So, years ago I started this long journey to figure out how to take my Fine Arts BA in Painting and turn it into something more suited for earning a living. There have been many bumps in the road, but I feel like I have reached a point in the journey where I can finally say I know more than I don't know when it comes to designing. I still have gaps in my education that I need to fill, since my path has been somewhat hampered by the arrival of baby, but I am still as passionate about the learning process as I was when I started. I just wish I had more hours in the day.
I don't really share this part of my life on this blog very often, but I have recently completed some projects that I am proud of, so I thought today I would show you what I have been working on.
I have made some logos recently:
Maggie's 6-month "annoucement" was on a scrapbook page I made awhile back, but here it is again up close:
and I made these when we moved:
(don't send any presents to that address because it's fake.)
And I have also made some posters:
And last fall, I worked on the branding and graphics for the Preeclampsia Foundation's annual fund raising gala. The project included a series of large informational posters about current research, something totally new to me. I learned a lot about being a working designer through this project:
(these are the posters at the event, and this is one of the research doctors next to her poster. :D)
I will say there have been some negatives in not being able to do this in a school based environment. I don't have a mentor or peers to bounce ideas off of and I don't have a seasoned designer to give me constructive criticism or someone to help push me beyond my comfort zone as often as I would like. I can dream up a lot of fake "school assignments" for myself, but I am missing that guiding hand and voice of experience. Going back to school would be a dream, but it is not, and has not, been even remotely financially possible. As challenging as all that is, I am glad it hasn't stopped me from accomplishing this transition.
I am really proud of how far I have come. It might not be the most stellar design work you have ever seen, but I am finally at a point where I can pretty much create a final product that looks like it did in my head as I envisioned it. That is a huge accomplishment for me. And I like this place in my "career." I like being excited about each final project and I love when my clients are happy. I enjoy doing freelance projects, but ultimately my goal is to be able to work on a freelance or "work-from-home" partnership with a firm or client on a regular basis with a steady income.
So, that's that! In case you have wondered what I have been up to since I scaled back from the craft world, there it is. :) Thanks for letting me share.