WEEKS NINE & TEN

Projects this week:

Music Lives at Carthage Mailer

Worked Directly with Client Peter Denae

Conversed with Robert Rosen

An important tip that I learned from this project is to read your content ahead of time. Reading your copy allows you to get a better idea of what you are designing for, allowing for better design. It also gives you the chance to edit your copy too. Turning in your work with copy errors reflects on your work and your reputation as a designer.

The Marvelous Toys & Fabulous Things Show [Upcoming Art Gallery] Promos

I spent a whopping five hours putting a design together that serves as a mailer, pamphlet & poster all in one! (Have to keep the cost in mind, so might as well knock all three out in one.) I made sure to organize my information by folders, and keep track of the information I had and still needed.

The Marvelous Toys & Fabulous Things Show Posters

Worked Directly with Client Diane Levesque

I made several drafts of a 48X48 & a 48X11 poster for the show. I started out by trying to combine way to many elements in one. Sometimes, if you are working with complex content it is smart to keep your design simple- so that all the focus is on the material you are working with and not the execution. The photos of toys are very colorful and detailed, so I focused on making a very simple, clean, and spacious design. This allowed the photos to breathe. Another design tip I learned from this project is that hierarchy is key. You need a "1, 2, 3". If everything appears to be the same size, the reader does not know what to look at first. This especially applies when designing posters.

WEEK EIGHT

[Week Seven: In Louisville for a national media conference for The Current newspaper!]

Week Eight:

This week I learned a lot about standardizing colors.

Standardization of colors: CMYK

CYMK stands for four color inks: cyan, magenta, yellow & black.

I was introduced to the world of PANTONE: a staple in the world of printing.

Pantone Matching System (PMS) is a supplier of exact color measurement. Their main products are the Pantone Guides (a graphic designers bible) which consist of sample color swatches. Guides come in several editions based on the paper stock: coated, matte, uncoated. The process allows designers to enter the exact color match that a color will look liked when printed (provided in swatches)- from the early production stages. These color swatches each come with a number (ex: PANTONE 400) which acts as their allocated name.

Something to always pay attention to when receiving a project is the amount of colors allowed. (ex: four color, two color) Therefore, you can chose colors & adjust from the get go.

Another thing I learned this week were vector masks in photoshop & the 'multiply' tool. I had never really experimented with either before! These tools helped me use gradients a lot smoother, overlay colors & magically blend them in photos.

Projects this week:

Leadership Circle Letterheads- Finished!

Worked Directly with Client Elaine Walton

Conversed with Garry T. Moore of Outstanding Graphics Printing Company

An important tip that I learned from this project is to know how you are printing and who you are printing with ahead of time. I sized my documents according to letter/envelope sizes I found offline. However, these sizes change depending on the company. Contact your printer & mark down their sizes so you don't have to go back and changes things at the last second!

The Marvelous Toys & Fabulous Things Show [Upcoming Art Gallery] Promos

This project has been my favorite thus far, and I am only starting! I am given the freedom to design my own identity from scratch for the upcoming art gallery "The Marvelous Toys & Fabulous Things Show". I started by making a folder of inspiration. This inspiration included whimsical photos, advertisements and snippets from other toy shows and art galleries. So far- I have created 3 very different identities for the show that I can use as templates for the rest of the promo pieces. I am leaning towards one and have sketched out ideas for potential mailers, pamphlets & posters.

Updated Projects:

Police & Fire Scholarship Application

Police & Fire Scholarship Posters

Worked Directly with Client Michelle Hamilton

(Who I caught talking about how efficient I was!)

WEEK SIX

This week has been all about balance. In graphic design, you may get several projects thrown at you all at once. You need to prioritize and keep in mind due dates.

Projects this week:

Edits on Kenosha Scholarship Postcard & Admissions Reminder Postcard

Worked Directly with Client Michelle Hamilton

Edits on Japanese TLE Poster

Worked Directly with Client Greg Baer

I Originally made the French, Spanish and German posters for the department. Got a lot of good feedback on these so they asked me to make a Japanese one too!

Leadership Circle Letterheads

Worked Directly with Client Elaine Walton

This project contained multiple parts: Letterhead, #10 envelope front & back, notecard, envelope front & back, 9 X 12 envelope front and back. If you are working on a set like this it is best to make separate documents for each component for editing purposes. An easier and more professional way to present your ideas to your client is to create a general document pasting and fitting each component in one. This way, you have one document to print out and give them. Put all of these documents in one general project folder.

Something to note is when working with envelopes, it is best not to place anything too close to the bottom for the post office won't send it! Also avoid the top right corner where the stamp is.

New Student Union Display Case

When working with display cases, a factor you should recognize is different heights at which people see it. Therefore, it is smart not to squeeze anything important at the very top. Another factor is the distance people are seeing it from. In this case, they are walking right up to it so it is okay and encouraged to make some things smaller. Hierarchy is a good thing because it gives people a large focal point to see right away and smaller things to draw them in to look at.

Its funny because I put a lot of time into two different layout ideas for this project. I found some extra time during the day so I played around with a third one in the span of 10 minutes and it turned out to be the best one! Sometimes the layouts you create without thinking to much about it are the best! Happy mistakes.

WEEKS FOUR & FIVE

Projects this week:

Shoot photos for TLE promotional posters

'Ideas I Have' Art Gallery postcards (3 variations)

Worked directly with client Professor Ross Moreno

Leadership Circle letterheads

TLE posters finalized & printed

--

A huge component of these past weeks was watching the 2010 InDesign Tutorial. The following are some notes that I gathered from doing so.

To turn frame edges on/off:

Application Bar> View Options> Turn frame edges on/off

Snippets: elements dragged out of one document and placed into another

Preferences> File> Handling> Position at Original Location

To arrange documents in one window:

Window> Application frame> Undo> Expand

The control panel has two sets of options: the character & the paragraph.

To customize both of these panels choose options> customize on the far right side

To make or find keyboard shortcuts:

Edit> Keyboard shortcuts

To change the colors or highlight important menu options:

Menu customization> Change colors

To turn grids on/off: Option;

To save your customized document as a template:

New document> Options> Save Preset

To open a new document from a template:

New document from template> Bridge> Choices

To type on a path:

Type on path> Change beginning/ending of point> Move over to center of path

To zoom in a certain section:

Zoom tool> click & drag making a box over designated area

Print is always CMWK. Web is always RGB.

To edit the original:

Control> Right click> Edit original

To create columns:

Layout> Control Bar> Choose number of columns

To choose your text/graphic box:

Object> Content> Frames> Graphic or Text

PREFLIGHT & PRINTING:

File> Package> Change all to CMYK> Process> Save

Check for errors> Relink all / Replace all low res/ RGB images with high res/ CMYK

WEEK THREE

Listed below are the things that I have accomplished thus far & commentary about the projects.

Projects created:

Fall Chapel Worship Poster

Winter Chapel Worship Poster

French TLE Promotional Poster

Spanish TLE Promotional Poster

German TLE Promotional Poster

Madrigrano Hall Dedication Ceremony Pamphlet

Worked directly with clients Harvard Stephens and Greg Baer.

Something I learned when creating the TLE posters is that it is important to keep in mind the audience of who you are creating it for. The TLE posters are going to be in various countries promoting Carthage. Certain things need to be bigger and stand out that you wouldn't normally focus on like the words "USA" in the title. It is also important to choose general photos of campus like aerial views instead of close-ups on different parts in order to capture Carthage as much as possible to a person who has never seen it before.

Cutting duties:

Torchie Coloring Books

There were 200 coloring books. Lining 200 prints in order for an even cut is a hard task. So, a trick that I learned was to print out an extra to act as a template on top of the stack. Find a ruler & box out the lines for an easier guideline and therefore a more precise cut.

Photos taken:

New Student Union construction site

Students on campus

Updated projects:

Basketball Season Tickets

Transfer Open House Poster

Transfer Open House Postcard

Worked directly with clients Michelle Hamilton and Bob Bonn.

Something I learned when dealing with copy is how to turn on the invisible guidelines (apple option i). By doing so, you can easily find an error and change it.

I also learned the difference between a hard return (enter) and a soft return (shift enter).

WEEKS ONE & TWO

My first two weeks focused on learning and getting the hang of the whole process a Graphic Designer goes through when working on a project. I learned the steps to take when receiving the project from start to finish, I learned the technical aspects of Graphic Design like manning the printer, how to print various projects and how to use the cutter.

Project Process:

Get Project file> Take note on specifications

Look up on Server for existing to use as a template

Save as new file in 2010-2011

Design>

Check in & make changes with Steve

Check in & make changes with Client

Final Approval Stamp

Print> Cut if needed

Leave finished work on shelf in newsroom with a note for who it is for

Email 'client' saying it is ready to be picked up

Turn job request folder into Dana Moore

To Print a Poster In Office:

Indesign> File> Print > Printer 5200

Page Setup> Printer 5200

Paper Size > ie: 11 X 17

PRINT

To Print a Poster In Mailroom:

Indesign> File> Print> Printer IKONCPP660_65C-KH_Hold

Page Setup> Printer IKONCPP660_65C-KH_Hold

Paper Size> ie: 12 X 18

PRINT

(Even if it is an 11X17 document, when printing it out professionally you should print it on a 12 X 18 for bleed room. Extend your design outside the bleed lines always just in case.)

Open Command Workstation

Right click on job> Properties> Choose Preset> ie: Tray 5 (12 X 18)

Basic> Input Tray> ie: Tray 5 (12 X 18)> Paper Size> ie: 12 X 18

Media> Paper Weight> ie: 257-300 g/m2> Paper Type> ie: Coated ML

PRINT 1

(Posters are typically printed on the Tray 5 preset listed above)

Go downstairs to mailroom> Check to see if sample print is correct

If Correct, Click Job List> Collaborated> Printed Jobs> Find Job in list> Select

Change copies to number you need> Click Set> PRINT

Fill out a Copy Request>

Date, Name, Job Name, Copies, # of Originals (sides), Paper type

(If the machine light flashes- it means the toner is out or the paper is out. Replace either and press start to resume)

To Print A Postcard In Mailroom:

(Don't waste a whole sheet of paper on one postcard. Create a new 11 X 17 document with 2 horizontal pages in the 10-11 folder of the assignment you are in. Copy & paste 5 fronts in page 1 and 5 backs in page 2 of the document. Make sure that the fronts and backs match up with crop marks. Refer to an old document set up this way by duplicating it if needed.)

Indesign> File> Print> Printer IKONCPP660_65C-KH_Hold

Page Setup> Printer IKONCPP660_65C-KH_Hold

Paper Size> ie: 12 X 18

PRINT PAGE 1 ONLY

Open Command Workstation

Right click on job> Properties> Choose Preset> ie: Tray 5 (12 X 18)

Basic> Input Tray> ie: Tray 5 (12 X 18)> Paper Size> ie: 12 X 18

Media> Paper Weight> ie: 257-300 g/m2> Paper Type> ie: Coated ML

PRINT

Go downstairs to mailroom> Check to see if sample print is correct

If Correct, Click Job List> Collaborated> Printed Jobs> Find Job in list> Select

Change copies to number you need> Click Set> PRINT

Put stack back into Tray upside down

Go back upstairs> PRINT PAGE 2 ONLY (1 sample)

If Correct> Print the rest of the copies

Fill out a Copy Request>

Date, Name, Job Name, Copies, # of Originals (sides), Paper type

(For postcards it would be 2 originals)

To Use the Cutter:

Power on> Light on> Open Lid> Place Papers in line> Close Lid> Press cutter buttons

Follow Crop marks!

(Rotate sides by cutting one length, then width, then length, then width to preserve crop marks)

Shortcuts:

To replace an Image with another on top of it:

Place new image over old> Select new image> Hold Shift> Click & Drag over both> Delete