I’ve been looking back over my portfolio ads, and realized that I misspelled the word marshmallow in one of them. Also I obviously don’t know where to use commas, and where not to. (in fact I’m probably misusing them in this post.) I guess hind-sight is always 20/20, I can see all the mistakes that I’ve made looking back at my application, but it’s too late to change anything.
I’m so antsy about waiting for this admissions decision. I’m a control freak, I love to make plans, and have everything lined out just perfectly. Whether I get in to the brandcenter or not is out of my control, so I worry about it everyday. It keeps me up at night, and wakes me up in the morning. I wish, and worry and wonder.
My prayer is this:
God,
Give me the strength to accept your will for my life. Work my future out just perfectly, and let me work within your timeline, not mine. Help me to understand that everything happens for a reason, and that I am where I am supposed to be. Let me figure out what I’m supposed to do, and guide me in my journey.
Also, please let my work be good enough to be Brandcenter material.
I’d like to imagine that all the moments in this video are happening at the same time or in the actual sequence which they play out. There’s such a magic to it and at the same time such an everydayness. It’s as if every scene is a short story all it’s own. The scenes playfully interact with each other in a way that reminds you how much we are all connected.
This week I’m sharing INSPIRADO! and posting a few things that keep me going and inspire me. Call it honesty or just a clever blog gimmick - either way - it’s what I’m doing. This video always inspires me. There is a humanity to this and a hope. I love it. Don’t know of a better way to put this (or a higher compliment): It reminds me that life can be awesome.
Send in things that inspire you to creativity or awesomeness: brad@bradmontague.com
What is up with waking up promptly at 6 am every morning, when I don’t have to be at work until 10 am. It’s so annoying not to be able to sleep in. Since I’m awake anyway, I’m trying to figure out what to do with my time. It’s been really warm the past couple of days, maybe I should start taking Patches for a walk every morning.
I’ve been looking through my old posts and was about to hit the delete key on about twenty of them… then I thought, this is my journey. All the bad ads, all the poor layouts, and design flaws, even the journal posts about knowing it all, it’s all been part of my journey.
A year ago I knew everything… it’s only now that I am beginning to realize how far I’ve got to go. Last year, I remember calling Karen Berndt at the Brandcenter, and asking her what I did wrong in my application. She answered me openly and honestly, and because I was arrogant, I didn’t listen.
Now, I’ve wasted a whole year, and still don’t know anything about layout and typography. So, back to school it is, not to the Brandcenter as I had hoped, but to Full Sail University online and although online graphic design classes aren’t what I wanted, they are exactly what I need.
Shout out time:
Karen,
Thank you for telling me what was wrong with my ads, even though it was not what I wanted to hear. You were right, and I know it. I wish I could tell you how sorry I am, but you probably don’t even remember me. Thank you though, for pointing me in the right direction.
Leo Weekly and my latest reality check
As part of my application for the Brandcenter at VCU, there is an assignment to have a 10 minute talk with a stranger. So, I’m sitting on the couch one night thinking,
“What could I do to really impress the admissions counselors at the Brandcenter? Maybe if I could meet with a real Creative Director, a mentor who could point me in the right direction, critique my work, and otherwise give me some bits of wisdom, that would increase my chances of acceptance to the Brandcenter.”
I made a list of names and phone numbers of local Ad Agencies, Publications, and everywhere else I could find that hires creative interns.
Leo Weekly listened. Ms. Baker, the creative director and production manager for Leo Weekly agreed to see me, and look over my samples. The meeting was great, but also terrible. It was the truth.
She flipped through the pages quickly then went back over them slowly. The work had major problems. The pieces had technical design problems, concept problems, logo problems, spelling errors, the list just kept going.
At one point she suggested that I create original brands, with made up products, because I was doing a disservice to the brands I was advertising for (Crest, Starbucks, Swedish Fish).
I asked for help, and that’s exactly what I got. Ms. Baker told me that she couldn’t even offer me an intern position at this point, and that my best bet was to take some fundamental undergraduate courses in Graphic Design.
So, that’s the plan. I’m enrolling online for Full Sail University’s undergrad program in Graphic Design. They will provide me with a 15” Macbook Pro and CS5 as part of tuition cost, and I’ll just take online courses until I’m accepted by the Brandcenter.
I’m not giving up, and I’m still going to apply to the June 1rst deadline at the Brandcenter, but I think I’ve got a snowball’s chance in [you know where], of being accepted this year, with my current skill level. That being said, I want them to know that I am dedicated, that I do really want this, and that I am willing to do whatever it takes to get there.
Now for my shout out’s:
Ms Baker,
Thank you for the sound advice, I’m submitting my application to Full Sail today.
**************************************
Brandcenter,
I know you’ll be out there waiting for me, when I’m ready, and I’m looking forward to the day that my application will be accepted. I hope it will be this year, but even if it’s not, I will not give up.
A selection of the most commonly used typefaces were compared for how economical they are with the amount of ink which they use at the same point size. Large scale renditions of the typefaces were drawn out with ballpoint pens, allowing the remaining ink levels to display the ink efficiency of each typeface.
Courtesy of flowingdata.com/2010/01/29/save-pens-use-garamond-font/
This year I’m going to try for the Louisville Triple Crown Running. It’s a series of races 5K, 10K, and 10miles. I’ve already got my training schedule, and I’m so excited!
Dates for this year’s races:
Anthem 5K —- Feb. 26
Rhodes City Run —- Mar. 12
Papa Johns 10 miler —- Mar. 26
New Year, New Thoughts
When I made my New year’s resolutions, it was the same ones I make every year.
- Lose Weight
- Get Healthier
- Be a Better Person
Then I thought, what if I could find happiness in 2011. What would that feel like. To be content with however the year turns out, and find joy in life’s small blessings.
So here it goes. My resolution this year is to find or create something beautiful every day, something that inspires me, or gives me joy.
