Weekly Blog Post Number 2 For Your Spring Previewing Pleasure

I came into this class knowing if I really wanted to do something in graphic design, Illustrator and I would have to get to know each other very, very well. I can officially say Illustrator and I got pretty close that Thursday night before the Spring Preview was due. I'm very proud of what I produced. Here's the final product.

I first sat down to think about this theme Monday night. I thought about everything that was Spring, and I decided not to do that. I know we have some stud designers in this class so the only way to win one of these competitions is to come with something totally original and creative. After I got about half way done, I realized, "Oh shoot, drive-ins are more summer." I was too far in to turn back. I showed this draft to Theresa for her feed back and she told me I needed more texture to match the upper part of my cover. Here's that draft:

She was definitely right.  (Ignore the wrong text on the screen). The top had depth, texture and glow. The bottom looked like I was afraid to go any further. To add texture, I fooled with the grass, added wood grain to the fence and added some sheen to the cars. I hate those cars, so the extra two hours spent making the final cover cars was totally worth it.

 Illustrator and I spent a lot time together that week. I went through about 5 tutorials for adding neon. Tutorials are a great way to get started on an effect, but you will be so much more pleased with your end result if you put your own twist on it. I went through a handful of different neon looks because I was fearful of it looking cheesy. I think the final product is awesome. It sticks out, but it still is a functional Vox logo.
I did the same trial and error process with the fence/wood texture, grass and car materials. I probably logged 30 hours in Illustrator that week. Her and I pretty much go steady now.

With everything going on my cover, I wanted to keep with splash page as concise as possible. I wanted it to be a welcoming entrance to the heart of the preview. I pretty much did this in one take. I incorporated the same neon technique as the cover and added some glow for texture, depth. I'm pretty happy with it. Although I do understand that on Vox paper it probably would haven't looked so great.

Notice I said concise, not simple.

Here's my visual inspirations.

I'll save your eyes from the despair that was my spread pages. They will be reworked.

Response: The September Issue reflection and  Sh*t Creative Directors Say

I've seen The September Issue before. Twice actually. (I had an ex who was a fashion major) Anywho, I forgot how cold Wintour was. I hate immediate answers without sustenance. She did a lot of that. I could only imagine having to take that on  daily basis. Last summer, I had an editor somewhat like Wintour. He wasn't nearly as bad, but he had his times were it just wasn't needed. I told myself at the end of the summer when I make it to his level I will have not achieved that position the way he did. I might be naive, but I don't want to make it by burying people in my way. #NiceGuy.

Grace Coddington is a genius. Conceptualizing can't be taught. That's god-given. The day I can put together a shoot like the 20's shoot she imagined is the day Jan invites me back to Mizzou to give a lecture and takes me out to dinner for war stories the night before. If I could commend her for anything else, it would be her patience and her ability to read Wintour.

My dad is a huge influence in my art. He just has one of those eyes for art that you can't BS. He's always the last person I show my designs too. I have to be prepared for whatever he questions. I feel this is how Wintour and Coddington interact too. Wintour definitely isn't the first to see her photos and Coddington knows what Wintour is going to throw at her when she sees them. If there's one thing my dad was instilled in me it is to stand behind my art. Coddington does this, but it sucks when the lady making the final call is a luminary like Wintour. Those 20's shots were brilliant. I saw what Coddington saw.

Her reaction prompted me to think about that viral "Sh*t ____ say." So I decided to put together a Sh*t designers say (to editors)."

Editor: There's not enough room.
Designer: But it's perfect.

Editor: I don't like the blue....
Designer: Why?
Editor: it doesn't work?
Designer: Why?
Editor it doesn.....
Designer: Why?

Editor: I hate it.
Designer: I love it.

Editor: I love it.
Designer: I hate it.

Editor: This design is missing something cool.
Designer: Maybe I should add some comic sans...

Editor: It's missing something. There's no wow. The white space isn't working and my hed is better.
Designer: mmmmmhhhhmmmmmm ahuh.

You Can't Miss This: Drugs and Cats

Quite the combination, I know. But Complex Art and Design kind of let me down this week. Nonetheless, this drug book they featured is bright, creative and educational. I listen to a lot of hip-hop so you think I would know all of these. The colors are gorgeous, and the illustrations are pretty funny. I really dig these.

Definitely click the link to see the rest of them. 

The book is called The ABC's of Drug Slang by Melanie Chernock, a design student.


Now onto the cats portion of this post. This more or less caught my eye because every time I see LeeAnn in the Vox office she's looking at cats. Complex aggregated these iconic paintings that now feature cats thanks to Photoshop. Here's the original link. Sorry, it's in Russian. Anyway, here's my favorite cat piece, a Dali work sans the tigers.