Last Days of Semester 8

I did plan to show progress on the things I did for the final exhibition. But alas, I finished all advertising executions, portfolio book and promo items all in two weeks, with a major part of them all in the final week. There was simply no time to blog about anything. However, I did manage to snap some work in progress.

In the end I managed to pull off a port book, some coaster drawings, a CD sleeve and some stickers. Nothing fancy, but they did the work.

It was crazy. The exhibition. We weren't prepared at all for the rush that was gonna compel us. It was good fun going through all that with my classmates. At moments like these, you'll come to appreciate those people that you can turn to with a request and they'll just do it for you, no questions asked.

For my own part in the exhibition, I was quite disappointed with myself, for not being able to pull off the things I had in my head for the whole semester. For everything that I displayed during the exhibition, they were the bare minimum of what I had in mind. There was this trepidation in me, for I have asked a lot of people to come. My mom, all my closest friends. But then again, it was also because they are people closest to me that I didn't mind showing them my work. They'll understand.

Wokay... so my work wasn't that bad. Just, not, great. Hah.

I love my mom for being there. I seriously don't care a fig for convocation. Having her here for my exhibition was all I could asked for. When she was done perusing everything, I asked her what she thought, about my work and all. She was like "What is there to say? Aiya..." MOM!!! *facepalm*

Oooo... she got herself a new iTouch. One of the reasons I wanna go home. To play with this new gadget~!

And of course, nothing will be the same without these two crazies. Through thick and thin! Rui came all the way from Singapore for this. I was a bit sorry coz there really wasn't much to see on my side. All. The. Way. From. Singapore. But but but... she had to come!! She's OBLIGATED to come. Bah. Don't care. Thanks Rui!!

And Hooi Fong, for many times our crazy antics had her sacrificing sleeping time when she had to work the next day. Aih. So sorry. But but but... anticipate more of these in the future. Hahahah~

And not to forget, nutty Georgians on the move. Thank you, Chia Li, Chia Yinn, Evelyn, Kar Yee and Yueh Yih. Oh... and my cousin sis, Tres! Some came all the way from Penang just for this. And once again, I couldn't help but wish things were better. But at least you guys got some free cake from Fragments!

And o yeah... Tham, 41 and I attended the Kancil Awards Night on last Friday. We WON!! Merits and a bronze. My so-called one and only achievement to mark the end of my student life. I appreciated the night for the dinner we had on our own after leaving the awards. Just teasing and talking about random nothings. Thank you Tham and 41, you guys were fantastic team mates. I couldn't ask for anything better!

Woohoo~ I love my boots. Gotta get myself a new pair though. It's appearing too often in all my formal photos. Hahaha~

And on the last day of exhibition, when everything was cleared up and it was just us, there, with nothing much else to do.

Just a handful of the fantastic people I have met in my four years in LUCT. Funny, there weren't much photos taken during the whole exhibition. Maybe we were all just too busy running around trying to get our own things finished.

And so, that's it. Four years. Finished on a cloudy, gloomy evening. So many things happened and so many people were there. I wasn't able to absorb the moment. There is only this solitary picture to remind me of what I felt at that time.

All I could remember was a tinge of sadness. Is all.

Biz card

Wokay, don't mind my previous post. That was madness from all the stress talking. So, here, an honest recap of my progress, one week to exhibition day. Shit, like really, next week today is exhibition. *faint*

Check out my business card design. I wanted to do something that represents both my graphic design and illustration skills. So on one side, it's sleek and smooth, totally professional. And then the other side will act as a canvas for me to display an example of my illustration.

Ta-da!

So blah.

Hahaha... I totally dislike it. When I envisioned it, the beauty in my mind was not this. Anyhow, I sent this out for offset printing just so I have some cards in hand on the first day. Am planning to redo and print another batch. So if you're coming for my exhibition, do come from second day onwards, 25-27 NOV. Hopefully by then you will get a nicer business card than this piece of toot.

One week. Too scared to list down all the things I haven't done. One thing about procrastination is it will make you realise how much you want to do the things that you simply don't have the time for. Threw out a lot of ideas simply because there isn't enough time.

No one to blame but myself.

To snooze now, then work. Ta!

THE POINT official site

This is it. No turning back now.

www.gotothepoint.wordpress.com

The official site of our exhibition, THE POINT.

I now have a major case of nerves. Hur. Breathe. Stop thinking, start working.

Joys of a Lunatic

4.29am. Working on unappealing advertising. I have this thought in mind where once I am done with all the executions for advertising, the real fun can begin. Portfolio book. Self promo items. Exhibition's on 24 November. I figure if I really focus and give in ten day's worth of good solid work, things don't necessarily have to end in disaster. Minimal sleep. Productive days... and mostly nights.

I am so afraid. I think it's even affecting my appetite. Lunches and dinners are the time of the day which I look forward to. A couple of hours away from the computer, comforted by good food.

As much as I am buoyed by this uncertain feeling if I could even finish it all, I find this so exciting. I will work and be weighed down by all these crazy amount of work! I will also revel because these are actually things I derive joy from. Bringing beautiful concepts to life, drawing, creating, designing. I love it all. These final days will be hard, they will be tough. As they are gonna be the last days of my life as a student, I know I will make them worth my while. It's going to be superb.

I already have... four items nailed down from the five promo items that we have to come out with. From the picture above, you can see the stack of empty coasters that I bought. Empty. Fifty pieces. Hahahahaha... as if I didn't have enough work. Any idea on how I can use them? To draw? Mosaic pieces that can form a big picture? As business cards? As ninja shuriken?

I love my life as it is. This is gonna be the most exciting time for a while. Hee.

Go to the Point

Do you know how it feels when you're so pumped up about something you can see no wrong in it? We have worked really hard for this, our graduate showcase. Finally, we have something to show to the world, just the tip of the iceberg.

Visit facebook.com/go.to.the.point for our official Facebook page. Like us.

The concept of our exhibition is really simple. We want to get people to come see our work. We are the Point.

Anyways, back to seeing no wrong in what you do when you're so pumped up. I worry. When we launched the page we are already putting ourselves out there for criticism. Then moments when you're not sure if it's really that perfect after all come haunting. However, it's comforting to know I have good team mates to do this with. Everything will be good. We will go all out because really, what do we have to lose?

W13 Recap

Sign that I am still not totally into work: I am still getting eight hours sleep.

It's week13, let's have a recap.

I have officially said bye bye to Marketing and Design Cultures. Finished all journals, tests and my part in reports. I'd like to take the chance here to thank THAM for being a totally awesome guy. He took up the responsibility unbidden to finish up two group reports for us. Thank you! You've freed up a lot of lumbering-around-not-knowing-what-to-do time for us.

There are currently three really huge huge huge things to do. 12 executions for Advertising, Advertising presentation concept, Graphic design self-promo and portfolio book, and Exhibition (realise how I capitalise the E, coz it's like a named presence, hovering, looking down on us with a smug smug sinister smile).

A lot of wasted time. Old news. Not even gonna waste blog space berating myself. The only thing I can do now is to do do do.

And breathe.

On a side note, mom got back from Singapore and she called me. Told her about my lost wallet and how I am owing people money left and right. She then said she'll bank in some money for me. Feeling so much like a rotten egg, I messaged her and apologized for asking money from her the moment she got home. And she replied me this, "What are mothers for." Not as an ATM machine, no, but for always saving me from a critical condition (critical coz I can't access any of my own money!). Love you mom!!!!

Global Warning

We spent ten weeks on perfecting this global warming poster. Yes. Ten weeks. With the remaining five weeks for self-promo, portfolio book plus exhibition designs. Genius, yea, the person who managed this for us? Pure. Genius.

When I was brainstorming for ideas, I found myself keep coming back to this one: about the last piece of earth containing all the things we will want to protect and keep safe, mother earth in the background, turning her disappointed face away. So I began with some sketches. Since the poster is A1, I needed to work on a bigger piece of paper to get all the details in. I ended up with three A3s, joined together to form my composition.

After taking pictures of all these (my scanner only scans A4), I crop and resize them properly in Photoshop. The end product will be my final composition.

Next was deciding the colour palette. I came across this album design as well as the "Never Let Me Go" poster with a palette that I really like. These palettes are quiet and whimsical, bringing out the sombre and melancholy feeling that I seek. Using these images as references, I reproduced the colour palettes and use them to colour the foundation of my illustration.

In the end, I decided to take out the bottom part. There were simply too many things and the last part simply detract attention away from the center. By taking out the bottom, I've given myself ample space to place my headline as well.

I was really satisfied with this piece. However, the lecturer didn't really see this my way. She thought it looked flat and the colours not exciting enough. I didn't agree with her critique because it was not my intention to do something too "in your face".

But alas, I gave in to the fact that she's like a client I have to please. To give something neutral like the above a more exciting note was easy, just add a few textures and a more dynamic gradient in the background. Worked like a charm.

I did stumble upon a few nice effects when I was tinkering with the blending mode. Check them out. I like. But not suitable.

This is the final design which I will be printing on A1. I find myself surprisingly liking this better than the neutral looking poster. Another lesson in not limiting myself to my own thoughts and assumptions. There is always a way in improving upon something.

This is the first project that I've uploaded into Behance. I've decided to upload more works there so that it'll serve as my online portfolio. I want so much to have a website where I can put everything under one banner but for the lack of time, Behance is really my best choice.

More posts will come, a chronology of my preparation for graduate exhibition. Like my work? Help spread the word.

=)

Whoa Fun

Just before going to sleep, let me list down the things to be done in five weeks. =) So screwed mannn.

1. CRISIS direct mail

2. WITNESS typography posters

3. KANCIL ambient design

4. Royal Opera House poster series

5. Parlophone integrated campaign

6. Kirin Ichiban integrated campaign

7. Five marketing product reviews

8. Mini Malaysia presentation

9. Kenya Hara summary

10. Design Culture journal

11. Portfolio book

12. Self promo campaign

13. Advertising/Graphic Design exhibition

14. Personal projects

Scared. Wicked. But really, I am gonna slowly cut off each item off the list. Gearing up. I am.

I only mean to do well, do my part. I never mean to slight anyone. O well.

BPD8

Check out my timetable this semester highlighted in yellow! Whoa~ I've finally gotten the elusive dream schedule after six semesters! Only three working days in a seven day week. It's gonna be one hell of a long weekend.

I've been to all my classes and had a pretty good idea of what's in store. One thing that I looked forward to is the final exhibition. However, details are so vague I'm not even sure how involved we will be.

One good thing about this semester is there will only be one group work, unlike the last, when we had like almost all group works for all things major. This is going to be one really busy semester. It might not be such a bad idea for us to work on projects individually and only have ourselves to worry about. It's speedier and cuts down on distractions.

My core and major are gonna be killer modules. Graphic design will have two indusity projects, one self-promo and portfolio book. In addition, I hope to be able to find the time to create more pieces to put into my portfolio book. So far, I have very little that's good enough for show.

There's no more Ken Goh this semester. All of a sudden I felt as if we were little birds that left our cozy nests, forced to either fly or drop dead. And no, Ken Goh's not gonna be down there with his hands open trying to save us.

I didn't know we have such things as advertising exhibition. Worse than GD, I have even less to show for in advertising if that's possible. These are the projects I did: Tune Hotel, so ugly I cringe to look at it; Yaris, immature; radio ads, mediocre; SPCA, my redeeming work but it's not really ALL mine, so, no. No wonder I got only Bs. Dank.

Anyway, we are expected to create at least three campaigns, or fifteen ads. Industry professionals will be invited to grade us too. Ooo... fun. Gahhh!!

Marketing, please be a breeze. Only one test and assignment.

Design culture, we have one group research plus presentation, major essay, project and journal. Eeek! At least we got Trina again. Oh joy!

Key words this semester: major and final. It all sounds so... decisive. As if this is the end of the road for us, where we have to give our all and show people that these four years are not all wasted.

Wait a minute, it's not as if, IT IS.

Playlist on the Road

This time tomorrow I'll probably be driving back home. Once I finished my GD journal, then I'll start to diassemble my PC, pack some clothes, bring all my books back, a couple of design magazines, all my artsy fartsy materials and not to forget, my running shoes. And oh yeah, toiletries. I've spent more time in this house in SK #16 than I did in my new house back in Batu Maung.

There's something about going home. I need a few hours to get used to being home. It helps when I assemble my PC, put my clothes in the wardrobe, arrange all art stuff and books into shelves and on desks, and also put my toiletries into my own bathroom. Then, it'll feel like being back home.

I'll be home for slightly less than a month. Then it's final semester. *shudders* That'll come when it comes. For the time being, it's just gonna be chilling and devoting all my time to preparing work for the final exhibition. Dank, I've nothing worthy to put onto display yet!

Driving home tomorrow. I've just burnt two CDs to listen to on the way. Most of my top rated songs. Hee.

I'll be home! Friends in Penang, give me a call. We can go for movies or something. Friends in LUCT, see ya next sem!

SPCA Campaign and The Best Lecturer EVER

SPCA Campaign

Our final project was to come up with an awareness campaign. Together with 41, Tham and Elysia, we chose SPCA as the organization to do this campaign for. Our main message was the consequences of strays overpopulation. Through this campaign, we aim to encourage the people who want pets to adopt instead of buying from pet shops.

Tham was in-charged of all things visual, I deal with copy while 41 and Elysia both came up with the design for the promotional campaign props. This is one of the few group works where I felt totally relaxed. Coz I deal only with copy, once my part is done, I'll just have to pass that on to the rest. Then I could sit back and only comment on their works. Sweet~

I really like the visual style we came up for this campaign. It's clean and the impact of the images was really strong. All thanks to Mr. Tham for the great visuals!

But maybe it's due to this being the final project, and we're all pretty burnt out by now, we didn't push the possibilities of this project even further. As good as I thought our ideas were, we could have done more, have a wider reach. At one point or another, I think we're all guilty of thinking, 'This is good enough.' But apparently it's not. A good campaign goes beyond powerful visuals and ideas. There's still the strategy on how we want to reach the audience and I think this was our weakest point throughout the whole project.

Anyways, it's done. Just a few tweaks and Advertising is finished for this semester. And so is our time with Mr Ken Goh which has come to an end.

The Best Lecturer of LUCT

He is funny and impossible to please. He has many weird quirks and asks the hardest question which left most of us stumped all the time 'What is the message?'.

After all the presentation, Ken Goh went to the front of the class to give us some feed backs on how we did. It was only when he was giving us what sounded like final advices that it hit me, this was our last class with Ken Goh. We were with him for two semesters. This dude gave me a B for Advertising before. Hoping to get an A from him seemed so... far-fetched. But he is the best lecturer LUCT had to offer. He questioned our work all the time and had a lot to do with tying our ideas to the ground, making them realistic and executable. Without him, our work will only looked pretty, nice and without substance.

He said that he hoped everything we've learnt we will put into practice and not only do them because it's from the Ken Goh bible. But it's true. We only do certain things thinking 'What will Ken Goh ask?' and 'Ken Goh will not let us off that easily'. It is because of his standards that we strive to do better hoping if not to impress, then at least for approval.

You have been truly great, Sir. Thank you!!

ps: Class pictures courtesy of Ying Waey's album. More here.

Pride of a Graphic Designer

This was my proposal for Design Analysis submitted yesterday. I've thoroughly enjoyed designing the layout for this book though some said it's not necessary. But what the heck. There are like tonnes of group work this sem. I reveled in doing everything on my own here, making my own decisions without having to get the nod from every other person before doing something. I'm not complaining about group work, the groups I got this sem were awesome, but it felt freer to be on my own.

I've chosen this topic because it's a rather personal question for myself. Every emerging designers must have gone through the same thing. Before getting to make something resembling a career, we get approach by friends and relatives. When it's friends, they normally have nothing to pay me with. When it's relatives/family, they'll probably offer at the most RM50. And then I couldn't help but think, really, my work is worth this little? My work's so... for lack of a better word, worthless?

Then there's this one time when I felt like my pride's bigger than this. I didn't want to do anything for free, I want my work to be worth something. And then slowly, I began to change my mind. Really, what credibility do I have to think so highly of my own pride? I didn't have experience, no real work in my portfolio, so basically I have nothing to bring into this game called freelancing.

So now, I help out friends even if they can't afford to pay me anything. My only aim will be to do real work and put them into my port. Besides, I find the interaction with these people when we discuss the work I do for them to be a worthy experience.

However, I think I'll pass those cheap-ass logo designs on some freelancer sites. RM5-10 for one logo? Like, really? And for some people who has a business and can definitely afford to pay, they won't, claiming exposure's good enough. Screw them. Yes, I want exposure, I want experience. But I will not allow myself to be exploited.

So there. I might not have the credibility now. But I know I'm good. Some will beg to differ, but heck, I think confidence is important in improving myself. I do have my pride, it might not be worth much now, but it will be soon.

Of course, no harm in getting my head up in the clouds so long as I have my feet firmly planted on the ground.

SENSE

We had our mock exhibition design presentation last Friday. I've actually uploaded all these images since last week, but it sure did take me long to actually blog about it. It took us about from.. erm.. lazy to count, but the point is, many weeks to finish this project. This project has been postponed because half the class went to London. That's why it felt like it has been dragged on and on and on with no end. Halfway through this mess, I actually felt dejected and sick over doing the same thing... or rather, procrastinating over the same thing. Most of the design actually only came into fruition the last two weeks prior to presentation. I guess we did everything we could to make this a success, but there are things we could have done better.

This time around, I get to work with the usuals, 41 and Stella. Since we cannot just have three in a group, the lect gave us another two guys to make up our group. I really really like the group combination this time around. Yes, I've worked before in a group with 41 and Stella, but I'd like to think our own experiences during the internship has given each of us a maturity when it comes to our own work. I like how for the first time in a group project, we can each voice out our doubts over the design. It's a great atmosphere to work under where when a person said maybe your design is not what we have in mind, I can either defend my work and hammer sense into their heads or when they are the ones to make sense, conceit and change. With them, I sometimes have qualms and was nervous about showing them my work. As much as maybe sometimes they'll like it, there's always gonna be "...but..." It's all good and fair. This way, we grow as a group and it was an awesome feeling.

Everyone is in charged of something. 41 was the one who determined our design style for her main poster was the one that got approved. From here, she proceeded to design most of the CIS items. Stella was more involved with the packaging design and she herself got her turn in the CIS design when 41 was too weight down by work and had to have her work given out. I myself first designed the masthead and dealt with most of the copy in our work. There's nothing that turned me off more than a good design with grammatical errors. Not even comic sans. Hah! Anyhow, I got my own spin of the CIS items when Stella herself needed to focus on Flash and passed them on to me. It seemed as though no one wanted to do those blasted postcards. It's so cool, knowing everyone have their own part to play and we can rest assured that they will do it well.

I think I log heads most often with 41. She doesn't make sense sometimes and love to make the type as small as possible. Down to 6 points! She thinks I'm too stubborn (I think she thought so, she never said a thing) and love making my type too big, up to 16 points. Dank, it's a poster for goodness sake! There was this one time when we had an argument on a line extension of the masthead. She thought the line should extend directly from the N so that it shows connectivity. I thought there should be a space around the masthead and the line can extend up to a point beyond that space, so that the masthead is not touched for it's sacred. We tossed a point supporting our own stand one at a time at each other, then reiterated the point when it seemed like each other's not getting it. All this time, Stella was wandering about fanning herself due to the hot weather.

We then settled the case not by winning the argument/discussion, but by tossing a coin. The genius Stella suggested it. 41 chose tails. Heads, I won. Not that it was a satisfying win or anything. (you might be thinking, it's just a line! it's not! it's... it's.. it's... A line. not JUST.)

The presentation went very well. A few burps here and there, but I think we did good. The most satisfying part of the day was Ken Goh commenting, "It was a very good presentation." And when we went up to him as a group by the end of it all, he said, "Good job." And heck, it was a tough order getting that compliment from him. I was buoyed by his compliment for a long time. I think that was also the reason I could do four rounds of Batu Caves steps the next day. Hah!

Our masthead for the exhibition. It's an exhibition of perfume-inspired art.

These are main posters that 41 did.

The teaser poster that I am very proud of. Haha... a line. =D

Test card design that Stella did.

Ooo... lo and behold, the layout design I did in Photoshop! It's not up to par with those one can do with a 3D software, but I am damn proud of my first attempt at it. No fancy software, just a good sense of perspective, space and light. (at least i like to think so. must remain humble... be humble.... so is it good or what? =D)

That's all for this long post. There are tonnes of group work this semester. I might complain and whine and all, but I am really pleased with the work we did as a group this time. Yea~!