Dear future students,
You are about to embark on a unique journey of a class. For me, this was the first time I’ve spent an entire class working on one single project. When I enrolled, it didn’t seem as if designing a magazine in 15 weeks would be too difficult, but I was totally wrong! I went through so many ups, downs, and changes throughout the process of created my magazine, Woolf, but now that it’s finished, I’m proud of my work and thankful that I took this roller coaster-ride of a class. Here’s my advice for you as go into your design journey:
- Pick a topic you love. As a former English-lit major, I knew I wanted to do a literary magazine. It came with its own set of challenges, from coming up with editorial content to finding good images, but I’m glad I stuck with it. I not only designed something I’m proud of, but I also designed something I would want to read! It also gave me the chance to write some of my own content since it was something that I am an expert on.
- Stick to your grid. I had heard of this elusive being before, but it wasn’t until this class that I really understood how important the grid is. I thought it would limit me as a designer (and especially as a newbie) but it actually made things so much easier and actually gave me more flexibility, while giving my magazine consistency.
- Don’t be afraid to try something new. Since design was so new to me, at first I was playing it safe, doing things I saw in other magazines or what I felt was “right.” Turns out, trying something new often lead to my best discoveries. It was sometimes frustrating when 10 or 20 ideas wouldn’t work, but it was worth it to get to the one.
- Be open to feedback. I am not one who loves to be criticized and I used to take it very personally. This class was so good for me in learning how not to take feedback as a personal hit and use that information to grow from it. Be willing to share your stuff in class and go into office hours – Professor Strong gives great tips!
This class will have its fair share of frustrations and challenges as any good class should, but by the end, you’ll have a great product to show and something to be proud to have on your portfolio. And don’t forget to stay caught up with things as you go so you aren’t scrambling at the end. Happy designing!
