Progression on a Real Project, The Beginning!

My last post I mentioned that I was continuing with my education. Well this week marks the first visit to classes. One of the things I noticed when we were all sitting in my Advanced Graphic Design II class was that there was a new item to go with the many projects, discussions and drafts we will be working with. The item is a progress book.
In this book you track your progression on the project, from roughs and research through drafts and composites up to the final piece. So I decided why not share this one project's progression with my readers. This could be helpful to anyone who might get stuck or just isn't sure how to begin on a design. So here I am with my trusty laptop and speedy typing.

Project: Poster to encourage people to vote. 

It's for the school itself, so there's a possibility this poster will be seen around the different campuses. 

Step 1

Rough sketches and research and details of the job

During class we were given our job sheet. This sheet of paper details the size, colors used, materials they want us to use (my teacher throws some oddball requirements in just to keep us on our toes... this one is "The entire project, except the final piece, will be done by hand. Including color separations, only to be scanned in and printed for submission. Also added requirement a slogan or call to action must be included") as well as the wording that is required for the campaign. We asked questions about colors, the paper to be used (as it's a screen print) and the process for screen printing. I think I had about 2 pages of notes on just the details of the project written in my form of shorthand.

After class I had a meet up with some friends at a local taproom. While enjoying a tasty beverage and killer sandwich I pulled out a little notebook (I always have one in my bag and it's a good idea for any designer to keep one with them as well) and pen. While munching along with a couple of sips of said tasty beverage I started doodling (how I generally warm up for doing rough sketches, like stretching before a race) and gradually the sleeping turtles, flowers and spirals turned into rough ideas for my project. Since I hadn't started my research yet, I was just working on some ideas that had sprung into my brain from the discussion in class.

So I start my research by looking up the topic of the poster: Voting. What's the history, what are the demographics of those who do vote vs those who don't? Why don't some people vote? How do you vote? How many ways can you cast your ballot? What happens if you aren't in town or near your precinct for election day? What if you are in the military stationed overseas? And how do you register to vote? Who can vote and how do you get that chance back?

These questions I want answered before I seriously start fleshing out the ideas circling in my head. So I started by asking my friends. I promised if they don't vote I wouldn't nag them into it, as there are those out there that just don't feel like it. I want to know why and how something could persuade them to cast their ballot. I also asked what they thought of the current slew of material out in public trying to inspire and encourage others to go to the polls come November: Do the items they see work? If so, how? And if not what would encourage them to go out?

After I get my answers back from them I will compile a report (in my handy dandy notebook or this case spreadsheet and create an info graphic because I learn better with images) and use that to help me iron out my ideas. I am also checking sites about how voting is done, how the ballots are counted and how many different ways there are for people to vote. When I have that information I will again compile it and add more sketches to my journal.

This information will be brought up before my classmates, as will the sketches, and be discussed. They will give their opinions on these which will also help refine my roughs (the sketches). From this point I would move on to stage 2 which is composites of my idea for my poster.

Since I just started on the roughs/research/details part of the project I don't have any images to share, however, I will be posting them in my next segment here.

So, if you look at the posters and such encouraging you to vote: What would make you feel more like voting? When you see these posters do you think they work? If not, why? If so, how does it work?

For me, I see a few and think they aren't aimed at my age group, or that they contain too much information sometimes that makes the whole process seem much more complex than it really is. What do YOU think?

Long absence and a new perspective

I haven't posted a follow up to the rules of typography. In fact I didn't put much work into the first part except a great deal of research. I am writing today off topic for the most part and it's personal, mostly. It has to do with why I took such a long absence and why I am not being silent any longer.

Chapter 1

I use the phrase there "Chapter 1" because this is the first chapter (as it were) in a new direction. I believe my profile says I am not a professional designer, but a student. And even then it wasn't quite true. I was a student who wasn't studying. Sure I read blogs, articles and what other designers post, but I wasn't really learning or studying.

Well, 7 days from today (exactly) I will be attending classes again to finish a degree I put off for years. It's a step in a long journey I started right around the time I came up with the blog. This step began not for me to fulfill some dream, or promise (not like I told other people), it came as a way to escape an abusive employer and a job I hated. So I reapplied, got the necessary paperwork together for re-entry into the vast empty space without a parachute.

After that my hated job dissolved (so my previous employer could purchase a new car, but that's besides the point) and I found myself working in a new environment. One where the employees were friendly, where my creativity was useful and I thrived. I started thinking of school not as an escape but something that could further me in this new company.

Then I was laid off. Facing the fear of the unknown, not sure if I would be able to handle the job search, the interviews and stress, I talked with my husband who said go back to school. It's been a mantra to me. Go back, finish the degree, fulfill the promise I made to my mother. But when all's said and done it's not the promise, finishing the degree or even an escape. I am terrified.

My last semester at school was a rough one. My mother had just passed (the month before the semester started), my spouse and I were going through some rough times (before we were married) and I was sitting on the fence trying to figure out where the softest spot was for when I fell... When I fell, not if. WHEN.

Fast forward 7 years to the present. I went to speak to my adviser at school, not really thinking anything would come of it. I didn't believe she would help beyond telling me I need certain classes. I didn't think anyone at the school, in the program (teachers) would remember me nor really care if I was behind. I didn't think walking from the parking lot to the adviser's office would be any big thing.

I was wrong on all accounts.

Everything changed, everything was the same. In that moment, that walk to see my adviser, I felt a crushing doom fall on my shoulders. A weight that if anyone had said was fear I would have denied. My adviser did more in that meeting than tell me what classes to take and when, she listened. She gave advice and she contacted the head of the department to ask if I could skip retaking classes to finish in 2 semesters instead of a year. The department head was my last instructor there, that last terrible semester. She remembered me before the adviser said my name, she was the one who asked it was me.
The department head was concerned and offered suggestions to get caught up to the rest of the students. My head was spinning from relief (which I didn't know it was at relief at the time) that I had these two women in my corner.

I realized as class day draws nearer and nearer that I was putting a failing mark on something I hadn't even begun. I quit things because I didn't want fail, not realizing that quitting is failing just at a different speed. So today I started working on trying rather than quitting.

I started a Behance porfolio (which is empty currently as my work is on another computer, sort of like Mario's princess being in another castle), I am coming back to my blog to continue my amature study and discussions of graphic design, art etc. and I am going back to school to learn how to be more.

So my readers, I am going to stop quitting and either fail on merit or try until I succeed. No more excuses, and no more silence. Thank you for reading and I hope I can deliver to you something interesting, intriguing and insightful.

My next post will be more on topic.