Graphic Design Reflection

Valuable Takeaway

The e-comm program has taught me many essential skills. These include technology, collaboration, communication, project management, and leadership. With these skills I learned, I am able to improve them and bring me outside of the program.

Technology

Technology was a big thing that I have learned while in e-comm, and I am still learning more and more about it everyday. We learn new things by having our teacher introduce and teach it to our class. For example, I learned how to use photoshop and what tools to use for certain things. Learning about technology and how to use it very important because we are in a time where technology is everywhere and advancing. It would be very beneficial to know how to technology, and e-comm has taught that to me. However, I'm still struggling with technology. I had a hard time with photoshop and how to blend things or replace things, and with illustrator I had some hard times with creating my graphics. But, in the end I manage to figure it out.

Collaboration

In Graphic Design we did a lot of collaborating with our peers. It's evident in our discussions and critics. Everyone helps everyone when needed. We also did a project on infographics, which included a partner to help each other on ideas. Learning how to collaborate is also very important because in life you will be working with other people, and you will need to know how to work well and compromise. I had no problems with collaborating with my classmates because I like their input, which will help me improve. I could also help improve others too.

Communication

We learned communicating by our blogs on blogger, behance, presentations, critics and discussions, and when we ask each other for help or opinion. Communication is essential in life. It's very important to have good communication skills, so that you are get things smoothly. For example, if there is bad communication within a group project, then the group would most likely not a good grade on their project because the communication wasn't clear. This area was hard for me because I'm a quiet and shy kind of person, but I have improved a little.

Project Management

In Graphic Design we learned how to manage our time and projects by having deadlines. This is important because you can't be working on projects forever. They need to shared and finished. For example, if you order a book from online and it says that it will arrive in 7 days, but its already been 5 months and you still haven't got it. Then you would get really mad. So that's why having a good project management is good to learn. In this area I had and still do have a small problem with this because I'm very slow, but I can still catch up by staying after school.

Leadership

We learned how to do leadership by saying what our classmates' should do or try in our group discussions and critics. Having good leadership qualities is essential because in some projects in school, jobs, and life, there are time when one has to lead. I did have a hard with this skill because again, I'm quiet, shy, and more of a follower than a leader.

Strengths and Weaknesses

My greatest strengths are that I can come up with some ideas, and ask questions on how to do things or if I should change/add things on my project. But, I am very weak at finishing my projects in class and a little on turning in my projects on time.

Using the Skill I've Learned

With my skills that I have learned from e-comm, I will be using it to great use in school and outside of school. The skills mentioned above can be very beneficial to me when I'm working on projects by myself or with others. They would also help when I'm working.

Changes?

I think e-comm is great where it's at right now. I don't have any changes I can think of as of now.

Conclusion

Looking back at when I was a freshman and first started e-comm, I knew nothing about technology. But, as time went by I have made friends, made fun projects, and learn new skills on filming, editing, photoshopping, graphic designing, and all that. In my first project in graphic design, my mind was blank. I had no idea on what I should create. Now, as a sophomore I have improved my creativity. One of my favorite projects I worked on was the vector portrait. It's where we take a portrait of ourselves, photoshop to our desires, and place it on illustrator. Then by using the vector tool we would create anchor points of the shapes of our portrait and create a vectored portrait. This project took me a while, I think it took me a few weeks (I can't remember). I wanted to try to put as many shades of colors into it. When it got to the hair part, that was the most frustrating part of the project. I couldn't get it to look like how I wanted so I just made all of the hair black. At the end I liked it, but now I feel like if I redo the project now, it would look even more better.