Bootcamp: Complete!

Well. I feel like I’ve put enough work in so far that Finals week should be just around the corner.  But, the good news is that I survived bootcamp and I feel prepared to tackle some design projects with a little help from Google and Lynda.com.

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Let’s take a look at the past week.

I took my first in-depth introduction into Photoshop and Indesign.  Photoshop was tough.  I think if I’m going to do some serious detail work, then I need to get a mouse instead of using my laptop trackpad.  And, curiously enough, I enjoyed InDesign.  There’s a lot of functions that I don’t know how to use yet, but approaching it as “Word/Pages on steroids” seems to put me in the right mindset for using it.  Finally, the typesetting assignment was a nice assignment that helped me develop more of an eye for layout and design within publications.

Not gonna lie, it was tough teaching myself how to use Photoshop and InDesign by just following a video.  I stopped and started and rewinded and stopped and started and rewinded ad nauseum , but I got through them.  Unfortunately, with my academic and dance schedule I wasn’t able to make it to office hours, but hopefully I will be able to in the future!

When I looked at what I was able to do in Photoshop and InDesign, I was little disappointed.  But, I really took to heart what Ira Glass said in the video that we watched in Week 2.  I have great hope that I will be capable of creating good work soon, but I’ve got to learn how to do that.  That’s why I’m excited about this course.

I’m a perfectionist.  I’ve tried to deny that for a long time, but it’s true.  I couldn’t have gotten to where I am as a dancer without being a perfectionist, and that trait bleeds over into my design work.  I know that as I learn more tools and become more comfortable with the programs my work will get better.  It’s just going to take some time.

Until next time.