Design Process
Research
At the beginning stages of each project, I take the information from the Q&A sessions and conduct research; find clarification on anything, if they used any specific adjectives, find synonyms or antonyms, and find resources to consult with at any point during the project. Being that I came from a scientific background, I need to have a really clear view moving forward. I need to figure out or attempt to figure out why and how, and figure out a variety of avenues for potential solutions. Once I feel like I have a solid base and understanding of why I am able to move forward into the next stage of my process.
Sketch
With a solid understanding of the project’s background, I begin to play and ideate. I have countless sketch books filled with pages of sketches, thoughts and scribbles for the various projects I’ve done throughout the beginning of my design career. This is where I spend the most time, and ultimately revisit throughout the entire process. I’ve learned that it is much more beneficial to have a variety of ideas to push forward, than to get focused in on one version and work with that until the end.
Digital
Following my play and prototyping stage, I move into creating the digital files for the project. This is where my ideas, generally, take shape.. Manipulation of ideas is significantly easier, digitally, so I create dozens of versions and variations in this step. I am my own worst critique, so I work best with feedback from peers and superiors so gauge whether I am moving in the right direction. I really worked on this specific skill during my Senior year, when I was struggling with my confidence. However, this has taught me valuable lessons on exactly how I need to develop this skill, constantly and continually, moving forward. Constant, successive improvement.
Personal Branding
I needed to create a visual identity for myself, but I really had no idea where to begin. I first started by writing down everything I enjoyed about design and adjectives that described my style, I created a mind map. I noticed that I had a common theme, natural, simplistic and organic were all words that were repeated.
From there I began to sketch and ideate logos for my personal brand. I wanted to include something that was representative of my sustainability, biology and environmental background, along with that, I really enjoy Gestalt-type logos or symbols. So I went through hundreds of variations to try and include all of these features.
Once I had created a few variations I went into finalizing those as well as finding a color scheme and typeface. The ‘final’ version is still something I play with and work on because I feel like there are always improvements to be made.
Dancescape
Dancescape is an annual project that is presented to the Campaigns and Systems Design course and the students in the class compete to have their design chosen and produced at WSU. Gretchen Cohenour was asking for a visually striking campaign that represented the Theatre and Dance Department, but left it very vague. We had complete creative control.
I took inspiration from the Q&A session with the dancers in the show and created many versions and variations of abstract forms that represented movements mentioned by those dancers. The specific movement represented in the final graphic was shown to me by one of the girls within the class. However, my initial interpretation of the feedback from the dancers led me down a path of fluid movements; elegant line work with free flowing movements. However, this turned out to be a direction that wasn’t successful. The first round of submissions from the class were all rejected, she was looking for something else. I took the feedback she had given and moved in the opposite direction.
This project required many different applications of the graphic elements, which allowed for various versions of the design. Dancescape was the project that taught me the most about myself because I struggled with my confidence throughout the campaign timeline. However, this also turned out to be a positive; it forced a significant amount of time dedicated to research and play to feel like I was in a place to move forward.
