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Next on the list - Regarding the movie Helvetica

Personally, I don't think Helvetica is that bad of a type face.  It's a nice no nonsense font, and has it's place with certain projects.  Though in light of it's over use, those projects may be limited.
I can't recall the name of my favorite graphic designer from the movie, but she's the one that associated Helvetica with the Vietnam war.  Her ideas and personality just caught my eye, and may have seemed a bit familiar.

A rather interesting film from a design perspective, and very informative.  It explained the importance of type font in design and the placement and movement of the type itself.  Also the various places that type is used other than advertising such as street signs, door labels etc.  The movie also touched on the business and people behind designing the fonts themselves.  All documentary aside, and the following yawns and drifting of thought that often accompany them, not too bad.

Photo Courtesy of HelveticaFilm.com

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For assignment #8 we took this color hue test where you rearrange colored squares to complete four different smooth gradients.  My results after much squinting and checking back, 100% perfect color vision.  The below is a painting of mine done for Color Theory.

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First post of the next project...6th blog post I'm pretty sure, but it's labeled Assigment #7.  Did I miss one, or is there just a discrepancy in the numbering?  Eh, who cares.

This next project is focusing on color palette (limited/broad/harmonious) and emotion in these paintings by Monet, all of which are of the same subject out his window. 

The Thames at Westminster(Westminster Bridge)

1871 (130 Kb); Oil on canvas, 47x72.5cm (18 1/2x28 1/2")

Collection Lord Astor of Hever: National Gallery, London

This painting has a very limited color palette, focusing on desaturated cool hues.  The dock and people working on it are brought into focus by using a more saturated and shaded green.  Kind of a bleary morning in this painting, like one you just don't want to be up for.

Houses of Parliament, London, Sun Breaking Through the Fog 

1904 (190 Kb); Oil on canvas, 81x92cm (31 7/8x36 1/4")

Musee d'Orsay, Paris

Using a more broad color palette, Monet employs a strong contrast between warm and cool to separate the buildings from the sky/water.  Not so much a harmonious color scheme, this one seems to run all over the place using all the primary and secondary colors.  While everything else kind of blends together, the tallest building has its straight lines carefully separated from the warmer fog behind it, which helps to pull your eye towards it away from the bright orange and yellow.  This one seems to be kind of harsh at first, with the highly saturated contrasting colors, mainly the blue and orange, but it is also warm and inviting.

Le Parlement, Effet de Brouillard

1904 (120 Kb); 82.6x92.7cm

Museum of Fine Arts, St Petersburg

Another harmonious limited color palette, this time using predominantly the complementary colors violet and yellow.  The figures in the boats stand out the most in this painting using a more saturated violet to distinguish them from the surrounding water.  This is a very dreamy calm painting, conveying peaceful stillness and quiet.

Houses of Parliament, London

1905 (50 Kb); Oil on canvas, 81x92cm (31 7/8x36 1/4")

Musee Marmottan, Paris

A limited color palette with the analogous grouping of blue, violet, green and yellow.  Your focus is pulled directly to the tallest building using a more vibrant blue-violet than the surrounding structures, as well as the vertical line created with the light in the sky and its corresponding reflecting in the water.  This painting has kind of a brooding feel to it when viewed back with little detail evident.

What do you think?

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For the fifth and final post on this segment we are to reflect on what we've learned about ourselves and working style, if our interests have changed based on what we've found.

Over all, I'd say I didn't learn a whole lot new about me or my working styles, though it did help to reinforce my view of things and improve my heading a little better.  I came into this school with a basic understanding of where I had been, where I was headed and what I'm lacking. I did learn that the field I am heading into is steadily on the rise, though a bit competitive. Once I get the basics down and build up a strong portfolio I should have no problem getting my toe in somewhere.

I can't say that my interests have changed much as of yet based solely on this project. Maybe further down the road as I get into more classes and build up the skills I do not yet have and figure out where my strengths lie there could be more of an influence in a different direction. I might actually like the more technical side such as html. o.O

This has been me in a nutshell so to speak, or at least where my schooling and career interests lie.

The following photo, as well as all the photos so far in my blog, was taken by me. I haven't been citing my sources so far for any of them but I think everyone has pretty much figured it out so far.

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Fourth of Five baby! :D

Mission for this post: Begin networking by interviewing a profession in your target industry

I am posting this a day late, and missing my answers but hopefully I'll have something to add to it in a few days.  I sent out a few emails to professionals in the area and am still waiting on a response.  If you happened to receive an email from me requesting an interview and you're checking this out to figure out who the heck I am, please feel free to say hi.

You know what, let's go ahead and post my questions here, and if you are feeling so inclined please include your answers in a comment. :)

1~Name/Handle
2~Job/career/profession/excuse to draw for money
3~How long have you been working there?
4~Any related job that you have had previously?
5~How do you like working there?
6~Is it what you imagined?
7~What were your qualifications to get your current job?
8~What training do you need to maintain your job?
9~Is there job growth where you're at?
10~What are the pros and cons of what you do?
11~What are some industry changes that you are seeing?
And anything else you may like to add for a rapt 2D Design class at the Lake Wa Technical College. ;)

Also, if you have a professional or personal online portfolio that you would like to show off, please post the link along in your comment for us to check out; I'd love to see it.

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Post # um....3! :P

Let's see...a list of five jobs that interest you in the multimedia field.

1~Job Title: Art Director
Salary: $78,580
Prospects: Employment has been growing and is expected to continue.

2~Job Title: Graphic Designer
Salary: $47,820
Prospects: "Graphic designers are expected to face keen competition for available positions." Employment has been growing and is expected to continue.

3~Job Title: Craft Artist
Salary: $28,960
Prospects: listed under Artists, which has been growing, but I am personally not so sure...

4~Job Title: Illustrator
Salary: $44,160
Prospects: Employment has been growing and is expected to continue.

5~Job Title: Marketing Director
Salary: $110,030
Prospects: "Keen competition is expected for these highly coveted jobs."

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And on to post #2! :D

My ideal job when I am done with my education here would be some sort of graphic design in both print and web focusing on advertising and commercial branding.  I’ve kind of been there already so I now have an understanding of where my schooling needs to focus.  The salary estimates off of the Creative Group’s Salary Guide for a beginning position in related graphic design average around $42500 on the low end to $62000 on the higher end.  I had been making about $20800 at $10/hour fulltime; that was my limit of what I needed to survive with while sharing an apartment, and way less than I should have been paid for the amount and variety of work I did.  Now I will be looking for something a little more worth my time and education, aiming for $45000 to start with.

When it comes to programming vs design I definitely lean more towards design without much of a mind for programming.  I want to learn web design and html/flash/etc, but don’t plan on venturing towards game design.  I do prefer doing most of the work on my own but have no problem working with others and sometimes it’s really nice to be able to share the load.  If I can wing it, I want to work in an agency or corporate environment, where the work is steady (presumably).  If not, I’ll go freelance on the side of something better paying until I get my name out there and can live off freelance alone.  We can all dream right?

So there you have it.  Did I miss anything?

~Narokkr

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At first I thought "a blog for a design class...I don't see what that has to do with this class."  And I was not the only one.  Why all the writing?  But then I got to thinking about what the class is and what a blog is.  How two dimensional the layout is and how someone designs one. Dimentions...design...two... I get the feeling there's something here, but I just can't put my finger on it...

Oh well, I'm probably wrong anyway.  Might as well just do the assignment and get the grade huh?  It's been a while since I had to write for a class, so please bear with me.  Bear?  Bare?  I don't know… I am here for graphic design in print and on the web, so what the heck why not.

Welcome to my blog's first post! XD

Assignment:

Take the OCEAN Personality Quiz, then write an intro describing your “work personality” using the results.

 Here's my results

O 59:  Totally agree, which is unfortunate for an artist, being uncreative.  A lot of my work may be influenced but I’m not a total lost cause, I have the random idea now and then.  I just need to find my muse I suppose.  I have been described as down to earth by more than one of my friends, and like to think my head isn’t off in the clouds too often.  That little toe creeping over to the higher end on this score must be my curiosity in numerous areas of life and the complexity that is Woman.  Hear me roar!!!

C 46:  I like that I am fairly balanced in this category.  For the most part I am an organized, dependable person but I can be a bit of a spacecase at times.  If you were to walk into my room all you would see is chaos, but I know exactly where I put everything.  In each of the desk jobs that I have held, my desk and computer files were neat and orderly even to the outside observer.  It all depends on the place and situation.

E 9:  Me to a T, for most of the people that meet me, but another that varies depending on place and situation.  I don’t chatter constantly, but if I have something to say I will.  Although I am not quite so severely introverted as most people seem to see.  I love being around large groups of people as I get more comfortable with the individuals.

A 63:  I am a good natured person, sympathetic, forgiving…courteous even.  I think my sarcasm (you guys have met I'm sure) could be counted in the harsh, rude, callous and critical side of this which loves to come out often and tries to get me in trouble.  Its all in good fun, I swear and I probably didn't mean it.

N 9:  Definitely a calm, relaxed person.  And secure; I am a person my friends can count on.  When I'm not being a spacecadet as previously mentioned.

Is that Intro enough for you?

~Narokkr