Entries from January 2008 ↓

Now you see it:

Now you don’t:

So far, my presentation is involving Photoshop more than I thought it would. My book is an awkward shape for the scanners I have access to (being about an inch wider/taller than the scanner beds), so all of the whole page images I’ll be using in my presentation (as backgrounds) involved a series of scans, pieced together in Photoshop. The samples here were scanned in three pieces. Tonight I am thankful for arbitrary rotating and masks!

Tomorrow is my PowerPoint day. I have my presentation outline written, but I haven’t yet taken the time to figure out how to make PowerPoint work for me. During class last Thursday, we read an article that David Byrne (of Talking Heads) wrote: Learning to Love PowerPoint. He seems quite excited about the program, but I’m not entirely convinced I will be.

(These images are samples from Kristin Cullen’s [the author's] designs.)

Wow. It probably took me too long to figure out how to add a customized background to my PowerPoint presentation—like I said, I have never really spent any quality time with PowerPoint. However, what I’m really proud of is how I was able to extract all of the title text from the book cover so I could even think about using it as a background. Now I need to spend some quality time with my book so I can think about continuing to build my presentation.

(Note: I kept this blog as an assignment and tranferred the posts here when the class ended.)

I am beginning this blog as an assignment for DHA 2351: Graphic Design 1 through the College of Design at the University of Minnesota in St. Paul, Minnesota. Throughout this semester, I will write about my projects and processes throughout the semester (and will always post in progress and final versions). I invite you to leave comments regarding my projects. Feedback is always valuable!

My first assignment is to present a graphic design book review to my classmates. I have chosen “Layout Workbook: A Real-World Guide to Building Pages in Graphic Design” by Kristin Cullen. I chose this book because I feel I could always use a good resource (and more help) about building better layouts for posters, publications, or whatever may come my way. I will be producing my presentation in Microsoft PowerPoint. I don’t have much experience with this program, but hopefully this is a good excuse to dive right in—the presentation is due next Thursday, January 31.

I will also be producing a portfolio website. I will post the link when I am ready to start sharing—it will most likely be continually in progress all semester.

Today I became a Minnesotan, officially. My South Dakota driver’s license expired on my last birthday (November), and when transferring residency to Minnesota from another state, one must take the knowledge test again. Which is sort of what was holding me back… When I first got my driver’s license (or was it a learner’s permit? I was 14 years old) I failed three times, I think. Most of my classmates took driver’s education before getting their licenses, but I didn’t take driver’s ed. until before my senior year in high school. However, today I passed on my first try, so I must know more now than I knew when I was 14.

And that is a great relief.

Also, I purchased some very fantastic books for my class next week – and for inspiration in the future. (Half Price Books: I love you for giving me $30 books for $6.)

Layout Workbook: A Real-World Guide to Building Pages in Graphic Design

Touch This: Graphic Design that Feels Good

And for $2: The Cat Made Me Buy It