This was a poster created to be apart of a series of posters that coincide with my other classmates. In this series, "Snapshots of Success", each of us were assigned a different attribute that successful people usually have, and in some cases, the successful ability that was holding some of us from being successful. Depicted in my final piece, Is an archer taking aim at an apple placed on a man's head, standing in a field. The quotation "Don't waste time calculating your chances of success and failure. Just fix your aim and begin.", is fixed to form an aiming line for the archer, and is used to give the piece depth. The borders were used to give it the appearance of a Polaroid with a handwritten FOCUS to ensure that the audience understands, true success comes from great focus.

I created a fictional cover for Esquire magazine using a similar style to theirs, and with original photography. Esquire uses a lot of graphic design type covers on every issue without having a set style. A lot of the time, the cover uses texts in interesting ways, from distorting text to make it look like a wall, to actually writing the teasers on the cover model itself. Colors vary, and is always eye catching. I took a photo of myself positioned on a wall, and turned the wall into the text to make it seem as though I was leaning on the magazines lead stories.

Photo Restoration

In this project, I had to find a photograph that was in need of restoration, and use the original and retouched photo in an advertisement. I found a photograph that was taken in the 1940's that had been wrapped around a pen for safe keeping. As you can see the original had been severely damaged with crease marks and tears. I rebuilt many parts of the officers' uniform and several portions of the background. I also altered the color settings and levels to keep the black and white photo fresh, and restored it from its aged discoloration.

The Next Chapter

This past week I have spent a lot of time reliving the past, and thinking about the future. A handful of my friends were graduating with their Bachelor's Degree from the University of South Florida, and had a week full of events in celebration. Each day was like a different year. On Monday, we recalled Freshman year, when we all discovered beer pong, and all sorts of other drinking games for the first time. Tuesday, Sophomore year, we attempted to drink sophisticated high shelf drinks, mixed to perfection and Wednesday, Junior year, was the pub, with darts, pool, and plenty of fluids. Thursday put everything into perspective. Tired of the party we had been living, we watched some sports, played some poker, and just talked about what is next. For a few of them, college is over and their life as a professional is beginning. A couple are going on to get their Master's Degree, and live the lifestyle a little more. But either way, it seemed as though it was the last time that all of us were guaranteed each other's company. I now have several cities across the nation I have to start planning trips to, and wedding dates to save in my planner. Our youth is finally out of reach, and the real world of responsibility is pulling at us. When leaving high school, it was hard to let go of a lot of your childish things, but were able to do so because of the better things to come. That chapter ended, and in doing such, opened up this chapter of my life. I never knew how this chapter would end, but I sure did enjoy it every page along the way. Now, I see that my "book of life" still has a long way to go, and that the next chapter holds many more surprises then the ones before, and even though I will always miss those childish things of yesterday, whose to say I can't bring a few of them with me?

Web 2.0

With information and data being more valuable then software on today's interent, it lead me to the question, "Is the World Wide Web ready for WWeb 2.0?" Mind you, web designers on the world wide web are the one's who have been actively pushing towards the new development online. But what about everyone else. As content management systems keep growing, and slowly creeping into every aspect of the internet world, it makes me wonder what the new World Wide Web is going to be like. The new wave is coming, and the Apple Iphone is the perfect example. All forms of multimedia are capable with this new piece of technology, and it isn't just the software that enables this "machine" to harness the technology it does. It's the entire platform. It serves as a standard, flexible, light-weight, multi-device platform, and proves that Apple and iTunes are ahead of the Internet curve. Web 2.0 is coming, and I pray that the world prepares themselves, and is ready for the "boom."

Blog, Blog, BLOOOOG!

So, it finally occurred to me. I discovered blogging is a more intricate part of today's society, in obtaining credibility in the business world. I was first assigned these blogs as a part of the class assignments. We were to blog on topics related to graphic design and what we learned in class. I was skeptical and did barely enough to get by. This last month, I've practically fallen off the radar, and even wrote this whole experience off completely. Then I came in contact with a good friend of mine through a social network. A status update I had placed caught his attention, and he decided to shoot me a message. As we were conversing, I discovered he is in the industry, and knows quite a few people around the country. Recently, he has put me into contact with a few people that are working professionals and has been very crucial to me trying to find employment after college.
People, the metaphorical light bulb that hangs over my head is officially turned on, and I do "see the light". Had I not participated in the social network, he would not have remembered to even contact me. Had I not put something credible in my status, he wouldn't have thought twice to ask me what I'm trying to do after my degree. Its the same for other things. Blogging, tweeting, social networking. All can give the ability to people, to network themselves and build their credibility amongst their peers. I feel revamped about everything I've learned to this point, and am regretful it took this long to see the potential in what I wasn't even attempting.

File Sharing and Piracy

While researching for my page on file sharing and piracy, Ive started a debate within myself. The point of the web site I was creating was to influence the user who would be viewing my page. But instead of caught myself arguing my own thoughts and opinions. With each and every article I read, I would go back and forth. One moment I was anti file sharing and all for the rights of artists and performers. Then I would read some more, and want to fight against the corporations for the attempts at constricting the internet because it doesn't fit their own agenda. Then it came to me. Everything involved in this conflict (and with many others as well) depends on your own agenda. Everyone has something to gain or something to lose, and depends on your perspective as to which side you would take. Is file sharing stealing? Sometimes. Is it wrong? Sometimes. Are all forms of file sharing piracy? No. So in all the time I have spent researching articles, and reading other people's facts and opinions I have finally come to the conclusion that I have no real side to take. In some aspects I agree, while in other aspects I disagree. It doesn't seem to be a topic where a lot of people straddle that fence, but I think believe it takes a mentally stronger person to realize this and take their stand.