BLOGERK tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2009:/erkk0006/graphic design//3134 2006-05-19T15:01:28Z Movable Type 4.25 Evaluation tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2006:/erkk0006/graphic design//3134.46342 2006-05-19T14:30:48Z 2006-05-19T15:01:28Z Project Evaluation Graphic Design 1 : Spring 06 Extreme Makeover : SHOWCASE EDITION name: Spencer Erkkila teammate: Josh Berndt showcase location: Across from Digital Imaging Lab showcase client: Continuing Education / Lisa Martin Describe your brainstorming and ideation on this... Spencer Erkkila Project Evaluation
Graphic Design 1 : Spring 06
Extreme Makeover : SHOWCASE EDITION

name: Spencer Erkkila

teammate: Josh Berndt

showcase location: Across from Digital Imaging Lab

showcase client: Continuing Education / Lisa Martin

Describe your brainstorming and ideation on this project?

I basically wanted to keep the showcase simple and visually interesting. That hallway sees a lot of traffic, so there has to be some sort of gimmick to catch the passerby's eye. I thought that since summer was coming, that summer fun would be a good theme. I also wanted to emphasize the short duration of the summer classes. Themes I explored were beach themes, stopwatches....elements of time, simple bold text signs.

What issues came up as you interviewed your client?

Our client, Lisa Martin, was very welcome to any suggestions and assistance we could offer to spruce up her showcase. She said that Summer was their busiest time of year. There was no budget for the case. That there are 2 cases we could design if we liked to.


You were asked to generate two different approaches to the showcase design. What were they?

Josh came up with a night scene of a campfire. Very simple lines and shapes. People around the campfire were sillouetted. A very somber, relaxed, cozy feel to the poster. I came up with an image of the mascot laying on the beach. My design was more whimsical and less serious. Lisa chose this design.


What issues came up as you began to plan + work with the materials?

Basically cost and time issues. Since there was no budget, we had to pay for it out of our own pockets. I'm not sure how much Josh has spent, but I'd say I've spent a good $30 on my end. Regarding time issues, we both had a hard time arranging a block of time out of studying for finals, writing papers, etc, to work on the case. Installing the project was deceptively time consuming as well. Arranging items 'just right' and making sure they are properly affixed took a majority of time.


Evaluate the success of the concept and craft of your finished showcase:

Our showcase does a good job at capturing the original concept: Catching the eye in a busy hallway and stirring up interest in Continuing Education. The use of non conventional objects and strong graphic elements successfully conveys the message that we were trying to say: That you can have your summer, and school, too!

]]> AFTER tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2006:/erkk0006/graphic design//3134.46323 2006-05-19T12:38:38Z 2006-05-19T12:51:28Z View image It's done! Josh and I spent time yesterday rearranging the display and adding a few items. Most noticeable is the added catchphrase "Get Ahead" and that the bulldog is now standing up instead of lying down. We layered... Spencer Erkkila View image


It's done! Josh and I spent time yesterday rearranging the display and adding a few items. Most noticeable is the added catchphrase "Get Ahead" and that the bulldog is now standing up instead of lying down. We layered the head on the bulldog and the first part of the catchphrase to achieve some depth and visual interest. For the blue band on top, we've added a gentle curve to the bottom. It gives a shadow to the sand and sticks to Josh's simple design. The beach towel had been drastically reduced as well and an inflatable ring makes it's appearance! To fill space, I've added some sandpaper starfish. I feel the revision works a lot better compositionally and invites the viewer to stop and look at the details. I feel very pleased with the results and hope it generates more interest for Continuing Education.

]]> What I wanted to achieve for this project was to push the limitations of the physical case itself. Since it was only 2" deep, we had a very limited area to achieve depth. Going into this project, I did not want to design a simple poster-type display. This case was a challenge. I wanted to see how I could make such a flat case more interesting. By using actual objects (inflatable ring, suntan lotion bottle, towel) and by layering foamcore, I feel I've successfully achieved the effect I was looking for.

]]> It's Educational....... tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2006:/erkk0006/graphic design//3134.46154 2006-05-16T02:31:20Z 2006-05-16T02:40:02Z View image I'm here in San Antonio for the week have run across a delightful suprise..the McNay Museum. Not only is it FREE...it features a Picasso, Manet, Millet, a few O'Keefe's, Diego Rivera, Degas, Van Gogh, Matisse, pretty much who's... Spencer Erkkila View image

I'm here in San Antonio for the week have run across a delightful suprise..the McNay Museum. Not only is it FREE...it features a Picasso, Manet, Millet, a few O'Keefe's, Diego Rivera, Degas, Van Gogh, Matisse, pretty much who's who in art! I've uploaded a pic of my hairy hide in front of a famous painting. Although the pic is crappy, you can still easily guess whose ptg I'm in front of! Take a guess!

]]> If you didn't get it, it's a Monet, silly..NYMPHEAS (Water Lilies) 1916-1919

]]> DURING tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2006:/erkk0006/graphic design//3134.46076 2006-05-13T15:22:42Z 2006-05-13T15:28:47Z View image Yes, I agree. The case could use s'more work. I'd add more text "Catch Up, Get Ahead, Think Summer". The bulldog problem can be solved with adding more to the body or moving it down. I still would... Spencer Erkkila View image


Yes, I agree. The case could use s'more work. I'd add more text "Catch Up, Get Ahead, Think Summer". The bulldog problem can be solved with adding more to the body or moving it down. I still would like to see the sandpaper triangles in place. And I'd like to see that blue band across the top be something...ocean or sky...something. I did like Josh's lotion splash Idea...it takes up space and adds intrest to the display. The bulldog and the beachtowel worked out nice. When I come back on Thursday, all of these problems can be addressed and rectified.

]]> BEFORE tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2006:/erkk0006/graphic design//3134.46073 2006-05-13T14:21:14Z 2006-05-13T14:22:20Z View image After is coming Thursday!... Spencer Erkkila View image


After is coming Thursday!

]]> Schooooools Out for Summer...almost tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2006:/erkk0006/graphic design//3134.45758 2006-05-10T01:13:46Z 2006-05-10T01:49:40Z I'm glad we didn't take that extra case. This one alone is taking up more time than expected. Luckily, we have until Friday, noon, to get it done. Unluckily, I'm leaving for TX in the morning. I got as much... Spencer Erkkila I'm glad we didn't take that extra case. This one alone is taking up more time than expected. Luckily, we have until Friday, noon, to get it done. Unluckily, I'm leaving for TX in the morning. I got as much done as I could. Josh still had some things to do so we couldn't do the complete install today. A lot of executive decisions were made. I wanted the text cut out of foamcore, but it was far too much work. Josh agreed to make it inside a lotion splash shaped speech bubble, instead. I drew and cut the bulldog out of grey foamcore. He looks cute as heck, but it didn't turn out as large as I was expecting. Still, he definetely will make a presence in the case and catch some eyes. We forgot to photograph the case before we dismatled it, so I took a picture of the other display case that had the exact same things in it. How lucky is that?? I had to head that way, anyways to drop off the huge sack of clear thumbtacks that CE seems to favor. Since I'm leaving in the morning, it's pretty much up to Josh to finish the installation. I was hoping that we would be able to do the full install today, or at least get further than we did, but schlitz happens. I am very excited to see how the case turns out when I return next Thursday!!

]]> Takin' Care of Business tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2006:/erkk0006/graphic design//3134.45602 2006-05-06T03:16:02Z 2006-05-06T03:52:12Z Met with Josh yesterday and today. We decided to pass on the second display case simply because we had no time to work on both. I picked up the keys for the case and asked Lisa which design she preferred.... Spencer Erkkila Met with Josh yesterday and today. We decided to pass on the second display case simply because we had no time to work on both. I picked up the keys for the case and asked Lisa which design she preferred. She chose the Bulldog design. At our meeting today, Josh and I integrated designs and we divided up the work. On my end, I'm going to work on the bulldog, making it not as detailed as my mock-up in order to be more cohesive to Josh's design. I will also find a font that is somewhat liquid but not splotchy. After our meeting, I checked out Menards for belt sander sandpaper (because it's long) and it was all wrong for our project. It was a glossy maroon color! So...I'll check out a few other places and if worse comes to worse, I'll pick up the square stuff at the dollar store. I also found a cheap towel at WalMart that suits the color scheme. It has a different scheme on the other side, so we have options!!
It all comes together TUESDAY!

]]> Gettin' Caulky tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2006:/erkk0006/graphic design//3134.44666 2006-04-29T22:05:21Z 2006-04-29T22:22:14Z Met with Josh on Friday. We exchanged suggestions about each other's mock up ideas. We both have some great ideas for Lisa to choose from on Monday. I'm still going with my beachtowel idea. I also checked out the display... Spencer Erkkila Met with Josh on Friday. We exchanged suggestions about each other's mock up ideas. We both have some great ideas for Lisa to choose from on Monday. I'm still going with my beachtowel idea. I also checked out the display case to see what we have to work with. It was bigger than I imagined, and shallower (about 2" deep). Josh and I talked about the limitations of the case and of the budget, working with what we got. We'll do excellent, I'm sure. I've slowly been gathering up materials for my mockup and for the display itself. Since there is no budget, I'm keeping my eyes open at rummage sales, etc for materials. I have a bottle of expired suntan lotion that I'll peel the label off of and fabricate a Community Ed Summer style lable. I'm going to write the logo in white bathtub caulk, kinda making it look like it's suntan lotion. I would like to put an image of the UMD bulldog on the beachtowel sunbathing. Maybe wearing sunglasses. Depends on what kind of image I can find. Since the case is big enough, I can use an actual course catalog as his summer reading.

]]> You Go Back, Jack, Do It Again... tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2006:/erkk0006/graphic design//3134.44144 2006-04-24T18:30:10Z 2006-04-24T18:41:39Z I had my magazine spread assy THROUGH The Past KNOWINGLY quick-critiqued today. I got a lot of good input. Basically, I've worked tooo big and need to make a lot of the items smaller. I've taken the text down from... Spencer Erkkila I had my magazine spread assy THROUGH The Past KNOWINGLY quick-critiqued today. I got a lot of good input. Basically, I've worked tooo big and need to make a lot of the items smaller. I've taken the text down from 12 point to 10 and you wouldn't believe how much space this has created!! I might even be able to cut pages 5 and 6 out of the project. I also got some advice about color choice and removing the clutter. I've started with the de-clutter and am working on making a surround for the quotes. It'll be a drastic redesign for the story pages, but it will be awesome once it is done. I'm already quite pleased with the title peice and am anxious to see it all completed.

]]> Display Case for Continuing Education tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2006:/erkk0006/graphic design//3134.44142 2006-04-24T17:41:43Z 2006-04-24T18:05:46Z Ok. Josh and I met with Lisa Martin today for the initial meeting for redesigning her Continuing Education Display case. She seemed very open to whatever ideas that we offer. I am hoping to have some mock-ups completed for next... Spencer Erkkila Ok. Josh and I met with Lisa Martin today for the initial meeting for redesigning her Continuing Education Display case. She seemed very open to whatever ideas that we offer. I am hoping to have some mock-ups completed for next Monday for her. I'll be meeting with Josh in class on Wed to finalize our plans.
Lisa generally stated that Summer is her big season. Although I'd like to offer her a more permanent installation, or at least incorporate some permanent elements, I do feel that we need to address her big season. I"d like to incorporate some summer images....fishing, swimming, barbecuing, beach..even using non traditional objects like a beachtowel as a backdrop and writing the main text in suntan lotion (white paint}. I'm still wrestling with a more permanent installation, so Lisa doesn't have to do much to change the case from season to season. Right now, the case has a CE poster and course guide cover on a blue felt background. The case also has titles on construction paper. The case is roughly 4' long by 3' tall, enclosed and lighted. Corkboard backs the case. The case is in a VERY HIGH Traffic location! I'm excited to see what we can do for Lisa!

]]> Podcasts tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2006:/erkk0006/graphic design//3134.43526 2006-04-18T00:49:17Z 2006-04-18T01:35:59Z Ok, so does ANYONE listen to the design podcasts out there?? I've been listening to DESIGN MATTERS with Debbie Millman and she always manages to have some pretty top names in design. She had an interview with Art Chantry a... Spencer Erkkila Ok, so does ANYONE listen to the design podcasts out there?? I've been listening to DESIGN MATTERS with Debbie Millman and she always manages to have some pretty top names in design. She had an interview with Art Chantry a couple of weeks ago and was amused to learn he has to go back to school to learn Photoshop, etc, because he is unable to print out his work the old fashioned way!!! She also just recently interviewed Ed Fella (for those in Typography 2 class), but I haven't gotten around to listening to it yet. Burn it on cd if you have to....it's nice to have these interviews on hand!

View Design Matters site

]]> Another good podcast is THINK2Design Studio. It's an Australian podcast that's short n' sweet. Most listings are less than 10 minutes. Good info for budding designers. No excuse not to listen to this one!

View Think2Design's site

Pop Goes the Culture is another good 'un. Here's the description, lifted right off of the podcast.
Susie Watson, trend analyst and pop culture pundit teams up with political cartoonist Barbara Luhring. Together they tear through the real and manufactured trends in pop culture today. Listen in!

View Pop Goes The Culture site

Links are direct links to the sites, but you can find and subscribe to them on iTunes as well.

There's more podcasts, but these are my favorite so far. Sniff 'em out!

]]> Joellyn's BLOG Link tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2006:/erkk0006/graphic design//3134.43521 2006-04-18T00:30:18Z 2006-04-18T00:31:41Z View Joellyn's blog... Spencer Erkkila View Joellyn's
blog

]]> Handing Down The Names Revisited tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2006:/erkk0006/graphic design//3134.43520 2006-04-18T00:05:06Z 2006-04-18T00:29:16Z It was nice to have Tom and Sherise come by our class today to see our handiwork. It gave us a peek into what to expect in the client/designer relationship. They were pleasant and encouraging and I'm looking forward to... Spencer Erkkila It was nice to have Tom and Sherise come by our class today to see our handiwork. It gave us a peek into what to expect in the client/designer relationship. They were pleasant and encouraging and I'm looking forward to individual meetings to flesh our posters out even further. I must admit, I'm getting tired of this project, so I'm hoping Tom will either like the poster as is or give some good advice on what he'd like to see. I'm ready to stick a fork in it!
Each one of us gave a mini presentation, and I feel mine went off fine. I don't have a big problem with public speaking, but I do have premature senior moments where I momentarily couldn't think of what next to say. All in all, it was a confident and friendly presentation and they seemed to like it.
I managed to dig up a second version of the poster over the weekend. It isn't much, but it is a different look and is an alternative. It simply is a bunch of beautiful yellowed passports and old immigration papers on a white background. The pics are a little pixelated. If Tom chooses that, I'll have to work on that problem.

]]> AIGA assy tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2006:/erkk0006/graphic design//3134.42975 2006-04-11T01:57:19Z 2006-04-11T02:03:11Z Things are going pretty good on this assy. I had trouble "cutting" the letters, but found a way to make it work. I'm pleased with the typographic results. I'm still looking for suitable images. Initially I was going to rip... Spencer Erkkila Things are going pretty good on this assy. I had trouble "cutting" the letters, but found a way to make it work. I'm pleased with the typographic results. I'm still looking for suitable images. Initially I was going to rip off the half and half image in the Target ads, but I'm finding some fun Charles Spencer Anderson stuff (who is also featured predominantly in the article). I actually had a good rough up before I had to go to work today, but the printer was broken and I couldn't save it on my jump drive for some reason. I can whip the spread back together in the morning. I'm happy that this assy is coming together so smoothly! It's a far cry from my last one!

]]> Charles Spencer Anderson tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2006:/erkk0006/graphic design//3134.42973 2006-04-11T01:40:32Z 2006-04-18T01:39:04Z CSA Design website Great website featuring a lot of inspiring design work from Charles Spencer Anderson from Mpls. I'd love to take a tour of this studio to see how he works. I love pretty much everything he designs. That... Spencer Erkkila CSA Design website


Great website featuring a lot of inspiring design work from Charles Spencer Anderson from Mpls. I'd love to take a tour of this studio to see how he works. I love pretty much everything he designs. That glorious mishmash of retro images. It's almost like design heaven for me! hehehe...I had to laugh when I saw his packaging design area. He designed the lables for Desert Pepper Trading Co. (salsa) and I happen to have a jar of Charles Spencer Anderson design in my refridgerator! He also designed the Halloween theme for Target in '03, and I ACTUALLY can remember thinking how much I liked their store decorations and what a great design team they had. Enjoy!

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