Piper Olsen: Process Documentation

Senior Projects, Fall 2018

Piper
Piper
Aug 31, 2018 · 24 min read

Week 14:

Artist Statement:

I aim to create impactful design through passionate and concept-driven collaborations. I always consider the formal, functional, and conceptual aspects of design — whether it’s working on a publication, brand identity, poster, or web piece, clear and concise communication through quality design is always the goal.

My approach to design is to consider the given task as a creative problem to solve. I’m very process-driven, and my process always begins with brainstorms, and pages of sketches to nail down a concept. Finding a solid concept to work off of is what I consider the first step to reaching a beautiful, and successful solution. Solving the rest becomes about design principles and aesthetics, and effectiveness of communication. Finding a way to bring all of these aspects together to work in unison is such and incredible problem to be tasked with. To complete said task, and to do it well is the thing I’m most passionate about.

Exhibition Layout:

Edit: No book Jackets or packaging for SolidariTEA. Just the remaining 3 projects

Week 13:

Week 13:

Week 12:

David Smith Inspired
Would like to make my own cover, bought cloth but wasn’t thick enough to work as book cloth, and have been searching all over for screwposts with no luck (yet) — I’m checking the hardware store after class. My measurements of the actual pages is off a little on the right side; I want a .5" margin on all side of the paper to the cover.

Portfolio Book:

Week 11:

Website:

Home Page
Example of Project Displayed
Example of Project Displayed

Leave Behind Revisions:

Week 10:

Project 4 Revisions:

What I Heard:

What I Think:

What I’m Going to Do:

Leave Behind:

Week 9:

Stationary System:

Personal Branding:

Looking into ordering my stamp—as soon as logo is approved!!

From rubberstamps.com
Revised Logo Mark (black)
Logo in colors specified for portfolio case. I like the charcoal (darker) logo, but am leaning toward the medium gray for the portfolio case and will most likely incorporate the medium gray into typography used in my stationary system rather than the logo itself?

Note: I tried making “graphic designer . painter” go the other direction, but when it meets with my name, it looks upsidedown and wrong.

What I Heard: bold name on logo, type title in opposing direction, all typce could be a few point sizes bigger. get rid of pink border on logo, let pipe illustration act as watermark on letterhead (edges lighter to get water mark effect), pink as a wash (think texture), think of type organization as formal document, box things in, stamp logo so that it bleeds out of box, make sure all type is serif in places it needs to be (consistency!!)

What I Think: I’m really excited about the direction of this, and want to get the logo finalized ASAP so that I can order a stamp! I think the formal document-type way of approaching the organization of type is really clever and am going to start to look for examples and inspiration

What I’m Going to Do: I plan to edit the logo based on comments made in class and have that posted tonight for feedback, I’m going to experiment with ways of organizing type and post those as well, I’m also going to look at replacing any black with a dark gray, like we talked about with my portfolio box. I’ve been looking at swatches on the site I plan to order from and am torn between two:

so moving forward, I’m going to color sample both and see how they look with my logo and branding system.

Week 8:

Portfolio:

Self Promo Ideas

I really like the sleek, classic black box portfo (not to mention I’m afraid that if I went with a light pink it would show wear and tear and get dirty). I’ve gone back and forth with the idea of having the floors of the clamshell box be either white (probably an off-white cream color) or if I should let the whole box be black and bring in that cream color as a paper covering my wells.

Jerry’s Artarama: 12 x 16 x 2.25, $21.19

https://www.jerrysartarama.com/eternity-archival-clamshell-art-storage-boxes

PortfolioBox: 11 x 14 x 1.5 , $103

https://www.etsy.com/listing/183243407/11x14-lipped-clamshell-print-photography?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=clamshell%20box&ref=sc_gallery-1-4&plkey=195adf3c53a723645092a2bcc504530343be0306:183243407

Bella Forte: 11 x 17 x 2.5, $190 (not these colors)

https://bellafortedesigns.com/custom-works/drop-spine/

Personal Branding:

Style Tile

Stationery System:

Business Cards
Letterhead
Envelope

Week 7:

Project 3 Revisions: Book of Hours

First revised spread!

Project 3 Critique: Book of Hours

examples of some of the collages incorporated in my book

Update: haven’t found actual book, but found a video of me flipping through the pages!! so here are some rough looking images of spreads

Last Spring I took a class called Women in Art History with Dr. Wellman, and one of our projects was to create a Modern Book of Hours. My approach was a satirical deconstruction of stereotypically feminine tasks and duties—I had a to-do list type structure that devolved as the list went on to highlight an issue regarding women’s rights, or to call out a long-held stereotype or prejudice. I really enjoyed working on this project and the feel that the concept behind is strong—but feel that I could really push the design to a much higher level, and create a strong portfolio piece.

UNFORTUNATELY, I lost the indesign file for the book itself—though I still have the colllages I made, and all of the bodycopy written out in my notebook. I have the physical book itself somewhere (stay tuned to see where I end up finding it at!) and will scan and post pictures of it as soon as I locate it. But I hope that this description and images I’ve provided is enough to go off of, because this is a project I really really want to revise. I received some feedback during the course last year, which I’ve included below, and have a decent idea of the changes and direction I want to take this.

What I Heard: quality and craft of collaged images could be improved upon, use typography to further push idea of deconstruction and messages being revealed/called to light, narrow down to strongest spreads to showcase

What I Think: I would like the typographic element to be stronger and definitely agree that the collages can be improved upon

What I’m Going to Do: find that book ASAP (I think it’s in Doucette but the building is locked rn and the phone lines are down so I can’t get it unlocked until later—will post updates), type out bodycopy and begin re-doing collages. Will post spreads as they come together and will have something to show for Thursday

OR

Project 3 Critique: Women’s March Posters

What I Heard:****will ask peers for feedback, but would like in-person feedback. will post by sunday night

What I Think:

What I‘m Going to Do:

Personal Branding:

What I Heard: name should be optically centered, move type up — maybe instead make mark an emblem with name forming semi-circle around logomark, add white inside mark, on business card keep the border on both sides (in pink on back), on envelope make type smaller, utilize other marks, use sans serif sparringly

What I Think: I’m interested to see how the emblem shape works, I’ve written “add white to inside of logomark” in my notebook 3 times so I will not forget that remark this time bc I think it will improve contrast, I think that less use of the sans serif typeface is a good comment, though

What I’m Going to Do: post variations of the emblem logo that I create, update this mark on stationary system (including white on the inside!), change type, and add

Final Logo (second finish)

Stationery System:

Business Cards (3 options for backs, will print all for class)
Letterhead (2 options for backs)
Envelopes (2 options)

Week 6:

Business Cards:

What I Heard: 3 symbols on back are confusing, solid bars of color are not successful, black white and pink for colors, lines and dots to create frames, 2/3 propoortions

What I Think: I want 3 symbols to work so badly, but understand that it might not be super strong here, I like the colors and am on board with the porportions to organize type by

What I‘m Going to Do: cCreate variation utilizing logo on back, and information in 2/3 proportions on front, framing both with the lines and dots utilized in logo, revise logotype

Cover Letter:

Cheyenne Jacobs

Visual Deasigner

Little Giant Creative

30 South 15th St., 15th Floor

Philadelphia, PA 19102

Dear Cheyenne Jacobs,

I’ve taken an interest in Little Giant Creative since learning about it through your job posting for a Graphic Designer on Behance. I am very interested in the freelance position with Little Giant Creative, and hope to have the chance to interview for this opportunity.

My background is in branding and marketing strategies. Most recently I’ve worked on a rebranding and brand expansion project for nonprofit program focused on nonviolence and providing help to victims of domestic gun violence. The work that I have the most passion for, and have focused on during my time as an undergraduate, is heavily rooted in civic engagement and inciting socio-political change. I feel that I could make valuable contributions to the design team at Little Giant Creative if given the chance to do so.

I’ve enclosed my resume and link to my Behance for you to see examples of my work. I’d be very excited to have the opportunity to discuss with you personally how my skills and background would allow me to meet the needs and design initiatives at Little Giant Creative. I’ll follow up within the next week, and want to thank you very earnestly for your time and consideration.

Piper Olsen

Project 2 Revisions: Solidaritea

Business Cards
Letterhead

Personal Branding:

Final Logo (large and small)
Color Studies
Additional Marks

Week 5:

Project 1 Documented:

Personal Branding:

What I Heard: name is not currently most prominent element, nor is it necessarily cohesive as a logo, cohesion between type and image should be pushed with “R” in logo resembling the illustration style and treatment of the logo mark, works well at various scales, warmer tones for color

What I Think: my name name type treatment and placement needs tweaking and more thought put into it, I’m leaning towards the illustration style of the first pipe and refining and applying this to the “R” and plane/bird illustrations

What I’m Going to Do: create cohesion bewteen logo mark(s) and large scale type, create balanced relationship of logotype and mark, try variations of warm, pale tones for color

I like the idea of using the grouping of 3 symbols as a stand-alone pattern (on the backs of business cards, letterhead, envelpoes) and using the pipe from the pattern with the addition of the “R” as my logo mark.

Project 2 Revisions: Solidaritea

Still to change out illustrations and fill out details of calendar
Example Spreads of changes/added content. Still to scan in paperstock and use in mock spreads. Will update.

Still to do: Finish illustrations (which are in the works), update website and stationery w illustrations and re-mock up, re-mock up pages w scanned in paperstock, examples of social media campaign (mentioned in style guide), finish truck revisions. Everything is in-progress.

Week 4:

Project 2 Critique: Solidaritea

What I Heard: create a website layout (screen based for my portfolio), create a motion graphic, redo food truck (add windows, seating, etc.) social media campaign, add content to style guide, redo folder

What I Think: a social media campaign makes a lot of sense, as does revamping the website, the food truck needed a lot of work to begin with, I think I’m going to have to learn to make a motion graphic, I want to add the Me Too movement and redo the illustrations for each movement

What I’m Going to Do: start with the illustrations, redo those and reprint for stationery, new menu for Me Too, design the website and let that inform the social media campaign, redo the truck, mock everything up/take photos, and reorganize the style guide with new content, have ready for next thursday

Week 3:

Personal Branding Brainstorming

  1. passionate
  2. concept-driven
  3. dedicated
  4. goal-oreinted
  5. research-based
  6. crafty
  7. organized
  8. honest
  9. integrity
  10. effective
  11. understanding
  12. compassionate
  13. political
  14. opinionated
  15. creative
  16. sensitive
  17. clean
  18. illustrative
  19. aspiring
  20. invested
  21. nervous
  22. careful
  23. open-minded
  24. clever
  25. loving
  26. inspired
  27. eager
  28. hard-working
  29. theoretical
  30. (self) consious

Personal Branding Idea Boards:

Board 1: concepts: illustrative connections to my name (tobacco pipe, sand piper (bird)) illustrative connection to a face/my initials using single line, simplified letters into shapes, patterned shapes, textures: paint + brick (provides grid, white brick it clean, modern)

Board 2: die cuts, stamp (for texture), video of typeface morphing, square and skinny horizontal format

Board 3: concepts: colors: one warm color, a neutral, and cooler accent color, type: sans serif w circular “o” and counter on “p”, script somewhat resemling my handwritten name (brother, evolve, renegade)

Personal Branding Sketches:

Resume First Update:

Project 1 Critique: AIA Publication

What I Heard: change “A” “I” “A” pages to have better visual and color balance; blow them up to be more abstracted; incorportae illustrations into these pages; within the publication, decrease the scale to make smaller patterns

What I Think: agree with all point made; illustrations will work best on the pages w smaller type; a belly nad to wrap around packaging would keep it all together; flaps could have adhesive strips on them, or possibly magnets

What I’m Going To Do: make tabs of inside DIY popups bigger and more manageable, shrink pattern printed on back; abstract “A” “I” “A” and include illustrations on packaging; rework packaging front cover to suit belly band design; material studies for packaging: must be sturdy and would be beneficial if it could be a single sheet; reprint and reassemble to have finished version by next class

Week 2:

Project 1 Critique: AIA Publication

What I Heard: order form is outdated, instead direct to website; move this to the publication listing page, it’s strange that it’s at the end; instead of the book becoming a cube, maybe spreads open up into different shapes (cubes, pyramids, rectangles) like a do it yourself pop-up; think of the cube as packaging, don’t attach the book to the bottom; “coming” on front cover too strong; redo cover entirely; thinking ahead to documentation, use animated gif and show spreads

What I Think: glad to get rid of order form; excited by the idea of do it yourself pop-ups, unsure of what to do regarding packaging/cube—is there a better way?; agree that the cover is the weakest part of publication

What I’m Going To Do: create options for new cover; explore and research pop-up solutions; create trials of pop-up spreads; explore and create trials of ways that cube packaging could work better

Revisions:

Sketches to made from trials to understand how to create DIY pop-ups
Cover Options
Spreads containing and pertaining to pop-ups
Patterns to print on backside to show through pop-up

How to Display:

Similar to the way that RoAndCo presents their work consistently through recurring angledshots and a shifting range of colored backgrounds, I feel that this way of displaying work would be conducive to how I want to show this publication. Especially to include a shot of the multiple elements of the projects—publication, packaging

“Maintain consistency with angles and framing across images. If you are shooting a book spread from above, all spreads should be framed in the same way so the resulting size of the book in the image does not vary.”

Examples:

Personal Mission Statement:

Creating impactful design through a collaborative effort of passion and concept.*

*Edit: Creating impactful design through passionate and concept-driven collaborations.

3 Cornerstone Words:

  • passionate
  • dedicated/invested
  • concept-oriented

To help focus your thinking, consider these questions:
What are your core values? effecting socio-political change, hard work, honesty, integrity
How do you want to be remembered? well/professional, as having an impact
How do you define success? meeting goals, accomplishing tasks
What do you want people to associate you with?
knowledgable, understanding, dedication

Making into a sticker—printed picture to come

Professional Goals Statement:

Upon graduation, my first step into the professional world of design will be as a designer at Actual Size, located in Pittsburgh. I hope to continue to grow and learn as I work with a varied team of senior designers, project managers, and web developers. I’d like to contribute to the development of a variety of projects, more specifically work on publications, in order to become more well-versed in the professional printing process and the inner-workings of a design agency. It’s my goal to work in the field between 3–5 years before returning to graduate school. In graduate school I hope to further refine and specialize my skills to match my interests. After graduate school, as a long term goal, I’d love to teach design at a university. I feel that this is the most powerful and best way for me to make an impact in the world of design, and the world in general.

Week 1:

MFA Programs to Contact: Tyler School of Art (Philadelphia, PA), MICA (Baltimore, MD), Kent State (Kent, OH)

Email Responses:

(9.4.18) Hi Piper!

Thanks so much for your email! I’m cc’ing Mary Baum, our Graduate Admission Counselor, to give us a hand in setting up a visit for you!

We have a Graphic Design MFA program we can definitely show you around, but we don’t have a specific graduate program in Interactive Design. Regardless, we’re happy to meet up with you to talk more!

Let us know which days work for you (generally, weekdays been 10am and 4pm are good for us), and we’ll get something on the calendar.

Thanks!

Christopher Harring

(9.4.18) Dear Piper,

Thank you for your interest in Tyler School of Art’s Graphic and Interactive Design MFA program. We would be happy to accommodate you for a visit. The GAID program does not meet individually with prospective graduate students, but I welcome you to register
for our open house event scheduled for October 12th from 10:30–4 p.m. There will be graphic design faculty and current students in attendance at that time and you can also tour the facilities and hear from graduate students across the curriculum. If you would like to visit sooner, I am happy to meet with you, but again, we cannot arrange for a faculty visit at that time.

Link to open house registration: Open House Registration 2018

Link to sign up for email list: Keep me informed!

My best,

Tamryn

Domain name: piperolsen.com

Senior Projects

Fall 2018

Piper

Written by

Piper

Graphic and Interactive Design | Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

Senior Projects

Fall 2018