Hey guys!

So I made my first post to here on September 4th 2024, it’s now December of 2025, I’ve been blogging for 3 semesters, and this will be my last post!

I’ve absolutely loved writing for this space. I’ve always been a quieter person, never the type to openly share my thoughts, but blogging changed that for me. Putting my work into words every other week gave me room to reflect, on what I made, why I made it, and how I could grow. That reflection helped me understand my strengths, confront my weaknesses, and ultimately become a better artist.

For my final post, I want to share a type poster I created recently. The assignment was to take a quote and design a hand-lettered poster that visually complements it. I chose the phrase: “Just make it exist first, you can make it good later.” It’s a mindset I’ve been trying to adopt, one that encourages creation over hesitation. I tend to get stuck in long cycles of brainstorming and second-guessing. I wait for a perfect idea instead of starting with an imperfect one, and that hasn’t always been a helpful way to create. So I’ve been learning to just begin, because I can revise, refine, and redirect later. The hardest part is simply starting. In the design, I really wanted to highlight how messy beginnings become better with time. I hand-drew the layout in my sketchbook, then tore the page to visually separate the rough initial sketch from the final product. The poster looks like the sketch was ripped away to reveal the refined lettering beneath, process and polish in a single frame.

I really enjoyed this project. It gave me a lot of creative freedom, and I’m happy with how it turned out. If I could redo one aspect, I would spend more time deciding where to tear the sketch before scanning it, because right now, it makes the word “first” a little difficult to read.

If there’s anything I’ve gained from writing here, it’s the value of pausing to reflect. I’d recommend that to any artist, look at your work not only when you’re making it, but after it’s done. Notice what you did well, what you struggled with, and what you want to do differently next time. These posts helped me see myself more clearly as an artist, and it’s a habit I hope to carry forward long after this blog ends.

Thanks for reading!

Emma <3