Clarissaanne's Blog

Working in a mall you get to meet some very interesting people. A few weeks ago I began my new job as a Guest Services person. The job involves Directing people where they want to go, finding bus routes, knowing about all the events going on in Edmonton, gift wrapping and just helping people out in any way I can. By interesting people I mean I get to interact with everyone from a homeless crazy person to a serious business man.

I also had the opportunity to meet the Marketing Director of the Mall. He arranges photoshoots for the ads around the mall, he is kind of the creative brains behind everything and it was really great to meet him. I am hoping that eventually I can show him some of my work and maybe even get an internship. It would be a great experience and excellent way for me to see how it is being a real art director, and not just for a one time design gig, but an everyday advertising, maintaining the appearance and getting across to a number of people each day.

Another thing I have started to become very interested in is fashion design. I realise how competitive the industry is, (as with anything trying to make it as a designer.) But I am still very much drawn to it, it’s something I have always loved. From elementary school and on, I have been drawing and a lot of my drawings are dress designs and people. I have taken a few sewing classes over the years but never gone deeper with it but it is something I would for sure like to try one day. Shoes and clothes have been a passion of mine for many years and I am always inspired when I come to work or just walk down the street, meeting and seeing people every day I have so many ideas. It would be awesome. Anyhoo that’s about it. Talk at ya later.

Clarissa

Once not so long ago I would sit and write stories, anything for hours on end. Fiction, dreams, crazy thoughts, sane thoughts, any thoughts in my head, it would come out on paper, and always be there. I find comfort in writing, still to this day. Even in this time at present, with typing and texting becoming more and more, I wish so much that people still wrote letters, kept journals, something that meant more than just the simple mindless action of hitting a few keys or pressing a button.
I can’t imagine what it would be like back in 1800′s when all people could do was write letters to one another and it could take days, sometimes weeks to reach someone. As frustrating as that would be, it was a different time altogether. I think it was a time where people actually appreciated genuinely the people they met, loved, their family, friends, and writing a letter would be second nature. Something that today, would seem so simple, yet also weird at once. What scares me is that soon…writing, paper, pencils…will becomes this alien thing, that will not be needed. Even I can understand I mean, why should you have to write someone? When the computer is right here, so easy and fast, to go in our fast paced, crazy lifestyle. Not to say this is a bad thing. I am a huge fan of facebook and slowly getting used to the whole texting thing, (I am a grandma among my friends haha) but I am starting to find boredom in email, messaging and texting, I have never really been thrilled with. Maybe because it is all too easy,..and words have lost their meaning.
Well that is my rant for now…sure there will be more to come.

Growing up, I made a list of all the places I want to travel to. So the other day my Dad was looking through the journal, and came across an ad for a trip to New York hosted by MacEwan. We looked at the info online and it is a great price for one week in one of the most popular cities in the world. So this february, I will be heading to the  big apple! It is one of the top places on my list that I have always wanted to see, and I am super excited to have the chance to go.

For the first part of the trip, it sounds like tours are arranged, and other activities. A walk through central park, check out a broadway show, even some museums like the Guggenheim! New York has always seemed like one of those unreal places to me, you see New york in famous movies (aka, Breakfast at Tiffanys, amongst many others) To actually be standing there I think will be amazing, and the experience of a lifetime.

The city itself has become iconic, and recognized worldwide. Both great and tragic things have taken place in this city. 9/11 shocked the world when the twin towers collapsed due to a terrorist attack. I hope to visit the site and pay my respects to those lost in the attack.

New York is also famous for Broadway. Shows like “Wicked”, “Chicago” and “Rent” are just a few examples among the many successful plays that make up Broadway. I think that is one of the things I am most excited about seeing.

I think this trip will be amazing not just for the shopping, shows and sightseeing (although that will be super fun) it will also give me a chance to perhaps meet designers living in New York, and hear their story, maybe even have a chance to show them my work and get some professional feedback. Who knows what else this trip might hold? I am so excited to find out.

Edward

From an early age, I have loved drawing and began as soon as I could hold a pencil. One of my first masterpieces actually turned out to be a series of lines drawn lovingly on the walls of my hallway. I think it’s something you can learn and improve upon, but also something that takes heart and passion for what you are doing. When I have a pencil and a piece of paper, it’s like a solace, someplace I can just be free to create and imagine, and it all comes out in drawing. I guess that is what led me most to my interest in design. The ability to create something, to be inspired by other people’s work, and maybe even make a difference through design, and in turn, inspire someone else.

A designer and genius in my eyes is the famous and talented Tim Burton. From an early age he also had a boundless imagination and used it to the full. One of his first pieces of work was a short film he created called, “Vincent.” It is a cute little video about a boy who is obsessed with Vincent Price. Although most of Tim Burton’s work is on the more gothic darker side, what I appreciate most is his passion is clear in everything he creates. His work is always unique and different, setting him apart from the rest of the designers out there.

An excellent example for me of great design, and one of my favorite movies by Tim Burton, is “Edward Scissorhands.” Yes, I am a nerdtastic fan of Johnny Depp, both Johnny and Tim together is a powerful combination. But what I love most about this film is the set design, and the contrasts and the characters that Tim Burton created. He made a world that was believable and moving. At first glance, you might get this intimidation and maybe even worry looking at Edward. But soon you see, he is this lonely neglected creation made by a dead inventor, and you sympathize with the character. Not because he looks like a long lost member of Metallica, but because he is this outsider, who only wants to fit in.

I guess I am in the spirit of the whole thing at the moment, what with all the snow in October, the first snow reminded me of the film. And there are many more incredible pieces I am sure Tim Burton has yet to come up with. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Starbucks logo

Our next project I am kind of excited about. I look forward to learning how to build and design a website, something I have never done before. 

I have been looking at different coffee websites, and how they are set up and what makes each one unique or successful.  So far the only two I have had a chance to really explore and compare, are Starbucks and Second Cup. Both are very well known Coffee Companies, and both are very different. For example, Starbucks is targeted at a different audience than Second Cup is. Starbucks is a bit more sophisticated in it’s style and aimed at a more mature age group. Starbucks is also an American based company with locations worldwide, it is very successful and popular.

Second Cup seems like a family friendly company, aimed at all ages. And instead of “Tall, Grande or Venti” you can simply order a “small, medium or large” coffee. Second Cup is a Canadian based coffee company, which makes it have a bit more of a home feel to it, but the vision of Second Cup is to “Make Second Cup a Respected Global Brand”. They are trying to make it into an internationally recognized brand.  Which could be a good way to go, and at the same time some people may not want it to be a global company, the fact that it is Canadian is authentic and sets it apart from the rest of the coffee franchises.

I am not strictly Second Cup or Starbucks. There are beverages I enjoy from both, but I have to admit I am a bit of a Starbucksaholic. (A white chocolate mocha and a good book on a cold day, it just doesn’t really get any better.) 

Well I will talk to you soon Wish me luck on doing the Cafe Artesano justice!

Clarissa Anne

artist: sjogren

Wow. I cannot believe we have already finished two years here at this lovely Arts Campus of MacEwan.  It has truly been a slice. Over the past two years we have familiarized ourselves with early mornings, deadlines, Timmys coffee, and indesign. We have a lot to be proud of when you look back and see how far we have come and all the things we have accomplished. And we still have more to look forward to in this year.

Which brings me to this class and the topic at hand: Website design.

A website should be something engaging and interesting, yet informative.  Just like any good piece of design, a website should have something that draws you in right away.  A clear menu to navigate around the site is helpful and looks organized.  A good example of this in my opinion would be www.deviantart.com This site is excellent for looking at peoples artwork and gives you the option of posting your own or buying some art for your own website.  There is also the option of different mediums, whether you are looking for some photography or painting, this site is a good place to go.

The menu (on the left hand side) is pretty straightforward and well organized, showing the categories offered on the site.  The home page is not cluttered and it shows examples of artwork. All in all, I am a huge fan of this site.

Another great example of good website design is www.apple.com This site uses text in the menus, but it also gives a picture of the product which I think is a clever and effective way to promote what they are trying to sell.  The main menu in at the top rather than placed on the left side, but it is still just as clear to see what the site is offering, and easily accessible. I am also a fan of this site, and I am most certainly a mac person.

In this class, I hope we get to learn about how to create our own website and how to best promote ourselves in the design industry.