I really enjoyed reading the “Lessons Learned” posts from past VIS 317 students and will definitely be applying their advice to the way I design going into the semester. After reading all the posts, I really resonated with Talia Tackim’s advice. A lot of students focused on time management and other common tips while Talia mentioned lessons that were less common but equally important. Her first lesson is especially important because I believe that maintaining this “you can always do better” mindset will make me a much stronger designer. There is always room for improvement. By listening to criticisms from your professor and fellow students about your projects, you can discover something that wasn’t there before. Having an open mind is key, so utilizing this lesson will benefit me as a designer when it comes to producing well-executed pieces. Lastly, Talia’s third lesson “get a hobby” also stood out to me. I think Talia made a very good point about how other activities or passions can offer a new and unique perspective to graphic design. I am extremely passionate about fashion. Learning how to style well and select certain pieces has taught me to choose colors and certain design features appropriately. I will definitely keep these lessons in mind going into my semester.
