sweet relief

let me just start by saying, this is one project i am glad is over.

this semester i am in a graphic design class focusing on the designing and creating of actual graphics. sounds pretty obvious since it is a GRAPHIC design class, and that IS my major. however, most people dont realize that there are actually several things that graphic design can entail. the process of creating graphics from scratch has never been one that i enjoy. i would much rather focus on the arrangement of graphic elements and type within a layout (ex: invitations, advertisements, promo pieces, etc.). because of this, i can tell this class is definitely going to stretch the design limitations i have placed for myself.

our first project was to choose from a list of simple nouns (star, bike, wheel, tomato, guitar, coffee mug, seed, etc.) and generate a strong 10x10 graphic to illustrate this noun. i chose coffee mug, i figured it'd be simple enough. the first phase of this project was to create 100, thats ONE HUNDRED, thumbnails with ideas and concepts of how to portray our object. this was... repetitive. to say the least. lets just say i dont want to see another coffee mug for a long long time.

so yeah, mine is just a plain ole coffee mug. with spilled coffee. it really isnt anything i am too proud of to be honest. my presentation of the piece went something like this:

(i walk up to the front with the front facing away from the class, embarrassed to show it.)

me: "so i.... uh.... dont really like this. and i... umm.... im not even sure which way its supposed to be turned so...."

teacher: (interrupting me) "stop dissing your own work, just turn it around."

me: ".............." (i turn it around) "so yeah which way do you think it should be turned?"

class: (randomly shouting out their opinions)

me: "uhh, yeah thats what i was thinking....?"

(then i proceed to make up a bunch of stuff about why i feel its successful as a piece.)

and that was that. and here it is. (shown at the angle the class thought it should be)

i decided i want to give you all a little insight into the design process and this project is perfect do do that for. so look out for a post coming up that will in detail (with pictures) describe what i have to do for EVERY single project. i promise you'll learn something.

graphic design: im over you right now.

-steph