2.10.2009

Fun with Graphics - Opinions, Please!

I have been working on putting together some graphics for my résumé, something to give it some color and pizazz (remember, I work in a creative field - just having black and white text doesn't cut it anymore).
My original concept was to have a large semi-abstract graphic in the background.
The first attempts at these yielded much more organic shapes than I was thinking.
A try at making them more "architectural" yielded (in my opinion) something that looked forced. (See the first graphic on the left, here.)
In fiddling around with the shapes, I started repeating smaller figures and I like them much better. So, in the long run, I may end up putting a left-justified "side bar" graphic instead. The three examples I have on my second test page are my foray into that intention.
I can tell I'm just having fun with the shapes now and have lost touch with the original goal (graphic for architectural job search materials). I do want it to be fun and flexible though. When I was in school, I was always told that my designs were too rigid. While I think I've grown away from that, I don't want to get too loosey-goosey.

Opinions, please?

And for your entertainment, the test sheet I put together of my updated logo (really really simple - don't get all excited). I'm sending them to the printer so I can see how each color turns out from their machines.

7 comments:

Janiece said...

I like the idea of the sidebar, as it gives your resume some creative content without interfering with the content.

And cool logo, BTW.

Nathan said...

I like the part about the first one where certain parts seem to be soft-focused. Maybe incorporating that into something less "organic". And what Janiece said about the sidebar.

Unknown said...

I have no particular opinion yet because I can tell you are just having creative fun and are getting sidetracked from your resume. But what the hey...
I will have more "overt" opinions when I see the semi-finished product.

Stacey said...

in looking at the shapes, it almost looks too organic. it says plant, landscape, interiors to me. i think you are on the right track with a sidebar.

JR suggests something more architectural, altho we are not sure what that means ;)

hope this helps.

Anne C. said...

Well, the thing is, I was trying to get more architectural with the repetition. See the second one from the left on "grasses2" with the straight line going up the middle. I was trying to convey flexibility and growth with the third one from the left (because that's how I'd like to think of my practice). Straight lines are feeling too much like linear thinking and an insistence on conforming to rules.

I'm not sure about copying architectural themes because I think that everyone and his half-brother are going to be doing that (like copying FLW). I'll play around with it though.

Tania said...

I like the sidebar idea.

The design I really like is the middle one in your three grasses/vines, the ones that has the back and forth symmetry. I tend to be over-fond of symmetry, btw. My quilting mentor always whacks on me for that.

Anne C. said...

Me too, Tania, on the symmetry preference. It's one of the reasons my work at school was chided for being too rigid, as symmetry is inherently static. :/