Learning all about Photoshop & Illustrator

I am officially a college student again.  Not a full time college student, just a one class a term college student!  I am taking Visual Communications II on Tuesdays and Thursdays (3 hours each class period) at the college that I work for. It is for my job, but I am going to use it to my advantage in every way I can!  I will be learning graphic design, in particular Photoshop and Illustrator.  Now, before I was in this class, I though I knew what I was doing.  Boy was I wrong!  Photoshop and Illustrator definitely takes some learning in order to really use it and utilize all the things it can do!

 The first project that we are going to do is design a logo for an existing business, a made up business or a business of our own.  I am going to create a logo for my event planning business-"This Magic Moment Event Planning".  We will create a logo that will be printed on letterhead, business cards and a variety of other things.  I have already started my sketches for that but I am really looking forward to getting in the software and working with it!

 Our second project is to design a book cover.  Here is where I am going to make believe!  I hardly doubt that I will ever be published in a book or even a magazine, ever, so I will pretend and create a book cover with some of my favorite images.  The photos I have uploaded today are some of my favorites and I could easily see them gracing the cover of my imaginary book!  I have to come up with not just a design, but also a name and what the book might actually be about.  So many fun possibilities for it!

 The third project will be designing packaging for a product.  I have been toying around with the idea of starting a little pet bakery.  I love making treats for my dogs and I think a lot of people would buy homemade treats for their dogs as well.  I was thinking about calling it "GraBell Bakery" or something like that, after my fur babies Grady and Bella.  If the design is successful, I can make some dog treats, package them up and sell them at local craft fairs to see how they do.  I am looking forward to this project to!

I am thankful that I get to take this class because I have been wanting to use Photoshop and Illustrator for a long time.  Right now, I use free online editing software to edit my photos.  It is so easy and definitely helps, but Photoshop really makes a difference and not just anyone can edit their photos using it.  I think I have a long road of learning ahead of me, but I am so excited to get going on it!

After I get this experience under my belt, I know there will be a lot of new possibilities for me!