Into the Thick of It

Maddie Waise’s

Into the Thick of It

A Guided Process of Intro to Design

Dedicated to my NayNay and PayPay who always inspired and encouraged me to make art that i love.

A Foreword from the Author

This book is dedicated to those that I have lost and the knowledge and larger sense of the world that I have gained. This process book, Into the Thick of It, is more than a display of the work I have done in this course, but also the practice of perseverance. I went into the thick of it this year, all the horrible and scary things that could possibly happen, happened, and I still made it through. I loved and I said goodbye, I cried a lot, and even had moments where I just wanted to scream at the universe for putting me through this mess, but in the end I also made some of the most beloved memories, ones that I will cherish for a lifetime. This is my last semester of college and my last time as an undergraduate student which is a bitter pill to swallow to say the least. This is the last art project I will complete that is a showing of all that I could accomplish in a course and year that challenged me in every way possible. For my NayNay and PayPay who blessed me with the quality of determination to make it through this impossible time, this is your garden and mine that was built on your legacy told through my experience as an artist and a granddaughter. So let’s go…

Into the Thick of It

Crash Course

Engaging with a person through the crash course process determined what approach I took to the creation of my prototype. Based on the determined “problem” and getting to know more about the person’s likes and dislikes as well as their sense of humor led me to create the prototype I did. I felt like the person I was interviewing would find both joy and inspiration in my prototype for them.

The pace of the crash course activity felt very fast which was okay for some parts but frustrating for others. It felt like I didn’t have time to really quantify the other person’s college experience or a true “problem” for them. The time to create a prototype also felt really short even for an unfinished project.

Compared to how I normally work this was very different. For some projects I like to work really quickly just to really test my skills and because I know what I’m doing but I really enjoy taking my time and completing quality work that fits my standards.

Goal: work with a fellow design student to redesign their experience on campus.

step 1: interview partner and learn more about their campus experience

step 2: identify a problem your partner has and how to best meet their needs on campus

step 3: come up with 5 radical solutions and share them with your partner

1. Sharknado Set 2. Street Performance 3. NASA Lauchsite 4. Go to HA 5. Study acting classes

Showing unfinished work to another person always feels a little awkward especially when you do not have a chance to explain your full step 4: create a solution for partner’s problem

Based on what I learned, next time I would come up with something less ambitious but still cleverly effective to get the problem solved. I think I would also focus more on aesthetics as that is a big deal to me.

As far as what I think I did right, I would definitely work with color again to get the message of my design across.

vision to them. It feels like if you wanted to write a story but you only have an outline, there is so much more to be said but you only

had time to get a part of the whole. It definitely feels a bit embarrassing.

The final design I decided on was for my partner to create her own Sharknado movie with aliens: Sharknado Goes to Space

This is my prototype for crash course. This is the set of my partner’s new movie: Sharknado Goes to Space with a spaceship beaming sharks up. The red is supposed to look like blood, the silver shapes in the bottom are the sharks and the red bottle caps are set lights, this is a production afterall.

step 5: create a prototype of your solution

Dot/Line

Goal: use simple shapes to create abstract versions of words and concepts.

The Gestalt

Principle involves looking at the whole of an image before the parts.

From my understanding, as far as the world of art goes, Gestalt refers to the way we view the world, we see the whole image before the parts that make up the image. There are principles within Gestalt that draw us to an image or alter our perception such that we make assumptions about the meaning of the image, hence the dot-line project. Gestalt relates to this project in how we position each element of our compositions in order to induce an emotion or show the “vibe” of a word. How can we get someone to look at the image as a whole and see something meaningful rather than just dots and lines?

step 1: create potential layout thumbnails

I like having well crafted work and I enjoy the art of perfecting something and taking the time to really do that. Interestingly enough this is something that has only come about in college art courses where I realized that it is really worth it to spend the time on making quality pieces rather than rushing the process. With

that being said, I do find it very difficult to make “wellcrafted objects” because I am not the cleanest artist and it is easy to get frustrated with something that is not absolutely perfect.

I struggle with abstraction because I can easily see my own intention with abstraction but when it comes to getting others to see the same or even a similar vision, I have a hard time. This project did show me that abstraction

doesn’t need to be overly complicated, in fact some of the most thought provoking and interesting abstract art utilizes the simplest of elements and I think that is really cool. I do love minimalism.

step 2: choose 3 words and create 5 iterations step 3: pick the best iteration for each of the 3 words and create 5 more versions

It both was and wasn’t difficult to portray ideas with limited materials. As individuals that use visual inferences daily for function we see scenes and images even where there isn’t any. Our brains are constantly making connections and finding what images match other images that we have seen before so getting people to “see” something in a bunch of dots and lines isn’t that difficult. What is difficult is displaying an emotion, or a more action based word, because getting static objects to appear in motion or as emotion having entities is weird and requires some serious thought. Also illustration allows for a more concrete creation of a specific image or feeling.

These are demos for other layouts I had decided to try out. The top was one is an early version of longing I decided against, and the bottom is oppression.

step 4: final 3 compositions

I do not know how else I would use this exercise or the ideas of Gestalt. I think as far as design goes, just understanding that there are ways to do more with less through abstraction and

minimalism is really cool and important. I can’t think of any way I would personally use it but taking this thought process and applying it to other exercises would be fun.

Top Left is Comfort, Top right is Exhaustion, Bottom Left is Oppression, and Bottom Right is a bonus composition of Longing.

Letterforms

Goal: work with text and letter form

to impact the visual interpretation of a chosen word.

step 1: test out text styles by filling up 5 pages of lettering and copy text sampler

To the right are labeled text forms. This exercise led to a better understanding of letterforms.

step 2: pick a word to work with and create a mind map Content vs Form

Content refers to what the words say and form refers to how the words look.

step 3: make a linoleum carving of a given letter

I learned a bit from working with letterforms the way we have in this project. I have worked with printmaking before having taken the beginner course, however, I had not worked with letters. Printmaking is not my favorite medium, simply because I struggle with being a neat artist and it is very time consuming, but I appreciate the process. I definitely learned about all the ways to use letterforms to communicate a bigger meaning, as is the way of the art world. Words and fonts are not simple, even when they are objectively simple. This project allowed

me to see the value in how to convey a message in just words with use of the composition of the letters and the space around.

Above is a mind map made for the chosen word of this project: “grow.”

step 4: create 3 printed proofs

To the left are printed drafst of the chosen word as well as testing of letter content.

step 5: 4 refined, printed versions of chosen word

If I were to continue working with these letters I would play around more with the illustration I can bring around the letters. I would also play with the placement of the letters around the page, focusing on how the movement of letters can bring about a different feeling rather than keeping it in line.

Below is a printed version of the word grow that includes an upward smear effect meant to show upward growth.

On this page you can find three of the 5 refined proofs that were turned in for this project. two included illustrations and careful printings of the word.

For a more creative expression of the word grow I ended up at the Denver Botanical Gardens for a trip and decided to bring cut out letters and page with “grow” cut out for the botanicals to shine through. The three images on the left are versions I decided not to use for the final product and the one above was turned in as a part of my final version.

This is a final refined print of the word grow for this projevt and was also taken at the Denver Botanical Gardens.

Iterative Illustration

Goal: engage with an object/animal to transform

Above and on the left hand side of this page are the initial drafts of some of my black-capped chickadee iterations.

step 1: choose an animal or object as project subject matter and collect reference images Through this process of making iterations of the black-capped chickadee I learned about all the small identifiable features of this bird. I picked the blackcapped chickadee because the sound of it was one of the most recognizable sounds to me as a kid, as a sign of a nice day. My grandpa also

loved to paint birds so when I made this I was thinking of him. This project allowed me to explore the colors and patterns of the chickadee that I otherwise would not have associated with it. I learned about the anatomy and pure adorableness of this bird.

and translate it’s characteristics into varying illustartive styles.

step 2: begin iterations of animal

The most challenging media for me was the geometric shapes. It was a lot of planning and I am someone who appreciates the process of messy art and making all these shapes fit together in a cohesive and clean form was difficult for me. I did actually like how it turned out and I think it was worth it but my brain wants the cleanest of shapes and lines and that seemed impossible. The most enjoyable was the master artists, in particular the van Gogh version that I did. I was able to utilize my medium of choice which is acrylic paint and I just went to the interactive van Gogh exhibit in Denver so I was really excited to tackle his style. I love the impressionist style and I think it turned out great as well.

To the right is the edited version of my paper collage which was done with ripped up calendar pages and magazine clippings.

To the left is the edited version of my text collage which included stips of text from magazines.

To the right is my edited version of a geographic chickadee made of cut paper shapes that were meticuously planned and drawn.

To the left is the edited version of one of my continuous line drawings. This one was a fan favorite among friends who saw my progress.

To the left is the edited version of a second continuous line drawing featuring a dynamically flying blackcapped chickadee.

step 3: use adobe photoshop to begin editing iterations

The last time I used photoshop was in 8th grade for a computer class. I remember really enjoying it once I got the hang of it. For this class I had to relearn everything and also a few useful tricks such as the curves, and using a mask to toggle different layers and areas of the project. I think one of my favorite tools that I actually used a lot back when I first used photoshop was the clone stamp tool. It is such a powerful tool and it helps with editing things out and also cleaning up an image.

To the left is my first master artist iteration which inspired by Malika Favre. This iteration was created in my medium of choice, acrylic paint on sketchbook paper. This version is composed of clean lines and block colors with minimal shadows which is characteristic of Malika’s style. Another feature of this style is a hidden female side profile, can you find the one hidden in my chickadee?

If I had to continue with iterations of the blackcapped chickadee I would explore more artists’ iterations. I really enjoyed seeing the artists that my fellow classmates chose to work with and I think

carrying on with those would be fun. I would also explore making different collage pieces. I didn’t completely understand the way we did the collage in class so I would like to do it a different way than my own take on the piece.

Above is my second master artist interation which is inspired by Vincent van Gogh. This version was also acrylic paint on sketchbook paper. Van Gogh’s sytle is most notably composed of impressionist inspired brushstrokes which are suggestive of shape and motion. This is one of my favorite and most inspired versions and includes a feature of van Gogh’s most famopus painting, Starry Night, a feature that was suggested by my father.

step 4: create a final poster in indesign

Public Service Announcements

Public Servics Announcements (PSAs) are free mesages sent out to the public to inform individuals about a variety of issues commonly related to health or safetly.

step 1: draft a creative brief

A creative breif is meant to tell a designer what you would like in your design. this includes the text of the message as well as any background information. For mine I chose the issue of winter driving and provided specifications for my designer. Above are some lettering mock-ups for the PSA I was clienting.

step 2: make thumbnails of mock-up text layouts

Being limited to type only definitely forced me to think about how to make the message stand out as to take on the role of capturing someone’s attention that perhaps an illustration would. I think it was challenging in that appropriately filling the negative space required more creativity and planning.

Goal: work with a client to create a psa of their chooseing

while also acting as a client for a fellow student.

I enjoyed being limited to text only because I like simplicity in poster designs. It is easy to overcrowd a poster with illustrations and other decorations and having just the message loud and clear on the page makes for an effective PSA.

step 3: create poster in indesign

As far as utilizing the design tools we had discussed in class (scale, opacity, rhythm, orientation, negative space, etc.) I did not have too much information to work with which, in my opinion, was preferred. I played with the orientation of the letters and also the scale, making the word “MOVE” really stand out on the poster, which was intentional and effective. The supplemental information was made smaller in order to not distract from the larger message and also draws an audience in to take a closer look at the benefits of “Moving Your Body.” There wasn’t much space to play with shapes or boxes because I wanted to maintain the directness of simplicity.

To the left are some layouts I showed my client to decide on.

step 4: meet with client to finalize text design and print poster

In this project I learned many skills that I will use going forward, including poster layout and design. I have never worked for a client before as even with my traditional work I do not tend to do commissions, however, it was a lot of fun to even just work with someone else. Honestly, I feel like

working with a client took off a lot of the decision making pressures which was nice and allowed me a certain level of creativity as well. I learned about how to establish hierarchy of information and make a message stand out while still having supplemental information on a poster. I learned how to fill

a space without illustrations and better use InDesign with text which will be useful for other projects. One other big thing that was associated with this project that I will definitely keep in mind is all the uses of the print center.

Above is the final version of my PSA poster. This was printed on bright yellow paper which accentuated the importantly bright message.

Who Designs

Louise Fili

Louise Fili is a celebrated Italian master in the visual arts as a creative director, graphic designer, type designer, and author. Born in 1951 in Orange, New Jersey, Louise has always been fascinated with letterforms. Her parents, both being Italian, raised Louise with a passion for food and cooking, giving rise to much of her design subjects. While her parents tended to dinner and their garden, Louise tended to craving letters in her bedroom. At sixteen she took her first trip to Italy and was absolutely enthralled. Everything was better in Italian, food, design, and words alike. That summer Louise sent away for an Osmeroid pen that she had seen advertised. With this pen she taught herself calligraphy and started creating illuminated manuscripts of Bob Dylan lyrics to sell to her friends. After high school Louise enrolled in Skidmore College where if you were not painting inclined they labeled you as “graphically oriented” which ended up sparking Louise’s interest in graphic design. After graduation in 1970, Louise continued working and studying for graphic design, landing a job at Herb Lubalin’s studio, working in close proximity to Herb she quickly secured a spot as senior designer. A few years later Louise learned of an opening at Random house in the Pantheon Books department as art director for their book covers. Louise took the job and slowly transformed the book covers of Pantheon. She designed over 2,000

book covers and jackets for Pantheon. Through this Louise met her husband Steve Heller, a designer and author. Once her son Nick was born she left Pantheon after 11 years of designing covers and started her own

company Louise Fili LTD. She collaborated with her husband on many books and continued working with what she calls “my three passions: food, type, and all things Italian.”

Louise is an extremely accomplished typographer, always aspiring for that element of uniqueness in her work, whether that be through hand lettering or scanning in old alphabets. Her work has many inspirations and the playfulness of the letters and patterns would draw anyone to these creative and bold designs that show Louise’s own personality.

Beyond Art 130

Are you called to creative work? If so, how do you recognize that calling? If not, to what do

I am called to creative work, I have been since I was a little girl. I always say I have been doing art since I was born, which is true for the most part, my work may not have been the greatest when it came to my very abstract finger paintings at 2 years old but I have always had a flair for the creative process. Painting has been my medium of choice since high school art, where I spent all 4 years in art classes and discovered the start of my style. Art has been my way to express my creative calling but my artistic background comes out in other places. I like to think I have a sense for all things aesthetic, from powerpoint presentations in classes, to my wardrobe, to the way I style a room. I have been the go to person in my family and friend groups for picture boards, posters, presentations, cards, and anything and everything that requires a designer’s eye. I take a lot of pride in my ability to make a project look pleasing and express the intended message or style.

What, if anything, distinguishes art and design? If you have to pick a side, which do you

From what I have come to understand from this class, art is stand alone, it is a creative expression that is meant to serve the purpose of the artist. Design on the other hand, serves a different purpose. Design solves a problem and requires collaboration from parties that are working for a common goal. I think picking one over the other is near impossible because they fulfill such different roles. Art is passionate and untamed, it is unmatched and indescribable, and serves to express emotion and experience as well as history. Design is also an expression but one of progression and support. Design is what markets, sells, is built, and what is used by people every day, depending onwhat the intention is. I appreciate both but for their respective purposes. I am more comfortable with making art myself and I find it to be an outlet for myself and my tastes, but I never want to discount the practicality and usefulness of design as well as the process behind both.

Afterword

This year, and even more so this Fall 2022 semester has been turbulent in every sense. In a lot of ways this class was a blessing but in others, a horrifying chaotic nightmare, although that may be a bit dramatic. Intro to Design is not an easy course, it requires patience and time and for me, a lot of stepping out of my comfort zone of art which is what my college experience as an art minor has been all about. I never thought design would be for me, heck I don’t even do commissions for the art styles I am comfortable with! I appreciate the work that graphic designers do and I definitely have a different sense for the effort and consideration that has gone into products and advertisements that I see daily but I never saw myself doing the tedious client relation work and audience pleasing required. That being said, there is something incredibly satisfying about making a design look good and aesthetic. I learned a lot from this process of making art I maybe would not have chosen to do of my own accord and discussing what looks good to not only me but to the person who requested the design. Bringing to life a vision or an idea is one of the most rewarding aspects of being an artist and this class brought about a new sense of life. I have appreciated all of my classmates and the collaboration we were able to achieve through this process. There are many skills from art 130 that I will take with me, the pursuit of such a career is a slight chance indeed but the value of this class is still enormously paramount to me.

Meet the Artist

Maddie Waise graduated Saint Norbert College in Fall of 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts degree of psycholohgy with an art minor. She survived art 130 in the semester before graduation and never looked back. She now resides in Denver, CO where her NayNay and PayPay always wanted to live. I can say with full confidence that she made it through the thick of it .

The flowers and garden theme is imspired by my times gardening with my NayNay and the birds are for my PayPay who loved to bird watch. My grandfather is who I get much of my artistic talent from and some of the birds and trees on the title pages are his own paintings from birdhouses he made. I wanted to incorporate his designs as well as my own in this final piece as a memorium to my art.

this book was done as part of intro to design at saint norbert college in the fall of 2022. the fonts used include bodoni 72 smallcaps and bodoni 72 oldstyle. it was digitally printed and saddle stapled at the college’s print center.