Autumn Schreiber Creative

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  • analyzing design in movies: Labyrinth

    analyzing design in movies: Labyrinth

    Design is all around us! It’s on labels, posters, papers, hand towels, you name it. So today, I thought I’d look at one of my favorite movies, Labyrinth, through the eyes of a designer.

    Labyrinth is a dark 80s fantasy movie with a cast of puppets as well as humans. Because of its genre, the design choices are over the top to portray the whimsical nature of the film. The muted colors, torn/decaying fabrics, and textures, and creepy masquerade masks contribute to the macabre fairytale feel. However, the lavish lace, brick structures, and elaborate costumes cement the viewer in a fantasy world.

    Some examples of the rather muted sets/world-building

    The design choices are very intentional and support world-building and character/character growth. One great example is the ballroom dream scene. The main character, teenage Sarah, bites into a peach. This sends her into a dreamlike sleep, where she imagines entering a masquerade ball. Sarah’s big white dress and lack of a mask are symbols of her innocence and naivety as she navigates this more adult-centric scene. Sarah’s white dress and Jareth’s blue sequined suit suggest importance in contrast among the rest of the muted costumes. In this case, the design choices reflect character importance and growth as Sarah is caught between her childhood and impending adulthood.

    Sarah and Jareth dance in her masquerade dream

    Here’s a great video of the scene. And then a video of bts, with the team explaining their choices.

    As designers, our decisions must have a purpose. After all, our job is to convey a client’s message. So do your research and be able to explain your work and choices.

    Happy designing! What should I cover next?

    From the blog

    Stay up to date with the latest from our blog.

    • winter break update #1

      Winter break is in full swing! I’ve been meaning to blog, but I’ve been sooo busy. Between working, I went to see my family in…

    • ways to unwind without a screen

      I don’t know about you guys, but after staring at a screen for four hours, I need a little break. So, I decided to compile…

    • the final countdown: aka semester final projects

      I’ve been chipping away at my final projects! Right now, I’m finalizing my last article spread. I really want to have it nearly finished so…

    • perfume label progress

      I’ve been steadily working on my perfume label in class. Initially, I wanted the perfume to have the scent of bleeding heart flowers, but since…

  • SD AAF student day reflections

    I was able to go to the SD AAF (American Advertising Federation) student day! It was such a great opportunity and I thought I’d share what I learned with you guys.

    Some recurring pieces of advice that kept coming up during different panels were:

    • Keep learning
      • Graphic design is a vastly evolving practice. You need to learn relevant skills and keep up with new software to survive in this industry
      • Check out free online classes, local conferences, and webinars!
    • Just start!
      • Whether it’s a project, application, or class, just start. You can’t figure out your strengths if you won’t try things.
    • Ask questions
      • Questions are great for clarifying things or learning more about a certain topic. You’ll never know if you stay silent. So speak up and stay curious.
    • Most agencies/designers/professionals are willing to help students
      • Industry professionals shared that they are open to job shadowing, portfolio reviews, and questions. The worst people can say is no, so go for it! What do you have to lose?
    • Explain
      • Communication is key in this field. You need to be able to explain design processes and reasoning.

    Overall, I learned so much at this event. Hands down the best $35 I’ve ever spent. I was able to network, learn about different parts of the design and marketing industry, and get a second portfolio review opinion, headshots (and lunch!).

    Let me know your thoughts! Anything to add?

    Stay curious y’all <3

    From the blog

    Stay up to date with the latest from our blog.

    • winter break update #1

      Winter break is in full swing! I’ve been meaning to blog, but I’ve been sooo busy. Between working, I went to see my family in…

    • ways to unwind without a screen

      I don’t know about you guys, but after staring at a screen for four hours, I need a little break. So, I decided to compile…

    • the final countdown: aka semester final projects

      I’ve been chipping away at my final projects! Right now, I’m finalizing my last article spread. I really want to have it nearly finished so…

    • perfume label progress

      I’ve been steadily working on my perfume label in class. Initially, I wanted the perfume to have the scent of bleeding heart flowers, but since…

  • Trends in the graphic design world

    Trends in the graphic design world

    To follow trends or not to follow trends, that is the question!

    And the consensus from designers is to avoid trends. The goal is to create timeless and iconic designs as years and decades pass. Think of Coca Cola or IBM. They can’t be defined as such an 80s or y2k design.

    So what are the current design trends to be wary of?

    According to Adobe, the design trends for 2024 are:

    1. 3D type and bubble text
    2. Color clashing
    3. Curve smoothing
    4. 70’s nostalgia
    5. Vintage minimalism
    6. Anti design
    7. Abstract gradients
    8. Texture
    9. Geometry
    10. Illustration and logo mascots
    from just this screenshot of my design Instagram account, you can see examples of trendy design

    Overall, nothing is original. But that doesn’t mean you need to follow trends, and also maybe dabble a bit. There’s no right or wrong answer, as long as trends aren’t holding you in a chokehold. Create and try things!

    What are your thoughts? Let me know!

    • revising past projects

      I’ll be the first to admit, I wish I could do all of my projects to 210% of my ability. But with multiple school projects, working twenty hours a week, and trying to adult, it gets to be a lot sometimes. Because of my busy school and work life, sometimes my projects aren’t to the…

    • quick library flyer design

      After the exhausting saga of calling my local legislators, I wanted to draft up a quick library flyer design. I’m not looking to print them en mass from another site, so I want to print them on a 11 x 8.5″ sheet of paper. The Process The Final Flyer Design Side by Side Comparison I…

    • beefing up my Linkedin profile

      I think everyone on the planet has a linkedin profile, myself included. However, I have not done much with it besides create an account. With some extra time during my first week of school, I wanted to try to beef up my profile. What I did I’ll admit, I definitely need to learn more about…

  • getting crafty: Victorian puzzle purses

    Hey ya’ll! It’s about time I got back to my roots– my arts and crafts roots. I thought I’d take you along my lil craft journey.

    I’ve got two of my best friends birthdays coming up and I’d really like to make them some cute cards. Instead of choosing my go-to (handmade watercolor cards), I think I’m gonna try making Victorian puzzle purse letters. They look so intricate and I’m a sucker for any letter-making thing.

    here’s an unfolded Victorian puzzle purse letter (not mine)
    here’s a folded-up Victorian puzzle purse (not mine)

    A Victorian puzzle purse is basically an ornately folded letter! Kind of similar to origami.

    To learn a bit more about them, click here!

    I started my process by consulting google for some easy tutorials. I came across this one.

    I got to work by using some old sketchbook paper, folding it accordingly, and then sketching out my designs. I wanted to keep the designs relevant to my friend. So I included little doodles of their favorite things and interests. I also wanted to make sure I had enough room for the actual message/letter.

    The folding wasn’t hard, but getting the paper into the spiral/pinwheel took awhile. I watched this tutorial because it gave more direction on that part.

    My finished Victorian puzzle letter!

    The front
    The second layer (after opening it)
    The inside with doodles and the message (where the sticky note it)
    The back!

    Have you guys made anything like this? Let me know!

    From the blog

    Stay up to date with the latest from our blog.

    • winter break update #1

      Winter break is in full swing! I’ve been meaning to blog, but I’ve been sooo busy. Between working, I went to see my family in…

    • ways to unwind without a screen

      I don’t know about you guys, but after staring at a screen for four hours, I need a little break. So, I decided to compile…

    • the final countdown: aka semester final projects

      I’ve been chipping away at my final projects! Right now, I’m finalizing my last article spread. I really want to have it nearly finished so…

    • perfume label progress

      I’ve been steadily working on my perfume label in class. Initially, I wanted the perfume to have the scent of bleeding heart flowers, but since…

  • marketing and UX/UI design: A Design Class Saga

    In my Media Development class, we are mocking up and designing the interface of our own apps. This sounds pretty straightforward, but I’ve learned I need to know more about how to make proper surveys, determine my target market, add links to my social media stories, and create personas.

    What I’ve learned:

    • I need to have a wider audience on social media.

    If I want the best swath of information, I have to reach a lot of people. And as a person with a small personal following, that has made me get creative.

    So some of my own suggestions for widening that survey scope is to post it to Facebook, Facebook groups, Instagram (stories and posts), Snapchat, Substack, Reddit, literally everything. Check out survey swap response websites, and text relatives who fall into the target market. Try it all, the worst they can say is no, or just not respond at all.

    • Ask the right questions!

    Ask what is only relevant. People aren’t going to want to fill out any extra questions. Research what good questions to ask users. Articles like this are helpful.

    • Format your survey correctly

    Run through your survey in preview mode if possible and see if friends can read through it. I sent my survey out into the wild and realized that where I had a short answer option, a multiple-choice format would’ve made it easier to analyze.

    • Get tech savy!

    Learn how to post links onto all social media platforms. I had no idea how to post links on Instagram and Snapchat, but now I do.

    That’s all I have for now! After I learn how to create personas, I’ll have more to update you on. What else should I cover? Let me know below.

    From the blog

    Stay up to date with the latest from our blog.

    • winter break update #1

      Winter break is in full swing! I’ve been meaning to blog, but I’ve been sooo busy. Between working, I went to see my family in…

    • ways to unwind without a screen

      I don’t know about you guys, but after staring at a screen for four hours, I need a little break. So, I decided to compile…

    • the final countdown: aka semester final projects

      I’ve been chipping away at my final projects! Right now, I’m finalizing my last article spread. I really want to have it nearly finished so…

    • perfume label progress

      I’ve been steadily working on my perfume label in class. Initially, I wanted the perfume to have the scent of bleeding heart flowers, but since…

  • typography deep dive

    Class has started! And of course on day one, I already have an assigned presentation for the second week of school. Basically the class was split into groups and given design rules we have to learn and present.

    My two design principles are:

    • Type is only type when it’s friendly
    • Use two typeface families, maximum

    So I’d figure in an effort to prepare for my presentation, I’d share my thoughts and some typography research with yall.

    Type is only type when it’s friendly

    According to the book: Type is only type when it’s friendly begs designers to keep type expressive but legible. You want your font to have some personality, but more importantly, be easy to read. So make sure you choose a friendly font and color when working with type to ensure your message comes across clearly to your audience.

    Use two typeface families, maximum

    Use two typeface families, maximum is rather straightforward. Overall, you want your two fonts to work together, and adding additional fonts may mess with the flow of unity. When you use two fonts, make sure they have a broad family with different thicknesses, italics, etc. When choosing two typeface families make sure there is some contrast like sans serif vs. serif or thick vs. thin.

    Well, that about sums it all up. Are there any other typeface rules you follow? Let me know below.

    From the blog

    Stay up to date with the latest from our blog.

    • winter break update #1

      Winter break is in full swing! I’ve been meaning to blog, but I’ve been sooo busy. Between working, I went to see my family in…

    • ways to unwind without a screen

      I don’t know about you guys, but after staring at a screen for four hours, I need a little break. So, I decided to compile…

    • the final countdown: aka semester final projects

      I’ve been chipping away at my final projects! Right now, I’m finalizing my last article spread. I really want to have it nearly finished so…

    • perfume label progress

      I’ve been steadily working on my perfume label in class. Initially, I wanted the perfume to have the scent of bleeding heart flowers, but since…

  • exploring user experience design

    What is user experience (UX) design?

    First, lets tackle the meaning of user experience. According to Baymard Institute, user experience is “any interaction a user has with a product. The goal of UX is to meet the user’s needs and create easy, relevant, efficient experiences.”

    But that brings us back to our original question, what is user experience design?

    UX design is the process that designers use to create accessible, functional, and positive experiences for consumers.

    Although UX design is often synonymous with technology, apps, and products, it can be applied to many more things. In fact, even if you didn’t know the definition of user experience, you still have been impacted by it.

    For example, I’ve run into some frustrations shopping online. Some websites don’t have great filter options, and it’s hard to find exactly what I’m looking for. I’m less motivated to visit that site again due to poor user experience.

    So whether you’ve run into poor return experiences, technology issues, or even unclear instructions, you’ve experienced a lack of user-centered design.

    The father of UX design is often credited to Don Norman. He is “a psychologist and usability consultant who’s worked with Apple, HP, and the Nielsen Norman Group“ according to Massachusetts Libraries. Click here to learn more!

    That’s all folks! What do you think about UX design?

    From the blog

    Stay up to date with the latest from our blog.

    • winter break update #1

      Winter break is in full swing! I’ve been meaning to blog, but I’ve been sooo busy. Between working, I went to see my family in…

    • ways to unwind without a screen

      I don’t know about you guys, but after staring at a screen for four hours, I need a little break. So, I decided to compile…

    • the final countdown: aka semester final projects

      I’ve been chipping away at my final projects! Right now, I’m finalizing my last article spread. I really want to have it nearly finished so…

    • perfume label progress

      I’ve been steadily working on my perfume label in class. Initially, I wanted the perfume to have the scent of bleeding heart flowers, but since…

  • concert diaries #1

    concert diaries #1

    Hey guys! As I’m sure you’re all aware, I’m really into music. I like pop, musicals, indie, rock, jazz, and even a bit of country. So I figured I’d walk you through some of the concerts I’ve been to and let you get to know me a bit better 🙂

    My First Concert Ever May 2019

    When I was 15 I went to my very first concert in Chicago. I was really into k-pop at the time and I was so psyched to see BTS (a very popular Korean boyband). I dragged my dad along with me and it was a really memorable trip. The concert, however, was out of this world and felt unreal. It was pretty windy and chilly. I remember BTS saying it felt like a winter concert! (If only they knew what winter really is like in the Midwest)

    The Eras Tour June 2023

    And yes, I made that mirror disco cowgirl hat. I’m crafty like that 😉

    Surprise, surprise: I’m a bit of a Swiftie! While I’m not a super fan by any means, I still love Taylor Swift’s music and lyricism. I was able to use some of the money I had been saving up through high school to be able to experience the Eras Tour with my sister. It was so nostalgic for us, I remember getting her first CD and playing nonstop. The atmosphere was great and Taylor was soooo good. The backup dancers, the props, I just can’t say enough good things about it.

    The Car Tour August 2023

    This was a concert I decided to go to on a whim. My sister and I went to Minneapolis to see the Arctic Monkeys at the Armory. They’re a British rock band that’s been together since 2006. General admission was all standing, so we lined up hours before the doors opened to get a decent spot. It was so cool being that close to the band, and the opener was pretty good too! It was so fun being able to hear all of my favorite songs live.

    TopHouse June 2024

    TopHouse was a cool band that I was able to see for free in Sioux Falls! Every summer, Sioux Falls has free concerts at the Levitt. The band’s sound was very reminiscent of the Lumineers. It kinda had a bit of southern twang and was really cool to hear.

    Hinterland Music Festival August 2024

    Yep, it was that crowded. Only like 18,000 people

    Most recently I was able to go to a music festival in Iowa for a day! This was a lot different than most concerts I’ve been to. It was neat to be able to see a line up of musicians that I liked. While the live music was incredible, it was really overcrowded and super hot. Despite the heat, I had so much fun and was finally able to see Chappell Roan and Ethel Cain live! They had such different vibes but the energy was electric and I’d bear the 96 degree heat all over again.

    I do have a concert lined up next month, but we’ll see what happens.

    Until then, see ya! Read more of my blog posts below.

    From the blog

    Stay up to date with the latest from our blog.

    • winter break update #1

      Winter break is in full swing! I’ve been meaning to blog, but I’ve been sooo busy. Between working, I went to see my family in…

    • ways to unwind without a screen

      I don’t know about you guys, but after staring at a screen for four hours, I need a little break. So, I decided to compile…

    • the final countdown: aka semester final projects

      I’ve been chipping away at my final projects! Right now, I’m finalizing my last article spread. I really want to have it nearly finished so…

    • perfume label progress

      I’ve been steadily working on my perfume label in class. Initially, I wanted the perfume to have the scent of bleeding heart flowers, but since…

  • my love note to trader joe’s packaging

    Trader Joe’s is a grocery store, and while there aren’t any in SD it’s still one of my favorite grocery stores. It has good prices (perfect for a broke college student like me) and unique products with fun packaging.

    I only visit TJ’s occasionally when I visit family and I’m always down to try new things. The neat packaging always draws my eye.

    The last time I went, I saw the bright graphics for the Strawberries and Creme Pancake mix and I just had to get it. The vibrant colors and cute strawberries really made an impact. They just had a fun vibe that other boring pancake mix boxes just couldn’t live up to.

    Disclaimer: all images in this post are not mine

    Even after I made the (mediocre) pancakes, I was drawn to keep parts of the box. I’m crafty and like to make collages in my spare time, so I definitely cut and saved the little strawberries.

    I even found a brief article from the Trader Joe’s website about the value of well design products. Click here! Or check out another designer’s perspective on Trader Joe’s.

    I included some more examples of Trader Joe’s packaging! I couldn’t help myself, their designs make my heart happy.

    Even their paper bags look cool!

    That’s all folks! Read on for more design quips.

  • trying out t-shirt design

    This summer has flown by so fast! One thing I like to do every summer is some sort of craft. So I dug out my fabric paint and made some sick custom t-shirts. There’s something cool about bringing a sketched out design to life and then being able to wear it out and about.

    Here’s the sketch w/some of the shirt in the background

    My chosen playlist for this project: click here

    But yesterday I finished a sketch and thought it was decent enough to actually mock up in Adobe Illustrator. It reminded me of a similar project I did last semester at STC. The goal was to create a school club t-shirt that could potentially be sold in the bookstore. We considered graphic placement, fonts, and school colors.

    My goal with this design was to create my own fan merch that was simple and true to the artist. Instead of a actual picture I opted for a silhouette. I used bold contrasting fonts to convey the song lyrics complicated heavy message.

    I brought the sketch into illustrator and started tracing it. I liked my initial design, but it was a bit hard to read the bold font.

    After some feedback, I expanded the size of the halo to include the text and tried a solid color font.

    I like the reworked design (above) but I think the halo could be thinner. The contrast of thickness seems a bit off and the halo and the text seem to be competing for dominance.

    Here’s the initial mockup! I added the Ethel Cain logo to the back because some of her merch includes it. (example of her merch below)

    I’m gonna look for some more free tshirt psd mock ups, clean up the design and then share the final product with you!

    Thanks for reading! Let me know your thoughts and check out my posts below.