Bachelor Of Fine Design ;)

I probably only told a few people (outside of my BYU graphic design friends) that I was applying for the BFA Graphic Design program at BYU. So, to fill in those of you want to know updates about my school endeavors (Grandma and Grandpa, Mom and Dad), this ones for you:

I got my portfolio together, applied to get into the BFA Graphic Design Program, and was lucky enough to be one of the few who get in every year! Such a great feeling knowing that some of my hard work has paid off and my professors seem to see some promise in me.

Here are a few iPhone snapshots from the day of the portfolio review (where all the professors go into the room and decide who makes it into the BFA).

It is such a great design program. Students that go through the program come out with great jobs and beautiful portfolios. Some previous alumni have even likened the program to a law-school type experience with the sleepless nights, the endless work load, and the great deal you learn during the whole process.

I am pretty excited to start the semester off with a full load of wonderful design classes taught by a few top notch professors that know their stuff.

Here goes nothin'...cheers to sleepless nights!

Also, for those of you are interested in what I am doing or what graphic design is in general here is a great explanation from BYU's website:

Graphic design as a discipline holds a rather unique and fascinating position in the world of aesthetic creation and study. As a tool to convey information to a mass audience, it is praised for its ability to clarify, educate, direct, and beautify; as an artistic medium, it is attractive because it holds possibilities for the student to manipulate a world of images, signs, and structures. Graphic design is responsible for informing the everyday object or common piece of information with a visual consciousness, for enlightening the mind of its audience, and for dismantling the usual social barriers that often prohibit an aesthetic experience in the everyday.

Books, magazines, posters, billboards, films, Web sites, product packaging etc., are the objects of the everyday, and as they are designed with artistic consideration, a complex identity and thought process begins to emerge and resonate within the consumer. A meaningful experience with the object, attained through thoughtful design, lay at the heart of the graphic design program.

In order for students to learn the concepts and skills required to achieve such an experience in their design, they are introduced to a healthy source of ideas and questions that expand their minds to analyze, research, and organize information. These creative thinking skills are then challenged and strengthened by giving students assignments that are geared toward an outcome at the professional level. Magazines, books, corporate identity, posters, motion graphics, and logos all result as creative solutions to complex communication problems that are identified and discussed in each course.

Instructors, who themselves are prominent designers in the area, easily relate the professional experience to students in the classroom and offer invaluable insight on all aspects of the industry. To enhance the learning environment and to open further opportunity for students, visiting artists are brought in to discuss their work and successes in the field and to give advice and encouragement to students striving to achieve a professional level of work. 

Tallinn, Estonia

While in Finland, Dustin and I decided we may as well use a day of travel over in Estonia. To be honest- when we got to Helsinki I second guessed our decision to spend a whole precious day in Estonia. I didn't know much about it, and I pictured it as some Medieval land, although, I admit, I did like the idea of being so close to Russia. We decided to stick with our plan, and I'm so glad we did.



(boat ride over)


Tallinn was incredible! Yeah, there were absolutely touristy areas, as well as men dressed up in chain linked armor pretending to be from Medieval days (tourists love that stuff, for obvious reasons), but the city itself was so beautiful.



First stop, Old Town Tallinn: 14th and 15th century architecture, medieval walls, lined with charming cobblestone streets or "weird rocky roads" as I heard one American teen call them. (awesome)




(Tallinn town hall)

St. Olaf's Church:
This church was built in 1250, but I think most tourists come here to climb up its steep and windy stone stairs in order to reach the impressive view at the top.

It wasn't an easy climb up- 234 steep uneven stone stairs and a narrow passage, with no windows to look through the entire way to the top. What makes it even worse is that you can't tell when the stairs will end, because directly above you are the bottoms of the next stone stairs you're going to climb. It was kind of crazy, but so worth the views.


(the stairs: c/o google images)


(at the top)


(the city from above)




(love those rooftops)


(another view of the city from a hill)

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral: Russian Orthodox Church built in 1900. I was really excited to see this building, like I had mentioned before-I like the idea of Russia, and it was totally Russian. I mean look at those domes.







After we did all we wanted to do in the main area of the town, we walked a ways toward the Toompea Castle and the Kumu Art Museum. It rained the whole way, but Dustin didn't let that get him down:

(so green and scenic!)

Kumu Art Museum: this building alone was worth the walk all the way from the city center in the pouring rain (without an umbrella). I just died over the architecture and the incredible windows.

And our last stop for the day was Toompea Castle:






Who doesn't love a pink castle? Estonia, we love you.

Scandinavian Rapture Part 1

First stop on our travel agenda was Helsinki, Finland.


(loved this building and its cool windows)





(amazing pedestrian bridge)

We survived the long plane ride as well as the layover in Paris (where we unfortunately could not leave the airport (torture)) and arrived in Helsinki ready to explore.


(totally in Paris)


(isn't this plane cool?)

Throughout our "incredible journey" (bachelorette shout out) we opted to stay in locals' apartments via a website called air bed and breakfast, which Dustin booked beforehand. And let me tell you- it seemed like every apartment we looked at to book for our travels was the most sleek, white, clean, beautiful apartment you could imagine. Needless to say, we loved it and loved meeting with the people whose houses we were staying at (they gave us the key and then lodged elsewhere for a few days-it was wonderful, and I highly recommend it).

Helsinki happens to be the World Design Capitol of 2012, I was really looking forward to exploring what it had to offer.



I'm going to try to keep the recaps somewhat brief just so I can get through our entire trip, (whatever happened to finishing my Iceland trip?) so here are the Helsinki highlights:

- Uspenski Cathedral



-The Kamppi Chapel of Silence: was one of the buildings I most anxiously anticipated visiting. The Chapel was built because Helsinki is the World Design Capital of 2012. It's a chapel with no religious affiliation.

The building is located literally in the middle of downtown Helsinki, where it can get somewhat loud as all cities can. When you walk inside the chapel of silence it truly is quiet. I love the juxtaposition of being inside the chapel, then walking outside and being in the center of the city with the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

I just love the architecture, and the inside is so lovely. Everyone is welcome within the chapel, but upon entering you have to keep the silence. Upon exiting there are many different denomination's religious books that you can take into the chapel and read. I loved that idea. So welcoming to all.


(the outside, not quite finished hence the fence but isn't it unbelievable?)


(the inside is all wood and rounded. Somehow my real pictures from my camera of this area are lost-so my iPhone will have to do.)




(one of the exterior walls)


(right outside by the chapel-in the middle of the city)


-Rock Church: it is what it sounds like. A church built out of rocks. Totally awesome. Best part is that you can basically climb over the top because it's essentially a mountain of sorts.






-Design Museum: LOVED this museum. So many pretty textiles, beautiful finnish design, incredible patterning as well. I was so inspired at this museum. There was a lot of Marimekko stuff within the museum, mostly retro design. So exciting.


(Marimekko fabric, Marimekko retro dresses)


(loved these posters)

-The Marimekko Store in Helsinki: I was not originally planning on going into one of Marimekko stores, but luckily our friend Brittany Watson Jepsen of A House that Lars Built (she's wonderful and extremely talented, just look at her blog) was kind enough to give us so many fantastic travel trips for our time in Scandinavia, and recommended this to us. It was such a good idea, I left feeling even more determined to become a better designer.

The patterning that this company does amazes me, I wanted to walk out the door with everything. The store itself was beautiful, and it was really inspiring to browse around. I would love to do patterning and work with textiles for a company like this one day. It's all so bright, fun, and happy in a non-tacky way. I just die over their illustrations.





Next on the list: Estonia!