Use of Practice Time RATING: Uneven
I haven’t been very steady with my workflow/project processes this year; for the symbol project, I noticed that I would push working in the lab or brainstorming on a project to later than I should have. I’d set aside times for me to work on the project (usually long periods of working spread across a couple days that were far from each other), and this would lead to me working on things a little last-minute, and I couldn’t put as much time or thought into them.
Over this past year I’ve noticed that I’ve become a lot more stuck in the habit of procrastinating through watching YouTube videos and scrolling through social media. I think using YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are great ways to connect with others/relax/get new ideas; however, I haven’t really been using them in a mindful way like that, and it definitely contributes to taking up a lot of time and energy when I could be working on some many other things that I need to work on as well as things that I enjoy.
Sophistication of Work RATING: Medium, aware
I think my work has been becoming much more refined and purposeful (a lot through the course of this symbol project). During high school I did pieces that expressed a lot of meaning and ideas at once; however, I was still having trouble with finishing works and understanding contrasts and composition. During freshman year I began to work with new tools because of the classes, and I began to understand composition a little more.
High School Senior Year Art Class Works:
Freshman Year Works, Digital Art using Photography and Scans:
Sophomore Year GDES 1, Skyline Vector Work:
I think looking more at professional’s works will help me strengthen my eye for sophistication, as well as working more and becoming more familiar with the tools. I think giving myself more time to work on pieces will also help me refine and finish them in order to make them more sophisticated.
Use of Feedback RATING: Improved
I think I used the feedback that I received well (especially towards the end of the Symbol project when I was making my final revisions dealing with white space and the continuity of lines). I worked to understand why the feedback was given, and how I could fix most of them. However, with some of the designs (maybe out of laziness!) I didn’t put as much thought into transforming them into something better like I could have.
Level of Challenge to Self RATING: Mild ~ Medium, here-ish there (more there than here, but not exactly beyond)
Looking back on the Symbol project, I think I pushed myself to create symbols that I thought were interesting and dynamic, but I think I could have pushed myself to learn and understand more about Adobe Illustrator and its tools, and purpose of the project itself. I get a lot out of projects when I immerse myself in them and push myself to learn new things.
Freshman year we were sort of challenged automatically by the task itself (especially with the VISU 1 Gestalt and book projects, and the Foundation in Art and Design Circle book and Shelter projects) and it seems like its becoming even more important about us developing inner motivation and challenging ourselves without as much external push and guidance.
Expert Experiences RATING: Some extra stuff, but mostly class assignments
This semester I haven’t really participated in any workshops or outside activities that deal with graphic design.
I did go to the faculty show in the art building with my friends, but we didn’t really stay too long. I am planning on going to the Me, Myself and I exhibit at some point hopefully this week! Last year I went to Zine Fest in Houston with Command-G, and it was such a great experience!
This year I have worked on some personal drawings, however not too consistently (I used to draw a LOT more than I do now. I had two one-sketch-a-day journals that I had kept up with for two years, and I think starting up a habit like that again would be great for my skill and my learning!).
Personal Exploration this semester outside-of-class!:
Social Emotional Development RATING: Young ~ Mature
I’ve been trying to be more honest with myself and others, and I’ve also been working to not be as hard on myself about little things/not take myself too seriously! I think I’m becoming much more independent and self-assured, and more relaxed with myself as I’ve been growing up.
During college I think I’ve become more social, comfortable, mature and independent, but also more insecure in different ways (about my personality, my opinions/lack of opinions or knowledge). I’ve noticed that I still care so much about how people see me and what people think of me (to an extent) and that I don’t spend a lot of time on positive self-reflection.
However, over the past few weeks I’ve been working towards really focusing on my own issues of social anxiety and self esteem/love. I decided to list out exactly what was bothering me about:
I like the “me” that likes people; I like the creative “me” who’s not that afraid of making mistakes; the compassionate “me” who works to be fair and who looks at both sides of arguments; who’s not afraid of being kind to people, listening to people, and sharing feelings/ideas with people; the “me” that’s okay with uncertainty and excited about unknown possibilities; and who supports people and who’s not afraid to try. I don’t like the “me” that tries to be so much like someone else that I lose the sense of who I “am”, or the “me” that gets super-embarrassed or ashamed for making a mistake and who then quietly sits in the background.
I used this sort of thinking to really help me understand myself. And I’ve just been trying to remember that it’s totally okay to not have everything figured out, and that we’re always learning and growing! I talked to my mom about how I’ve been feeling and she sort of sighed, saying, “I remember being young”, and then she talked about how she still doesn’t have everything figured out at all. It’s just difficult to remember to be patient sometimes!
Contribution to the Climate RATING: Room Temperature, 3ft radius
I try to contribute a positive energy to the class by talking to others when they need help and have questions, or if they just want to talk! I think that I could contribute a lot more to the critiques by thinking through and sharing my opinions more, and by asking questions.
I feel like I could put myself out there more and engage with others and the class more genuinely. I get a little socially anxious sometimes in classroom settings (…in lots of settings), and I think I either try to act how I think I should be acting, or I am there to just get the class over with for the day and I don’t put much thought into contributing to the class and actually getting something out of it.
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