GDES Portfolio

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Graphic Design I: Mapping Project, Information Map (visualizing information)

For this map, I wanted to communicate Tony Pierce’s information that dealt with his arts and entertainment spending (these categories compared to all spending, and the details within those categories). After experimenting with separating the sections from the pie chart, I was reminded of the geometric bounciness of 1950s cartoons and the Monsters Inc. opening sequence, which became part of my visual inspiration.

I created icons to visually represent the different activities off of this geometric style. The darker browns, reds and greens were for a refined dinner menu kind-of look, and the type I chose (one cursive, the other typewriter-esque) was meant to also express this snazzy, posh style and relate to the subject of arts and entertainment. I think I could make my chart more effective by deciding on a more contrasting color palette (not so dark/saturated across the board) and set a standard for the amount of spacing between the objects (a grid system) as well as for the scaling of type. I also think by making the icons more a part of the piece, I would have added more visual interest. Overall, I think it would have helped to provide more information for the viewer in order to communicate more context about Tony Pierce’s expenses.

Graphic Design I: Mapping Project, Artifact Map (personal geography)

April 5, 2017 / edrumrig / 0 Comments

Since my friends and I enjoy sitting outside to eat and spend time together, I wanted to create a map that indicates the different types of seating across campus. I chose a color scheme of neutrals with a pop of red tones that related to the appearance of the St. Edward’s campus and to highlight the main structures, Main Building and the Northen Theatre.

I created icons that indicate the types of seating as well as the number of seats. I would like to have worked more on the concept of expressing multi-layered information (different measurements like time, distance) through color and other icons, which I don’t think I really accomplished. My information (the number of chairs and types of seating) was more flat of a concept than I would have liked. I think I lost the personal aspect of it, too, because of the lack of information layers.

Graphic Design I: Symbol Methodology

April 5, 2017 / edrumrig / 0 Comments

Symbols are everywhere (on signs, products, maps) and quickly evoke things, ideas and concepts visually (and sometimes transcend language barriers). Their forms and colors can represent abstract ideas as well as literal things. We were introduced to the matrix method, which gave us a model of guiding our concepts and thoughts and translating them into vector images. The first row involved tracing images (literal shapes and icons), in the second row we worked on combining ideas into stylized images, and then the abstract layer of making we were to communicate concepts that were not possible to imagine through a literal object (for example, the noun “hope” or “ingenuity.”

Using the Matrix method, I was able to develop multiple concepts that called for different shapes. My overarching topic began as the city of Corpus Christi and a symbol for its plans to replace one of its landmark bridges with a new one. This idea generalized into the evocation of Corpus Christi’s community, wildlife and architecture as I began to abstract images of the fish, architecture, and overall feeling of wind and movement that is present in the city. In my first layers I traced images of a swordfish (wildlife), the new bridge (renovation), and a guitar with a rose (culture). I then took these ideas and abstracted them further, and worked to combine their elements. To produce my final symbols I sliced my previous symbols even further in order to try to produce fluid shapes representative of Corpus Christi’s atmosphere and multi-faceted identity.

This project helped me develop my technical skills (a great introduction to Adobe Illustrator and vector image making, as well as printing the vector image onto vinyl sticker sheets) as well as my concept and form-making processes. Throughout this project, line weight, impact and meaning became essential lessons. I began to develop the understanding of merging ideas together–the shapes of wildlife and the architecture of Corpus Christi.

Typography I: Grids and Spreads

April 2, 2017 / edrumrig / 0 Comments

Through the application of letterforms as text, words, sentences and paragraphs, they inherently create their own objects (blocks of text, as well as absence of text creation of space). Setting text into grids and spreads widens the scope of what type is and where it exists (and it introduces more issues with legibility and form) and it is an extension of the use of typography that zooms out into a new level of type application. For this project we were to re-format an article using Adobe InDesign and in doing so, create a new layout of grid and spreads.

I chose to re-format an article out of ChemMatters, an educational magazine associated with the American Chemical Society that my high school classmates and I would be given on days when our teacher was absent. These articles usually had sections that were difficult to distinguish, graphics that would break up text, and other distracting factors. Many of us ended up skimming through the already-short articles to find the answers to the questions rather than actually reading and taking away anything from the article.

I wanted to make the information communicated in the article more meaningful and straightforward by dividing the sections with bars and increasing the scale of the typeface. I also wanted to include sections for the students to take notes, and have a more cohesive framework for the information overall.

Some other challenges were to avoid the creation of widows, orphans (left-behind text) as well as lakes and rivers (shapes created by the negative space of text spacing). If I were to go back and edit my document, I would pay more attention to the measurements of the layout and spacing. Even if they are off by a little bit, it is still noticeable, and it would be helpful to establish a consistent rule.

Typography I: Type Specimen Poster

April 2, 2017 / edrumrig / 0 Comments

This project had two parts: creating our own typeface using FontStruct (a free, online applicable font builder) and then presenting the typeface on a type specimen poster.

After experimenting on the FontStruct platform, I decided to create a font where each letterform exists in the negative shape of a rectangle. The forms themselves were inspired by paper cut-outs and origami animals, the song “Paper Tiger” by Beck, and the Chinese-originated definition of “paper tiger,” something that seems threatening but is actually ineffective and futile. I wanted to create something that seemed bold, but that was actually delicate and playful. For other symbols (such as parentheses and periods) I created more illustrative elements that would represent periods, quotation marks, and the @ symbol. And like one of the typefaces I found in the Matchy Match project, Eklipse, I wanted to see if I could “defy limits of legibility” and symbol interpretation.

In order to present this typeface on a poster, I began to separate the page for different parts (the typeface name; the typeface used in a quote; all numbers, letters, symbols; typeface used in email address). My poster became more of symmetrical layout with disrupting, overlapping, dissymmetric background illustrations and elements.

I had difficulties with how I wanted to lay out and communicate all of the elements I had in mind, and developing certain hierarchies through scale and color also became a challenge. I think the poster turned out a little cluttered and irregular because it has many differing elements happening all at once (such as different colors/shades, overlays/opacities, scales). However, I do think the poster was in the high-spirited and dynamic direction that I had envisioned. If I were to work on it again I may want to decide on different colors (maybe a more monochromatic or limited color scheme), take out certain recurring elements (such as a few of the bands of text that go across the page) and refine the layout altogether in order to make it a clearer and more cohesive poster.

Typography I: Matchy Match

April 2, 2017 / edrumrig / 0 Comments

This project tasked us with searching for and finding established typefaces that matched the letterforms we found in the environment. This assignment caused us examine which fundamental elements of particular letterforms made them distinguishable as their own typeface (such as its width, height, boldness or shape, use of serifs). I enjoyed finding the matching typefaces, and in some cases I found multiple that could apply to the same environmental letterform and had to choose which fit the best (which is where the fundamental elements part came in).

In the end I think I found typefaces and families that matched my environmental letterforms really well (I think the ones I found stayed true to the original images’ overall shape and character). I saw this as sort of translating these abstract shapes and raw ideas into applicable, vectorized typefaces (or finding the language to do so). I also found it interesting to also research the typefaces’ designers, publishers, as well as the inspiration, processes and backstories that went into their creation. These backgrounds helped me understand the reasons why the typefaces looked the way they did as well as the scope and range of the typefaces’ purposes.

Typography I: Letterform Scavenger Hunt

April 2, 2017 / edrumrig / 0 Comments

We as humans can interpret symbols from parts of everyday things, such as plants, buildings, horizons, trinkets–everything has a sort of shape. These shapes may form familiar, symbolic objects (such as the alphabet, numbers) and inspiration for letters and symbols can hide in plain sight.

For our first Typography I assignment, our professor challenged us to take pictures of any letterforms that we could distinguish in the environment. Our professor encouraged to find the whole alphabet, numbers, and even other punctuation and symbols. We could not capture pre-designed type (such as on signage or posters) and rather had to explore our interpretations of the natural and architectural environment around us. This project challenged me to visualize letterforms in alternative ways and reminded me of the countless ways each of the letters can be and have been composed (for example, there are many ways to write and recognize a capital ‘E,’ not just the way kindergarten writing books and common typefaces on computers show how they are written).

Through this project I was able to expand my understanding of the creation of symbols, and how lines and shapes relate to one another in order to create something recognizable in an otherwise unintended circumstance. When I first set out I think I went to the more obvious places (things that would immediately catch my eye as a certain letter), but as I continued to search I began to look at more specific forms that could form many different letters if I changed my perspective. I also began to look not at just the positive space, but also at the negative space that could possibly inspire letterforms, which caused many instances of “that could be an E, or better yet a very interesting W.”

4.0 The Mystery (ಠ_ಠ;) – Analysis of Figures/Components and Brainstorming

March 21, 2017 / edrumrig / 0 Comments

When first exploring the .zip file, I was mainly looking through the people and their biographies, and I was having a little trouble connecting them all together (although they seemed like they all were leaders and important, influential figures and/or advocates, especially related to education). The logos of universities and of the Fulbright Association also pointed towards something to do with education.

The document ED.doc displays the text that connected a lot of the information: it talks about the 39th Annual Fulbright Conference of 2016, which celebrated 70 Years of the Fulbright Foundation. On the fulbright.org website (/2016conference) under speakers many of the people and their bios presented in the Word docs are there. In relation to this conference, I think designing a program and schedule that presents information more clearly and visually than the one on their website would be a great thing for the conference. The one on their website is seems a little cluttered, uses different fonts throughout the chart, and is presented across three pages. The covers on their website for presenting the information for the Conference Program and the Roundtable Sessions seem to be from two different design points of view and working in slightly different systems. Creating a more cohesive presentation of information might be a good solution.

However other parts of the .zip file didn’t seem to fit in exactly with this specific conference. The Lists Excel file contains not only the Conference Committee, but the Film Festival Commitee, Art Exhibition Committee, Social Innovation Committee, and Cohen Lecture Committee. If this information covers the Association as a whole, I would want to create a more continuous, cohesive design system/identity for the Fulbright Association and variations specifically showcasing their many different committees, events, opportunities and programs.

I would apply this system to digital posters/ads/infographics, possibly logos for their social media accounts and layouts for their webpage. Because the Association is focused on international exchange and scholarship, I think a strong, clear, and interesting/bolder web presence would be very important.

3.0 Mid-Term Assessment Essay – Advanced Typography

March 21, 2017 / edrumrig / 0 Comments

1 I estimate that I have increased the number of hours that I spend working on my projects and other outside, personal projects by about 2 to 3 more hours per week. I think I have improved, but that I have not yet reached my starting goal of 3-4 hours, and eventually 5-6 hours or more. I think that increasing my hours has helped the quality of my work as well as the process; however, I believe the projects (especially the Weather Report Project) require more time than I have set aside (because of the facets of learning about and manipulating the program, planning the direction and overall product, and the planning and creation of the details that make up the whole). There was a lot of technical aspects and learning/exploration points to this project that also required more time.

If I had put more time into it, I would have added different aspects (changes in boldness, a minor floating effect with the balloons) and made the movement of text clearer, and maybe have made changes in color and typeface.

I have also been reading more Graphic Design blogs and exploring different websites (one of my favorites so far being Pictoplasma and the Pictofolio, where different invited artists share characters they have made).

2 I think my idea of “sophisticated work” has grown a bit over the course of this semester because of my exposure to my classmates’ work, outside work, and the development and editing of my own work. In my End Term Assessment in GDES1, I stated that “sophisticated work” has a strong sense of what it is, what is appropriate, and may be able to “stand alone”. I still believe this, and have added a little more to my understanding: “sophisticated work” also may connect to a deeper conceptual thinking than what it is (it displays with purpose, and not just to look a certain way).

3 I have learned more about the structure and abilities of Adobe After Effects (a program we had worked with last semester for our app design project in Image Methodology). I have also learned more about the ways the same information can be displayed in different ways in order to express or emphasize something new.

4 I think that I am still unsure about my ability to develop hierarchy through color, motion, font properties and scale. I had trouble deciding on these factors while also exploring the program. I think allotting more time for planning and working for this project would have given me more time to develop clearer hierarchies. I am also unsure about the order of my workflow when planning out and working with a motion project in After Effects (or other programs). While working on this project, I had to go back multiple times to change certain things in my previous turned-in LATCH’s while also working on the next LATCH, and my order didn’t seem very organized, so I’m wondering if there was a more effective way I could have worked. A third thing I am unsure about is where to start when looking for a typeface and type theory.

5 Two other projects that I have been working on are the Mark project in GDES 2 and my personal watercoloring/drawing exploration with my new art supplies I purchased. I think I placed this project near the top priority for time dedicated to physically working through the project due to the steps it required. However, for conceptual planning, I gave more time to the Mark project because I think it required more overarching conceptual planning compared to the Weather Report. While the Weather Report could have a theme and common, consistent visual language, it made me focus more on the inward choices in relation to itself rather than to a past project. The Weather Report was a more independent project that did not need to relate back to other concepts necessarily, while the Mark project needed to connect back to the research and identity we were building for our place.

I have relatively placed my own personal art exploration at a low priority, but I think it would be interesting to incorporate my personal projects (drawings and paint exploration) into my assigned projects.

6 I think a majority of creative growth has to be from yourself. Inspiration and advice from professors, the public, and peers/classmates…but you decide to act on that advice and explore the possibilities. In ways I think people, experiences and past/present outside works can influence you indirectly without your conscious control (childhood, parents, primary education), but a lot of it comes from allowing yourself to be open to these experiences and explore. One quote that this reminds me of is: “Taking time to live life will only inspire your work” -anonymous. Education is also a large factor in creative growth in order to learn new information, concepts, and to gain new experiences from fellow students and professors, but again, in order to grow the creative-you you must be willing to be open to grow and learn.

As for responsibility for growth, percentage-wise, I think it would be 50% of self (including use of life experiences and personal inspiration), 30% of education and lessons/advice from professors, and 20% of classmate input and critique. (In the case of responsibility, I would possibly increase the self category to 60% because I do believe a lot of our growth relies on us.)

Goal Expert Hours – Advanced Typography

January 18, 2017 / edrumrig / 0 Comments

For this class, my goal is to dedicate at least 3-4 extra hours a week in addition to scheduled class work time regularly. I want to put time into understanding and exploring typography, rather than using as little time as possible just to complete an assignment. Maybe I can increase the amount of time to 5-6 hours as I become more aware of how I spend my time, and at what times I can put time in for other classes.

At 4 expert hours/week (not counting class time) I would have a total of 32 expert hours by mid-semester (8 weeks), and 64 hours by the end of the semester (16 weeks).