STEPS OF PROJECT:

1. Filmed footage using IPhone
2. Edited and combined footage using Adobe Premeire Pro
3. Edited and created file in Figma

I learned more insightful ways to use imagery and text together as a unit, changing the image’s saturation, colour, contrast, etc. in order to match it with my chosen text font. I also learned that by using grids, you do not always need to flatten images in order to make them fit accordingly.

• What was easy?

It was easy enough to choose a location and choosing aspects that coincided with them as a whole. It was also easy to find appealing colour swatches matching aesthetically to the chosen place.

• What was challenging?

It was challenging to figure out the exact composition that fit well while also making the stamp aesthetically pleasing.

• How could your submission be improved?

I think if I went in and actually took time to center everything to an exact t using the grid tool. I did it sometimes, but not consistently.

• How could I improve the assignment for the next class?

I think giving more insight into aesthetics connects to places, things, and people. Like association of colour. I think we spoke about it at some points in class, but more insight on it never hurt anyone.

• How might you apply your knowledge in future assignments or work scenarios?

The idea of composition will probably follow me in the art world for the rest of my life, so I think overall this will be the most helpful tool for the future.

• How did a specific reading or video inspire or help you?

Class demos and discussion is what really assisted me in this project.

• What did you learn?

I learned the power of thirds in digital design and how to flatten words in order to change their shape in Figma. I also learned how to adjust the spacing between the actual lettering… don’t know how I didn’t know how to do that before!

• What was easy?

It was easy enough to come up with a grid design in my sketchbook, but I feel like that part is always easy.

•  What was challenging?

It was challenging changing the shapes of the lettering exactly, to a T, how I wanted them. It got pretty frustrating at times. It was also challenging to come up with a specific design for each phrase and not repeat designs.

• How could your submission be improved?

I think my submission could be improved by using more vertical designs and not all horizontal ones. By this, I mean some of my words could have been written vertically. I also could have not stayed constricted in the frames, but I chose to do this because it looked neater to me.

•  How could I improve the assignment for the next class?

I think the directions were pretty standard enough for me to understand.

• How might you apply your knowledge in future assignments or work scenarios?

Using Typography to shape a future poster or something small like that, mainly because I don’t see myself using wording or words as much in the future unless I need to do it for school.

• How did a specific reading or video inspire or help you?

Rewatching class videos is what got me through this project. It is hard to keep up sometimes, so getting refreshers on how certain things in Figma worked is always helpful.

• What did you learn?

I learned how to combine photos using different sources. I usually only use photoshop for this, but in the demo, I learned, although a slightly longer process, how to do this in Figma as well.

• What was easy?

It was easy to digitally draw my own image and upload those to Photoshop and work there. Even though I am becoming quite familiar with Figma, I am still more comfortable in Photoshop, therefore this is where most of the work took place.

• What was challenging?

What was challenging was converting the images and moving them to the desired resource (Photoshop and Figma) and making sure everything was places right where I wanted it.

• How could your submission be improved?

I think if I spent more time editing the clock, and making the hues and saturation to match the wings more, that could improve the quality of the submission. However, I am proud of my submission.

• How could I improve the assignment for the next class?

I think if there were a better understanding on how to convert images if they are downloaded as different files (like JPEG verses PNG), that would have made the process go a lot quick. However, I like the amount of time we got to work on this.

• How might you apply your knowledge in future assignments or work scenarios?

I now know more ways to edit and combine photos, so I know that will come in handy later on as I continue to digitally design things.

•  How did a specific reading or video inspire or help you?

Getting a better understanding of metaphors and that discussion and demo towards the beginning of the project was an extreme help. Also learning about the brain dump and word dump into the brainstorming helped as well.

Process:

My metaphor used was “Time Flies”. I found a picture of a clock I wanted to use online and then I took time to digitally draw the wings to my liking on Procreate. I then saved that file as JPEG and uploaded it digitally and then uploaded both images to Photoshop. I then edited the two images together, placing the wings together with the clock and once again saving them as a Photoshop file and converting it to a JPEG file. I then uploaded this combined image to Figma, where I edited the contrasts, highlights, and shadows, and then added the background.

in this project, I learned a lot of new aspects of prototyping in Figma. I learned how to create the opening and closing overlay, as well as the creation of nav links as a whole. I think this concept was new, so it was kind of difficult to perfect, but once I got it, it was easy to configure.

• What was easy?

Building the design is always easy, as well as decoration and choosing a colour scheme for the overall website and mobile design.

• What was challenging?

As said before, I believe the prototyping was the hardest to figure out. I also think the coding bit was difficult as well, because I had never coded before doing this project.

• How could your submission be improved?

I think if I really spent time and perfected the prototyping, it could have made it more interesting. By this, I mean if I added more designs to the actual pages and more interactive decorations, it would make the project more interesting. I think I was running close on time though, so I guess time management plays into this as well.

• How could I improve the assignment for the next class?

Maybe adding a little more time to the project would’ve made a different. But I also understand circumstances.

• How might you apply your knowledge in future assignments or work scenarios?

The prototyping and play the flows as I go to see if my design is working correctly as it should.

• How did a specific reading or video inspire or help you?

I think going through demos and the email we received on figma tools we could use was very helpful. It helped me troubleshoot on my own rather than always asking the professor was to do.

• What did you learn?

I learned more about the colour wheel during this project. Especially about the specifics of tertiary colours. I also learned about the design aspects of foreground, middle ground, and background and their differences.

• What was easy?

It was easy coming up with a design for the different landscapes like how I wanted my urban and extraterrestrial landscapes to look.

• What was challenging?

Making sure I had all the criteria like the necessity for foreground and background and the necessity for all the aspects of the colour wheel.

• How could your submission be improved?

Maybe adding smaller details to my design, but I would say I’m pretty proud with how this turned out.

• How could I improve the assignment for the next class?

I think the assignment was well demonstrated in class, as well as the directions on the project sheet were pretty clear so I wouldn’t change much about this project honestly.

• How might you apply your knowledge in future assignments or work scenarios?

Knowing more about the colour wheel is a vital aspect of being an art-based major and going into an art-based profession. I am sure I will need it probably for the rest of my life.

• How did a specific reading or video inspire or help you?

Seeing examples from past students helped me get even more of an understanding of what was wanted in this project.

I learned more applications on Figma and I also became better with creating organic shapes and characters on Figma that I might have been too nervous to make before with my limited experience.

• What was easy?

It was easy actually making my designs come to life like I wanted it. Again, I have previously used Figma a lot, so I didnt have a design planned that was too complicated that I couldnt do.

• What was challenging?

the challenging thing was actually coming up with a design and making the logo icon. I couldnt think of something that was unique and fun, all the while doing something that was the difficulty of my comfort level.

• How could your submission be improved?

maybe doing more interesting transitions on my prototypes and spending more time on that and less on the design aspect.

• How could I improve the assignment for the next class?

I think the assignment was well-planned and gave us good amount of time to do it. It was also well explained on the original project sheet with plenty of examples.

• How might you apply your knowledge in future assignments or work scenarios?

It gave me more experience using Figma, so I think that experience will help in the future as it did now.

• How did a specific reading or video inspire or help you?

The past student examples really helped me find a style I liked.

1. What did you learn?

I learned more examples about gestalt principles and how to express them abstractly.

1. What was easy?

It was easy to create the actual nursery rhyme using Figma because I am already familiar with the software Figma due to experience last few semesters with it.

1. What was challenging?

It was sort of challenging to think abstractly to portray the actual nursery thyme because I am not really an abstract thinker. I am a visual thinker, but more realistic and dreamlike. I don’t usually like to think of abstract portrayments, so that thought process was a little hard for me.

1. How could your submission be improved?

Probably spending more time on the execution, for example making sure things are evenly spaced, and making the exact size and shape that I originally wanted.

1. How could the professor improve the assignment for a future class?

I think this project is a good introduction and was to teach about gestalt. It gets us thinking off the get-go, and has us learning through trial and error, so I honestly wouldn’t change much about this project.

1. How might you apply your knowledge in future assignments or work scenarios?

I can use my new skill of thinking and design abstractly in future graphic design projects!

1. How did a specific reading or video inspire or help you?

seeing student examples helped me get an idea of what the instructions were telling me to do.

I learned a lot of things during this project. It was very out of my comfort zone being in Adobe Illustrator, a program I am not too familiar with. I learned how to make my own symbols with the pen tool and I also learned how to operate the eyedropper tool. That made things easier when choosing my colour scheme.
2. What was easy?

Choosing the place I wanted to make a map of was easy enough.
3. What was challenging?

I found the majority of the project to be challenging, but the most challenging was creating those symbols for the places.
4. How could your submission be improved?

Probably making more stylish symbols, spending more time on those. Otherwise, I kinda like my map.
5. How could the professor improve the assignment for the next class?

I think the guidance was pretty good. Leaving this project towards the end for the final one was a good choice. I think if we did this towards the middle of the semester, I would actually lose my mind.
6. How might you apply your knowledge in future assignments or work scenarios?

Knowing the shortcuts and ins and outs of Adobe Illustrator is going to become helpful if I become a graphic designer. Knowing how to create things.
7. How did a specific reading or video inspire or help you?

ALL OF THE VIDEOS AND DEMOS from past classes were extremely helpful.

I learned how to use illustrator in new ways such as creating patterns.
2. What was easy?

Painting and creating words on the actual illustrator file. I had already known how to do that prior to this project.
3. What was challenging?

I found figuring out how to group objects or drawings I had done, like the coffee cup, to move them, or to copy and paste them. It took me a while to figure out, but once I did, it was easy again from there.
4. How could your submission be improved?

Maybe spend more work on creating a more interesting pattern. Although, I do like mine, I could have always spent more time on it.
5. How could the professor improve the assignment for the next class?

Have videos on the PowerPoint like on previous projects on how to do each step, for those who cannot make the class a lot (like myself). Otherwise, the instruction is good.
6. How might you apply your knowledge in future assignments or work scenarios?

For possible future designs for companies I may work for, or even something smaller and creating a design for a smaller object like this to help assist my day to day life.
7. How did a specific reading or video inspire or help you?

There weren’t really any videos included in this project, but if you include the zoom recorded classes, that helped a lot since I was not able to attend class a lot for the start of this project.