Trademarking

Alright people. As you may or may not know... I have a few freelance jobs coming up (i.e. wedding invites & photos)... So, I want to come up with a "company name" for myself... so to speak. Here are my options...

First, do I use:
-MelJean
-Melissa Jean
    or something else like...
-Traveling Artist
-Starving Artist

Then, what about these choices:
-Productions (almost seems too... animating studio-ish)
-Graphics (overused?)
-Media (too interactive-based...? I don't do web...)
-Boutique (too... flowery...?)
-Designs (too plain.)

So... make combinations from all of those... I'm not sure which one I'd like. The services that I would offer would be:

-Fine art
-Graphic design
-Minor video editing
-Very minor photography

So mostly fine art and graphic design... I have no right to call myself a photographer... so I don't want to give that impression. So... yea. Thinking I need to keep thinking... Bleh.


Stay Tuned! (... and let me know your thoughts!)

Whoa!

Hey there followers!

Okay... so this is what's been going through my phone and email lately as far as responses for job inquiries.

Harold's Photo - Email, not hiring until they can better define the position they're hiring for

Daktronics - Call, have a phone interview on Thursday for the Painting department... thinking night shift just in case I happen to get the Fresh Produce internship... Yes, it's a "manufacturing department" job... BUT someone has to do it and it usually pay pretty well. :)

Fresh Produce - Should hear back from them on Thursday whether I have the job or not. The interview went well! The only question that got me was when they asked, "What's your creative process?" Still feel pretty confident about it!

Professional Training Services - Had an interview Saturday, sent a follow-up email... waiting to hear back

That's pretty much it... I'm very excited! Everything is coming together. OH YES! I still have to send off my DVD and such to Prairie Graphics, Inc. & Funky Fresh. Wow... much better outlook than I ever imagined.



Stay Tuned!

Fruits of My Weekend Labor

Alright people! You want to see my portfolio?!

You didn't think I was going to start you off with the final product did you?! :P

Sketches

My first though on materials: mat board.

 Since I couldn't use the full size suitcase like I wanted, I decided to downsize. Therefore, that meant building one... from scratch. SO... I started sketching. And taking notes. And more sketching...

Then, I started implementing and putting together some prototypes. Ended up not even using mat board at all...

These are the boards that go on the inside. They are 5x7. Brilliant, right? lol That was most of Saturday, actually... It took forever to figure out what was wrong with the printer. The two on the far right printed off just fine, but when I had to print off the pictures that were full color and everything, they looked horrible. Turned off the gloss optimizer, as Travis suggested, and they printed out beautifully! ^_^

The labels on the backs of the boards with the information.

Top of the top... :P This is the texture I used all over. It's actually some resume paper that I picked up about a year ago to print my resume and stuff on, but never used... Perfect for this!

Inside of the top. Resume on the left, business card on the right. Used transparent photo corners to keep them in place.

 Now, most of today was actually putting the whole thing together. Very tedious. Being the perfectionist that I am, it probably took me a little longer than needed. However, I think it paid off!

All of the same thing, just 3 different states. 

I think lining the inside may have been the most intricate part... or perhaps wrapping every piece of foam board with paper. So much glue. LOL Anyway, the canvas string lies underneath the boards in order to help me lift them out. :D Still stumped on how to fill that empty gap between the canvas "box" and the outside walls. :S I wanted to make the canvas go from the "box" to the outside walls so it looks like the boards are just sunk into a "bed of canvas" or sorts... Just couldn't figure out how. :S

Alright... are you ready for them? Here are the pictures of the final result!

The insides... 

And the outside! Found parts to make it look like a suitcase!

They make it look real!

So that's what my weekend consisted of. :P Now, I get to try it out tomorrow for my interview with Fresh Produce! ^_^ I'm excited!


Stay Tuned!

Are You Tuned In?

Oh my... tonight I'm on another role.

I was stressing about trying to print on big paper (that I'd have to buy) and mount those prints on mat board (that I'd have to buy) and then trying to finish the full-sized suitcase version of my portfolio. Then, I looked down at a pile of 5x7 pieces of mat board that I had brought home from Beadle Hall basement a while ago... That's when it hit me. I can use the extra mat board from there (that I don't have to buy) to build a smaller version of my suitcase. Then, I can print my portfolio pieces on the 8.5x11 paper that I already have (and therefore, don't have to buy). Done!

So ever since then... which was about 6 pm... I've been sketching and working on the print outs to mount onto the 5x7 pieces of mat board to put into the small suitcase. I'm very excited to be working this all out. Hopefully, it works out that well in my head. ^_^

Then, there is fantastic news that.... I AM A FINALIST FOR THE FRESH PRODUCE INTERNSHIP!

o.
m.
g.

So excited! I think that was part of the inspiration because I have to have something to show them when I go for the interview next week. Which reminds me... anyone going on Monday or Wednesday between 1 & 5 pm? I could use a ride... heh heh... Yea. If I don't find a ride, I will *hopefully* be able to do an over-the-phone interview. We'll have to see. I put a call in as soon as I received the email so I should have first dibs on when I get a time...

Let's see... I'm pretty pumped to be getting somewhere on my portfolio. :D AH!

Okay... now I'm starting to get tired... Just a little.

Oh, yea... about the post from the other day (that no one commented on... :() A living situation may be figured out for after graduation. Not 100% sure yet... have to wait for other things to be sorted out first so I will leave it at that for now. But it's a great situation if it works out!

Then... I guess I should get going to bed. I'll probably do some more sketching and then go to bed. Fall asleep with the pencil in my hand again, maybe. Bwahahaha :P



Stay Tuned!

PS. Thank you to all the new followers! ^_^

Best. Non-Rejection. Ever.

Melissa,

Thank you for your interest in [INSERT JOB TITLE HERE] I regret to inform you that


Boy, I hate starting rejection letters that way, so today I’m not going to. Scroll back up there and delete that line. I’ll give you a minute.





Done?

Good.

Prairie Graphics does not currently have any job openings. I say “currently” because you just never know. One of my employees might steal all the money in the till tonight, or make a bad pot of coffee, or park in my spot, or set fire to a customer’s underwear, or I may just get tired of putting up with some annoying personal habit… you just never know. You see, Prairie Graphics operates much like a pirate ship. Oh sure, it all looks glamorous and exciting, but once you realize that swabbing the deck, peeling potatoes, heaving-to, weighing anchor, and trying to figure out just what “Avast!” means consumes most of your working day, the shine starts to wear off if you catch my drift. Like pirates, I’m pretty sure most of the crew here are averse to bathing, have too many tattoos, complain about sleeping with rats, and spend those hours swabbing the deck filled with dreams of mutiny.

Here’s what I propose: I would be happy to receive a copy of your resume and some examples of your work to keep on file just in case any of these current scurvy dogs decides to saw halfway through my peg leg again. After they’ve been made to walk the plank, I would be happy to put into port and give you a holler to see if you’re still interested in joining the crew. Deal?

Jon Bultman - Captain
S.S. Prairie Graphics





This was the email that I received from Prairie Graphics, Inc. after I had inquired about a job opening. I have to say, it's the best email that I've read in a while. hahahahahahaha Highlight of my day.

^_^

Alright, very excited!


Plans are starting to take shape.... Everything is kind of waiting on other things to happen, but we'll see soon. 


Do you want to know the details....?




COMMENT! hahahahahaha






Stay Tuned!

Off Day

Today is just an off day... 


Was talking with Travis and things just turned weird... *shrugs* We were talking about one thing and I told him how much I cared for him and felt for him and he seemed to disregard it as if I didn't say it... Am I overanalyzing things? Am I going overboard? I'm not sure... Just... off. 

Positive Energy!

Well, after having my car die yesterday, today is turning everything positive. 


Within the last hour, I've been asked to design wedding invitations for a June 2012 wedding and been handed the opportunity to design a logo for a food bank. Today is a good day. More later!




STAY TUNED!

Ups & Downs

Good Afternoon Followers, 


The following blog is part rant, part depression, and part fear for the future. Please, proceed with caution.


Alright... we'll start at the top of the morning. Travis stayed over last night so when we woke up, it was amazing to see him there. We had breakfast and then started heading to Howard to get my car. (For those who didn't know, I was finally able to get someone to tow my car to Howard and it's been sitting there for a few weeks. When I called last week to check on it, one of the guys told me it was just the spark plug wires instead of being the fuel pump like I had thought.) When we get to the shop, I go inside and talk to the guy I talked to in the way beginning. He comes to tell me that the other guy mixed me up with someone else and that they don't know what's wrong with my car. Yep, that's right. He tells me that not only is the fuel pump *probably* still bad, but also that the transmission is probably going to be going out soon. Oh yes. The two most expensive problems with my car.... So, now it seems like my car is just a ticking bomb before it just stops working all together. >.< Positive aspects: 1) I have my car back. 2) I was able to break the amount due into payments. Only paid about $30 today. 3) Ended up with free lunch from my aunt for Travis and I.


Then, there's the fact that I'm broke as a joke. Work study is definitely not enough to get me by like I thought. :( Applying to a few places.
     -AmericInn in Madison. Just turned that application in hours ago.
     -Daktronics in Brookings. Applied online. 
     -Fresh Produce in Sioux Falls. Sent "mini portfolio" in on Thursday.
     -Funky Fresh in Sioux Falls. Preparing another "mini portfolio" to send out to them this coming week.


We will see if I hear back from any of those in the next couple of days/weeks. *crosses fingers* 


Let's see... The musical is over and it's definitely bittersweet. I have more time during the week for homework, etc. However, I'm going to miss seeing everyone so often. We really became a family and it was awesome. ~To anyone reading this that was involved with the musical in anyway, I will miss you!~ I will also have time to clean my apartment. That is one area that has severely suffered due to my lack of free time. In addition to those things, I'm hoping I will have more time for my own artwork... but I know that's asking a bit much at this point in time. 


Starting to gather things for graduation... sort of. I guess I don't have much to "gather"... just finishing up projects and such. I have articles to write, a portfolio to complete, a character to give expressions to, reading to do, papers to write... Yea, lots of stuff. 


Thinking of all of those things makes me think of what's going to happen after graduation. Friends that I may not see for a while... or perhaps ever. Makes me sad to think I may not see some of these friends again. Thankfully, there's Facebook and such, but that can't replace actual interactions. Of course, quite a bit rides on where I end up working. Yes, I feel a little behind, but now I feel a little better knowing I have my resume out there in a few places. Still worried about other things though... *sigh* 


Living life one day at a time.




Stay Tuned!