I love graphic design. I enjoy the challenge of taking an abstract idea or concept and giving it a visual identity or transforming it into a communicable message. I'm fascinated by the impact that color, page layouts, paper stock and fonts have on a piece.
As a technical communication major at Mercer University, I enjoyed the communication elements more than the technical aspects in the engineering environment. I liked being able to see what I was working on and enjoyed the process to mold it into a final product to connect to a specific audience for a specific reason. I enjoyed taking an abstract idea or feeling in my head and making it into something visual that people could relate to or identify with.
I didn't think I was creative enough in college. I never painted or drew so I didn't consider myself artistic and I didn't think I could be a graphic designer without one of these natural talents. I was too guarded and scared of critiques or comments. I was afraid that I wasn't any good, even if I thought I was. So, I pushed graphic design to the back of my head and did technical writing as my first job out of college.
It was a safe job, in that I didn't have to let myself be vulnerable in writing. But, I soon found that I enjoyed designing the documents more than writing them. I focused on how the document was visually presented, how to make it more attractive and what font to use to convey the correct tone and message. I was more passionate about visual design than the technical content. From that point forward, I focused on changing my career to work as a graphic designer. I fell back on my undergraduate desktop publishing classes, art classes and photography classes. For the next 4 years, I worked as a graphic designer gaining experience in product/packaging design and commercial design. I learned about printing - direct mail and variable data and prepress as well as how to work with clients. I soaked up everything I could learn from co-workers and mentors.
I never want to stop learning about graphic design. I want to learn more and expand my skills beyond what I can through work. Pursuing graduate studies at SCAD will help me to grow in my education and understanding of design principles, design elements and inspiration. I want to strengthen the skills that I have learned during my undergraduate studies and on-the-job experience and learn new skills that will help me to further grow and develop as a designer.
As a Savannah native, I have always known the SCAD name and looked to it as a prestigious institute for the artfully minded. SCAD carries a great reputation for producing creative, innovative, and blah individuals. I look forward to soaking up everything I can from SCAD: the skills and lessons from professors, peers and course work. I am excited to have an opportunity to learn from others in the program and hopefully share some insights with them as well.
As a technical communication major at Mercer University, I enjoyed the communication elements more than the technical aspects in the engineering environment. I liked being able to see what I was working on and enjoyed the process to mold it into a final product to connect to a specific audience for a specific reason. I enjoyed taking an abstract idea or feeling in my head and making it into something visual that people could relate to or identify with.
I didn't think I was creative enough in college. I never painted or drew so I didn't consider myself artistic and I didn't think I could be a graphic designer without one of these natural talents. I was too guarded and scared of critiques or comments. I was afraid that I wasn't any good, even if I thought I was. So, I pushed graphic design to the back of my head and did technical writing as my first job out of college.
It was a safe job, in that I didn't have to let myself be vulnerable in writing. But, I soon found that I enjoyed designing the documents more than writing them. I focused on how the document was visually presented, how to make it more attractive and what font to use to convey the correct tone and message. I was more passionate about visual design than the technical content. From that point forward, I focused on changing my career to work as a graphic designer. I fell back on my undergraduate desktop publishing classes, art classes and photography classes. For the next 4 years, I worked as a graphic designer gaining experience in product/packaging design and commercial design. I learned about printing - direct mail and variable data and prepress as well as how to work with clients. I soaked up everything I could learn from co-workers and mentors.
I never want to stop learning about graphic design. I want to learn more and expand my skills beyond what I can through work. Pursuing graduate studies at SCAD will help me to grow in my education and understanding of design principles, design elements and inspiration. I want to strengthen the skills that I have learned during my undergraduate studies and on-the-job experience and learn new skills that will help me to further grow and develop as a designer.
As a Savannah native, I have always known the SCAD name and looked to it as a prestigious institute for the artfully minded. SCAD carries a great reputation for producing creative, innovative, and blah individuals. I look forward to soaking up everything I can from SCAD: the skills and lessons from professors, peers and course work. I am excited to have an opportunity to learn from others in the program and hopefully share some insights with them as well.
