The Knightly News/ We Will Cut It

Print production is important because it is where all the MAGIC happens!

or at least this is what I have been led to believe. With this notion I decided that instead of venturing off into a high powered design/marketing studio/firm. I have settled into a very small printing printing company as the pre-press assistant and the in-house graphic designer. However, as expected of a small company many of my jobs require little to no creativity. Just placement and choosing of fonts. So to keep my sanity I have taken on a couple of fun jobs that prevented me from having creative build-up.

which for those of you who don't know if a disorder that when a creative person is not allowed to be creative. The creativity begins to build up in the mind and will ultimately cause said person to explode...very similarly to fairy magic build up. see fairy odd parents

So here are some recent jobs I have had some fun with.

The first one are some newsletters for a blog called The Knightly News. Topics in this blog can range from sports to politics and occasionally art. The writer is fairly witty so it can be a very enjoyable read.
There is more work to come on this particular blog, but in the meanwhile I urge readers to take a gander, the post on beer with Barack is particularly funny.

The next was a simple business card design for a lawn care company, called "We Will Cut It" Not much to say here just lawn care.

So there you have it. Hopefully there will be more updates on more interesting projects in the future.

Graphically Speaking: A Visual Lexicon for Achieving Better Designer

This book was one of the text books I was supposed to have purchased as a student at the Art Institute of Atlanta. However, knowing the track record of most classes (mostly the book was never ever cracked opened) I declined purchasing the text. However, later on in my college journey I was in class creating my senior project and attempting to decide upon a style. It was then that my teacher told me that I should use this book.


This book has become one of my many design bibles. If I cannot figure out what kind of design style I want to use in a current project, I can just crack this baby open and choose one. Each style is seperated by type, and provides colors, and fonts that are often used in this style. I have to admit is beats searching all over the web for example of the style I want to use. However, my particular copy is in a box in my storage container...lot of good it is doing me there

Oh for the love of clients

For those of you hidden under a rock in the Dead sea, the United States of America is in a recession. People are losing homes, jobs, and their own personal identities which are wrapped up in their personal belongings. It is a sad state everywhere. What a wonderful time to be a fresh faced graduate emerging into the job market.

However, as I read one day traveling on the bus, talent (like cooking) is recession proof. Upon reading this I -being a fresh faced graduate- was elated, for I have talent. I assumed in my post college mindset that I would be able to support myself with offering my talents to the world. Alas I was soon struck with the reality that finding people who wanted my talents- and were actually willing to pay- were hard to find. However, I have had some takers, this one particular case I received from a friend who works at an embroidery cart in Underground Atlanta.

A friend of a friend has contacted me to do some work for them. I find myself excited. Ready and willing to take the task, and show them all my work. I eventually meet up with said future client, only to learn he is a street poet whom I had met a month ago. Upon meeting him a month ago I learned this particular man has no home, and regularly eats from the trash for nourishment. Curious as to how far down the rabbit hole this situation would take me, I let the conversation ensue. I further learn that his need for my talents include artistry of graphite portraits for him to place poetry on top of, when I inquired about future payment I learned that I would not be getting payment from him, but from the owner of a local art gallery where he would be posting his works.

Soon after I politely declined his offer and suggested the name of a very good traditional artist.

9 Tips for the field!

So production is not my strong point just yet, there was never really any practical experience while in college so I make multiple mistakes while out in the field. Hopefully one day I will have drilled all this into my own head enough that I will make these mistakes anymore. Here are just a few I have picked up!

#1. Do not use the picker.
When printing using the picker to choose your color can give you the desired look but use WAY too much ink. Which when doing work for magazine and newspapers can weigh down the substrate and make it look ew. Instead choose a color from a process pantone book or another color book. This not only ensure you (the designer) knows what the color is actually going to look like but it will never use more than 200% of ink (the highest amount you would like to have on a substrate)

#2. Make sure things are correctly aligned
If you want it centered make sure it is absolutely centered. Not off by even a slight inch. It is harder to do in illustrator so use transform to figure out where you really are.

#3. Use the Pen tool for clipping paths.
Much cleaner clipping paths. Also quicker.

#4. Don't be afraid to increase the percentage of the the character to try and fit it into a line *This is only to be used in some situations* not for regualar reading fonts, or for a lot of type, try to keep it only to fun situations, i.e. Daves Goody Barn

#5. Another typesetting tip, increasing/decreasing the kearning by 1 or 2 is not very noticable but often times will help fit stuff into a page.

#6. Getting type right or left.
When your text is aligned to the left or right your goal is to not just leave (9 times outta 10 its not okay) you kinda want to have a wave pattern. Think flow!

#7. You can never do enough post production checks.
Designing is a tough and can get really repetative, with the kearning, leading, and checking over and over and over. BUT doing post production checks is good, it saves money in the long run.

#8. When editing images don't forget to use your levels.
It can make you picture to appear clearer, yeah I was shocked too!

#9. Spellcheck everything.
We are all human and we make mistakes, the more eyes you have checking a document to more likely you are to catch a mistake.
Here is my quick list of things people miss.
-Word spellings
-Em dash, En dash, & Hyphens (go to wikipedia or mentalfloss smart punctuation in illustrator also is a quick fix, don't rely on it too much though.
-commas
-ellipses

So there you have it 9 tips I have picked up in the Graphic Design field...so far.

Bad at Updating

why does life like to move so fast after college? I finished got a job, and then had to move now im trying to find another job so I can not be in my parents house anymore. Yeah i love them and Im poor but living here is not what's up. I have done some work design related in the mean time....i will be putting them up here later.

Its all a blur!!

Last time I think I updated I was on my way to portfolio with a wish and a prayer. I was told that I could go to the class but I probably wouldn't pass the 1st time.

Not only did I pass but I made an A too. And since then life has pretty much been a blur. Right after school I got a job in the field as an intern, and yes its not full time or permanent but I know as an entry designer I still have a lot to learn. School can only teach you so much. Besides the guys I work with are awesome. :)

The journey of this entry designer is just now really starting. I have taken the first move but its only baby steps. I still have a long way to go, if I am going to reach my goal of not only being a full fledged designer (non-entry) but a well known really good designer. Its like playing chess I just need to figure out what my next move is.

I've never been good at chess.

Revived!

By some miracle I will be attending my final class. Hallilujah!

I start next week. I can't be lazy anymore this is my last class. I really have to put my all into it.

In the meanwhile I am posting this video about font because well I thought it was funny.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.