ACQUIRING COMPETENCIES
Acquiring Competencies
Over this entire degree program, I have acquired competencies spanning multiple concepts, theories, strategies, and applications. This page of the thesis presentation is a list of the top 13 competencies that I feel are most valuable to me and my future endeavors as a designer.
Design Research
Design research was one of the most important topics during this entire degree program. Design research is essential in furthering my knowledge as well as validating all design decisions. Supporting claims and design decisions with verifiable research will show that I have professionalism and expertise in both the topic at hand as well as my overall career as a designer. The research page of this thesis is a great example of my progress both as a designer and as a thinker throughout the entirety of the
brand project. During the first half of the program, the mastery journals each week also showcased my ability to both verify my claims as well as showcase my progress as a critical thinker and problem solver. This will be helpful for my professional career as being a great critical thinker and problem solver through design research can show that I have the necessary skills to both create professional designs as well as explain my design process from conception to completion with verifiable information.
Brand Identity
One great example of showcasing brand identity throughout my time in this program is the creation of the brand playbook for the Las Vegas Enforcers. This playbook showcases the brand identity through the brand story, design elements associated with the brand, and media assets created for the brand. Understanding
how to effectively showcase the brand identity can help to solidify my expertise and professionalism in conveying important information about the brand to the client, stakeholders, and consumers.
Principles of Design
Though they are multiple principles of design, this example showcases the use of balance and movement. Design principles are necessary for any design as they are the foundation for creating professional and effective designs. The jersey creation for the Enforcers uses the principles of balance and movement to showcase the brand message, theme, and personality of the brand in an effective and informative design. The understanding of design
principles will help my professional career as all created designs should follow these principles in one way or another. While design principles can be bent or even broken, it is important to understand the fundamentals of these principles as they are what’s necessary to create functional, effective, and successful designs.
Asset Creation
For this competency, my creation of the assets for the Las Vegas Enforcers is a great example of how effective asset designs can be for a brand. These designs add to the brand identity and showcase the brand message and theme using multiple mediums. This type of work can help my professional career as creating effective design assets can add to the brand’s overall identity while showcasing my ability to create effective, entertaining, and informative designs.
Visual Hierarchy
My example of visual hierarchy is the Earth Day image created as part of the display banner design challenge during the design research class. This image showcases my ability of creating a design that uses visual hierarchy to move the eyes of the viewer across the design. Understanding visual hierarchy can help my professional career as one of the most important aspects of design
is grabbing the attention of the viewer. With this understanding, it will show that I can make effective designs that can also standout and be more recognizable based on my knowledge of both layouts and how hierarchy plays such an important role in successful designs.
Form & Color
Form & color are essential aspects of design. For this competency, the example of Alexander Girard’s artwork and textile design were used. These examples showcase my ability to execute a piece of art with accuracy in both form & color as well as attention to detail. This competency will help my professional career as understanding important aspects such as color, form, and attention to detail can be vital in creating designs that are both effective and successful.
Motion Graphic Creation
Motion Graphics can be an essential part of a brand’s identity. For this competency, the logo and looping animation I created for the Enforcers will be used. These animations were created to add to the brand asset collection as well as the overall brand identity. This type of design can help my professional career as creating informative and entertaining motion graphics can help to show that I have the knowledge to showcase information about the brand in an entertaining and effective way.
Designing with Type, Color, and Images
The example used for this competency was the creation of an outdoor display banner for the Earth Day event. This banner showcases the harmony and balance of having type, color, and images working seamlessly together in a design. Understanding how to use all these design elements and others together can help me create more professional looking designs while increasing my knowledge of what combinations can be possible while still making effective design choices.
Writing Advertising Copy for Video
The Lucky Dog Rescue Orlando advertisement that I created is a great example of combining design elements with advertising copy into an advertisement that is both informative and engaging to the viewer. Creating effective ad copy can keep the viewer engaged
while also informing them on the important issues or topics being discussed. Having this knowledge can help my career as it will show that I understand writing copy for an ad can be as important as designing one.
Vision Board Creation
The creation of the vision board for the Las Vegas Enforcers is a great example of my understanding of vision boards and what they should be communicating. This vision board showcases previous design elements such as the color choice and Onlyness statement into one area that can act as a guide for future design decisions.
Creating an informative vision board can help my professional career as understanding how to layout foundational ideas in one area can show that I have done the necessary research for the brand while also making the best design choices for the brand.
Vector File Sketches
The creation of these vector files show that I have the proficiency and professionalism to take sketched work and transport it into digital software for further refinement. These examples show how sketched artwork was transformed in Illustrator through my knowledge of various Illustrator tools and shortcuts. This will help my design career as having a vast understanding of the adobe software can help to show that I have the knowledge and experience needed to create accurate and effective designs.
Logo Creation
An effective logo should successfully communicate the brand’s attributes. For this competency, I chose the creation of the brand logo for the Las Vegas Enforcers. This logo was created to showcase the brand message and theme while also showcasing my acquired knowledge on logo design. This competency will help my professional career as it will showcase my understanding of logo creation and how it is a large part of conveying a brand’s story, message, and theme.