Anja Hynninen

Drawing fish is also a part of being a designer

Anja Hynninen — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:35:26 +0000

As my final major project is about Japanese food, there is no way around fishy stuff.
Here is my friend “grilled fish”, or Yakizakana as it is known as in Japan.
He looks a little lonely here, but togheter with prawn, octopus and other sea creatures he looks goooood.
I still continue exploring illustrator and all its possibilities.
Next up is noodle dishes!

Making new friends

Anja Hynninen — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 16:02:18 +0000

Making new fiends is never easy.
Lately I’ve been trying to get to know illustrator a little bitt better.
We have never been on good therms, but I felt like it was time to break the ice.
At least we can talk about the weather now.
Its a start.

Japanese food :3

Anja Hynninen — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 11:01:37 +0000

This post is slightly out of topic of what I usually post on my blog.
But I need some help by all people currently living in the UK.
My subject for my Final Major Project is Japanese food in the UK, and peoples relationship to it.
By answering this poll, you help me on my way in my research.

Japanese food in the United Kingdom

Research material is only to be used in the purpose of design.

Every answer is highly appreciated.

If you have any other information related to this subject, feel free to tell me about it!
Have a lovely day, and maybe enjoy a sweet pice of candy sushi?

Restless mind

Anja Hynninen — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 22:23:07 +0000

3 months have gone sins I moved to England and started my final year in BA Graphic design.
Feels rather like 6.
Now I am restless.

These last few months have been some of my best, but also some of my worst days in my life.
This year is the biggest challenge I have ever faced.
Some ways it has made me stronger.
Facing the reality of a graphic designer.
Being pouched forward.
Hopefully become a better designer.
But in other ways it has killed some of the joy of creating.

Somewhere along the way, you looses part of yourself to keep up with the world.

The difference between NKF (Norwegian School of Creativity) and Southampton Solent University is huge.
It takes time to understand.
It takes time to get used to.
Tempo is faster.
More is expected.
Priorities must bee done.
They where not joking when they told us it would be a hard working year.
And when I say year that mean 28 weeks.
Including christmas, easter, holidays, weekends, every week, every day, every hour, every minute, every second of your life.
This is how the real world is.

Luckily you can made your own theory.

Cuss this is not me.
And you can argue and say that “You are not what you are designing”.
But I cant work without my hart.
Thats not my way of ninja.
I need to slow down.
Need time.
If thats is what I need to do to make good graphic design, then I just have to.
Thats my theory.
Then I deal with the real world when that time comes.

Challenge

Anja Hynninen — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 19:42:22 +0000

I got two packages delivered yesterday.
Thats always fun!
First one was 4 small books of paper samples from Gf Smith.
A pleasant surprise for a graphic designer.
The second one was expected.
Some equipment for japanese woodblock printing.
I am being told that its a technique really hard master, and usually takes many years of practice.
The head of printing-stuff at uni. told me I must be crazy wanting to try it out(Not without a sound of laughter, luckily)
She still agreed to have a workshop with me.
Looking forward!
There exist so many beautiful Japanese woodblock prints,
and learning more about the procedure and art will be exiting.

Wreck

Anja Hynninen — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 16:45:32 +0000

Last saturday was my birthday,
and I got this amazing present from my four flat mates.
“Wreck this journal” by Keri Smith.
I wanted one really bad, and just the other day I said:
“Ah, I want one of those books that I can destroy”.
So I was so exited when I finally got my own.
(Ive been observing my flat mate playing around with her “Finish this book” for the last months)
I wanted to start on the journal right away!
But business before pleasure.
Had to do some designing first.
Last few days I have been working hard with my Final Major Project,
finishing my 16 design pages for out first Final Major Project hand-up today.
And finally, after turing in my development book, fixing by bike(that got a flat tire on my way to school), and sleep for about an hour(productive day, right?)
I opened the journal.

The one and only

Anja Hynninen — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 00:28:59 +0000

There are no place like home they say.
Well London is the closest I come to home here in England.
One day it is my turn to live there.
Until then, I survive on weekend sleepovers at a friends flat.
A couple a weeks ago I had the most amazing time in London.
Leaving schoolwork and boredom behind.
Dinner, Asian beer and The Walking Dead was a brilliant start on the weekend.
Gaming Pofessor Laytons puzzle in between.
Friday was followed by TopShop, Japan Center and feeding the squirrels in Hyde Park.
And a fun night out, followed by a less fun sunday.
But it is amazing how only a couple of days in London
give you the same amount of inspiration as studying google for a whole week.
What you see in London, can not be seen anywhere else.
And some things are only to be found in London.
The one and only.

You know like…

Anja Hynninen — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 20:41:36 +0000

…WhenYou are rolling around on the floor, having fun.
Rolling all the way to your flat mates door.
Trying to open it, to make the perfect entrance.
Rolling.
But the door would not open.
She comes out.
Locks the door behind.
And the door would not open.
Woops.
Then its time to be creative.
Thats how you really take a break from schoolwork,
and enjoy life at fullest.
Recomanded.
Just don’t forget to blow out the candles‚
before you leave the room and lock yourself out.

Randomness.

When all you can do is drink hot chocolate

Anja Hynninen — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 20:30:26 +0000

Disappointment.
Thats a common word in design.
When something don`t work out the way you thought.
Sometimes you put a lot off effort in something,
maybe you even get exited.
Feeling that this is going the right way.
How can it not be?
You did put your heart in these papers.

You show up.
Proud as a child, on first day of school.
So exited.
Then you start to realize that something is wrong.
Critical words.
They hit you.
More than one time.
And life hit you in the face.
You realize.

You should have learned,
that this is the way things work.
That this is what make you a good designer.
That you need to be pushed.
But some days you are unable to see that.
And you just wanna be angry.
Drink hot chocolate (with cream),
and feel sorry for yourself.

Until you feel ready to swallow your mistakes.
And forgive other for their mistakes.
To get up and get going.
Open your sketchbook.
Not to erase what you have done,
but to make something better out of what you already have.
And to put an perfect ending to this emotional,
and (just a little bit cliche) story of a up and coming graphic designer.
You get by with a little help from your friends.

Darkroom and other curiosities

Anja Hynninen — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:22:21 +0000

It must been about two weeks ago we had a workshop, learning to use the darkroom at Uni.
Guided by the cheerful Rosy, we had a awesome time.
Using different items(found in the abandon Fine Arts classrooms) like candy, a toy gun, transparent overhead paper, some leafs and a lot of randomness, we created black and white photos. By exposing light sensitive photo paper, with the objects on top, and then making a huge, roaring, machine “eat” the paper, we got some artistic outcome. I would love to explain the process in more detail, but I am afraid I am not capable of expressing myself correctly on this area.
Tomorrow waits an other workshop, exploring the use of pinhole camera!

The last few weeks have been filled with a lot off research and a lot of long hours working with graphic design. When they said this would be a hard working year, they where certainly not lying.
Planing, reading, designing and more than a few cups of tea.
So thats life.
More curiosities than that is not to be found in my life by the moment.
(Thats not perfectly true, but I don´t have the time to write more blogs right now.)