Before coming into Design 2, I did not fully understand what it meant to create a graphic design. I just had fun with the programs and made things that I thought were fun to make and looked good. I did what I was interested in and it always turned out cool. However, it never looked like a true graphic design. When we were given our first assignment, we were told to only use geometric shapes and make a design. The image on the left, labeled before, shows that I had much to learn about graphic design. After we covered contrast and tension in class, we were told to make another design using only geometric shapes. The middle image is what I created. Finally, our most recent assignment was to create a travel poster using simple designs. I think I did a good job creating something I like, but I also think that I did not fully grasp the concept of simplifying things.
I personally do not think I have come out of my shell at all. I wish I could just take more risks and step outside the lines once in a while, but I can't seem to bring myself to do it. Maybe, as I continue on I will get better at creating a graphic design. I feel that our class does not give good critiques. Because of that people are not getting good reactions and are losing hope in their art. I have been known to feel like this as well, and I just wish there was some way to get a better critique. All you hear in a critique in this class is what you could do better and what people like. You never hear anything about how bad your work is and I feel that sugarcoating it like that will only lead to a bad reaction once we get out in the real world with our art and people start rejecting it. I want to get a stronger reaction out of my work even if that means that people will hate it. It is impossible to please everyone, so why not try to displease everyone? I don't care whether or not people hate or love my art. I just want to get a strong reaction from them instead of "blah". That is all you get out of class critiques is "blah". It is not just this class but my Art 4 class as well. Anyway, I got off topic. What I have learned from my experience this marking period is to try and step outside the lines and take more risks. Maybe someday I will be able to do that and my art will be even better for it. Until that day