Larger Than Life (Something Sweet)

This Larger than life project was definitely a challenge, especially working with a group of people who have different schedules and separate lives. Getting us all together to work on this project was hard.

When we started this project we first threw out ideas of what we wanted to do. We wrote them down and narrowed it to one which was a cupcake. Then we had to come up with ideas on how to create it. Once we figured it out, we got started. We used chicken wire for the skeleton. Then we used paper mache for the first stage of creating the cupcake top/icing. Once we did that we used sealing foam, the stuff you use to fix cracks in a wall, for the second stage of making the top/icing. After that we created the candle with a wrapping paper tube and dipped it in wax. Although that did not work as well as we planned, it looked "dusty" as said by our teacher Mrs. Deal. So we waited to figure out what to use for the candle. Then once the foam was completely dry we used plaster for the third stage of create the top/icing. Once that was finally dry we spray painted the plaster pink for the final stage. Also while we were spray painting a couple of my group member went off and painted the sprinkles, which were made of clay and previously made by one of the group members. Once everything was dry we glued the "sprinkles" on and put a wooden pole in the middle of the cupcake by "drilling" a hole in the middle so that the candle we use will stay in place. For the candle, we eventually used a pool noodle. We spray painted that as well. To create the striped look we used masking tape and wrapped it around the noodle. We also had to cut it a couple times to make it shorter, using a mini hand saw. Then finally for the cupcake cover we used brown wrapping paper and folded it like and accordion. We also used the brown wrapping paper to cover the bottom part of the chicken wire to make it look more like the cake part. Then finally, when we just placed the "wrapping" around the cake loosely and taped it together.

During this project I definitely had to learn patients. I also had to become somewhat of a leader, at least by coming up with the times we all met, and initiating the meeting times. I took it upon myself to make sure everyone knew when and where we were meeting. Because I realized that a whole day would go by without us talking about meeting up if I didn't ask. I also that thinking outside the box and being resourceful is really good and saves a lot of money.

Overall this project was really fun...hard, but fun. I just wouldn't want to do this project again. Also my group bonded well and we learned a lot about each other.

Color Studies

For this project, I chose to do different styles of sunglasses. The first thing I did was look up the different styles and chose which color composition I can use for each of them. Then once I had the ones I wanted to do, I drew them out on a sheet a paper. I drew them again on bristol paper that I cut into 6, 5"x5" piece. Once I did that, I collected the supplies I needed, which only was the paints (Primary, Secondary, and the different shades of blue that I wanted. After that I started painting which made it a little easier having them already drawn on.

From this project I learned that I am not the best painter. Also I learned that it having everything mapped out makes things easier and go by faster. Other things I learned are what colors go well with each other and patients. I definitely learned a little patients when I had to wait for the paint to dry before I could put the other colors on.

All in all I kind of liked this project. My favorite one is the bottom left sunglasses with the yellow and yellow-green colors. all the other ones I would definitely like to change if time permitted, especially the bottom right one. They where these sunglasses that I found made of wood, and it looked better when I drew it.

Color and Culture Matters

The article I chose is called Color and Culture Matters. It focused on the color green and what it meant in different times and different places of the world. It mentioned that in the 15th century green symbolized fertility. Also it mentioned that in this century it symbolized "heightened sexuality" which is why on commercials the girl M&M candy is green and acts "sexy."

From reading the article I learned that I have to be careful about what colors I choose for different designs and advertisements. The color I choose are depending on who and what kind of culture I am making it for. The article also mentions that white is a color of mourning in China, so I would be careful of how I use the color white if I am making something for people who are from that country. It even slightly mentions that color effect different moods, so I would have to watch out for that as well.

http://www.colormatters.com/culturematters.html

Texture Project

This project, I must admit, was fairly hard. It took a lot of my time but I was able to complete it, by God's grace. I chose to do the "Flower Carrier" by Diego Rivera, a famous mexican artist. The first thing I did was print out the picture and wrote on it, saying what I wanted to use for each part, as far as material and whether it was going to be actual and or visual texture. Then once I got the supplies I cut the matting board to its right size and drew the picture in pencil to map it out. The next thing I did was work on the visual texture using adobe photoshop and illustrator. That was a little difficult. I found pictures of grass, dirt, hair, and different fabrics that would stand out as texture. I made them into patterns in photoshop and then changed the color to match the painting. I also made a check list and marked off each piece of the painting I finished, which helped tremendously.

Next I started to make the actual texture. I cut out each piece and tried to make as much detail as possible using string and black velvet. I tried to match it up with what I had mapped out. As for the basket I cut up a scarf and folded it into the basket shape and super glued it together so it would stay. Then lastly, I glued everything down starting with the background and the hands. Positioning and gluing everything down was quite tricky I must say, but it all worked out for the most part.

From this project I definitely learned time management. I practically worked non-stop on this project even during some of my practices. I learned to sacrifice some things so I could get my work done, and not be procrastinate. It also taught me about managing my priorities and showed me what hard work and good time management can do. Although, time-premitted, I would change/fix some things like the leaves, the skirt, and the faces.

Shapes

For this project I chose to do ice cream for my theme. In order to complete the project, first I drew it out on the regular sheet of paper, and then I drew it bigger on the 11x17 bristol paper to map it out. The second thing I did was cut out all the pieces that I needed and placed them in their spots on the "map". I also labeled the pieces for the rectilinear picture so that I know what went together. The third thing I did was scan the "maps" so that I could remember where all the pieces were suppose to go. Then I glued everything in its place starting with the background. Lastly, I mounted both pictures on the black mounting board.

While making this project I learned to manage my time better in order to get the job done. This project took up a lot of my time. Another thing this project taught me was to try and think outside the box, I used a gumdrop as the sun. Also I learned how different shapes can create different pictures. I think that it is neat how I basically made the same thing (ice cream) but in two different ways, yet it still conveys the same message.

Pictionary

When playing pictionary, trying to figure out what all the lines mean that people draw is hard sometimes. The reason for this is because different lines put together can form shapes that can mean various things. There are, however, some universal shapes that we all know such as a skull and crossbones represents death, but draw it on a bottle that can mean poison. Or even draw a skull and cross bones inside of 4 lines that create a box shape, like a flag, can mean pirates. Also using lines in pictionary can create direction or speed. When my class was playing someone tried to draw the word "speed". That person drew a stick figure with 3 lines behind it indicating that the stick figure was moving forward. Universally, those lines behind and object indicates movement. Some people guessed running and fast, both are categories of speed. another way of comminicating with lines in pictionary is emotions. If you place certain types of lines in the right position you can create emotions such as happy, sad, mad, etc. Pictionary is a great game to help understand how lines create different universal shapes, emotions, images and much more, just by arranging lines in different ways.

Name: Pamela Parker

Major: Graphic Design

Hometown: Fredericksburg, VA

Career goals: Design ads and logos for various people

and own a business with my brothers.

What inspires you to create: pretty much anything I see

or certain things I hear.

What you hope to learn from this class: a better

understanding of the different fields in graphic design.

What you think the most challenging part of this class will be:

keeping up with all the different projects.

This is an old picture of my parents. I chose to put a picture of them up because they mean so much to me. They've been there for me even when I was at my worst, and they still continue to show they're love and support with all that I do.

This is a picture of of the greek letters Alpha Delta Omega. This is significant to me because I am apart of a Christian sisterhood called Alpha Delta Omega (or AO for short) that was founded in 1998 on Liberty University's campus. Our colors are purple and white and we step in various shows on and off campus spreading the gospel to any and everybody. This is one of my passions and I love my AO sisters.