Sunday, April 01, 2007

False Sense of Security (LAP/AC)

LAP=Long Ass Post | AC=Adult Content | Consider yourself warned

Three days (technically 4 now I guess) now and I think my brain is finally ready to start assimilating information again.

The portfolio review was...well...good, and yet extremely disappointing. I didn't think it was possible for those two elements to coincide in one event, but it happened so it is obviously possible. Being the closet optimist I am I will start with the good. Generally speaking: I got a fair amount of valid and useful criticism; I got the chance to meet professionals in the field; I have some idea of how an interview might unfold; I got the chance to see what my competition is going to be; I got some great "next level" ideas; I learned that I have, in fact, completely divorced myself from my work-which is an amazingly liberating feeling, and makes it much easier to just take criticism without defending your choices; And my best comment of the night was "You are really bold, and that is a good thing."
But now for the bad: there were not nearly as many people there as I thought there was going to be; I saw just how not "at the level" I am. This is where the false sense of security comes in-I don't mind telling you I thought I was pretty hot shit. I knew I wasn't the best, but I thought I had some skill, I thought I was looking pretty good (when I say I, I mean my work-just to clarify). And whether they knew it or not, I had enough people stroking my ego, that I had a pretty good boost of confidence going in it to this. I got there and saw just how child like more worked seemed next to others and I got worried. I don't think I embarrassed myself by any means, but I wasn't going to be the first choice designer for anyone...which leads to the rest of my bads: of the 40 business cards I had, only eight disappeared-I say disappeared because I wasn't there when they were taken so as far I know they could have been students collecting design; I only had one person give me their card; i didn't get a single hint at an interview; I didn't get a single hint to an internship; my worst comment(s) of the night, "I hate your square motif" ( I have a square pattern in the background of all my pages) and "This piece (referring to my DR piece) shouldn't even be in a portfolio" (and before anyone jumps my shit-those were actually verbatim).
This next stuff is actually more for me than for anyone reading my blog. They are the comments on got on my book from my individual reviewers. Some of you might be interested, but I doubt it. Some of it won't make sense unless you are designer, and some of it won't make sense unless you have seen the pieces in my folio. Sorry, but I want to get it down so I don't forget it. So anything in red I am typing for my benefit.
Reviewer 1 (Matt-AIGA):
*Screen back your background
*Be aware of your photo choice, designers will notice that (DEQ)
*Never leave the print shop unless you are completely happy with your color (Katrina)
*Watch your tangents, we don't want to see any anchor points (IT is)
*It's good you are afraid of white space (Katrina)
*Red Square is a really strong mark, it doesn't need the kinetic stuff-photoshop image is great
*Urban Sprawl Posters are nice
*IT posters have great color.
Reviewer #2 (Tara-Fluid)
*Hate the squares-get rid of them
*Let your work breathe-watch your margins
*Postcards-words are too tight-feels uncomfortable
*Watch your hierarchy on the alphaBook-don't know what to read first
*Katrina poster is beautiful, but the brochure needs work-words too big
*Red Mark is really strong design
*DR shouldn't even be in a portfolio
*Urban Sprawl-bleed sprawl but other than that good
*IT and is don't feel cohesive
*You are really good with the transparency and overlap
*No widows, orphans, rivers, good type layout (DEQ)
Reviewer 2.5 (Jess-?)
*Red Square is awesome
*All your collateral is good
*Really try to ground your work and make it real-applicable-don't sell like a school assignment
*Photoshopped storefront is good example of ^
*Really strong grounded work
Reviewer 3 (Ricardo-Skogan)
*You are very bold especially with your type, this is a good thing
*Look at a font book, analyze your type a little more
*Hierarchy issue alphaBook, don't know what to read first
*Watch the two spaces after your periods and watch your rivers (alphaBook)
*Katrina is a nice piece, but the brochure type needs a little work
*Strong concepts
Reviewer 4 (Tyrone G. ?)
*I have a very scientific mind (explaining RedSquare)
*I should look into scrapbook design (elements that are made to sell to scrapbookers-paper embellishments)
*RedSquare is a strong mark
*He mentioned researching some typography books
Reviewer 5 (Brandon-i4)
*If you want to get into interactive, put some of that in your folio
*RedSquare is a strong mark
*IT posters look great, but the concept is a little convoluted.
*Colors choices are little dark across the board by esp. on the DEQ Spreads
*General comment-good work.

So after all night of this hours (3-9) I go home and pull an all nighter on my semiotics paper. I got a whole 13 pages of shit down-it only took me 'til 6am to do it. At this point I was tapped. I was so saturated with information that I couldn't comprehend anything. Nothing was going in the brain and nothing was coming out...I don't think I could have done my 5s times table if I had been asked. I was also designed out...my brain was on visual overload. I didn't want to see, do, or think design...nor did I want to do any of that for psych. So I decided that Thursday was going to be a decompression day. But I couldn't stop myself; on my way to school to drop off my paper I start making a list, in my head, of all things I needed to do. I am going through it all and come to math...i am thinking I have thought about math in a....out loud it just falls right out of my mouth (thank God I was in my car), Fuck, I have math tonight...so much for my decompression day. I didn't comprehend any of it, I probably shouldn't have gone, it was the last class before the next test, I didn't want to miss anything crucial. That obviously didn't matter. I came home and crashed...I had to go back to work the next day (Friday).

It was like I never left work...things hadn't fallen apart...I hadn't forgotten anything...I wish I had taken the day off to work on unwinding but I just wasn't that smart...but everything is just fine, and normal...I am already back in the swing of it...as a matter of fact they are pushing me for the part manager position again. I did go out after work Friday and I finally got my chance to actually relax...I got a couple of drinks in me and was feeling pretty happy, all things considered. I even found a great book. I think it is hilarious...and possibly a little design-ish...maybe not, maybe I just want to think it is...(this is where the AC stuff comes in). The book is called Fuck This Book...I am not joking about this. Here is the cover:Basically, this guy is just vandalizing signs with stickers and taking pictures of it. I think it is just great. You can see what I am talking about if you go to fuckthiswebsite.com If you need a laugh, I would recommend it. It definitely made my night.

And on that note I am gonna crawl into bed and with any luck dream of a man with a gun. Anyone looking to see a good action movie go see Shooter. It was pretty good if you like guns.

Okay I can't resist, after this I am done.



2 comments:

~A said...

Now you're giving ratings to your posts, like movie ratings? I love it! I consider myself warned.

It seems like the reviewers really liked Red Square - what is it? Do we get a pic? I'm curious to know about it.

I'm sorry things didn't go better for you. It's rough when you put in hard work and you think you're hot, and then it doesn't end the way you want. But I've seen a few samples of your stuff, and I really enjoy it.

Love ya babe!

P.S. Watch the two spaces after a period? Kinda funny you mentioned that a few posts back ... I thought you were being picky. Apparently not.

Just a toy said...

This has to be the longest post on the Planet. Whew! I finally got through it and I enjoyed it!