I spend a lot of time on the projects and assignments, even outside of class workdays to make sure that the project is something I am proud of. For instance, my most recent project, the quote-to-font type specimen project, took me about 11 hours to complete, including in-class time. It was a lot of work and my shoulder is worse for it, but I feel that doing this amount of extensive work helped me to create something I am very pleased with and showed me how far I can go. Now having done this, I think, with practice, I will be able to get faster as I learn the programs I am using and develop a creative reflex as I learn my style to make better, faster. I always make time to do the projects ahead of the due date and I enjoy doing the projects, so it isn’t a chore for me to carve out time to complete them.

I feel my work has met and sometimes exceeded the criteria of the rubrics and assignment specifications, I always do exactly what is asked of the project and since hard work and quality are both things I value, I try to incorporate them into each piece that I do. For instance, in the typeface project, I worked hard to try and come up with a piece that I was happy with and visually pleased with, which meant a lot of trial and error, as I made about 10 sketches and rough drafts on the font program that weren’t working until I could find the right feel. In the end my font is one that I am proud to show off to my friends, and I think I challenged the font making system by creating an old-looking and intricate typeface despite its modular makeup. With this project and many of my others, I feel that my set is cohesive and conveys the message of olden days well, and is visually and technically strong.

I think I handled the feedback I received well, because I was able to see critically if and how the suggestions I received from instructors and peers would make my work all the better. I was still able to keep my vision of my work intact and didn’t compromise that, however I did take criticism on my technical construction of pieces into consideration when revising or looking back on my work. I didn’t take this criticism personally, and accepted it as part of the learning process. Overall, I feel the feedback I have received in class has helped me to develop my artistic vision and see what I think expresses the views or ideas I want it to, and what could help strengthen my projects visually and make them stronger. For instance, in my type specimen project I was able to defend how I thought some fonts would be categorized as a certain category of font when some of my classmates disagreed, but I was also able to learn how to better categorize fonts through their critique, and I am better at this because of it.

As I have mentioned, I work very hard on the projects I am assigned and do not give up on them or turn in something I am not happy with. When I have a vision, I stick to it and if I don’t quite yet, I keep trying until I find it. With the monogram project especially, this was true. I found it very hard to make the curve of the letter G with the pieces I was given and then make other letters that matched it, and I tried many different ways and looked up a lot of different font books before I finally could come up with a design. The project in and of itself was challenging, and this added roadblock did not make it any easier, though in the end I was able to complete the assignment thoroughly and it is a piece I can look back on with pride.

I have been hired recently by Campus Ministry as a member of their graphic design team and have done numerous assignments for them in my time working with them. I enjoy working in this professional and fast-paced environment and I feel that it is helping to develop my professional skills as well as my graphic design skills. In addition, I also still work for the screen printing company I worked with back in my hometown and do designs for their clients and act as a sales rep for his company out here in Austin. This job is also going well and I am finding lots of potential clients.

Having left my home town and home state, I feel that I am adjusting well to living in a completely new environment and to college life. I have been able to find friends who are as devoted as I am to their success in school and who have introduced me to my new community and made me feel at home. I am able to work through the challenge of being far away from home and being with a completely new set of people and to a new situation. I haven’t gotten into any trouble and I don’t have plans to. I am enjoying my time here now that I am fully situated and am finding it very easy to get my work done and thrive in a new community.

I think I contribute well to the class discussions and environment, because I always put my best work forward, I contribute to discussions and share any knowledge I have to answer questions, and give helpful and constructive critiques. I feel that I enjoy giving critiques because I can always find one positive and negative aspect about a project and I think it also helps me as an artist because I can apply my critiques to my own work. I always come to class and am always present and focused in class, and I enjoy being in class so my positive energy hopefully shows.