EDLD 5366 - Personal Logo - Week 2

This week, we spent time delving into ourselves to create a personal brand. In talking with several people at work and home, I was able to create a list of words that described myself. It was hard to narrow down the list of words; however, I grouped related terms together and choose one word from each group that represented each. I ended up with: creative, supportive, positive and loving. From there, I thought about how the image would convey more information about me. For the past 28 years, my husband has called me "cutie mouser." This is the basis for my online handle, "qtmouser." To incorporate this image with my interest in technology, the mouse is drawn in a shape that is similar to a computer mouse with the tail ending in a USB connector. The final step was to work with the colors. Following the recommendation of Lea Alcantara, from her article The Art of Self-Branding, Part 1 & 2 (2009), I looked at my wardrobe and realized my colors were jewel tones: blue, green purple, and red. The meanings of these particular colors also describe my personality. From her article A Glimpse into the Meaning, Symbolism and Psychology of Color, Kate Smith, In researching these colors, I found the meanings, symbolism and psychology described my personality, attitudes and beliefs. Blue is considered to indicate trustworthiness and dependability, which are the basis of my work ethic. Nature is a big part of what makes me feel grounded and at peace with the world, which is represented by the green on my logo. My creative and spiritual side is shown through the use of purple as the background of my logo. Though mice can be brown and grey, I chose grey. From Ms. Smith’s (2009) site, I found that grey is perceived as timeless, practical and conservative. The final color in my palette is pink. Since it is the lighter tint, it reflects my joy and happiness with life. The one color that I was not able to include was red. The one color that I was not able to incorporate was red. When red is pair with green, people think of Christmas, the day I was born.

Alcantara, L. (2009). The art of self-branding. http://www.lealea.net/blog/comments/the-art-of-self-branding-part-one/

Alcantara, L. (2009). The art of self-branding. Retrieved from http://www.lealea.net/blog/comments/the-art-of-self-branding-part-two/

Smith, K. (2012). A glimpse into the meaning, symbolism and psychology of color. Sensational COLOR. Retrieved January 27, 2012, from http://www.sensationalcolor.com/color-messages-meanings/color-meaning-symbolism-psychology/psychology-of-color-a-glimpse-into-the-meaning-symbolism-psychology-of-color.html

EDLD 5366 - Business Card - Week 1

The design of the business card reflects my personality, using bright colors and a clean font. The mouse graphic from Microsoft's online gallery determined the color scheme. To use as a teaching tool, the first design element, contrast, is found in the different font sizes and the colors being used. The pink color of the font and mouse wheel demonstrates the second element, repetition. Alignment of the text and graphic on the left and the text on the right establishes the third element. The final design element, proximity, is found in the grouping of my name and title and the contact information.

EDLD 5366 - Manuscript Reflection - Week 1

Manuscript -- Henry VIII's Psalter

Location -- http://ttpdownload.bl.uk/app_files/silverlight/default.html?id=3FF14446-29B5-4198-B32A-FB42C43A4B71

This manuscript, created for King Henry VIII, was beautifully illustrated. All four principles of design are represented in this particular sample. Contrast can be found in the use of color in the illustrations. Light colors offset by darker colors bring the viewers attention to specific parts of the pictures. Another example of this design element is the use of colorful, decorative capital letters at the beginning of each psalm verse contrasts with the smaller, black characters of the remainder. These are repeated throughout the manuscript. Repetition is found in the use of rotating ornamental graphics placed at the end of the verses. These are used to fill in the empty space at the end of the verse to insure the lines all end on the right-hand margin. Examples of the final element, proximity, are the illustrations that are placed beside specific verses to bring attention to the message. This manuscript was bound in red velvet with silver-guilt corner pieces and clasp demonstrating the importance of this document.