Design I // Balance

For Design I’s third project, we focused on balance. Students constructed 4 compositions based on the following options of balance: symmetrical, asymmetrical, radial, and pattern. Their theme had to be inspired by the lyrics of a song or poem of their choosing. The medium used to depict these shapes was black construction paper, and good craftsmanship was emphasized. They also had to implement the elements and principles of design in their work. Some students even accepted the challenge of making 3D pop-up elements.

Below are some of the composition sets that were submitted.

* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.

Song: “Good Morning Baltimore” from “Hairspray”; Design by Abby Jenkins

Song: “Hakunamatata” from “The Lion King”; Design by Ashley Baker

Song: “Loverman” by Train; Design by Breanna Rochelle

Song: “Tiny Dancer” by Elton John; Design by Cassidy Jones

Poem: “Caged Bird” by Maya Angelou; Design by Dylan Turner

Song: “The House of the Rising Sun” by The Animals; Design by Kaleb Baker

Poem about space by unknown writer; Design by Kimberly Kazmark

Song: “Pianoman” by Billy Joel; Design by Lexi Bennett

Song: “Escape” by Rupert Holmes; Design by Mary Beth McClung

Song: “Death of a Bachelor” by Panic at the Disco; Design by Bes Reilly

Song: “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” from “Cinderella”; Design by Jillian Lovato

Song: “A Whole New World” from “Aladdin”; Design by Samantha Marshall

Song: “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” from “The Lion King”; Design by Taylor Fikes

Song: “Huntin Fishin Lovin Everyday” by Luke Bryan; Design by Wes Edgeworth

Intro to Computing Art // OMG American Gods

For students to refine their skills using Adobe Illustrator’s Pen Tool, my students accepted the challenge of the OMG project, as in “Oh my gosh, this is so challenging and time consuming!” But the effort is well worth the outcome.

The theme was to recreate a god or goddess in modern society. Students researched Greek, Roman, and Aztec mythological figures to learn about their core characteristics, and brainstormed how to apply them in our current culture.

They photographed themselves, friends, or family as their models. Then they used that photo as a template to make a vector illustration in Adobe Illustrator.  Tiny solid shapes make up the entirety of the photo to make a realistic representation.  They spent about three weeks on the project. The process is like creating a digital painting! Below are some examples that were turned in. I also included the outline imagery of a couple illustrations to show the number of shapes that were created to make up the compositions. All have aspects to be improved upon for their portfolio, but overall I was very pleased with their results! These illustrations are sure to blow your mind!

* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.

Aditi by Madison Wigginton

(Outline of shapes)

Hera by Carson Brantley

Venus by Caylee Hubbard

Apollo by Darren Cheairs

Hecate by Elizabeth Gammill

Athena by Grayson Brown

Loki by Rebecca Bailey

Apollo by Whitney White

Intermediate Computing for Design // Reinterpret a Cliché

The third project for Intermediate Computing for Design class was called Reinterpret a Cliché. Imagery seen too frequently is often not seen at all. This is the case with overused design symbols and everyday objects. Overuse renders them ineffective, and they lose their power to communicate. It is the function of the designer to revitalize these clichéd symbols and objects by interpreting them in individual and personal ways.

Students picked 6 of the following 12 examples of typically clichéd objects to be reinterpreted:

1. Heart
2. Key
3. Apple
4. Sun
5. Stars
6. Mouth
7. Light Bulb
8. Tree
9. Cloud
10. Eye
11. Rose
12. Nuts & Bolts

Then they chose a theme all 6 illustrations would have in common. Not only were they to work stylistically, but conceptually, as well. The final product had to be black & white. They scanned their sketchbook designs into Photoshop or Illustrator to continue rendering them to completion, either using the Pen Tool or Live Trace option.

Below are some designs that were turned in. All have aspects to be improved upon for their portfolio, but overall I was very pleased with their results!

* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.

by Bethany Smith; insects

by Cara Moore; flowers

by Carly Bond; fairy-tales

by Connor Booth; under the sea

by Gerald Wicks; Harry Potter

by Imani Smith; dancers

by Ques Nevels; fighters

by Sarah Ferguson; fruits & veggies

by Stephen Latham; bit-syle Mario characters

by Taylor Knight; stereotypes

by Laura Leigh Hicks; facial hair

Design I // Shape

For Design I’s second project, we focused on geometric and organic shapes. Students constructed 3 compositions: 1 for all geometric, 1 for all organic, and 1 for a combination of geometric and organic. The medium used to depict these shapes was black construction paper and white Bristol cardstock. Good craftsmanship was emphasized. They also had to implement the elements and principles of design in their work.

Below are some of the composition sets that were submitted. All have aspects to be improved upon for their portfolio, but overall I was very pleased with their results!

* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.

Combo by Abby Jenkins

Combo by Breanna Rochelle

Geometric by Breanna Rochelle

Organic by Breanna Rochelle

Geometric by Dylan Turner

Geometric by Forrest Russell

Combo by Kaleb Baker

Organic by Kimberly Kazmark

Combo by Landen Rucker

Combo by Lexi Bennett

Geometric by Lexi Bennett

Geometric by Forrest Beasley

Geometric by Jillian Lovato

Organic by Jillian Lovato

Combo by Laken Beasley

Organic by Laken Beasley

Combo by Samantha Marshall

Geometric by Samantha Marshall

Combo by Taylor Fikes

Geometric by Taylor Fikes

Geometric by Wes Edgeworth

Intro to Computing // Creature Cartoon

In Intro to Computing, students learn the basics of Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign. This Spring semester, I teach one section of the class. During the Fall it is primarily students who are trying out for the graphic design program in November, but during the Spring it is mostly fine art students who are taking the class as an elective.

This is the second semester I have implemented this project as an introduction to Adobe Illustrator. For Creature Cartoon, each student pulled words out of separate bags– one for a physical trait, one for an action, and one for an emotion. The end goal is to illustrate a unique creature that accompanies all these traits successfully in Illustrator.

After receiving their words, students brainstormed and submitted a series of thumbnails of their ideas, which were then narrowed down to their top three when I visited them in class one-on-one. Those three were turned into well-drawn comps that were drawn with Sharpies and Micron pens, and critiqued by their entire class. The best drawing was scanned into Illustrator, and vector shapes were placed on top. The focus of this Illustrator project was learning the Pen Tool and conducting organized layer management.

For even MORE fun, my students will turn their illustrations into animated GIFs when we start the Photoshop segment. Stay tuned to see those later this semester!

Below are some illustrations that were turned in. All have aspects to be improved upon for their portfolio, but overall I was very pleased with their results!

* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.

by Carson Brantley: anxious, fly, antlers

by Elizabeth Gammill: crawl, giggly, long tail

by Grayson Brown: mellow, shell, exercise

by Jacquelyn Mullins: bored, whiskers, jumping

by Shannon Shepherd: big feet, running, sad

by Whitney White: afraid, mane, asleep

UPDATE: See GIFs created later during the semester here.

Personal Logo Update

After 6 years, it was time to give my original logo that I built my senior year in undergrad a facelift.  The more I design and teach, the more I learn and grow in my understanding of great design. It was time to reflect that in my personal logo!

Intermediate Computing for Design // How’d They Do That

First let me say WOW! I have 780 followers that are keeping up with my blog. I am astounded and humbled. Thank you for taking an interest in the artwork done by me and my students.

This class’s second project was called How’d They Do That.  Using Illustrator, they had to find a way to combine a typeface number with an animal in a creative way. All the shapes had to be pen-tooled, based on their original sketches.  Only two Pantone colors could be used, but were allowed to use the shades and tints of those Pantone colors. (What are Pantone colors? Watch a video HERE. Also see a delectable video of how ink is made HERE.) This project was good practice in demonstrating forced connections– taking two unrelated concepts and forging a relationship between them. This kind of conceptual thinking helps to broaden their skill in producing thoughtful, well-designed logos.

Below are some designs that were turned in. All have aspects to be improved upon for their portfolio, but overall I was very pleased with their results!

* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.

6 by Bethany Smith

6 by Cameron Coleman

5 by Cara Moore

6 by Connor Booth

9 by Trent Furr

2 by Gerald Wicks

9 by Imani Smith

6 by Laura Leigh Hicks

7 by Ques Nevels

6 by Taylor Knight

Design I // Line Explosion

This semester I teach 2 sections of Design I. A new experience for me is teaching an overwhelming number of Landscape Architecture majors, along with Fine Art, Photo, Interior Design, and Floral Management. Also in semesters past I have taught more girls than boys, but this semester’s numbers even out more.

For their first project, we focused on line and the psychological meanings of straight and curvy line work. Students chose 1-3 adjectives to illustrate using line, creating a “line explosion.” The medium used to depict these lines included Sharpies and Micron pens of different thicknesses, and good craftsmanship was emphasized. They were to also implement the elements and principles of design in their work.

Elements: line, shape, mass/form/volume, space, value, color, texture, time/motion.
Principles: balance, rhythm, repetition, unity, variety, size/scale/proportion, emphasis/focal point.

* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.

by Abby Jenkins: bold, loud

by Breanna Rochelle: wrinkled, awkward, gooey

by Dylan Turner: sharp, tight

by Kaleb Baker: gooey, wild, prickly

by Lexi Bennett: whimsical, confusing, flat

by Paige Davis: steady, suspicious, wrinkled

by Taylor Fikes: sharp, bold, tight

by Willie Griffin: sharp, awkward, suspicious

Intermediate Computing for Design // Oh What a Character

It is a brand new semester!

Intermediate Computing for Design is for students who submitted their portfolios for the graphic design review in November and were accepted into the program.  All of these students took my Intro to Computing class in the previous semesters. The last time I taught Intermediate was 2 years ago and I really enjoyed it, so I am excited to have the opportunity again.

Their first Intermediate project was called “Oh What a Character!” They found an image online of a celebrity, changed it to black and white, placed it in Illustrator, and worked on top of it like a template to create their own caricature of the person.  The requirement of the illustration?  It had to be completed using a maximum of 7 letters and 2 symbols in black only from one typeface on their computer.  Yes, a typeface!  They could rotate and resize typeface items as needed.

Below are some designs that were turned in. All have aspects to be improved upon for their portfolio, but overall I was very pleased with their results!

* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.

Jackie Chan by Ques Nevels

Princess Diana by Cara Moore

Miley Cyrus by Carly Bond

Bette Midler (Hocus Pocus) by Connor Booth

Chance the Rapper by Darby Taylor

The Weekend by Gerald Wicks

Connor McGregor by Trent Furr

Paper Art Gifts

Due to the number of art and graphic design classes I teach as a lecturer at Mississippi State University, I do not have a lot of time to produce paper art and freelance as I’d like to. When a gift-giving event comes up, I tend to take advantage of that time to practice my craft. I love doing to produce a natural look using plant inclusions– blending up flower petals, grass, and leaves in with the pulp. I also have been experimenting with ways to apply imagery to the paper. (Excuse my photography. I need to do better at documenting my gifted art.)

Laser-cut typography with black paper placed behind

Laser-cut typography with black paper placed behind

Spray-painted typography using self-produced stencils

Close-up

Spray-painted typography using self-produced stencils, and Sharpie dots

Hand-painted typography

Close-up

Hand-painted typography // Spanish for “You are Beautiful”

Hand-painted imagery