Final Project Progress Report - 3

I had to open my drawings in Photoshop and erase the background paper that showed in my book layout. I couldn't get rid of all of it, but I cleaned them up enough to use in the rough dummy. I laid out as many pages as I could, with text and sketches. My goal for this project was to learn how to get a book far enough along to be submitted as a proposal for publication. Naturally, I could not complete a book, but I was able to work through and understand each part of the process. I am much more comfortable with InDesign, which was the most difficult step for me. I learned a lot doing the project. 

Final Project Progress Report - 2

This has not been as productive a week as I would have liked. I did work on some of the 2-page spreads in InDesign. I didn't save them on my flash because I had some trouble with the background that I wanted to resolve first.  The paper from my original drawings scanned in and shows on the pages. I'm not sure how to fix that.  I also tried working on a digital illustration. I thought I could do it using Corel Draw, which of friend of mine has. I was hoping it would work something like Photoshop, but it doesn't.  My friend has only used the program to edit photos, so he couldn't help me, either. I tried to find some video tutorials, but they all gave instructions for very specific projects. So I'm back to having to wait to use Photoshop. It's been a real hindrance living so far from the computer lab. 

Final Project Progress Report - 1

I am working toward making a rough dummy and one finished digital illustration for a children's story book. I have been reading through two books: Illustrating Children's Books by Martin Salisbury, and Writing With Pictures by Uri Shulevitz. After reading some things in Shulevitz's book, I decided to revise my story. I pretty much rewrote the whole thing.  Publishers prefer a 32-page format for story/picture books, so that's what I am working with. I sketched out a 32-page story board, so I could map out  the way the story will fit onto the pages. The story board consists of thumbnail sketches of all of the 2-page spreads for the book. They are all laid out on one page. The story board also helps to organize where the illustrations will go. I have a small, very rough paper dummy to use as a model for my good rough paper dummy. I hope to complete the paper dummy this week, and begin scanning in the illustration sketches for the rough dummy using Adobe InDesign.

Student Art Show Ad

This is my completed ad implementing the suggestions I was given in class.

Ad I Really, Really Like--A Lot!

I was first drawn to this ad because of the beautiful design. When I looked at it more closely, I realized that I couldn't read it. I thought that it wasn't much good as an ad if the viewer couldn't figure out what it was communicating. Then I read about the ad and realized how very creative it is.

This is a help-wanted ad. It's far from the typical (and boring) help-wanteds that you usually see. This agency was looking for an expert typographer. This ad uses a contemporary color palette and a graphic style that references the Bauhaus school. The text is set in all dingbats. They did a series of these ads using Webdings, Wingdings and Zapf Dingbats. Only a real typography geek would be able to read the ads, which include all the info a person would need to apply for the job. This company is obsessed (their word) with typography. They wanted to hire a typographer who is, too. So this ad communitcates perfectly well to the target audience. I think it is top drawer (to coin a phrase from the Bauhaus era).

Another Ad I Really Like

What's the old saying about how the hat makes the man? These two men couldn't be more different. I don't know what kind of company is identified in the upper right corner, but if they sell hats, then how clever is that? I think this is a smart ad. It's clean, very simple, but communicates so much.

Ad I Like

Most of the ads that caught my eye stood out from the rest because they were so clean. They communicated a point, but did not contain superfluous information. This ad is simple and direct. It directs the viewer to choose between two options. There is no grey between the black and white here.