Hi guys! I’m sorry I missed out on last week with posting on the blog. I was so incredibly busy with schoolwork (which I’ll get into further details below), but it’s a bit more relaxed and more eventful this week. This week, I’m going to talk about my school / art update and my trip to NYC yesterday!
When school rolls around, I get very lethargic when it comes to doing anything else but school and work. It sounds really depressing but I just don’t have that much energy left to go or do anything else?? Can anyone relate?!
I guess because I knew I had an appointment in the city, I had enough energy for that. My classmate was going to accompany me yesterday but her coworker couldn’t cover her shift so she had to back out. Despite that, I really wanted to go back to one of my favorite stores there, and I ultimately had fun walking around by myself. Before we talk more about the city though, let’s talk about school.
School Update
I’m pretty much halfway over with my first semester, woo-hoo! I’ve been enjoying my time back in school, and in two weeks, it’ll actually be time to register for the Spring semester.
Adobe Illustrator Class
In my previous post talking about going back to school, I had complained about a certain class in which the teacher said he was freaking winging things. Just to reiterate, this class was about learning one of the most important programs that a Graphic Designer should know, Adobe Illustrator.
We spent about three or four weeks in total, doing nothing but using the pen tool. There’s about 25 different tools in this program (just an estimate, I didn’t actually count). In a 15 week semester, the teacher uses about a fifth of the semester to learn one tool. Just why. I don’t want to say I know more than the professor but I’m fairly certain Graphic Designers don’t even heavily rely on this tool. I certainly barely used it when I studied Graphic Design in high school for four years.
Anyway, on the bright side, we’ve sort of moved on with just focusing on that one tool and are now proceeding to make other things like full figures, logos, and now letterheads / business cards. I actually asked the professor if we were going to learn about typography (the study of type) and make logos, so I think that’s why we finally moved on.
2-D Design Class
This class still remains one of my favorite classes. As you may have seen on Instagram, I posted about one of my painting assignments there. I’m happy to say that I’m consistently scoring high marks for my assignments.
My most recent finished assignment was about painting two different things – one man-made, and one naturally occurring, that were either similar in shape / form or two words that were homonyms or homophones. We had to paint these two pictures in black, white, and use lots of gradients. Some of my classmates decided to use stuff like “hair” and “hare”, “loaf” and “loafer”, and others like me used similar forms. I settled for spaghetti and meatballs and snakes.
My current assignment is using gradient to paint different shapes with a light source. I’m not done with it yet so I didn’t take a picture, but let me tell you – it’s tough and it’s taking me ages to finish!
HTML Class
HTML and Web Design class is my other favorite class, of which we just finished our midterm. I scored like a 94.5% so I’m fairly satisfied. What’s due next is our practical exam in which we basically have a week to code certain pages of a website with specific directions. It’s pretty fun and satisfying to code it and troubleshoot to make sure everything works properly.
My Saturday Trip to NYC
As I posted on Instagram yesterday, I went back to the city because of my lasering appointment. Can you believe it was already my third appointment?! I’m set to go for six sessions so I’m halfway done.
SEV Laser Update
As I’m officially halfway done with my lasering, I can definitely say I have seen awesome results. SEV Laser has been really great, from the receptionist to the girls working with the laser. From my first session, I actually already started seeing results. After the first session, I noticed some empty patches and that my hair growth was slower. I shaved a week after I got lasered but after that, I remember the next time I shaved was not until maybe two weeks later.
After my second session, the hair growth slowed even more and I basically didn’t shave the entire four weeks until my next appointment. IT WAS AWESOME! Maybe a week before my third session (yesterday), my hair was definitely growing back but they grew back super thin. I asked Gabby, the girl who I saw yesterday, if this was normal. To my understanding, I should basically be almost completely hair-free, so why was I seeing this?
She explained to me it was normal and is basically a part of the changes you’ll see before becoming hair-free. Phew! I’m looking forward to seeing if the fine hairs still grow back after being lasered for a third time. Stay tuned!
Visiting Kinokuniya … Again!
Kinokuniya is one of my favorite stores to visit in the city. I went there with Katie, I took Victor to Kinokuniya, and I went back by myself after going to SEV. I went there specifically to see if there were cute stickers I could buy to design my BUJO.
Their stationary floor was filled with SO MANY kawaii (or cute) stuff, I wanted to buy them all. I displayed self control and got just one sticker pack … as well as two cute stud earrings, a Totoro keychain, a cat charm, and a Pentel permanent brush marker for outlining my drawings. 😂
Changing Things Up and Keeping Things Interesting
What’s great about Kinokuniya is that they change their inventory up so every time I go, there’s always new additions to the stationary or their manga floor. Even their little cafeteria area on the third floor, Cafe Zaiya, changes up their menu a bit, which definitely helps encourage people to come back.
They had sesame and green tea ice cream, but every time I bought a cold drink or dessert there, I’d always get incredibly cold in the store that it’s hard to shop some more. I opted for a Mochaccino this time, and it didn’t disappoint. They have great pre-made food bentos there, like pork or chicken katsu, chicken katsu curry, eel bowl, beef bowl, salmon and curry, and more. I couldn’t leave that place without buying some chicken katsu curry and beef bowls to bring for school for the following week. Sorry, no mouth-watering food pictures!
I wish I could’ve stayed a little longer but I had to catch my bus. I guess it’s also good in a way that I left early because I probably would’ve bought more keychains and stickers.
Well, that’s it for my adventures! Hopefully there will be more exciting events to talk about in the life of this college student.
Until next time! ♡
I would love an html class! I would be super bad at the art stuff haha but i can handle html. Your trip to nyc sounds so fun! I would love to walk around nyc by myself at least once. I think it’s cool when places change up their inventory/menu! Keeps it interesting haha.
you have no idea how much seeing your school journey and following your illustration ig page really does inspire me girl. I love seeing your talent and hearing about your classes. really makes me (and has made me) stop saying I want to start doing art again… and actually helped me to set aside time to do it. I’m so glad you are loving your classes.
i seriously need to try the sev laser treatment lol. would make my life so much easier lolol.
also, isn’t there just something about nyc (and boston), in the fall and winter-time. everything just feels extra magical.
Ah I remember those college days of having only enough energy just for school. While the coursework is informative, it can be draining😩
I’m so glad you’re doing well in your classes! You’re so talented with your digital illustrations, I can’t wait to see what you’re doing with that in the future 😁👏🏾
I know what you mean about shopping in a cold store and eating cold food, it just makes you colder😂 but green tea ice cream sounds yum right now😋
I was curious about the laser hair treatments. I had no idea the hair grows back but just slower. I always thought it was one those processes you do once and the hair is gone forever. Thanks for the informative tip.
I enjoyed your update post Geraldine!
Natonya | https://justnatonya.wordpress.com
Aw a day out with your own company is kinda the best :’) I love days like that. I can’t believe this semester has flown by so quickly; I already have to make my wishlist for next term as my registration date is Nov 6th!
Kinokuniya sounds like my kind of store. I’m planning a trip to NYC for next year. I’ll have to make a stop there while I’m there. That is so weird that your professor focused on the pen tool for so long. When I was in school, I think we spent about two or maybe three weeks on it. I love the paintings you did for your 2-D design class. Good luck with the rest of the semester.
I’ve always dreamed of going to nyc – visiting all the cafes, powells, watching hamilton and all! it seems like such a vibrant and lively city. ive heard about kinokuniya, and seems like stationery heaven.
i love all of your designs and paintings, they are so beautifully created geraldine!
Thats awesome you are half way THROUGH. YouR art is so beauTiful. That shop aounds great; stickers are always fun to use to decorate JOURNALS and notebooks xx
Love seeing your art from your classes, you are so talented! I’m hopeless at art although fairly handy now on canva 😂 and I know a little bit of html. Glad you got the tutor to move on finally! I’d love to visit nyc one day, the STATIONery store sounds fab!
So happy to hear that the laser treatment is working! It’s something I’m really interested in and tempted to get myself, it’s great that you’re already seeing a lot less hair and it’s thinner after a couple of sessions though. Your illustrator class sounds…er…awful? I’m glad you’re enjoying the others overall though 😊 x
Sophie
http://www.glowsteady.co.uk
I can relate wholeheartedly!! That was how I feel when I get home from work. All of these hobbies I want to do, but not enough time. When will I get to this fantasy of me doing watercoloring stuff??!!?!@?!@?!?@
Glad you’ve been enjoying class overall. It is so cool to see you learning different things. I can’t use illustrator to save my life. I am lucky enough to get one decent sketch out of that app!!!! I love your work!! It looks super cool. Glad the lasering session went well. I should look into this or something?!?!
OMMGMGMGMAMMGMGMGMG THE STICKERS!!! I NEED THIS IN MY LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Glad you enjoyed your trip to NYC! Remember to visit LA!
Nancy ♥ exquisitely.me
Glad you’ve been enjoying your classes, your illustrator class sounds frustrating with that teacher only focusing on one tool for ages, hope it gets better though! I love when you share your work, it’s always amazing. Glad the laser treatment is going well too, the thought of not having to shave for 4 weeks sounds amazing! Glad you had a lovely time in the city too.
Chloe xx
http://www.chloechats.com
I can DEFINITELY relate, lol. I haven’t had the energy to work on my blog/YouTube since starting up my classes. I think I’ve finally settled into more of a pattern though and might be able to get back into it soon.
I hate when teachers spend most of the class on one topic-that Adobe Illustrator class would probably drive me crazy too. All of your paintings for the 2D Design class look amazing though! And cool, I had to take an HTML class over the summer, but all of our assignments were VERY straight-forward. I wish we had had a practical exam like yours.
Kinokuniya sounds like such a cool store! I wish I knew about a place like that near to where I live.