Tips

Craft Techniques:

Learn to Throw Things Away
Change your blades often. If you knick it once, throw it away! It is not worth trying to get one more use out of a 10-cent blade when you will probably ruin the item you’re cutting (ie. you’ve already printed your final, mounted it to Bristol, and now you’re cutting it out with a damanged blade). You will have to reprint, remount and recut again! Throw the blade away! Repeat: Throw the blade away!

Do Not Make Compromises

The last project I worked on was good but I could have been better if I had more time.  I wanted to format my photo research content better for my final manual in GPHD 30.  I spent most of my time laying out the problem statement pages, instead of working on the content pages.  So in the end I had to turn in a project that I wasn't 100% satisfied with.  I ended up getting a good grade, but I knew I could have thought of a better layout solution that was more dynamic.  I try to make every project another opportunity to see what I can create.  I want to discover new creative possibilities within myself, and when I slack off or run out of time I can't dive deep enough into my creative self.  

Dry-mount with Rubber Cement
Lay down on layer of rubber cement on desired location on page. Let it dry. Then apply rubber cement to the side of the second piece you want to adhere to the first piece. Lay down on top of dry rubber cement. This creates a stronger bond than just using one layer of wet rubber cement.

Keeping your pages clean

If you are printing at home save all your misprints because those clean pieces of paper can be used to cover your good printed pieces.  For example, once I successfully glue my 6x6 final onto bristol, I need to store it someplace while I work on the rest of the project.  I dare not place my final directly on my desk.  Instead I grab 2 sheets of scratch paper (unsuccessful prints for whatever reason).  I place one between the desk and my final, and the other on top of my final so that dust cannot settle.

Removing unwanted glue
Use a rubber or kneaded eraser to remove the glue, instead of using your fingers.  Try at all costs to not touch the paper with your fingers.  You can also use the sharp tip of an exacto blade, but do not scrap the paper too much.  If the surface of the paper is scrapped off then you will see a shine where you scrapped too hard. 

Printer Ink rubbing on other pages
This mainly happens on pages that have a final mounted.  The mounted 6x6 is raised because it was glue on.  During transport of your portfolio/final manual place a blank white sheet of printer paper in the pages that have finals mounted.  You can leave the blank pages in there if the Professor is okay with it.

Preventing Bubbles when Mounting Final Mock-ups
Use a roller instead of your hand (gasp!) when smoothing out your images after mounting them. This allows you to avoid fingerprints and smudges, and the roller gives your mounted item a firm and air-tight seal to your board.

Back-up Often
One situation that I would never like to relive was being at home, working on a website at 11pm (it was due by midnight), only to have my computer freeze up on me and crash. Unable to turn it back on, and unable to transport the files to a different computer because I didn't back them up, my only resort was to explain my situation to my teacher and pray for leniency. The moral of this story is to ALWAYS back up your files and save FREQUENTLY!
– Back-up twice, incase your first back-up gets corrupted
– Print and save hard-copies at various stages of projects; at least you can re-create from something (ie copy you’ve written, placement/color, etc.)

Project Management:

Accordion Filing System
Keep an accordion filing system that you can carry with you to school. Use folders for each project (or section of a project, if need be) so you can immediately find or file notes, research, sketches, etc. on any current project.

Keep a Master Calendar
Any calendar-type book will work; choose one you feel comfortable with. Keep life events as well as major project milestones on the calendar to stay on top of everything. Suggestion: Moleskin calendars.

Track Your Thoughts
This is a BIG must for process binder success. It is essential to keep your thoughts documented throughout the design process by going back over your work constantly and putting notes that reflect your thoughts, ideas and revisions. You can write on the actual mock-ups, use sticky notes, or keep a log/journal of what you are doing and the next steps you are going to implement.

Items to Stock Up On
Always buy more than you think you need. This applies to any special papers, etc. for a particular project. This saves time in running back to a store to get more of an item you messed up on (ie the perfect baby-blue paper you bought for your process book, but the printer got jammed and you ran out!)

Below is a list of standard items to always buy ahead on. Buy extra when you find a good deal, because you will always use these items. You do NOT want to have a project due, and run out of one of these supplies the night before (and then no stores are open).

• Ink!
• Paper
• Xacto blades
• Black mat board
• Rubber cement, photo mount
• Double-sided tape
• Tracing paper