Random personal blog :)

You ever have those days that you just sit back and think, 'how the heck did I just survive last week?!' Sitting here I had to think back.

Wednesday

I tearfully said good-bye to my boyfriend, Joel, as he left to spend 3 months out of state working in Iowa as an intern for a major seed development company.

That night I went to a bonfire hosted at my friend Jeremy's house after which I got feeling pretty sick.

Thursday

I have to apologize, I felt awful and didn't pay attention at all in class. I went home and slept for about 3 hours.

Friday I woke up still feeling meh, but I went to my sister's to help clean her and her new husband's new appartment to prepare it for moving day. With rain in the forcast we decided to start moving them Saturday and we were at it from 7 AM until 10:30 PM.

Saturday morning I was awakened by my cellphone buzzing on the bed next to me and I groggily answered it to find it to be the rancher who I've been trying to get an interview with for nearly 4 months. He was ready for me to ride and could I be there in 15 minutes? I went out to the ranch and was introduced to the forman 'Dick' and the part owner and the rancher's son 'Brett'.

I was walked through everything! How to saddle the horses, how to run the carousel-like horse walker, how they liked to brush the horses or store the saddles, how they ran the water for the wash rack, the temperment of most of the horses, what they were training them for, how they did in competitions, how the riding arena was ran, how the flag worked, etc. THEN I was asked to brush and saddle their top mare, TR Terri Ray, so I could ride for them to see if I was up to the challenge.

*That's the horse in the picture*

I also rode their favorite stallion, a sweet little red chestnut with a christmas tree brand named Foxy. I enjoyed myself royally and din't realize I'd ridden for nearly 4 hours until the foreman called it a day to go get some lunch... it was 1PM.

I went home to an empty house then realizing everyone was at the apartment still moving things I went to eat there and help some more, then it was run home to make sandwiches to prepare for my younger sister's graduation party.

Sunday

When church let out we went straight to the high school graduation to sweat to death in the gym and watch as my baby sister gave her valedictorian speech and recived her diploma. I was excited to run into one of my really good friends from high school who I hadn't seen since my own graduation because he's been out of state with the Navy. Then we rushed home to start the party... only problem was that most of the day we hadn't had electricity. It's hard to have hot ham and cheese sandwiches when the oven doesn't work.

Monday

After class I ran an emergency trip to the local pet store because the power outage had knocked out two of my fish tank filters, and I'm crazy about my pets, and worry about their health all the time. Remind me again why I'm studying design rather than veterinarian medicine?! While I was at the store I couldn't pass up this little dwarf gourami whom I of course paid the $5.99 for and brought home to call Palo. I'm exhausted and when I sit watching my community tank of fish swimming lazily back and forth I can't help but wish I had their life!

I guess that's I'll I say for now as I see my guitar at the end of my bed calling my name just a bit louder than the rest of the vocabulary for design history :D

Cheers!

Book Image Response 3 : South Wind, Clear Dawn

This is a woodcut print done by Katusushika Hokuai in c. 1830-1832. The design depicts Mount Fuji in early morning light which also lends to its other common name, Red Fuji.

The artist's signature appears in the top left corner in the sky above the pine trees on the food of the mountain. This is one of his most famous pieces and he's known for being one of the first artists to depict every day occurrences.

Katusushika was one of the first world renown Japanese artists.

Image from:

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org/content/vol65/issue1/images/medium/yai70011f1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/65/1/12&usg=__llcNoto_KgqdmTRQ-7voZnFMWUI=&h=279&w=400&sz=66&hl=en&start=28&sig2=1qa4ePgfzQyqGgadKCz2Kg&zoom=1&tbnid=JiQhx9V1lWJG9M:&tbnh=126&tbnw=168&ei=4RbbTZLcHYTg0gHT3sm4Dw&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dkatsushika%2Bhokusai%2Bsouth%2Bwind,%2Bclear%2Bdawn%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26biw%3D1440%26bih%3D721%26tbm%3Disch0%2C384&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=431&vpy=324&dur=524&hovh=187&hovw=269&tx=106&ty=93&sqi=2&page=2&ndsp=30&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:28&biw=1440&bih=721

GRDSN 3 - Project in the works.

Sometimes when I'm working on a project I'm trying to get a certain feel for, I'll make a photo montage of similar styles to what I want to carry through on my project. For the Graphic Design 3 project I want the label for the jams, jellies and canned goods to reflect the time period of my Grandmother's young adult life, the 1950's. So I went to the internet and pulled several pictures from that era to reflect in my design. It's nice to see them all together to see a common flow of colors, design styles and typography.

Competitive Audit

Who are the competitors?

Smuckers, Tree of Life, Walden Farms, Crofters, Bionaturae

What do their brands stand for?

Smuckers is your standard boughten jam, the others are more natural and organic based.

What markets/audiences do they serve?

They all serve families, some more health conscious than others

What advantages (strengths) do they have?

They are established, and/or certified organic

What disadvantages (weaknesses) do they have?

They are pricy, manufactured, and just don't have a down home feeling

What are their modes of selling and cultivating customers/clients?

labels, image of always being there

How do they position themselves?

Next to the peanut butter :D

How do they characterize their customers/clients?

Logo/Label design for Smuckers targets the younger audience with bright colors, the others are more toned down appealing to the adult that is health and nature conscious

What are their key messages?

Health, Happiness, Wholesome

What is their financial condition?

Smuckers is well established but I don't know much about the others

How much market share do they hold?

I can't figure out what you mean here.

How do they use brand identity to leverage success?

By being a common food in the house and brand loyalty well established

What do they look and feel like?

Smuckers is bright colored and appeals to children, the others are more earth-toned. They are all in glass jars, most of which are 8oz. as opposed to the 16 oz pint jars I'll be using, for only a few dollars more overall everything out there looks very manufactured.

Logo Ideas

This was just rough scratching and ideas of prices.

This drawing, specifically the one on the bottom, is one I'm debating for the logo. I miss drawing and I'm thinking to have a hand drawn logo.
The photos at top are from making jam and jelly with my grandma last week, it shows the process and proves authenticity. The doodles at the bottom are ideas for shipping, containers and displays. The product will all be canned in recycled glass pint jars, and the flats on top will be covered with scrap fabric and tied with a ribbon.

Graphic Design 3 - Assignment 2

Company name:

Grandma's Pantry

Product produced:

Jams and Jellies, Canned Veggies, maybe Canned Beef

What is the price range of the product?

$4-6 per pint

Who is the market for the product?

Families that want healthy, wholesome, down to earth food.

Who will buy the product?

Everyone, it's delicious!

What types of color schemes are appropriate for this market?

I'm thinking earth tones with reds, blues and greens

What type of typography is suitable? What are some possible typefaces?

I'm going to stick to old style fonts with the possibility of some decorative font

If the market and the purchaser are different, how can you create a logo that appeals to them both?

Note the health, and have appetizing imagery

What qualities will the company logo communicate? What words describe your company?

Wholesome, Home-i-ness, Healthy, Traditional

What words describe the product?

Delicious, Home-Made, Healthy, Traditional

What are the major strengths of the company?

Delicious, Home-Made, Healthy, Traditional, Grounded

What are the weaknesses of the company?

Many competitors, long production time

Who are the competitors for this product?

Tree of Life, Walden Farms, Crofters, Bionaturae

Graphic Design 3 - Assignments 2&3

I'll try to get these up ASAP I've misplaced the sketchbook with all the work in it and it's late.

Book Image Response 2 : Moulin Rouge

Fig. 11-24

By Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, this poster which is called "La Goulue au Moulin Rouge," was designed in 1891.

I've always loved the static and movement both present in this design. The colors make me feel comfortable and yet they are energetic, both things you need for a dance hall. This poster specifically advertises 'La Goulue' which basically means the glutton, referring to the main attraction dancer who had a love for the risqué.

One other thing I like about this design is how everything is silhouetted out except the main focus, and yet there is variety in color.

Movie Response

In response to the video about the Hamilton Wood Type Factory / Museum I have to say I found it fascinating and upsetting all at once. I was amazed by the variety of the wood type, and being a sucker for anything out dated, I love the idea of printing with wood type. I was however upset that due to finances, lack of interest, etc. that it truly may become extinct.

I personally would love to learn to carve the wood type and I was joking with Mom that if it paid better I'd move up there and help to bring it back to life. :) I feel bad for the museum worker that seems burnt out from trying to revive a dying trade. I know it has to be discouraging but I'm glad they are trying.

If we had the chance I'd love to go on a field trip up to see the museum... maybe we could work with the type I can't imagine how cool that would be! :)

IMG: http://www.graphic-design.com/typography/design/decorative-display-typestyles

Creative Brief - 1 - "The Fountain"

Identification

"The Fountain" by Marcel Duchamp, 1917

What is the project and the problem?

The project is quite literally a urinal laying on a pedistal. Written on the urinal is "R. Mutt 1917" It was simply a shock value piece and the orrigional was destroyed after being displayed for only a little while.

Who is the client?

I guess you could say that the client was the art show to which he'd submitted it. But even though the art show declared that any piece of art would be shown, "Fountain" was NOT shown.

Who is the intended audience?

The intended audience was the general public... forcing them to see ordinary objects in a new way.

What is the core message?

The core message was the beauty in every day objects.

What is the hoped-for outcome?

Shock value, and thinking a little more deeply about what is art?

What is the Graphic Strategy?

I think he just had an amusing thought and ran with it. Graphic strategy for shock value is so hard to pin down.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Duchamp_Fountaine.jpg

Response 1: The Rosetta Stone

I enjoyed learning a little about the Rosetta Stone, how it was the code breaker for the Egyptian Hieroglyphics. The different forms of writing through the ages and the regions really has always amazed me and it makes me smile to wonder how much of that originated with the Tower of Babble mentioned in the Bible.