Week 5

Originality, as explained in "How to be a Graphic Designer", does not directly mean start from scratch. Yes, coming up with your own ideas in order to create something is wonderful, but sometimes it helps the process along when you work off of someone else's work. This past summer while I was working at my internship at Prime Visibility, the office asked me to design a new logo for the company. What I chose to do was do some research online, come up with ideas, and mess around with typography for the design. Their logo was good enough, but with some graphics, color changing, and a slight typography change, I redesigned the logo from what it originally was. What I did in order to research some ideas for redesigning the logo was slimming though a book filled with business cards and creativity inside of them, similar to what we have been viewing in class. After taking in what others have done with their logos, I went onto the Internet to see what other ideas I can find. When I first looked at their logo, it symbolized an eye, obviously because they are called Prime VISIBILITY. So I chose to leave the eye effect, but I wanted to center to look more like a pupil. After this, I went to some websites that are related to Prime Visibility, to see what they have done with their logos. As said in the book,

Clients often urge designers to 'study the competition.' If a company asks you to design their website, they will probably suggest that you look at the websites of their competitors.

In the past, I have tried to hold onto as much work as possible, in case I should use it in my portfolio. Since I entered the Interactive Digital Design major last year, the work I had made before had nothing to do with the design field. So since my junior year, I have been discarding "not-so-good" work and holding onto average and good designs that would surely look good for my resume and portfolio. Like Gabe Rubin said about what he wanted in his portfolio, "About, Work, Odds and Ends, and Contact", I don't want to have flashy excess material that won't be looked at on my page. I want it straightforward and to the point.

Week 4

From Designing a Digital Portfolio's chapter four, I immediately began to highlight the do's and don'ts on sending information to clients or employers. If I have ever had to transfer a file or design from one computer to the next, I usually use a CD-RW or my USB drive. I have never had to use zip disks or mini CD's. I agree with Mary Ann Kearns on the sending of images. Attachments through email could get lost and then you are risking a lot. By placing your files and images onto a CD, you are able to comfort the feeling and know exactly where your files are. If you are going to send your full portfolio to a client through the use of a CD, make sure you make it well presentable. Its understandable to know why clients would not appreciate a portfolio on a CD. They want to see it right away, without searching through the CD contents and whatnot. I, personally, like the idea of doing an online portfolio. Advantages are that the client can always view it by going onto the internet, they don't have to load anything onto their computers to see it, and they can get a better visual of each piece of artwork you have designed in the past. Disadvantages could be that errors can easily occur with websites and the internet. You may design it to look good, but when you publish it onto the web, it might not come out as planned. In the past, I have emailed people in the IDD field my work to show them what I am capable of for an internship. Some like the concept of me emailing them and thanking them for their time, others would rather I contact them directly. Sometimes the attachments are too large to send, which causes a problem. This has happened to be before and it is always a pain trying to work around it. Personal websites, I feel, are a good source of information for the client to see. If I were to send my work to a client, I would include websites I have helped create or created myself.

Week 3

Gunnar Swanson quoted it best about one's target audience, saying that, "Most people don't seem to be able to identify anything specific about their clients. For years, I've asked, 'Who's your customer?' and got 'everybody' as the answer." I agree with Swanson. Before you begin a project, you must research. Just in the sense of cooking, before you begin to cook a meal, you must prepare your ingredients. One of the most important steps in design research is to figure out who your target audience is. Without determining who your audience is, you cannot complete your project. You will be lost because you will be designing something completely opposite of the clients you are presenting to. In "Designing A Digital Portfolio", I was able to relate closely with the search tools listed on pages 46-51. When I went searching for an internship this past summer, I first turned to my father to see if he knew anyone in the design field who might know of an opening in a job for me. After he said he would look into it, I decided not to wait on him and possibly find another internship while I waited. I went to the internet for help. With websites such as Craig's List and Jersey Intern. Obviously Google.com was more than helpful, but I wanted something local where I could possibly go back and work at once I graduated. One source that I didn't seem to find in the book was Career Fair's. I went to a career fair at a local college near me and I was able to hand out a resume of myself to several companies, and in return, I received business cards and a few call-backs. However, my father and I found Prime Visibility which was local and dealt with several interesting fields that I wanted to get involved in.

Week 2

This weeks readings were interesting, especially on pages 48 and 49. Compared to working in an office or with a group of people, a freelance designer lives a loosened life, or so I think from the readings. They rely only on themselves to get it done, and when they are finished with a project, they are relieved of their work week. They are their own boss and only have the clients requests to worry about. With freelance work, you can work right from your home, which is much more easier than beating rush hour traffic to work every morning. On pg. 49, the author states that "the single most important aspect of being self-employed is that you retain flexibility: by staying small you are free to turn work down and free to do only the work you want to do." This is a huge advantage, in my opinion, because we all have had those jobs where we were given a task that we absolutely despised. As a freelance designer, you can simply say no to a client, and be happy to know that you will be getting another assignment. You work your own hours, take as many breaks as needed, and choose who you want to help. My Uncle Drew has gone through many design jobs, from working with iMAX to helping Universal Studios to co-creating the more recent Winnie The Pooh show. While he was in between jobs, he began to do some freelance work himself and told me its one of the best feelings to have, knowing he has complete control of what he does with his work. Of course, the main objective is to please to client, but getting the job done without the stressful work environment is a complete weight off your shoulders. He did complain about not having the benefit of asking for help when he was in a situation with a client. That is one of the disadvantages of freelancing. My Uncle Drew only did some freelancing when he was in between jobs. If he was able to help a client here or there, he would do it, but he wouldn't stress over going out and looking for clients to help. It was like a side job for him. I, personally, thought that freelancing sounded much more easier than working in a large company of designers, but after reading Chapter 3, I'm not sure if freelance designer would be a good title for me. I have times where I need to ask others for assistance, just like any other designer in the field. I would rather have that ability than looking through tons of manuals. Plus, you could be able to see what your fellow designers have done and use their work as examples. As a freelancer, you are simply on your own.

I have been an IDD major since the beginning of junior year. The experience that I have in this field so far has led me to believe that I need more practice in this field. Being self-confident in something requires you to fully understand the capabilities in the field. I am confident enough to know that I believe I have much more to learn. This is why I have chosen to explore my options with jobs and internships once I graduate. When I begin my portfolio, I want the outside world to understand what I am capable and incapable of. I want my future boss to see my portfolio and see what my goals and ambitions are. My goal is to connect further with the IDD community and expand my abilities in this field. I want to work and learn at the same time. The more I work with clients, the more I will learn. My portfolio will speak for me once I graduate and it will lead me in the right path to a job I am capable of. Of course, my portfolio must have "personality" in order to draw the outside world into it. A dull and plain portfolio will obviously lead to a dull and boring occupation. I feel that a portfolio that is too flashy is not what people want to see. They want to see the clear picture of what you are trying to present and express to them.