Brian Grove: Final Post

This class really taught me to pay attention to the details. What I thought were insignificant parts of design (typeface, grids, alignment) are actually huge parts of how the final project comes out. I feel like this is something I can apply to all of my other classes as well. I never really noticed how much different variety there is in design until this class but now I realize just how much work it takes to come up with a brilliant idea, put that image onto a piece of paper or on a computer screen, then take that and make it work for thousands and millions of places. Of course I’m gonna be paying more attention to every Helvetica typeface I see in everywhere, and I’ll never forget that video and the slides we watched in class about what a typeface says about a word/expression/car/anything. This class also taught me how to work on a tight deadline because quite frankly I was scrambling around on every assignment we had at the last second and from now on I will be able to scramble a bit more effectively in the future. Overall, I’m extremely happy with the class and the experience it gave me.

Marwa Eltagouri: Final Post

Going into this class, I knew it would be really difficult. My friends who had taken the class before warned me of how stressful it was, and the effort it would require. Yet looking back at the end of the semester, I think that this class has been great. I’ve always been really into art and graphics for me was kind of a form of art, just cleaner, simpler, and more efficient. Despite the stress and despite all the hard work, I’m proud of my portfolio, and I feel that the outcome of this class has been greater than any other I took this semester. I recognize bad typeface and poor design, and I feel I now have a good idea of how to best present content. I in fact considered going into graphic design a few times because I found it so interesting. Overall, my experience has been great, and I’m definitely leaving this class with a far better design perspective than I ever believed I could have.

Chloe Gersten: Final Post

Before this class, I didn’t criticize everything I saw. For this, I am grateful. This class had the same effect on me as COM117 did. I now look at designs, images, typefaces, etc. through an educated lens. Just like I notice when an interview isn’t shot using the rule of thirds, I now notice visual tension and ineffective uses of white space. As a Magazine major, one of the things I love about magazines is the design. This semester I have become more interested in pursuing design, versus the writing and journalism aspect to magazines. I think the biggest surprise to me was how long doing anything takes. I would sit down to work on a project, and realize that it had taken me 5 hours to successfully create half of a design. I often had trouble re-creating my sketches on the programs, exactly as I wanted them to appear. Maybe this was due to ineptitude in InDesign or Illustrator, but it has made me have a greater appreciation for successful designs. Overall, I’m happy to have taken this class. I learned a lot of basic skills to improve, and have produced work that I am exited to show other people.

Kelsey Capobianco: Final Post

When I first entered this class, I had no previous knowledge of anything graphics-related. I was nervous because I was under the impression that everyone else knew exactly what they were doing. I may not have have previous experience, but I can honestly say that I have learned a great deal from this class. I’m proud of each project I’ve put together.

This class has made me love designing. I’m not the best at it, but I still find it fun to construct posters, websites, etc. I can also say that this class has made me pay attention to detail. I never thought about font choices before I took this class. I am aware that some fonts are more powerful than others, but I never knew how much time is spent choosing the right typeface.

I find myself constantly praising and critiquing elements of design. Each element of a project must fit together in such a way that will attract the attention of the target audience. I am excited to take my new eye for design into the real world.

I also have a greater appreciation of different graphics projects. I understand how time consuming they are.

-Kelsey

p.s. Rasterizers for life!

Roxanne Hesh: Final Post

Coming into Graphics, I didn’t know what to expect. When I found out that we would be learning about Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator I was thrilled. I had never used any of these programs but had always heard people referring to them. On completion of this course, I am glad to say that I can now use InDesign and Illustrator with no problems, and even though I still have a lot to learn I can somewhat operate Photoshop. I know I may be using some of these programs in future classes and possibly in my career, so I am happy that I now have some knowledge. For life in general, this class has taught me to ask questions (no question is a stupid one) and to never procrastinate something I am not fully sure of how to use. This class has also taught me to keep an open mind. Although I was not the biggest fan of the projects in this class, I learned a lot about my work ethic and surprisingly I did fairly well on some of the projects despite doubting everything I did. This class was beneficial and I appreciate the help that was provided.

Sean Brech Final Post

Coming away from this class, I feel that I have learned alot that I will take with me to other classes and into everyday life. I learned software such as Photoshop and InDesign that will help me as I move more into studying for what my career outside of Syracuse will be. I can honestly say that I don’t think I will ever look at text the same way again after taking this class. There is so much more that I notice now everywhere I go, whether it be a sign posted in Schine or just while reading a newspaper.  Before this class I never realized how much went into making text appear as it does. This class helped me to bring out my creative side in what I do. I’m not the most creative person in the world, but I realized that I can bring what I am passionate towards into work and be able to convey that passion towards others. I want to thank Professor Sanefski and Veronica for a great semester. I really learned alot.

 

Heidi Chu: Final Post

Before I took this class, I was clearly oblivious to all the efforts put into the graphical elements in the products of this world. I knew that different types of typefaces made different effects on its audience, but I didn’t realize how there are so much more graphical elements put into a design to properly and effectively present a message. Now, I see the efforts of designers in their products in every ad , website, and poster I see.

Although I clearly still have a long way to go if I were to become anything related to a graphic designer, I now realize the difficulties that the job entails and the motivation of perfection needed to graphically design the perfect message.

As a Public Relations major, I would obviously be working closely around graphical elements to create an image for various types of clients. Through the basics that I’ve learned thus far, I’ll hopefully be able to use graphics to accurately present a client in this digital world.

Devon Braunstein: Final Post

Taking graphics was definitely very beneficial for me in terms of my work and other aspects of my daily life. My new familiarity with the Adobe Creative Suite will come in handy for a tentative career as a public relations practitioner. I’ve already found it useful for things outside of class projects, like PR campaigns and creating logos. I also have gained a sense for design and would consider myself a legitimate judge of what looks good and what doesn’t. As Darren told us in the beginning of the semester, it is important to have an understanding of the workings behind design: the time, the creativity, and the tediousness. During my internship last summer for a PR, marketing and advertising firm, I witnessed first hand the conflicts within a work environment that can arise from a misunderstanding of the graphic design process. Taking this class has given me valuable insight and knowledge of a job that affects almost every company or profession, thus it will give me an advantage when I apply for jobs or internships in the future. The class also challenged me with assignments that were out of my comfort zone, making me a stronger student overall and teaching me the benefits of accepting constructive criticism.

 

Lauren Duda: Final Post

This class has immensely helped improve my skills in graphic design, as well as my confidence in learning software. Despite the long hours of work outside the classroom, I really did learn an awful lot from this class. I learned how to choose a typeface so that reinforces my idea, and I also learned how to more efficiently design a page so that it highlights the content. I think this will help me in the professional world, because if I ever have to work with a graphic designer on a project, I now know the correct terminology to use to describe what I want. In addition, I also know I cannot tell them to “have it done by tomorrow morning,” because, as I learned from this class, most of the time tat isn’t feasible. In terms of everyday life, this class has changed my attitude toward type and layout of magazines, television ads, etc. I now pay much more attention to it and place a much higher importance on it than I ever did before.

LD

Maddy Berner–Final Post

 

Since taking this class, I’ve learned a lot about graphic design–how to analyze it and create my own. Now, I have the trained eye to  understand what makes a design appealing or not. Everywhere I go, I see typography and logos with a new point of view. Instead of just looking past street signs and websites, I’ve become inspired by them. I’ve even began redesigning some things in my head because I now know what looks good. Today, graphic design has become an important skill and I’m glad I’ve learned it.

In my work, I’ve learned how to create graphic art using three different programs. Throughout the semester, my work has become more clean-cut, more professional but also more representative of myself. I’ve learned what is aesthetically pleasing in a certain layout and what isn’t. This enables to me to streamline my skills to create something incredible and just not mess around. When I experiment with typefaces and colors, it’s all for a purpose.

The above image is an example of a cool layout design. Through this class, I’ve learned that some designs work and some don’t. Now, I can use that to design my own works of graphic art.