As I'd mentioned in a past post, this blog was created specifically for a class I'm taking. Despite my trying to adapt each writing assignment to appear as if this were simply a Fell's Point fan site, I occasionally have to out myself. This is another of those, so if you're one of the people who simply enjoys the Fell's content, feel free to skip to the next post.
Words & Images is a class in the University of Baltimore's Publication Design graduate program and it's intended as an introduction to advanced concepts in graphic design. No doubt, the idea behind it is to put level of pressure on the student that's similar to what's faced in a career. Kind of how basic training catapults recruits into military life by heaping ridiculous amounts of stress on them.
For example, the first assignment was to write a magazine article, lay it out, and supply related, original imagery (no stock photos, no clip art). The next week, after having that article torn apart, we'd have to go back and revise. Maybe you needed all new pictures or maybe, as in my case, you article was so unorganized, that you'd have to do a complete rewrite. The real kick in ass was that there was a new magazine article assigned during that very same week. So, that's two articles due and now maybe (probably) both of those need revisions for week three.
You can see how this is going to go all to hell if you don't keep up. If you're not on this thing every day, you're going to get backed up and see a few weekday morning sunrises while trying to meet a deadline. I took 32 hours of personal time from work this semester and 8 of those could have been prevented had I planned better.
On a related note, I now plan better.
Something we experienced that I think isn't often understood is how writing often becomes as much of a designer's responsibility as typeography, layout, color theory, and imagery. While a studio might have the luxury of a copywriter, the designer isn't excempted from producing professional verbiage.
A surprise for me was to learn how valuable original illustrations actually are: I certainly never really believed that drawing would ever get me anywhere. No surprise there, considering all the trouble I used to get into from teachers, relatives, and significant others for wasting time with it. Seriously, it was like I was living a dystopian, Bradbury-esque world where illustrators are criminals.
In this class, though, I was able to create and add elements that were specifically tailored to the ideas in my copy that would have been difficult to produce otherwise. And, I assure you no one has time for extra amounts of "difficult" in this class.
It's almost over now. I could use a nap. But, like going to the gym or learning a language, I know I have to keep this momentum going or I'll have to go through the pain of building it back up again. No need to be ridiculous about it but my revised schedule for 2014 definitely includes redoing some of these projects as practice and portfolio fillers.
Living and Drinking in Fell's Point, Baltimore's historic port neighborhood.
