My first attempt at web design was pretty amateur and I almost fell asleep during the lesson (lynda.com is great but not on a day when you are tired). When my teacher expanded on the tutorials I understood enough to get my personal website built, and with a bit of help I was able to get a couple more sophisticated things working. Now that I have taken an eight week web design course I understand infinitely more and am actually having fun doing it.
As I am getting more practiced I feel more confident about my work and am even able to troubleshoot my own issues. Lately I have been working on rebuilding my personal site with proper code as well as updating my work's website. It feels great to be able to help out a swamped co-worker (she ran out of time for the updates) and have people coming to me with new work.
I was checking my Twitter this morning before work and was reminded once again that the most difficult and challenging work is often the most rewarding. After reading this I realized that was why I have been enjoying my web work so much lately, it is definitely a challenge, but now I can figure it out on my own and that feels great.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Spring Cleaning
One would think that reading magazines from three years ago (I've been skimming old issues the past couple weeks trying to catch up on my reading, college really slowed me down) would be a little pointless since all of the information is outdated, but today at lunch I discovered otherwise. My magazine for the day was Graphic Monthly Canada, a magazine devoted to the print industry in Canada. One of the articles near the front of the issue was talking about the effects e-readers have had on the book industry and in turn the companies responsible for printing the books. At the time (2009), the article said that e-books had 2% of the book market, up from less than 1% in the previous year. I mentioned this fact to my co-workers and wondered aloud what the percentage would be now. A tech savy iPhone user quickly looked up some information and concluded we are now up to 13%.
In an industry that changed so little for so long, it is amazing the progress e-books have made in such a short amount of time. The publishing company I work for is currently working on their second run of e-books and our main audience is people over 50. E-books are being read by people of all ages and publishing companies are realizing that. It is an interesting time for designers and I'm eager to grow with the changing needs of companies. I feel that the web course I took is a great starting point and I am excited to continue learning more about this emerging market.
In an industry that changed so little for so long, it is amazing the progress e-books have made in such a short amount of time. The publishing company I work for is currently working on their second run of e-books and our main audience is people over 50. E-books are being read by people of all ages and publishing companies are realizing that. It is an interesting time for designers and I'm eager to grow with the changing needs of companies. I feel that the web course I took is a great starting point and I am excited to continue learning more about this emerging market.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Going Solo
As many of the people in my life know, I am now officially moved into my new apartment. I have been asked many times how I am liking living alone and so far I've only had positive things to say. I love knowing that when I get home everything will still be in its place and there will be the same number of dishes in the sink (zero generally and that's how I like it).
Recently my grandfather told me about a fascinating discussion he heard on the radio about the growing number of individuals in Canada and the United States who are choosing to live alone. The discussion centred around the book Going Solo, a non-fiction novel from Penguin Press. The novel explores the rise of solo living and the impact it has on our culture, business and politics. While it is conventionally assumed that living alone leads to loneliness, author and sociologist Eric Klinenberg, found that people who live alone are usually more engaged in social and civic life. Klinenberg even found that those living alone were mentally healthier than unmarried people who live with others.
With all of this in mind, I anticipate great things for the future. I am just beginning to discover Toronto and am already enjoying the diverse cuisine options, weekly design related events, and the joys of new neighborhoods with so much to offer. One last thing I've discovered is the library down the street, if I'm lucky I'll be reading Going Solo in no time.
Recently my grandfather told me about a fascinating discussion he heard on the radio about the growing number of individuals in Canada and the United States who are choosing to live alone. The discussion centred around the book Going Solo, a non-fiction novel from Penguin Press. The novel explores the rise of solo living and the impact it has on our culture, business and politics. While it is conventionally assumed that living alone leads to loneliness, author and sociologist Eric Klinenberg, found that people who live alone are usually more engaged in social and civic life. Klinenberg even found that those living alone were mentally healthier than unmarried people who live with others.
With all of this in mind, I anticipate great things for the future. I am just beginning to discover Toronto and am already enjoying the diverse cuisine options, weekly design related events, and the joys of new neighborhoods with so much to offer. One last thing I've discovered is the library down the street, if I'm lucky I'll be reading Going Solo in no time.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Sappi - The Standard 5
Last Thursday around lunch time I realized that the Sappi event I wanted to go to was in fact that day, not the next week as I had anticipated. I made the decision to go anyway and was very happy that I did.
I arrived at the event and was greeted at reception with a name tag and coat check. I was hesitant to put on the name tag but it seemed that everyone was wearing theirs and for once wearing one would be the cool thing to do. I dropped off my coat, then got in line for what I assumed was the printing guide they promised in the invite. I waited alone in line for a couple of minutes then was asked what I was waiting for, after assuring my new friend it was the books we patiently waited together.
The timing must have been perfect, Dana, the women I met in line was at the event alone as well and played perfectly into my wallflower tendencies. At 7:00 we were ushered into a theatre for the unveiling of the new Standard - Volume 5, a book on special printing effects. Sappi's Daniel Dejan presented the book, and I was sold. His quick but enthusiastic explanations of the printing techniques kept you excited for the next page, and built up to the moment when everyone received their own copies.
Overall I had a great time at the event. It was well put together, included a nice time for mingling as well as the presentation and sent me home with dreams of grand budgets and exciting printing techniques. I had received a similar item from another paper company before but Sappi's version is far superior. The only thing I need now is their previous four books, and those are in the mail. Thanks or a great networking even Sappi!
I arrived at the event and was greeted at reception with a name tag and coat check. I was hesitant to put on the name tag but it seemed that everyone was wearing theirs and for once wearing one would be the cool thing to do. I dropped off my coat, then got in line for what I assumed was the printing guide they promised in the invite. I waited alone in line for a couple of minutes then was asked what I was waiting for, after assuring my new friend it was the books we patiently waited together.
The timing must have been perfect, Dana, the women I met in line was at the event alone as well and played perfectly into my wallflower tendencies. At 7:00 we were ushered into a theatre for the unveiling of the new Standard - Volume 5, a book on special printing effects. Sappi's Daniel Dejan presented the book, and I was sold. His quick but enthusiastic explanations of the printing techniques kept you excited for the next page, and built up to the moment when everyone received their own copies.
Overall I had a great time at the event. It was well put together, included a nice time for mingling as well as the presentation and sent me home with dreams of grand budgets and exciting printing techniques. I had received a similar item from another paper company before but Sappi's version is far superior. The only thing I need now is their previous four books, and those are in the mail. Thanks or a great networking even Sappi!
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Portfolio Season
I went out for a fantastic brunch with a friend today and we got to talking about pretty well everything. One thing that came up was my online presence. I briefly mentioned this blog and then guiltily brought up my personal website. While I love the design of my site, when I created it my web knowledge was lacking and the functionality of the site definitely suffered. I also realized that I haven't updated my site with new content for an entire year, it's hard to believe that at the end of April it will be a year since graduation, but it's true!
I always have a couple personal projects on the go, but I think I will prioritize updating my website now that I am done my web course and have a much better understanding of web design. I appreciate my teachers giving me the knowledge to create a website, but I am excited to update it with proper functionality (my entire website is made of images, shhh don't tell). I'm also excited to show off the work I did as an intern at St. Joseph Media and the work I've been doing most recently at my current position as production assistant/designer at Novalis/Bayard Canada.
My goal is to fix my site and have new content up in one month, so check back soon!
I always have a couple personal projects on the go, but I think I will prioritize updating my website now that I am done my web course and have a much better understanding of web design. I appreciate my teachers giving me the knowledge to create a website, but I am excited to update it with proper functionality (my entire website is made of images, shhh don't tell). I'm also excited to show off the work I did as an intern at St. Joseph Media and the work I've been doing most recently at my current position as production assistant/designer at Novalis/Bayard Canada.
My goal is to fix my site and have new content up in one month, so check back soon!
Monday, March 12, 2012
Going Home
I moved to Toronto eight months ago and I'll be moving again in less than a month. I was walking around my current neighbourhood on the weekend and realized that I am already incredibly comfortable. Since moving away for school I've grown in a lot of ways, one of the most significant being my increasing independence. I love that I am able to call somewhere so different my home, and that I'm able to visit my friends in all of their new hometowns. While it is less convenient to have to take trains and buses to visit my friends, it's fun being shown around. Each of my friends have favourite spots in their respective towns and I'm excited to be able to show off the same kind of knowledge in Toronto.
I may only know a small area of Toronto, but there is plenty of time to explore all of the diverse neighbourhoods.
I may only know a small area of Toronto, but there is plenty of time to explore all of the diverse neighbourhoods.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
A Few New Blogs
I used to be much more active on blogs, but since finishing school my focus has changed slightly (all that real world stuff is getting in the way). Regardless I have picked up a few new blogs that are worthy of a look.
The Yard
The Yard
A lovely blog offering a ton of great vintage, outdoor and animal photos.
A neat blog that critiques menus rather than food.
A creative blog that displays the result of Ernest Hemingway's challenge to write a story in six words. The creators took it one step further and created one each day for a year.
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