Being a Fine Arts major has its perks. We’ve officially hit the middle of the semester and there are no essays to write or special quizzes to take. Essentially all we’ve got working for us (or against us) is our attendance, class participation, and our completed projects. A few other relieving bits of news:
- I know what I will be presenting for my Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) show coming up in April . I’m excited and anxious to do it.
- I leave to New York next week with my graduating class. The beauty of the trip is that it will be completely free. Two prominent art collectors donated $10,000 apiece to make this trip possible. What a blessing!
- I aced my History of Graphic design quiz this week. That’s three in a row. I feel pretty darn good about myself. Especially after trying to remember all those European designer names. Rodchenko, Marinetti, Apollinaire, Mallevich, and on and on.
- My graphic design class will focus the rest of the semester on preparing for our BFA show.
This last point is a huge relief. We designers need all the time we can get for this show. You see, Graphic Design is the step child of the fine arts community in our school. The nature of our profession is that we use our creativity and skills to communicate for a client. In a sense, we’re interpreters for some one else’s message. Well our BFA show requires us to make our own message and put it on a wall. Many of us have been in a panic for the past months trying to find our own message. Now that we can focus our class time on this, we’ll be able to flesh out the ideas and pieces better.
I still have quite a load to carry before the semester is over. It’s time to get back to it. I’ll post the BFA show details soon.
It’s been a rough few days. I’m overwhelmed with the tasks at hand. In particular, I’m trying to figure out what kind of work to submit for my Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) show in April. I’ve been going back and forth with doing hand-painted pieces, digital works, illustrated social commentaries, and all other possible solutions. I feel boxed in and it’s terrible.
I’ve made a list called Things to Worry About which highlights all the deadlines and obligations haunting me right now. It’s actually quite therapeutic for me to face all these demons in a single text file. Now the strategy calls for addressing each one. I’m attempting to find a place for each task in my calendar so I can eventually get rid of them. Next thing I need to do is turn down every other offer* that comes my way. I’ve committed to too many things now and it’s finally come back bite me in the foot. Well no more, I say! I’ll be politely declining invitations to work on projects until I can get things under control again. Just thinking about it makes me more anxious. I’d better go to sleep before this monitor feels the wrath of my jab. Good night.
*If you want to buy me lunch, that’s cool. I’ll try not to turn that down. ;]
This Miami weather is interesting. One day it’s boiling hot and then all of a sudden it’s a cold Tuesday. It’s fun seeing all these Floridians outside with their jackets and thick sweaters. We’ve been waiting all year (fifteen days) to take these coats out of our closets.
Latest update:
- Steady amount of homework so far. Manageable.
- I’ve been watching the Republican debates like a football fan, yelling and cheering at the T.V. with a foam finger and a beer hat.
- Working on an energy drink design for my packaging class. It’s gonna be a good one.
- Working on a movie standee for an upcoming local film. There’s a short deadline for this one but I think I’m moving in the right direction so far.
- Went back to the gym after a long hiatus. Problem is, I ate too much before I went. Barely made it through the workout.
- Despite the sad-looking cartoon above, I’m feeling quite well.
- This week my good friend Rey flies out to Kentucky. I’m planning on seeing him before he goes.
- Olga, a friend who graduated last semester, dropped by the class and said hello today. Made me feel good, ya know?
That’s it for now. Maybe next time I’ll have something exciting for ya.
Today marks the beginning of the end for my undergraduate school career. Come December, I will have finished all my classes and received a bachelor’s degree in fine art – graphic design. In the meantime I am taking the following classes this semester:
- History of Graphic Design – an in-depth examination of graphic design’s origins, evolution, and impact over time. I’m extremely excited about this class.
- Senior Project – this is where I will finalize my portfolio and prepare for my BFA show at the end of the semester.
- Technology & Process – it’s a fancy name for a packaging class. I’ll be developing brands and packaging for a number of products and fictional companies. I’ve had a similar class in the past. Time-consuming but fun.
- Ideas & Styles – graphic design projects in the realm of print. In the past we have designed swatch books, posters, album covers and so on. I wonder what’s in store for us this time around.
So far I’ve only attended the History of Graphic Design class and it was excellent. There are a total of 4 students in the class, including myself, which makes it more like a graduate seminar. Professor Georgette Ballance, formerly of the prestigious Cornell University, is a sweetheart and very knowledgeable. And it doesn’t hurt the she edited a book on the subject. All in all I think this is going to be a great semester. I have to make sure I schedule myself well as I work on my projects. It would be nice to work on projects without the element of procrastination. As self-motivated as I am, it’s time I recruited an external control to hold me accountable on these projects.
On a similar note, I’ve already started thinking about graduate school. It’s a bittersweet subject for me, because I hate the idea of having more homework in the future, but I’ve fallen in love with a particular school. I somehow stumbled upon a video of St. John’s College and was mesmerized about 20 seconds into it. Imagine a school with no textbooks. Instead, the curriculum surrounds around the Great Books of the Western World. I’m going to look further into the school and make a decision about when I will visit.
Can’t sleep. I had a sudden urge to create some art. I think I’ve finally figured out where I want to take my body of work. I want to produce positive propaganda. I want my work to filter the words of great thinkers and leaders through the use of typography in my particular sketchy style. It’s an opportunity for me to contribute to the Great Conversation with a raw artistic approach.
I think the political climate is such right now that my work could speak to millions if I just put it out there. Right now it’s important for me to share these ideas with my community, namely my school and my peers. I figure if there’s ever been a good place to express ideas, it’s in the university setting. Well, I’m here and I’m going to make the most of it. Let’s have a conversation, and if we can’t have a conversation let’s have an argument.
Who says school has to be boring?
For more of Ron Paul’s ideas, visit RonPaul2008.com.
I was recently contacted by a friend I haven’t seen since 9th grade. As we were chatting, she said “I wanna see your monkeys!” and I suddenly remembered one of the most entertaining aspect of my freshman year in high school: doodling. Our classes were so boring that I would have to endure the hour and forty minutes of class by making sketches and showing them off to my friends. Jojo’s favorite character was easily the little chimp I would draw on the edges of our notes. I think I even drew it in her yearbook. Good times.
And so without further ado I present the return of the Jojo Monkey.
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Nat, I’m at the office late tonight working on a project. I’m peacefully listening to Sufjan Stevens’
Songs for Christmas album with my headphones on. I’ll most likely spend the whole weekend here working on this class project. The assignment, in a nutshell, is to design a clothing line. Logo, name, tags, shoe box, messenger bag, shopping bag, accessory, signage, etc. Gotta print and make some mock-ups before I do the final constructing. It’s a good project so far.
In case you’re wondering about the sketches above, I did those today while waiting for someone to get off my computer. The $29.45 price tag was for the 2 pizzas we ordered. “So Ehslow” is a Spanish-accented reference that my friends and I use when we talk to each other. We’re ehsilly like that.
Back to work!
