News

What I've Learned So Far... Kaylin Henry

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 08:09:00 Z

Since my first day at PEG, I feel as if I have been learning so many new things every day. It has truly been a rich, fun, and challenging (in the greatest way possible) six months with this team! I kind of can’t believe it has gone by this quickly already.

FASCIAS. FASCIAS. FASCIAS.

When I first stepped into the wonderful world of graphic design, I primarily focused on print (packaging, branding, logos, all of that fun stuff), but also worked on a lot of web-based projects and dabbled in some video/animation work. However, I never thought of designing animations for sports teams, their stadiums, and what exactly all of that would entail.

This includes various LED ribbon board sizes, how to scale down a normally designed piece into crazy small constraints (i.e. 2000x72 just for starters), what a “fascia” even was, how some stadiums have their own special board designs and rules, and the amount of different animations/graphics that team’s will use in their production (goalie matchups, lower thirds, headshots, half slabs, etc). All of this has allowed me to develop a greater appreciation for how much effort goes into creating a compelling and fun sporting event for fans.

Storyboards Are Life

One of my main responsibilities has been illustrating storyboards for animations. This isn’t something that I have a lot of experience in, but it has been so rewarding! Instead of thinking and designing everything as being static or flat, I now have to think about elements in motion and how it interacts within a space - intros, transitions, outros, and everything in between.

I also developed a new process when I’m sketching out storyboards, where I have a tendency to “act out” the motions with my hands. As a visual person, it helps, I swear. In the final phase of creating storyboards, I write descriptions for each frame to provide direction for the video team on how certain elements should animate, any effects to use, how and when transitions occur, etc. This has allowed me to learn some proper video terms when communicating descriptions instead of saying things like, “make this go ‘whoosh.’"

It’s been pretty fun dedicating a lot of time polishing my illustration and photoshopping skills along the way too (So. Many. Photoshop filters). Now, every I’m watching a TV show, movie, or even ads, I’m always observing the animations and motion graphics and how I could use them as inspiration for my next storyboard.

It’s so exciting to think about the future and what else it may hold. It’s been so great collaborating with this team, learning from them, and creating some awesome content for our client’s along the way!

My Editing Playlist: Kaylin

Tue, 19 Jul 2022 10:47:00 Z

Behind every creative, there is always a playlist. Music plays a vital role in any creative process as a means to inspire, influence and motivate. I wouldn’t say that my playlist is consistent, because it varies depending on my mood, and sometimes even the time of year, but I definitely have some staples that I always go to when needing to break the silence.

Music

Whenever I’m needing focus and don’t feel like shuffling through the plethora of music out there, I am always down to brainstorm or work to good ol’ 80's music because you can’t go wrong with it. My favorite genres of that era include post-punk, synthpop, new wave and new romantics but more specifically: The Cure, Siouxsie and The Banshees, Depeche Mode, Joy Division, Cocteau Twins, The B-52s, Sparks, and Kate Bush - just to name a few. Their music always helps me conjure up new ideas, keeps me inspired and in a good mood.

If I’m needing to go into a deeper focus while working on a project, I’ll switch over to something more beat-driven, ambient, or even industrial. Dead Can Dance, Brian Eno, Chris & Cosey, Coil, and Portishead are always reliable to help me get into a more creative flow and think more abstractly.

Podcasts

Besides music, there are always podcasts. Lots of podcasts. These are usually reserved for when my brain might be a little fried or when I’m doing something meticulous and I need a story to keep me entertained. To disconnect for a bit, Last Podcast on the Left, Page 7, Someplace Underneath, Therapy Gecko, The Bald and the Beautiful, and Bodega Boys are always great choices for some good laughs and stories. And for some balance, I will also listen to some more informative podcasts such as You Must Remember This for some pop culture history and the great Rachel Maddow Show to keep me up to date on current events.

My Creative Inspiration: Kaylin

Thu, 02 Jun 2022 10:33:00 Z

All creatives go through a phase in their process, often in the beginning, where they will be beating their head against the wall, trying to get their brain to think of “the best design ever.” Meanwhile, time is flying by and you are batting down just about every idea that comes to mind because it’s not “the one” or, even worse, your mind has become a frustrating empty void.

One of the best ways I’ve been able to help combat this terrible habit of self-doubt and looming imposter syndrome is to write down any and all ideas. No ideas should be rejected. Ever. Even if they may not be “the greatest,” every idea has the potential to morph into something else or inspire more ideas! At the very least, it gets you thinking and within time, you will find something floating around in your subconsciousness that works!

I started implementing this simple technique when listening David Lynch speak about his creative process that revolves around transcendental meditation. In short – all possible ideas already exist but it is our job as the artist/thinker to reach deep down in our subconscious to pull them out and act on them. And if you don’t write or sketch them down, you will definitely be cursing your past-self for letting that great idea fade away! Trust me, you won’t remember it later…

When I’m not delving into the void, I often find myself either browsing Behance or Dribbble for the latest design trends, scrolling through some of my favorite artist’s profiles on Instagram, or flipping through some great design magazines. It’s amazing how many resources creatives have these days to help inspire them! I think it’s also important to remember that not everything has to come directly from the same medium that you are most familiar with too. Study films, photography, sound design, music, performance art, animation, packaging, album covers, books – anything that you find interesting.

I’m also a big fan of art history, so I love being able to design something that was inspired by a known artist/designer/art piece/time period. I think that, as a creative, it’s important to know the history and to know how and where styles began and how they continued to influence contemporary work. I find it pretty true that everything is a remix of something!

I could talk about it forever but some of my favorite artists that have left an impact on me and continue to inspire me would be David Lynch, Andy Warhol, Laurie Anderson, Yoko Ono, Peter Saville, and Debbie Millman, just to name a few. But I'll let you check them out on you own time.