Book Cover

One of the Book Cover design firm I found while waiting for my creativity to wake up. Even though I am not a big fan of being book jacket/cover designer, I am a huge FAN of looking at how creative they are.

*This is a pretty neat website, too.

Here is another one from the New York Times Books

It's going to be Monday again

This is who I am after 3 weeks of not doing laundry. I finally give up my laziness because I don't have anymore clothes to wear. I am addicted to buying the punches these days so I will go to ACmoore (after doing laundry of course).

Just recently got inspired again!


Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.

Defining Font Game

Love typography?

Can just tell which font it is by looking at it?

This is a game for you, designers!

Enjoy!

http://www.deep.co.uk/games/font_game/

Which “pond” should I swim in?

As a graphic designer, it is always better to know which field you are especially good, good, ok and not very good in. It also helps narrow down to where you want to work at and helps you plan accordingly for your dream job.

It's not the case for me.

I have always been pretty specific about my skills, what I enjoy doing and what I want to get (result wise) when I am out there working. The fact is, I have never thought of where I really want to work at. I do have in my mind about where my dream work place will be and whom I want to work with.

Do I want an office full of sunshine and flowers? YES

Do I want to work with a team that will be contributive to my work? YES

Can I narrow down to where I want to work for or which field I feel like I can really enjoy? NO

So I read one of my design books “Becoming a Graphic Designer” to see if the way they break down all the possibilities that a designer can work will help me clear my way. Instead of breaking the graphic design world in only 2 fields based on its mediums: web and print, the book divides into 9 categories of jobs. They are:

Editorial Design
Corporate Design

Book Design


Music/CDs design

Information Design
Advertising and Branding
Environmental Design
and Interactivity

Reading about the job helps me a little bit but having a chance to look at the example of what the designer can do in life just opens my eyes up. Really. Based on my own experience and my understanding about myself, I crossed out the categories I feel like I don't enjoy as much (It seems like I enjoy almost everything!!!). Now, picking the top 3 is such a hard job. But I got them:

Editorial Design
1.I love working with type
2.I want my design to be seen everywhere
3.I would loveeeeee to work for the National Geographic, the New York Times Magazine and the New Yorker

Information Design (I wonder the fact that I am working for the state division and department of recycling has anything to do with my decision today...oh well!):
1.I love working with type.
2.I want to make a big change so that reading information is not a pain but it becomes a joy for anyone. Yes, design can change society.
3.I want to work for my internship site for a while.

Interactivity
1.I love technology and want to explore in it. Yes, it IS my strength AND my weakness at the same time *sigh*
2.One of the top landing I want to make is MTV Network

To work on, not to work on

Tic tac tic tac
Time is short, work load is a giant. 


Most of my time in college I have been thinking of the day I will be in a job interview: what to say, what to dress, what to bring, etc. For years, I carry with me a little notebook in which I write down tips from the previous generations of graphic designer about portfolio and interview skills. I dreamed about the day that I would be a senior and would know a lot of skills, or have a perfect portfolio.


Here I am, a senior, with my pieces falling apart from all the end-of-the-year movings, feeling a little bit confused. Maybe a little bit scared. I admit I am ready to graduate but not ready to be in the real world AT ALL. The good thing is I have a very concrete idea of what my strong pieces are and am more than willing to bring my portfolio to the next level. Never will be a limit to what a designer can create. Never will be an ending point of a project. That's why I have a little plan for this semester of what I will be doing, instead of stressing out and still don't get what I want.

:SEPTEMBER:

8: Planning for the semester, Calendar project

10: Calendar project (Revise color on a few pages, fix type)

15-17: Calendar project (printing out, final polishment, get feedback

22-24: Illustrate fine arts project, convert into an ad or a poster

29: Finish illustration projects

:OCTOBER:

6: Book cover project—get feedback from classmates

13-15: Work on book cover (think about size, paper type, print to test)

20: Feedback from classmate, finish project

22: Soap project (start from scratch, get feedback)

29: Finish soap project

:NOVEMBER:

3-10: CD project re-visit. Is there a need for major changes with the CD?

14-17: Reprint postcards, postcard packaging?

21: Portfolio overview. 

Is there any minor changes that needs to be done? 

Is therer anything that needs to be reprinted?

24: Portfolio ready!!!

rrrreportttt

...I am counting down every second till the day I get my books...

This is one of the reasons why I hate the beginning of school year so much.

End report. Period.