#i need to figure out how to make dol horrible but understandable in a way that its there if you think abt it for more than 2 secs

[rustykagee]

Mastery Journal

1.     Mastery: Personal Development and Leadership

Probably like everyone else in the class, I was very nervous about heading down a different path and trying to obtain my graduate degree. I just finished my bachelor’s in computer Animation and was looking to head into the industry. I found out quickly that It was going to be very hard for me to land a job, and I was told that getting my master’s would help me tremendously. So, I dove into my graduate’s degree, not sure of what I was doing, or even if I could do it. In the mastery class, we learned about my peoples who had obtained mastery over their chosen field, and at the time, it seemed so far away. It was discouraging, but at the same time, I wanted to be just like those people one day. So, I started the class doubting it If I could even complete it, to ending the class, daring anybody to stop me. That class helped to set my will for completing this graduate degree. This class helped me with my thesis because I had to argue mastery over the DLO’s, and if I had not taken this class, I would not know what mastery truly meant.

2.     Defining Clients Needs

In this class, we learned just what research was. I had no idea how important it was to design, and just how deep one needs to go to understand their client's needs. Having to develop mind maps, to think outside the box and develop unique ideas was a new concept to me, and it took me a second to let go and open up. This was also our first time with logo creation and the concept of iteration. Having to create so many logos for our chosen city, helped me to craft a unique design that I would have never created if not for having to sit down and just throw every idea at the wall. This was the class that I started to gain a bit of confidence and began thinking that I could actually reach my goal. This class also helped me to be more decisive about my designs and not to get too complicated. We learned through our readings in this class specifically that the best designs are the simpler designs, and that translated directly to my thesis project.

3.     Brand Development

This class was our first-time using InDesign, and even though I worked in this particular software before, we went much more in-depth. This was the first time we were able to learn about the significance of color to a brand, and how typography affects its visual identity. This class solidified the significance of the Adobe Creative Suite to media design, and the design industry in general. This class helped me to make sure that everything from narrative to the color pallet is cohesive. This helped me to argue mastery over the Connecting, Synthesizing, and Transformation section of my thesis project.

4.     Effective Copy Writing

This was the class that I learned I was a horrible writer, and I had no clue just how much work it would take for me to learn how to get better. I knew about APA style formatting but had no clue how complicated it was. Correctly using intext citations and understanding how to reference each correctly was my biggest weakness. I would get confused as to what exactly was the correct way, and even though I finished with a good grade, it was by far the hardest class for me during my graduate studies. This class helped me to begin understanding APA and have been working diligently ever since to get better. This class directly helped me with my thesis project when it came to Copywrite and making sure that I was creating a professional and academic website that was clear and precise.

5.     Design Research

In this class, we learned the significance of voice and tone when it came to creating a unique brand. This was the first time we were able to create a narrative for our chosen city and put it together with the research and logo creation we completed the class before. The culmination of these pieces was our very first vision board. The vision board also gave us a chance to learn about layout and color management. Having to create a color palette that connected well with the chosen city, and conveyed the emotion outlined in the narrative was hard but very gratifying. We also touched on visual hierarchy and how that could draw the viewer's eye through the vision board. From this class, I took away newfound respect for layout and the visuals (color, typology, hierarchy) of any brand design. This class helped me to create a story when it came to my thesis project. The instructor kept reminding us that telling a good story was a needed attribute to get a good grade on my thesis project.

6.     Organizational Structures

This is the first class where I was able to combine the skills I gained in my undergraduate studies for Computer Animation and the new-found skills I have gained through my graduate studies. Having to create a Dynamic vision board was so fun for me because I was able to do something different, and boy did, I take it far outside my comfort zone. I was able to fully animate my dynamic vision board, even if it was a bit abstract. Because of this, I gained a great deal of confidence, and that lead into a motion graphic we were asked to create for our chosen city. This is where I was able to put everything together and create one image with the motion that would encompass everything we created about our chosen city.

7.     Design Strategies and Motivation

This class took over the mantel as the hardest class for me when I had to step outside my comfort zone. I have always been a quiet person, content with blending into the background, and never really being the face of anything significant. So, when I knew we had to interview people face to face, I just wanted to quit. In the past, if I have to do essays or speak in public, I would just take a zero because I was that afraid. This was something I had to break, and it took everything I had to complete the task. This class even just for a moment, helped me to push past my boundaries and step out of my comfort zone. This class helped me because the information I gathered from the research in the class I used to argue mastery over problem-solving in my thesis project.

8.     Design Integration

This is the class where we began developing the brand visuals for a city near us, and because my chosen city, was Jesup, the city I live in it made it a more personal assignment. I wanted to do the best I can, and we were allowed to create a dynamic vision board for the city, which again let me tap back into my skills as an animator. This class also allowed us to create a design brief for the city, and that was essentially a road map for the rebranding of the city. This taught me how to create a tailor-made set of design /criteria for the rebranding. This class also helped me to understand that as a designer, I must not leave any detail to be discussed. This class also helped me to argue mastery of Problem-solving in my thesis website because it was in this class I created my problem statement and began creating what would end up being my design for the city of Jesup.

9.     Multi-Platform Delivery

In this class, we were finally able to create assets for our city, four to be exact. This allowed us to connect all the information we have been creating for the city, into what could be real physical visuals assets for the city. In my case pole banners, billboard, decals, and apparel, each one conveying the new logo and branding guidelines. We also completed a brand guide, yet another way to convey the guidelines and what is expected so that the design stays on brand. This class also showed me that even though I think the assets connect well with each other and the brand, that this may not be the case. The instructor thought my pole banners were perfect but thought the other assets were bad. This helped me to understand that I need to pay attention to the details and make sure that every aspect of the design is cohesive and makes sense together. This class helped me to understand the importance of the physical media assets, and these assets helped me to argue my mastery over innovation on my thesis website. I was visually able to show how my design was superior to that of the existing design for Jesup as well as its competitors.

10.  Measuring Design Effectiveness

This is the class where we created our own surveys about our new brand redesign, and how well it connects with the city. We had to determine our target audience and then survey that audience to get feedback on what they thought about our design. This gave us clear qualitative and quantitively feedback quickly and helped us to determine if we were on the right track when it pertains to the design. It helped me to understand that surveys are important to design because it gives us important information from the target audience so that we could cater to the design or product specifically to them. Even though the survey information was not directly used in my thesis project, it gave me the confidence to know that the design was strong and I was able to argue this in the innovative section of my thesis project.

11.  Presentation of Design Solution

This, by far was the hardest class for me, in which we had to create a thesis website. The most difficult part for me was trying to argue mastery over the four DLO’s. I knew how I felt about them, and could even articulate those feelings somewhat successfully, but it was hard for me to figure out different ways to argue the same point, and then provide examples so that I could showcase that my designs were the better option. To me it seemed counterproductive because I am usually not one to take apart someone else’s design and express what I feel is wrong about it. However, I eventually began to understand that without critique, especially in the design profession, no one would grow to become better. With the knowledge, I was then able to argue my mastery over the DOL’s with much more confidence. The first part of the class helped me with determining the layout for my thesis website. Because we created an abstract of the website, this helped me to determine if I was on the right track and if there was a section lacking, it gave me time to come up with a solution. This part helped me to create my thesis website.

12.  Professional Practice

In this class, we began learning about the moral and ethical duties of a designer and what copyright in tells. We also were able to learn what an experience map is and how they can be used to determine the wants and needs of the target audience. The experience map was just one more tool that a designer can add to their bag of tricks to help understand and connect to the client/audience.  Leaving this class, I have learned just what being a professional design is and how to be morally reasonable and ethically sound.

This is my Experience Map with this assignment we were asked to convey our journey through this graduate program, how we felt, what we were thinking and what actions we took to get through each class. We had to visually convey the emotions we felt and also showcase our personality.