Marketing, Media, Communications learning reflection

1. Gain knowledge about fundamental graphic design theory so that I can articulate what it is about a certain design or layout that does or doesn’t work.

The design books and Eric and John’s guidance in class were all really helpful for learning more about this. I definitely feel like I have much more vocabulary and fundamental ideas to approach this. 

2. Become familiar with design software like Illustrator, Photoshop, and Indesign to be able to create collateral when need be.

This has definitely been fulfilled. The hands on instruction that we received through the variety of projects was instrumental in my understanding. There’s a lot to be said about “learning on the job,” and I feel that I have a much deeper understanding of these software. 

3. Gain comfort in standard sizes and expectations for things like logos, business cards, brochures, and posters.

I definitely got this as well not only through what we talked about in class but also through the graphic standards projects. Actually doing was a really helpful application that provided deeper knowledge than just hearing about it. 

4. Widen my knowledge of type faces and type-related terms to increase the efficacy not only of my designs, but also my reports and papers.

I would have liked to receive more guidance on fonts and some general rules on why to choose which specific types of fonts for which specific purposes, though I do feel like I know more now than I did before. I’ve always been interested in fonts, but I still feel like I choose fonts based on how I feel about them rather than based on any rules. 

5. Try to get a little bit better at visual arts. I’m such a performing arts kind of guy and I really want to push my boundaries.

I definitely feel like I’ve accomplished this. With the graphic design knowledge that I’ve gained, I feel like I have been able to produce some visual arts that I’m proud of.