Big Finish | Wu

World is different after GRA217. sometimes it is better, since I learned how to appreciate things. Sometimes it is worse, since I learned how to criticize things.

I enjoyed the class a lot. I love Sherri Taylor. I filled the orphans and widows in zine project full of this statement. I enjoyed Paul's emails so much. They are the funniest emails ever. I never had so much fun reading assignment emails. Even though sometimes I do not get the humor of Paul...Anyways, I got to know some people on class. We survived this visual storm the semester together. I had been fun.

Annie Leibovitz: Reiter

Often when I go to concerts and see a performer it is hard for me to digest that they are actually right in front of me and a real, live person. Oddly enough I felt this when Annie Leibovitz came on stage, partly because of the crowd's obvious awe for her, but also because she has met so many incredibly famous and intelligent people. I expected most of her presentation to go over the fascinating parts of her job, the crazy encounters she has had, and all the people she has met. However, much of what she shared while speaking was personal and casual. It became clear very fast that she is a photographer because she has an intense passion for it, not because of the celebrities or the money. She focused a little bit on all the landscape work that she has done which I thought was very interesting because mainly when people think of Annie Leibovitz they immediately think of portraits. It was curios to see this other side of her work.
I also learned that she has a sense of humor that must be one of the things that really draws her subjects towards her that she photographs. When telling the story about Niagara Falls she really gave the public some insight into her personal life but also displayed her humor when she showed the view (or lack there of) from her window. I think the most important thing that I took away from her speech was that she said it is important to really stick with something and work on a project for a while. I thought this was interesting because another photographer I saw this semester had the same message. I think that part of photography is really learning everything about something so that you can really display a subject in a still photo. I think knowing everything about something is also extremely interesting and worthwhile. Overall, I really enjoyed Annie Leibovitz's speech for thinking outside of the box and not focusing on the stereotypical topics of an achieved photographer, and also displaying her humbleness.

Take 2 on Project Post | Picini

I was reading my comments on this post (Thank you! I really appreciate the critique) and I realized that for some reason only my first two pages posted, so I decided to repost with the other jpegs. Sorry for the confusion and for posting so much today!

Final Post: Jasuta

During my time in this class, my flash drive crashed, I was forced into downloading the Adobe Suite free trial during Spring Break while I should've been surfing, and I was required to invest in a GPS to navigate me through the maze that this school calls Newhouse. I loved every minute of it.

After taking this class, I went to my adviser and told her I was switching into Graphics. Being a PR professor, however, she talked me into staying in PR. HOWEVER if Newhouse allowed double majors, this would easily be my next choice. I'm a visual person (as an art history major on top of the PR major) and so any class that focused on the arts is right up my alley.

I'd heard about how tough graphics is and how much work it takes. Yes, I spent many early mornings in the Newhouse labs before class touching up last minute details, but I always enjoyed the projects. I was always able to turn in work that I was proud to hand in, and I learn a significant level of technical finesse in working with the Adobe Suites. Even though I struggled at posting on the blog (a lot) (ahem), the workload was more than manageable with the time allotted for the projects. One of the biggest things I learned in the class was time management; I started every project the day it was assigned, and so I never felt pressured nor spent all-nighters in the lab. I feel very comfortable with design now, and I'm hoping to incorporate everything I learned in this class in my major and future professional career.

Professor Taylor was an absolute joy to have as a professor. I was never bored in class, I looked forward to this 9:30am course (call me a morning person), and I learned so much valuable information because of her enthusiasm and honest passion for the subject matter. Paul, you're a gem for putting up with my "I'm-lost-in-Newhouse-again" text messages when I'd attempt to meet with you for office hours. I thought the TA-professor pairing was priceless, both hold so much creative exuberance for both the subject and the students, I never felt that I was up a creek without a paddle with Prof. Taylor and Paul ready to throw me a live vest before I drowned in pikas.

Thanks for a great semester!

Jasuta: Annie Leibovitz

Special Topics #1: Annie Leibovitz

The arrival of Annie Leibovitz marked a significant amount of excitement and work for Syracuse University. In order to showcase her work to the students and Syracuse community for the lecture on April 29^th, Leibovitz requested that the university acquired a specific projector and screen that she usually uses. Supposedly, the university had to put down $3,000 for the equipment and had to have it driven in from New York City.

But all the work and preparation was worth it, for the photography legend as she showed her work that went along with the stories she told the overcapacity crowd in Hendricks. From landscapes with meaning to portraits that depicted intense feeling and emotion, Leibovitz herself injected the lecture with personality and emotion of her own, leaving the audience hanging on her every word.

With her esteemed track record, it’s not wonder Leibovitz’s personality is candid and open. Her works have included photographs of superstar celebrities to real people. Her Miley Cyrus has sparked controversy in the past several years, her famous image of John Lennon and Yoko Ono remains a classic, and she recently shot a series of Disney-themed photographs with celebrities posing as Disney characters. During the lecture she did touch on her current financial issues, but only in an obscure reference. She was humble in showing her most recent work that focuses on images of places associated with deceased celebrities: people such as Virginia Woolf, Sigmund Freud, Emily Dickinson and Eleanor Roosevelt.

Baby bye bye bye | Picini

In accordance with the rest of the semester, I forgot to post my blog on time, but here it is:

I've really enjoyed Graphics. I'm a really visual person, so a class like Graphics is a lot more interesting to me than a strictly theoretical or written one. I liked having a Graphics class though, as opposed to just Photography, because it made me think about splitting interest between words and photos. Professor Taylor talked about people not respecting photographs, which isn't a problem for me, but I was reminded to pay attention to the text too, and had to balance their coexistence in most of the projects. As far as what I've learned, everything I know about Adobe Illustrator and InDesign I learned from this class. I knew nothing at all about those. I'd used Photoshop before, but it helped me learn shortcuts and such, which will be very useful in my career. I really liked the fact that we didn't have tests and the class was based on the projects we had, because I'm not a good test taker but I can put time and effort into projects.

I loved the class itself too. I loved my peer critique group, we had some excellent laughs and flipping fantastic widow-avoiding techniques. Professor Taylor is an excellent teacher, I loved how she showed her enthusiasm and humor and interacted with us during class while still teaching us so much. Paul, you were a fantastic TA. I would have been SO lost without all your help, thank you for putting up with my endless emails when I didn't understand something or forgot for the millionth time to post my blog. You have been so helpful, approachable and such a joy to receive instructions from. Honestly, I looked forward to your emails. There was never a dull word. Except for "S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications | Syracuse University" You may want to spice that up a little.

I also learned a lot about myself as well. For instance, that half my wardrobe is yellow, which became evident when every outfit I wore on due dates matched the yellow themed projects I was turning in. I swear it wasn't intentional. I was reminded that I'm a Harry Potter freak, although I never really forgot that.

A short story: Recently I was looking at a friend's paddle she had decorated for her big in a sorority and someone commented on how nice and clean it looked. I went, "Yeah!! I love your wooden letters, they're so.. Sans Serif!" Everyone laughed at me. Story of my life.

Annie Leibovitz | Picini

Being a Photojournalism major, I think it makes sense that I was thrilled about getting to hear from Annie Leibovitz. I have to say, it was the weirdest thing ever knowing so much about her and her pictures and then seeing her walk into Hendricks like it was no big deal at all. I have a lot favorite things she said, but for the sake of not failing my upcoming finals and needing to post this by tonight, I'll make it limited.

She read from her autobiography about how she traveled so much as a child with her family. She said something to the effect of: Before she had even thought about photography and the idea of it as a career, "I saw the world through a frame, the frame of my father's station wagon." This made me laugh because I've realized before that I see my whole life through a camera lens. Even when I don't have my camera with me, whenever I see anything beautiful, disparaged, unusual, shockingly usual or joyful, I wish I had my camera. I can see exactly how the picture would look and wish that I could capture it to keep it forever, because I view my life through my viewfinder, even when it's not in front of my face. I loved the perspective of that frame of her childhood, and it made me start thinking about what frames I have viewed mine through as a kid. I haven't decided yet, and I think it'll take finals week ending before I can think straight enough to decide, but I'm excited about the prospect of it.

Some memorable things she said were:

-"I booked a helicopter but I felt like that was cheating, so I told myself that Ansel Adams would have used a helicopter."

-"Pictures take on a new meaning when someone dies."

-(About the queen) "They said there was no way she was going outside in her formal attire. Have you ever seen the queen's informal attire??"

I also realized during this how many Historical things and locations she's had a chance to photograph. Being a History nerd as well, I was amazed. She's photographed the homes or possessions of Virginia Woolf, Freud, Georgia O'Keefe, Queen Elizabeth II and Johnson's glass house. Although I much prefer photographing people to objects and locations, I'm in awe of the history she's photographed.

I'll close with how she closed, and steal her wise words. "Reality is plenty, that's life. You make it what it is. The future has to be invented. And the future is almost always invented by the young."

Adieu, adieu to you and you and you!

Farewell Gra 217!!! Overall I really liked the class, the magazine project was probably my favorite project in the entire course because I feel like there was a lot more freedom with the magazine. The most frustrating part about the class were the labs because I didn't really feel like I got a good understanding of the software, I understood it enough to get the projects done; but that was kind of it. My lab instructor wasn't a bad instructor by any means I just think it's hard to teach a group of students something you know very well when you're not really a teacher or professor.

In the class I really learned the importance of visual hierarchy and what it is to be able to manipulate a reader around a page. I'm more type conscious in everyday and it's kind of driving me crazy.

Today I went to see my friends thesis presentation and the girl after her had a powerpoint and the type was some oddly indented light stroke of some serif typeface. She even used italics at times to differentiate the quotes of certain speakers, I wanted to throw up. See? It's driving me crazy, I was nauseous her entire presentation.

I really enjoyed the class and even though it was stressful at times, I would still recommend it to a friend. Sherri Taylor (and yes I do find it necessary to say her first and last name whenever I talk about her) is a great professor. At times she seemed cold but she really knows her stuff and sometimes the truth is what you need to hear to get better at what you do.

Final Post | Susan Mihalick

I was shaking in my boots (quite literally, I remember I wore boots) the first day of Graphics class. All the Newhouse students I had spoken to about this course had said things like, “graphics will rule your life” or “guess I won’t be seeing you this semester.” Naturally, after these reactions, I anticipated failure. I mean, when a class is portrayed as “time consuming, confusing, intimidating, and AWFUL”, who wouldn’t?

Thankfully, my experience in Graphics this semester did not fit many of these descriptions. While I do agree that the projects were quite time consuming, and at times, frustratingly confusing in the production stages, I really felt successful in this course. All of the projects were enjoyable and beneficial. I truly could not have done any of my projects though or felt this self-proclaimed “success” without the help and encouragement of our awesome T.A. (you know who you are…Paul) and our highly qualified and caring Prof. Taylor. It was their influences that ultimately lead me to a greater respect and admiration for all things design.

I never thought I would learn and benefit as much from this class as I have. Graphics has without a doubt made me far more comfortable and confident with the Adobe Creative suite. I am still no expert, but I no longer cringe and let out a small squeal over the words “In Design” or “Photoshop”. I know that the skills I have learned in this class from the gestalt principles to the pen tool will somehow, serve me well in the future. Also, all those hours in the labs (and yes, regardless of what a Prof. may say and how much pre planning you do…you WILL end up being in the labs for quite some time) have made me realize what I do and do not enjoy about design. Conceptualizing and idea, free hand drawing designs and thumbnails, love it! While production, editing, tabs, formatting I could definitely live without.

I also learned a great deal about my work ethic and myself. Here we go: I am stubborn, enjoy being creative, persistent (within reason) and am far more of a perfectionist than I like to think (as I was OFTEN unsatisfied with my projects). This knowledge is priceless.

Looking back, I honestly would have taken this class, even if it were not a Newhouse requirement. I genuinely enjoyed my time in Graphics, and am considering taking more classes, regardless of my major. Thank you for reigniting my passion for design. I will forever be a business card collecting, pen tool using, type “snob.” My sincere thanks!

FInal Post: Reiter

I really didn't know what to expect from this class at all coming in, but I can certainly say that I learned a lot more than I thought during this semester. One of the most important lessons: take time on things and don't procrastinate!!! So many of the projects we did were extremely creative and fun; I just wish I had taken more time on every one of them. I definitely considered this class when I first signed up to be a complete computer class that would take place in the labs. But I soon discovered that this class was less a program/computer class and more an art and creative class.
I do wish that the labs took a little more time teaching the programs because I definitely forgot everything almost instantly and would've enjoyed some more in-depth instruction. However, the time in lab was nice to work on projects. Also, I think this class was a lot more fun and enjoyable because of Paul and his light heartedness/ humor. All the emails we received were hilarious and it really does motivate you to do better (even though it might not seem like it, haha). Overall, this class taught me more about how to look at things than computer programs. I now look at all typefaces and in every magazine I read I look for a grid. This really class really does make you look at the world differently. And now I have a resume! yay!

Week 15 Final Post Ryan McDonnell

So the year's now come to a close and so is GRA 217. I wasn't too sure what to expect coming into the class considering I didn't know too much about design. As the semester progressed, however, I quickly found out what it was all about.

I learned a lot from this class on how to utilize the Adobe suite to its fullest potential as well as all the principles that make design flow the way it does. Whether it be visual hierarchy or choosing typefaces, I learned a ton about design.

Due to this class I also look at logos and typefaces differently. I'm more aware of the processes that go into creating things and the decision making for typefaces. I can even recognize some fonts in every day life thanks to the class.

All in all I liked this class. The workload was quite a lot, but I feel like I got a lot out of the class. It really helped me express my creativity and put my ideas in motion. It was a very stimulating class and in the end I am very happy with my decision to take this class. The people in the class also made it a fun environment, whether it be Professor Taylor, Paul, or my classmates. I think having the right set of people goes a long way in how you enjoy the class, and I must say that was the case here.

I am happy to have taken GRA 217 this semester and I must say I can take away a lot from my experiences in it.

Last Post: Nadell

This class has taught me an unbelievable amount of information about design. Entering this class I new absolutely nothing about it. I never really thought about typefaces, or images, or white space. I don't know, I just didn't take the time to notice things through the lens of design. This class has really opened me up to taking the time to see how a billboard, magazine, website, etc. catches my eye. This class has made me think of color, font type and size and pictures differently.

Obviously since I never thought of things in the way of design, I have learned from this class the various words of design. I never heard of gestalt or typeface or nameplate or point or pica. But now I understand how this words apply to design and the real world.

This class has extended my knowledge of using the adobe suites. Having these skills are going to help in any profession in the future. Using these programs are the way of the future. The resume project was extremely helpful to me because it forced me to create a resume. I didn't not have a resume until we started the project. Not only did I make a resume, but I learned how to make an appealing resume. A resume that will help me get good jobs in the future. This class has taught me many useful skills that I will be using a lot through out my educational and professional career.

Week 14: Nadell

I tried to incorporate everything that I have learned about design this semester into my website design. The first thing I wanted to do was to connect a lot of text and colors within my design. I made “New Trier Winter Carnival” lithos pro, which is the same as the headers on my pages. The tool bar at the top is in cooper std, which is the same as the body text on the site.

As for color, the page that you are currently on is yellow and the header of that page is also in yellow. I made the colors of the website blue, green and white, which reflect the high school’s colors. I think the color connections help create continuity on my website.

The pictures on my pages, all of the people face in towards the text to guide the reader’s eyes from the picture to the text. The New Trier Winter Carnival logo is at the top letf of all the pages to create repetition.

I choose cooper std because it caught my eye and it is easy to read. I picked lithos pro because it has a carnival feel to me and I like its uniqueness.

I tried to keep my website very simple because when a website is too complex, it usually has bad design. When there is too much going on the viewer doesn’t know where to look first and doesn’t know what to read.

Final Post | Palermo

I wasn't really sure what to expect going into this class. I thought the class would be geared more towards topics like the gestalt principles of design. But I learned so much more than that in the class. I gained a greater understanding and respect for design and typography. This class made me look at things in greater detail.

Even when I wasn't in class I would still look at things through a graphics lens (which sometimes scared me when I caught myself doing it). I noticed myself paying more attention to things like typefaces and magazine spreads. I remember I noticed the use of Hobo on a classmates project and got really excited that I had known what typeface it was. This class was one of the few classes I've taken thus far in my Public Relations/Accounting dual major that allows you to be creative with visuals.

I enjoyed the experience and learned a lot in the process. My favorite project was the magazine project. I love flipping through magazines (mostly sports and music ones) and always like to pick one up when I'm bored at home.

This course was challenging because I was learning to think through a different lens and I had to master software I had little experience with. The lab TAs, Paul and Professor Taylor were more than happy to help along the way and made my learning experience in this course a great one.

Final Post | Mariotti

I was definitely looking forward to taking this class. I knew that the skills I would learn would be extremely beneficial in the magazine journalism career. What I didn't expect, though, was for the projects to be so fun and interesting, and relate to my life right now. It was great that we got to design a resume, which was very helpful for when I applied for internships. I even got to help my friend, who is not in Newhouse, design her resume.

My favorite project, though, was the magazine project, which isn't surprising given that I'm a magazine journalism major. Even though it was one of the more difficult and detail-oriented projects, I found it allowed me to be the most creative and innovative out of all of the projects.


I found I have been looking at the world through a new lens after learning about all that goes into design. I now notice typefaces, visual hierarchy, gestalt principles, and other design elements everywhere I go. Even though this was my earliest morning class, I looked forward to attending class. Professor Taylor and Paul were both so passionate about graphics that I couldn't help but be enthusiastic about it as well.

Week 14 | Mariotti

Design:
I used the colors black and red for my website, because those are the colors used in playing cards, which is suitable for a Casino Night. I wanted the design to be simple, not too busy.

Choice of Typefaces:
For the Navigation bar I used Stempel Garamond LT. For the body type, I used Futura. I used a different type for the body because Futura was more readable in a smaller type than Stempel Garamond LT.

Visuals:
The photos were taken at this years event by Meg Kackley.

Final Post l McGill

I have to admit that when I saw I needed to take a graphics class I anticipated it being a class that I didn't really like and just had to 'get through.' I'm happy to say that this was not the case at all. I'm not sugar coating this at all either. Graphics ended up being one of my favorite classes that I've taken so far. I think graphics could easily be taught in a boring way, but the way we learned about it kept me really interested.

The diversity of projects was nice because it gave us experience with three of the major Adobe software products. Through spending so much time working with the programs, I really did gain a new respect for design. Before this class, I would look at a design of something; judge it as something I liked or didn't like, and that would be that. Now I still decide if I like a design or not, but a lot more goes into my thought process. I must say though that I'm not thrilled that I see grids every time I look at a design now.

I've learned that it is a huge misconception that design is easy - because it's not! Even once you master the software, it can be really tough to be creative. I'll take a lot from GRA with me as I continue in my career and truly believe that it has established a solid foundation in my future. I'm actually excited to take another graphics class in the future, hopefully I'll enjoy that one as much as I did this one.

Extremely Sentimental Final Post | Nelson

Ok, this semester flew by, and I will greatly miss graphics class. The first day, I thought it was going to be just like a computer class, learning programs and making things here and there, but this was intense! Every week there was graphics work to be done--if you didn't want your project to suck and lock yourself in the labs last minute. I didn't think this class would turn me into an Adobe and graphics junkie...but I am! I look at text, magazines, websites, pretty much anything I encounter in life differently, which is saying a lot since I feel I had always observed the world in a very visual way being an art person. I had always feared working on actual computer programs since I'm a computer idiot and stick to simple microsoft programs and the internet (though I used the very adventurous Google Chrome). But the labs really spelled out every aspect of its tools and different things I could utilize, and I found Adobe Suite to not be as scary as I had originally expected.

I learned a lot this semester in terms of design (and when it isn't appropriate to use the F word). The color principles and gestalt principles of continuity, equilibrium and similarity are essentially burned into my brain. I learned about the importance of brainstorming and the need for white space. Also, I learned to really look at pieces as a whole and see how it all works together, since the final whole product is what's ultimately important, rather than its separate elements.

I have no complaints really...other than the day I decided to work on my webdesign for how ever many hours straight until it was finished, and I had an awful cough and went in and out of a fever in the lab (I must've been a sore sight too since the kid next to me seemed rather shifty and kept casting me weird little looks). My least favorite project was magazine, which is really bad since I am/was a mag major...oh well. Surprisingly, my favorite one to design was the website and the poster, even though those two seemed to have the most obstacles for me. But in both cases, after hours of brainstorming, I always got a random lightning idea when I wasn't even really thinking on it, and they were hits.

I'll miss my little graphics buddies, and how our little critique group would always sit around nervously for a few minutes before passing around our projects (face down) for opinions. I'll miss Taylor and you, Paul; graphics was my favorite class of the day. I learned a lot in a short period of time (choosing the right texts, using the gestalt principles properly, choosing good/contrasting colors, etc), and it's all information that will help me greatly with future projects.

Last Post | Leveille

In general, this class has given me a new outlook on the world: a deeper appreciation of our surroundings regarding graphics.

I've always known that communication is a key aspect in getting a point across to an audience. I've always known that images make a difference in communication. But what I never realized was how powerful graphics really are. The only knowledge I had about graphics before walking into the classroom this semester was what I learned in 8th grade and my experience in designing my high school newspaper.

This class made me look at everything around me in a different way. Including typefaces. I was in my IR class the other day, and my TA had made a Powerpoint. I caught myself looking at the title and thinking that it didn't look visually appealing, and that he should have either used a different font or adjust the tracking/kerning.

I'm glad i learned all the concepts we went over - and I'm sure there's plenty more. Everything we've learned is definitely going to be helpful in the future, especially the programs we learned to use like InDesign.

One more thing, I love and appreciate how enthusiastic both Prof. Sherri Taylor and Paul are about graphics and their students - that makes all the difference in the world.

Final Post | Loguidice

Hmm, what can I say about GRA 217? In all honesty, I expected this class to be a mirror image of my highschool graphics class: slightly frustrating, time consuming(which both kind of were. Not that I minded much), and always leaving me behind. I never have considered myself a designer--that is, I never considered myself a designer before taking this course.

This course was amazing in more ways than one. Professor Taylor was an excellent teacher who was funny, interested in design, and interested in her students. I think it's something rare when you find a person who really loves their job--or maybe it's rare in highschool, and college is something totally different. When a professor really loves his or her job, you can tell, and it makes learning that much more engaging and fun.

I really hope that Paul considers going into teaching at some point in his career; he was honestly one of my favorite TAs that I've had so far in my college career (I realize I'm a freshman, but I think this would definitely be as true this year as senior year). He's easy to talk to and definitely knows design and I have a feeling that if he has any future students, they would agree with me. :) (By the way, I agree with Ieva's feelings-let us know if you need any future student feedback!)

I learned so much from this course. Not only do I now love the computer software which used to irk me so (InDesign is my new love), but I'm also confident that I can contribute to the design process. I feel like this course has shown me that anyone can create a good design, the secret lies in the time and conceptualization one puts into it.

I personally liked learing about Gestalt (I think, around that time, I was also learning about Gestalt in Psychology. How ironic.) I didn't know that design played such an important role in the process of communicating information (no matter what the format).I now appreciate the effort that designers put into their work and I know how to recognize good design for what it is.

On a final note, I have two more things to say. First, this class has now blessed me with a hatred for the typeface 'Papyrus' (I cringe when I see it). And Second, I now have developed a peculiar tendency to laugh at graphic/typeface jokes. It's funny, because I can look at something such as the San Serriffe April Fool's joke published by The Guardian (If you want to know what that is. Here, this is for you. ) or that video on collegehumor.com and anyone I show has absolutely no idea why I think it's so funny. I try to explain, but it just get's lost in translation. So, thanks GRA 217 for a newly warped sense of humor :) At least I'll be amused :)

Final Blog Post | Irina Dvalidze

I can honestly say that despite one too many all-nighters, aka me procrastinating in the labs till 4 am and calling it an all-nighter, GRA 217 was really a pleasure. I learned more than I could have ever anticipated. The reason I initially took the class was because I wanted to be able to combine the software knowledge with my TRF core. However as the semester progressed I learned a lot more about the general design principles that will come in handy when applying them to filmmaking.

Often times I wished that I was not so stressed under deadlines because with each project. I felt that I could have taken each one so much further if I had more time. But on the other hand the time limitations were also what motivated me to work, so I suppose it was all give and take.
I really liked Professor Taylor's approach to the class overall. It was very pleasant and rational, while demanding at all times. I truly enjoyed the class, especially the back row shenanigans, aka Paul's awesome commentary and Evan's loud giggles.

Long live Michael Beirut!

P.S. i cant ever look at typefaces the same way again. Damn you Helvetica!

The Last Post| Staponkute

Overall, this class is on top of my favorites. I always wanted to learn to use software for stuff like magazines and logos. And here you go, I finally did! I was actually asked if I knew InDesign and Photoshop at my interview for the internship the other day. I am definitely installing all the programs we used in class into my PC. I also like creative job, so that I like having time to reflect and not to hurry too much. I feel like I would love to have all of the classes the same style.

I also think that professor Taylor did an amazing work. She was one of the professors which showed that she really cared about the students' improvements and was willing to help at any time. I always received useful feedback from her and it was easy to set up appointments. She selected useful projects in order to learn skills that will be useful in the future. For e.g. creating your resume is one the important things for your career, so learning to represent yourself well by design is very helpful. I have already used my resume for internships and it worked well! And I will definitely use my logo. I am collecting everything I have done for this class and I am going to bring all my work back home to show my parents what I learned because I am proud of the skills I gained.

I am also very thankful to a TA Paul, he was very helpful throughout the semester. He was the first person to ask for help when needed. Non of the other TA's gave my as useful feedback as Paul did. I can already imagine what a good professor (if he is pursuing it) he would be. Paul, if you need any future references or feedback from students about your work, tell me, I will definitely give you a great one :)

I would rate this class 10 out of 10.

Week 14 | Staponkute

Design and strategy

For my web design I chose an event organized by red cross. They organize babysitting classes for teens where they can learn to be responsible, basics about the children care and much more. The event does not reveal what the collected money will be used for but since red cross is a non-profit organization I assume it must must be used for something great. I decided that for my pages I want to have a cute baby picture. The one I have is perfect since it is also leading our attention to the right where the information is. I also tried to match blue background with child's eyes. And blue color is also related to the purity and it also calming. The color for a navigation bar text I matched with the red cross which is in logo of the organization. When you are on the page the navigation bar text puts on a light orange. I created an extra text in orange and then put it on top on the true red color. I tried not to have too many colors and wanted to play with grey, blue, white, red, and navy blue I had. For the info page, I included some extra information in the left about the kids in Africa which would appreciate financial help. I thought that since the web site is directed towards children, and that the info page talks about money, visitors might consider helping one of these kids. For the photo gallery, I found these fun arrows in the google images. For a register page, I included a baby's hand directing us to the text on the left. And for the contacts page I found a random picture of an old lady (looks more experienced and reliable) and put it next to contact information which was already given. Seeing pictures is much more fun!

Typography

I had 3 main fonts for my text. One of these is Apple Casual which I used for the headline of the web site. It looks modern and young so I thought it would be decent since we are talking about babies. I also used Hobo Std for navigation bar and some main text. This looks also fun. Then for the body text I used Bell Gothic Std which looks more convenient to read than the Hobo font. I also tried to find similar text to the logo text, and I used Arial Black to vary some typography within the text.

Week 14: Project Posting Wolk

For my interface design project, I chose a not-for-profit event benefiting Camp Good Days and Special Times, the Gamma Phi Beta Crescent Classic. The Crescent Classic is an event held by my sorority, Gamma Phi Beta, and is a huge capture the flag competition. I wanted my website design to make the event look fun while showcasing the good that it does for children through Camp Good Days. The colors that I chose, pink and brown, are the colors of Gamma Phi Beta, so I thought that using them would be a good way to incorporate our house into the design. The gray in the background of my design was chosen simply because it is neutral and not distracting.

The crescent is the symbol of both our house and also the event, and was used in the poster that we created for this event. For the navigation bar, I used the pink and brown scheme to show which page is currently active. The banner at the top of my design was created in Photoshop with the shape tool, and I think it makes the page look very professional.

I chose the typeface ITC Avant Garde Gothic Std for every part of my design. I’ve used this typeface in the past and I am just drawn to it for some reason. I think that it is readable and inviting, sophisticated without being too boring.

The pictures that I used all came from the previous Crescent Classic, and I took each one on my own camera. The only exception is the logo of Camp Good Days and Special Times, which came from the organization’s website.

Week 14: Nicole Buckbinder (Floating Re-do)

Event Choice:

I decided to use the same event for my website as I had already done for my poster. I really liked working with this event and I felt like I would be able to provide a lot more information about it than I was able to do on the poster project. I had a lot of corresponding pictures to go along with it and it is an event that I am personally involved in so it makes it that much more relevant.

Design Strategy:

I didn’t want my design to be too complex but I also didn’t want to be too simple. There was a lot that I incorporated into it including the cause that the non-profit event is benefiting and the actual event itself. I knew that I wanted to use a lot of pictures because images give the viewer a feel for what the event is actually like. My navigation bar actually took the most time because figuring out how to put the children in the “deltas” was really difficult. I had a handprint represent which page you are on because one thing that the St. Jude children do is finger-paints. In addition I wanted to add a lot of color to my project to make it more visually appealing and attractive because this is supposed to be a fun event. In addition It is a little bit childish in its portrayal because it is for a children’s hospital.

Color/Typeface Choice

Like I said before I used a wide variety of different colors for my website. Some of the more prominent colors would be those in the Nav bar, which are Navy (R:0 G:2 B:76) and yellow (R:255 G:255 B:0). I chose the typeface Minion Pro Italic because it really resembled the font the St. Jude Hospital uses. For the actual body text in the website I also used Minion Pro but I regular as opposed to italic.

Extra Credit | Ed Kashi | Palermo

I know it was a few weeks ago but I went to see Ed Kashi's presentation. One of the things that really struck me was Kashi's embracing of multimedia to present his photos. Incorporating reflective music or prose with photographs that are already powerful creates some moving presentations. He's created his own non-profit Talking Eyes Media with his wife to give light to topics that may not get much exposure.

The most striking characteristic of Kashi is his passion for what he does. "Anyone who says images do not have power is full of crap," Kashi said. He describes himself as a photo ninja, carrying just a fanny pack and a camera. You can tell he believes fully in all of his projects. I thought the Aging in America piece was particularly moving because he involved experiences from his personal life, shooting pictures and telling the story of his father-in-law. Kashi's photos aren't just snapshots of time but each one has its own story to it that makes it jump of the screen or page. Kashi said that after his work doing magazine portraits he was finally doing work he was excited about. I think that excitement comes through in the stills and presentations he's created.

Week 14 | Picini

I found out about Invisible Children through a Facebook invitation from a friend and was incredibly inspired by it, however I didn’t think to use it as my project topic for several weeks. Because the organization is such an impacting and serious issue, I wanted to use bold colors. I chose red because it brings on strong emotions and because it is attention grabbing. Since the whole point of this event is to gain awareness for the organization and the issue, it’s important that the color scheme is bold and aggressive. The exact color measurements are R: 178 G: 31 B: 27. I liked using the sidebar on the left instead of under the header simply as a menu, because I think it balances the site well, especially the red color. For typefaces I wanted to keep it simple and continuous so the focus would be the content and not the fonts, so I chose Spartan LT Std and alternated between the Book and Heavy weight when emphasis or separation were needed. I like that Spartan is simple but bold, I think it stands out well and gets the point across clearly without being distracting, as well as maintains readability. I wanted the title across the header to be bold but have contrast, so I made one Book and one Heavy. I chose to make “Invisible” thinner than “Children” both because the word was longer and because I wanted to play off the actual word, to make it seem like the word was starting to disappear, and become invisible. For the graphic on the header I wanted to use footprints because I think they exemplify children, and bare footprints show a raw innocence of children. I decided to make it seem like the footprints were fading into invisibility and to repeat the footprint theme for the mouse over. I got the pictures from either the Invisible Children website or from Janae DeRusso, the event coordinator who had pictures from the legacy tour. I enjoyed this project a lot but I had trouble following the grids because the system we downloaded from 960.gs only had vertical lines. I did my best though and think I stuck to it well. Another thing that I spent a lot of time trying to figure out was why everything was pixilated, but they weren’t when printed so it was wasted stress. I didn’t use the Invisible Children logo on every page because I didn’t want it to overpower the rest of the site and distract from the event itself, because the main point of the site is to promote the 2010 screening of The Rescue occurring in Fall, and there are already two links devoted to background information.

Weeek 14 l McGIll

Topic Choice:

I decided to create a new website for the Broad Street Run because I am from Philadelphia and love this event. I have run this race before and really enjoyed it. When I saw their website I realized it could use some updates and that I could simplify a lot of the information.

Typeface Choice:

I only used two typeface families in my design to maintain a simplistic design. For my main headers in my base design and sidebar I used Bell Centennial. For the body text and headers I used variations of Futura. Both fonts are easy to friendly and easy to read.

Overall Design and Use Of Color:

While the Philadelphia skyline may not be as tall as the Manhattan skyline, it is still iconic and I knew I wanted to include it in some capacity. I outlined a photo of the skyline in illustrator and filled it with black. The skyline leads the reader’s eye to the main headline “Blue Cross Broad Street Run. The black of the skyline and of the sidebar on the left frames the content. Blue Cross’ logo is blue so I decided to continue the use of blue throughout the design. Not only does the blue behind the skyline appear to be sky but it also creates a Gestalt with the logo. I then chose a lighter shade of blue as a background for navy text. The mouse over also is the same shade of blue as the sky which creates continuity. I also knew I wanted to include some depiction of a road. I created the road in illustrator. The road leads the reader from the Blue Cross logo off the right side of the page. This bleeding off the page helps guide the reader to other pages.