And Coming Up...

Now that the first project is done (well, almost), I would have thought I will get a breather. But no, even before the first one is to be handed in, the second one is already being given out.

The second project will be packaging. We are to find a brand and repackage the product. Supposedly, this is a pairing project. But a couple of my friends and I wanted to do this together, if not, one of us will be left out, so we formed a three people group. After that, the lecturer actually allowed this to a one-man show. Me being me, I'm incredibly tempted to take up this challenge on my own. So, in the end, I'm going to be doing this project myself. A total of six products to repackage.

Apparently, a lot of my classmates are doing this on their own. I don't blame them. It's really so much easier to work on your own. Recently, I find my own patience hanging by a thread. To secure the friendships around me, it is best that I do not do any group works in the near future. Tensions working in a group will only hinder the work. Unless unavoidable, I'd prefer to work on my own.

I'm really looking forward to what everyone is going to produce. I like listening to people pitching their ideas to the lecturer. I can defend myself saying that I'm interested so that our ideas will not clash, but the truth is, it's a way of checking on the competition. On the other hand, it really irritates me when people interupt when it is my turn with the lecturer.

There are all kinds of ideas that has been pitched so far. There are Gatsby, Nestle, IKEA, Radioactive, Converse, BearBrick (or BrickBear, I'm not sure) and so on. For some of the brands, the lecturer proposed my classmates to carry out a campaign as well. It will be a step above merely packaging the products.

As for me, what will I be doing? I was just complaining to Tze Yee and Stella how I was always doing stuff for kids. Like last semester, I did a CD packaging going with the concept of childhood toys. Then on my last project, I did a conceptual book on children's fairytales. For both of this big projects, I did a lot of illustration. I didn't want to do something like this again for this project.

I don't know if it's fate or stubborn coincidence. We were handed briefs and in those briefs, there are brands in which we can consider. My eyes dropped on the brand "Mattel" and my heart started pumping and my brain began churning. I did try. I swear. When I was mind mapping, I considered a lot of other aspects like Faceshop, Elianto, lingerie, drinks, liquor. But the mind map I did for Mattle toys alone was twice the size for the other mind maps!

Initially I wanted to do liquor. I really wanted to try a hand in doing something classy and elegant. But then again, it will be hard trying to find the bottels. Furthermore, due to the lack of technical resources, my ideas will be limted only to the labels of the bottle. I can't do anything about the material, shape, colours or functionality of the bottles.

Anyway, I was sitting in front of Sathish, my GD lect this sem. He looked over my mind maps while I talked about what I had in my mind. The moment I mentioned the name "Mattel", his eyes flashed! He got so excited wanting to mention something to me but restrained himself, urging me to finish before chipping in his own suggestions. Hesitatingly, I continued on about how I have done a lot of kid's works but if I were to do something on Mattel, I will instead take it from the grown up aspect instead. Then, I started listing the kinds of products available in the grown up line: Magic 8 ball, UNO, Hot Wheels, Barbie Collectors...

Chink chink chink chink chink! JACKPOT!!!

Yep, what he had in mind and making him all excited was Barbie Collections. He said how some people have done this before and what good work they were. One will have to come up with a theme that will be great to work on. I was so fired up by the things he said. Even more so by how huge and hard this project will be if I were to decide to take up on this Barbie brand. The challenges will be to come up with an amazing theme, makeover the Barbie all over acccording to the theme meaning the hair and costume, create a packaging and not to mention, the kind of money this project will cost.

Supposedly, this will involve packaging six Barbies, meaning I have to go out and buy six Barbie dolls. However, he suggested that I only package three dolls but also diverse my project to making a campaign. It's not a real campaign, but a virtual one. This means not only do I have to do the packaging, I will have to make campaign materials like posters, brochures, calendars etc. Anything that's involved in a campaign.

He was very supportive on this idea. The thing I am most interested in is that if I were to do this REALLY good, it's going to look really good in my portfolio.

After the tutotial session with him, I was walking around with a heady feeling. I wanted to do this SO much! That was how enthusiastic I was. I am going to do this!

But I did something this morning that is dousing my enthusiasm appropriately and putting my feet firmly back on the ground.

I was doing some last finishing touches on my book. I made a box out of the SKIN paper I bought. I wanted to make something classy to put my book in. After that, I also made a sticker cut out of the Penguin logo and some motifs to decorate the box.

IT WAS HARD.

It reminded me on how much I screwed up the last time I did something big and crafty like this. It was my Seni project for STPM. I had all these ideas for the interior design of a company. I dreamed big and fell hard. The prject was a disaster. Largely due to me procastinating and losing confidence along the way. The moment I start to lose time and seeing how my execution does not reflect my ideas, I got very demotivated. The thing bombed. I got a D that I will never forget. This was a lesson I never want to forget.

And I am remembering it now.

But I will still be doing the Barbie collection, remembering it. This time around, I will finish all other works and focus on doing this thing. I will work on it not only dreaming about how perfect it will be, but also knowing how hard it will be to be perfect. The fact that it will be hard will make my efforts all the more worth while.

Doing this project will be risky. I'm afraid I have bitten more than I can chew. It's really Do or Die. I have never even thought of fashion. Now, I will have to think of a theme and make clothes for the dolls! Not to mention the packaging and accessories involved!

It will be hard. This project is going to be huge!

I know I will be tempted to give up half way, or even before that. Maybe, in the end, this thing is going to crash and burn. But maybe, this is going to turn out to be something I will smile like a fool just looking at.

I don't know. But I will be moving forward.

Sleepless nights lie ahead. Pimple breakouts, starvation, headaches, shoulder aches, empty wallets, phone calls to my mom to ask for money, rushing to print shops, knife cuts, blood and tears. All these lie ahead.

And I'm oh-so-looking forward to it. :)