learning to just roll with it.

Well this week was busy to say the least. With lots of tests and other assignments outside of design, it has been a bit of struggle to master the balancing act. (This is in part due to the fact that I don't care in the least about any of my classes other than design.) But I've realized that I am quickly adapting to the routine: leaving my house around 7:30 a.m. every morning ane not returning until 9 p.m. at the earliest. My roommates (all 10 of them) wonder what I'm doing all day, and they all roll their eyes when I say I'm in Lee Hills or Vox or working. I've definitely gotten into the swing of things though, and I don't hate it. I actually really like having a routine, and I know that all of the time I'm putting into my projects will be worth it in the end. So here's what I've been working on this week. 

Critique: Plaid Dad/Vox Cover

For our first prototype draft, I made lots of changes. Last week I posted my first drafts and my class' response to them. After taking some constructive criticism, I completely reworked my drafts and came up with these! 

I am much happier with them. I think it took me awhile to adapt to designing for a male audience, but I'm catching on (I think!). I went from being frustrated with our prototype to now being very excited about it. I think there is still definitely room for improvement in my designs and developing them, but I think this is a good start. I'm excited for the group creative director to be chosen so that we can actually get to work on the final product. 

Also! My cover got chosen for Vox this week and I was super excited. I posted my earlier drafts of the dirty jobs covers. There were a few tweaks and rearrangements, but here is the final cover which comes out TOMORROW! Hooray.

Response: The September Issue

Yesterday in class we watched The September Issue, the documentary film centered around Anna Wintour and Vogue. Jan wanted us to focus on the role of the creative director, Grace Coddington, and her role at the magazine and her relationship with Wintour. 

To me, it seemed that Coddington's role was basically to act as a managing editor. She made sure that everything happened on time, she coordinated photo shoots, and she made sure that Wintour was pleased with the content of the magazine (even if that meant sacrificing her own creations). She seemed to have less power than the editor-in-chief but put in a lot more behind-the-scenes work. 

I loved the color block photo shoot that she arranged and was the brains behind. I thought it was so creative under pressure and the fact that she tied in the cameramen shooting the documentary gave the shoot a fresh and very original look. 

The relationship between the two positions seems to be that the editor gives her opinion and the creative director is responsible for executing it in the appropriate way. However, with Wintour and Coddington, it seemed that the creative director position held much more freedom. 

The documentary definitely showed me that there is a chance that the position of creative director could be one that is taken advantage of. If Coddington hadn't stood up for herself, it seems that Wintour could have potentially tossed all of her work. However, the long relationship between the two definitely seems to have created an understanding of one another's creativity. 

Check it out: yayeveryday and How to Create Ornamental Patterns

So I LOVE the website yay!everyday. They feature some of the coolest art, videos, music, articles, etc. And the awesome thing is: they post something new everyday! So, because Arcade Fire has just announced a St. Louis tour date, and because so many people were hating on them after winning the Grammy for Album of the Year, I wanted to post this really awesome concert poster I found on yay!everyday. 

One other little gem I found on yay!everyday is the video posted below. Once again, it is typographic humor, but I find it beautiful and very well planned out. 

The Alphabet by N9ve

Also, YOUTHEDESIGNER features a step-by-step how to of creating beautiful ornamental backgrounds in photoshop. COOL.

YOUTHEDESIGNER

Oh, I forgot! My roommate, Sara, asked me to design a promotional poster for a concert she and a few others are planning called 'Music 4 Mobility.' It benefits the Culture That Crawls organization. The concert is March 24th at The Blue Note. Come one, come all.

She wanted the poster to be very similar to The Hangout festival poster, so this is what I came up with.