Portfolio Review

When we were asked to bring in EVERY piece of design work we've ever done, I freaked out. Because I have been in the fine arts school for four years, I imagined I would have hundreds of designs. However, once I sifted through all the junk, I realized...I don't have that much relevant design work to show (I decided the baskets that I weaved in fibers class probably weren't going to cut it.) Granted, within the past few weeks I have probably doubled my real design clips, but still feel a bit behind because I have not had any sort of professional design internship. 

I guess I didn't need to worry that much, because my fellow designers gave me great input on how to refine my portfolio. They liked the STRANGEST things, ex: preliminary designs that I considered trash. The comments really opened my eyes to how sometimes my meaning can get lost in the design. I like to make things that look striking and visually interesting, but sometimes I forget all about the content part. Here is the work that was commented on the most...

1. VOX Chocolate Cover. It's published  AND cool looking. Keeper.

2. Center Magazine Cover. This got a lot of comments; both positive and negative. After discussing it thoroughly (with myself) I think the point of this kind of artsy magazine is to look a little grunge, so the vibrant, almost garish color-scheme and typeface layering and variety that some thought was a bit too "unrefined" is going to stay. I will work on the nameplate a bit, however, because right now it is getting overpowered by the sell lines and cover art.

3. Economy Redesign. The little man was a HIT! There is some typography work to be done on the "head" (pun intended) and I think I will simply cut one of the opening paragraphs in order to create a more logical entry point for the reader.

4. Lincoln Graphic. I stupidly designed this for the books department, forgetting that we had to use Frutiger for heads and subheads. I could probably title this one, "The Many (Type)Faces of Abe."

5. Preliminary Magazine Design Spread. What!? I brought this one out from the dark, untouched corners of my flash drive thinking it was a failed sketch and in the judging it came in second after my chocolate cover. I agree that it is a really fun spread. I may change the story to one about dog food to make it more content-driven.

6. Typography Assignment. This showcases what I can do when there are no cool graphics to distract the viewer. 

7. VOX Cover Redesign. Apparently this is a very graphically powerful image, which I think will be just as strong on those teeny portfolio pages.