What I Learned in this class

In the first couple days of class when we were going over the file of where we had to fix the file ourselves. I was completely lost.  I had no real idea of what prepping our files for print meant.  I didn't know there were so many steps involved.   I was completely lost when Christel was talking about placing images at 100%.  Over the next months of the class,  it became second nature to check all of the settings. 

I started to realize how important it was to have a clean file setup.  It makes it so much easier when you take it to the printers and they don't have to fix anything.  Such as color mode.  It is so important to have it printed in CMYK because that is what the printer understands.  It can make it a true color.  If it was in RGB, you're taking the chance of the coloring being off.  Resolution  is so important too.   You don't want a grainy image in your final printed piece.  It shows carelessness and not paying attention to detail.

Font management is also so important.  You need to know what types of fonts are ok to use in a certain project and where to store them.   How you package your file will also allow these fonts to be opened on other computers if they do not have the font installed on their own computer.  

I love being able to work in all Adobe softwares.  I think my favorite is Illustrator though.  I love being able to see what I can come up with and how much I can accomplish myself without having to go to the internet to get a reference for it.  It is essential to use all of these programs together to get the best looking project you can.  Do not limit yourself.  

In the end,  I think this has been my favorite class to come to.  I love that I was able to design everything myself while learning the valuable skills of setting up a file.  The on-screen critiques helps alot because you can get so much feedback and it can really help your design.   I definitely  recommend this class to any graphic designer! 

Final Project

For our final project, we were allowed to create whatever we wanted but it needed to have a fold.   I decided I would make my roommate's graduation invitations for her.  She is going to be needing them in the spring semester and was hoping to find a somewhat cheaper way and more personalized way of having her graduation invitations. Since she writes for the school newspaper, I decided I would incorporate some of that into the invitation.  
My price quote for the project is: 
Coated:Endurance 100# Coated book 12x7.5 White
Font:Color Back Color
Cut to Finish size with two folds = $31.49 for 50 copies. 

All photography was taken by me and there for copyrighted by me.   All other images are also created by me in illustrator and Indesign.

It took me a while to come up with a good sketch of what I really wanted to design for her. Here are the 5 thumbnails

This is the final rough that i decided to go with with two folds. 

Here are the final images or what I finally designed.

Here are screen shots to see it better

It took me a while to figure out how I wanted to do the cut out of the 2012 with the newletter type inside of it. I love the final version of the project!










 

Magazine Ad

For our next project, we had to come up with a magazine ad. I decided my target audience was going to be anyone who was interested in baking or bakeries.  And it is geared toward the holidays.  My project was a full page color magazine ad.  It was 8in x 10.75in . It will cost around $5500 to print.

Newspaper Ad

For our next assignment,  We have to make a newspaper ad.   I decided that I was going to do my ad over a Coffee Shop that's on Pittstate Campus.

5columns x 7in = 140 dollars
Target Audience is Pittstate College Students
Call to action-  Go to the shop

These are my rough Sketches

   This is the ad I picked to do.  It is 9.67in x 7in

 The final piece.

Direct Mail Piece

For our next assignment,  we were asked to design a direct mail piece that will go to two different target audiences but technically the same product is being used.   My product is going to be clothing.  It's for the rockish, funkier type of women that want to have great style but still classy.   My two target audiences are Missy(sizes 4-16) and plus size (14-24)   age ranges from 20's to early 30's.  I decided to send them our a flyer telling them about the store and a coupon that's added on if they come into the store and shop. 

The card is 5inx7in  and front and back.  Both backs will be the same but the covers will be different.

The very 3 computer images are what I developed in Photoshop, illustrator, and InDesign.  I didn't get to fix everything I wanted.  

Self Promotion Notepad

For our next project, we are to design a self promotion piece for a notepad.  It is to show potential employers a little bit of our skill in a little bit of time.  It is something different that most employers wouldn't think about seeing so it gives a unique way of representing ourselves to employers.

Target Audience:  Potential Employers

Call to Action: Get our audience to follow the QR code

Price of each notepad: $4.59

Specifications: 

• Black/White
• 5x7 or 7x5
• Bleed .125
• Margin .25
• 50 sheets per pad
• Padded with a chipboard back

I didn't really know what way I wanted to design my project so I used a word web to help me think of a few things that I like or that I'm interested in. 

After that I made a few rough sketches. 

I liked the idea of using my heritage of being scottish into my design piece.  I used parts of my family crest and tarten pattern to make my design. 

While I'm sure I'll change a few things when I go to design the actual piece I know I want a look similar to this.  

Business Card Remake

In class our first project was to create our own version of a business card example Mrs. Benson gave us with certain dimensions we had to follow. Those are:
2/1 Print job: 2 colors (PMS of your choice + black) on one side and black only on the second side
Side 1: can be solid color, or a full bleed grayscale raster (photo)
Bleed: .125
Margin: .125 minimum
Must include 1 Vector
Swatches palette in both InDesign and Illustrator should only display your PMS color, black, registration, paper and none

I decided to make a business card that might someday reflect what my business card for my own business might be.  I'm still learning how to use all the tools in both InDesign and Illustrator so it sometimes takes me awhile to find things but I think I got the results I wanted in the time frame allowed with a few minor things I would go back and change.