Im new...
maxmanpop (27 points) | Mon, 2008-12-22 04:25Hey guys I would first like to say that I think this is a great idea to have a community of people how share a passion for graphic design. I am a high school student looking to get into the field of graphic design. I am learning very little in school about the matter and would be very happy if you guys would teach me some things about the industry, as I believe that some of you are professional graphic designers... are you? I have my own website I created to start up my own little graphic design business in my local area. It displays some of the work I have done in the past year. I know most of the logos are text based, but I would love to know what you think of them. ??? I hope to learn many things from this site and the people on it. I would like to get to know you guys a little better, so feel free to post a reply about your selves :)
Mike Mazz
-SketchArt-
Your Ideas Sketched Into Reality
Commenting on this Forum topic is closed.
There is a lot of great information and good people here, check in often and I think you'll find CB a valuable resource in your education as a designer.
It's understandable that you don't feel you are learning very much about design as a high school student. Most high schools aren't set up for specialized training, so I would recommend taking all the arts related classes as you can. Once you get out of high school, you'll find your options will open up greatly - education wise. In the mean time, check out books from your local library on the fundamentals of design.
I would suggest that you focus on your education before you spend a lot of time, energy and perhaps capital into a business. It's a competitive field so you need to make sure you are putting your best foot forward, and right now, your website isn't helping you much, with glaring grammar and spelling mistakes. And if I'm not the first, I certainly won't be the last designer to tell you that Comic Sans is a tool best kept in your belt, or better yet, thrown away and forgotten.
These are things you will discover along the way. It's a fun career, and there is always something new to learn, a new skill to master. I applaud you enthusiasm and your demonstrated ability thus far. Keep it up and I'm sure you will have a rewarding career as a graphic designer.
Oh, I know what you mean by the website having some spelling mistakes, to be honest I am not good at spelling. I did run it through a word processor and maybe its because I am Canadian, we spell some words differently then our American friends. Comic Sans is a lame font face but at the time I thought it was cool, hahaha.
As of now I am in grade 12 and I'm looking for a good graphic design college to get into, I do know that Sheridan is one of the best, but also they have 100 applicants for every 1 seat, so chances are slim. My second choice is going to be St.Clairs in Windsor, I heard they have a good design program.
Oh, and don't worry I have not spent a penny on the website and I got my PC not just for graphic design but also for gaming. YES I said "PC" I know that Mac is the way to go, but I needed a computer not only for graphic design but for gaming and other things that Mac is not known for... be honest Mac is not a gaming computer.
Thanks for your input and support, I hope to get to know you guys better and become part of the community.
Mike Mazz
-SketchArt-
Your Ideas Sketched Into Reality
Welcome, let us know what you want to learn about in order of priority and I will try to post myself or find a suitable professional to post about it just for you. :)
Thanks man, thats sounds like a really great opportunity. I am glad I joined this website :)
Well, what I am most interested in is logo design and school. Has I said earlier Im in gr12 and Im looking for a graphic design school to go to within the Niagara region or close to it. Thanks again, I cant believe the response I had to my post, you guys are great :)
So if possible I would like to learn more about:
-logo design
-education opportunities
-SketchArt-
Your Ideas Sketched Into Reality
You can't "win" if you don't enter. I keep that motto when it comes to not applying for things because my chances may be slim. Go ahead and send in your app to Sheridan. You never know - you could be the lucky one in 100.
In the meantime, if you're looking to get some extra education on Graphic Design while you're still in High School, maybe check some of your local community colleges there and see if any of them offer some sort of Graphic Design course.
Keep poking around the web, too. There are a hundreds of tutorial sites that, at the very least, explain how to do some of the neat tricks you see out there (although as far as being something very "educational", I wouldn't depend upon them).
I agree with continuing with fine art courses that your High School may offer. ANYTHING that keeps the creative juices flowing is better than nothing.
Also a good idea to do what you can to intern with a graphic design house. Volunteer a few hours a week, at least, if you can to work in a graphic design house - let them know you're really there because you want to LEARN. If they start to stick you with filing their accounting paperwork, tell them "thanks, but no thanks".
Just stay persistent and stay creative, even if you're not employed by a graphic design house or taking any classes on it - keep that creativity flourishing.
Good luck.
Yea, I know what you mean by keeping the creative juices flowing :) I am taking a gr11 art class next semester and I know that Niagara college has a graphic design weekend course, I'm going to take it, hopefully I LEARN from it. I do look around the Internet and I found a cool website called Tutvid.com, it has a lot of cool tutorial videos on Dream Weaver, Photoshop, Flash, and other Adobe software, its a really good source :)
Thanks again
Mike Mazz
-SketchArt-
Your Ideas Sketched Into Reality
a (imo) very important thing for you to grasp. first, and most important, focus on *design* and not software. almost anyone can learn how to use the tool. *concept* is where the money and job security is at. knowing how to use the tools just means you can implement someone else's ideas. that's pure production work.
so look for inspiration sites and for things that teach you how to think and concept. the software will come with use. concepting is much harder to learn and something that's more a talent that can be focused and refined. software is a skill and more common (thus less valued).
Any one can manipulate a computer program, its a matter of design and creativity :) right?
-SketchArt-
Your Ideas Sketched Into Reality
yes. it's not the program that communicates the idea, it's your concept that communicates the idea.
Spelling is very important in graphic design, learn to NOT depend on spellcheck. also don't think you can ignore other areas of study just because you want to be a graphic artist. Many people do that and they sell themselves short. You might not think so now, but everything fits together like a puzzle and the more pieces you have, the better off you are. I use all kinds of math now that I never thought I'd need back then. Much of it I had to relearn on my own because I didn't pay enough attention in school.
"...and mamma cried: Watch out where the huskies go, don't you eat that yellow snow" - Frank Zappa
I understand what your saying. I have a 90% in English and a 92% in Math, so I think I'm doing well. Schools very important and I realize that I need good marks to get into a good college. Also a good portfolio...
Last night I went over my website and I did find some spelling and grammatical errors, I fixed them. I have a problem of thinking of the word I want to type and I miss typing it or I type in a different word, hahaha. Thanks for informing me about those errors :)
Mike Mazz
-SketchArt-
Your Ideas Sketched Into Reality
art directors and design studios look for people who sweat the details. a typo in a portfolio or, worse, in a resume or cover letter, can get your work trashed very quickly and give a very bad first impression. if you don't care enough to take the time to make sure your resume/portfolio are perfect, what's the art director going to think about how much you'll pay attention to details on work for a client?
I do sweat the details thats why it takes me hours and hours to do school projects, hahaha. I know that a spelling error can lead to the garbage can, I have made a resume and a cover letter before for a job, and I got it. Thanks for the advice ;)
You guys are helpful.
Mike Mazz
-SketchArt-
Your Ideas Sketched Into Reality
Where I used to work we had a pressman who's spelling was horrendous! I don't know how he became a first-pressman with such bad spelling skills, because how would he catch a typo during his make-ready?
If you find yourself making a lot of mistakes like the ones you mentioned, perhaps you are trying to work too fast... I remember going to a job interview at a place a few years ago and watching one of my would-be coworkers with a customer. He was trying to go so fast that he would miss almost every mouse click and click the wrong thing. He spent twice as long backtracking than he did on actual useful mouse-clicks, and all with a customer looking at the screen over his shoulder. Speed seems important especially in a workplace environment, with a boss breathing down your neck, but it's all for nothing if you go so fast it makes you look like you don't know what your doing. I think it's better to be a little slower and more accurate.
"...and mamma cried: Watch out where the huskies go, don't you eat that yellow snow" - Frank Zappa
I made the cover for my high schools Yearbook. Earlier Jhouse said he was looking forward to seeing some of my work. So heres a piece!
http://www.freewebs.com/maxmanpop/Yearbook%20Cover.jpg
Tell me what you think?!?!?!
Mike Mazz
-SketchArt-
Your Ideas Sketched Into Reality
It looks great, but the year should be on the front.
Did you plan for bleed? based on your spine copy, I don't think you did. When you have ink that goes right to the trim edge, you extend it about a 1/4" over the trim. in your case that would be the black backround and your yellow and green art.
maybe we could tell better if you output your image with cropmarks built in so we can see how you set it up?
"...and mamma cried: Watch out where the huskies go, don't you eat that yellow snow" - Frank Zappa
I'm new to the forum, but "old" to the job and am approaching retirement.
One nice thing about this profession is I will be able to continue it from home whenever I need some extra cash and won't have to drive out in the ice and snow to go to work.
Are there any other older graphic designers on the forum. My specialty is creating catalogs with InDesign. I mostly use Photoshop to edit the photos I take for the catalog. I am also an artist, but not with software. I hate drawing on the computer. I still love painting for pleasure and expression.
I hope to do more of it now that I am retiring.
Babs Haake
Graphic Designer
Publications Manager
I think we are all ages here. I'm also of the rubber cement and x-acto blade generation.
Plenty to learn here and to share. It's especially good for those of us freelancing. While the freedom is excellent, I miss the sharing of knowledge with a room full of artists. This is the next best thing.
Is anyone here using InDesign CS3? I'm at the last stages of my catalog and am looking for shortcuts to making my TOC and Index pages. I always seem to be doing it the hard way. Most of my work thusfar has been with short publications. So I have done it by hand. Now I am finishing up a 300 page catalog and need to know how to make the TOC the correct way. I know it involves paragraph styles, but since I make my catalog in category books and then put them all together at the end, I waited and now am not sure how to do it all at once. I did make sure each "page title" uses the same character style if that helps.
Well, I hope someone knows what I am talking about and can give me a good tip for finishing this book up.
Babs Haake
Graphic Designer
Publications Manager