Sophomore Portfolio Review | Logan Stallings

Highlight Projects:

Critical Assessment

My growth as a graphic designer had been monumental this past year. I am now able to use software like the Creative Cloud with ease. Although I know I am not done learning the Adobe Products, now I have touched on each software at least once. I am now able to use Adobe Illustrator effectively as well as After Effects and Photoshop. The Evidence of my growth and my work are my class projects. I have been growing in my stylistic abilities, especially in Illustrator, and I think that my Highlight Projects show that well.

The strengths in this work are the stylistic elements of my designs and the creative content of my designs. I used ‘70s nostalgia as inspiration for my Weather Report, and I used stylized illustrations in my Revised Cognitive Map. I also used illustrations on both of those projects when it was not required. For example, I created a setting for my Weather Report on a vintage TV. My strengths are my abilities to digitally illustrate and use Adobe Illustrator with ease and with my own style.

Although I know that I am growing, there is still room for improvement. One example of a place I can improve on is the choreography of my animation projects in After Effects. After Effects is the program that I feel least comfortable in, and it is the one I believe I could improve in most.

The most important thing about design that I’ve learned is that planning is key. Even though design takes place on the computer most of the time, I find it most helpful to have a sketchbook to storyboard and plan out designs. I also think that as a student, it is very helpful for me to see where my peers are in the same process on the same projects. I also think that finding inspiration for projects is important and very helpful. It is necessary for me to research what makes other people’s designs work and how I can use that knowledge to help my own work.