Your "To Do" Checklist

Today's class will be a self-directed working period. No new lesson, and no in-class presence required. But please use your time effectively to make sure you've completed everything required to date:

Your Blog

- Have you created a custom header?
- Have you created a custom background?
- Do you have a Links list directing visitors to the other platforms in your social media hub?
- Have you provided meaningful content that isn't an example of your own work but is within the area you've chosen as your specialty?

Your Twitter


- Have you created an avatar and added it to your profile?
- Have you created a brief description of who you are and added it to your profile?
- Have you included a link to your portfolio or blog in your profile?
- Have you been tweeting links to interesting sites, resources and people or just "tweeting your own horn"?
- Have you made an effort to follow interesting a important twitter users who will benefit your career in some manner?

Your Flickr


- Have you created an avatar and added it to your profile?
- Have you created a brief description of who you are and added it to your profile?
- Have you included a link to your portfolio or blog in your profile?

- Have you created sets and added your work to them?
- Have you joined at least three groups relevant to your area of expertise and added your work to those groups?
- Have you commented on the work of other members of those groups?

Illustration Friday


- Have you posted links to your IF projects on the Illustration Friday website?
- Have you visited the websites or blogs of other IF participants whom you don't know from class and commented (positively) on their work?
- Are you incorporating graphic design elements in your IFs in a truly creative and effective manner as outline in our General Graphic Design rubric?

Carbonmade Portfolio


- Have you created several projects that focus on your strengths in different skill areas of graphic design?
- Have you created a brief description of who you are and how to contact you in your profile?
- Have you included a link to your blog in your profile?

Google Plus


- Have you created an avatar and added it to your profile?
- Have you created a brief description of who you are and added it to your profile?
- Have you included a link to your portfolio or blog in your profile?
- Have you been posting links to interesting sites, resources and people or just posting links to your own work?
- Have you made an effort to Circle interesting a important G+ users who will benefit your career in some manner?
- Have you made an effort to engage those people in conversation?

Resumé/CV


- Have you designed an attractive, professional looking resumé for the creative employer?
- Have you designed a more conservative, professional looking resumé for the business employer?
* Remember there are Links to valuable resources to assist you with resumé writing in the links post further down.  Scroll down to read that post.

All of the elements listed above represent markable components of this course.  If you're missing any of these elements, use this checklist and our class time to catch up.

As always, please leave questions in the comments section so others who have the same question can get their answers at the same time. :^)

Finishing our IWD Posters

We'll continue ( and hopefully complete) our paintings today (February 13th class).  

You'll need to photograph the finished painting, take it into InDesign, and complete the text components.  It should have on it: "International Women's Day", the name of your subject, and (in the bottom corner) the line "Created by 4th Semester Mohawk Graphic Design student, ________(your name)"

Remember that the graphic design component of this assignment comprises the largest portion of the marks, so as you begin to work digitally to finish the project, use this opportunity to modify or finesse any elements that could be working better, including text, colour, values and composition. 

* Important: The finished trim size is 18" x 24" -- make sure you're working with hi res (minimum 300 dpi) files, that you add crop marks and bleed, and that your file is formatted for print colour (CMYK).

The final file (in PDF format) must be submitted by Feb. 21st.  I'll alert everyone to the correct server location once I hear back from Phil.

Blogs, Sites & Articles You Should Bookmark & Read!

Inspiration:

 Design, Work, Life

 Invisible Creature

 Drawsigner

 Logo Design Love

Career Advice:

 Seth Godin on the Importance of Doing Emotional Labour

 The 50 Things Every Creative Should Know

 Online Portfolio Rights & Wrongs

 Why I Won't Follow You on Twitter

 Super Obvious Secrets That I Wish They’d Teach In Art School

 10 Principles of Successful Freelancers

110 Ideas to Get More Freelance Work

36 Beautiful Resume Ideas That Work

IWD Poster, Painting in Progress

I've had a few people email me to say they won't be in tomorrow because of the snow. Please work on your painting and bring it with you on Tuesday so we can do a class critique in our Portfolio class.

You should be about half way done after Monday's class and be ready to post your work in progress on your blog. I would like to see a step by step as the painting progresses with your written description of what you're doing and why as you go along.

Show at least three photos (more would be better) of progress as we see on Jessica Oddi's blog

This component will be worth 10 percent of your marks for the semester.

As promised, the final painting is not the big part of the mark (for those of you who feel a bit insecure about your painting abilities).

 The marks for this assignment break down as follows:

5% for minimum three thumbnails

5% for minimum 3 colour scheme thumbnails

20% for graphic design of the overall poster as demonstrated by your full size pencil drawing with hand-rendered type in place (see our general graphic design assignment rubric on our class blog for criteria of good graphic design)

10% for thorough step-by-step of work in progress.
(5% this week, 5% next week)

5% for attendance, participation, communication and good attitude

5% for the final file ready for printing on deadline (drop-dead date is end of class, Monday Feb. 20).

* Files handed in late get a zero on this last component.

 Total: 50% of semester.

IWD Poster Assignment: Thumbnails

Your thumbnails are due for Monday's class. As well, I would like you to print out the Al Parker image that you're specifically using as inspiration for your poster design.

Here's the link to my Al Parker set on Flickr

Bring both the printout and your thumbnails to class. We will be doing a class critique on the board. 

This stage is worth 5% of the total for the assignment and is due on Monday.

Marks will be posted on Tuesday. Thumbnails and your Al Parker inspiration piece must be posted on your blog by Monday at 6 p.m. Any work not posted by 6 p.m. on Monday will lose 50% of its potential mark. Work not posted by 6 p.m. on Tuesday gets a zero.

In class on Monday, you'll be working on revisions, colour scheme exploration thumbnails, and an 8.5 x 11 inch colour rough. Bring colour media of your choice (i.e. pencil crayons, markers, water colours and WC paper). Due the following Monday.

Here's a comprehensive rubric defining grading criteria for all our assignments in this class and our Tuesday class. All Projects Rubric

Questions? Please ask them via the comments section at the end of this post so others with the same question can see my replies.

Have a great weekend - see you on Monday!

Here We Blog Again!

Very exciting: a new group of designers is beginning to implement a vast array of social media tools!

Here's a checklist of sites you need to join as we begin our journey...


Create your blog at Blogger

* Remember that you must choose a blog address that incorporates your name in some way.

* Once you've set up your blog, email me with the URL so I can add you to the Contributors List in the sidebar.

Archive your images on Flickr *

Remember to search for three groups on Flickr that appeal to you and are relevant to the theme or topic you're planning to explore. Begin sharing IF images with those groups when it makes sense to do so (i.e. when your image is appropriate to the theme of that group)


Join the email list at Illustration Friday

Here's how to approach your blog posts:

Begin by exploring my Flickr archives of mid-20th century illustration.

When you find an artist or image that interests you, add that image to your blog post. Explain why that image inspired you and what aspects of that artist's work you intend to incorporate in your own efforts.

Create a minimum of three thumbnail sketches for each topic. Add them to your post. Explain what you're thinking was for those three concepts.

Begin developing the image in whatever manner appeals to you (digital or traditional media - or a combination). Photo treatments MUST be more than just a 'straight' photo. Manipulate them in some manner to make them "illustrative" in some way.

Show work in progress and explain your working process.

Show the final design - and include graphic design elements. Mock the design up to demonstrate its potential usefulness for some commercial purpose (i.e. a movie poster, a brochure, a web page, etc.)

Here's a great example of one working professional's blog posts that is very close to what I'm looking for from you:

 Chris Whetzel's blog

* Remember that each week's topic must be posted by 10 a.m. the following Tuesday - 1 hour before our class - after 10 a.m. that image will automatically be marked zero.

International Women's Day, 2012 Poster Assignment

Before we begin, READ THIS FIRST

You'll need to have a good understanding of my philosophy about our role as graphic artists and my expectations for for you in this class.

After your finished reading, we'll discuss the article before moving on to our assignment.

Our First Major Assignment of Semester 4 - Part 1: Conceptulaization

We will be designing posters to help Mohawk College celebrate International Womens Day.

A good place to begin your research is at the IWD official website.

Once you've begun to grasp the scope of our topic, sit down with your sketchbook and begin thumbnailing concepts. At this beginning stage, anything goes. You're not designing so much as "brain-dumping."

* Please note that you are expected to hand in your thumbnailing/conceptual work in your sketchbook.     Loose paper may be taped, stapled or glued in - but only sketchbooks will be accepted for marking.

To assist and inspire you in the visualization process, visit my Al Parker Flickr set. We'll be studying Parker's work and his prominence as an "illustrative designer" and using his design philosophy as a springboard for our project. The final art for your concept will be rendered as an acrylic painting on masonite.

Here are your resources:


Mike Vosburg's Overview of Al Parker's Career

My Al Parker Flickr set.

Barbara Bradley's analysis of several works by Al Parker:

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

Al Parker describes his workflow in 20 steps:

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

Another Al Parker Step-by-Step: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3,

Al Parker quotes