natalie.drawn: ADVENTURES IN TYPE

I have always been interested in type and graphic design, but I started out thinking that I was no good at it. And, truthfully, I wasn't. I didn't know hardly anything really about design, composition or the fact that there is a difference between a font and a typeface.

In the world of art and design, I was fairly green. Equipped with only my instincts and raw talent, I hated my graphic design course so much that the first semester I attempted to take it, I ended up dropping the class entirely, unsure of whether or not I would ever return.

And then somewhere along the line, graphic design became one of my only options to round out my credit requirements for graduation. Dropping it again ceased to be doable, so I plunged in head first to a world of which I felt as though I knew nothing.

I was completely underestimating myself, though. If I'm being honest. Because by the second time around I had gained an incredible knowledge of composition and even though my design skills were seriously lacking, I had a lot of fine art experience that I didn't realize I could bring to the table. You see, art and design go hand in hand. You don't have to be an artist to be a designer, but you do have to be a designer to be an artist - whether you realize it or not.

That fateful semester, I fell in love with graphic design. I wasn't the best in my class, but my improvement rate was off the charts. And since then, I ended up in a typography class to better my love of letters, and I have recently been putting all that good design and typography knowledge to use.

You see, I may have graduated with a degree in Art Education, and I may no longer be teaching in a public school classroom, but my artistic abilities have not gone unused. And for that, I am proud of myself.

So here are some projects I have been up to lately - a series of chalkboard quotes done in both chalk pen and colored chalk/chalk pastels. It has been incredibly fun to watch my skills become honed. There is still lots of room for improvement, but what artist is ever satisfied with only the skill levels that they have? Here's to learning more and creating more and finding myself in this artistic world I am currently living in.