Joe Johnson
Graphic Design Emphasis
In 2014 I chose graphic design to be my field of study. However, while
I was at Salt Lake Community College I was still on the fence about committing
to graphic design as a career. I never took actual design classes, just skill
set classes concerning the software. When I started at Weber State, all of that
changed. I became fully immersed in the program and I was taught how to think like a designer instead of just how to design something.
Understanding basic principles of graphic design has been
liberating, and has made my career choice clear. Learning exactly the impact a
design can have on an audience based on the words used, or not used, and the
way some shapes or images are composed, is where my passion for graphic design
is strongest. In my portfolio, my work will mainly consist of visual
communication that experiments with a variety of compositions, using a word or
a picture or both, to convey effective visual communication. I tend to approach
each project with a minimal and clean design, I feel that if a designer has the
ability to strike their audience with clear visual elements, it will encourage the
viewer to ponder and be influenced by the design’s message.
The progress that I have achieved in my time at WSU has already
helped me to get an early start on my career. I now work as a Gaming Graphic Artist
for software development firm called Clearview, I have also worked as a Jr
Graphic Designer for an outdoor supplier called GEAR:30, some of the projects I’ve
headed are presented in this portfolio. Between working and going to
school fulltime, I’ve had a boost in workflow and ongoing projects. This has
been a huge advantage for me, because now I have noticed that my brainstorming never
seems to stop. This and the learning of other successful designers’ processes
has greatly helped me in how I approach each now project.
One current graphic designer that I follow and admire is Aaron
Draplin, a logo designer from Portland, Oregon. I am fascinated with logo
design and how simple shapes and lines that once meant nothing, can become iconic
symbols to the world. I’m amazed how he continuously has new material that is
consistently unique and powerful. I want to possess this ability for myself,
and so I have adopted parts of his creative process. One of which includes keeping
a sketchpad with me at all times, experimenting with concepts in my head no
matter the time or place. My sketch book in a way has now become my journal.
