Project: DSU Choir Poster

Client: DSU Choral Department
Service: Concert Poster Design
Date: October 2011
Completion: November 2011
Referred by: Director, Sandra Champion

Last year, I was Sandra's work study and worked on all the posters for the concerts. Since I graduated in May, she was without a work study to do such things for her. I wasn't aware of this until I went and visited her in October. That was when she mentioned her dilemma and I offered to do this poster design for her.

Positives: I am pretty familiar with the movie, so it was actually a little easier than expected to do.

Negatives: Almost too easy. 


Biggest Lesson Learned: Networking is amazing. Also, there's so much more involved in designing... even if it's only freelance.

So. Much. To. Do.

Hello there,

So, I've discovered just how much work I have to do to make MelJean Designs official. *sigh*... I'm nervous now.

I have no idea how it all works.... very lost right now.

Thankfully, I have a friend that has been through this and she's going to help me.

Wish me luck through all of this and any advice is welcomed! Thank you so much!

Email up and running!

Hello there!

Last night, I was able to set up my email so now... I can receive email exclusively for MelJean Designs at designs@meljean.com! The website is soon to follow!

I'm very excited about this!

So now... I'm hoping that I will start getting emails about doing Christmas invitations and possibly pictures. I'm aching for some work to do!

Business Cards.... ORDERED!

Good Afternoon,

Today, I finalized my order for 250 business cards and they will be here... in 21 days. I know that's a while to wait for them, but it saved money and I will be able to hand them out soon! ^_^ I'm very excited! (Can you tell...?)

Also, I decided against a slogan. No slogan. Just MelJean Designs. :D

This is it!

What's in a slogan?

Hm... so I'm working on my business card tonight and I realize... I don't have a slogan. *insert overdramatic gasp here*

Yep. Then, I start trying to think of different things... "Your needs are my designs" pops into my head. Kind of has a two-way meaning... I can fulfill your needs and also I am what you need. Get it? I kind of like it, but not sure if it completely matches what I'm going for....

And I haven't been able to really come up with anything else. Well, there is a part of a quote that I made up... The full quote is as follows, "I've got nothing but the paint on my hands and the music in my heart." (Came up with it for my recital during my 4th year of college because I was singing, but also showing off my artwork, so I put this quote on the invitations and programs.) Anyway, I would only use the art part, but I'm not sure if that's totally appropriate either.

That's what I'll be doing tomorrow, hopefully, is coming up with a logo to go onto my business card. Now, here is the design that I'm liking so far....

This is the information side, of course. I would repeat the logo on the other side.

Thoughts? 

Well, it's almost 2:30 am and I have a lot to do tomorrow on my "day off" so I will leave you with that. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Project: Ternes Wedding Invitations

Client: Alyssa & Lane Ternes
Service: Wedding Invitation Design
Date: May 2011
Completion: June 2011
Referred by: Bride, Alyssa

These invitations were my first try at a postcard design. I really wanted to do a dye-cut design as well. I enjoyed working with Alyssa to make this adorable invite! After a few hours of hand-cutting around the hearts, I've decided to come up with a better solution for that. :D

Positives: The design is very simple and fits the couple perfectly!

Negatives: It was the first design job that I've done long-distance, so there were a few communication hiccups.

Biggest Lesson Learned: Don't make things harder than they are.

This is the information side. I took a picture of them and made it a silhouette as per request of the couple.
The colors of the hearts are their wedding colors. 

Delayed Introduction

Hello there,

You've found my blog! I'm Melissa Jean (MelJean) of MelJean Designs. This is what I do...

I am an artist who graduated from Dakota State University in Madison, SD with a degree in Computer Graphics. The reason I went for the Computer Graphics major is because Art is only a minor at DSU. (I did tack the minor on too, by the way. ;))

So, now I'm an artist with a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Graphics doing freelance work until I'm able to make it into an ad agency... or go to Graduate School for my Master's in Fine Art: Painting. That is my ultimate dream. Of course, the economy being the way that it is, that dream seems a little more out of reach than it did a few years ago. That's not going to stop me from dreaming it though. It will happen. Sooner or later, one way or another.

Back to my freelance designing... As you can see, I've done two weddings for photography... I have to express that I am an amateur photographer. I have taken a total of 5 classes between high school and college and experimented a little on my own. I am more than willing to take any kind of picture you want, but be aware of my skill level. The last thing I want is to misrepresent myself. However, my skills are far more advanced in the designing aspect. I've designed invitations to the Ternes wedding that I photographed and others, I designed my own logo, and I'm working with a few different people on other various projects including tattoo designs, logo/banner designs for a website, and more wedding invitations.

Along with print designing, such as the logo designing and such, I have experience in video editing. Again, as with the photography, I am relatively green with it, but I can make a simple video such as a memory reel for a graduation party, birthday celebration, or even to show at a wedding reception!

I hope that I've helped you to see a glimpse of what I do. Soon, I will have a website up and running (thanks to the help of a couple of friends) to really show off what I do. Thank you for stopping by and hope to see more of you!


--"Art washes from the soul the dust of every day life."

Project: Ternes Wedding Photography

Client: Alyssa & Lane Ternes
Serivce: Wedding Photography & Editing
Date: July 15, 2011
Completion: August 31, 2011
Referred by: Bride, Alyssa

I've been friends with the bride for a few years, so I knew her a little better than Carolyn.

Positives: Outside. No lighting equipment needed. Beautiful scenery!

Negatives: It was warm outside, so no one wanted to sit in the hot weather for pictures. I didn't want to make them uncomfortable, so I didn't hold them any longer than needed. Later, I came to regret not taking more control of the situation. Also, my camera malfunctioned at the time of the first kiss as husband and wife. I felt horrible! And with all the hustle and bustle of the day, I didn't get pictures of their rings either.

This is my favorite shot of the day! Absolutely beautiful couple. <3

Project: Johnson Wedding Photography

Client: Carolyn & Wes Johnson
Service: Wedding Photography & Editing
Date: June 4, 2011
Completion: July 6, 2011
Referred by: Bride's sister, Catheryn

This was definitely a learning experience for me. Having only done one wedding before this, I was very nervous.

Positive: Laid back environment. Learned a lot.

Negatives. I was sick on top of the nervous jitters. Also, the couple was relatively shy, so it was hard to read what they were comfortable with doing.

Biggest Lesson Learned: Instinct. If a shot comes to mind, take it... and more than once. Even if it doesn't turn out exactly how I want it, I can get more ideas from it.

First kiss as Mr. & Mrs. Johnson.