#mmdmfa

Lekisha Young

MMDMFA

Week 4 Discussion

July 31, 2016

Greetings everyone,

 Well my journey here at Full Sail University is coming to a close. This journey has been full of challenges, but also quite rewarding.  Upon my journey commencing August 1, 2015, my life began to change. Each course has taught me so much, ultimately assisting me in getting to this point, graduation. I was eager yet nervous about starting my journey at Full Sail. As my previous degree program was focused mainly on studio arts, entering into the field of media design was unfamiliar territory. However, after many prayers, Philippians 4:13 in mind, and the encouragement of my family and friends, I dove into the program.

 Month 1- (Mastery)

This month was the catalyst to my journey here at Full Sail. The main focus of this course was to learn more about what each course would intel as well as further research what our career paths post graduation would intel. During this course, I was able to see exactly what each course required as well as what skills we should posses as a media designer. From this, I was able to further understand the career field as well as the degree program in detail. Overall, this course taught me that as a professional, there are many skills to acquire to become a successful media designer. As my ultimate goal is to become an art director; after researching these courses, I knew I was on the right track. Overcoming the challenge of fear was something I can say I gained from this course. As I was scared to start something completely new and full of challenges, I decided to continue on with the Faith of knowing that with God, I could do anything.

 Month 2- (Defining Client Needs). Well I knew the challenges were coming, but I didn't expect it to be this fast. During this course, we focused on meeting the needs of our clients, logo design, flyer design and typography. As my first degree was in commercial design with a concentration in illustration, I was accustomed to creating very detailed and elegant illustrations. However, this course was about conveying the message with a simplistic approach. This was quite difficult for me, and honestly did cause some frustration. However, I refused to give up. After many sketches and rejections, I was able to create an effective logo that encompassed the brand of the company Red30 Media. Since overcoming this challenge and learning how to design with simplicity in mind, I was able to create various branding components for multiple campaigns during my matriculation at Full Sail University. Also, after much practice, I was able to do quite a few freelance projects for clients such as logos and flyers for their organization /company. Month 3- (Brand Development)

Never thought that I would have to be on camera in this program! However, during this course, I had to do so. Our main focus was creating a brand brief for our chosen organization; which for me was Love 146.  I was nervous, as talking and explaining my work on camera was not something I was use to doing. Normally I am the one behind the camera, so this was very new for me. However, after take three-hundred, I was able to present my brand briefs in a professional manner with ease. This was quite a triumph for me as from this, I was able to become at ease with being on camera and recording my voice. This assisted me as I created future pitch videos, radio spots, and commercials. It also assisted me professionally. As I have never personally met my instructors nor fellow colleagues, being able to speak in front of a group of strangers and superiors became easy for me. I was able to lead monthly meetings as well as speak to various classes about the programing we offer through Fort Valley State TEARs2C and TEARs2C (+) programs. As the content is sensitive, surround HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, suicide prevention, and sexual violence, being able to speak to various audiences in a professional manner is vital. This course assisted greatly in enhancing those skills for me. It is ok to be in front and take the lead.

  Month 4- (Effective Copy Writing)

This course began to shed more light into my journey. As creative writing was something I enjoyed doing through writing and illustrating children's books, I enjoyed utilizing those skills within this course. As this course focused on testimonial advertisement and utilizing body copy to accompany branding components, I learned how important it was to make sure the imagery and body copy correlated well. As I continued throughout the program, I was able to continue to write effective copy and combine it with powerful imagery; thus assisting me in making my campaigns stronger. In working professionally with campaigns in outreach for two federal grants at Fort Valley State University, this course assisted me in making the content of the campaigns much stronger. I was able to not only create powerful graphics for the campaign, I was also able to create copy to assist in generating an over all emotionally driven message to grab the attention of my audience and cause them to act. Month 5- (Design Research) This month was also one that shed light into my journey, as it was somewhat familiar territory. Our activities included researching our favorite artist and learning about their unique style of design. We also covered infographic design, which was something I heard of but never created myself. My artist of choice to research was Margo Chase. I was really shocked to know that she was a biology major prior to getting into the field of design, as this was also my path in undergrad. Throughout the course, we created an infographic based upon the artist style. Learning how to formally design an infographic inclusive of both graphics and information was difficult for me. Keeping simplicity in mind while still creating an aesthetically appealing designs with the information needed was something that I must say was a great triumph for me. Although it took me a little longer, I was still able to execute the project. From this point, I was able to create infographic a with ease during the continuation of the program. Month 6- (Organizational Structures). The halfway point came around so rapidly. I was pretty comfortable in the program. However, after seeing what we would be working on, my comfort diminished. It was as if I was thrown off of the comfort train into the wilderness. This entire course was all unfamiliar territory. We were to complete a dynamic and static mood board for our chosen company. This month, my focus was Skeeter Kicks shoe company. I had no idea what a mood board was, and never created one. Also we had to not only create it with no animation, we had to include animation as well! Panic set in briefly, but I sat down and did what I do best; pray and research. After gaining some information as to what a mood board is and its use, I felt better. I continued to work on them and was able to create several based on various themes for Skeeter Kicks. After peer review and revisions, I decided to go with my mood board entitled "as light as a feather." This was the focus for my dynamic  mood board. Again, I had absolutely no experience in animation outside of PowerPoint and we were using Adobe After-Effects. However, through trial and error, research, and tutorials, I gained a good understanding of how to use after effects. From this, I overcame the fear of animations and realized how much I really liked it. I completed my dynamic mood board and since have created dynamic logos as well as mood boards in the courses to follow. Month 7- (Design Strategies and Motivation). More unfamiliar territory, but I was ready and prepared for it. This month, we focused on style guides; and once again, this was something I had not designed before. So I hit the books and research. I was amazed to know that the style guide serves somewhat as the 101 guide to the company's brand. I enjoyed this assignment, as it gave me a chance to create the brand from background to the images used for the brand of the company. It was a lot to create at once. However, it became very useful in the continuation of the program. I was able to create style guides for the various campaigns I worked with. During this month, I overcame the challenge of learning another area of branding and campaign management. Month 8- (Design Integration) During this month, we discovered trans media campaigns. By this time, I was acclimated with entering unfamiliar territory, so I immediately began my research. After learning the components of a trans media campaigns include radio advertisement, commercial advertisement, guerrilla marketing, and unique promotional item. Both guerrilla marketing and unique promotional item were both new to me. However, learning their significance and how to create them assisted me in my final campaign for You Matter Mentorship Program. My greatest triumph during this course was the creation of a 3D model in illustrator. Month 9- (Multi-platform Delivery) This month was a little more relaxed for me. We began our thesis project. My organization of choice was You Matter Mentorship Program. During this class, I was able to effectively create my mood boards. Also, I created my first sales pitch. This was very interesting as using voice over and imagery was something new for me. However, after having some experience in animation, I was a little more comfortable. Completing this project was the greatest accomplishment for me because I learned how to compile a plethora of media components such as audio, imagery, and voice together to create a finalized pitch video. This was useful in the continuation of my campaign through to month twelve. Month 10- (Measuring Design Effectiveness) During this month, I continued to create components for You Mater Mentorship Program's campaign. I created multiple assets for the organization to assist in boosting the visibility of the organization in the community and surrounding areas, as well as boost the participation in their programming. The further exploration of asset creation assisted me in creating a list of assets that will accompany me in my professional campaign development. Overall, this month in creating billboard. This was something that was somewhat of task for me, as it was something I have created before, but it was many years ago. However, through this course, I have enhanced my skills in bill board design as well as campaign structure.

 Month 11- (Presentation of Design Solutions)

The finish line is now in plane sight! The reality of graduation began to set in. Visual storytelling was the focus for this month’s course. This was enjoyable for me, as I knew I would be combining emotional stories with powerful graphics to create a vision book as well as our project book. This was difficult at first, as layout was not always my strongest attribute, however, I knew I would be able to create a well executed project with research and practice. Overall, I was quite happy with my project book and vision book. Both fit well with You Matter Mentorship Program’s campaign as well assisted in giving my campaign a professional look. In my future professional career, I look to use these to give our sponsors and those who are invested or considering investment in the organization or company more insight as to what the company is about; persuading them to partake in what we have to offer.

 Month 12- (Professional Practice)

Overjoyed, overwhelmed, the bittersweet finish line; month 12 is where everything came together for me. This month we created our online portfolios using adobe portfolio and behance.net. I enjoyed being able to create a place for fellow artist, employers, and general viewers to see my work. As I already was familiar with behance.net, I took this time to polish my online portfolio and begin using it to its full potential. Through this course, I learned how to create a professional portfolio for my brand, showcasing work I look to do in the future. From this course, I leaned how to formally construct my portfolio with not only my work, but telling the backstory of why and how this work was created. As I continue my career, I know what to include in portfolio as I make more additions to it.

  Overall, the Masters of Fine Arts in Media Design program here at Full Sail University has equipped me with the skills to succeed as a professional designer. As I am currently looking for employment closely related to my field, I know the skills from the course work and discipline learned will assist me in gaining reaching my careers goals. The road may not be easy, but as I have learned through this program, with God, anything is possible. I let go of many fears during this program, one of which by just taking the leap of faith to start. I may not have a job lined up for me right now, but I know it is coming my way. I look forward to utilizing the skills God has blessed me with obtaining, as well as look forward to learning more as I continue my journey. As stated in Philippians 4:13 states, “ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” (Bible Gateway, n.d.).

 Reference

Lekisha Young

MMDMFA

Week 1

July 17, 2016

Professional Development

Reflection

Greetings everyone,

 This week has been quite informative. Throughout this time, we have reviewed ethical guidelines regarding intellectual property, copyright, and copyright infringement. Upon starting my research, I ­looked to see what was classified as intellectual property. According to the World Intellectual Property Organization in the article What is Intellectual Property,

“Intellectual property (IP) refers to creations of the mind, such as inventions; literary and artistic works; designs; and symbols, names and images used in commerce. IP is protected in law by, for example, patents, copyright and trademarks, which enable people to earn recognition or financial benefit from what they invent or create. By striking the right balance between the interests of innovators and the wider public interest, the IP system aims to foster an environment in which creativity and innovation can flourish,” ( WIPO, n.d, Para. 1-2)

I was aware of what intellectual property consisted of. However, I was not aware of how much it included; i.e artwork. As I am an illustrator, this was of great interest to me. As I continued my research, I began to see how intellectual property is protected by law. I then explored the article Copyright Basics for Graphic Designers, by Linda Kattwinkel. She states,

“Copyright is the exclusive right to control reproduction and commercial exploitation of your creative work. Copyright protects any kind of artwork, including illustrations, photographs and graphic design. Except under certain circumstances (see “work made for hire” below), you own the copyright in your work at the moment you create it in a “fixed” form of “expression.” A fixed form of expression is any tangible medium that can be perceived by humans, including traditional forms—such as paintings, sculptures, writings—and new forms that require a machine to perceive (e.g., GIF files, CDs, websites),” (Kattwinkel, 2007, Para.1).  

This is one very common way intellectual property is protected by law. As it ranges from imagery to software, and even literary works, it is important to know the guidelines to proper usage of intellectual property in design. As a graphic designer, we may utilize imagery, symbols, and even text created by others in the completion of our works. However, utilizing this without gaining the proper licensure could cause many legality issues, which could ruin the reputation of us as designers. When utilizing this work, we must first get the permission of the author. However, amongst illustrators and graphic designers, copyright infringement is quite common.  As stated by Linda in the article Copyright Basics for Graphic Designers,

“Unfortunately, infringement is a common occurrence in the graphic arts. Here are some examples:

A licensee re-uses the work beyond the scope of the     license, as in the example above where the magazine adapts the     illustration for a column logo.

An illustrator makes a painting from a photograph. Many     people think photographs are just factual records, and thus can be freely     copied, or that changing the medium is sufficient to avoid infringement.     This is not correct. Photographs are fully protected as copyrighted works.     If you copy the artistic expression of a photograph, e.g., the choice of     subject matter, props, lighting, point of view, composition, etc., you     have infringed the copyright in the photograph.

An illustrator copies the unique way another     illustrator draws figures.

An ad campaign uses slogans, images and page designs     similar to those of another ad campaign,” (Kattwinkel, 2007, Para. 11).

These examples are some I have encountered during my undergraduate career. As I studied Commercial Design and concentrated in Illustration, many times we were to used images in our works to gain inspiration but never to reproduce. However, I we encountered students who would utilize the same image and create in in a different medium or use a photo they did not take themselves in a design without properly referencing the image. This ultimately caused these students to fail the assignment.

Being that I research and saw through example of the importance of following the guidelines pertaining to copyright, I was able to avoid the legality and reputation issues that followed by breaking such guidelines. Through the addition of the research, I have completed this week, I have been able gain a more thorough understanding of this matter. As I am now doing freelance design and illustration work, I now know how to protect my work from the misuse and illegal selling of my designs. Also, I know in creating designs, in order to use the imagery that I have gained license for. As I have encountered individuals who want me to use images directly from a website without gaining permission, I know how to thoroughly explain why I can not perform such task. Overall, I know what I have gained will greatly assist me in the continuation of my career.

 Best,

 Lekisha Young

 References:

Kattwinkel, L. (2007). Copyright Basics for Graphic Designers. Retrieved July 15, 2016, from      http://www.aiga.org/copyright-basics-for-graphic-designers

Lekisha Young

MMDMFA

Week 1

July 3, 2016

Professional Practice

Reflection

Greetings everyone,

 This week has been quite informative. Throughout this time, we have reviewed ethical guidelines pertaining to design. While reading and analyzing the text AIGA Design and Ethics series, I came across some very interesting facts. According to the text, “A professional designer adheres to principles of integrity that demonstrate respect for the profession, for colleagues, for clients, for audiences or consumers, and for society as a whole,” (AIGA, n.d, P.33). Learning and ensuring that I implement these ethical guidelines will assist in not only preventing legal issues for designers, it will also assist in making sure you are designing professional pieces. Out of the guidelines presented in this text, the guideline pertaining to the misinformation and respect of the dignity of all audiences was one that was of high importance to me. It states,

“A professional designer shall communicate the truth in all situations and at all times; his or her work shall not make false claims nor knowingly misinform. A professional designer shall represent messages in a clear manner in all forms of communication design and avoid false, misleading and deceptive promotion. A professional designer shall respect the dignity of all audiences and shall value individual differences even as they avoid depicting or stereo-typing people or groups of people in a negative or dehumanizing way. A professional designer shall strive to be sensitive to cultural values and beliefs and engages in fair and balanced communication design that fosters and encourages mutual understanding,” (AIGA, n.d, P. 34-35, Paragraph 9).

As the designs I currently create are for outreach, and focus mainly on the areas of HIV/AIDS, Substance Abuse, Suicide Prevention, and Sexual Violence; ensuring that my designs do not misinform the public as well as remain aware of the sensitivity surrounding these subjects is crucial. When creating promotional items, advertisements, and illustrations for the two MSI grants I work under (TEARs2C and TEARs2C Plus), I have to also make sure I present the information with sensitivity and in a respectful manner. Doing so will ensure I am able to reach my target audience without turning them away due to unethical designs. Also, following this guideline assist in ensure my designs remain professional at all times.

This week, we also covered professional portfolios and how to properly construct them. Using behance.net to build portfolios with is something I am quite familiar with. However, how to professionally construct them and utilize this tool to its full potential is something I was glad I was able to enhance through this week’s resources. In the article Six Steps to Creating a Knock Out Online Portfolio by Mell Ravenel, he gives essential information on how to properly construct an amazing online portfolio. He states, “Take a step back, and curate your best work, use eye catching images to tell your back story, and keep the website design simple, and let the work take center stage,” (Ravenel, 2012.). These key points were of great value to me as I began to enhance my online portfolio. When placing my work in my portfolio, I review it to make sure the work I place in it is of great quality and correlates with the work I want to do in my future career endeavors. As my portfolio is viewed by the public as well as future employers, it is important for my portfolio to show my best work. Also, using behance.net provides a simple platform to showcase my work. It is easy to navigate and place information within the platform. This is a great tool, as it makes it quite simple for both the artist and the viewer.

These concepts discussed this week will not only assist me in my current line of work, it will also prepare me for future endeavors. I look forward to continuing to enhance my portfolio and pursue my dream career.

 References:

 "Design Business and Ethics." Scribd. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 June 2016.

Greetings everyone,

 These four weeks have been the toughest by far as I have been creating assets for my chosen organization You Matter Mentorship Program. This program provides life guidance to youth and young adults through its mentor programing. They provide this programing at local schools, churches, and youth centers. Their target audience is youth between the ages of 18-33 years of age, as this age group shows the highest levels of stress. Their programming is designed to alleviate the stress of their target audience deals with on a day-to-day basis. While keeping this in mind, I began creating my pieces.

During week one of this course, we were introduced to creating our logo, and the use of surveys in our design process. As using surveys in design  new for me, I had to complete some initial research. During this, I came across the article Logo Testing, Your Target Market Can Help You Pick a Winner Part 1 by Kathryn Korostoff, she states “Very often, you have several logos and want some input to help make the final choice. A logo testing survey can give you valuable input from your target market. The survey can also be used to determine if the target market thinks the logo is consistent with the brand personality, product category or value proportion. After all, a logo could be very attractive, but simply not seem relevant to the audience. That said, logos aren’t magical—we can’t expect a logo design by itself to convey specific information,” (Korostoff, 2016). As during this week, we were manly focusing on our logo, this information was pertinent and gave me the insight needed on how to make sure I utilized my survey results effectively when creating my logo. From this, I created my initial logo iterations and begain my survey process.

From the results of my survey, I was able to continue my iteration process. However, via peer feedback in the discussion, I had to make a few more changes to my logo. After making these changes, I was able to move forward to my assets. I have to admit, during my initial start, I had no clue what assets were or what exactly I would be creating. So I began a laundry list of items I felt would fit well with You Matter Mentorship Program. This list included swag items, guerrilla marketing, social media marketing, and print items. However, I was still not comfortable in knowing exactly what I was creating. So, I did a little more research. According to the article Sold on Seniors, “A brand asset is a tool that enhances your products image, slogans, advertising, publicity, sales, promotions and customer service. It helps to create a meaningful identity that builds emotional bonds with your target audience. It compels them to take action and provides the logic that justifies their decision in choosing your products,” (Brand Assets, n.d).From this research, I was able to create both print and multimedia components for my asset package.

Through creating my assets, I wanted to make sure I kept the positive, uplifting, and powerful message for my target audience. With the peer feedback and survey results, I felt as though I was able to do so. I learned through this process that the design process for anything takes times and multiple iterations. Even in my current place of employment, I know I will be able to use this same process. As I currently create pieces for the Office of Student Health and Counseling on our campus here in Georgia, it takes many revisions, much research, and a team to make sure all components of the brand and its cohesive. Now with the implementation of surveys, I will be able to assist our team in gauging our target audience to make sure we are not only catering to the needs of the brand but the needs of our target audience. I look forward to using the skills I acquired in this course in the continuation of my career.

Best,

Greetings everyone,