I have been really happy with my work overall this semester. My expert hours continue to increase. I try to use my time in class to get as much done as I can, so that I can go home and work on it more with fresh eyes. Sometimes I didn’t always get a chance to do that, however. Some days I worked on my symbols and then left them alone because I was satisfied or didn’t have enough time or energy to perfect them. I learned some new things about Illustrator because of this project, which is awesome. I don’t think I’ll ever stop discovering things about the program though. Designing the symbols gave me a reason to design when I didn’t have any ideas but I wanted to be creative. It also made me think about new ways to create things because of the chopping and combining we did to make new symbols.

I think my work is pretty sophisticated. The symbols are really interesting and I like them a lot. The only problem is that I wish they had been more unique from each other. My jelly fish and wave-like symbols have a part that is really similar, but I liked them both too much to change them. They came a long way from when I first created them however, and it made them a lot better looking. I stayed on the surface of my words however, and I feel that I could have gone deeper into what a turtle or wave looks like.

I used pretty much all the feedback I was given. The criticism was very helpful and allowed me to make symbols that were really cool. I tried to give good feedback as well, although I’m not sure it was used. Every piece of feedback I got was useful even if I didn’t follow exactly what it said. Some tips I had gotten made me think of a new idea that led to a better symbol. I tried to ask for opinions whenever I wasn’t sure where to go with my symbol or idea and tried to do my best to extend others the same courtesy.

The level of challenge I faced was alright. Using the program was fine, although there were some snags where I had to figure out how to cut lines in my symbols that didn’t exist without getting rid of the other objects. I figured it out though, and discovered some new techniques. The hardest part was thinking outside the box. Creating images that had no discernable shapes but still meant something was very difficult. I found myself eventually just making shapes and cutting pieces out of them in order to make something that looked like the ocean without being too watery. Another issue I had was conceptualizing the animals I wanted to use. I knew I didn’t want them to be entirely lifelike, so I had to stylize. Some of my ideas were duds, so this forced me to choose a new word or animal to use before I was happy with them. Overall, I’d say my level of challenge was a medium.

I have been working on outside projects during the semester. I made a poster for Command G and I’m working on a logo for B-Hooved. I have been doing a lot of painting as well. I’m trying to get a better eye for art so I can translate that into my design work. I spend a lot of time looking at other designers’ work and reading about their processes. I try to work on something new every week, but it doesn’t always happen. I have also been trying to teach myself digital drawing. Each project I start, I finish, even if it doesn’t turn out how I wanted it to. Working as a lab monitor has made my knowledge of the equipment we use much more sophisticated. I have learned more about the lab this month than I did over the entirety of last year and that was one of the reasons I had wanted to be a lab monitor. Before, I knew how to print but I wasn’t very sure of myself. Now I am confident that I know how to use every printer and get the results I was looking for.

My social emotional development is going well. I feel like I’m in control, for the most part, of my ideas and my schedule. I have found time to do the things I want, as well as my homework. I am starting to appreciate homework more and spend more time on it than I used to. I have been trying really hard to make good work and to grow from what I’m learning. I get to school early so that I can have time to think about and get a head start on my day.

I feel like I’m contributing warmly to the classroom climate. I try to give positive feedback and acknowledge the awesomeness of my peers’ work. When it’s time to criticize, I try to give advice the best advice I can rather than just saying it doesn’t look right. I also haven’t missed a class and I don’t plan on missing any others. In some ways, I feel like I could be more helpful, but sometimes I can’t think of a reason why something looks off or a way I feel a peer can improve their project. I still feel like I have helped someone at least a little bit. I think I have grown a lot this semester and I will continue to grow for the rest of it.