I accomplished what I wanted. Sizing was also an issue. The tutorials teach from the standpoint of a MAC user and I have a PC so I had to google the process. Then I added a mask to blend the two pictures together.
Then one by one I added the pictures of the children’s faces. I modified each one with the levels, vibrancy and color then proceeded to lasso them. There were a few eyes that had significant red-eye that I attempted to blend with the brush tool to make them look a little better. These were each placed in the project, sized, masked and blended. I am still working on perfecting the blending technique. It does not seem to work the same for me as in the tutorial. It is very pixelated and I could not figure out how to correct that. Each picture was reduced in opacity to make them seem more like spirits.
Then I included the thought. Two fonts were selected and offset .
Programs/Tools Used: Adobe Photoshop
Message: I wanted the audience to understand the love the Savior has for little children.
Audience: Anyone with children or that loves children.
Colorized/Filter applied and where: Each of the face pictures was changed in opacity to achieve a spirit like aura.
Color scheme : Complementary – Blue/Orange-tan
Font #1 Name & Category: Title: Oldstyle – Chaperral Pro Bold Italic
Font #2 Name & Category: Copy: Sans Serif – Gil Sans Ultra Bold Regular
Description: The idea this week was to prepare a project using Photoshop. I was to provide a recent photograph with a design to demonstrate the level of skill obtained. The project was to include a color scheme and some design features.
Process (Programs, Tools, Skills):
Formulate the plan: The idea was to choose a color scheme then find a composition that would work with the colors(s) chosen. I have to admit the color scheme was selected after the picture and saying was chosen. Perhaps in the future when I have better skills I will be able to choose the colors first.
I used a digital camera that was a point-and-shoot. It was a loaner camera because I could not find a battery for my own camera (which is also a point-and-shoot digital camera)
I did the editing in Photoshop. The four steps that were used were:
Levels
Vibrance/Saturation
Selective Color
Sharpen
The project then was to add the color scheme and design features to the photo. This was done in Photoshop. The color scheme I used was Complimentary, using blue, orange/tan, and black. These were colors found in the image and I used the eye-dropper to get the same color. I added some shapes and contrasting fonts in the colors from the scheme. I right aligned the design features and saying to even out the picture. The image occupied 2/3 of the print with the phrase the remaining 1/3.
Message: The message is one that I have used for years and is very special to me. I used my Father as the image, he also is very important to me. These just seemed natural to come together.
Audience: Everyone that lives in the here and now.
Top Thing Learned: I realized how important it was to plan out the shoot and not just go willy-nilly taking pictures. It was really luck that it turned out as good as it did. Preparing the design features and color scheme is also very important.
Color scheme: Complimentarycolor names: Blue, orange/tan, and black Title Font Name & Category: Sans Serif: Myriad Pro Bold Copy Font Name & Category: Oldstyle: Iskoola Pota Bold
I spent two days trying to get a battery for my camera to no avail so I had to have fun with a loaner.
Light 1 – Outside
Light 1 – outside
This is of a Sauna that my neighbors built. It is similar to those found in Finland where their ancestry comes from. It was made from scraps of used wood and recycled roofing. The pitch fork added a nice touch.
Light 2 – Inside
Light 2 – Inside
I loved this picture of three chairs all lined up as pals. The lighting was great in this dining room and when making the adjustments, I felt like it was better in gray scale than in color. It really defined the differences in the chairs.
Focus 1 – Foreground
Focus 1 – Foreground
This was an easy picture. We have an abandoned building in the property next to us. It has been used for a variety of events. When I say the flowers with it in the background I felt that this was the perfect picture for this example. The flowers came up a little early this year because of the great weather we have been having.
Focus 2 – Background
Focus 2 – Background
This was a little difficult to capture. My camera wanted to focus on the flowers and not the building in the background. It was great to be able to focus on the items I wanted and it made a significant difference in the picture.
Composition 1 – Thirds
Composition 1 – Thirds
I was not really sure if this picture worked for the thirds but it does demonstrate the Fibonacci sequence of thirds both vertically and horizontally.
Composition 2 – Lead Wall
This is my favorite picture of all. I should have had the eyeglasses removed but that is a live and learn item as I start taking pictures. This gentleman, my Dad, has such character that it is hard to look away. I took this picture on the back porch as he looked into the mountains lined with snow.
Event Ad for COMM 130 Description: P2Event Ad 2015 – This is a fictional event!
Description: Project P2 Event Ad – This project was to design an Event Ad for a particular event. We were to scan an image and use that image in the flier. The particulars were left up to our own discretion. We were to use Word because that is common software in most offices and does not require additional software.
Program used – Microsoft Word, Adobe Photoshop (photoshop was used to crop the photo only)
Tools used: In word I used the Drawing tool mostly. I was able to manipulate the background to match the colors in the picture, as well as color the text boxes and line properties.
Message: Come join the Airsoft junkies in a weekend fun
Audience: Players of airsoft from 11-99. Male and female that like to get dirty, utilize strategy and have fun.
Color scheme and color names: Camouflage background was from a google search. It was manipulated to match the colors from the picture
Top Thing Learned: Arrangement of the elements makes a big difference in the flow of the project. I changed some of the black elements to a grey and it flowed much better with the exiting elements. I stayed with a 3 color basis and that worked much better than adding black or white to the mix.
Title Font Name & Category: Benard MT Condensed – Modern
Copy Font Name & Category: Berlin Sans FB Demi – Oldstyle
Scanned images used, sources, original sizes, location of scanner used: The scanned image is of the men with the guns. It is from 1991 Desert Storm personal photos. The background image of camouflage is downloaded from Google.
Description:
Flier to promote a graduate leadership conference.
Process: This assignment was to use the FOCUS formula to design a flier. The flier is prepared in InDesign. This is my first project in InDesign so it is rudimentary at best. The information, picture and logo were provided in the project details. We were allowed one image (that could be repeated) and one logo option. The font and layout were up to us but we were limited to grayscale elements.
The following is the FOCUS outline:
Formulate the Plan:
Message: Advertise the Graduate Leadership Conference
Learn Communication
Learn Leadership Skills (break through techniques, cultivate attributes)
More work experience/familiarity in office settings
Sketches:
Organize the Layout:
Shape: The white space flows free and separates the segments of information.
Proximity: The DTP, seminar highlights, and registration information are all placed together to make it easy to find.
Alignment: The flier has right alignment throughout.
Contrast the elements:
Asymmetry: The images are angled so they present a unique shape to focus the information.
Value: It was necessary to have contrasting values to provide depth and flow.
Color: Black and white with shades of gray.
Unify the Parts:
Repetition: The picture is repeated in odds, the fonts are repeated throughout.
Rhythm: The repetition and value provide a smooth rhythm. I tried to match the font of the heading with the logo to improve the rhythm.
Gestalt: The variety of fonts, value, shape, and repetition create a beneficial flow.
Simplify the Message:
Evaluate: The message was addresses and the focus of the flier.
Eliminate: The flier was wordy so I simplified the message with bullets.
Communicate: The flier was shared with the Facebook group.
Top thing learned:
Utilization of the InDesign software was necessary to produce the flier. I have never used this software and so there was a significant learning curve. There are a number of functions I still need to learn in order to produce the type of designs I would like. I have learned the basics necessary for this project.
Contrasting the light and dark was necessary especially when producing black and white projects. It was a bit of a struggle to figure out how to work this out.
Title Font Name & Category:
Franklin Gothic Demi – Slab Serif – 70% vertical scale
Copy Font Name & Category:
California FB – Oldstyle – 125% – 300% vertical scale
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