Deca Can Label
My first small project for Graphics IV was to make labels to go on cans for the DECA business group. They will be trying to raise money to go to the DECA competition by going canning at local stores. To make these labels I first measured the size of the can to get the right dimensions. Once I had the size, I found the DECA logo online and traced it to create a symbol. I then used the symbol sprayer tool and shifted the logos around to make a pattern. I added the words "Please help send DECA students to compete" which is what Ms. Ayer wanted on the can and printed out the appropriate number of copies. I cut the labels to size with the industrial paper cutter and pasted them on the cans. I'm happy with how this came out considering I had less than one class to do it.
Public Service Announcement
For my next project in Graphics IV I decided to make a public service announcement for the school cafeteria. I set up a camera by the koi fish pond in the courtyard and used a webcam to take pictures of the pond every 3 seconds. This technique creates the illusion of motion and shows gradual change in a fast manor, making it more drastic. I then used the same technique in the school cafeteria by setting up a webcam at the back table before lunch started and set the camera up so that it took pictures every 3 seconds. When played back it shows the students rushing into the cafeteria to buy lunch and how hectic it can be. I then took all of the files saved on windows and had to convert them to file types that a macbook would read. I opened them in iMovie and edited and chipped away the unnecessary pieces. I strung the clips together and added effects and texts to get my message across. Lastly, I found music that went well with the clip, converted the movie to a quicktime file, and uploaded it to youtube. I'm really happy with how this project came out because it looks like something that could actually be used in real life. It looks relatively fluid and it gets the message across.
Get Well Soon Card for Ms.Copeland
As a side project in Graphics IV my friend Hailey and I decided to make a get well soon card for our English teacher from last year, Ms.Copeland who hasn't been feeling well. We gathered pictures of things that she likes such as the rock, a Redsox hat (to represent the Boston Redsox), Mr.Chase (another teacher in her department who is one of her friends), vegetables (to represent her vegetarian lifestyle), and Mace Windu's amethyst colored lightsaber (to represent her love for star wars and the color purple). We then took all of these pictures and put them together in a collage of sorts. We added text and printed out a copy to deliver to her which she promptly hung on her classroom wall for all to see. I'm super happy with how this came out because Ms.Copeland really seemed to get a kick out of it and it made her smile.
"Spooky Grams" Poster
My 3rd project in Graphics IV was to make a poster for the candy grams (spooky grams) being sold at our school by peer leadership to raise money for a Wounded Warrior walk we are planning for later in the year. It was a collaboration project with Hailey Hastings, who is also a member of peer leadership and in Graphics. This project would have been relatively simple, but, this year the computers will not allow fonts to be downloaded from websites like dafont.com so instead I had to hand draw the bloody font that we had envisioned. This was really hard to do because my Wacom tablet does not work on the school computers so I had to use a computer mouse, which makes it extremely hard to keep a steady hand. As I worked on the text, Hailey made the pumpkin and the candy also using Adobe Illustrator. We then used a flash drive to combine the two, added the text that Ms.Copeland (the project coordinator) wanted, and printed out a bunch of copies. The next class we got the poster approved by Dr.Mosely and hung the many copies around the school in high traffic areas. I am happy with how this project turned out because it helped me learn how to work and groups and split up the work load.
Milano Restaurant Logo Symbol
My next project that I have been working on in Graphics IV is a symbol for a restaurant that contacted me outside of school. The owners of a new restaurant in Rehoboth at Hillside Country Club called Milano at Hillside (Opening November 2013) wanted me to make a symbol to go on their menus and signs that would fit their theme. Since the restaurant is Italian and is supposed to look like an authentic Italian bistro they use a lot of warm reds, oranges, and yellows while decorating. They want the environment to be warm and inviting and they thought the perfect symbol for it would be a sun. They asked me to create a tattoo-like sun that featured many curls and they also wanted to incorporate the infinity sign. I used Adobe Illustrator and my Wacom tablet at home to create a rustic sort of sun that would fit all of their needs. I then ran the sun through many filters and effects to see which one they liked best. I am happy with how this logo came out because it is simple, but it also fits what they wanted. The owners were thrilled and want the use the far left picture on their sign.
Thayer Street Field Trip
Our next task in Graphics IV was to go on the Thayer Street field trip. Every year our school goes to Thayer street in Providence, Rhode Island to explore the different types of advertising and marketing that is used by the various stores and restaurants. As an advanced student my task was to be a guide to the first year students showing them various locations that could be helpful and which to avoid, and helping them plan out their brochure. I think the trip went extremely well. Everyone on the trip behaved with class and respect and there were no complaints from any of the stores about noise disruptions of anything of the sort. Additionally, all of the students gathered more than enough information to create a brochure.