Graphic Design Reflection

E-Communication Graphic Design Reflection

         I learned how to use Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator more in depth this year. Last year in grade nine I only had a quarter in Graphic design and so I didn’t have enough experience with both. I also learned how to use Adobe InDesign. In all programs I learned how to use tools and how to manipulate the colors in order to get them the shade just right. I also learned how to make a magazine and poster in Adobe Illustrator. First I would scale it to the right size. Then, I would take away the color from the poster, so I could put in the color I wanted. After I finished adjusting the color, I would import the image into InDesign in order to get rid of all the pixels and clean it all up. After I fix it I exported it into the server to send it off to print.

         I learned how to use all Adobe programs from my fellow peers and Google. As Lofquist always said, “Before you ask me, ask your peers. If that doesn’t work, ask Google. If that still doesn’t work, ask Google again.” Google gave me the answers when my peers couldn’t. Sometimes Lofquist did help and it was helpful, but I always made sure to ask Google before Lofquist. An example would be when I had to ask my peers and Google was when we had to do our own packaging. My group and I wanted to make a skateboard ramp kind of package. I wanted to two handles on both ends of the package and I didn’t know how to do it. I asked my peers and they tried helping me but they couldn’t figure it out either. I ended up asking Google and it gave me the answers I needed in order to finish my package. I’ve been learning a lot of technical skills.

         Reasons why learning the Adobe programs were important were so they can contribute to the rest of my projects. They improved my projects by load and made them look more professional and made my clients more satisfied.

         My strengths in this class are collaboration and communication. I love to work with people and share our ideas together. We all contribute and end up making our dream into a reality. Communication is also one of my main strengths. In order to collaborate, I have to have great communication skills. If the group doesn’t agree on something, we have to work it out professionally and in a mature way. By communicating, we worked out our problems and ended up being satisfied with one another.  My weaknesses are project management and leadership. I mostly need help from my peers in order to get the job done and when they need my help, I will help them as much as I can but I will only contribute only a little, so  I lack leadership. Project management is also pone of my weaknesses because I will try to finish my projects in time but since there is so many ideas going on in my head, I end up going a bit too excited and not getting my work done on time though it is always done on time.

         I improved this year by a lot. I learned how to use the tools and how to manipulate them to the best of my ability. I improved with also working with my peers. Before this year, I was more shy and I didn’t talk to that many people. As the year went on, I got out of my shell and I was able to communicate more with my peers and teacher.

         I’m going to contribute what I learned this year by applying it to my video class next year. I can make cool logos for the theme song. I can also use my technical skills if I need something for  class project. 

         Things I would change this year if I could work with more people. Get to know more people would’ve been great so I could’ve learned more from them. So I could’ve heard their ideas and help make their ideas turn into a reality.

         In the end, I think I deserve an “A” in this class. I had a lot of fun doing each project and I enjoyed sharing my ideas with Lofquist. She helped me when I needed it. Even though some of my projects were late, I still ended up doing more for my client. Each project satisfied my client and they loved my project. My logo looked nice and they liked the movie poster I did for them. With my peers, I helped as much as I could and collaborated greatly with them.