Final Portfolios

After taking into account the comments and suggestions made at my various portfolio reviews, I have chosen my final portfolio pieces and reached a way of organizing and arranging them on each spread. I started with the presentation portfolio and adapted the project arrangement to the email portfolio (which also takes my stationary system into account) and by Behance site. With the way my portfolios and stationary system turned out, I have more confidence that I will be able to impress future employers.

You can see all of my final documents and portfolio pages on the "Final Documents" tab featured at the top.

Final Portfolio Reviews

I had a few of my coworkers review my portfolio today. I wanted to get as many people to look at it as possible so I know what I need to do to make it better. In addition to receiving a lot of good feedback, presenting my portfolio to them also gave me some insight into what it is like to be in an interview with a group of people. I'm not sure how my interviews will be in the future, so learning how to show my portfolio to a table of people is good practice in case I am in that situation in the future. Much of the feedback I received from them was similar to what I have heard from other people, so I know what I need to fix. The main thing being that I need to make my images larger. I also heard some new feedback about other items I could include from work I have done during my internship. I learned that it is probably a good idea to include other work I have helped on, but not necessarily designed myself to show that I know how to be detail-oriented and know how the process of updating other designs works.

In addition to printing new print-outs for my portfolio, I am also going to be printing all of my stationary system items. I finished designing each of the pieces including some additional pieces (like a reference sheet and a sample bid sheet). Other than that, I also need to print my design statement and project briefs on my stationary system, and I should be just about done.

In-Class Portfolio Review

During the portfolio review I had in class, I learned that I needed to change quite a bit of my portfolio. All in all, the pieces presented were good, but the way they were presented could've been better. The main thing I am going to do is reprint everything and make the images larger. I had a lot of blank space on each of the pages, so this could be better used if the images and pieces filled more of the space. It was also mentioned that I should include some sort of website design. I have the mobile app design, but my portfolio would be more well-rounded if I included some web work. I am in the process of designing a website for my graphic design project, so I will include that website design along with the other pieces of that project. I also realized that there are some pieces that would be better replaced with others. I know for sure that one piece has to go to make room for the graphic design independent project. I haven't decided yet if including the Ad Capstone Plans Book is a good replacement for something or not. When presenting it, I could easily talk about the leadership role I had while working on the project (which I'm not sure I talk about with any other piece in my portfolio). I plan on enlarging all of the photos and various pieces today, and will hopefully have the final version ready to go early on this week.

Job Application

Over last weekend, I put in my first job application! Since I will be going back home to Illinois soon after graduation, I have been job searching for jobs around the area I will be living. More specifically, I have been looking into various advertising agencies. I found one agency I really liked, so I did some research on them. The size of the agency seems just right (not to big, but not completely small), and their list of clients seems interesting to me, so I would enjoy working with each of them. One other part that interested me was that they mentioned on their website that they were hiring! I applied for one of the open positions, so hopefully I'll be hearing back from them soon. Even if I don't get an interview, I think I will still like to keep in contact with them, so once I get into town, I'll set up some portfolio review with them. By then, I will have had several portfolio reviews already, so I will feel comfortable talking about each of my pieces. I am also in the process of developing some sort of leave-behind for when I do interviews and portfolio reviews. I have a couple ideas of various pieces I could make, but I haven't settled on anything yet.

Portfolio and Critiques

Over the weekend, I worked a lot on getting my portfolio done and ready for this week because I have scheduled to have several portfolio reviews before the one for class next Tuesday. I actually started with my email portfolio first since I have solidified my stationary system. Once I had arranged what I wanted in the email portfolio, I knew which images I wanted to include in my presentation portfolio. Before I arranged everything, I also took some new photographs of my projects so I could keep the style of them consistent. Along with arranging my portfolio and email portfolio, I have also spent the last few weeks putting together my online Behance portfolio. I feel good about how each of them turned out, although I might make some changes before next Tuesday once I get some feedback from a few people. Although I chose to use Behance as my online portfolio, I am also in the process of purchasing a domain name and working on creating my own website. I will also continue on working on the extra pieces for my stationary system such as the reference sheet and bid sheet, but for now I am in a good place.

Link to my Behance site: http://www.behance.net/elizabeth_wood

Spread from my email portfolio

Revised Stationary System

Getting some feedback from class last week was really helpful in moving forward with my stationary system and logo. Since I had multiple options on a few of my pieces, it was nice to have other people look at them and let me know their opinions on which were best. I'm pretty much set on all of the pieces (cover letter, resume, business card, thank you letter), so I only need to get some more information and do a little tweaking for the extra pieces such as the reference sheet and bid sheet. Now that I've solidified my logo and stationary system, I've started to piece together my email portfolio using the same theme. I need to take a few more pictures of my projects this weekend, but after that, everything should be done. I'm planning on doing my portfolio reviews next week so I have time to make a few tweaks before the final portfolio review on the 24th. Overall, things are finally starting to come together!

cover letter

resume

business card (front and back)

thank you letter (front and back)

Speaker Notes | Phil McCollam

Listening to Phil speak about his career process and seeing some of his work was really entertaining. What he was saying was relevant to everyone in our class, but it was also just fun to listen to him because he was so excited about what he was talking about. I thought that the various "tips" that he gave throughout the presentation were helpful as well. The first tip of "be clear, concise, and have a goal" is something that I try to make sure I keep in mind when I am designing, especially since I try to keep things simple in each of my designs. The fifth tip he mentioned was also good to hear because he said that we should "have a hobby that isn't design." People who know about other things outside of design are better designers overall since they know more about the world and what they're designing for. I thought it was interesting how he showed some of his work that he wasn't necessarily proud of, but showed them anyway because there was a good story behind it. I think that just shows that even if a design isn't perfect, it can still show your ability as a designer if there was another situation involved while designing it that can showcase other skills.

Personal Logo Development 3

After receiving some feedback on my initial designs, I've refined my logo so the connection between the "e" and "w" is better and used this design to come up with a stationary system. I plan on using the diagonal slashes as a reoccurring element throughout all of the design pieces as well as the teal color. I'm not exactly sure how I want to have my logo and personal information (address, phone number, email) arranged at the top of the page, so I have a few versions mocked up. I also have a few versions of my business card. I haven't decided if it is better to have it be two-sided or one. Also, I was playing around with the idea of reversing the colors so the background is teal while the text is white. That way my business card stands out against other plain white ones. I was also thinking about using a grey color for the text rather than black so it is a little softer, but I'm not set on that idea since grey might not be readable if it is at a smaller scale. Once I finalize the designs of these pieces, I will use the same design approach to make a reference sheet, bid sheet, and my email portfolio.

Revised logo design

Cover letter

Resume (header option 1)

Resume (header option 2)

Resume (header option 3)

Business card options

Thank you card (cover and inside)

AIGA Detour 2

Last Thursday, I attended the AIGA Detour event at BitMethod. It was really great seeing their space since they came in and talked to our Mobile App Design class last semester. Ever since I had that class, I have had an interest in mobile app design, so hearing about what BitMethod does was really interesting. I thought it was good that there are multiple smaller companies all working in the same space. There are a lot of creative people all working in the same area, so it must be helpful for them if they need to bounce ideas off of each other. It was also reassuring to hear from Amanda (the designer at BitMethod) that not many companies have specific positions for mobile app designers, but these positions are rapidly growing and appearing in companies. She mentioned that she is the only one in the area that does a job like this. Another good thing that happened at this Detour event was that some other Drake students and I met with a student from Grand View who wants to start up an AIGA chapter for her school. Hopefully our AIGA student group can plan an event before the end of the year and invite some Grand View students so they can have an incentive to start their own group!

Playing ping pong with other Drake students at BitMethod

Personal Logo Development 2

I developed some logo designs in Illustrator to see how they would actually look on the computer. I think I'm at the point now where I just need some feedback from other people to determine which direction I should go. I have three logo versions of one idea (shown larger and to the right) and also a color swatch for the color featured throughout my stationary system. I incorporated one of the logo designs onto what would be a letterhead that would be on my resume and cover letter. I like the idea of the continuous diagonal line as long as it is not too overwhelming. I think that this design element could easily be transferred into the various stationary system pieces in multiple ways.

A few personal logo options

How the personal logo would appear on a letterhead

Personal Logo Development

I made several different versions of my personal logo to go on my stationary system. Many of the ideas that I drew I do not want to use, but drawing out all of the possibilities allowed me to expand on some and also realize what I didn't want. After drawing several different options, I figured out that I liked the options that involved my initials of "ew" the best, and have them both be lowercase. I knew that I wanted to keep it simple to keep the aesthetic consistent with my overall design approach. In order to keep it simple, I also want to make the font be sans serif. However, in documents such as my resume, I will use a serif font for body text (and use the sans serif as a headline). At this point, I am going through all of these options and actually creating them on the computer to see which one looks best.

Page 1 of personal logo options

Page 2

Revised Portfolio Project Brief/Timeline

Objective:
The main objective of this project is to create a cohesive set of well-executed portfolios that will ultimately hep me obtain a job and impress future possible employers. I will find a system and way of organization that will resonate across all three portfolios (presentation, e-mail, and online). Each portfolio will reflect my personality and style as a designer, but will also be presented in a professional manner. The strongest pieces of my design work (either class, extra curricular activity, or internship pieces) will be arranged to present myself as a professional designer and show my range of capabilities. Each project will also be representative of an experience I've had while working on a design project (such as working in groups, delegating others, etc.). Much thought and time will be had on this project because a portfolio isn't just a container for showing my work; it is a design piece in itself as well.

Criteria for Success:
In order for these portfolios to be successful, the pieces in the portfolios must have a consistent organization. This would mean that the same pieces would be in the same order in each of the three portfolios so there is a consistency among them. The display of each one will be clean and simple to reflect my personal style and appear professional to potential employers who view it. The prints in the presentation portfolio will be printed by an outside printer so the quality is the best it can be. The e-mail portfolio will not exceed 5MB to make sure it is easily e-mailed and anyone it is sent to will be able to open it. In order to keep track of the process of the portfolio creation and to make sure I am accountable for completing tasks on my timeline, postings will frequently be made on my personal blog.

Items Included in the Project:
There will ultimately be three different portfolio presentation pieces. The main portfolio will be the presentation portfolio. A leather-bound case will be purchase in a size that will be acceptable for transporting and displaying to employers (14x17 inches). This portfolio will be given the most time and attention, although the others will be made at the same time. The content within each portfolio will be the same for all three. The pieces chosen will be well-executed and recent as well as show my design abilities. The pieces will be arranged starting with my strongest piece, and ending with another strong piece so the beginning and end of the presentation is memorable. The rest of the pieces will be arranged in a way that shows a wide variety of design skills, and a diverse selection of types of design pieces.

Completion and Execution:
The presentation portfolio will be used in professional settings such as a job interview. The people that will be viewing this will be potential employers as well as other professionals who will critique it (so I can make revisions). The online portfolio will be on a website that allows individuals to display their work and view others' as well (Behance.com). The link to this portfolio site will be beneficial to send to potential employers once an interview is set up so they can view some of my work before the interview. During the interview I will then have the chance to further explain my pieces because they will be familiar with them already. The same idea will go for the e-mail portfolio. This one will especially be useful if the interview cannot be in person, or I want a more direct way to show someone my portfolio. The e-mail portfolio will also be beneficial because it shows my design abilities, rather than just displaying my work on a generic site. It will also accurately be cohesive with my stationary system. In all three portfolio pieces, the content will continue to change as I design more recent work. I will be sure to update each portfolio with new and better work once some of them get older.

Timeline:
- February 4: Project brief/timeline completed
- February 4: Review all work and choose some for portfolios
- February 14: Class meeting (review project brief)
- February 23: Presentation portfolio case ordered online
- March 3: Place in various design projects into presentation portfolio (ready for critique)
- March 3: AIGA Get a Job Bootcamp (multiple portfolio reviews)
- March 15: Choose content that will be included in each portfolio (with room to add more later)
- March 15: Continue to place in work on online portfolio site
- April 5: Class meeting (discuss stationary system)
- April 5: Take photos of projects after class (keeping a consistent style among the photos)
- April 8: Start finalizing e-mail portfolio with newly decided stationary system
- April 9: Start setting up portfolio reviews with professionals
- April 22: Multiple portfolio reviews are completed
- April 24: Class portfolio review
- April 24: Revisions from critiques are made and all portfolios begin to be finalized
- May 10: All work is turned in

Revised Stationary System Project Brief/Timeline

Objective: 
The purpose of this project is to create a cohesive, functional stationary system for use in a professional setting. This stationary system will effectively show my design aesthetic through my personal logo and the treatment of the various pieces of text on each printed piece. There will be use of white space on a ll pieces to communicate how I take a simple, clean approach to design. All stationary system pieces will be treated similarly so they will look cohesive when viewed together. Another main component of this project is my personal design statement. This statement will describe who I am as a designer and how I approach a design project. It will also mention what sets me apart from other designers and how I will be an asset to any company. The writing of each of the stationary pieces will be written in a manner that shows my professionalism. This means that there will be no grammatical or spelling errors and will also use professional design vocabulary. My talent, range of abilities, and level of professionalism will be accurately communicated in the statement.

Criteria for Success:
This stationary system must be functional as my resume, cover letter, business card, etc., and also reflect my personal style as a designer. Since employers merely glance at resumes and cover letters most of the time, I need to make sure that the design is memorable as well as clean so the information can be easily found. Every piece of the stationary system must be cohesive so they look like one system. The e-mail portfolio will also reflect the style in this stationary system, so the design will again be simple and clean so the focus is on the work. It would not be beneficial if the design of the stationary system was so overwhelming that it is distracting people from looking at the content. In order to make sure I am accountable for my work and stay true to the following timeline, I will periodically post development updates on my blog.

Items Included in the Project:
One of the main pieces of the stationary system is my resume. This document will contain a list of all of my relevant experiences and accomplishments. However, this list will change depending on the situation the resume is use. Different positions might be searching for different talents or experiences, so I will tailor the content to each position. The cover letter is also an important document. This will further explain my resume experiences in more detail so I can better describe how I would be a good choice for a job position. Like the resume, the text of this cover letter will change depending on the situation and the job applied for. In this letter, I will mention my strengths and capabilities as well as how I could be an asset to the company. The information will be presented in a straightforward manner, and it will be clearly seen how the potential employer can contact me. The thank you note and business card will utilize a similar style based off the stationary system design, but will appear differently since they are not the usual text document like the resume or cover letter. The design statement will be similar to the cover letter, except it will be more general because it will be used in a variety of situations instead of one specific job position.

Timeline:
- March 11: Personal logo ideas developed and ready for critique
- March 15: Color options researched and one chosen for the stationary system
- March 15: Logo options are gone over with others and one is chosen
- March 25: Stationary system (preliminary) is developed
- April 5: Class meeting (review all stationary system items and finalize design)
- April 8: Develop other materials with the stationary system (reference sheet, bid sheet, e-mail portfolio)
- April 17: Incorporate stationary system design elements into the various portfolios
- April 24: Class meeting (portfolio reviewed)
- April 24: Start refining all stationary system and portfolio pieces
- May 10: All work turned in

ColorFX Printer Tour

A couple weeks ago, Laura and I took a tour of the ColorFX printer facility in Des Moines. I have been in contact with some employees of this printer because they are helping us print our Plans Book for the Advertising Capstone. Just in these few weeks, I have learned a lot about what it takes to have something professionally printed. I had to request for estimates from several places, and also keep in contact with people there to figure out how to go about the process of actually giving them the files to print. In order to make sure I knew exactly what I was getting myself into, I wanted to actually see where they print everything, so my contact at ColorFX gladly offered to give Laura and I a tour. We were able to see all of the different areas where the different printing steps take place. The first area we saw was where the employees receive the files and look them over on screen before sending it over to have them printed. The most interesting part was when we were taken into the big warehouse spaces where the big printers are. At the time of our visit, they were in the process of printing a mailer for Mediacom, so they had thousands of those being printed while we were there. The actual process of printing it was so fast. We saw how the sheets of paper would feed into one end, and then go through each of the four colors one at a time, and then eventually make their way to another part of the machine to be cut and folded. One thing I learned while I was there is that if there is a gloss or metallic element on the print, it is added as a fifth ink in addition to the regular CMYK. Another interesting part of the tour was seeing a special type of printing machine that is fed the paper from a giant roll rather than individual sheets. This makes the whole process move more quickly and efficiently, which also gives ColorFX an advantage over their competitors. Overall it was a very interesting and insightful tour, and I now have a greater appreciation for everything that printers do!

Business card I received after the tour from the contact I have at ColorFX

Needed Changes

Looking back at my original timelines, I realized that I am very behind on the schedule I planned. I have ordered and received my portfolio presentation case (and used it for several portfolio reviews) and have started to add work to an online portfolio site on Behance, but I have not been able to start on my stationary design options yet. In my psychology class we recently learned about the planning fallacy (thinking you can do too much in a short amount of time), and I think I have fallen victim to it. I didn't realize earlier in the semester when I was creating the timelines how much time I would be investing in my advertising capstone project. For the past two and a half weeks, that is basically all I have been focused on. Now that this project is almost complete, I can start to focus more of my attention on other classes. By this weekend, I plan to revise my timeline to make it more realistic, and also start working on identity system/stationary designs. With a little planning and some catching up, I'm sure I can get back on track to where I need to be!

AIGA Get A Job Bootcamp

Last weekend I attended the AIGA Get A Job Bootcamp at the Des Moines Central Library. Overall I thought it was a really great experience. The guest speaker from Saturday Manufacturing had some great tips about making your portfolio and your work stand out. I really liked when he said that the work in your portfolio should show thinking behind the work (rather than it just look aesthetically pleasing). I know when I'm working on projects I have a lot of thinking behind each decision, so I will remember to mention this thinking process in future portfolio reviews. Listening to the panel of recent graduates was also very insightful. I was glad to hear that they have struggled with some of the problems I am struggling with right now (mainly working with printers and getting things ready to be sent to clients). This just reminded me that there are a lot of aspects about this profession that can't be taught in a classroom. The best part of the day in my opinion was the portfolio reviews. I sat down with four individuals and discussed my work I have in my portfolio (which finally came in the mail!). Everyone had nothing but good comments to make about my pieces, which was great to hear. One of the pieces I included in my portfolio was a mobile app I designed for a class last semester, and most of my reviewers said that it was a great piece to include because it's different than what most people have. I know that I have to do some tweaking to my portfolio and include more recent pieces, but overall I think I have a good start on it, and this Bootcamp gave me some other insights on how to make it better.

Folder of materials I received at the AIGA Get a Job Bootcamp

Design Statement Draft 3

Everyone has something in their life they're passionate about. My passion is design. I am a very driven person, so when I get a task, I make sure I follow through with it. Designers often get the reputation of being creatively unorganized, but I am the type of person that finds the benefits of order and organization. I am a very good listener, so I make sure what I am designing fulfills the needs of the project exactly. I am not afraid to ask questions because I realize I might not know all about what I am working on.

Communicating with others and asking questions is how I start a design project. Once the project is understood, I set aside time to brainstorm and research the subject of the project. Designing for something you know nothing about is like trying to find your way around an unfamiliar place in the dark. I keep my designs fairly simple, because in the world of design, less is more. Instead of being distracted by the multiple capabilities of modern design and technology, I realize the importance of the basics.

One of my main objectives when designing is to make sure the clients are receiving exactly what they need. This is why feedback and critiques are essential. They can also spark the idea for a different or better approach to a project. Fulfilling the clients' needs is important, but it is still my work, so my personality should show through as well. I find it is important to be flexible, especially with new technology such as the new trend of mobile devices. I have taken time to learn about them and find ways to design for them because I enjoy trying and learning new things. Design is my passion, so I will continue to work with it in any form.

Portfolio Presentation Case Purchase

I finally chose the presentation case I want to use, and I purchased it online this past weekend. I new that I wanted a Pratt case since it was recommended in class, and had high reviews by other people online. In order to fit some of the spreads that I have and might want to include in the case, I chose the 14x17 inch size. The presentation case version that I chose was the Pratt Start 4 presentation case. This case has a genuine leather cover, and a zipper that lets the pages hang down when it is set down. These are two of the qualities that I was looking for when I was shopping around. The reviews online were also very positive for this particular case. Several people specifically mentioned that it was the case they bought right after graduation, and it has been very successful for them. Since I ordered the case last weekend, I hope to get it soon because I want to be able to place in some design pieces and have it ready to go by March 3rd for the "Get a Job Bootcamp" put on by AIGA. In addition to buying this presentation case, I've also signed up on Behance to get my online portfolio site up and running. I don't have any design work up yet, but I plan on getting some up soon.

Pratt Start 4 presentation case (closed view)

How the presentation case will look when it is open

Exhibition Entry

To gain more points for this class, I decided to enter a design piece of mine into the Juried Student Exhibition. I've always thought about entering in something every year, but never got around to actually selecting a piece and submitting it. This class gave me a reason to submit something! The only piece I submitted was my Pappajohn Sculpture Garden Exhibition Catalog I made in Publication Design last year. Although my piece was not selected for the show, it was still good experience to get my work out there and at least see if it could be chosen!

Tag I received to go with my design piece from submitting it to the Juried Student Exhibition

Urbanized Movie Screening

After watching the "Urbanized" movie at the Des Moines Art Center, I am now more aware just how much time and planning goes into the design and creation of a city. It's easy to just walk through a city and not realize that every single building and pedestrian area has been thought about or designed in some way. I thought it was interesting when it was mentioned how some cities fail because of poor design. It was even more surprising that New York City was one of them since it has highways or roadways blocking the waterfront in some parts of the city. Another city they mentioned was designed based on what it looked like from the air, so no thought was put into actually living in the city, so that is why that one failed. Poor planning and accounting for travel time leads to major problems such as heavy traffic or unsafe paths/distances for pedestrians to walk. One other piece of information I found interesting was when it was mentioned how people can only really perceive whatever moves if it is within 100m of them. This is why plazas or gathering areas made in ancient times aren't too big (so people will be able to see 100m from one edge to the other so they can perceive all movement). Overall, this movie made me realize just how important good design can be, and what the repercussions of a bad design can be.

View of the screen "Urbanized" was shown on at the Des Moines Art Center

Stationary System Project Brief

STATIONARY SYSTEM PROJECT BRIEF

(resume, cover letter, design statement, project descriptions, thank you notes, business cards)

Objective:

The purpose of this project is to create a cohesive, functional stationary system to use in a professional setting. Another main component to this project is my personal design statement. This statement will briefly describe who I am as a designer, and how I approach a design project. It will also mention what sets me apart from other designers and how I would be an asset to any company. The writing of each of the stationary pieces will be written in a manner that shows my professionalism. This means that there will be no grammatical or spelling errors and will also use professional design vocabulary. Each necessary piece will communicate my talent, range of abilities, and level of professionalism.

Criteria for Success:

This stationary system must work functionally in use as my resume, cover letter, business card, etc., and also reflect my personal style as a designer. Since employers merely just glance at resumes and cover letters most of the time, I need to make sure that the design is memorable as well as clean so the information can be easily found. Every piece of the stationary system must be cohesive so they look like one system. The e-mail portfolio will also reflect the style in this stationary system, so the design will again be simple and clean so the focus is on the work. It would not be beneficial if the design of the stationary were so overwhelming that it is distracting people from looking at the content. In order to make sure I am accountable for my work and stay true to the following timeline, I will periodically post development updates on my blog.

Items Included in the Project:

One of the main pieces of the stationary system is my resume. This document will contain a list of all of my experiences and accomplishments. However, this list will change depending on the situation the resume is used. Different positions might be searching for different talents or experiences, so I will tailor the content to each position. The cover letter is also an important document. This will further explain my resume experiences in more detail so I can better describe how I would be a good choice for a job position. Like the resume, the text of this cover letter will change depending on the situation and the job applied for. In this letter, I will be sure to mention my strengths and capabilities as well as how I could help improve the company. The information will be presented in a straightforward manner, and it will be clearly seen how the potential employer can reach me. The thank you not and business card will have a similar style utilized so the stationary system is consistent. The design statement will be similar to the cover letter, except it will be more general because it will be used in a variety of situations instead of one specific job position.

Timeline:

- February 21 (tues) - have ideas for stationary system design (and critique)

- February 26 (sun) - finalize design of stationary system

- February 28 (tues) - have everything proofread by several people

- March 3 (sat) - get a job bootcamp (have some stationary printed)

- March 10 (sat) - print copies of stationary (print some before for March 3)

- March 22 (thurs) - order business cards

- April 17 (tues) - incorporate design into email portfolio

Portfolio Project Brief Draft

PORTFOLIO BRIEF

(presentation, email, and online)

Objective:

The main objective of this project is to create a cohesive set of well-executed portfolios that will ultimately help me obtain a job and impress future possible employers. I will find a system and way of organization that will resonate across all three portfolios (presentation, e-mail, and online). Each portfolio will reflect my personality and style as a designer, but will also be presented in a professional manner. The strongest pieces of my design work (either class, extra curricular activities, or internship pieces) will be arranged to present myself as a professional designer and show the range of capabilities I have using multiple programs. Much thought and time will be had on this project because a portfolio isn’t just a container for showing my work; it is a design piece in itself as well.

Criteria for Success:

In order for these portfolios to be successful, the pieces in the portfolios must have a consistent organization. This would mean that the same pieces would be in the same order in each of the three portfolios so there is consistency among them. The display of each one will be clean and simple to reflect my personal style and to appear professional to potential employers who look at it. The prints in the presentation portfolio will be printed by outside printers so the quality is the best it can be. The e-mail portfolio will not exceed 5mb to make sure anyone it is sent to be able to open it, and it will be able to easily be transferred by e-mail. In order to keep track of the process of the portfolio creation and to make sure I am accountable for completing tasks on my timeline, postings will frequently be made on my personal blog.

Items Included in the Project:

There will ultimately be three different portfolio presentation pieces. The main portfolio will be the presentation portfolio. A leather bound case will be purchased at a later time in a size that will be acceptable for transporting and displaying to employers. This portfolio will be given the most time and attention, although the others will be made at the same time. The content within each portfolio will be the same for all three. The pieces chosen will be well executed and recent as well as show my design abilities. The pieces will be arranged starting with my strongest piece, and ending with another strong piece so the beginning and end of the presentation is memorable. The rest of the pieces will be arranged in a way that shows a wide variety of design skills, and a diverse selection of types of design pieces.

Timeline:

- February 4 (sat) - project brief/timeline done

- February 4 (sat) - review all work, choose some for portfolios

- February 11 (sat) - choose online portfolio site

- February 14 (tues) - class review project brief

- February 16 (thurs) - class speaker TBA

- February 16 (thurs) - have all content chosen

- February 19 (sun) - have presentation portfolio ordered

- February 23 (thurs) - have portfolio content reviewed before placement in case

- February 25 (sat) - order prints of pieces for presentation

- March 1 (thurs) - have all content placed in portfolio, ready for presentation

- March 3 (sat) - AIGA get a job bootcamp

- March 15 (thurs) - have email portfolio template set up (subject to change)

- April 5 (thurs) - class meeting

- April 5 (thurs) - have online portfolio set up (review after class)

- April 21 (sat) - email portfolio finalized

- April 24 (tues) - class portfolio review

Completion and Execution:

The presentation portfolio will be used in professional settings such as a job interview. The people that will be viewing this will be potential employers, as well as other professionals who will critique it so I can make revisions. The online portfolio will be on a website that allows a portfolio to be put up (that will be determined later). The link to this portfolio site will be beneficial to send to potential employers once an interview is set up so they can view some of my work before the interview. During the interview I will then have the chance to further explain my pieces because they will be familiar with them already. The same idea will go for the e-mail portfolio. This one will especially be useful if the interview cannot be in person, or I want a more direct way to show someone my portfolio. The e-mail portfolio will also be beneficial because it shows my design abilities, rather than just displaying my work on a generic site. In all of the portfolios, the content will continue to change the more I design new work. I will be sure to update each portfolio with new and better work once some of them get older.

Design Statement Draft 2

Everyone has something in their life they're passionate about. My passion is design. Nothing makes me feel better than when I finish a design project of which I am genuinely proud. I am a very driven person, so when I get a task, I make sure that I follow through with it. I know that designers often get the reputation of being creatively unorganized, but I am the type of person that finds the benefits of order and organization. Being organized ultimately helps my design work because it allows me to keep focused on what I need to be working on and shows others I am trustworthy. It is also helpful when working with and for other people. I am a very good listener, so I make sure what I am designing fulfills the needs of the project exactly. I am not afraid to ask questions because I realize I might not know all about what I am working on. I find the benefits of working with other people because collaboration is a big part of design. 

Communicating with others and asking questions is how I start a design project. Once the project is understood, I set aside time to brainstorm and do some research on the subject the particular project is about. Sometimes an idea will spark just from learning a little more about the subject. Designing for something you know nothing about is like trying to find your way around an unfamiliar place in the dark. I like to have my designs relate back to the subject in many ways because I believe that makes for a better overall end product. I keep my designs fairly simple, because in the world of design, less is more. People are often distracted by the multiple capabilities of modern design and technology, but I realize the importance of the basics. 

One of my main objectives when designing is to make sure the client is receiving exactly what they need. This is why I find feedback to be extremely important. Designers sometimes get too wrapped up in their work and forget to look at it from an outside perspective. Having others critique my work can also spark the idea for a different or better approach. Creating a design the client wants is important, but it still is my work, so my personality should show through as well. Society is always changing, and design needs to change with it. New technology has made almost everything go digital, including design. I believe it is important to be flexible and change with society. With the new emphasis on mobile and smart phones, I have taken time to learn about them and find ways to design and accommodate for them because I am not afraid to try or learn new things. Design is my passion, so I will continue to work with it in any form.

AIGA Detour

I really enjoyed seeing the Saturday Manufacturing space at the AIGA Detour event yesterday. Everyone who worked there seemed very laid back and welcoming too all of us. The space was smaller than I was expecting, but it had a unique atmosphere since it was a garage previously. Even though there are only a few employees that work there, they certainly have enough business! I've seen commercials and advertisements for the Kum & Go "warm and fuzzy" campaign, but I didn't know it was them who developed the ads. I thought it was great that they aren't afraid to turn customers down either if they know their style won't match up with what the client wants.  Companies will usually just match a style to what the client expects or wants, so it is refreshing to hear about a company that stands by its design style. Overall, it was a great event, and I definitely plan on going to the next Detour event in March.

Laura and I next to some designs pinned up at Detour that Saturday Manufacturing created

Design Statement Draft

Everyone has something in their life they're passionate about. My passion is design. Nothing makes me feel better than I do when I finish a design project of which I am genuinely proud. I am a very driven person, so when I get a task, I make sure that I follow through with it. I know that designers often get the reputation that they are creatively unorganized, but I am the type of person that finds the benefits of order and organization. Being organized ultimately helps my design work because it allows me to keep focused on what I need to be working on and shows others I am trustworthy. It is also helpful when working with and for other people. I am a very good listener, so I make sure what I am designing fulfills the needs of the project exactly. I am not afraid to ask questions because I realize I might not know all about what I am working on. I find the benefits of working with other people because collaboration is a big part of design.

This is where my design process starts off. Communicating with others and asking questions is how I start on a design project. Once the project is understood, I set aside time to brainstorm and really think about the project. It is important to do some research on the subject the particular project is about. Sometimes an idea will spark just from learning a little more about the subject. Designing for something you know nothing about is like trying to find your way around an unfamiliar place in the dark.

All of the design choices I make when working on a project happen for a reason. There is an intentional purpose for each decision on color, typography, size, and placement, just to name a few. I like to have my designs relate back to the subject in many ways because I believe that makes for a better overall end product. I like to keep my designs fairly simple, because in the world of design, less is more. People are often distracted by the multiple capabilities of modern design and technology, but I realize the importance of the basics. I always make sure that the fundamentals of design (composition, color, size, placement, etc.) are satisfactory before adding anything extra. Simple, clean designs are also beneficial when working on a project for a large audience. The more complex a design is, the less likely the majority of the audience will understand it. It is also important that my design style shows through in all of my projects. Creating a design the client wants is important, but it still is my work, so my personality should show through as well. It is hard to create a good design if you are not enjoying what you are working on, so I make sure to keep my style when working on different projects.

One of my main objectives when designing is to make sure that the client is receiving exactly what they need. This is why I find feedback to be extremely important. Designers sometimes get too wrapped up in their work and forget to take a step back and look at it from another perspective. Having others critique my work helps me understand what needs improving, and it can also spark the idea for a different or better approach. I find that it is also helpful to work with a client who communicates well and is prompt at sending content and feedback. Working with people can sometimes be difficult, but through many work and life experiences, I feel comfortable working with all types of people.

Design is an important part of society, and I want to make sure what I do is important as well. Design is about everything and everyone, and creating a great design can influence and affect a multitude of people. Society is always changing, and design needs to change with it. New technology has made almost everything go digital, including design. I believe it is important to be flexible and change with society. With the new emphasis on mobile and smartphones, I have taken time to learn about them and find ways to design and accommodate for them. Although I am more comfortable working with programs I am familiar with, I am not afraid to try or learn new things. Design is my passion, so I will continue to work with it in any form.