Better Blog

CARP

CARP stands for contrast, alignment, repetition, proximity. 

C: Contrast can be between fonts, colors or other aspects of blogs. 

A: Alignment involves how things are aligned. Grids play a huge role in the alignment of blogs. Posts should also be aligned left and ragged right. 

R: Repetition is also involved in the layout of blogs. Repetition can be used with images, fonts, colors or other aspects of graphic design.

P: Proximity is the spacing between things. It's important to have white space. Having good proximity makes a blog easier to read.

Layout

I made some minor changes to the layout. I checked to make sure everything was readable and looked professional.

Functionality

The main functionality adjustment I made was adding label and portfolio pages. The labels make it easier to find posts. The portfolio pages also aid in finding posts.

Improvements

On some of my old posts, I added headings. I broke the text up into smaller groups to make it smaller and more readable.

I also added a favicon, portfolio ages, labels, and other gadgets. I customized my template and messed with the header. I really like how it looks now.

Before and After

One of the pages I changed greatly, was my first post. I added headings and broke the text up. I made the entire post more readable and better overall. The top one is my original and the bottom is the improved post. I think the improved post is easier to read and more organized.

I applied the rules of CARP.

Before

After

Text Container Tutorial

This tutorial was also very easy to follow. The directions were simple and explained well. I learned a lot about outlines.

Tutorial: http://www.photoshopessentials.com/photoshop-text/text-effects/text-inside-text/

Sugar Bag Tutorial

I did the sugar bag tutorial. It was very easy and quick. The steps were very descriptive and easy to follow. I added my personal touch by changing all of the colors but the accent to blue. I learned a lot of keyboard shortcuts. This tutorial was very helpful and I'll be able to apply a lot of the knowledge in the future.

Tutorial: http://pshero.com/photoshop-tutorials/text-effects/the-sugar-bag-effect

Movie Poster

Process

I started this project by brainstorming movies and sketching different options. Once I decided on Frozen, I thought back to a previous tutorial that I have done. It was a firefly brush tutorial but I knew I could manipulate it to make it appear as snow. I applied the brush to text and used what I learned from the "working with type" tutorial to add icicles. I added the snowflake inside the "o" and moved onto the next step.

I laid out a grid. Creating the snow and icicles at the top was very difficult. I used the snow brush but manipulated it more to make it thicker. Then, I created and added the icicles. Once I did that, I added the random snowflakes in the background, still using the snow brush.

Finally, I added the snowflake. I used the snow brush again and manipulated it until it looked how I wanted it to. I had a few different options, including a swirl but ultimately, I decided on a simple snowflake.

What I Learned

I learned how to manipulate brushes. I also learned how to create straight lines with brushes. I learned a lot about Saul Bass. I learned a lot about movie posters. I learned a lot from the "working with type" tutorial. I learned a lot about manipulating text.

Favorite Part

My favorite part of this project was creating the individual elements to create a cohesive poster. I liked that I created everything by myself. I loved manipulating the brush.

Boundaries

It wasn't difficult for me to meet the creative boundaries. It was easy to choose a movie from the past five years. It was easy to have it inspired by Saul Bass. I used three different shades of blue, repeated. All of the elements on my poster reflect the story. I was able to create a custom graphic as well.

Music Helps Brighten Other People's Days