Mikayla Doggett

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Two things I find interesting about Graphic Design

Why Graphic Design
In High School, I was clueless to what I wanted to do. I decided to take a few courses that could help me decide what direction I wanted to take in college. Going into junior year, I was convinced that I was going to become an architect. I took a Production Graphics course just because my mom suggested it as a possible career in my future. It turned out that I hated architecture and loved the Production Graphics course. In the class I made logos for made up companies, stationary, and posters for clubs. Although I loved this course, I was still unsure if it was right for me. I took an independent study class in Graphic Design my senior year, where I focused making logos that were actually used, pamphlets for organizations that were printed, and posters that would advertise for real events. It was a step up from my class the year before and, if anything, I loved it even more. I also took a computer art course. This class focused on Photoshop. I made a Slothaphant (a sloth and elephant hybrid), a steam punk scene, and basic portraits. It was my first exposure to Photoshop and I was able to learn quickly and produce work I was proud of. I also did side projects. I made the winning logo for E.O. Smith Reads, the cover for the Senior Awards Night pamphlet, and a pamphlet for CLCC (a nonprofit organization).

Types of Graphic Design that Interest Me
It’s hard to narrow my interests in Graphic Design down to two types. My top two favorite types of design are Advertising Design and Motion Design.

Advertising
My favorite part of magazines is looking at the ads within them. I love looking at vintage advertising as well. Advertising lets the designer combine text with an image to portray an idea or emotion. I have some experience with advertising. I made a poster for my high school’s science club. I really enjoyed working with the client to make the best poster to suite their needs.

Motion Graphics
I also love Motion Graphics. I thought at one time that I would become an animator. I now realize that the jobs available in this area are few and competitive. Motion Graphics can help bridge the gap between animating and the less interactive form of Graphic Design. I made an animated commercial of sorts for my Anatomy class. It was far from finished since I had no real animation programs and I had only a few weeks to work on it. Although it was tedious at times, I always looked forward on working on the project.