Questions from You

 Resources 

1. https://www.playbook.com/blog/graphic-designer-interview-questions-to-ask-employer
2. https://aquent.com/blog/top-10-must-ask-design-interview-questions
3. https://www.tealhq.com/interview-questions/graphic-designer
4. https://www.realsimple.com/work-life/life-strategies
5. https://www.thecut.com/article/questions-to-ask-in-a-job-interview.html

10 Questions I would ask 

1. What kinds of design projects or initiatives is the team working on currently or planning soon?
2. What tools, software, and design resources are provided or expected?
3. How does the creative process work here from concept to final delivery?
4. How is feedback handled? Who gives it, and how are revisions managed?
5. What are the biggest design challenges the team is facing, and how might a new designer (like me) contribute?
6. Could you share a recent project that was particularly successful and the design team’s role in that success?
7. How does the company sustain growth in designers like training, trend-awareness, new technologies?
8. What are the most important qualities you look for to differentiate between good and great performance in this role?
9. What does success in this position look like after six months?
10. How would you describe the design team’s culture collaboration, workflow, communication?

Questions for you

 Resources 

1. https://www.shillingtoneducation.com/blog/15-common-graphic-design-interview-questions-and-answers
2. https://www.homerun.co/interview-questions-templates/graphic-designer
3. https://brainstation.io/career-guides/graphic-designer-interview-questions
4. https://wowremoteteams.com/blog/graphic-designer-interview-questions
5. https://www.hipeople.io/interview-questions/graphic-design-interview-questions

Possible Questions I might be asked 

1. Tell us about yourself.
2. Let’s look through your portfolio! Tell me about a design project you're proud of and walk us through your process.
3. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
4. What is the latest design campaign you've seen, and what do you like or not like about it?
5. Where do you get design inspiration from?
6. Do you prefer to work as part of a team or solo?
7. How do you handle negative feedback or constructive criticism?
8. Describe a situation in which you found a creative way to overcome an obstacle.
9. How do you handle unexpected design changes or last-minute client requests?
10. Can you share an example of a design project that did not go as planned?
11. What do you think makes a design successful or memorable?
12. How do you balance creative freedom with the practical needs of a project?
13. Imagine you're given a design task with minimal direction. How would you proceed?
14. What is the difference between RGB and CMYK, and when would you use each?
15. How do you optimize images for web use without sacrificing quality?
16. How do you ensure your designs align with a brand’s identity and guidelines?
17. Walk me through your process for creating a new design from scratch.
18. What do you do when you hit a creative block?
19. Why did you choose graphic design as a profession?
20. What makes you stand out from other graphic designers?

Creativity Week 4

 For this week's creative challenge, I did an exercise that had to do with creating a logo mainly with your initials. Creating logos is important because they serve as the visual identity of a brand. A logo is often the first thing people associate with a company, and it can leave a lasting impression. 

Brand Recognition

 A strong logo helps customers easily identify a brand. It acts as a symbol that represents everything the company stands for its values, mission, and personality. A strong logo signals that a business is established and serious about its presence in the market. It can help elevate a brand’s credibility and reputation.

My Brand

This logo communicates the idea of “Design Era,” which suggests a modern and forward-thinking brand. The mix of classic and contemporary fonts gives the impression of balancing tradition with innovation. The diagonal slashes add energy and make the design feel bold and dynamic, while the teal background creates a calm and professional tone. 

Sell Yourself

Read/watch a minimum of 5 resources about writing an effective resume.

1 - Provide links to the resources you used.

2 - List 10 things you learned about writing effective resumes.

Resources

1. https://careerservices.fas.harvard.edu/resources/create-a-strong-resume
2. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/10-resume-writing-tips
3. https://careers.umbc.edu/students/documents/resumes/dos-and-donts
4. https://www.businessinsider.com/recruiter-who-has-written-over-700-resumes-best-advice-2025-7
5. https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/findajob/resources/write-good-resume

10 Things to Takeaway From

1. Customize your resume for each job match keywords and focus on relevant experience and skills.
2. Replace generic terms with strong action verbs and quantified results.
3. Include numbers percentage improvements, dollar figures, project impact to showcase real outcomes.
4. Use simple fonts (Arial, Times New Roman, Calibri), consistent formatting, and balanced white space.
5. Ensure correct contact info, grammar, spelling, and readability proofread multiple times.
6. At the top, add a brief summary of your years of experience, roles, and scope (e.g., team size or company revenue) to frame your expertise.
7. Add a line describing each employer (product/service, size, scale) so recruiters understand the environment you worked in. 
8. Avoid vague descriptors like “hard-working” or “team player.” Illustrate these traits with concrete results. 
9. One page is fine for new grads  2–3 pages work for experienced professionals or specialized roles just stay focused. 
10. Volunteer work, projects, or extracurriculars can be powerful especially early-career or career-changers. 

Introduce yourself

Resources

1. https://hbr.org/2022/05/how-to-write-a-cover-letter-that-sounds-like-you-and-gets-noticed
2. https://capd.mit.edu/resources/how-to-write-an-effective-cover-letter/
3. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/how-to-write-a-cover-letter
4. https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/career/resources/marketing-materials/cover-letter
5. https://www.theguardian.com/careers/2017/sep/25/how-to-write-cover-letter-perfect-pitch

Things Learned 

1. Customize every letter avoid generic templates. Show you’ve researched the company and role.
2. Use the hiring manager’s name; if unknown, “Dear Hiring Manager” is acceptable.
3. Use concise, well-structured writing (about 300–400 words). One single-spaced page is ideal.
4. Stick with common fonts like Arial or Times New Roman, sized 10–12 points; maintain clean margins.
5. Begin with a compelling statement that names the position and conveys enthusiasm immediately.
6. Use specific stories or metrics to illustrate how you added value don’t just list responsibilities.
7. Keep paragraphs short, avoid unnecessary jargon, and make the letter easy to read.
8. Let your authentic voice shine through, especially for creative or less formal roles.
9. Typos or errors can derail effectiveness always read aloud, review carefully, or get feedback.
10. Reiterate interest, thank the reader, and signal your readiness for follow-up. 

Project 4

Target Audience 

The primary audience for this poster is veterans and their families in the Orlando area who seek care and support from the VA.

Message 

The central message is rooted in the VA's mission.  "To serve the Veteran who served us". 

Goal 

The goal of this design is to build trust and emotional connection with veterans, while also reinforcing the Orlando VA Medical Center’s identity as a supportive and dependable healthcare provider. The poster is meant to comfort veterans who may feel hesitant about seeking help, encouraging them to take the step toward accessing care.

Design Decision 

Color - Blue and White with VA Branding. Blue represents trust, loyalty, and professionalism, all essential qualities in healthcare.

Typography- A bold, modern sans serif font ensures clarity and impact. It reflects strength while remaining approachable, allowing the words to carry emotional weight without being intimidating.

Imagery- Smiling health care professional.  The warm smile conveys reassurance and compassion, reminding veterans that the VA staff is there to support them personally.

Tagline- “To serve the Veteran who served us.” Using the official mission statement as the tagline ties the design directly to the VA’s values.

Layout- The tagline takes center stage so that the message is immediately absorbed. 

Placement of logo- Keeping the VA logo clean and visible so that it ensures credibility and brand recognition, while allowing the tagline to remain the hero of the design. 

 

Project 3

 

AdventHealth Poster Design

The primary audience for this poster is current and potential patients in the AdventHealth service area, including individuals seeking trustworthy, compassionate healthcare. The message is clear and direct: “We’re here for you.” This simple phrase is meant to communicate reliability, compassion, and availability the core values of the AdventHealth brand. It’s an assurance that patients are not alone in their healthcare journey. The goal is to reinforce brand trust and patient confidence while also visually aligning with AdventHealth’s established brand identity. By showcasing a warm, approachable healthcare professional and clean design, the piece aims to create an emotional connection and leave a lasting impression of comfort and professionalism.

Design Decisions and Rationale Color choice, AdventHealth Blue & White  Blue is strongly associated with trust, calmness, and professionalism, making it perfect for a healthcare setting. Using the AdventHealth brand colors ensures visual consistency with their existing marketing materials.

1. Typography choice Bold Sans Serif 

   • A clean, sans-serif font conveys clarity and modernity. The bold type makes it immediately readable from a distance.

2. Imagery Smiling female Healthcare Professional

   • A friendly, approachable person in scrubs with a stethoscope humanizes the brand and puts a face to healthcare.

     
     

Creativity Week 3

 This week, I did a  Color Limitation Challenge. I was to create an image using only 3 colors, so I did a city skyline at sunset using only three colors: orange, dark purple, and off-white. The orange set the mood for the sky, the purple shaped the buildings, and the off white worked for the sun.

What I really liked about this exercise was how much I could do with so little. By keeping the palette small, I had to pay closer attention to shapes and contrast instead of just throwing in more colors. I learned that even simple designs can tell a strong story when you use color wisely.

Creativity week 2

 

 60 seconds 

This week, I did a creative exercise called One-Minute Sketches. I was tasked to pick a random object and draw it in one minute. Without focusing on perfection, but mainly focusing on speed and observation. I was in class and decided to draw this coffee mug that was within arm's reach.  I grabbed the mug and hit “start.” In 60 seconds, I sketched its handle, the tea tag, and even scrawled “Mad as a Hatter” across the front. The result was messy, lopsided, and full of personality. This exercise taught me to let go of perfection and focus on the most important details in a short amount of time. I learned to capture the essence of the object rather than its exact likeness, turning mistakes into part of your style. It sharpened my observation skills and made creativity feel more playful and enjoyable.

added color after 

My Stage

WordPress

Pros 

• Extremely customizable with thousands of themes and plugins.

• Can fully brand your site to match your style.

• Supports blogs, portfolios, and e-commerce in one place.

• Large support community and tutorials.

Cons

• Learning curve for beginners setup can be more technical.

• You’re responsible for hosting and maintenance if using WordPress.org.

• Can be overkill if you just need a simple gallery at first.

Wix 

Pros

• Highly customizable drag-and-drop builder.

• Offers free plan and paid plans with your own domain.

• Can showcase both visuals and text-heavy case studies.

• Has built-in SEO tools to help people find your portfolio via Google.

Cons

• Can become time-consuming to design and maintain.

• Free plan shows Wix ads and uses a Wix-branded URL.

• Performance can be slower if overloaded with media.

Squarespace

Pros

• Sleek, modern templates that look professional with minimal tweaking.

• Mobile-friendly designs automatically.

• All-in-one hosting, domain, and design platform.

• Great for mixing design portfolio with other content like a blog. 

Cons

• Monthly cost after free trial no free permanent plan.

• Slight learning curve if customizing beyond the template.

• Less community visibility compared to Behance.

  
  

  Overall what best suits me as a recent graphic design graduate building my professional presence would have to be Squarespace.  

  As a new graduate I will likely want something that looks polished immediately without spending weeks learning web development. It’s professional and clean, which builds trust with potential employers and clients. You can easily upload projects, write short case studies, and update it as your portfolio grows. Best of all later, if you want more advanced customization or to add complex features, you could always migrate to WordPress when I am more established.

Guest Speaker Feed Back

 Five things Learned 

1. Write a strong headline that includes keywords for the roles you want, not just your current title.
2. Use Keywords to Appear in Job Searches this adds specific skills, software, and industry terms to your profile so recruiters can find you when they search for candidates.
3. Leverage LinkedIn’s Job Filters by using filters like location, experience level. 
4. Connect with people in your industry, join relevant LinkedIn groups, and engage with posts to increase visibility and opportunities.
5. Use LinkedIn to review a company’s page, see mutual connections, and learn about their culture and values before submitting an application.

Project 2

 The target audience for this poster is boating enthusiasts, marine professionals, and people who enjoy outdoor water activities. The message of the poster is that Suzuki Marine USA offers high quality, reliable, and innovative marine engines that deliver superior performance on the water. It also communicates that Suzuki is a trusted, established brand that helps customers “Go Further” in their boating adventures. My goal with this piece is to create a visually striking promotional design that highlights Suzuki Marine’s brand identity and appeals to people who love being out on the water. I used a deep navy blue and crisp white color palette to reflect the nautical theme and convey professionalism and trust. I added accents of silver and metallic tones to connect to the high-end engineering of Suzuki’s marine engines. The main visual is an action shot of a sleek boat cutting through the water, which adds energy and excitement to the design. I placed the Suzuki Marine logo prominently at the top to establish brand recognition instantly. The headline text is bold and modern, making it easy to read while reinforcing the idea of strength and performance. 

Project 1

 This poster promotes a fictional home services company called BreezePro AC & Heating, designed as if Optic Marketing Group created the branding. The goal is to communicate reliability, friendliness, and professionalism in a clean, modern way.

The audience for this poster is local homeowners and renters who need air conditioning and heating services. The message of the poster is that BreezePro AC & Heating is the local expert for keeping your home comfortable year-round. My goal with this piece is to show that I can design a marketing poster that clearly communicates a service and brand identity. I want to make the audience feel confident about contacting BreezePro and show that I understand how to create a visually appealing layout that supports the company’s values. I chose a blue and orange color palette because blue communicates coolness and trust, while orange adds energy and warmth, connecting to both AC and heating services. The main image of a relaxed homeowner helps the viewer imagine how they would feel after using the company’s services. I used bold sans-serif typography for the headline so it is easy to read from a distance. The service icons at the bottom help quickly explain what the company offers, and the call-to-action bar in orange stands out against the cooler tones, so it catches the viewer’s attention. The layout has plenty of white space to keep it clean and uncluttered, which helps the important information stand out.

Top 3 Jobs near me

 

1. Immersive Scenic Studios

Immersive Scenic Studios is a company in Orlando that creates immersive environments for events and attractions. On their website, they say they are built on strong family values and want to build lasting relationships with clients by going above and beyond expectations. They focus on creating environments that tell stories and transport people to another place and time. They seem to put a lot of emphasis on creativity and teamwork.

The company has a Facebook and Instagram page where they post pictures of their projects. Their posts match what they say on their website about imagination and creativity. From what I saw online, they want to hire people who are skilled in both creative and technical areas. A job posting I found for them offered a high salary for an artist position, which makes me think they invest in talented people.

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2. Optic Marketing Group

Optic Marketing Group is a marketing agency in Tampa that works with many kinds of businesses. On their website, they say they believe in being honest and transparent with their clients. They want their clients to trust them and they promise to earn that trust through good results. They focus on helping clients grow and they do things like web design, social media, and search engine marketing.

They have Facebook and Instagram accounts where they share updates about their projects and the team. I read some reviews on Glassdoor and people said the company has a friendly environment, a flexible schedule, and good benefits. They seem to care about both their clients and their employees, which makes them sound like a supportive place to work.

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3. Suzuki Marine USA

Suzuki Marine USA is a company in Tampa that focuses on boats and marine engines. They are part of the larger Suzuki brand that is known worldwide for making vehicles and engines. While their website mostly talks about their products, it is clear they focus on quality and innovation.

They have social media pages such as Facebook and LinkedIn where they share information about new products and events. There is not as much public information about their workplace culture, but because they are a well known brand, I think working there could offer a lot of learning opportunities for someone starting out in design or marketing.

Creativity Week 1

 For this creative exercise, I was challenged to turn an ordinary household item into a superhero. I decided to use a shower loofah as my inspiration because it is something I see every day, but I never really think about it creatively. I designed Loofha Lad with a fluffy yellow body to represent the actual texture of a loofah. I gave him a green superhero mask and boots to make him look bold and energetic. The red cape symbolizes his courage, and the “L” on his chest makes his identity clear. The handle on top stayed in the design as a fun reminder of his humble origins in the shower.

This exercise helped me think about how to transform something plain into something exciting by focusing on its unique features. It also showed me how imagination can turn any object into a character with personality and purpose.

Job Search

1. Design Engineer- I am interested in becoming a design engineer because I like the idea of creating products that are both functional and creative. This job would let me use problem solving skills to turn ideas into real things that people can use.
2. Product Marketing Manager- I would enjoy working as a product marketing manager because it involves understanding what people want and finding ways to present products in the best possible way. I like the mix of creativity and strategy that this role offers.
3. Digital Illustrator- I am interested in being a digital illustrator because I enjoy creating original artwork on the computer. This job would allow me to bring ideas to life visually for books, games, and other creative projects.
4. Architectural Designer- I would like to be an architectural designer because I enjoy designing spaces and thinking about how people interact with their surroundings. This job would allow me to combine art and structure to create buildings that are both beautiful and useful.
5. Landscape Designer- I am interested in being a landscape designer because I like working with nature and creating outdoor spaces that people can enjoy. This job would let me design environments that are functional while also being visually pleasing.
6. Book Cover Designer- I would enjoy being a book cover designer because I like using art to tell a story. This job would allow me to combine illustration, typography, and creativity to design covers that make readers want to open the book.
7. Packaging Designer- I would like to be a packaging designer because I am interested in making products look appealing while still being practical. This job would give me the chance to create designs that stand out and make people want to purchase the product.
8. Photo Editor- I am interested in being a photo editor because I enjoy improving images and making them look their best. This job would let me work with details and enhance photos to create a strong visual impact.
9. Video Game Designer- I would like to be a video game designer because I enjoy both storytelling and visual design. This job would let me create interactive experiences that people can enjoy and connect with.
10. Branding Specialist- I am interested in being a branding specialist because I like the idea of helping a business or artist create a clear and memorable identity. This job would allow me to use creativity to make a brand stand out in a competitive market.

Design Adventure part 2

 For my story, I plan to tell my story through an eBook filled with illustrations of my designs throught my journy and photos similar to times in my life that visually walk readers through my journey from my early struggles in high school Photoshop class, through my time in the Navy, to discovering a passion for graphic design, and finally approaching graduation and a design career. The eBook will feature 15–20 storyboard-style panels (like the ones shown), each accompanied by short captions or reflections. It will focus on visual storytelling using simple, relatable scenes. This format makes the story accessible and engaging, especially for visual learners or anyone curious about finding creativity in unexpected places. The tone will be personal and honest, showing growth through perseverance, self-reflection, and learning by doing.

Recreating Movie Poster

 Recreating my horror movie poster gave me the opportunity to experiment deeply with color theory, emotional tone, visual structure, and symbolic storytelling. Inspired by the dark atmosphere of The Conjuring franchise, I designed this poster with the intention of making viewers feel immediate dread before they even read the title. Using what I learned in chapter 5 about color, emotion, and visual tone. For horror, desaturated colors, harsh contrast, and dominant dark hues help communicate feelings of terror, danger, and unease. I used a muted black-blue background to set a cold and lifeless tone. It suggests night, mystery, and death.

• The pale gray faces of the characters emerge eerily from the darkness, adding a ghostly, corpse-like effect.

• The yellow-orange glowing eyes on the central figure (Valak) introduce an unnatural heat often associated with evil or possession.

• Blood red typography was chosen not just for visibility but for its symbolic weight, blood, warning, rage, and violence.

The visual structure of the poster follows the “Z-pattern” layout, guiding the viewer’s eye from top to bottom in order. I chose a serif font with long, sharp accents and thick strokes for “THE CONJURING IV.” The sharp serifs mimic crosses, reinforcing religious horror themes. The Nun’s looming face represents evil that watches and controls. Annabelle, a childlike doll, symbolizes corrupted innocence. The crawling entity implies that evil is not just seen, it moves toward you.