[p] week

Nothing comes out perfectly the first time around. There is a PROCESS required to get a polished final product. In studio, we talked about how designing and storywriting both have a similar process. I wrote an article about how both involve an initial idea or concept, a lot of editing, and close attention to details. All the steps in a process are necessary to get a well thought-out and successful final result. When designing for clients, we have to be able to express our ideas and process in a concise way. They will want to be informed of every step of the process. We can use storyboards and presentations to communicate these ideas. That way they will be aware of any changes that were made. The goal is to get better with each revision along the way. We learn and improve as we progress.






One way we show our progress is through a PORTFOLIO. This is a collection of work that showcases who we are as designers. It shows how we have grown to become better. Looking at my portfolio and work form last semester and even earlier this semester, I see what I have improved on and what areas still need work. Not only is it a learning tool for ourselves, but it is used in the professional world. Potential employers want to see what we are capable of through our portfolio. It is like a resume we use to market ourselves.



In the PROFESSIONAL world, designers have to market themselves, sort of like self-advertisement. The goal is to appear to be the most desirable for the job. Advertising agencies take this approach when marketing products. When I did this drawing of my phone, I was thinking of it as a magazine ad. The phone is the center focus and in the foreground, with the name of the phone clearly stated. The picture makes the viewer want to know more about the phone. This is what designers strive to do. They want to leave the employer wanting to know more about their work.

www.baseballpilgrimages.com/AAA/knightstadium.jpg

Potential employers also think about the unique PERSPECTIVE a designer can bring to a firm or a project. Everyone has a unique was of looking at things based on their individual background and experiences. Take Alexander Julian for example. He was asked to design the Charlotte Knights baseball stadium. He was chosen for the job because of his previous experience and the unique approach he took with colors. He used his past experience in the stadium with the multi-colored seats that align in a special way. He brought a new perspective to the project and as a result was selected for the job. His style as an apparel and furniture designer shines through, even in a stadium design.

Perspective can also be thought of in a physical sense. Moving around an object or room provides different views and angles. More information is revealed about the scene as the point of view shifts. With my drawing of my phone, I drew multiple portions of my cell phone. Some views were zoomed in while others were at a wider angle. With all the pictures in the same composition, it gives a complete view of the phone.



There is a fine line between innovative and just plain crazy. A forward-thinking designer knows how to balance on that line. Good designers live on the PERIPHERY and sometimes even push the boundaries. During his speech at DATS Nibo Qubein, president of High Point University challenged us to “dare to throw the box out of the window. Dare to be innovative. Dare to be different, not for the sake of being different, but for the sake of being better.” The only way to set yourself apart is to try new things. Using blind contour is a way for me to try new things. The image that is created is abstract and a nice departure from the realistic sketches I usually try to do. Designers push the envelope in all kinds of ways. That is what keeps design interesting and moving forward.

Overall, this week was about our future in the professional world. After we get out of school, the skills we have learned will carry us far if we use them to their full advantage. The thing that will set us apart from other designers with the same skill sets is our creativity; putting ordinary things together in extraordinary ways. Designers past have been able to do it and we will too.