Interview with the Author

 

 

What was the initial context of the artifact?

The initial context of the artifact was for this Writing 220 class. However, I’d like it to be a very current address to the problem of sexual misconduct on our campus as a whole. This means my audience is the entirety of the Undergraduate body, and the artifact is set in the present 2015-2016 academic school year. This meant to draw off of the recent results of the Campus Climate Survey.

 

 

What skills was it meant to develop?

The skills that this was meant to develop were my visual/spatial skills. I have no prior knowledge of graphic design, so this was a “head-first” way for me to learn about this medium. And, I found that though posters can look quite minimalistic, there is a lot of detail-oriented work that needs to be done so that everything looks “just right.”

 

 

How did you feel about creating it?

I felt great about creating this. The posters were almost exactly what I had in mind, and my lack of experience with graphic design didn’t compromise my goals for the final artifact. In fact, I really surprised myself when it came to the photography aspect and choosing typography.

 

 

What one or two (no more!) problems did you encounter with it & how did you address them?

One problem I encountered was not having the proper software on my computer, but I used the University’s resources to compensate. Also, I didn’t have an advanced digital camera, so I had to borrow one from a friend. Both just took a little extra searching, but were easily overcome.

 

 

What does the artifact demonstrate about your skills/values/competencies?

This artifact demonstrates my potential visual/spatial skills after just a little research. It was also a testament to my technological competency when it came to programs that I was not familiar with prior to the commencement of the project.

 

 

What did you learn by its completion?

I learned that you could really explore any media that you set your mind to if you have access to the proper resources, and enough passion to motivate all of the necessary research. Had I not felt strongly about the topic, I’m not sure I would’ve felt motivated enough to do all of the work that I did for this more alternative media. It took a long time for me to take “good” pictures, on the right day when the sun was in the right spot. And that took a lot of “Rinse, wash, repeat.” But, seeing the final product it all seems worth it.