chaotic-times:

Steven is concerned about my little tree “Alotta” he thinks his pot is too small, so he is going to Canadian tire today to buy him a new pot and new dirt and is going to repot him. So adorable. He won’t admit it but he used to hate that plant, now he treats it like his child.

alotta didn’t survive the pot transfer. RIP.

So I have no new exciting work to be showing you guys this week, but I do have exciting news as to what has been happening this past week! I actually just wrapped up my first week at Chatelaine where I am interning for the summer. It was a pretty casual week just learning how things work and getting myself familiar with the office. I unfortunately can not be showing you guys any of things that I have been working on because it is for the july issue, so it won’t be out for another month. But I can tell you its been a few ads, a layout and even a photo shoot yesterday which turned out fantastic. 

It’s really great to be surrounded with a great group of creative people who share the same interests as me and just want me to succeed. I am loving the environment there, it’s so welcoming, and fun. It definitely has its perks like all of the new issues that Chatelaine releases, and all of the old ones, plus tons of free books ect, and the Chatelaine kitchen just happens to be practically across from my cubicle so the smell of good food and treats all day long is fantastic (and even better when they share). I am definitely loving it. I can’t wait to start the next issue. 

Above is a glimpse at my cubicle/desk area, keep in mind I am still decorating for the 4 months that I am going to be there! haha! 

Cheers! 

Here is a tiny glimpse at one of the snowboards that I am working on. Should hopefully be wrapping this project up today so I can have it in my portfolio tomorrow. The whole idea of the project started with making a line of skateboards for element that featured illustrations & typography. The line would be a motivational line, with quotes on the decks such as “do or do not” “the past is practice” ect. Although after doing them as skateboards I realized they actually worked & fit better as snowboards for rough snowboards who already features this style & inspiration. 

Tomorrow is our classes Portfolio show, hope to see you all out there. Make sure you RSVP at willkernformoney.ca

I just finished wrapping up a project for a friend of mine! His name is Steven, he is a cinematographer in the Toronto Area. I just posted the project on my website, but here is a glimpse of a few of the pages for the website. I can’t wait for it to go live online, hopefully within the next week or two it will be up for you all to check out! 

Time to start fishing for an internship, really hoping I can get a great one here in Toronto. I love it here way too much to leave! 

For our portfolio class we are suppose to make process books for 3 or 4 of the 10 projects we do, and between my Tea Emporium process work and my Kozlik’s process work I can fill a lot of a book. Haha. Started building it today, well, just layouts and importing photos, still need to do all the writing for them instead of just leaving Greek in there. 

On another note, yesterday was the RGD Headstart event. You know the one where you bring your book and get to sit down with a couple professionals and explain yourself, than they tell you what to change? Yeah that event. It went relatively well. I was happy that I got to sit in for people who didn’t show up, so instead of seeing 6 professionals I was able to see 9. It was an interesting experience actually, definitely better than I thought but also confusing in the sense that I received a few mixed reviews.

As for them completely changing my mind about what I want to do with my life, they accomplished that. So far this semester I have been working on packaging non-stop, but I have been advised to go towards Editorial more. I thought I would be a little stressed if this happened, but to be honest I am relieved, calm and happy about this new decision, even though it means I have a lot more work to do now this semester. 

Well back to work for me. 

Piper ouuuut.  

Sneak Peak on a project I am currently working on for my portfolio class! 

I am working on a re-branding of the Tea Emporium which is featured in the Loblaws in Toronto & in other high end areas in Toronto.

Current Branding: http://www.theteaemporium.com/

MY MANIFESTO is a constant work in progress as life goes on.

Get up on stage and sing along.

You must try in order to succeed. Yes, you may fail and look like an idiot singing really bad karaoke in front of a crowd, but they are drunk anyways so who cares? If you don’t make these attempts you won’t be discovered, in any situation.

“Own” your work.

Even if you don’t believe a project your presenting isn’t your best work, or you don’t want to be presenting it, you need to forget that and act like it’s the best thing you have ever done. If you don’t believe in your work, no one else will. You being confident will sell half of it.

Learn to accept criticism.

Criticism will only make your work better. If you always get offended by it and shrug it off, than you won’t grow as a designer or a human being.

Smile.

It determines your life.

Stop walking so fast.

Take your time and observe everything. You may see something that will inspire the next best thing. Use everything as inspiration.

Stop searching.

You always find what you need when your aren’t looking for it.

Research.

Some people don’t work best with technology, find out what tools work best for you.

Know your project front, back, all the way across the world and more.

You must be able to answer any questions about anything you are doing confidentially. What typefaces you are using, what this represents, what that swoosh could potentially do. If you are unsure about anything, you will lose.

Walk Away.

Walking away from a project could bring a completely new insight making it 178% better.

Don’t make your computer your best friend.

Some of the best work was not created on a computer.

Don’t do everything ahead of schedule.

You will limit yourself from creating the best work you can. Sometimes your best ideas come at 1am - sleep deprivation is good for the mind.

Experience Life.

Staying in the same place always and following a strict routine will make your life boring. You only live once, why not spin a globe and travel to where ever your finger lands, or even go sky diving. Do something you will regret not doing when your on your death bed.

Stop settling for average.

How are you going to know whats best if you don’t think you deserve it? Anything can happen.

Have faith in people.

Anybody can anything if they work on it, sometimes they need that little bit of faith and slap on but to move forward. Everyone has hidden talents they don’t know about.

Karma is a bitch.

Watch what you post on facebook, twitter, your blog, ect. It will come back and bite you in the ass.

Travel without a plan.

If you travel to unknown place without hotels booked, and hardly any luggage, you will find out things about yourself and the world you may of never known. This will allow you to grow.

So far this semester, we’ve taken a look at the work and philosophies of four contemporary designers, Marion Bantjes, Bruce Mau, Stefan Bucher and Stefan Sagmeister. All very different designers, but all very similar in the same way. What are the similarities that all these designers have in common you may ask? They all put themselves into their work, they all come up with their own unique ideas, and being happy while doing the designs seems to be what motivates them. They design what is important to them and use more than just modern basic design tools such as a computer with adobe suite on it. Each use a variety of tools, for example Stefan Bucher using the blown out ink to create his monsters, and Stefan Sagmeister using a variety of objects, such as to create his ‘Things I have learned in my life so far’ quotes.

Also, each designer has traveled a journey to bring them where they are in their careers, most of them realizing that working for themselves or with only a few other people is the best way they can produce their work.

Each of these points relates to me very well. Not only do I find that as a designer, I work better by myself or with maybe one other person, I find that I wish to put myself into my work as much as these designers do and I strive more than anything to learn and be able to use more than modern basic tools. My design theory states how many things go into making a design, and each of these designers proves those percentages.

My Personal Media Usage Info Graphic!

Design Process

I find that with each project I tend to take a different route in my design process, but generally I do the following:

When the project is handed to us, my mind is either overwhelmed with emotions and ideas or blank. I like to highlight points that the teacher is explaining to us, and write down immediately anything that comes to mind even if it has already been done. I find that getting it out of my mind helps give room for other idea’s to brew. I like to hear what other students are thinking to help get my mind thinking more, and than I can bounce ideas off of them as well.

Once I have a few solid idea’s I like to write everything out, what it is I want to do and verbally explain it. Once it is written out, I like to draw. But not draw what I am doing for the project, just draw in general. I find that this helps clear my mind and help get me thinking of other possible ideas. I also find that using tumblr to look up other design, illustration or photography pieces that could spin my perspective on things.

Thumbnails are always a great help, even if I am the only one who understands them - this is why I also write everything out and explain what I am trying to do. Once consulting with teachers, I move onto digital work. I like to have two art boards working - one that is true to my thumbnail - the other of what seems to be working better digitally.

Once I have gone through several more attempts on throwing textures, different colours, surfing through tumblr, talking to my room mate, and more, I seem to come up with something I enjoy.

When in times of trouble and my mind is blank. I will be honest, going for a walk or calling my family really helps. I read each member the project sheet and ask them what the first thing that comes to there mind is. Once we start bouncing ideas off each other, I suddenly come up with something. If all else fails, tumblr seems to always have my back and provide me with tons of inspiration.