Response: WHERE DID THIS SEMESTER GO?!

Where in the world did this semester go?! It's crazy to think I'm almost done with 4 fast years of college. So cliche, but it seems like just yesterday we were getting  our first assignment. We were SO stressed out because we had our Roll On stuff due and then Spring Preview due a week later, and now I feel like I could do it all in just a couple of days. Oh how we've all improved!


After reading Krista's blog, in honor of the semester coming to a close, she posted her first design assignment from this class. So I decided to do the same.. even though it's (very, drastically far from) my best work.

And to think I agonized over this for hours!

Critique: Logo, Book Cover and more!

Can't believe this semester is almost over. Only one week left! So many little things left to get done while still trying to enjoy my last week of living in Columbia... ever! Yesterday in class we looked at everyone's online portfolios. I finished most of mine last week, but got to hear everyones comments on my final version. Everyone liked it for the most part, but I appreciated all of the help I received, especially from Theresa and Jan. I changed the logo after hearing everyone's opinions on it. I took out "designs" in the middle of the green circle because "designs by blair elizabeth weaver" was right under it and it seemed a little bit repetitive. So here's my new logo!

I never noticed the "designs" in there twice but once it was pointed out it looks much better without it. Some people also said it was hard to read. 

We've also been working on our book covers, and our final version is due tomorrow. I didn't make too many changes, but here's my final book cover:

I'm really happy with how it turned out. We turn it in to the book publishing company tomorrow and the winner gets their cover published! Fingers crossed...

So once I finished my portfolio, I posted the link to my Facebook for all of my "friends" to check it out. I loved getting all the positive feedback, but now everyone wants me to help with their design-related stuff they need done. So I've done my fair share of resumes, a couple logos for some friends as well as a certificate template for my sorority's senior superlative banquet on Sunday.

Here's some logos I made for my roommate Tiffany (Tiffany Dawn Chevins.. hence the initials).

As well as the certificate.

Good thing I enjoy this stuff!

Response: Online Portfolio

I've now officially finished my online portfolio. It's been hanging over my head for awhile now but now that I finally have my Better Cook pages finished I could add my most impressive pages in it! My first step was figuring out a logo for my page. I came up with quite a few, asked my family, roommates and classmates which one they all liked best and of course, they all liked different ones! So I tried to combine a couple of different ones... and I came up with this lovely logo.

I'm really excited the way it turned out. And I'm really happy with the colors I chose to use. I think it fits me very well! After completing my portfolio, it made me feel pretty confident and I didn't think I had that much work!


So here's the link... click around, and enjoy!


http://cargocollective.com/blairweaver

Critique: Better Cook!

So I never thought I'd say this, but Better Cook has been sent to print! Can't believe it's finally completed and the last little edits have been made. These are the most updated pages that I have, they still need the ads put in. But here they are!

Response: Life of a stressed designer-- Wooo!

Just like all of my other classmates, I've been under quite a bit of stress lately. Between 20/10 book covers, Vox covers, Vox department pages, portfolios, designing logos, iPad stuff and Better Cook stuff, time management is key! A year ago I was in Magazine Design and was stressed because I had a design assignment due in a week that I hadn't started. A year later, I am able to whip out designs in no time, that actually look good! I'm much more comfortable with Indesign, Illustrator and Photoshop now than I was before and am much better at typography than I used to be.

I can't believe I'm almost about to.. (gulp).. graduate. It's just one more thing to stress me out about, but I feel like I'm ready to enter the real world. (I can't believe I just said that.) My experience at the MU J School really has prepared me well. I don't cringe at the word "portfolio" anymore. I read magazines (and by read I mean mentally critique all the designs) and have the confidence that I can do that. Not only has my designing gotten better but my confidence in my work has gotten better, too. Bring on these last 3 weeks of college!

Can't Miss: Portfolio designs

Like everyone else in class, I've been working on my portfolio..... step by step. Needless to say, it is a process. My first step was making my logo, and I did lots of research looking at logos online. I also came across a pretty cool website featuring different kinds of portfolio ideas. I've realized how important it is to have creative ideas for your portfolio so you can stand out from other applicants. This one is probably my favorite!

I like it because of the logo. Who else has an ant in their logo??

http://pelfusion.com/inspiration/10-creative-portfolio-design-ideas/

Critique: Better Cook, covers, logos... oh my!

I've been quite a busy little designer lately. I've been working on Better Cook pages and also Vox covers for the next week's issue about Dynamic Duos. I only made slight changes with my Better Cook designs so they're not too drastically different, but I'm really happy with how they magazine is turning out!

My favorite is the garnish department spread, "Four Ways to Spice Up Your Kitchen Now." The only change I really made was making the wine connoisseur image/story more dominant. I'm excited to see our finished product!

Now for Dynamic Duo covers:

Along with the rest of Vox staff, my favorite is the first cover. It has the "dynamic" look to it which I thought was fitting! I'll be working more on that tonight to have as my final draft for tomorrow's critique session. For the second cover, I was playing around with a dynamic duo. Who's more of a dynamic duo than a couple power rangers?! My thoughts exactly. I also worked with Illustrator more than I usually do since I'm trying to get more familiar with it. For the last cover, I was playing around with the idea of a bunch of different pieces fitting together to work/function as one, just like what a dynamic duo does.

Shifting gears, I've also been working on my online portfolio. So I've been working on some different ideas as far as logos go. And I'm learning I LOVE designing logos! So here's my first page of ideas...

I started out with the black and white ones then started playing around with color. I like both the blueish/periwinkle color but also love the green, so I wanted to incorporate both somehow. My biggest problem I had making these was that it looks like "low" instead of "bw". So I played around with some different fonts, and it still looked like low. So here's what my final logo is!

I'm really happy with how it turned out. I think since I put the green circle inside the "b" that it looks less like "low" and more like my initials. Now to finish my portfolio!