Stanczak-Designer

=April Greiman=

=1. What is the designer/illustrator known for creatively in the field of graphic design?= April Greiman is known to be one of first designers to use computer technology such as Macintosh computer. With that being said, her use of creativity was well integrated through the use of layers and different software such as Photoshop.

=2. Explain what era of graphic design they were part of, what movement or specific style did they work in?= During 1976 she established the multi-disciplinary approach that extends into her current practice, Made in Space. During the 1970s, she rejected the belief among many contemporary designers that computers and digitalization would compromise the International Style; instead, she exploited pixelation and other digitization "errors" as integral parts of digital art, a position she has held throughout her career. Basically during the era when Macintosh computers were first being released.

=3. Discuss whether they worked pre-computer or post computer and how that influenced their work.= She kind of was both because before she decided to get her first Macintosh computer she was not really using computers to project her style, but soon after she received her computer it really imprinted the fact that she was a post computer worker because she was well known for using layers and other cool gadgets on the computer.

=4. Explain why you chose this designer.= The reason why I chose this designer is because I wanted to find someone that started something new that shocked a lot of individuals. She went out and started the trend of digitized illustrations and I find that extremely fascinating and bold of her to do personally.



Writing Response Some of the elements used in my brochure were the use of layers, shaping, bevel emboss, and various coloring options to balance out different aspects of the piece. The reason why I used a layering technique in particular is because April Greiman really focused around the idea of layers because she was one of the first designers to really push the idea of using computers and the digital effects they had in the editing software. While I maintained the theme of layers and technology with in the brochure, I was still able to show a little bit of my own style because I was able to modernize how the brochure would probably look in comparison to what April would make back in the 90’s. One of the things that I have learned taking this class is that adding a couple things here and there or changing the format or even the color of a specific object can really affect how your audience perceives your work. I believe that the message you wish to portray towards your audience should be clearly resemble ed with in your work and if you fail to do that then you might have to change the overall look of it in order to fit those standards. Even though my end goal is not to be a graphic designer, I definitely plan on using my design skills throughout my years at college because I am majoring in digital media and marketing. I thought this class was extremely helpful because I was able to get new perspectives of my work from people other than myself, which in my opinion is very valuable because it allows you to grow as a designer and make your work look more appealing towards those who perceive it. Overall, I thought this class was an amazing learning experience in my opinion.