Wine bottle progress

Here is a picture of my box. The door is not the final version. This one warped when the bars were welded to the frame. I'm slowly sanding smooth the bumps from the welds (see the side's top edge).

Flickr here I come

Week 9 of the so many weeks to being a better blogger has me creating yet another account on a different website. I'm not sure quite how to manage so much togetherness with the internet. Here's my flickr name: Beckimclean1    I tried to find how to post a link to my account, but I gave up after 20 minutes. It's too early on Monday morning to learn navigation on a new website.

type-face

My face made completely out of letters.

Wine bottle redesign

 Wine bottle options for my upcoming packaging project. I really like the middle one and the early 90s clip art feeling of the picture on the front. I have a bunch of ideas for that one. I have some ideas for cupcake and rex-goliath as well. These brands are popular and I always notice them on the shelf.

Moda progress

Week 8: Checking In

Each week I feel as though I must check in at/with:

First and foremost: my parents. Yeah, <enter mushy stuff here> whatever, but we live so far away from each other and they are my main cheerleaders. They've supported me through thick and thin. I know I can always call and they will offer advice or just plain listen. 

In the design world: I don't feel like there is any ONE place. I pull ideas from all over. I'll check out Aiga's website, random design firms in Atlanta, my classmates blogs, my teachers' blogs, the senior designers' websites. I regularly go to digitalblasphemy.com for 3d inspiration and cool artwork and Etsy.com for craftier things. On Facebook, I follow some friends who do pretty awesome artwork and some museums around Atlanta, like Art Station in Stone Mountain. 

Week Inspired by doing

I don’t usually have time to read printed things like magazines, books, or journals. I get a few different periodicals, like Bon Appetite and the Sunday paper, but I rarely go to them for inspiration. I browse on the web or search for specific instances of what I’m working on. I’m always looking for something odd on the street to take a picture of or remember for later. Like this morning, I saw some graffiti that had a nice clean typographic design. Color, architecture, reflections, plants, even stains on the concrete all catch my eye sometimes.

personal work space

Here's my desk where I put all my ideas into the computer. I usually have pandora going in the background. Behind me are two windows, so the sunshine can join my creative process. I think and sketch about ideas constantly, in the car (think, not sketch), on the bus, in the grocery store. I usually have a small sketchbook with me to jot down ideas. 

Illustrative Type and Ad

Yay finished!! The ad is printing a bit greener that what the screen is showing. For some reason, my color profiles are off.

Found typography-week 5

So, 50+ pictures, 3 random conversations, 5 odd stares (I was trying to get that perfect angle where the sun isn't glaring across the glass), invites into 2 different stores, and one business card later:

I have a new appreciation for 

1) Slow Business on a Monday morning 

and 

2) some pretty awful signs in Old Town Conyers. 

(sorry, but it's true.)

Inspiring Week 4

This is what I first fell in love with, like really fell in love-head over heels-didn't sleep-didn't want to do anything else-kind of fell in love. This guy makes amazing 3D computer images. When life got rocky and I felt like I no longer had an artistic bone in my body, I'd spend some time on his website, finding a new background for my computer. At work, I'd stare at it while wondering why I was sitting behind that desk managing that small business, why I wasn't doing something I loved. He helped me get to where I am now, giving me the inspiration to create awesome things and then the self esteem to go after a career. Here's one of his new ones:

http://digitalblasphemy.com/preview.shtml?i=waveform2

and a few of my favorites:

http://digitalblasphemy.com/fshow.shtml?i=moonshadow1&w=1280&h=1024&y=2008&n=&b=score&z=228844255714871261&m=144919610701420957

http://digitalblasphemy.com/preview.shtml?i=hybrid

http://digitalblasphemy.com/preview.shtml?i=whitemagic&m=


I've always loved books and reading. When I read, I am absorbed by the story, my mind transported away. I don't even hear people talking to me when I'm really into a good book. I think that's why I love 3D. I can recreate these images in my head that cannot exist on Earth.

Trending now...

There are two trends I've noticed lately in commercials. Many of them are using "home videos" as part of their ad. The quality is usually a little bit lower and you get the shakey feeling, like someone is holding the camera. (the Pespi Max test drive commercial is a good example http://youtu.be/Q5mHPo2yDG8) Another thing I've noticed is that technology, like smart phones, LED billboards, ipads, etc. are in almost every commercial. Even commercials like Ship my Pants for Kmart, the store employee is holding an Ipad. (http://youtu.be/I03UmJbK0lA) Now I have never been in a Kmart where the employees are armed with Ipads. It's a hot trend to have the best, latest, greatest, newest phone, laptop, netbook, ipod, headphones, etc and it makes Kmart look trendy, but I'm not sure if it is realistic.

I think these two might be related. We have a plethora of homemade videos because of the advances in technology. If I have a camera that takes amazing video, I can upload videos quickly and easily. If it's quick and easy, I'm more likely to do it.

12 years ago in history:

This project was for 9/11. I remember when it happened and watching people jump and the buildings fall. I remember death, so I focused on that. I remember the world changing and I focused on that too. 

Here's a link to this video on youtube.

http://youtu.be/4q9rIrCr54Q

Ad/Timeline

So here are my personal ad and my timeline. My timeline was really hard. I'm a planner. I like to make a plan, see it through and finish the plan. I didn't plan on anything in my timeline after I graduated high school. But, hey... I'm learning how to make lemonade with life's lemons. :) For my personal ad, I struggled with an image of myself. So, I sketched it. I'm still a work in progress and I'm not afraid to admit it.

Excellent packaging

I really like this packaging project. It feels a little hippy and earthy, but still clean and fresh. I know it is hard to do both those at the same time. I like the play on words and the open style box so you can actually see what is inside the container. I like to see what I'm going to eat before I buy it. I don't think I've ever seen a clear container like this for a prepackaged meal. It's a great innovative design.

http://www.thedieline.com/blog/2008/5/13/pot-of.html

Something bad this way comes

So perhaps I have an issue with corrupting the next generation with bad design. I'm not sure if it is the gradient color or that typeface, but this banner ad really jumped out at me. And not in a good way. 

Portfolio best of the best

These are my five best and favorite pieces that I submitted for my portfolio review. 



My book cover for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas:

Concert poster for a Halloween show:

This was a booklet I made for Intro Typography. The goal was to showcase a typeface and it's interesting characters. I was very pleased with the final project.

Add caption

This was an ad campaign where I could only use found imagery.

Advertising mailer that turns into a shot glass for this local pub: