Tuesday, March 27, 2012

inside my school bag

A new SCAD quarter just started yesterday and while it's still a tad organized I thought I'd share what I routinely have in my bag.

Clockwise from top left: I've given up on folders and resorted to these great envelopes because I was never one to keep them very tidy anyway. It has a great front pocket on each where I can keep my syllabus handy and it keeps everything in one spot. I always have my mini stapler, glue stick, and white-out on me. My calendar that I rely on to tell me everything. I usually have a couple rolls of washi tape in my bag somewhere because they are great for taping things into my sketchbooks or calendar. An assortment of pens and markers. I'm very loyal to my felt tip marker that I take notes with and it's essential to have large markers handy for brainstorming. My headphones, id card, and chapstick are always inside my wallet. Lately I've taken to carrying a large container of ibuprofen around. And lastly, an assortment of post-its. Very important, and I always find myself searching the bottom of my bag for them!

Friday, March 16, 2012

mini masterpieces

It's never too early to introduce the kiddies to the works of Jane Austen, Shakespeare, and Charlotte Bronte. I would love to buy these in bulk to give to all my expecting friends (which there are quite a few)!


The illustrations are by Alison Oliver of Sugar.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Quaker – A typeface


This is probably my biggest design accomplishment to date, and it's only halfway done.

This quarter I took the course Typeface Design where I began work on my first typeface entitled Quaker. So far Quaker includes uppercase glyphs, numbers, and primary punctuation. I'll continue working on them next quarter and complete the full set.

It was inspired by a vintage canvas sugar bag that I saw in an antique store. The starting point was the A and during the design process it is one of the few forms that did not experience significant revisions.

I have a lot of process documentation for this project because I intend to show this in my 45 hour MFA review. Below is a video that shows the designing process for the original six key glyphs and the E. I have over 10,000 frames from the duration of the project so I have to find a way to display them without it becoming an hour long motion picture. I think it is safe to say that I would be the ONLY person interested in that.

Monday, March 12, 2012

reading wishlist

I looking forward to being able to read over my spring break without feeling guilty. My amazon shopping cart has exploded with books that I just can't quite bring myself to buy. This is partially due to the fact that I'm very angry at losing my amazon student status that got me free two day shipping but that is besides the point.

If anyone is feeling generous and would like to donate or gift me with any one of these puppies I would be extremely grateful! Congratulations-on-finishing-your-finals gift perhaps?? Oh wait, does that holiday not exist?

I might just have to reallocate my birthday funds from the previously mentioned dress into books. Now that's an interesting thought: 1 dress = 8 (used) books.

From top to bottom: Just My Type, Made by Hand: Searching for Meaning in a Throwaway World, The Night Circus, The Craftsman, A Love Letter For You, Shop Class as Soulcraft: An inquiry into the Value of Work, Cradle to Cradle, and How to be a Graphic Designer without Losing your Soul

All images from Amazon.

Tuesday, March 06, 2012

sign painting


The focus of my current research project for the Visual Culture course that I am currently taking is the current resurgence of hand painted signage. One of my primary cases studies that I have been using as an example is the company Colossal Media who have successfully established themselves as purveyors of hand painted outdoor media. Their work can be seen in several of the U.S.'s major markets and is (I believe) contributing to the medium's reemergence. Watch this video and you'll understand. One thing that I think has assisted in the public's* sudden interest is the focus on the process. The development of these works become an installation piece and we can very easily attach a face to the work being created. This skill straddles the line between the fine art and the graphic design, especially when used for advertisements like the work of Colossal Media. It is ironic that I compare this skill to the fine arts because historically and even contemporarily it is rare that those who possess this undeniable skill are considered "artists" in the traditional sense of the term,  instead labeled as craftsmen. This idea of a "craftsman" is also of great interest to me but that is a topic for another time. Primarily because I need to complete a lot more reading on that topic to fully form my opinion. But I digress. I feel that I have happened upon this subject at just the right time because many within my university community (and definitely outside of Savannah too, such as this, this, and this) are also thinking about it.

However, this is also somewhat unfortunate because I would always like to hope that my ideas are new and different but nay, they are not. This brings about another question, though maybe not question but proof, that you are indeed a product of your surroundings. While I don't think sign painting has become a sudden interest to me it has definitely become a new research interest and I wonder how much of that is affected by my surroundings. What have I seen, heard or been exposed to that nudged me in this direction?



*I say public but then quickly realize that as a graduate graphic design student my knowledge of "public" is very skewed. So let's consider this just my small corner of the public.

image from Colossal Media.

Friday, March 02, 2012

new dresses

I have some birthday money burning a hole in my pocket and spring has made it to Savannah. I am ready for flow-y, light dresses, sandals and no tights. Actually, I like tights; I am sad when it becomes to warm to wear them.

I'm currently eying these lovelies who were all in the running as birthday dresses but lost out because they were only available online.

1. Coincidence & Chance Short Sleeved Chiffon Dress, $59  2. Cooperative Knit Twill Circle Dress, $59  3. Coincidence & Chance Revel Dress, $79


my 365: week eight

1. The snow cone cart's sleeping spot  2. Wrought iron fence shadows   3. Spinning globe  4. Hands down, the best tacos I've ever had although it did make me miss the Taco Truck in Indy. Those were pretty darn good too.  5. The beginning of my birthday surprise!! This clue was followed by three more that I got throughout the day  6. Broughton Street on a rainy evening  7. Birthday mimosas!