The good news is that I'm starting to get interviews and more requests for web design. The universe seems to be pointing me towards web design rather than print.
I've started attending the very active Tacoma Job club which makes it a great place to network and hand out my business cards.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
Illustrations
This week has been busy with doing rough sketches for a book. One of my instructors wrote a story to illustrate time management skills and asked me to do the drawings after looking at my portfolio. I'm trying to get these done by Wednesday but it's looking like they won't get done until the end of the week. My illustrations are more towards realism which means a lot of research on how different items look. I look at photos and my own body for anatomy.
One of the drawings I'm doing is an elderly hand clasping a young adult's hand. I looked for models that were close to the position I wanted and then aged one of the hands. This means accentuating veins, knuckles, tendons, adding age spots and wrinkles. I've looked at several photos to get an idea of how elderly hands look.
I use thumbnails to get ideas out on paper then go to roughs. Here is where I decide where the focus will be in a drawing. It can take me a while to do even roughs. Sometimes I have to stop and think if I'm doing too much work for a rough. But I do want them to be clear for the client.
One of the drawings I'm doing is an elderly hand clasping a young adult's hand. I looked for models that were close to the position I wanted and then aged one of the hands. This means accentuating veins, knuckles, tendons, adding age spots and wrinkles. I've looked at several photos to get an idea of how elderly hands look.
I use thumbnails to get ideas out on paper then go to roughs. Here is where I decide where the focus will be in a drawing. It can take me a while to do even roughs. Sometimes I have to stop and think if I'm doing too much work for a rough. But I do want them to be clear for the client.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Logo and Other Opportunities
WorkSource Job Network has accepted my logo. They are using it on their materials and will send an example to me.
Now I'm waiting to see if Arts Alive will have me do their newsletter.
I met with a restaurant owner who wants a website. He wants something he can update himself. So I'm researching the options out there. Wix, Intuit, 1X1 all have website templates. They claim it's easy, just dragging and dropping with no coding. I believe one of these services would be good for him. What I can do is the initial design using the service of his choice and show him how to update it.
Had someone come out and chop some wood for me and in the course of conversation he mentioned he wanted a compass rose with his boat's name on a box. We agreed to do a trade. You never know where the work is going to come from.
Now I'm waiting to see if Arts Alive will have me do their newsletter.
I met with a restaurant owner who wants a website. He wants something he can update himself. So I'm researching the options out there. Wix, Intuit, 1X1 all have website templates. They claim it's easy, just dragging and dropping with no coding. I believe one of these services would be good for him. What I can do is the initial design using the service of his choice and show him how to update it.
Had someone come out and chop some wood for me and in the course of conversation he mentioned he wanted a compass rose with his boat's name on a box. We agreed to do a trade. You never know where the work is going to come from.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Center for the Arts
I recently joined Arts Alive and offered to do their newsletter. They want me to do a mockup of a newsletter so they can see what I can do.
At the Mandolin Cafe
Finally traveled to the Mandolin Cafe and rubbed elbows with follow job seekers. Yes, there is a job club in Tacoma at the Mandolin Cafe on Wednesday mornings. The atmosphere is more relaxed at the cafe which has a nice roomy conference room. The decor is beautiful with the walls adorned by artwork from local artists. Hmmmm, gets my thought processes going. Shall I get back to doing traditional art? Why not? It's all how I manage my time as to what I accomplish and focus on.
Great group of people shared their ideas about job search activities and gave each other tips. Discussion focused on employer's requirements. There was a person there who works with recruiters. She said that there's a gap between what employers are looking for and what applicants offer. Employers are complaining about not finding qualified candidates. A WorkSource person said that what we can do as job seekers is target our resumes. Make sure we use the words in the job postings that describe our skills.
Job searching today is very different and job seekers can take advantage of the technology available which allows us to be more innovative in advertising ourselves with little or no cost.
But there is another side to the equation which job seekers have no control over and that's employer's expectations. I do see job postings that have everything but the kitchen sink and, in the graphic design field, I see employers combining graphic design with IT. There are very few people who can be an excellent programmer and excellent graphic designer. But employers, in an attempt to cut costs, try to merge the two which is really right brain vs left brain skills. Ideally, a graphic designer would work closely with a programmer for creating websites. Unfortunately, "designer" is used interchangeably with "developer".
Many employers are looking for experienced people and aren't willing to give entry level candidates a chance.
Great group of people shared their ideas about job search activities and gave each other tips. Discussion focused on employer's requirements. There was a person there who works with recruiters. She said that there's a gap between what employers are looking for and what applicants offer. Employers are complaining about not finding qualified candidates. A WorkSource person said that what we can do as job seekers is target our resumes. Make sure we use the words in the job postings that describe our skills.
Job searching today is very different and job seekers can take advantage of the technology available which allows us to be more innovative in advertising ourselves with little or no cost.
But there is another side to the equation which job seekers have no control over and that's employer's expectations. I do see job postings that have everything but the kitchen sink and, in the graphic design field, I see employers combining graphic design with IT. There are very few people who can be an excellent programmer and excellent graphic designer. But employers, in an attempt to cut costs, try to merge the two which is really right brain vs left brain skills. Ideally, a graphic designer would work closely with a programmer for creating websites. Unfortunately, "designer" is used interchangeably with "developer".
Many employers are looking for experienced people and aren't willing to give entry level candidates a chance.
Friday, October 7, 2011
To BA or Not to BA?
To BA or not to BA, that is the question. I've been checking out schools to see what they offer in their design programs. So far AI of Seattle has the most robust program I've seen. They said I would be eligible for a BA or a diploma and reminded me that I could apply to more than one school. Evergreen is another one I want to check out. U of W seems to have suspended their design program.
Expenses will be a challenge but it doesn't hurt to apply.
I've been working on web pages and I want to learn so much more about them. There are so many menu options in Dreamweaver and I want to know how to use them. So taking advantage of another design program might be the best option.
Expenses will be a challenge but it doesn't hurt to apply.
I've been working on web pages and I want to learn so much more about them. There are so many menu options in Dreamweaver and I want to know how to use them. So taking advantage of another design program might be the best option.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Job Club Logo
The name for the job club changed. I designed three different versions to go with the new name. The first one I felt didn't have enough punch to it. The WorkSource person wanted movement and a color scheme that is similar to the color scheme as the WorkSource logo.
For the second version I thought of art deco cityscapes or skylines and superheroes.
Colors for the third version were tweaked to make them more in line with the desired color scheme.
For the second version I thought of art deco cityscapes or skylines and superheroes.
Colors for the third version were tweaked to make them more in line with the desired color scheme.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Biz Fair
A friend of mine called me and asked me to accompany her to a Biz Fair which turned out to be a free event at Renton Technical College for small business owners or startups. There are a lot of free or low cost resources for those starting their own business. SCORE, which is a group of CEO's who volunteer their time helping startups, is a wonderful resource. They will mentor you and walk you through the steps to starting your business and be successful.
One thing I have noticed is that the graphic design side of a business is overlooked. It's probably because the business owner is trying to keep expenses low by doing it themselves and using templates. But that can result in their business looking unprofessional to the public. One person declared that social media will take the place of needing a website and said that people shouldn't bother hiring a graphic designer.
I pointed out to him that graphic design is the business's public face and, like an interview, you want to put your best foot forward. I said that if a business owner is really strapped for cash they could contact colleges or universities that have design programs for student interns.
I said the same thing to my friend who wants me to design her business card and was thinking of using the stationery for business cards to save money on printing costs. That stationery is perforated and that makes the business cards look bad. A better option, I pointed out to her, is to have Office Depot or Fed Ex print the cards and cut them.
Sometimes in cutting corners you can end up with half measures and it shows. You really have to decide what is worth the investment and work out the expenses you need in starting your business. Decide what you need in equipment, software etc. to look professional and look for sales and discounts. Sometimes you can barter services.
One thing I have noticed is that the graphic design side of a business is overlooked. It's probably because the business owner is trying to keep expenses low by doing it themselves and using templates. But that can result in their business looking unprofessional to the public. One person declared that social media will take the place of needing a website and said that people shouldn't bother hiring a graphic designer.
I pointed out to him that graphic design is the business's public face and, like an interview, you want to put your best foot forward. I said that if a business owner is really strapped for cash they could contact colleges or universities that have design programs for student interns.
I said the same thing to my friend who wants me to design her business card and was thinking of using the stationery for business cards to save money on printing costs. That stationery is perforated and that makes the business cards look bad. A better option, I pointed out to her, is to have Office Depot or Fed Ex print the cards and cut them.
Sometimes in cutting corners you can end up with half measures and it shows. You really have to decide what is worth the investment and work out the expenses you need in starting your business. Decide what you need in equipment, software etc. to look professional and look for sales and discounts. Sometimes you can barter services.
Hiring Event
Last Thursday I used my Hiring Academy pass to attend a hiring event sponsored by WorkSource Pierce. I got in early because of the pass which was great but none of the employers were looking for graphic designers. I did get information from a few and gave my resume to one employer who utilizes graphic designers.
Hiring Academy and 60 Second Commercial
WorkSource Pierce sponsored a Hiring Academy event. They covered creating a 60 second commercial, cover letters, resumes, how to dress for an interview and interview questions. Completing the Academy resulted in gaining more information for the job market and a pass for hiring events sponsored by Worksource. The pass allows people to attend hiring events before the general public is let in.
Even though I have attended some workshops about resumes and cover letters I continue to attend more because the criteria changes and everyone has a little different take on the subjects.
The Hiring Academy did a good job talking about the 60 second commercial. It's best to think of it as a conversation you are having with someone else over a cup of coffee. The commercial can be used anywhere and anytime you are introducing yourself to others. If you are passionate about what you do that will come across. As with preparing for an interview where you practice answering possible questions, you practice the 60 second commercial over and over until you are comfortable. Several people said it helps to practice in front of a mirror so you can see your facial expressions. Don't use words or phrases that qualify your knowledge and experience like "just", "only", or "sort of" because you will come across as uncertain. Be confident and declarative and you come across as knowing your industry, career, and sure you can do the job.
The 60 second commercial can be used whether you are looking for a job or looking for clients for your business.
Even though I have attended some workshops about resumes and cover letters I continue to attend more because the criteria changes and everyone has a little different take on the subjects.
The Hiring Academy did a good job talking about the 60 second commercial. It's best to think of it as a conversation you are having with someone else over a cup of coffee. The commercial can be used anywhere and anytime you are introducing yourself to others. If you are passionate about what you do that will come across. As with preparing for an interview where you practice answering possible questions, you practice the 60 second commercial over and over until you are comfortable. Several people said it helps to practice in front of a mirror so you can see your facial expressions. Don't use words or phrases that qualify your knowledge and experience like "just", "only", or "sort of" because you will come across as uncertain. Be confident and declarative and you come across as knowing your industry, career, and sure you can do the job.
The 60 second commercial can be used whether you are looking for a job or looking for clients for your business.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Software vs Skill, Software vs Hand Coding
I've joined a few groups on linked in that have to do with freelancing, graphic design and web. These groups are great resources for sharing ideas, providing feedback on designs and there are job postings too!
There are discussions regarding web design with some people claiming you should only do hand coding and others promoting software programs. Most agree that understanding basic html is a must.
Design and composition are skills that a good graphic designer needs. The software is a tool to use for design and does not replace skill. So it's not enough to know how to use InDesign or Photoshop because it's not the software that creates and has an eye for color, typography and composition; it's the designer or artist. I think those who discourage the use of software for web design are programmers who love coding but a designer wants to focus on creativity and there are software programs that are good for creating websites without doing it all with hand coding. Conversely, if you don't know anything about html and CSS it's very difficult to enhance, tweak or troubleshoot the design.
The software program I've been using is Dreamweaver. I like to work with a split screen so I can focus on the design and manipulate it with code. This also allows adding javascript when necessary and it's easier to trouble shoot problems. But then again you have to know html to troubleshoot.
The class I took started us with hand coding which introduced the idea of divs and tags. This knowledge has helped me tremendously when creating websites. For example, I created a calendar (which I will eventually replace with a calendar app) in excel, converted it to html and then embedded the code in a web page. At first the calendar was shoved over to the left of the page and I wanted it centered. Because I knew html, I was able to make changes from the code side.
Those who hand code only have no confidence in the code generated by software programs. But for the designer those programs are essential and there are sites that can help you check the code. I've been checking out design programs at 4-year colleges and they focus on art, design and creativity and not so much on programming languages.
There are discussions regarding web design with some people claiming you should only do hand coding and others promoting software programs. Most agree that understanding basic html is a must.
Design and composition are skills that a good graphic designer needs. The software is a tool to use for design and does not replace skill. So it's not enough to know how to use InDesign or Photoshop because it's not the software that creates and has an eye for color, typography and composition; it's the designer or artist. I think those who discourage the use of software for web design are programmers who love coding but a designer wants to focus on creativity and there are software programs that are good for creating websites without doing it all with hand coding. Conversely, if you don't know anything about html and CSS it's very difficult to enhance, tweak or troubleshoot the design.
The software program I've been using is Dreamweaver. I like to work with a split screen so I can focus on the design and manipulate it with code. This also allows adding javascript when necessary and it's easier to trouble shoot problems. But then again you have to know html to troubleshoot.
The class I took started us with hand coding which introduced the idea of divs and tags. This knowledge has helped me tremendously when creating websites. For example, I created a calendar (which I will eventually replace with a calendar app) in excel, converted it to html and then embedded the code in a web page. At first the calendar was shoved over to the left of the page and I wanted it centered. Because I knew html, I was able to make changes from the code side.
Those who hand code only have no confidence in the code generated by software programs. But for the designer those programs are essential and there are sites that can help you check the code. I've been checking out design programs at 4-year colleges and they focus on art, design and creativity and not so much on programming languages.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
WorkSource Job Club Logo
I've been attending the job club at WorkSource in Tacoma. This last week we were told that they wanted to reinvent the job club and brand it. People came up with a name and I volunteered to do the logo. There were only two things I asked. One is it to be able to use it in my professional portfolio and the other is that if they want to change it to come to me first. I designed three versions and the facilitator chose one. So far everyone likes it but there are a few more people that need to review it. This is the winning design in color and gray scale.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Website
Today I'm making improvements to my website and establishing a Facebook presence for my business. Hopefully, the gallery, web examples and 'At the Movies" can be on one web page. A linked in icon has been added to the "About Me" page and, when I'm done with Facebook, a Facebook icon will be added. The content on a couple of pages will be changed for SEO purposes. The background for the body will be changed and possibly the banner will be changed. I just think my website could look better and I want people to find the site when they search for graphic designers.
Also, on my to do list is get added to online directories.
Potential Client
A financier was introduced to me for a website project. He wanted me to sign a non-compete agreement for just talking about a possible job. I thought that was odd. Those agreements are usually signed when someone is hired and when there is potential competition between the employer's business and the contractor's business. Basically the agreement ensures the employee or contractor doesn't steal clients away from the employer. My business doesn't compete with his. I did not get a good feel for this guy and decided not to bid on the project.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Art Walk
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Meeting with Client
A meeting today with a client was very productive. She gave me the rest of the materials needed to launch her site. Now all that's needed is the ftp info. We started with looking at free website templates. I customized the one she selected which used a sliced psd file. I need to learn how to manipulate the slices and minimize the number of pieces used in the design. Both the client and I are excited about how the design is turning out. A snapshot of the home page will be posted here when it's done.
She also agreed to pay me for optimizing her images. Originally, she was going to optimize her images to minimize the amount of time I spent on her web page but she was swamped being a student (summer student to boot which is much more challenging) and a business owner. She had been giving me money for meals for our meetings and was going to give me gas money. I told her that her money would be better spent towards me optimizing her images so her site could get launched rather than on food and gas for meetings. Her work load was preventing her from completing her task with the images and the meetings weren't expediting what she needed to do. It's mutually beneficial to have me take care of the images. She gets her site up and running sooner and I get to add another website to my portfolio. I also pointed out that she could start out with a few images per gallery rather than trying to get all the images she wanted on her site. She can always add more later.
Websites are not and should not be static. They are dynamic and should be updated regularly. Images can be added and text changed over time. As a designer, it's a good idea to refresh the online portfolio with recent work and sometimes it's a good idea to totally revamp the site.
She also agreed to pay me for optimizing her images. Originally, she was going to optimize her images to minimize the amount of time I spent on her web page but she was swamped being a student (summer student to boot which is much more challenging) and a business owner. She had been giving me money for meals for our meetings and was going to give me gas money. I told her that her money would be better spent towards me optimizing her images so her site could get launched rather than on food and gas for meetings. Her work load was preventing her from completing her task with the images and the meetings weren't expediting what she needed to do. It's mutually beneficial to have me take care of the images. She gets her site up and running sooner and I get to add another website to my portfolio. I also pointed out that she could start out with a few images per gallery rather than trying to get all the images she wanted on her site. She can always add more later.
Websites are not and should not be static. They are dynamic and should be updated regularly. Images can be added and text changed over time. As a designer, it's a good idea to refresh the online portfolio with recent work and sometimes it's a good idea to totally revamp the site.
Class Assignment Revisited
Friday, July 8, 2011
Garden Club Flyer
A flyer was recently created for an emerging garden club at Lake Wilderness Arboretum. I was going for a by-gone era feel for the flyer and found an image in the Commons on Flickr. The photo was black and white but was tinted and masked in Photoshop. Floral brushes were used to add interest, depth and texture. The challenge to this was the amount of text used. The woman who wanted me to do the flyer gave me permission to rearrange the text. I consolidated and simplified some of it and organized it into smaller paragraphs. The name and phone number were changed to protect the innocent.
Monday, July 4, 2011
New Client
This last Saturday I signed on another client to do their website. The client sells insurance which will be very different than the murals and portraits website being done for another client. Variety is wonderful to have in a portfolio. It stretches design sense and the focus becomes what is best for the client's business not the design style of the graphic designer.
Research is often done before doing a layout. Research into the industry the client conducts business in and the look of related business websites is done first. Sometimes it's research into functionality I haven't encountered before.
Above all, I believe in honesty and letting the client know my capabilities and what I have to research. Some people have cautioned me not to divulge too much. There are some things the client doesn't need to know. "Just do it" then become the motto.
Research is often done before doing a layout. Research into the industry the client conducts business in and the look of related business websites is done first. Sometimes it's research into functionality I haven't encountered before.
Above all, I believe in honesty and letting the client know my capabilities and what I have to research. Some people have cautioned me not to divulge too much. There are some things the client doesn't need to know. "Just do it" then become the motto.
Farmer's Market
The PR person at LWAF is starting to come to me with graphic design requests. She recently asked me to do a "brochure" for a farmer's market. The farmer's market people wanted something colorful and eye catching that used their logo and cow icon. To save moeny, they also wanted to be able to print two brochures on an 8.5 by 11 piece of paper so each brochure was about 4 x 11, double sided. Indesign was used to create this and the results are shown below. Unfortunately, this design wasn't used because the PR person decided, at the last minute, to use black and white and this was not designed for black and white. She didn't have time to contact me to make a black and white version and created another brochure.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Graduation Day
Graduation Day was last Friday. What a wonderful day it was! I don't do much patting on the back for myself but as I stood there in my cap and gown and honor cords I realized that I had achieved much with a GPA 3.98. Hard work and setting my priorities got me to this point with help and encouragement from teachers, students and emotional support from friends and family. I can look back on this moment and remind myself that I can do great things which will bolster me through hard times and rejections.
There was a long line of instructors clapping and, the most amusing and fun, blowing bubbles! Afterwards my family treated me to a Thai dinner. Of course, I had to have one of my favorite drinks; a Thai ice tea.
Now it's back to looking for graphic design work.
There was a long line of instructors clapping and, the most amusing and fun, blowing bubbles! Afterwards my family treated me to a Thai dinner. Of course, I had to have one of my favorite drinks; a Thai ice tea.
Now it's back to looking for graphic design work.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Dodged a Bullet
I almost had a job. The good news is that I didn't get it and the bad news is that I'm still unemployed. The guy said he was impressed with my resume and said you're hired. I was supposed to start in two weeks. He also suggested I check out the website of his affiliate partner and graphic designer. The designer's website was all photography. The guy changed his mind about hiring me when I asked for a job description and asked if his affiliate partner had an online design portfolio. Those questions were "uncalled for". He also had his temporary assistant give me the news.
I believe I dodged a bullet and my advice is that if you have any doubts about a job - don't take it! I had qualms about this job but thought at the very least I could add to my portfolio because the guy said he had a variety of clients.
I believe I dodged a bullet and my advice is that if you have any doubts about a job - don't take it! I had qualms about this job but thought at the very least I could add to my portfolio because the guy said he had a variety of clients.
Another Flyer for LWAF
A flyer was created for the Lake Wilderness Arboretum summer plant sales. Previously graphics had been used for their flyers but this time I used photos that I had taken at the arboretum. The PR person liked the flyer a lot but for some reason couldn't download the file. She would open it first and then get an error message that it might be write protected and couldn't download it. I asked her if she could download it first, then open it. But she claimed there wasn't a download option. We both use the same email provider and when I get an image I have a button for "view" and a button for "download".
I tried sending the flyer to myself from a different email account and was able to download and open. I tried sending it to a friend who was able to download and open the file.
The good news is that she is starting to ask me to do flyers instead of me contacting her.
I tried sending the flyer to myself from a different email account and was able to download and open. I tried sending it to a friend who was able to download and open the file.
The good news is that she is starting to ask me to do flyers instead of me contacting her.
Updated Business Card
I've updated my business card to make it look more professional. A filter was used on the leaves to give more definition. Just a touch of noise and a subtle treatment with a brush was used in photoshop.
A different print shop is in order due to the fact that Iprint has made it more difficult to use your own design. An hour was spent trying to adjust the design to allow for the bleed but no matter what I did the Iprint system kept pushing the graphics past the bleed line and cutting off the leaves. There was an error message that claimed the image was below 300 dpi but my file's image size shows 300 dpi. I'll try calling their tech support and see what they say.
I'm also checking out Zazzle for an alternative print option. Their prices are lower and they allow you to setup a store to sell your designs on many different products.
A different print shop is in order due to the fact that Iprint has made it more difficult to use your own design. An hour was spent trying to adjust the design to allow for the bleed but no matter what I did the Iprint system kept pushing the graphics past the bleed line and cutting off the leaves. There was an error message that claimed the image was below 300 dpi but my file's image size shows 300 dpi. I'll try calling their tech support and see what they say.
I'm also checking out Zazzle for an alternative print option. Their prices are lower and they allow you to setup a store to sell your designs on many different products.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Social Networking and Marketing
The speaker for today's job club was someone who does marketing and advertising. She talked about the pros and cons of social media and how you can use it to market yourself. There is little privacy with social media and employers use social networking like Facebook to investigate applicants. If you have your address listed, people can use google maps to see where you live. Bottom line is be careful what you post on networking sites. You can use it to your advantage by posting photos that give a positive image of yourself to employers. The representative suggested that you highlight where you come from with a photo. For example, those in the Pacific Northwest should have a photo with a tree in it, be dressed in casual attire and have a dog. A black lab or golden retriever is preferable. She even said borrow someone's dog if necessary.
It seems to me there is a lot of game playing in looking for a job. I want to present myself in a genuine and honest manner.
I had a chance to show her my portfolio and business card to get feedback. She gave me some tips to improve my business card. She said the design should focus people's attention to the upper left corner first. She said her eyes were drawn to the saying I have which is in the bottom right.
She was impressed with my portfolio. One of her favorite pictures was the one I took of my cat through a glass door. Several people have favorably commented on this one.
It seems to me there is a lot of game playing in looking for a job. I want to present myself in a genuine and honest manner.
I had a chance to show her my portfolio and business card to get feedback. She gave me some tips to improve my business card. She said the design should focus people's attention to the upper left corner first. She said her eyes were drawn to the saying I have which is in the bottom right.
She was impressed with my portfolio. One of her favorite pictures was the one I took of my cat through a glass door. Several people have favorably commented on this one.
Job Club
I attended two more job clubs at Worksource in Tacoma. There were three employers at one and they explained what their business was and what they were looking for in applicants. ACS, UPS and Worksource were there. The ACS representative explained the old school of thought at his company about hiring "over qualified" people. They used to think that they'd lose money on people who had a lot of experience because they would pay to train these people who would leave in a couple of months for a better job. The representative was one of the employees who changed the company's mind. ACS likes to promote from within the company but if you don't have the "over qualified" people, there won't be anyone from within to promote. They also discussed the pros and cons of hiring young people and the advantages of hiring older people. Younger people may have a lot of enthusiasm but may not have good customer service skills. Older people are used to work schedules, deadlines and dealing with customers.
The second job club had a representative from Goodwill Industries who explained all the resources that Goodwill provides to job seekers including in depth resume writing, interviewing, hands on training for retail and other industries. I have enrolled in Job bait which helps you market yourself in a concise and targeted manner. Several people said that this workshop could help me in the graphic design field.
After next Monday I will know and post what I experienced.
The second job club had a representative from Goodwill Industries who explained all the resources that Goodwill provides to job seekers including in depth resume writing, interviewing, hands on training for retail and other industries. I have enrolled in Job bait which helps you market yourself in a concise and targeted manner. Several people said that this workshop could help me in the graphic design field.
After next Monday I will know and post what I experienced.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Portfolio
I revised my portfolio and reprinted the pictures using my printer and better paper. The image below was added as a cover.
Job Club II
Last Thursday I attended another Job Club at Worksource in Tacoma. The topic was how we deal with the daily stresses of life as well as the stress of being unemployed and looking for work. The speaker didn't show up so we didn't have a presentation but a couple of other Worksource personnel filled in. I think we had a good discussion. One woman almost dominated the conversation but she made me think of what I learned in the Human Relations in the Workplace class I took at Pierce. The workplace is made up of different personality types and they all have something to offer from their perspective and how they think. I could see she is the type who focuses on concrete ideas. She keeps herself going by identifying what she needs and the resources available that she can use and makes lists. I could see her asset as organizing resources for teams or organizations. She would be good at reporting on progress for projects, assessing resources needed and laying out timelines.
The basic ideas that came out of Thursday's discussion about how we deal with stress was that one has to keep a positive attitude and think about what one can do in spite of adversity and obstacles one runs into. The Worksource personnel talked about how a downturn places stress on those laid off as well as those left behind. Those left behind have to work twice or three times as hard because they are doing the work of more people.
The Worksource personnel pointed out how the Worksource office is made of different organizations that don't share the same database and don't necessarily talk to each other. However, there are workshops and orientations that help people navigate the resources available. They also talked about how budget constraints means fewer personnel to provide the same services. The legislature is threatening to cut some services and almost completely wiped out the Dislocated Workers Program otherwise known as WIA. We all talked about how we can't get good jobs without education and the country can't compete globally without an educated workforce. One person pointed out that employers are having a tough time finding well trained, experienced workers.
I'm one of those that was able to go to school thanks to the Dislocated Workers Program. I think it's really short sighted to cut education and assistance that helps people find jobs or improve their skills to get a good job.
Before I left, I had the opportunity to show my portfolio to more people and handed out my business card.
The basic ideas that came out of Thursday's discussion about how we deal with stress was that one has to keep a positive attitude and think about what one can do in spite of adversity and obstacles one runs into. The Worksource personnel talked about how a downturn places stress on those laid off as well as those left behind. Those left behind have to work twice or three times as hard because they are doing the work of more people.
The Worksource personnel pointed out how the Worksource office is made of different organizations that don't share the same database and don't necessarily talk to each other. However, there are workshops and orientations that help people navigate the resources available. They also talked about how budget constraints means fewer personnel to provide the same services. The legislature is threatening to cut some services and almost completely wiped out the Dislocated Workers Program otherwise known as WIA. We all talked about how we can't get good jobs without education and the country can't compete globally without an educated workforce. One person pointed out that employers are having a tough time finding well trained, experienced workers.
I'm one of those that was able to go to school thanks to the Dislocated Workers Program. I think it's really short sighted to cut education and assistance that helps people find jobs or improve their skills to get a good job.
Before I left, I had the opportunity to show my portfolio to more people and handed out my business card.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Contracts
It seemed to me that in dealing with clients, the sticking points were contracts and pricing. Then I read a tip on the AIGA site which basically advised presenting a contract with confidence. If you seem unsure the client will pick that up and become wary of the contract. I realized I was expecting the client to hesitate on the contract so of course I've been running into problems.
I am now taking what I see on the AIGA site, GAG and other resources on the web to write my own contract. Terms that I will not compromise on are "agree" and "agreement". The rest can be negotiated as appropriate for the assignment. The plan is to have one boiler plate document that can be customized for each client and assignment.
There are several boiler plate contracts in the Graphic Artist's Guild Handbook but if my eyes are glazing over when I read them then how can I explain the sections to the clients? So I'm creating a document that can be better understood by me and the client.
The other tip I got from the AIGA site was to present a contract in a professional manner. Have a folder and use nice paper not cheap copy paper.
I am now taking what I see on the AIGA site, GAG and other resources on the web to write my own contract. Terms that I will not compromise on are "agree" and "agreement". The rest can be negotiated as appropriate for the assignment. The plan is to have one boiler plate document that can be customized for each client and assignment.
There are several boiler plate contracts in the Graphic Artist's Guild Handbook but if my eyes are glazing over when I read them then how can I explain the sections to the clients? So I'm creating a document that can be better understood by me and the client.
The other tip I got from the AIGA site was to present a contract in a professional manner. Have a folder and use nice paper not cheap copy paper.
Life is an Adventure
I have three contracts to write. Finished one yesterday for a business card design and logo and was scheduled to meet the client this Friday at a restaurant. He also has a possible job offer for me. The client didn't show because he wasn't feeling well. We are rescheduled for next Friday to go over the contract. I suggested a teleconference to discuss the job offer and figure if I get the job then doing the business card and logo would just be part of my job working for him.
All was not lost. I had a nice meal and then went to a wine tasting where I showed off my portfolio and handed out my business card as well as getting a free massage and makeover. Fun was had by me.
All was not lost. I had a nice meal and then went to a wine tasting where I showed off my portfolio and handed out my business card as well as getting a free massage and makeover. Fun was had by me.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Seamless Texture
I updated the background for my blog to a seamless texture that looks better than the tiled version. How did I do it? I copied the original psd file and worked on that. I made sure the dimensions were a square by cropping the image. There are two ways to make a square with the crop tool. One way is to set the pixel dimensions (not inches) in the width and height at the top of the window. The other is to hold down the shift key and drag the crop tool. Next, the image was flattened. Then I went to Filter/Other/Offset, setting the horizontal and vertical offset to half the pixels of the image and leaving the Wrap Around checked. My image was 400 so I used 200 for the offset. The seams I cleaned up by using the stamp tool and a soft brush. Last step was to save the file for the web.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Time Passes
I'm done with school but have two internships hanging around and sticking like glue. One I'm pretty much done with and promised the client I would do some training so she could take it over. She was going to do a letter of recommendation too. The other I'm still, believe it or not, in layout phase.
Both are pro bono work and the communication seems to be one way. One client doesn't respond to email and I have to call them because they don't call me to move the project forward. The other client sometimes responds to email but doesn't return phone calls.
I sometimes wonder, if I didn't contact them, how much time would pass until they decided they wanted me to do something.
If anyone has any tips on how to handle situations like this, I'd surely appreciate it.
Both are pro bono work and the communication seems to be one way. One client doesn't respond to email and I have to call them because they don't call me to move the project forward. The other client sometimes responds to email but doesn't return phone calls.
I sometimes wonder, if I didn't contact them, how much time would pass until they decided they wanted me to do something.
If anyone has any tips on how to handle situations like this, I'd surely appreciate it.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Networking
Networking is fun. You get to meet people and share information. At the job club I got a tip about another job club in Tacoma that meets on Wednesdays. I shared my portfolio with people and gave them my web address. One person took down my information because they might be contacting me to revamp a non profit website.
I have resolved to carry my portfolio everywhere I go and, of course, my business cards. Everywhere I go, I tell people what I'm doing and I find myself getting animated and excited as I share my portfolio and discuss my goals. Graphic Design is my chosen career and I love it.
I have resolved to carry my portfolio everywhere I go and, of course, my business cards. Everywhere I go, I tell people what I'm doing and I find myself getting animated and excited as I share my portfolio and discuss my goals. Graphic Design is my chosen career and I love it.
Job Club
There is a job club at the WorkSource office in Tacoma that meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This last Thursday I attended and they covered social networking. Today's technology provides job seekers and the self employed so many different inexpensive ways to market themselves. You can use Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, blogs and your own website to brand yourself. A dear friend of mine uses Yelp. I do have a Linkedin account and a personal Facebook account but I think it would be best to establish a separate Facebook account for my professional career. The job club meeting inspired me to get going on my business card which I'm almost done with and will have a similar design as my website. Iprint.com is a fairly inexpensive way to get business cards printed. You can upload one of your own designs or use one of their templates.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Living Today and Preparing for the Future
Started to apply for jobs and keeping busy. I went to the Lake Wilderness Arboretum Thursday to help them prepare for the spring plant sale and the PR person asked me to design their fall plant sale flyer. She was very pleased with the spring plant sale flyer I did. Her comment was "very pretty" and "grabs your attention". I created the flyer using Illustrator. A friend of mine wants me to design two websites for her and she will pay me. So I have plenty to do and I'm starting to get paid for my work!
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
A Day Off
My schooling is done and today I decided to celebrate by taking the day off. Total relaxation. Tomorrow I'll get back to work. There are two internships I'll be finishing up, a book to illustrate and a flyer to design. These are all pro-bono work. There is one possible paid job designing a business card. I will also be looking for work.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Themed Interactive Text
This is how the text looks before the texture was applied. In Flash, I applied an interactive mask so you can mouse back and forth and watch the text change on a web page. This technique reminds me of advertisements I've seen on the web. Usually they are trying to convince women to use an anti-wrinkle cream and you mouse over the image to watch the woman's face change from horribly wrinkled to young and smooth. Yeah, right.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Themed Text
I took the word blood and, well, made it bloody. This was created in Photoshop and saved into two png files in preparation for the interactive flash assignment. A couple of images of splattered blood were used for the texture and masking was used to define the image and drips of blood. Doing this was kind of relaxing for me as I used patches to apply the texture, smoothed out edges and masked to reveal what I wanted in the image.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Web Galleries
Galleria is a good source for creating web galleries especially if you have a lot of images. I created about four galleries for my website and organized them by photo, photomanipulation, illustration, and flyers. The galleries were customized in Dreamweaver. Here is a screen capture of one of the galleries. Now I have an online gallery to show to clients. http://leftofcentergraphics.com/
Web Template
How do you use a web template? First you can find many free already designed templates on the web and you can customize them for your own style and purpose. I grabbed "Tomatoes" from http://www.freecsstemplates.org/ and changed the header, body color, and text in the content using Dreamweaver. I'm not sure that this was faster than creating from scratch but some people think you can save time. It would depend on what the client wants. You can show a client web templates and use one that they like instead of re-inventing the wheel.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Starry Sky
I found a tutorial showing how to create a starry night in Photoshop. http://www.photoshopessentials.com/photo-effects/starry-sky/. I took a day photo of a tree line and converted it to night then followed the steps in the tutorial. This was enjoyable and the only problem I ran into was when I tried flattening the psd. The image looked a little different. I redid the layer with the starry effect but used more blur and that seemed to solve the problem. Just for grins and giggles I added a shooting star.
3D Coat
This time I created a table in Lightwave and painted it using 3D Coat. The textures came from photos I've taken over the last year. The background was added in 3D Coat. The challenge was that the render on a Mac resulted in a blank image. I switched to a PC and then was able to render the image. The Macs at the college are not setup with the same software or versions of the software.
Radio Waves
Animated text done in After Effects using radio waves is featured in this short movie. I used Illustrator for the text and imported it into After Effects. The text is the name of my website. The background was done in Photoshop and imported in AE. Music was added in Premier Pro. I like the over all effect and the colors I used. This was a fun project.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Flash Cards
I've created four designs with very simple images for flash cards. These were created using Illustrator. The main focus is the message which should be easy to read and understandable. Nothing fancy was done for these. The instructor assigned four phrases to use for the flash cards. It wasn't the most exciting assignment but I think I did a good job and that the flash cards will be easy to understand.
Logo
My next assignment is creating a sticker. I thought I would use the logo I'm designing for promoting my services. There are two versions I'm mulling over. The one with the orange background and circle I will use for the sticker. The one with the star, I think, will be used for my website and advertising my services. It was fun creating the two versions of the logo and I seem to be going for simple designs lately. I'm not sure I'll use either one. Lots of times I'll design something, put it aside, then look at it later. Frequently, I'll come up with another idea. I may completely change the logo by the time I get to doing business cards and adding it to my website.
Monday, February 7, 2011
New and Improved SLAM
After some feed back about the vertical text being hard to read (and it was), I changed it to horizontal. Sometimes it doesn't pay to try to be clever in a design.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
SLAM
SLAM is Pierce College's Student Literary Arts Magazine. I was to design two covers to be submitted to the magazine and used Photoshop for one design and Illustrator for the other. The last issue of SLAM had typewriters on the cover and I thought I'd step back in time and have a quill pen and ink. The Photoshop cover is from a bird's eye view of someone writing on paper. I tried to make the figure androgynous with a hint of colonial times. The Illustrator cover has a limited palette. Both were fun to do. I also found a font called "Valley Forge" to use for the text in both designs.
Brushes in Illustrator
Brushes for Photoshop
In this photo are two brushes I created in Photoshop. I decorated the basket and the wall with a flower brush and used a spirit brush for the stuff coming out of the basket. The spirit brush I created from a logo I designed for another assignment. Standard Photoshop brushes were used to create the counter top. I'm happy with the flower brush but the spirit brush didn't come out lighter than I expected.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Movie with Popup Images
I took samples of work I've done for clients and class assignments and created a movie with popup images using After Effects. This is a self-promotion piece using a sample of photography, a business card (front and back), a poster, a flyer, one photo-manipulation, one illustration and a self-portrait. I used Premiere Pro to add music obtained from Flash Kit. In spite of technical difficulties I managed to get this done and I'm happy with the results. Spot lighting is used with a subtle increase of light for each image as it pops up. I kept running into problems with Premiere Pro cutting off either the top or bottom of the movie or the end. This was so frustrating. Then I looked at the movie window in Premiere Pro and it was set to 50%. Changing the 50% to "fit" solved the problem. It's always the little things that get you.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
And Even More Fonts
Actually, these are glyphs. I had created a font set for capital letters. This time I created a font set for small caps, numbers and three symbols using, once again, an Illustrator brush. Again, I was keeping in mind Art Deco styles, which are fairly simple with clean lines. I'm mostly satisfied with the results and this was quicker to do because I was more familiar with the process of creating glyphs.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
The World of Digital Design and Clients
Clients will often say they want their design as soon as possible. Keep in mind that they are running a business and are busy. Give them a few days to respond after you send them a design via email then followup with a phone call or email depending on which the client prefers.
Fonts, Fonts and More Fonts
I created a set of fonts that were inspired by Art Deco designs. These are all capital letters. I used Illustrator brushes and a trial version of a font creation tool. I think they came out better than I thought. There was a challenge trying to use the trial version of TypeTool. I'll have to go to the college tomorrow and use a PC only trial version of Font Creator 4.
Illustration Using Only Brushes
I created an illustration using only Illustrator brushes. No pens, fills or geometric shapes were used. This took hours and hours of work and I learned a lot more about Illustrator brushes. Unlike a physical canvas and using paint and brush, you can change the stroke after you apply it. After all, every brush stroke in Illustrator is a path and all you have to do is click on handles or anchors to change the shape. If you use the direct selection tool, click on the stroke, select the brush tool and click on the stroke again, you can actually repaint the stroke.
I've downloaded the artwork to this blog and I'm not completely happy with it. It doesn't match the picture in my mind. But I did manage to get an expression on the woman’s face.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Gadgets
I added two gadgets and will probably add more later. This was easy to do. I did have a challenge with adding the YouTube video because only the html was showing up in the preview. Finally, I looked at the Post Options and checked Interpret typed HTML.
My First Assignment for Class
The purpose of the assignment was to animate brushes used in Photoshop. I used one of my winter photos and several different brushes for the treatment around the window and the lights. A bevel and pattern overlay was used for the window. The treatment around the window and the twinkling lights was from a brush set I got from http://celestial-star.net. The animation was done using a masking technique in Flash. I enjoyed creating and enhancing a winter wonderland and it came out pretty much the way I wanted especially the twinkling lights.
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