Weeks 5&6

Well, after a couple of crazy weeks it is time to get caught up writing about my experiences with this adventure called my internship. In the last two weeks, I have had my mid-terms, started a new job, and finished two of the largest single projects that I will have for my internship. I also got a new job via email (yay) from the ArtGuild. All told, the last couple of weeks have been interesting and notable, but maybe not as much of a true learning experience as I would have hoped.

The first real thing that happened was of course making it to the mid-term point of this semester and this internship. I of course completed my evaluation of the site and received my evaluation so far from Suzette. I indicated that I am quite pleased with the internship and my learning opportunities. I really feel as if they are keeping me busy, and that I am learning. The only negative I really have is that I no longer really feel as if I am getting the kind of feedback I need to really learn how to grow as a designer. Don’t get me wrong, I am definitely growing in my abilities to work with a client and with a deadline, but my design is not growing the same way I hoped it would. At first I was nice to hear that I am great all the time, after all, who doesn’t like a little bit of ego stroking? But I’ve started to feel like it is either less than genuine, or that perhaps Suzette is just used to working with really incompetent people. I mean, she asked on my mid-term evaluation if I could be cloned. I’m not THAT good, and I really wish that I was getting a little bit more in the way of real, positive, growth worthy feedback. I would almost rather feel as if I was disappointing, at least then I would feel a need to push myself for the sake of these projects.

I started a new job this week as well (week 6) and it has proven to be a bit more challenging to get everything done than I had anticipated. Finding time to work at home without distractions can be very hard, especially since my significant other has been on vacation and of course want my attention when I get home. I also find it terribly hard on days when I am worn out to sit down and get anything done, all I really want to do is tool around on the internet, or watch TV and go to bed early. I do like the new job though, and really am looking forward to the day when I am done with school and focus my attention on what I really feel like can be my career if the conditions continue to be right.

I have been successful at getting two major projects finished over the last two weeks. I have gotten the Educator’s Guide finished, and I have gotten not one but two strong versions of the Old Quarters Posters for Mr. Sullivan. Each of these projects took approximately 10 hours to complete, and I learned a lot from each. Heck I was even able to take what I learned from the posters and use it in the first mini project I was given in my new professional position.

The Educator’s Guide, thankfully, came with all of the copy already produced, but I did have to layout the publication, and figure out a lot of little quirky things. Using the character formatting etc was very helpful, and thankfully I remembered how to use it. I also had to figure out how to use different faces of Frutiger (as that was the typeface used for the chosen cover) in such a way to produce the final look I wanted. I also had a lot of “fun” getting the cross alignment correct and getting all of the given information to line up correctly and not produce widows and such that would just ruin the booklet. I feel as if I learned a lot more about multi-page layout form this project that I did in class even, after all I had to use all of the copy I was given and couldn’t edit it except to fix the occasional typo. With my own booklets I’ve done in the past it was no problem to make up something extra or cut out something unneeded to make the layout I wanted work.

The posters I created for Pat Sullivan were a lot of fun, and also taught me a lot, even though I definitely used a lot of previous knowledge. I was able to create what I think are interesting and attention grabbing posters. I only hope that Pat feels the same way. Unfortunately getting ahold of him has been interesting and complicated. I learned from Suzette that he decided to run for political office, and even she is having a hard time getting ahold of him. I will probably be turning over the files for the posters to her, and she will give them to Mr. Sullivan when she gets a chance and actually talked to him again herself. I actually am somewhat irritated by this turn of events, as it is possible that I spent about 10 hours working on these posters that no one will ever see, including the person who wanted them in the first place. I was able to use what I learned in creating them to create a flyer for an upcoming event for my new employer however, so I suppose it is not time wasted.

Lastly, I am happy to report that I have received some work for the Art Guild. It is a small online ad, but I have more creative freedom with this one at least. I was also told in the email requesting the work that there would be other things for me to do in a week or so. I am just glad that they really do want me to continue doing things for them, and that I will get a chance to prove that I am capable of getting things done even though I am not going to be in the office on a regular basis any more.