All I Want For Christmas is Animation!

Animator and cartoonist Meredith Gran, creator of webcomic Octopus Pie, created a short animation to Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas.

I've seen her comic for a long time, and what I like about her material is that it's unique while still being able to pay homage when she wants to. That's not an easy feat to do in cartooning or animation.

Anyway, I wanted to share this with you all, wishing you a Merry Christmas! :)

Simply Amazing

Animator Dalmiro Buigues showcases how he created this project for Cartoon Network. He mentioned using 3Dmax and After Effects.

To see the finished footage of this rendering, check out his vimeo profile.

:)

Roy E. Disney, R.I.P.

Roy E. Disney, thanks for your hard work in continuing with the quality work at Disney. As well as inspiring animation artists and enthusiasts, such as myself. Thanks for everything. Thank you. *sigh*

Awesome Coca-Cola Commercial

Saw this commercial at the theaters recently, and I enjoyed the concept for this animation. Having two different individuals share the same interest in Coke, and through that, they were able to bring different interests together..in a smooth, cool, refreshing way of communication. I also enjoyed the feel of cut out paper for the illustrations. Very nice.

I also thought it was interesting that this was Secret Ingredient no. 83....seeing I was born in 83. :D I'm sure all of this was composited in After Effects, I'm sure it was. :)

Hoped you enjoyed the commercial, I know I did!

Tim Burton at MoMA

After watching this video from TIME.com, makes me really want to visit MoMA and see Tim's exhibit. I've enjoyed Tim's work in animation (Nightmare and Corpse Bride), as well as some of his live action movies. His artwork style is truly unique, and it is inspiring. :)

Got To Get This Book!

I saw this book today while I was at Barnes and Noble, and just seeing Norman's process was spell bounding! Not to mention inspiring, seeing different models being used to help him capture his vision. If you see the book somewhere, I suggest taking a look at this book. It's worth your time, I promise you! :)

They Have WAY TOO MUCH FUN at Pixar! LOL

That was totally awesome, all at the Pixar studios! They really do have way too much fun. :D But awesome fun! :)

While Searching the Net...

I found this quote about font: "Font choice is not the most import­ant decision you make when design­ing with type."

The quote came from the website I stumbled upon called Typophile. Another typeface forum site to take a peek! :)

Enjoy! :)

Where the Wild Things Are

Came back from watching the film, and I am happy to say I was not disappointed! I was more shocked and impressed by the quality of the story and the craftsmanship of handling the characters. That is not said for every children's story book coming to life on screen. It really put Jim Carrey's Grinch to shame.

It was very funny, dark, suspenseful, and heartwarming. Watching Max on screen I saw myself in his shoes, and he had to learn how to take control. I need to learn how to take control as well.

And the design work for the typography does not disappoint either. Even the movie's website has a wonderful design, with animation and video galore!

If you don't watch this movie, you really missed a treat. I kid you not.

One Flight Down

Interesting Nike Commercial

Like the use of live action transitioning to traditional animation and back. Not many commercials (or shows/movies for that matter) do that well. Also like the motion graphics at the end with the type and logo.

Thought it would be an interesting concept commercial to share. :)

Glad He's Not My Roommate!

I don't think Mario would've helped me get me into the Graphic Design program at Georgia State. :/



I mean, I'm a Nintendo fan since '89 (still have the NES, Super NES, N64, and Gamecube, along with a Gameboy Advance)....but best believe I told Mario to stay home for the entire school year last year! Otherwise, I would've been gaming for hours and hours. LOL

Hope you enjoy the video! :)

GSU Drawing/Painting Major Interview

Just wanna say congrats to my friend Robin Gillis on her interview. :)

Totally awesome! :D

Wow

I know that it was shocking for President Barack Obama to get his Nobel Peace Prize...but I guess I found it more shocking for Marge Simpson being on Playboy magazine cover. And the cover looks great! :D

The type looks great with the illustration. I'm sure Family Guy will come around the corner with Lois Griffin on there some how. : /

WHOA!

I was shown by a deviant from deviantArt the upcoming video game from Disney, the concept art for it....and I was truly blown away by the artwork and the concept for it. This is the magazine cover spread for the main article. And clearly, it's gotten my attention, definitely gettin' a copy of this issue. :)

Hope you enjoy!

Shout Out to Daniel Kahn Nelson! :D

I want to congratulate my friend and colleague Daniel Kahn Nelson for his hard work on his latest project Big Smokey and the Shankers. Took him two years to finish the project, and I'm happy to see that he's able to showcase it to the Macon community. Hopefully, he'll be able to show it in Atlanta too, that would be nice. ;)

For some that don't know Daniel, he's a Georgia State Film graduate who has a passion for film editing and directing. He has interned at CNN, and he works well with Final Cut Pro. I had the pleasure of being able to work on this project with him, and already looking forward to see what else he does in the future. :) Hope you guys enjoy his interview.

Very proud of you Daniel, huge congrats!

Education Can Be Fun (I'm Jealous)

I wish I was at this school while growing up. Looks like fun! :O

Infinite

This illustration was done by Tim Tomkinson for the weekly active illustration blog Illustration Friday. I thought his design and craftsmanship was handled nicely. :)

I have been subscribed to Illustration Fridays before, but I never put the effort to get involved. That will change this week. It'll help me get involved with other illustrators, push my skills as a conceptual artist, and hopefully have some nice pieces for my portfolio. This week's subject is pattern. We'll see where it leads. :)

Inspiration For Me to Move!

Sweeeeet!!! :D

Horrible Decision Making ESPN!

I usually go to ESPN's website to check on scores, news, etc., and when I got to the homepage today, saw this horrible green used for the Gatorade advertising. Having it against that red was not a wise move on their part. Bleh!

This Post Goes Out to Chris K! :D

The joy that comes from motion! :D

Using life influences to bring interesting concepts and cool ideas to motion graphics! :D






Embrace motion Chris! Life is so much better in motion! ;D *laughs*

More Inspiration to Blow My Mind!

Simply ridiculous!



Now that's inspiration to jumping over hurdles in designing concepts! :D

Adv. Type Assignment 4 - Inspirations

It's always interesting to find out an artist's inspirations on how he/she constructs his/her compositions. Whether in graphic design, illustration, animation, sequential art, etc. And quite frankly, I find it interesting of different artists who inspire me in how I draw my characters and design compositions:



1. Charles Schulz: He's the no. 1 reason I think as a cartoonist first. I have always enjoyed his strips as a kid, and enjoyed watching his projects come to life in animation as well. His strength in conceptual writing has been an inspiration in how I create my characters, and how they come to life in my head...and onto paper.



2. Paul Rodecker: Mostly I was self taught in drawing, seeing my frustrations with past drawing teachers never helped me progress. And I admit, when I took Paul for the first time, I thought I was going to get the same results as my past disappointments. Boy was I ever wrong. His passion for drawing, and for hard work, changed my look in life forever...that anyone can achieve something if they freakin try and push themselves!!! I always sought his artistic words of wisdoms, how he approached things, and how his challenges could help me. Not just as an artist, but as a person. Much respect!


3. Pixar: They're doing something in animation that no other studio has done in years: Produce awesome stories with phenomenal art, on a consistent basis! As an animation fanatic/enthusiast/director hopeful, that means a whole lot to me. Disney has slipped in the last few years, DreamWorks forgot what made them successful (as in respect and good graces), and we won't even talk about Warner Bros. as far as animation movies are concerned. Anyway, the hard work for pushing for a simple concept for both young and old to receive has been shown in all their movies. Not to mention, they continue to lead by example in the animation industry that "art challenges technology, technology inspires art" (quote by John Lasseter).


4. Dave Matthews Band: I discovered this group late a few years ago (maybe around 2003-04) when I finally watched them performed live. I was completely blown away by the diversity of this group (not just musical backgrounds, but as people) and that they continued to stay together. And while it was sad to see saxophonist LeRoi Moore pass away, it is still amazing to see that amount of hard work to become who they are today. They inspire me as a visual artist, but as a musician too (played drums for almost 10 years, but looking to switch to another instrument next year).


5. Persepolis: Marjane Satrapi's graphic novel turning into an animated feature blew my mind. It is this reason alone I give oath to black and white when I draw myself as a cartoon character. I never knew how difficult it could be to construct positive and negative shapes with just black and white alone. However, I love the challenges it brings me, every time I start to work in that direction. And quite honestly, I would do all my stuff in black and white...but I have to learn how to experiment with color at some point. I guess.

6. My Classmates: You guys inspire me in class when I view works on the blog, or seeing what you're working in class. It really keeps me in check, to bring the best I can, to never settle for crap, and to never be content. I hope I inspire you guys too.

I have plenty more inspirations in my life that I bring to my artwork. Hopefully, I'll have time to share those later on in the semester, or in the school year.

Over and out.

"It's Safe to Fail"

Found an article on Variety (dot) com on Pixar director John Lasseter and his philosophy for achieving success. In his own words, "It's safe to fail."

Something I need to know/be reminded of as I continue this graphic design program. It's not bad to fail at something, as long as I learn from it, and continue to push harder in my concepts and projects....as well as fail early so I can gain success sooner! :D

Hope this is inspirational to someone. And have a great weekend! ;)

Rialto Art Fair

I was able to get some pics of the Rialto Art Fair. It was a nice event seeing the different art disciplines showcasing their projects and abilities. :)

Senior designers Mario Segarra and Mike Rogers talking design.

The famous Obama Typography piece by Senior designer Jason Dooley.

DUPA! :D

Interior Design representing as well!

I want to say thanks to all the senior designers who took their time to host the graphic design table. :) Awesome job guys!

Love This Typeface!

I never really got to mention this during the summer...anywho, I really love this typeface that Starbucks used for its' campaign. Not too thick, luscious, and exciting! I would love to know what typeface this is. I love sans serif type! :D

Adv. Type Assignment 1 - Intro Projects

So our first blog assignment for Advanced Typography is to showcase some works done in our classes prior to portfolio review. In all honesty, I really enjoyed my first efforts, as I tried to do well and give it my best effort. Here are some of my works I enjoyed at the top of my head:

To this day I enjoy my personal logo, it really represents me: My interests in animation, movement, and always looking for explosive energy in art.

This is the only black and white design I did. I've been a huge fan of black and white images for the last two years now. I really felt this was the one design I was able to utilize my black and white interests with purpose.

One of my favorite typography projects in the class. It was tedious, but the results were worth it!

Another typography project that I felt I grew in using type in a composition. I was really proud of this project.

One of the ads I did for my independent client. This was my first out of the three that felt like it was going somewhere. The other two followed this one!

And there you have it! :) Hope you enjoy the ones I chosen to showcase.

Life Drawing 2

It's been a while since I updated my blog on life drawing sketches. I've been practicing drawing my left hand, in hopes to get a better experience of drawing this interesting member. So far, I have drawn 100 hands in my sketchbook alone (other sketches have been in other sketchbooks and scraps of paper).

I plan to draw more hands, as well as start to learn the skeletal structure, then the muscular structure. The more I attempt, the more I try to understand, the better I have to voice my opinion and views.

Enjoy! :) And if anyone likes to critique or offer suggestions, I am willing to listen. Thanks!

Coraline is Now on DVD!!! And Other Things...

I am so happy!!! :D After all that blasting waiting, I can finally have Coraline on my personal screen! :D If you haven't seen this movie, rent it, buy it, borrow it...just don't steal it! And if someone steals my copy, there will be heck to pay! LOL

Other than that, I will be back in Atlanta to prepare for the school year this Friday. I'm working again at University Housing, and I will have training this Saturday...so I can't wait for school to get started...no matter how much heck I might have to go through with these classes and projects. Let the madness begin!!!

Guest Comic Strip

My friend recently asked me to provide a guest comic for her webcomic. The picture above is the first panel for the strip, the rest you can view at her website.

Hope you enjoy the comic, and hope you had a wonderful 4th! :)

Tuts+

OMG!

So I was looking up boxing posters (in an attempt to make one myself with cartoon characters - wanting inspiration), I found a link that had a tutorial to make a retro boxing poster.

So I was like, "Hmm, this is pretty good." So I looked around on the site some more, mostly tutorials for Photoshop, and I couldn't believe my eyes....

I hit a freakin' mother load of tutorials for so much software! :D I'm talking about Photoshop, Flash, Illustrator, After Effects, even 3D software! I was like, "Are you freakin' kidding me?!" :D I'm just so excited. LOL

.....oh yeah! You guys want links! LOL

PSD.Tuts+
Flash.Tuts+
AE.Tuts+
Vector.Tuts+
CG.Tuts+

Hope you guys enjoy them! :D The ones for After Effects are already making me drool. :P LOL :D

Riskingly Amazing!

I thought his sculpture was a cool design to make, even if it was a risk. Though the police didn't like his "construction", I'm like, screw it. This is an awesome design, and definitely brings character to the road.

At the same time, you won't see me doing that. :P LOL

Learn From Jack

I am sure everyone remembers the movie The Nightmare Before Christmas, and how one's desire to push past complacency can open to many results. We saw Jack Skellington wanting to do something different, yearning to get out of the norm of his usual antics. In his discovery of Christmastown, he was intrigued to not only gain understanding of the atmosphere and its' spirit, but to also put his best efforts in doing the festivities. In his attempts, he failed; however, he still felt energized to try something new. After all his participation in learning Christmas, he was able to see more potential in his strengths of making mischief.

With this all said, I believe there's a lesson we can learn from Jack as artists: Putting our best efforts into an unknown skill/ability/medium will impact our strengths. Whether you are strong in drawing, or strong in photography, if you find the connection between your strength and weakness, your strength will benefit more from your experimentation.

For instance, I took up watercolor painting last year, and I was completely horrible at it. No matter how hard I tried, I could not get the medium down, or get a good understanding of it. However, if I had saw the benefits of the process, I would have found that it was helping me get better at drawing. Learning to use the strokes of a brush impacted my strokes of a pencil. How lightly I use the charcoal/lead pencil as I press against the paper. Allowing my arm to be loose and free, like painting with watercolor. Another good example was doing 3D: I thought it was a waste of time. I was proven wrong after I got into Life Drawing. If I had understood the necessities of 3D shapes, and how they relate, my drawings would have shown more volume and weight.

Now, I can see that not every weakness will become a strength. I do believe that through extra sacrifice and hard work the possibilities for that to happen are high. And I also believe that the weakness of a medium you put your best efforts to will push your strengths even further. So if you are not strong in drawing but you are strong in photography, push your drawing skills some more. Or if you are really good in sculpture, but you are not well in ink, see how using inks will help you explore sculpture. The key is having an exciting attitude to explore...just like Jack Skellington.

Adobe TV

Something I found today: Adobe TV.

Video tutorials and info on Adobe Software. Some things that are interesting to look at, and hopefully inspire. :)

Samples of After Effects I'm Enjoying

Found these on YouTube for inspiration. And I must say, I can't wait to get started in learning After Effects! :D

Other than that, I saw Pixar's Up for the third time today! Yup, I can't get enough of that film. :D

Saw Pixar's UP!

I know that Barron mentioned about seeing Pixar's UP, so I wanted to give my share about the film:

You have to see it, and you have to see it in 3D! :D I was able to go see it last night for the 3D version of the film, and I must say the 3D did the movie justice! I'm not saying it to say it, seriously, this is the first 3D film I went to, where the images aren't trying to come out to touch you. Instead, they calculated what's important in regards to perspective of the environment and the characters.

Even if you don't go see the 3D version (seriously, you'll be missing out if you do), this movie still had heart, adventure, action, and wonderful characters. I was just in awe with Pete Docter's (the director of the film) style for this film, so different compared to his first one (Monster's Inc.).

I also like how Pixar does its' movies, by making sure they crank out the best concept possible. They duke it out, tell it like it is, what each other likes or don't like, and then they go produce an animated film like their lives depends on it. Never have I seen a studio put in so much heart for the sake of telling a great story every time....I can't say the same for DreamWorks. That's a whole blog post in itself (the animation junkie side of me speaking).

Anyways....go see this film! Trust me, this is not a kiddie film! :D

Happy Birthday to Me! :D

I can truly say that my 25th year has been the greatest of my life so far. It was definitely a 360 degree turn around from what I had going when I was 24.

So with that said, I'm looking forward to see what no. 26 has in store me. :) That's right, I'm 26 years old today. :)

Enjoy Memorial Day! ;)

OMG....(Growing Pains)

I have so much work to do. Not that it's on my plate right now, but just learning to play a role that is different from what I normally do.

I am a cartoonist. Not an illustrator, there is a difference. Can a cartoonist become an illustrator? And vice versa? Of course. It just takes a lot of work to get there. And I desire to get to where I can do illustration as an illustrator, not just as a cartoonist. Fortunate for me, I can imitate styles nicely. Still, I just need to get better in my drafting skills, and draw draw draw.

Then there's designing: I want to get better in design, where I can be unpredictable...I always felt like my works would be predictable this past year (probably because of my cartooning skills) in my projects. Probably the most unpredictable result was the last project I did for typography, which I am happy of the results. Hopefully, my typography skills will grow and sharpen, as well as composition. Add some things that will shake up the foundation of how I see things.

Last, and not least, adding motion to my projects. Animating characters, shapes, type, whatever the case may be. I am going to get After Effects, so I can start learning over the summer. Nothing wrong with a head start. :)

A cartoonist pushing to become an illustrator, designer, and an animator. I need all the Starbucks I can get for the next two years....

Networking

Read a great article on being effective in networking. While the site is geared to those in the animation industry, I truly believe it applies to any art industry, such as graphic design or interior design.

I agreed with what the author had to say in her first advice:

Creating a network is a long term commitment to building strong, mutually beneficial relationships. If you are a student, begin with the other students at your school, your teachers, and some alumni. You can be a source of information for those who have graduated and want news of their old school. Once you are working, you can be a source to your teachers and the other students at your school about who is working, what it's like on your first job, and who might be hiring.

We need each other to survive in the art industry, no matter how you look at it. In my perspective at least. Hope this is inspirational and encouraging to someone. :)

Frito-Lay Animated Commercials

More animated commercials for the campaign "Made For Each Other"....but this time, it's Frito-Lay's turn!





Enjoy! :)

Tostito Animated Commercials

Saw both commercials today, and I was impressed by the work and concept. The tag line: "Made For Each Other" is shown in both situations...where two objects find a connection. Plus, the styles are different in character design, and it still provides a great sight to watch.

I think most people know, but if not, I'll let it be known: That's what I want to do. Animation. :) Motion Graphics...and hopefully, I'll get a head start this summer. Wish me luck!

Are You Kidding ME?!!!

Inspector Gadget remixed on a flute...while beatboxing?! Now that's AWESOME!! :D

It's always cool to see what you may find on YouTube. :) LOL

For Those Who Want To Work On Their Anatomy

An artist from deviantArt posted different resources that you could look up in pushing your anatomy drawing skills. I know I need to this summer, as well as going into the fall semester.

Have a great weekend guys! :)

Pixar Logos (Part 1)

Maybe I am biased when it comes to animated films, but I cannot deny my humongous support for Pixar. It deserved it, time and time again with every project they have showcased. From bringing the first fully computer animated theatrical piece Toy Story, to their upcoming piece Up, Pixar has always grabbed my attention and interest. Always grabbing my inner child, like a parent ready to showcase a new present.

I want to talk a bit about the logos, what I find astounding in their logo designs in a two part series. The next post I will definitely talk more from an passionate animation critic's side (that's a mouthful).

The Company:


Pixar's logo alone represents the quality and craftsmanship the company brings to their animation, consistently. That's something Disney has lost in the mid to late 90's. Looking at the letters, minus the "X", the footing for the serifs are strong. The font looks like it is in bold, as Pixar has taken bold risks with their storytelling formats. Not to mention when one says "Pixar", most people will nod in awe or have a positive reflect. The font is very clean and crisp, just as they push their animation to be smooth and clean. They also made the logo playful with having Luxo, Jr. (the jumping lamp) coming into the scene, jumping on the "I" until it's squished. The playfulness and wonder of the lamp is the spirit that Pixar carries in each film project they set out to do.

The Movies:

What amazes me about the logos for Pixar's movies, is that they mostly represent or give an indication of what the film is about. Or, it at least ties in with the movie. I guess that's what I look when it comes to logos, is how does the illustration or the type reflect the project or the client. Does it represent it as a whole? Or what part does it want to represent? Pretty much, Pixar not only delivers in animation, but it also delivers in design:

Toy Story's logo is the only one (along with Toy Story 2) that uses the primary color scheme for the entire logo. From my color theory lesson, primary colors are meant to grab your attention quickly, like fast food restaurants (Burger King, McDonald's, Wendy's). As kids, when we saw a toy that was pleasing, we would get excited. It would grab our attention the moment we see it. Having it being the first fully computer animated movie in history, it needed to be something to grab audience's attention (otherwise Pixar would have gone bust - watch the Pixar Story, you'll know what I mean). I thought the logo was also playful with the different sizes in the word "Toy", and having the shape behind "Story".


For A Bug's Life, the design team continued to use bold letters for the type, while adding a twist. Shapes of different bugs were used as counters, as well as the apostrophe in the title. Instead of all caps, the letters were all lowercase, keeping in relations with the subject matter of the film. Having the type being a warm color was inviting to take part of a small world, that we would never think of on our own.


With Monster's Inc. as Pixar's fourth film (Toy Story 2 being its' third), you can see that the company has strong taste in sans serif type. As well as using a bold typeface for the title. The blue is different from A Bug's Life's tone, having a cool calm head for both main characters in a fiery situation. Not that they were calm at all. The eye in the middle of the "M" makes it interactive with the viewer, as well as giving a chance to be animated if need be. I believe also that it relates to the usage of doors in the film, where the monsters have to peak through the closet, ready to scare the children as part of their work day.


What is really interesting for Finding Nemo, is how the word "Nemo" is big. I know I have talked about it before on this blog, I'm just revisiting. Having "Nemo" big looks like someone is shouting. Especially with the font in all caps and using bold. Pretty much the wave moving under the title does give me an indication that the setting will be water. Also having the counter in the "O" as a fish, makes the logo complete and represents the focus of this wonderful film.


For The Incredibles, the design direction went for emphasis on the action by bringing in warm colors (red, orange, yellow). The logo design for the "I" (under the title) shows movement, as superheros must act swift to any and all distress calls. To me, this emblem design shows more movement and animation in a static pose compared to the other Pixar movie titles. The curve in the title really goes with the crescendo and decrescendo in saying it's name. Where it starts strong, lowers in sound a bit, and then finishes strong at the end. Working that enunciation.

I will continue to analyze the other movie logos in Part Two.

Proud of You Bro!

Today, my brother graduated from Valdosta State University. He received a Bachelor's in Political Science with Honors! :D

I'm very proud of his work ethic and I know I will have a great time catching up this summer. It's been a long time since I have seen him, due to this graphic design process...but I know I will have a great summer being home.

Well done bro, well done!

:)

Ford Commercials Using Kinetic Typography

I saw a Ford commercial yesterday that caught my attention of their use of kinetic typography. I thought it was interesting and intriguing:



I thought the part where "Air Bags" inflated made it interesting, amongst other things. :)

Here are some more:





Enjoy! ;)

Semester Project: Sleeve It Alone

Due to poor craftsmanship, and low on time to finish my entire portfolio, I didn't include the sleeve as another 3D piece. However, I could say I enjoyed this project more when it came to designing something that needs to be cut and folded. Definitely for sure.

I just wanted to post this up. I know portfolio review was yesterday, but at the same time, I wanna keep adding more to my blog, regardless of the results.

Hope everyone will have a great weekend! :)

New Printing Rules @ Digital Aquarium

There are sign in sheets for both printers, with each individual being allowed to print 45 minutes each. After one's shift, if an individual would like to print again, he/she would have to place his/her name at the bottom of the list.

Easy, simple, respectable. Just thought I shared it with the rest of you guys. ;)

Happy printing, and 2 days til Portfolio! :)

One of My Last Pieces for Typography

My last project for typography, where we had to do a poster design to go along with a DVD cover for a nonprofit organization. *phew* That was a mouthful.

I know I am known amongst my peers that I am an illustrator/cartoonist by heart. To see that most of the elements were type for this project made me very pleased. Especially when I was able to mount it for critique....it's so nice...definitely gettin' a copy for room to hang up. LOL :) Just want to expand my range of handling design, both type and illustration/cartoons. :)

Hope you guys enjoy, and good luck continuing to do your portfolios!

Cyan Update: We're Back on Schedule!

Yes, Digital Aquarium today has restocked on cyan inks for the printers, and I got word from the supervisor that they should have plenty for the rest of the week! So guys, start printing! :D

And also, be courteous to others while waiting to print, or while you're printing. It'll smooth out the tension. ;)

Godspeed! Peace!

Semester Project: Reflections

(I think Brandi has started a trend...one that I think is interesting for others to post on their blogs. :) )

This semester has been the most gut-checking and emotional semester I've ever been. However, it was for the better. I had no idea what to expect this semester, not just for myself, but for others in Stan's class as well. Even for meeting up with people outside of our class. All in all, I can say it has made me a better designer and a stronger fighter. Pushing designs and taking on different challenges within this group made me more mature in decision making. So I am thankful for all the critiques, comments on the blogs, and even the chats on the side.

As the semester is coming to a close, my hope and desire is that we continue to push each other to become better designers and artists. That we continue to network and engage in each others' projects. We have a strong core of designers, and I'm sure any firm would welcome our integrity any day. Or even to the point of creating our own firm someday. It can happen. With that, I hope people will continue to blog designs and projects, to showcase to colleagues and potential clients.

In closing, I again thank everyone for helping me get better, for telling me like it is (you guys remember the first critiques for my client - :D ), and for pushing me. Good luck on the portfolio, and I hope we stay in touch. Peace!

ATTENTION: Out of Cyan!

Today, while printing at the Digital Aquarium, one of the printers needed to be restocked in cyan ink. As it turns out, the Digital Aquarium is out of cyan ink to restock the printers.

With that said, print as soon as you are able at D.A., or make plans to print at another place. I don't know if they will get any more cyan ink cartridges before Portfolio Review...but I am not going to wait to find out.

Just thought I would let others know. And the one I was using still has cyan in there, so that's good to go. For now.

If anything changes, I will definitely let you guys know.

Mat Cutting Tips

Utrecht posted tips on mat cutting (just checked my e-mail). It's located right under the section "Tips for Keeping a "Green" Studio". Scroll down and you're good to go.

While it focuses on framing, I think you could use the same tactics (but altering it to the specific needs for mounting) to cut mount boards.

I wish I would've thought of using a mat cutter to do my boards earlier in the semester...it would be a skill worth investing my time of practice for sure. :/

Hope this helps someone out there! :)

You Can Now Divorce...By Texting?!

I was definitely stunned by this. Quite interesting that you can now divorce someone with text...What a way to open up a door to new opportunities through texting...that shouldn't be open.

Chairs

I attended the gallery showing for Chairs tonight at GSU's Art Gallery. It was constructed by Drawing/Painting graduate Jessica Scott-Felder. And let me just say, if you haven't see the drawings, you must see it. And for everyone who missed her performance (yes she had a very interesting performance) missed it. Patti was there, so she knows what I'm talking about.

After Jessica's performance, Patti grabbed my attention about the book that was compiled:


The cover quickly grabbed my attention, just like Jessica's performance. I was really amazed with the quality of the pages displaying her artwork. Plus, I'm a sucker for black and white! As long as it's used in a well thought out concept (gotta know how to use positive and negative shapes). Check her book out if you like, it's really nice. :) Need to get a copy when I can get a chance.

It's very inspirational to see others create a book, have it published and showcase it to others. Hopefully I will have a volume of comics to sell in a book within the next year or so. :) Any takers? LOL

Have a great weekend guys, good luck mounting!

Semester Project: Rollin' Up My Sleeve!

This is my design for the sleeve, so far. To be honest, it took me a long while just to think of an interesting pattern for this project. And after a three hour sleep for the night, I just got up and started drawing.

As for the right flap, that's one idea of having the numbers punched or marked so people can come to redeem a free drink. Another idea, just need to construct this, is to create a maze. That way, instead of just throwing it away, the customer could have fun after they're finished drinking. Or even during it. :)

Still constructing this, so if there's any suggestions or advice, please let me know! Thanks!

Semester Project: Website Interaction Works!

I am happy to announce the Flash interaction for the website project is working! :D After several failed attempts, I was able to get help from Paige Taylor, and I'm satisfied with the results! :) Now to just work on the added content for Portfolio Review.

Thanks again Paige for helping me, I truly appreciate it! :)

I Promised Heath

Heath and I were talking about typography projects last night in class..and when I told him about my calendar project, he mentioned about posting them on the blog. And I told him I would. And now, I did. :)

The numbers in the background are binary code to spell "Tech Junkie" twice on each line. It takes seven numbers (I am not kidding) to create one letter or character. So that's why you see so many numbers in the background like that, as well as how the layout was constructed.

Hope you guys enjoy the compositions. :)