We presented our final designs last Thursday to the entire class. A little bit of our research, and how we made it to the final outcome. Everyone in this class is so talented, and they came out with so many original and impressive ideas. From string-made logos, to designs based on local embroidery, and others were very modern. It was a great presentation.
Some of my classmates did Specimen of their type, instead of the museum project. It was very interesting to see the things they did, because they not only did posters. One of my classmates did an entire series of experiments with actual objects, projections and bookbinding. Another one did a series of bird illustrations as letters, and then we had to find hidden words with them. I saw something similar in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC, and I think some of the work I saw was at the same level.
The other museum posters and logos were also incredibly interesting, and even though we were all doing the exact same thing, not one of the designs was similar to the other.
I received very positive feedback from my final posters. I had them hanged in the wall (even though we didn’t had too many walls to choose from, and I was able to find only one with texture). The design was still visible, and complied to my idea perfectly. My peers agreed that this simplified version was much more striking and memorable, and that the translucency and the neon worked perfectly. It was an original idea to use the texture that already existed in the walls, to incorporate it to my poster, instead of literally put it there. I do believe that, with other kind of pattern (like a brick wall) or even wallpaper, the poster design would be even more striking.
This was our very final project. We only need to file everything into a portfolio for the last delivery.
Working in this project taught me so much, maybe more than any other project. I learned to experiment more, and design as much as I could to have a lot of ideas to choose from; but it also showed me that, sometimes, the first or most simple idea, is the best one. I also came up with a very original way to answer the brief, which is something I always try to do with my projects.
In one of my previous projects, I did a poster that was “safe” and I was told to be bolder and more daring with my work. I think I have started to take a leap further and do things that are out of my comfort zone. And the result shows, and makes me feel much more satisfied than if I had designed something mediocre.
I refined my skills with this project. Not only my marketing knowledge, but also my identity as a designer. I know that I am better at digital designs than at illustration, but I have learned to accept my strengths and weaknesses to make them work together. My design came out of scamping and sketching, and the refined version was possible because I have been working really hard with illustrator and learning to use it properly.
Also, the opportunity to screen-print my work, left me more satisfied, because it meant that these posters were mine, made from scratch by me, and there’s an even more personal connection with it, than just print it in a printer at home.
Overall, my design was bright, fun and striking. It drew the attention of people, and it complied with the objective of giving this museum an identity. I am very satisfied with the result, and I think it was the perfect way to close a year of learning.
Areli Jacobs 