Christmas Time Is Here?

I don't know about you, but I feel like everyone is putting out everything Christmas very early this year. Then again, maybe it's just me. But anyway, what I'm trying to say is that I've not been much in the Christmas mood. I mean it's not even been Thanksgiving yet! However tonight, all that has changed.

As I was reading my music news, which I do a lot, I came across a story about a new animated Relient K video. I love Relient K! Come to find out, it was for a song that was on their Christmas album. I love their Christmas album! It's called Let It Snow... Let It Reindeer, and it's one of my all time favorite Christmas albums. Check it out! Their new video was really fun, and it definitely got me ready for the holidays. So I decided to post it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Relient K - Sleigh Ride from gotee on Vimeo.

Ice Cream I Can't Pronounce and the Smell of Soap

Why, hello! It's been awhile since I've posted anything, but that's due to the fact that my life has been quite busy recently. I've been trying my best to keep up and finish what is needed to be done. So far... so good, but let me show you a couple of things I've been working on the past few weeks.

The first thing I'm going to post is a logo I made for my 2-D Design class. We split into groups and had to come up with an area or room where someone or a group of people could be creative. The group I was in decided to come up with a place where anyone could come in and have some fun. We ended up creating a ice cream shop.We called our shop
Jäätelöä, which is Finnish for ice cream. We had things set up in an assembly line format. People can go through, pick any type of ice cream they want, add any toppings, and have fun with it. Sounds like a great place, don't you think?

The next thing I had to do was for Graphic Design I. For this project, we had to create packaging for a bar of soap. We had to come up with a concept and create a professional looking package for it.  The idea I came up with was called RISE Energy Soap.

I thing about this project is that it turned out almost nothing like I had planed for it to, but I don't think it turned out too bad. How I come up with the idea of "energy soap" was by looking at some energy drink cans. I thought it would be cool to come up with soap packaging inspired by the cans I saw. I wanted to come up with a package that sat up tall and was thin. I'm not sure on how much that's conveyed in my design, but that was my original thought. 

The package itself, was made mostly out of plastic folders I found at Wal-Mart, and the rest of it is transparency paper, on which I printed my logo and text. The plastic wasn't the easiest thing to work with. I was difficult at times to fold and it didn't want to stick to the glue I was using either. I plan on improving my design and cleaning up the construction of it so I can use it for my portfolio.

Well that's it for now, but I'm about to start work on a few new major projects coming up. In Graphic Design, we're about to start work on a C.D. design and packaging project, which I'm very excited about. That's what I would love to do as a career! Another project is for my 2-D class. We're starting a nature study where we are to create book visually describing something living found in nature. I think I've decided on doing my study on tree bark, but we'll see. The final thing on my to do list is some Pro-Bono work for the NBYG (North Boulevard Youth Group). I'm going to create a poster and some promotional pieces for them to use. I'm looking forward to doing some work for them, even if it is for free.

From Semesters Past

I've not had much art work to post recently, but I'm wanting to post some more. So I decided that I would post some of the work I did from the past couple of semesters.

This was a project where we had to create a snapshot like USA Today uses in their paper.

Above is the TIME cover I created. The cover story was about To Write Love On Her Arms and pictured on the cover is one of my favorite bands, Paramore!

Next, is a project I did where we had to create a c.d. single layout. We were given a song off a Christmas Compilation album where artists did covers of hit Christmas songs. I got the song "Last Christmas" originally by Wham, but redone by a band called Pas/Cal. We had to create the front and back cover, the inside booklet, and the actual c.d. itself. The photos below is what I came up with.
Well, I think that's all for now. Hopefully next time I'll have some new work to show.

No Art = Pointless Blog Post

So I don't have any art work to show to you right now. I'm sure you're all greatly saddened by this, but as I sit here bored in my dorm room, I thought I could just give a little update of some kind. 

Well, to start things off, since Monday, I've been without a car. It started acting up before Hailey and I headed back to Arkansas from our weekend in Dallas, and when I tried starting Monday morning it wouldn't turn over. Fun stuff, right? Luckily, I have an amazing girlfriend, and she willingly let me borrow her car to save me from having to walk to work. Speaking of work, I had never really eaten at a Zaxby's until I started working there, and I must say, I really like the food there.

Like this guy here. This is the Kickin' Chicken Sandwich, and its probably my favorite thing on the menu. It's three chicken fingers on Texas toast, covered in ranch and Tongue Torch, Zaxby's hot sauce. It's so good, and I recommend that you all stop reading my blog and go get one now. 

Between work and school, I seem to stay fairly busy, but this week has been especially busy for me and for Hailey. She's had test's for some of her more difficult classes and tends to stress. She also misses not being home and close to her family, which is hard for her, and that doesn't much help with everything else going on. So I felt it was my duty to be a great boyfriend and try to cheer her up and keep her stress free. I decided that each day, I would give her a little note that would hopefully put a smile on her face and make her happy. I also took her out to the newly opened McAlister's, and then later in the week we went to see the movie Nick And Norah's Infinite Playlist. It was a really good movie and I think we both really enjoyed it. The overall plot of the movie is about these two people, Nick and Norah, who meet each other at a concert, go on a search for their favorite band performing a secret show, and all the while begin to fall in love with one another. It was a good one and and I really liked it. I'm not sure that the things I did helped Hailey any with her difficult week, but I tried my best.

Well, I think thats about it. There's not much else to write about. I did begin working a new project for Graphic Design I. So when I've got something worth looking at, I'll put it up for your viewing pleasure. 

Chicken Fried Bacon and Dryer Sheets

Does my title say chicken fried bacon? Indeed it does! Why? Well, this past weekend, Hailey and I made the trek to Dallas, TX, to go to the Texas State Fair with her family. It was awesome, and it was so big! Getting to go with the Goffinet family was a great time. They love food, and they love to eat all the different foods around the fair. It's their tradition, and an awesome tradition at that! To begin the day, they have to get a Fletcher's Corny Dog. It was probably the best corn dog ever! After that, we walked around to see what we could see and eat tasty fried foods along the way. In summary, I had a corn dog, fudge, fried pickles, a country fried steak slider, nachos, and my favorite food of the day, chicken fried bacon! We also played some games, saw a sculpture make entirely out of butter, and walked through a car show. It was great and I'm ready for next year.

Now for some artwork. The next project I'm going to post is another one I did for Graphic Design I. The task at hand was to create an ad for an item using visual metaphor/analogy. We had to create new connections between images, words, or both. We were split into three groups and then we were given an object to do our individual ads over.  My group's item was dryer sheets and this was the ad I came up with.

In doing some research, I found out that dryer sheets can be used for many different things. They can be used as insect repellant, car fresheners, and even to clean things like sinks and bathtubs. I decided to use the cleaning aspect of dryer sheets for my ad. My class discussed a few ideas that might improve my work, but I think it turned out pretty good. Eventually, I'll make adjustments to the ad and maybe I'll put it in my portfolio or something.

Benliss, John Rush, and Rozer

Next on the list is a project I did for my 2D-Design. We were to design a series of three motifs. We could use media we wanted, but had to have a static design, a relaxed design, and a dynamic design. I chose to show those three stages using c.d. covers.

This is my static design, and It was suppose to show no movement. I used a plain type and a very simple, plain background. I made the album cover for this amazing band, Benliss. You've never heard of them? Their only the greatest band in the world. Go check out their myspace by clicking their link in my "Links" section to the right.

This next design was meant to be relaxed, showing little movement. I used what I thought to be a very clam black and white background, and chose an italicized type face to help create some movement. This is probably my least favorite out of my three designs, but I think it turned out fairly well.  The name John Rush just felt like a good musician name, and "Log Cabin Sessions" came from that fact that it looks like the man in the picture is playing in a log cabin. So there you go.

This final cover was dynamic design. I used a big, bold type and used a very active and high-speed picture in the background. I thought that using something random, like the screaming face, would help make the design more dynamic, and I think that it definitely adds to the piece. I guess the band's name is Rozer. I'm not sure how I exactly came up with that name, I just did, but I think it goes well. 

Overall, I think that my third design ended up being my favorite. This design turned out almost exactly how I imagined it, which was very exciting. I really liked this project and designing c.d. covers is something that I would love to do for my future career.

So I hope you liked these three designs and keep checking back for more. I have one more on my list to post for all to see.

Gas prices and devastated people

To start things off, I'll show one of my first projects for Graphic Design I. We were given a partner and then told to do some research to find one interesting national news story and one international story. Once we both decided on the stories to use, we had to create a project for each news story. The only requirements were that we had to use the American flag for the national story, the flag of the country in the international story, and we couldn't use words or numbers. After many sketches brainstorming, these are what me and my partner came up with.

This was our project for our national news story. Our story dealt with churches using alternative methods for ministry, which is gas and its rising prices. Churches were buying gas and selling it for ninety-nine cents. The gas can is painted as the American flag is used to symbolize American and it's need for gas. The cross coming out of the can is meant to show that even something like gas can be used to help a community and be Christ like. To read the full news article, click here.

Pictured above is our international story project. Our story was about Israel and it's cruelty towards Palestine. Israel has been building walls on Palestinian land and taking away all of their resources. We built a wall made of block and painted it the Israeli flag, and then we laid down bricks in front of the wall in the colors and form of the Palestinian flag. This is to represent that Palestine and its people are being broken down by Israel and their actions.

So that was my first big project of the semester, and there are plenty more coming up.

Come One, Come All.

Welcome to my first ever post on my first ever blog! It's so exciting, isn't it? This is the place where I'll be showcasing all the work that I've done and that I am doing while away at school. So this way all of you, my friends and family, can see what I'm up to. I'm sure I'll also be using this blog to give random updates on whats going on it life. So keep checking back! I'll start posting art work as soon as possible!