Senior Thesis: A Weekly Update

Hello artist world, welcome to my first post on the GCVA blog!

I’ll briefly introduce myself: My name is Maddy Fritz. I am a senior art/graphic design major and communication minor, and fun fact-->I also really like blue jello.  I pretty much knew I was going to major in art since I've been doodling on the backs of my math tests in the 1st grade. My first experience with graphic design was the Paint program that came standard on most hp computers; thank goodness my horizons have expanded! 

I'll introduce my work by introducing my obsession. I am obsessed with the way things are designed- the way things look... all the time. You have no idea how many posters, flyers, and signs are hanging up out there that are just complete wastes of space, money and trees. There are SIMPLE strategies and principles that you can apply that can make your work more appealing to the eye, you want your stuff to stand out from all the crappy stuff out there, but not in a bad way.  Some say good design goes unnoticed, that the good stuff just flows so naturally you don't even think about it. Design is everywhere!

I think this info-graphic is a good example of the unrealistic expectations that some businesses have about design. People think graphic design is something that you can just throw together, and trust me, it's not! 

..So back to what I was saying, this obsession I have is the fuel that keeps me sitting at a computer desk for hours and hours at a time. My crazy mind is always telling me there is always a way to make something look better. A little craziness is good... right? 

So here I am telling you about what goes on in my head when it's time to introduce my work. My senior thesis is centered on the creation of a brand. The majority of establishing a brand is graphically based... logo, advertising, and creating an overall cohesive/professional look across the board, so I have my work cut out for me in that aspect. But what also goes into branding a company is the audience you are aiming your product at, and how strong of a relationship you can build between your company and your target audience-it all determines the loyalty and success of the business. 

Branding a company is also a lot more than just a logo.  Before you even can create a logo, you have to establish your mission, values, vision, and what you want your company to be associated with, and the actual name of your company (9 times out of 10 the a businesses name is in the logo). The logo is just a representation of all those things combined. 

So... in a nutshell the graphic designer's responsibility is to create a visual image and cohesiveness of the things that are intangible in a business-things like reputation, quality, personality, mission, values...etc... So that is my goal! To brand my own company, and to be good at it! I guess we will see how far my obsession takes me in my journey to my Senior Show. 

I invite you all to check my weekly updates, as well as Shelby Eden's progress on her Senior Thesis work as well. 

We're gonna have some cool and crazy stuff!