WEEK 7 (can you believe it already?)

CRITIQUE
This past week my main design focus has been on the VOX cover for March 19th. The cover story is basically a revisit on the smoking ban that was implemented in Columbia a little over two years ago. Trying to stray away from a stereotypical cover, here are the three ideas I came up with and presented to the class last Thursday:




Supposed to say, "Can Cigarettes Survive in a Town Where They aren't Wanted?" I am not sure why I could not get the "Can" to convert.




The design that I have been working with to present on Thursday is the top one. My idea for the main headline, "Want to take this outside?" is supposed to be a take on whenever people get into a quarrel at a place such as a bar and say, "Hey, you wanna take this outside?!"I just liked the concept of it because it is a double pun of sorts; people have to go outside to smoke in Columbia and there has been a lot of controversy between those who are for the smoking ban and those who are against it. As soon as I get the redesign prepared I will post it! Even though I will not be presenting a redesign for the second design, I still very much like it, mostly because I think it is funny. The photo and the headline work well together as well. For the third spread I played on the fact that cigarettes are indefinitely missing from Columbia's bars and restaurants, leaving the poor ashtrays empty...I like this concept, but not as much as I like the first one. Thoughts/Comments? Stay tuned for the redesign!

RESPONSE
In class this week we have been discussing each person's own creative thinking style. Obviously in a class of 17 people we are bound so have 17 different styles, so it is interesting and inspiring to hear how everyone else works. The majority of people who spoke yesterday defined their first stage of designing as a sketching stage. My style is a bit different from this; the first thing I like to do is mindmap. I make a list of words stemming from the original thought or idea that I have to work with. I can usually do a fairly good job of coming up with a list that holds both the stereotypical answers as well as plenty of non-stereotypical answers. After I have this list I can better picture some of my options. My next step, usually, is to do an image search for some of these words on the internet (stock xchge, corbis, istock, and getty are typical sites I use). This again, helps me to possibly get some different ideas and images in my head that I can incorporate in my design. Sometimes the next stage is sketching, and sometimes it is not. Usually if I have an idea and a plan for execution clear in my head I will just begin to work on the screen. If my ideas are still very scattered than I will sketch out some options. Often I find myself sketching after I have begun designing on the screen. For example, I will piece a few elements together on the computer and then to tweak my design, I will sketch out rough options for other ways to execute the same general idea. Ideally, I would begin this process at least a week in advance from the due date, but this semester that seems to be impossible. If designing were the only thing I had on my plate this semester I know I would be able to do many things differently, and more ideally. But such is life.
My classmates also shared what the environment has to be like or what they would prefer it to be like when they design. Some said it did not matter, some said it has to be silent, and some said they need noise in order to design. While I would prefer to not have much going on around me, that is usually not the case. I am almost always listening to music when I design, however, and attempting to block out other noise or activity.
I found it difficult to explain how my brain works when it comes to my design process, but I think it helped me to realize elements of that thought process that work and elements that don't work.

YOU CAN'T MISS! BLOG.EYEMAGAZINE.COM


Just like last week, I did not find anything too interesting on eye magazine's blog within the past few days. I have decided to update you all on a site that eye magazine notes, however. It is called Lovely As A TREE and it basically tells us how to be environmentally-frieldly designers. The site says, "We list the steps you can take to reduce your design footprint, we take you through the process of choosing a recycled or more sustainably sourced paper, and we show you what to look for when choosing a greener printer."
The site also clears up common rumors such as, "Recycled paper is usually poor quality," or, "By replanting trees the paper industry is helping ensure sustainability of natural forests." The first sentence is a myth. It is now almost impossible to tell the difference between recycled paper and virgin paper. The second sentence is true to an extent. The site says that there is a huge difference between a "commercially managed monoculture that is treated with pesticides, weeded, and barren of wildlife, and a natural forest with its biodiversity intact." However, natural woodlands are supposedly respected and biodiversity is encouraged.
Lovely As A Tree also informs users of the impacts of paper-making, gives tips for choosing paper and printers, offers case studies, gives tips on how to have a more environmentally-friendly office, and more. I think the design of the site is cute as well:

END QUOTE
(something to keep in mind?)

Have a great day!
~Christy