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Photo Credits: Camilo Josè Vergara, Robert Herman, Lauren Lepore, and Pierre Crocquet

I really like film photography whether it’s in black and white or color. I think it makes the photo look a lot more aesthetic and makes the image really come to life. My favorite type of photos would be portraits and photos that capture everyday life. I think it’s cool how you can take a snapshot of ordinary things or events and make them compositionally pleasing. The centering of a single figure to the variation of sizes based on depth is what can make a photo really strong.

Color is what caught my eye the most and what I liked about the majority of the photos. The light pink and yellow contrast in the last picture, the bright pops of blue in the first, and the neonish purple lighting in the 5th one are amazing. But even the black and white photography is just as good because of the contrast and balance between the lights and darks of the shadows.

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I really liked the NYC tourist page. The main page was a slide show of nice pictures of New York and as you scroll down you see even more. I like how easy the website is to navigate and different places to eat, explore, etc. are broken up into each borough, which I thought was cool. They also list events happening around the city for each season and even include hotels that you can stay at

I like how it gave a little sneak peek at what New York had to offer and gave suggestions for what to do when you get there. It’s a very sleek and simplistic layout and isn’t overwhelming to look at. I like the added touch of pictures that people took of NYC and the location they were taken, something I haven’t seen on a lot of other city websites. 

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Barnes Foundation Field Trip

I had never been to the Barnes Museum before, but I thought it was really cool once I was inside. I really like how the exhibits were almost as if it were in someone's house, not like a regular museum. As for the presentation, I thought it was very interesting and cool to get a first-hand perspective of someone with the same major as me. It gave me a taste at what possible careers I could have when I graduate. I like how they brought in real examples of their work and we got to see their process of creating it.

I learned what in house designers do and what in house design actually was. I think it would be really cool to work in house for a big company and it would be something I’d be interested in doing after I graduated. I also learned all the work that is put into creating the ads, brochures, etc. for this company. I didn’t realize how much they had to consider like paper texture, budget, and so much more when creating a simple product.

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The famous designer my group and I researched was Paula Scher. I had watched the Abstract video about her before this class and instantly loved her style and use of typography. I had no idea she had created so many familiar logos that I’ve seen like CITI bank, the Publics, CNN, and more. She has a recognizable style especially in her type where she can make a font express the emotion of whatever it symbolizes so perfectly. I really like how she does a lot of her designs and illustrations by hand. Her compositions for her posters make me wish that I thought of the idea! From her album cover to her logos I think she influenced the way designers create their work today.

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The up and coming designer my group and I decided to pick was Eddie Lobanovskiy. He has a very distinct and unique style that is pretty recognizable. He uses very futuristic/modern visuals and type that is very sharp and clean looking. I like his work because it’s very minimal and the figures his illustrations are really nice. He designs a lot of things for apps and websites so a lot of his work looks fluorescent or neon which I noticed is a new trend in the design world currently. I also like his use of typography, for example how spelled out “Happy” in the shape of a 4 to signify the 4th of July which I thought was clever.

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The book I chose is called “Posters” by Milton Glaser. He’s a very famous designer and he made this book of all the posters he’s worked on throughout his career for different clients. The simplicity of the book cover as well as the primary colors caught my eye. Each side of the book is painted a different color which I thought was really cool. The inside is almost the same for each page: A description of the poster, who it was for, some rough drafts of it, and a picture of the final product. I was drawn to his really cool designs because he has a distinct style. I noticed that his posters are mostly hand drawn with less type, making his work very original. 

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I really liked all of these designs! I noticed that a lot of them had things in common like how they’re very subtle, earthy colors, matching two-piece sets, or loose fitting. I love classy and simple outfits like the ones from old 90s Versace and Chanel, but I also like the streetwear style like Kanye Wests Yeezy collection, Bape and Fenty. My favorite fashion trends that really catch my eye aren’t the flashy, shiny, or big designs, but the very monochrome, simple yet elegant, and cozy looking designs. I rarely like things with patterns, but when I do they are simple and don’t mix with other patterns like the Versace set or the Louis Vuitton pajamas. Fuzzy textures or denim are some of my favorite in clothing because they add something extra to a simple article.

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Time Management Homework

I manage my time by writing all my assignments down in an agenda. I like to plan out what homework I’m going to do each night and at what time. I also write out the due dates of all my major assignments, projects, or papers onto a post-it note and put it on my desk as reminders. I don’t always follow my agenda/plan because I procrastinate a lot and end up cramming all my homework into one night. My goal is to stop procrastinating and get ahead of my assignments so I don’t have to rush to do it the day before it’s due.

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My group and I visited Rittenhouse square for our assignment. We took the eastbound train 2 stops to City Hall and then took a short 7 min walk to the actual square. It was snowing and freezing! We walked around the park for a while which looked really pretty with the lights and the snow. There were many small boutiques, clothing stores, and French looking cafes around with a common theme of simple yet elegant typography. The architecture was very vintage looking and reminded me of the houses around Central Park.

Next, we went to eat at Federal Donuts, a small restaurant that is famous for their fried chicken and donut combo. I got a classic cinnamon sugar donut and an Oreo donut. They were both very good and I would give them a 9/10. I will definitely be ordering from them again! Unfortunately, my phone died because it was so cold out so I couldn’t take a picture of the restaurant or my food, but it was themed like a 60s diner crossed with a farm stand. I love how we got to see them make the donuts and the chicken right in front of us. We then Ubered home. Overall I learned that Rittenhouse square is a really cute neighborhood that has great restaurants. Since it’s so close to the train I will definitely be going back when it gets warm again.

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I chose a lot of these because of their bright and vibrant colors, their simplicity yet strikingness, or their common simple, centered subject in the middle. They all really caught my eye, especially the “Proud Mary” poster because of how clever and cool it was to put all the characters in her afro and the typography. They all have a certain type of vibe, some remind me of vintage art, some of the 80s, 90s, and even the future. They all are very balanced and aesthetic. 

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A hobby I have always loved since I was little is rollerblading. It’s a really fun activity just like ice skating except your not freezing your butt off. It reminds me of summer and just having fun, so I found this place by the river in East Philly that has a little roller rink during the spring and summer. http://www.delawareriverwaterfront.com/places/blue-cross-riverrink-winterfest It is also an ice skating rink during the winter which I would also be interested in going to. I’m excited to visit this place sometime and also enjoy the carnival games, food, and Ferris wheel!

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I liked all these advertisements because they were either really clever, funny, eye-catching or had a nice design. My favorite ones are the ones that are interactive and in public spaces like the superman on the elevator door, the ad in the swimming pool or the umbrella structure that is literally part of the ad itself. They get your attention, are clever, and are very in your face. Ads that warp and go off the canvas like the one for weight loss that is tilted because the man is too heavy, the snake wrapped around the bus advertising the zoo, or scooter that went through the glass at the bus stop advertising glasses. These are not only funny but a genius way to sell the product because they are very different from any other ads you see. 

Good ads can be the simplest of design as well like the WWF ad for sharks, the Nike ad, or the coca cola ad with negative space. They are both straightforward in what they are trying to say by only using pictures and few words. Most ads that I consider the best have no need for lots of words and can be interpreted by the pictures seen, making the impact bigger to the viewer.

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For the event assignment, I decided to go to an event that I usually would have no interest in to give it a try. I wanted to go outside of my comfort zone, so I went to the Westphal Percussion ensemble that performed a bunch of pieces in the lobby of the Crease Center. There were about 15 musicians dressed in all black on various different instruments including those huge bass drums, keyboard, snare drum, xylophone, a band that was also performing, and much more. It was just a small crowd of about 20 people so it was a close-knit event. You could even see the conductor who I believe is their teacher leading them on. There were a few parents taking pictures on their Ipads and supportive friends that came to watch their friends perform. They all opened the show by playing Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture (it reminded me of the 4th of July when they played because the Boston Pops play it every Independence Day). I was impressed and unexpectedly enjoyed the performance. They then broke off into duos, trios, and solos. Some performed more modern songs on their instrument and some played classical songs. Each one special in their own way, especially the actual percussion instruments like the drums. My favorite solo was played by a boy on the keyboards who did his version of a popular 80s song that I can’t remember the name of, but it was great. After about an hour of playing, they ended with a bow and everyone gave them a round of applause.

What I learned from this event is that Westphal has so many diverse types of art under its college, not just design. They have music as well as art and film. I also learned how talented the students here are. The band at my high school wasn’t nearly as good as the one that performed and I don’t think we had an actual percussion team either. Although this event didn’t really have to do with design, I got a broader freshman perspective that there are more than just Graphic Design majors around me that I probably pass every day in the halls. It was a new experience that I didn’t think would be fun but it turned out to be a great event.

(I forgot to bring my ampersand sorry!)

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Typography Week 10

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My group and I had so much fun exploring East Passyunk today. In order to get there, we first had to get on the L and then take the Broad Street line, only about a 15-minute ride overall. We walked to our first destination: Pat’s Steaks. You could see the bright neon lights of the stores lit up. Right across the street from their rival cheesesteak restaurant, Genos, was where it is said the Philly Cheesesteak was invented. We went up to order at the vintage looking window where there were strict instructions on how to order a cheesesteak: Step 1 is to specify if you want it “Wit” or “Wit-out” onions, then pick your choice of cheese, and “if you mess up don't worry, just go to the back of the line.” Luckily there wasn't a line and I got my American cheesesteak wit-out for a pricy $11 and a $3.50 lemonade. After we all ordered we ate on the tables outside since there wasn’t any actual indoor restaurant. I have to say this was the number one cheesesteak I’ve ever had. The hype on this famous place was worth it!

Next stop for us was to walk to the tree lighting that was being held there. When we got there a live band was playing Christmas music, decorations were hung up, there were lots of people, the big tree was lit up (we missed the countdown), and we saw Santa Clause himself. We walked up and down the streets looking at all the little shops, stopping at one pet store to look at dogs, getting a slice of apple pie in a cafe, and browsing in small trinket shops. Everyone here seemed to be walking a dog or pushing a stroller. Above the street there was garland and lights hanging up. It’s really a cute little neighborhood that I would visit again (In the summer though because it’s too cold). Of course, we couldn’t leave East Passyunk until we snapped a quick flick with Santa.

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I really like either low contrasting or high contrasting color combos. For example, the second one with the bright pink and orange squiggles is very low contrast. The photo of my nails against the black light is high contrast. Both are very interesting to me and I love the neon look the combos create. I also like color combos that aren’t usually seen together, yet compliment each other, like the one of the pink and green tennis ball and the orange and teal picture of a forest. My favorite picture is the one I took of the floral tree in front of the building because of how well the low toned colors go together to create a nice aesthetic.

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I really liked watching the Abstract documentary on Paula Scher because of how interesting and influential her work is. She has designed so many well-known projects, logos, ads, etc. like the Citi logo, the Publics entire advertisement section, various album covers, and so much more. I hope to be such a good and popular designer like she is. Her life seems so cool: She gets to work at a famous upscale design firm in the center of New York City and make art for huge businesses. I want my work to be seen by millions of people like hers was. I’m a fan of her work and the cleverness yet simplicity almost all her designs hold. She finds ways to make words illustrate their meaning.

I think what made her such a good designer is the fact that she started working by hand rather than a computer. She has artistic skills, like the many elaborate maps she makes, that grew into the electronic, more type based work we see today. One of my favorite pieces of hers is the Public: Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk. The bold and chaotic typography against the bright yellow background and image are so aesthetically pleasing. There isn’t any empty space, yet it feels so simple. Like she said in the movie, the poster is loud and chaotic just like NYC, and she did a great way of showing it.