Digital Illustration class- FINAL

My Final Project: (my website and blog update)

http://www.jerbl.com/monisawa/

Since I already had plans to update my current web-page, I utilized this class as motivation. As I started on trying to make changes, i got frustrated and ended up replacing my entire site. I don't think a single shred of my old one is left (even the images.) It seems that whenever I update I start all over. I left my old web-page up if anyone is curious: http://www.jerbl.com/monisawa/old-monisawa/

My focus on the new website design was absolute simplicity and being seamless. I also made sure to organize it in such a fashion where future updates and changes are easy (in order to avoid my massive overhauls.)

As a bonus I found myself modifying several images that I made over the past year or so for the gallery and other webpage elements. Utilizing what I learned in this class and last semester, I was able to really spruce/fix them up.

In a portfolio it should house your best work. I have heard that I need to have 100% confidence with every picture, if not they do not belong. If this was true i would never assemble a portfolio, so I use what I have. In order to avoid putting every 'good' picture I've ever made in the gallery, I really focused on getting the cream of the crop in. Even with that in mind, i think that 2 or 3 of my illustration might get removed. Any recommendations/Thoughts?

As part of my final I also revamped my blog design. I really had no clue how terrible of a set-up it was! haha. I even absent minded-ly took a screen-shot of it for this post because I liked the changes so much...

Please make any suggestions about my website and blog.

Class Reflective::

-What I learned in this class:

• Giving critiques and analyzing peer illustrations helped me develop my own. (By seeing what worked and didn't work, and then explaining in words why.) I really appreciated anyone who commented on my pictures, they helped me understand my art better. Also thanks everyone for letting me critique/comment on yours! ^_^
• Finding illustrations I liked and asking myself why, helped my work develop.
  
• how to more effectively control the overall value, color and texture of an illustration digitally. (such as masks, color balance, hue/saturation, etc.)
• more about brushes than I ever thought possible (brush-directional, texturized painting, etc)
• Learning isn't necessarily in a classroom. The internet is a great resource for both tutorial and artist emulation.
• I spent most of my life just DOING art, now I am spending it trying to understand WHY, and how to present it BETTER.
• Doing master-studies builds a deeper appreciate and respect for the artist and their work. They just come alive.
• Writing out my own artistic process helps me better understand myself and how to prepare for future illustrations.

-How will I continue to incorperate the new processes I learned/discoverd in this class?

• Artist emulation is very useful and I plan to continue using it. From now on I will try to emulate some new element (style, process, technique...etc) in all my future illustrations.
• I will also continue to use, and practice using, what I learned in this class. I will also refer back to our blog entries as needed.

-How do I plan on marketing myself better?

• Once I get my website and portfolio stapled down (more professional) I will join more organizations and portfolio groups.
• My website/blog philosophy: my webpage will be strictly a professional portfolio. updates will only be new illustrations I feel worthy to make it on. My blog will be a semi-formal place where I can blab/get advice from others/and enjoy myself. I plan on keeping all my posts relative to art. I did make sure to keep it simple so that when possible clients/agents visit it will be easy to navigate.