Swiss-Miss: My list obsession

     So I was looking on my Swiss-Miss blog and immediately spotted: TeuxDeux. If anybody knows me, you know my list obsession is out of control. I love making lists and I'm very OCD about how my lists should look. It's interesting because I have to start over completely if they aren't done right. But for all of us journalists who need to keep our busy schedules organized, check out this link: TeuxDeux.
     Are any of you as obsessed with lists like me?
-AMA

Photo Inspiration: Wine Style

     This is a photo of a winery in Missouri. I decided to kick it old school on the photo because it's the first day of spring and freezing cold. I decided to post something warm and rustic. Have a great day and hopefully the weather will get warm soon.
-AMA

Response

The September Issue

I think my main response in regards to The September Issue would be when they she was talking about the photo editing. Grace said that some people need to be imperfect for the world to go round. Grace was talking about the cameraman and I think this is something important that we as journalists need to remember. Photographers and designers are always trying to get our designs perfect, but we need to remember that imperfection is sometimes perfection.
-AMA

Critique

Covers: This week I have a lot to critique. I'll start with my Route 66 covers, which was the photo essay feature. 

I chose the photo of the diner with the Route 66 painted on the outside wall because the colors struck me as a road trip. The red tint and bright neon signs shouted, fun, old diner. I went with the cover lines along the bottom because I think it works best with the photo. I made the feature hed and dek yellow and white to play with the colors in the photo. It helps them stand out more, while also tying into the theme of the photo. 

My other favorite cover was the open road sunset photograph going into California. This photo, again, feels like a road trip on a back road highway and the photo really had an old-timey feel. I chose to do a burnt orange color for the hed after talking with Erica, but I think the placement was too low into the photo. 

Men of Stephens feature:

My first draft was lacking, so I didn't post the look of that one. However, the draft posted is very picture heavy, which I have been critiqued for. I do think it looks cramped, but having to include a photo of all the guys getting their certificate is something I have been instructed to do. With it being a shorter story and the pictures of the men being kind of difficult to work with, this feature was a little tricky. This feature, in general, was tricky because everything was done so fast. Kate (writer) and Liz (photographer) did a great job of getting everything together so quickly on such short notice.

While working on this feature, the saying "patience is a virtue" was hammered in my brain. As designers we are always the last to finish because a lot of time we are the last factored in a decision. We have to remember to just have patience and not get, too, stressed.

Critique

I don't really have anything to critique this week because I'm going to post my covers next week when critiquing. However, I'm going to critique my portfolio, again, but with a twist. I've begun designing my mini portfolio. And by that, I mean that I think I know my colors and typography. 

My mini portfolio is something that I really want to nail and I think that it should be a great representation of me. Yesterday, when we saw the examples I especially liked the introduction pages to the sections that had a quote opposite it. I mean our portfolios should be a representation of us and I love quotes and I have favorite quotes that I think would be important for an employer to see to get an idea of the kind of person I am. One of my favorite quotes of all time is probably:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are younot to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

Yes, I'm aware that I've told you all this before. However, I've been thinking wouldn't it be cool if I broke the quote up into sections throughout my portfolio. The quote starts off timid and then builds to the end and the person being "grown-up," if that makes sense, but that's something I've been considering. I also was considering choosing four or five quotes, but that would mean I would need that many sections and something I will say about my portfolio, is that it lacks work. I just don't have as much experience as some other designers in the class, but I'm hoping that will soon change. Also, I want to have a section of published work and I think in order for that to happen I need to have a cover, feature, department, and iPad work in that section. I just think that in order for my portfolio to be the way I want it, I need to step up my game and I think with my covers y'all will see tomorrow, you will see that I'm trying very hard to do that. I've been working on the revisions since last Thursday, so we shall see if you guys like them.
-AMA

Response

This week I scowered the web looking for something to respond about. I decided to respond to some different things I want to try out. For example, the other day in lab we [maybe just me] learned how to do some cool new tricks on Illustrator and seeing as I just learned this program last semester, it was very beneficial. I read a tutorial on how to do some textures just so I could be clear on how to do this. Here's the link to check out this tutorial: TEXTURE TUTORIAL.

You Can't Miss: The Diver

Oh, Swiss-Miss, you never cease to amaze me. The diver is a 49-second animated film. It made me excited about my illustrations and skills because I think the sharp look of the objects makes the art look awesome. If you check out his website you can see that all of his illustrations have a really quirky feel to them.

I think, that's something I have struggled with in the past when doing my own illustrations. I don't want people to judge them and think of them as poorly done. However, I'm beginning to realize that it's important to have my own signature style and it can be weird, and bad [to me] because what's one mans trash is another mans treasure. Check out some of Lancett's artwork and illustrations below.

Click for James Lancett's website. 

Illustration by James Lancett, taken from his awesome website.

Also, below is a video he posted about some of his works. It's really cool, I'd advise watching it for all you illustrators and illustrator wannabes out there.

Photo Inspiration.

Well, the drought is over. After the huge snowstorm, then rainstorm I would say the Missouri drought time is over. I thought the sun would never grace our eyes again. However, while at work, the sun was poking its joy through the clouds.

Photo Inspiration: True/False style

True/False Film Festival impressed me, in more ways than one. While the movie was amazing the decorations in the box office were even more impressive. The volunteers did an amazing job turning the box office in to a beautiful and intriguing place. Right when I walked in, I was impressed with all the different elements and I think they really went well together. 

-AMA

Critique: My thumbnails

My critique is going to be pretty quick and to the point. My designs need to be more professional and in my meeting yesterday with Erica, I was only embarrassed by one design. It was a design that I did not spend enough time doing. I am probably my biggest critic and I will probably the biggest judger of my portfolio. Something I think we all need to remember is that we need to critique our own work when doing assignments and designs. My favorite quote is something that we all need to consider and remember when out in the real world. Applying for jobs and entering the real world is definitely a fear of mine, as I'm sure it is for many of y'all. Never give up, and "Don't Stop Believing."

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

-Marianna Williamson 

-AMA

Response: True/False Film Festival

Click on the above The Crash Reel poster to check out the film's website. Also you can go to the Facebook page or check out the Twitter page and name. And of course, you can tweet at #loveyourbrain. 

     Well, typically I'm too busy to go to a movie. This weekend was no different; however, I am very glad I went and watched this film. I spent my whole day doing things for Vox Magazine and design class. Vox office to design arts department, then to work at CV and print off my design thumbnails, and lastly, from there I went to the Blue Note for The Crash Reel. 

     I have to admit, I'm an Olympics nerd and the Winter Olympics probably steal my heart. [It probably has something to do with Cool Runnings being a top favorite movie as a child.] 

[Click on the photo above if you know nothing about Cool Runnings and want to learn more.]

     When Kevin Pearce was injured I was really disappointed, he's my favorite over The Flying Tomato, but I still enjoy seeing that Tomato flying high on his snowboard down the pipes. I'm an overall sports fan, they're my life and watching that movie hit home that the love of my life are dangerous. 

     The documentary was done amazingly and I enjoyed that Lucy Walker started with a little background, then the incident. I had to look away because seeing his fall again and again was a little much, but it was perfect to demonstrate how KP became a traumatic brain injury [TBI] survivor. At the beginning of the movie when the credits were going, I was again drawn in to this amazingness. I want to do textures, so terribly bad after watching those credits, so I will soon be learning and mastering that technique (hopefully). You can find out some more information about Kevin Pearce, just check out his website. 

     It all comes down to my Facebook status.

-AMA

You Can't Miss: Media Kits

     I started my magazine editing assignment early, which is good since I normally procrastinate. Unfortunately, I mainly did it to blow off other homework, but once I began the media kit assignment I realized these are really fun designs and photographs. I had to blog about this.

     It would be a blast designing these and even coordinating these photo shoots. These photos are just so elegant and the designs so simple, it truly complements the elegance and professionalism perfectly. For Stir I was given digital design and I get to organize photo shoots (yes!).

     While my photo shoots won't include gorgeous extravagant outfits, the idea that sometimes simple works best will definitely be in the back of my mind. Check out some of the media kit pages for Marie Claire.

-AMA