Progress Report #2

Visual Communication I: Collin and I worked today and completed all but five designs. He and I have begun despite the fact that we've only just met to assume different roles in the design and construction of the projects.  I'm sort of the aggressive irrational type, making my ideas filled with emotion, making my ideas stylish but not very practical or clear. Collin on the other hand is quite a bit calmer and more logical then I am, so when ever we throw ideas on the table Collin usually creates the clarity and logic into the pieces while I add punch or come up with the basic gist of how we should operate.  We riff well off each other, refining each others processes as we go.

We completed all but five of the pieces together, and laid enough of a plan to where when he left for work, I was able to complete three others.  We'll meet later tomorrow to finish the remaining pieces.

Typography I: Its interesting that the class that I expected to be the most straight-laced class wound up have the project that was the most fun. I completed the illustrations in one sitting and am very pleased with the results.  This project did make me analyze the structure of typefaces and how they made me feel, making it enlightening and entertaining.

Futura P: Yet another example of the most serious thing winding up being the most interesting, Futura had a quality of repeatability not unlike a cookie cuter or stencil. I toyed with the idea that the letter could fit within itself perfectly if place right and started to paint.  Overall I find it to be a striking design that still manages to  keep clear the letter itself.

Clarendon P:  An interesting font this one...its interesting that Mr. Kidwell recommended this typeface right as I started to work on it. When I looked at it, It had a sense of nostalgia with me, reminding me of the type of Americana signage I saw in abundance in the rural areas I used to live. Just as they were trying to do then, I tried to show wear and age with the typeface, think of old country signs and a carousal in the style and positioning of the letters.  It was a project that was very forgiving with mistakes because I was already trying to create a little bit of imperfection while still maintaining the type structure.

Garamond P:  I looked at the letters sloping forms and while I saw a delicateness, I saw a little bit of rigidity as well.  I approached it as if it was metal or jeweler material and tried to render a bit of a metallic feel to each letter.

Color, Drawing, Form: I still tend to feel very unprepared with my skill sets in this class...I've inked and colored a few VERY basic posters (Photoshop only) for the Theater dept at Mineral Area College.  Just in two classes I've realized how backward and amateur I had done even THOSE simple projects   I'm still hopeful that I will catch up to a few of my tech savvy classmate by the end of this class, but I still can't help but feel intimidated  by my ineptitude in this matter.  I'll be able to complete my projects, but only by tiny stumbling baby step by baby step.

My studio habits are already starting to take shape, sometimes in extreme ways....like my cup. I bought the largest QT cup they had for the discount.  I've found it lasts me almost exactly one night if I buy it in the morning.  My classmates thought it was hysterically huge, but it works and I don't have to get up for drinks. Its little things like this that make me realize how much I'll have to streamline and micromanage to survive living and working here.