Printer Guide

This was an especially difficult project for me.  Everyone in my class had to reasearch two assigned printing vendors that would be collected and made into a resource for the class for future printing endeavors.  The difficult part came into play because we each had to design our two pages for the book using images from our word pair project and using the words as a theme for each page.  Once I let go of boundaries and concentrated on the words fast and slow for my themes, I was able to push the limits of legibility and design something that followed that concept.  Overall, I found it very difficult to incorporate the two ideas (word pair images and print guide) into one cohesive composition - I learned that limitations can often time be our friends.

 

Volume Through Volume

For this project we were able to emphasize the importance of registering to vote (and actually voting, of course), as well as getting out the name of AIGA. We are producing posters and buttons using the name Volume Through Volume. This name speaks to the significance of each and every vote, and how all of those votes come together to form on voice - the voice of the people.  This project was challenging, but also very rewarding.  It was very different to work for clients who are design professionals.  We are held to a higher standard of work that forces our class to push our ideas and produce carefully thought out designs.

I designed my poster using the Volume Through Volume template and the AIGA color palette for inspiration.  From there I decided to use several subtleties to develop a design that I felt communicated the message and was aesthetically pleasing.

 

Self-Branding

This project was both difficult and rewarding at the same time. The difficult part was trying to define myself with just a logo. It was very challenging to first decide who I am and who I want to present myself as and second to design a logo that encompasses all of those things.  I eventually designed a bird that I decided on for a logo. I felt like the simplicity of the image had a quiet elegance that I wanted to convey, and by adding a stroke, it became both evocative of design and of my personality.

Applying the logo to other pieces was challenging, but fun. I started out by having the logo blown way out, or abstracted beyond recognition. I decided to pull back and let the simplistic nature of my logo speak for itself. On most of the pieces, it is quiet and small, not overpowering.  However, both the color and density of the bird give off a strong, positive energy.  Overall, I really enjoyed this project more than I thought I would. I put a lot of time and effort into it because I really enjoyed being able to design for myself - using the type of imagery that I like, using typefaces I am fond of, and creating something that not only represents me, but also my design sensibilities.

Below is both the front and back designs for my business card.

 

Chattanooga State

While working on Take Root, the final deliverables were all printed at the Chattanooga State printing facilities.  This was an especially rewarding trip to be able to take because we were able to see all of our pieces both as they were printing, and after finishing.  That gave us the opportunity to see how they mix the PMS colors for printing, watch how it is applied to the printer and also how it looks on the final product.  We were also able to see the folding machine in action and watch how fast all of the brochures were sent through and folded.  The most important thing I learned was how important it is to check the quality of all the prints that are being made.  The pressmen were very conscious of checking the prints and adjusting everything until they came out just right.  In return, we got a quality finished product thanks to their dedication.