Reflections

Written description of the project:

This project is different then anything I have done before.  Before this project I had never really given much thought to the literal context of simple words such as “squeeze.”  I chose the word “squeeze” initially because I thought that there were numerous creative things I could do with this to make it unique.  However, after reading the directions further, I discovered that there were certain rules and guidelines that needed to be followed.  After creating 20 hand-constructed collages of the word, I filtered off of each idea in hopes to create something perfect.  At first I thought it was going to be difficult to come up with 20 different collages, but after I got on a role, it was actually pretty easy.  This project consisted of using your creative mind to think of different designs that would depict the word of your choice in a literal sense.  After creating 20 compositions of this word in black and white, we were asked to incorporate color.  After creating numerous compositions in color, we then were asked to refine six of them along with three of our black and white compositions.

Written Reflection on “Parts of the Letter”:

“Parts of the Letter” is a document that discusses how typography evolved.  It discusses how all of the letters we know to day are marks by hand, and are just simple line structures, many of which are linear.  The creation of all the different letters was a simple, “who can make a better letter” idea.  The document discusses how the visual characteristics of each marking made by an individual was assessed by others in which they then created a new letter.  Typographers and designers study the history of these letters to create a newer better visual character.  The alphabet has been developing for more than 500 years, and over time has given a hefty vocabulary.  These terms are still used today to describe the beautiful works of art that each letter of the alphabet is.

Written reflection of the project: what did you learn, what problems did you encounter:

I think I learned quite a bit from this project.  There are numerous techniques that I learned from the practice designs.  I took the information that I learned from these practice designs and applied them to my newest templates.  After learning all of these new things, I thought about different ways that I could switch it up and make it my own.    I had some technical problems when doing this a few times.  However, it was almost a good thing to encounter problems.  This is because when you have problems, you are able to learn from your mistakes.  Some of the problems that I encountered were a few of the steps of the tutorials.  I misread the tutorials and then discovered that it will not work unless everything is done in order.  But after a few mistakes, it was smooth sailing from there!