Anyway, I guess that recent sickness did result in something okay: plenty of time to ponder what I would like to purposefully pursue for the next six weeks. 'Ooh, an open-ended Gifted project,' I thought, 'I should probably just do something that I enjoy, right?' Thus, here is my unedited and hardly-remembered list of things that I don't mind doing:
- Programming (it makes me feel clever)
- Engineering (ditto)
- Playing Settlers of Catan (my theme reader knows this well)
- Graphic design (ah, an artistic expression that doesn't require materials and result in mess)
- Playing Minecraft (a fair place to express of architectural ideas)
- Writing blog posts (ooh, that would make this project really easy, wouldn't it?)
I wonder what I chose.
So, graphic design, eh? Why that? Well, there's more than one reason:
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6
)____________|_____________|_____________|_____________|_____________|_____________|>
[Make 1 test layout for each Element & Principle of Design][Design final layout][TED Talk]
During the first four weeks of this project, I plan on refining my current design ability by making a practice layout for all 11 of the Elements & Principles of Design. This will be done with the aid of my trusty reading material, Making a Good Layout by Lori Siebert & Lisa Ballard, which goes into depth about each Element and Principle. For example, one of the elements of design is line, so my layout for that would be toying around with what I can evoke with lines and what I can make into lines. By the end of the fourth week, I expect to have each element and principle down pat.
This is where the real challenge comes in: between weeks five and six, I'm going to redesign the assignment sheet for this project using the 11 elements and principles to make it look awesome.
Finally, there's the TED Talk. I don't have much of a plan for that yet.
In case I haven't expressed them clearly enough above, here's the required entries for each blog, just to make sure that they're in here:
Measurable Goals:
So, graphic design, eh? Why that? Well, there's more than one reason:
- I like it (already established)
- My dad likes it (he's a graphic designer by profession, so I guess it's rubbed off a bit)
- I'm very comfortable with Photoshop and Illustrator (my "talent" has left my work in Computer Graphics class an example for future students)
- I'm a creative mind (following instructions doesn't feel right for this project)
An example of my graphic design ability as of last year.
Yeah. So now that we've got the basics in place, let's get into the nitty gritty details, via timeline.
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6
)____________|_____________|_____________|_____________|_____________|_____________|>
[Make 1 test layout for each Element & Principle of Design][Design final layout][TED Talk]
During the first four weeks of this project, I plan on refining my current design ability by making a practice layout for all 11 of the Elements & Principles of Design. This will be done with the aid of my trusty reading material, Making a Good Layout by Lori Siebert & Lisa Ballard, which goes into depth about each Element and Principle. For example, one of the elements of design is line, so my layout for that would be toying around with what I can evoke with lines and what I can make into lines. By the end of the fourth week, I expect to have each element and principle down pat.
This is where the real challenge comes in: between weeks five and six, I'm going to redesign the assignment sheet for this project using the 11 elements and principles to make it look awesome.
Finally, there's the TED Talk. I don't have much of a plan for that yet.
In case I haven't expressed them clearly enough above, here's the required entries for each blog, just to make sure that they're in here:
Measurable Goals:
What
are your goals? To learn about the E's & P's of Design & To make the assignment sheet look gorgeous and easy to decipher.
How will you measure your progress/achievement? More-or-less by how many layouts I have completed and how good I think they are. If I feel like I'm learning, I'll know that I'm doing well.
Discoveries and Setbacks:
Don't really think I have any major ones so far, how about this: I've discovered how much I have to learn about graphic design, and I've been set back by my accursed sickness.
Look, Ma, a cyclical ending!
How will you measure your progress/achievement? More-or-less by how many layouts I have completed and how good I think they are. If I feel like I'm learning, I'll know that I'm doing well.
Discoveries and Setbacks:
Don't really think I have any major ones so far, how about this: I've discovered how much I have to learn about graphic design, and I've been set back by my accursed sickness.
Look, Ma, a cyclical ending!
Hey Ethan,
ReplyDeleteI think this is a really good topic, something that requires experience and grants freedom, and I can tell that you enjoy it from Advanced Computer Graphics.
Your idea to redesign the assignment sheet is a cool idea. I'm assuming that you plan to create something that is easy to understand and is interesting to look at. What do you think are some aspects of the assignment sheet that could use improvement? Also, you said that you are going to be primarily using Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, which are great programs, as they have an abundance of different tools and features. Since the original assignment sheet was made using Microsoft Word though, would you use a combination of the Adobe programs with a word processing program, or stick to Photoshop and Illustrator? Can't wait to see your work!
As of right now, I've noticed that the current assignment sheet is a bit tough to gleam information off of and doesn't really encourage you to be motivated. My goal is to make the information clear and give the reader a drive to work on the project.
DeleteI'm going to stick with Illustrator and Photoshop, mainly because they're already really good with manipulating words. If it's file compatibility that you're worried about, the finished product will be a PDF so everyone can open it.
Okay, brother, this sounds awesome! You're clearly enthusiastic about your idea. You seem to have everything laid out pretty well, and I think as long as you stick to your schedule you won't have many problems. I've seen what you can do in photography and in that Google Docs Drawing tool, so I think going to full-on graphic design will be fun for you, while still holding some challenges. Your end goal is a good one, since it relates to all of us in Gifted and can be utilized by Mr. Perlman and Mr. McDaniels in future.
ReplyDeleteI have two questions: How will you schedule and deal with the time that is needed to create a product that is skillfully designed? I've heard it can take a while, and I know you're a busy guy. Also, if you find yourself having trouble with Adobe or Illustrator, where can you go for help?
Oh, and one more thing: don't put anything in Comic Sans.
Actually, that drawing tool wasn't from Google Docs, it was Adobe Illustrator. :)
DeleteI'm not too worried about not having the finished product done. In the end, it'll just be an 8.5 X 11 inch document and I'm pretty quick with designing those. Plus, I'm so familiar with these programs that I can work on them for hours into the night if need be.
If I need any help with the programs, I can just ask my dad; he's a graphic designer.
Oh, don't worry about Comic Sans (or Papyrus, if you know what that looks like), using it is blasphemous to designers.
Hello Ethan, I have decided to comment on your post, you should be experiencing a great feeling of joy, to the point of tears, as I, the vessel of pure divine wisdom, hath come to bequeath upon you my infinite knowledge. To the extent of my experiences (mostly failures) with Microsoft paint and gimp, I know that one must be quite skilled with computers to learn and become proficient in graphic design. Speaking as one who does not possess such skills, I commend you for your dedication to the craft. My suggestion would be to, in addition to learning what makes a good graphic design, how to go about doing so. I know you say that you are comfortable with Photoshop, but if you truly intend to make your design “awesome” I would either get a more advanced program, or become a super master of Photoshop, who can bend images to show whatever he wishes with merely his will, and keyboard. I would try to both find videos or online guides and intersperse reading them with your Making a Good Layout book. Doing this will make the steps of your process better, as well as improve your final product, not to mention eliminating the last minute stress of not knowing how to use the computer program to complete an example for one of the 11 parts of a good graphic design. Of course you can always look up information as you need it, but I think that would be unwise. I also like your idea because of the benefits it will have to the gifted program, beyond just bringing the house down with its sheer force of awesome. Good luck Ethan, and I hope everything goes according to your design. (BTW use Times New Roman, Comic Sans is the worst!!!!!)
ReplyDeleteI am sorry, Noah, but I can hardly type as my tears of joy fall onto my keyboard, making the keys slippery. Oh, great Noah, thank you for gracing me with your comment and your blessing towards my craft! I will work my hardest to design the ultimate assignment sheet, just so you can admire it and make it sacred.
DeleteThough I sense that you have disbelief in my ability; while I am only good at using Photoshop, I will be mainly using Illustrator, at which I am skillful. I do not believe that I need tutorials to be successful; I have already taken two classes and spent three years using Illustrator and, with your divine power beside me, I can do anything.
Oh, and I am sorry to say that I will not be using Times New Roman; a design this magnicifent will need a more powerful font, among the likes of Myriad Pro.