Sophomore Portfolio Review

As a freshman, I came in not knowing what I wanted to do with my life. I knew I was artistically talented, but I didn’t know what to do with that. I started graphic design completely clueless. Then I got better. Second semester, I started computer science, also completely clueless. That’s not the case anymore.

Over the past two years, I have grown into a badass designer and developer. Since this is my design portfolio, I’ll focus on my epiphanies in that realm. I learned that design isn’t always pretty. Design can be rough, ugly, or playful. Good design fits your purpose. It takes thought and so many failures to get it right. I’m starting to fail way way into success. Every time I mess up, I get better. It’s part of the creative process, and I embrace it. It’s a good way to approach life in general.

This productivity map was first project where I thought, “Hmmm, maybe I’m good at this…” I was no longer looking at a blank canvas for a while, deciding where to start. The process was different here. I started with a 2D map just like everyone else, and started playing. I made it 3D and crooked, and it worked! I kept adding elements to the map, and they somehow fit in well. I believe this is the point where I started really being a designer, not just a design student. My intuition about what works and what doesn’t was starting to form.

This project was by far one of my favorites. It holds a place in my heart because this was my first real exposure to Illustrator, my now favorite program. Let me tell you, it was a struggle. The pathfinder tool was very difficult and frustrating. Now pathfinder is a staple in my design work.

Another thing that I liked about this project was the innovation. I love that Jimmy had the idea of repurposing a tool for something else. It reminds me of how Whurley made a motorized skateboard controlled by a Kinect. This technology was not meant to be used the way it did, but the results were fascinating. I want to take this approach to future work. Innovation is what makes design interesting.