happy holidays

My internship at HarperCollins begins January 10th, however, I've got a decent quantity of free time on my hands until then. I've got a major to-read, Gabriel Garcia Marquez's 100 Years of Solitude on the agenda, but I'm trying not to get too ambitious with this break, as is my usual tendency, so I'll finish what I can finish. I've been having great times catching up with old friends and relatives, building an anthology of quite inane, but hilarious-to-us jokes. I hope to do the same while in VA. I've been reading a lot of news, just to catch up with the rest of the world since design school serves as a nice little bubble for me. But I'm going to try to get into some surrious literature - I want to feel moved again. To anyone who reads this: Happy Holidays, and do enjoy this precious time with family and friends!

secret language - a book of typography

This book was certainly a challenge to put together; my objective was to hit a certain point conceptually without getting too contrived. Design is a precarious thing in that regard - it's not easy to put a finger on what works. Some of this book is personal, some just ideas, some inspired by others' experiences, but all referring to topics of universality (for the most part). The tone I aimed for was somewhat darker than my usual stuff - I wanted to touch on, as featured on page 21, the seamy sides of life, also on oxymorons, contradictions, quandaries of our existence. The intro I wrote goes a bit more in-depth, but i wanted to present this series. I bounded the book myself - a process in and of itself.

rings i designed and created

wine bottle quotations line

nearing the end... (of the semester)

One week left ... then .... what to do, what to do?

It's lovely how breaks are strategically situated to coincide with the year's worst weather. However, I will not be phased by this seemingly imported Antarctica. I am excited to:

- Spend time with people (a welcomed change from my bff, Laptop)

- Read books

- Explore the city again, and other parts of Brooklyn

- (Gasp) make a portfolio-book

- Watch movies

- Eat meals at tables, rather than whilst walking/waiting for the subway/sitting in class

- Attend concerts

- Take hip-hop classes again

- Play my instruments

- Possibly begin to learn a new language

- Make illustrations

- Begin to learn the art of ... video?

In the past few weeks, I've made several brochures, shot and art directed a mock ad campaign, designed a series of wine bottles, created a flash banner ad, wrote a 10-page-paper, created two websites, designed a movie poster, made brass earrings, a copper ring and a brass ring, designed a postcard, billboard and business cards, and designed and wrote a book. And quite a bit more to go. FIT, you're killin me smalls.

random commentary

I must say one thing: there are few things I love more than sitting down with my laptop, some excellent coffee and great music and designing (wine bottle packaging - now).

I have a hefty number of updates I'd like to make, however, I have to find the time to do so. I've been writing, researching, designing, and brainstorming at a tornado-like rate. I'm at that point where I'm brewing coffee at odd hours and finding myself eating strange(r) combinations of foods for "meals." Such as toffee chocolate and gourmet olives. Thanksgiving break offered me the near solitude of family in lieu of my ever expanding group of friends and excessive rest, though I did somehow barely manage to finish the first formal paper I've written in about four-and-a-half years. I used to furnish 15-page-papers in a span of 3 hours; I may have lost my touch.

Photos of recent work to come soon.

Some images I've collected of late as inspiration for projects/personal style/beautiful photog in general:

oh heyyy you go gurl

love this song ... solange > beyonce in my opinion

botanica - never fails

more inspiration

Found this in http://grainedit.com today ... an incredible design blog ... such adorable work!

Ecstatic - I just accepted a design internship at HarperCollins for next semester. The people I interviewed with were great - smart, literary, creative, and really seem to love what they do. Super excited to learn about and experience the world of publishing :) I really do believe this will help me grow a ton creatively and intellectually and I am utterly pumped for it!

I also received a Save the Date for my good friend, Liz - soooo happy for her and soooo excited for this wedding!

Here are some images from my friend's tumblr that I saw and particularly loved today ... they evoke a sort of a/w nostalgia - the good kind :)

some typography i was working on

Chocolate Bar faces I just designed

I, like the rest of my class, need to stop eating my research ;)

I just love this