summary

Exams are over!

Three days ago I had my last exam! We had to present everything we did during the last semester and the presentation was extremely important itself by the way! We had ONLY 10-15 mins. I had my brand new laser-pointer so I was happy no matter what 🙂

Here’s the short summary PART I

Illustration Basics (reminder) (grade 1,3  / A):

If you’re interested you can find the rest of the characters for the Character Design task here.
Well I didn’t upload all of my work but I think you get the idea for the Illustration Basics classes: a lot of variety!

In my next posts I’ll sum up the rest of the semester for you 🙂

in Illustration  by Savina 0 comments

Summary: This Semester’s Classes

Finally I feel like I can take some time for updating my blog!

I decided to focus on illustration and theory for this (3rd) semester and since I’m still rather slow when it comes to effective drawing I had the busiest four months of my life so far! Lucky for me I got used to sleeping less than 6 hours a night during the week (with an occasional all-nighter now and then). But I guess that’s normal for this branch…

But let’s skip to the classes:

  • Illustration Basics: Every week you get a new assignment covering everything from cover illustrations for books and magazines, posters, comic, storyboarding etc. NEW: For the first time the students have to commit to a bigger project during the last 1,5 months of the semester. One has to choose from 24 scientific topics and create so called “scientific illustrations” explaining the subject. I picked “white”, covering colors and light on a physical and physiological basis.
  • Illustration Techniques: This is where the students are introduced to a variety of different painting techniques. This semester’s choice is: Watercolors, acrylics, digital painting, vector graphics. I especially enjoy this seminar 🙂
  • Illustrator’s Survival Kit (optional): Very time-consuming but effective class! Mainly we are working on visual storytelling and character design. At the beginning of class everyone presents his homework to the other students and the prof (sometimes even in front of a recording camera) after which he/she gets a profound constructive criticism. Then follows a theory presentation followed by a practical working phase. Additionally workshops are provided on a regular basis.
  • Research (optional): Here’s where the students (not only illustrators) can learn research techniques including market research, book research and deep space. After an intensive theoretical phase every student has to do a profound research on a chosen design-relevant topic.
  • Extra lectures: Every student needs at least 2 extra (one-time) lectures in order to qualify for a theory class exam (in my case that’s “Research”).

During the Christmas “brake” we have to improve ALL of the homework assignments so far + the new assignments 🙁 At the end of the semester we are going to present all of our work for the last months in all the classes.

in Illustration / Personal  by Savina 0 comments

The Exams are Over!

The exam period is finally over and I’ll be updating soon!

The last few months were really exhausting for everyone. Only one week for all design students at the university isn’t really long. I had my FC presentation at 22:00 (10 pm.) and like most of my co-students I hadn’t really slept for the last three weeks. But after a few coke bottles and 20 minutes Bubble-Shooter I was ready for action 🙂 Honestly, as strange as it sounds, I kind of enjoyed the intensive working phase! At times like these I get absorbed in my workaholism and spend every free minute with productiveness 😀

For the beginning of my major updating I’ll summarize the exams/presentations (here is my schedule):

  • 27th July, Digital Tools: At 9:30 am. Everyone gathered for a written multiple choice test on Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign. Fifty questions had to be answered in German (some students prefer using the English versions of the Adobe products, including me).
  • 27th July, Illustration: At 14:30 (2:30 pm.) the illustration students showed EVERYTHING drawn during the first and second semester, even private drawings (of course only if one wanted to share them ;)). The more full sketchbooks and visible drawing skills improvement, the better the grade.
  • 28th July, Foundation Course: Every student got an appointment when to present their documentation of the second semester (which I’ll be describing in a future post). At 22:00 (10 pm.) It was finally my turn. Unfortunately everyone was already tired, including the professors. One last student later we popped the champagne bottles and enjoyed the rest of the night outside the university buildings 🙂
  • 30th July, Typography: At 11:00 am. The four homework tasks for the first semester and the documentation had to be presented to the whole typography class. Afterwards the professor took everything home for thorough revision. The return is in two weeks.
  • ? September, Media: This Friday we will get our big homework on movies for the semester break. It will be due to the beginning of the next semester in September.

That’s all for now! I’m working on a big drawing project right now and I feel slipping into obsession mode again 😉

I’ll be writing more posts soon.

in Personal  by Savina 0 comments