Rising from the ashes…

Comes a new me. Yes, I am back. Not that anyone noticed but I return with new aspirations and something I haven’t had in quite a while.

Hope.

Peace.

Joy.

After a lot of heartache and trials, I’ve decided to truly lean on Him. I don’t know what He has in store for me, but I know I won’t be alone.

I am no longer a graphic design major. And I won’t say what I’m now studying or much detail. I can say that I’m waiting. It’s been such a long and arduous journey that I’ve grown quite a bit.

Does this mean I will no longer use any skills that I learned previously? No. God can use them if He wants and I can use them for fun. I should also probably now show what I’ve done before.

Here’s my candy packages that I did my sophomore year. Each had to be a different flavor and I planned on the folded boxes creating 2/3 of a circle from above.

And then there's the new logo! I'm so glad with how it turned out. I’ve made a couple of changes to the previous one and I think it shows how much I have progressed in my tastes. Cartoony beginning, mature negative space, playful and colorful, and now straightened up.

So now my new banner is up and ready! Its supposed to be a ticket to a live screening/recording of the podcast I’ve always dreamed of. It might become real in the future and then I’ll tell you the meaning behind the name. And if you’re wondering, the dates and numbers have no significance. Did I mention that the banner at the top is a bit distorted/blurry. Yeah I tried to fix that but its the best I can do within the size limit. But here's the original banner and the stub for you to keep if the podcast ever happens.

Growing Pains

Really is an appropriate title for what I('m) went/going through.

Well I haven't been feeling well since I came back. But I'll keep my word and show the only art assignments I've done this semester. My only art class was Modern Publication I, the class we take after Intro. to Modern Publication (same teacher too). We had to make a magazine but it was divided into different assignments: the logo, cover, contents page and all of that plus feature and department articles put together in an eight page booklet.

My category was Garden, but I decided to make it a bit interesting and put a prepper/urban twist to it. The name of my magazine is Growing Pains but unfortunately some people didn't get the joke.

Logo

Cover

Contents Page

Feature Article

Feature Article (continued) / Department Article

Back Cover

I decided not to fix some of the mistakes such as tighter kerning, the three subheads I forgot to put in, and the price. I'm too tired and sick to do that. Unfortunately for the last assignment I turned in the booklet late. So what would have been an A- turned into a B- project. Oh well, I learned not to do that again. Maybe later I'll tell the funny story that went along with this project.

I used the fonts Alba Matter, Duality, Dead Kansas, Dead Secretary, and Death Font. I mostly used photos from foter, tumblr, and national geographic. The front cover was a tracing of graffiti from foter.

Other than that, you can see the revised logo I made on the back cover of the magazine. I really like it. I was supposed to use the back as a nameplate with class section and name. A lot of people went the extra mile, but I wanted to add my logo just to put my name out there. Surprisingly my teacher said it was a nice logo. I'll explain more about the logo in the next post.

Finally Home

Well my earthly home that is.

The rest of my travels went surprisingly well and I realized I had changed. I no longer see my home as the dazzling bright city; it looked dull and not as bright and lively. I knew I changed and I see now what actually matters. And for the third time in my life, I felt like an adult.

Now I'm really sleepy, so I'm going to regain all the sleep I lost in college. I may post something by Friday.

Almost Home

I'm at the airport right now, but I wanted to say that I'm coming back changed. Plus a bit of information.

A couple of hours ago my friends graduated, I cried, she cried, and I wish this chapter in my life didn't have to end. I was greatly saddened at the fact that my friends have to leave me behind. I couldn't have passed my sophomore and junior year without them to comfort me, teach me, and laugh with me.

Of course I'll keep in touch, but I fear what my senior year will be like without them. But I know I have to use what I have been taught and be put to the test. I have learned so many things.

I learned how to be a better friend, be a comfort to others, control my temper and words, and that I need to love people and open up more.

Academically, I need to not do things half-heartedly and instead be diligent and hardworking. And most of all ... need to lean and trust fully in God.

He's made it clear with me a lot of things this year. I won't go into detail but I can say it was funny for my friends to watch.

Now for some upcoming updates.

I'll be uploading some projects I've done in one of my graphic design classes. There's a funny story how this project is involved in a deal I made with the Lord. But that's for another time.

Along with these projects will be the revised logo for this blog and possibly will be used in my (Lord-willing) upcoming artshow.

That's it for now. I've been waiting at the airport for (about) 4 hours and will need to wait 3 more for my first flight. And getting my luggage checked in was a big hassle, not to mention just packing it before leaving campus. Just gotta hang in there.

Leaving Again...

But as a new person.

In a few hours I have to leave my home for college. It never gets any easier but its obvious now that God wants me to go back to college. He made sure no one would stop me from going back. It hurts but I realized that God wants me to do something very difficult.

Love.

I have to show the love He's shown me to others. It will be very difficult, especially in a world that doesn't want it. But I must.

I will be back in a few months. 'Til then, pray for me.

Dorisa Will Take A While

This is the class that involves the story from my previous post about my hymnbook cover. For my Intro. to Modern Publication class we were supposed to create a series of direct mail items for a company/service of our choosing. Our company or service can be made up or a real (actual logo can be changed) and we had to use that same company/service throughout the semester in every project. I tried to continue my Pokemon direct mail sales letter from my Copy Writing class but my teacher said 'no'.

So after a couple of minutes of being depressed I decided I wanted to do my series of direct mail on a made-hotel from my script. Before I was kicked out of Media Productions I took Broadcast Writing. One of my scripts became a whole story (not-yet-told) and there was a hotel I made up called the Belvedere Hotel. One of my upcoming events for the Belvedere Hotel was the grand opening of their restaurant/lounge named Dorsia. Yep I never forgot about Dorsia.

Front (you may notice that I used some images from LA Noire)

He said that I had a good headline and a very nice design. I just need to change the contrast to work with the logotext.

I also need to cover up Elsa for my portfolio/artshow.

Back (I deleted some unnecessary text and fixed a spelling mistake)

He also said the back had a very nice design.

To keep up with the 1940s theme for my script I made the design use black and white with a dark red gradient as the main background. To add a bit of elegance and class I put a damask pattern in the background. The symbol I used in my logo was actually made in my Graphic Design class for a previous project and then I added the rest of the words later.

My Graphic Design teacher thought this looked pretty good.

The font I used for the symbol and logo was Andes. For my copy I used Caviar and sometimes Champagne & Limousines, although that would mostly be seen in the rest of my direct mail series. I'm only showing my postcard project because this was my strongest project and I could have gotten an A- if I wasn't a day late. It wasn't my fault the printer wouldn't print out my project. I'm not bitter >:(

Stupid B-

Soylent Green

IS PEOPLE!!!!!!

        I just had to do that. Soylent Green has become infamously synonymous with my name among my friends and teachers at college. They all know it and have tried to stop my plans that involve it. It is unfortunate that only my mentor understands the humor I see in it. After three tries (or maybe four) of trying to do a Soylent Green project in any of my classes, I was finally successful. I was able to make a Soylent Green-like project for my Professional Selling class. My teacher had enough trust in me to make this. He doesn't know what Soylent Green is; I plan on telling him after my graduation.

       For this project we had to make a sales letter, but I had already done one in my Copy Writing class. However that one was for Pokemon, my teacher later regretted allowing me to do it on Pokemon. This class was a business class but our teacher understood that half of the class were Graphic Design majors. So he said we could design it and that the more realistic it was would give us a step up.

       I would have gotten a 96 on this project but it was late. My grade for it went down to an 86 for being a day late. He gave some pretty positive feedback on it – had a good opener, good testimonials, clear benefits, and a nice brochure. He also said I was a good writer and that my sales letter was really good. Too bad I'll have to explain what Soylent Green is after I graduate. Imagine his face ^-^

The font I used for the letter was Baskerville and Luna Bar for the logo.

Unfortunately this and the finished printed product are difference in color.

For some reason InDesign wouldn't give me the same color I had for my logo.

Had a lot of fun making the slogan. Again, only my mentor thought it was funny.

I originally made two versions of the symbol. This one seemed more like an energy supplement for those people who work out. A lot. The one I chose seemed health-foody and "all natural".

Due to my lack of knowledge and time, I was unable to make an envelope for my sales letter.

This would have been the envelope I was going to turn in. (This SO doesn't look like Nookington's)

Even though he said I had a nice brochure I refuse to show it. It may be nice to him but he does not specialize in design. My art teachers would give me quite the critique if I showed them my Soylent Green brochure. I do like the alternative version of my Soylent Green logo so I might redo it in the future.

And yes, I do have too much fun with my projects. I use funny names and weird addresses – one address is at some cafe called Jo Mamma's or something and the other is My Mom's bakery something. Yeah, I like Regular Show. It's awesome.

Of Smugness and Teachers

       For this project we had to make a hymnbook. Unlike the previous projects (i.e. magazine grid) we were able to use color and any other fundamentals of design that we've learned in this project. I decided to make a children's hymnbook using this cute picture I found on National Geographic. As you may tell by now, National Geographic is one of the few places we are able to get pictures while in college. Now we are able to leave campus with our laptops but its easier said than done. The place where I got my internet off campus had become popular. This made the internet slower thus less time to find what I need and use the internet for entertainment purposes. You have no idea how much Failblog has helped me in the semester.

Funny story: My graphic design teacher had this project in his project pile while he was cleaning up to leave the classroom. He had to clean up so that the next class can use that room and the teacher for the next class can use the desk. I was in the next class (Intro. to Modern Publications), which meant the next teacher was also my teacher. Unfortunately while my graphic design teacher was cleaning, my Intro. to Modern Pub(lications) teacher saw the pile and made some funny comment at my project. My graphic design teacher whispered to him and they both looked at me. I hated the smug smile my Intro. to Modern Pub teacher showed. Why am I telling you this? An upcoming project will have to do with that teacher for Intro. to Modern Pub.

Order Within Grids

       For this project in class we had to use a grid for a magazine article. The article had to come from Answers In Genesis and must have followed a grid. Mine was much more simple than the others but I got an A for it. It was late but thankful my teacher saw that it wasn't my computer's fault. After a while we were able to print it out and get me my A. It's a simple design; one picture that being used as the background and using a two column layout for the article. I used a picture I found on National Geographic that was already upside down and turned it back to normal view. Then I made a black gradient on the bottom side of the picture where a huge puddle and reflection showed. This made the article legible with its white type. And that was it.

Unfortunately I had to upload this as a JPEG instead of a PDF so don't mind how compressed it looks. I'm a bit under the weather so I'll upload my other projects later. But what do you care, I rarely upload. And it seems my GracieGrace identity suite is the only project that anyone cares about. Oh well.

And Now I'm Back

Okay, well yesterday I came back. Technically it was today but at midnight.

Yesterday I finished my finals and was at the airport for practically the whole day. After a long wait and flight and some really stupid people in my path, I landed back home later than planned. But while I was waiting at the airport, a friend of mine was trying to look for my blog. So I had to take a couple of things off the blog like a certain green product project and change my description a bit.

I'm going to plan out some things and will hopefully post another project I've done at school.

So yeah... I'm back...again.

I'm leaving again...

Lord willing I'll be back in December. But I'm so scared right now. In an hour I'll drive to the airport and depart at midnight. Unfortunately I won't have a window seat, so I can't watch my beautiful city from above. I'm scared and I don't have the strength to keep me from crying. I already miss my family and my best friend, and I regret not doing much quality time this summer. I wish I could have more time: to spend with my family, to grow as a Christian here, to talk with my best friend.

I don't want to go back, but I know I have to leave. It's just two more years. And I know my friends will be there waiting for me and will welcome me with open arms. And they really are such a blessing to me. But no matter what, God and family comes first. When push comes to shove, I know they'll always be there for me. And I don't want to leave them, I love them too much to want to leave.

Just two more years. God has always been there for me, even when I couldn't see it. I can't ever forget that. I must always lean on Him, never forget Him when things are going well, always remember the blessings He has brought me, and never forget the love He has for me.

So I guess this is goodbye for now. I still have a lot of learning to do and even more growing to do.

                            Learning and Walking in Christ,
                                                                                      Ankoru

Why must I always fail?!

Well as you can probably guess, I'm failing in that weight loss challenge. I believe I have gained weight instead. No surprise there.

Not just that, but I'm feeling so lazy right now and I have no motivation to even do much needed tasks to prepare for the upcoming semester. These are essential for my survival and have to last me until I come back home.

Must get up and be productive.... Where there's a will, there's a way.... But I don't have a will....

Oh and a couple of days ago was my birthday. I'm now 21 and still lazy. I'll be quick, we didn't really celebrate my birthday on the actual day. But on my actual birthday I got the season 2 DVD of BBC's Sherlock, which will come in handy for my sanity's survival. The next day we got cake, but had to postpone eating it because we had to celebrate my birthday at my grandma's house alongside my relatives. After that we finally got to eat my delicious cake, but celebrating my birthday doesn't end there. The next day I get to spend time with my best friend of almost 17 years. She took me out to eat and we went to the Santa Monica Promenade and Pier. We were just walking and it was mostly waiting in line for something but I'm still glad I got to spend time with her. Celebrating my birthday for three days wasn't what I thought it would be, nothing special.

Alright that's it. I'm tired of being lazy, I need to change. If I'm an adult, that means I have to make responsible decisions and see what I can do to better myself. I'm going to make a schedule and to-do-list, watch an episode from Sherlock, and go to sleep early. Or earlier than when I usually sleep. Let the transformation commence. No one will recognize this ping pong.

Silence! I'm finally using gifs.

Why am I even bothering again

Well its summer break (of course), and you know what that means...

WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE!!!

Yeah, I know I have been failing so many times at this and I usually gain more weight during break. But this time something's at stake. Did you say steak?

Before we left college for summer, my roommate, her friend, and I took the Biggest Loser Challenge. However, since I'm the heaviest, with more weight to lose, we decided to tweak the goal a bit to make it fair for everyone.

Whoever loses the most weight AND is the most fit, toned or whatever wins. The latter is the main focus of the challenge. The losers will have to buy the winner ice cream from Marble Slab, a place nearby our college. I've never been there or heard of it, but I think my first time should be going there as a reward. I looked up their website and menu, and I'm already planning on what to get.

The challenge will end when we arrive back in college, and we'll check the scale and measuring tape to see who has made the most progress.

This is going to be tough, I have more weight to lose and more flab to tone. I haven't started at all, already gained weight and I have only two months left.

So to my fellow competitors

Live Action Demonstration

Yeah I haven't posted anything in a while, but I've been busy trying to enjoy my summer as much as possible before I have to go back to school. You would not believe how much sleep I've lost and need to gain back.

Anyhow, right now I'm showing my little sister how posting on a blog is done. I'll add a picture and include a video that will somehow relate to said picture. In doing so, I will be making a weak joke. Kill two birds with one stone. Or as how my old roommate would say, "Kill two stones with one bird". We'll never let her live that down.

If there's a camel up a hill

(also new haircut)

So that concludes this live demonstration of how to post something on a blog. You better remember this because I'll be at school the rest of the year.

so very sleepy...

I've been working all night on a side project for one of my family members, I think it turned out alright. But she has the final say if its good or not, better be prepared to make some changes. I'm a little used to changing my projects after I've worked a long time on it. A whole year of having to change my ideas and receive harsh criticism from a teacher, whom I greatly disliked. Okay still kind of do, but I have to change that. I won't dwell on nightmares from my graphic design class anymore.

I changed my profile picture, made myself a logo, got a new theme and made a new banner. I like it. I actually made that logo in the last month of the college semester, and I'll explain why I call it a ping-pong. I was originally trying to make a new mascot for my collegian, and when I showed it to my roommate she laughed and nicknamed it Ping (from Mulan). Ping-Pong, because its a circle. Yeah.

I decided I was no longer a mental frog, I believe I grew up this past semester enough to better understand who I am and no longer was. I will miss those days of being a mental frog. I knew I wanted to add my logo on the banner but the rest of it looked bare. So I decided to add the lyrics to Pokemon World in my banner, it still incorporates the mental frog I used to be. So I'll end this post with the remix of Pokemon World.

I still want to be a Pokemon Master :(

Forced Project #1

I honestly don't want to remember those graphic design classes again. But the majority of my posts this summer will involve a project I did in my second semester graphic design class. This project was a two-part identity suite: one business and one personal. I'm thinking of redo-ing my personal identity suite, but in the meantime I'll show my business one.

I made a fake clothing business called Black Tea. Serving the rich and posh with glamorous and fancy clothing. Or something like that. When I was starting on this project I knew I wanted something like Aquaberry, the fictional clothing brand from Bully. But I mostly made my business resemble Burberry, maybe I'll make something for Aquaberry in the future. It took me a long process to finally make my logo, but I like how it turned out in the end.

The picture above shows the envelope, the (front) business card, and the logo itself. I also had a letterhead for Black Tea, but I don't like how it turned out. I seem to have trouble with letterheads. I made a grey tartan pattern for the background/theme to resemble the Burberry tartan pattern, and used a cranberry color as complimentary/secondary color. I think it looks kind of cool. Now that I'm thinking about cranberry, I may use that later for another project.

Next time I'll have a new logo to show you and hopefully a new banner/background.

GracieGrace Identity Suite

Whoops, I forgot to post this up. Well here it is now.
I had been planning on making something for GracieGrace for a long time, and only recently had I got inspiration for it. Whoa, bad grammar there. Sorry about that.

GracieGrace Logo

GracieGrace Business Card (FRONT)

GracieGrace Business Card (BACK)

GracieGrace Envelope

GracieGrace Letterhead

Like this identity suite way more than the Nookington's one. I had a lot more to work with in this one. A better logo, more background, and a consistent theme. I used a navy blue gradient, just like the one from their front sign and entrance. For the logo, I used a gold gradient, again just like the one from their front sign. The closest font I had that resembled the GracieGrace logo was the Baskerville font. I believe its already included in every computer.

I used the giraffe logo from GracieGrace as the pattern for the background, and used the lighter navy blue of the gradient, and lowered its opacity. I tried to resemble the floor inside GracieGrace, but I made the giraffes smaller, closer, and point in one direction.

My favorite one out of the identity suite is the envelope. I think it's the strongest in the identity suite, and kept the theme I was going for. And yes, I know it would be pretty expensive making the envelope, but keep in mind how expensive the products are in GracieGrace. I'm pretty sure they can afford to make these envelopes. My least favorite is the letterhead, I believe it's the weakest in the identity suite. It doesn't really keep the theme I was going for and I had the most trouble with this one.

Well that's it for the Animal Crossing identity suites. Next time I'll probably change my theme and have my own logo to show. And in the future, someone special will have a blog of her own. She's a talented artist but not in Graphic Design. That's my forte, but you'll enjoy her work nonetheless.

Nookington's Identity Suite

Okay, since I've back home, I have been playing a lot of Animal Crossing: City Folk. Now while I was trying to think of an idea for one of my planned projects, I thought about doing an identity suite for Nookington's. As you can see from the pictures below, it didn't turn out so well. But I can assure you that my next post with my planned project will turn out better. I really like the look of my planned project.

Logo

Business Card (FRONT)

Business Card (BACK)

Envelope

Letterhead

Yeah I know. These really aren't my greatest, but like I said, the next ones will be better.

I Learned My Lesson

Well, that was another long break from writing a post. You see, I couldn't get access to internet for a long time. Only once very briefly, at the airport when I was leaving college for the summer and another time at my relatives house.

Well now it's official that I'm back. While the internet was down I finished three of my projects, two of them were on a whim and the other was one that I had been planning. I will introduce those projects tomorrow, get ready for a lot of Animal Crossing in the next couple of days.

Now for me to explain some things.

As I have previously stated, this year's resolutions have been answered, but not without blood, sweat, and tears. One event has totally changed me. I didn't even see it coming. It just happened without my knowing. And the others for that matter.

You see, I was dropped out of my major. Some of you know that I was originally a double major in Graphic Design and … you-know-what. I won't say what it was, but I can say that I loved that major so much. Even more than Him. And that was my downfall.

I wasn't the only one dropped from that major, others were dropped and a lot had left the college. My major was being dropped and only a few sophomores, and the juniors and seniors could continue until they graduated. My teachers found out a week before the students came back.

This was a really big blow to me. I was devastated. I went throughout the semester a broken person. My friends knew it, my teachers and roommates saw me break down into a million pieces, everyone saw my life spiral downhill. I really loved my major, I actually studied and worked hard for it. I spent so much of my time dedicated to it, pouring out my sweat and blood for my classes. I honestly believed it was God's will for me to be in that major.

I can not tell you how many days and nights have passed with me breaking down, asking and yelling, "Why, God? Why?". I've asked that question so many times, and I went further to turn God away from me. Yes. I have done the worst possible mistake in my life. I actually turned Him away from me.

Believe me when I say this, I felt His presence gone from me. It was actually gone. And it was horrible. Those brief minutes of my life were empty, I really was alone. After my roommate came in and heard what happened, she quickly got some sense back in me, and I asked God to forgive me and come back in my life.

I'm glad to say that He's with me again, and that I regret what I did to turn Him away. I'm thankful that God has provided me with great friends, teachers, and roommates to help me grow and heal. I know that nothing will ever be the same ever again, but I understand that it's what God wants.

What has come out of this ordeal? I realize what's more important in life, and my relationships have been strengthened. Especially with Him. I have truly grown and matured in my walk with Him.

I would like to thank:

My friends, for staying with me even when I was making you feel down with all my anger and bitterness.

My roommates/friends, for being a shoulder to cry on and leading me back to Him.

My teachers (mentors), for forgiving me after the many times I took my anger out on you and for stopping me from taking the destructive path of no return.

And to my God and Lord and Savior, for loving me so much to die on the cross for me and for loving me even though I don't deserve His love or mercy.

Thank you.

I'm Back (again)

Previously on An Encore Everlasting:

Here's my list:
1. Be closer to God.
2. Have more faith and trust in Him.
3. Get better grades.
4. Lose weight.

Well I'm back. And....well....

A lot has happened.

In short, my previous resolutions have come true (still waiting on number 3). I have said before that my first semester Freshman year was the hardest. I change my statement on that. This semester has been the absolute hardest, worst, painful semester I have ever endured.

I'll post the rest later.