Getting My Hands Dirty

As of late there has been a lot of discussion inside and outside of the classroom about doing your artwork by hand and putting a personal touch to everything that you do in design. I wasn't aware there was another way to design besides creating everything from scratch (except typefaces... but there are exceptions to that as well when it's appropriate.). I don't understand how people can grab a google image and slap it into their artwork claiming it as their own. It troubles me... but most things people do in general trouble me!

Anyways, when I look for inspiration I try to use elements of things that inspire me. As artists and designers I believe it's important to be influenced by other designers/artists. However, if I was to use something completely not my own--- as I have seen several students in my classes do, and pass it off as my own.. well I don't think I would be able to sleep at night. How can you be in graphic design school and rip off other people's work? If you don't like to DESIGN what the hell are you doing at design school? I wish those people would leave and stop taking up valuable instructor time.

This all comes after having several frank discussions this week with some classmates I respect... and a rather nasty run-in with a classmate I don't get along with very well! It was nice to hear that I am not the only person who feels this way in my classes.

Spring break is only two days away and I am really looking forward to it. I'm not going anywhere special or anything like that. I plan to head to Blick or the hardware store and pick up some items to start putting together a little screen printing studio in my basement. Nothing fancy... just something simple to get me started. I've always wanted to try it and be able to make prints with white ink. However, before I actually go out and buy anything I need to read more about the photo-emulsion stuff. I don't quite understand it yet.... and I need to find somewhere that can print transparencies.

I just adore this print! I have it as the background on my desktop at the moment. Courtesy of Alyssa N. of Small Talk Studio. Love her really whimsical but causal illustrations and her use of color is really cheery. I hate raccoons... but I absolutely love this.

I want to post all my new purchases soon.... I think I'll do it Saturday only after finals are completely done.

UPDATE: Amazing and amusing screen print tut from Etsy