Program

Here's the program. It's pretty low-key, but I'm proud of it. It's a simple design that uses watermarks instead of my usual complex vector illustrations. I'm inclined to use them more often now they're so much easier to make than vectors. Yeah, I won't go into boring technical details. There it is.

Figured that out

The 'Add Image' function doesn't work in Slimbrowser, apparently. But sadly, it does cater to Internet Explorer - the status quo (and a lousy quo at that). But on the upside here is.. here is the poster! Wow! I really should have put this up earlier! I feel comfortable putting this up because I did most of the work. Biku might put up the postcard and website if she wishes because she did those.

The program will be in the next post. It's not this dramatic, but I'm actually even more proud of it.

On the downside, my Design Kumetai never really had a chance did it? Only attracted one comment - and that was from my girlfriend! So I guess it just wasn't meant to be. Oh well...

A Great Success

Been a crazy week. Apart from the preparatory work done for the shelter on wednesday and thursday, the event itself was pleasantly exhausting. I was there for about 9 hours and Biku for 7 or 8. We were told by email that the whole thing had been an utter success and that people had flipped out over our designs. I was surprised at how quick it was to dismantle the whole thing - only took about an hour and a half. I must say it was nice to do something physical for a change - I really miss that as a designer. My body held up admirably for someone who probably spends an average of 40 hours a week immobile in front of computer, never works out and eats whatever he pleases whenever he pleases. Just watch, I'll die from a massive corronary tomorrow just for saying that.

Biku only sold two tickets (apart from the ones we bought for ourselves), which is two more than I sold (she kindly asserted that we had sold one each). I now realize, as I post to this blog, that this would have been an excellent place to promote the event before it took place - but hindsight... blah, blah, blah.

I'm trying to post a picture of the event here - but the 'Add Image' button doesn't seem to be working right now. Maybe next time.

*Spock versus Kirk in-the-arena* music

I have this idea that involves any artists/designers that publish things on the web; I like to call it Design Kumetai. Basically, a moderator (me) comes up with an idea for an original piece of simple artwork/design - a new logo for Grand & Toy, for example. Artists/designers could pay a small fee ($5) to enter the competition and face off Kumetai-style on small projects with a pre-determined deadline (say, 48-hours). The exact structure of the competition could be done in several ways. But what's important is that a new piece be done every round (if tounament style) and that, if tounament style, that the tournament follow a certain type of work (logos, in this case). So if there were eight participants, there would be three rounds (each with a different logo to design), a 'pot' of 40 dollars (if an entry fee is charged) and the opportunity for artists/designers to showcase their work and engage in competition in a more direct way than they would normally get to. Graphic design is competitive, but usually in a more passive/indirect way. Of course, the winner could win all or part of the pot - the rest going to charity.

So that's my idea. I think Deviantart does something like it now, but strictly for art (correct me if I'm wrong). I'm unaware of any site currently doing this for graphic design.

Forward ho!

Sorry for the long delay but have at leasy been genuinely busy this time... My bread-and-butter client has been throwing lots of hours (hours = $) my way, which is good for someone who is in debt. Been doing volunteer work for homeless kids which feels good and lets me feel like a big shot (not to be confused with the Man). Done some very good work at bread-and-butter and can't wait to post it (once I get it, that is). My non-bread-and-butter clients (the garnish clients, as I like to call them) have mostly disappeared but I'm currently doing work for one - so that's good.

Strongly considered buying some Apple stock, but I think I'm about two years too late and many thousands of dollars short to make it worth my while. I think the Nano is going to be quite something this season, but I won't benefit from it.

Am also looking to sell my car, as I drive it about once a week now and hate even doing that. Walking around the core, I enjoy watching motorists freaking and peaking in their 50k cars (and that's only for gas) while I pass them on foot. "Suckers", I think - though they're probably thinking the same about me.

Soon there will be more artwork posted - which I miss doing - just in case anyone cares.

Yes... Um, Success

Sorry for the extended delay in posting, but I've been exceptionally busy. Well, relatively speaking in comparison to the total inertia I've enjoyed since my return from Europe. The meeting with Harold went well and I received the desired amount from the exchange. Further delving into the intricacies of freelance however has revealed one cannot, in a socialist country like Canada, escape the ravages of the tax man - so I'm a little peeved to learn I'll still be taking a major hit from him. Or her, as the case may be. Actually, I'm fairly certain I'd rather be ravaged by a tax woman if I'm going to be ravaged at all. Still, my situation is far superior to what I had previously. I need not now answer the phone, need not speak to customers at retail and am making more. Now, if only my other paying clients would contact me...

Success!... I think

The interview, or rather re-aquainting, with Harold went well on Friday. The new facilities are nicer than previous and I got the feeling things there are running more smoothly. The hourly rate was agreeable, though the terms not yet clearly delineated. As far as I could tell, it would be exactly as before except there will be no retail and the increased 'wage' will be billed monthly through my company - whatever name I decide to call it. What this all means is that I should be able to support myself now if this becomes regular income and I can keep a few small freelance clients on the go.

Here is the current logo I had been using for if my company were to ever be realized:

I used to think this was great - especially with all the time I spent on it - but now I'm not sure. I think some comments would be helpful here. So if there's anybody out there, please let me know what you think.

Getting interesting...

I am due to receive a phone call from my ex-employer today. Seems he is interested in doing the 'freelance' thing with me after all. Am going to see him assumably during the week sometime and negotiate to see if a contract can be reached. Should this go through - and if the hours are are great enough (in other words, the money is sufficient) - I should be able to support myself and start my own company based on his income with that from my other, smaller freelance clients.

I don't want to get ahead of - or jinx - myself, so I'll post again when I have more information.

Zombie Biku

Well I know you all know I'm aquainted with Biku from insert subplot here. But I bet you don't know what she looks like. Well here she is - in zombie form! Yes, she became the undead just a few nights ago and here's what she looks like now. Oh yeah, she'll deny it in her blog. But all she wants now is brains, brains, brains. All the time.

Did this one late last night from a simple sketch. The hair is entirely made up - but Biku and I think it looks kind of like her.

*****Note to self before publishing pics to web again*****
1. Save them as GIFFs, what with them being line art and all.
2. Optimize them, regardless of format, for web - before the page gets too big.
3. Keep them small enough (or crappy enough) so people can't rip you off.

I swear, only two months out of the workforce and I'm already useless. Biku/Ying, can you teach me some of this new-fangled 'graphic design' nonsense?

I'll be working on my portfolio for the better part of this week - so I can "HOORAY" find/get a job. I feel the need to post something, so here is a pic I did a few years ago. I just don't have time to make anything new right now, unless it's something that will end up in my portfolio. Eventually, I will get a website of my very own - where I can put this stuff.

I've decided to post the new Samantha pic because a: Biku recommended it and, b: I don't have anything else. Been rather busy the past few days - am going paint-balling tomorrow and will not likely post soon. Anyways, here's Sam. Extra vixen-ey with a new quip.

At the feet of the Master..

No pics for today. Had a tutorial session with my mentor, Ying, and it was a humbling experience. Apparently everything Kenny Coleman (a teacher from Graphic Design school) taught us about 'shading' on the computer was incorrect, at least according to the Ying. Did some investigating on the web and found some very good Illustration work - far better than mine. Oh well, even if it isn't lucrative, at least it's something I enjoy doing.

I will be posting some of the previous pics with some Ying-recommended improvements. As well, in addition to the 'Mimi' pic to be posted there will also be (eventually) a pic of a work my friend has commissioned for a business he is starting. This one bound to be fun and I look forward to the final result.

I'm publishing this time form a Mac - I hope it works. This is my final finished piece of art for oots so far. I am most proud of this one because of her pose. This pose was difficult to execute - she's floating in the air while in contraposto, twisting her torso the other way and putting her head to the side. I think I'll change her foot (our left) to be more pointed and fix the colour error just below the right hand. I may also darken the strokes (outlines) around her skin as they are not easy to make out.

For those of you who read the comic, this is a far more playful Samantha than you're used to. But seeing how she's A; a minor character at best, and B; dead, I figured I could make her a little more... alluring than in the comic. Admittedly, and to Mr. Burlew's credit, it's very hard to make a stick figure look sexy without it not looking like a stick figure.

This will probably be the last pic in a while - the next one will be an unpublished character of Biku's (she's ther person who has the weblog *insert subplot here*, for those who don't know) named Mimi. This likely won't be posted for several days. As for this pic, like before, if you click on it you'll get a lot more out of it. As always, all comments are welcome.

Well it's good to see that people actually know who these characters are - it helps justify including the quips. Anyways, here's the second illustration I did - Roy. It was my belief that Roy was under-represented in the Fan Art section of the oots website. I wasn't originally going to draw this character, but Biku (from *insert subplot here*) prompted me to. I'm very happy with the result, though it took quite a lot of time. I think it's a vast improvement over Elan in terms of technique and style. I will eventually create pictures of all the oots characters and post it here (I currently only have three finished). But making these illustrations help keep me sane or from thinking too much.

For those of you not indoctrinated to oots (Order of the Stick), Roy is the leader of the group, a fighter by trade. Roy thinks it unfair that fighters are generally portrayed as lumbering morons and apparently has something to prove. Making "Kafka" the title of the book was Biku's idea. I don't know a thing about Kafka apart from the fact that he apparently came up with the idea of the 'superman' way back in the very early twentieth century. Superman here refers to a superior race, or group, not the comicbook hero. Biku assured me he did not publish racist materials which, having perused Kafka websites, I agree with. Anyways, the point is Kafka's works are not 'easy reading' and Roy is reading them. Smart this, Roy make.
I have one more picture already finished to publish here and it's even better - though Biku disagrees. But you'll see. I must say, for someone who's had many jobs where they've been micromanaged (where they watch over your shoulder every minute as you try to do your thing except when they leave only to come back to tell you that an hour's worth of work is no good because they didn't OK it and you'll have to start all over again and they don't even have any design training only decades worth of experience in business and marketing - like that's important), this kind of work is very liberating. Good thing I'm not bitter, or anything.

Oh yeah, Make sure to click on the image. It's very large and would've taken up too much space in this field had it been at 100%. Sure, it'll make it easy for people to rip me off - but I don't assume it good enough to be worth stealing with all the great illustrators out there. Also, as a vector drawing, so much is lost when it's rasterized. The bigger it is, the smoother the lines.

As always, all comments/criticisms are welcome.

As an unemployed graphic designer, I have more time on my hands than usual. I read web comics sometimes and so decided to create for artwork for Order of the Stick. Rich, the creator and artist for the strip is playing catch-up it seems and has not, as of yet, posted my artwork. I'm not sure if he will do so, so I've decided to post it here on my blog in order of creation.

The first one I did was Elan. He, for those of you unfamiliar with the comic, is a young happy-go-lucky bard with good intentions. He is also a bit stupid. The piece, which was created in Adobe Illustrator, represents the first and most rudimentary version of a style that I have continued to develop in later pieces. I will post these later.

As these later two pieces are better, I welcome any criticism you may have regarding it. My good friend Ying, another designer with a fine arts background, has not hesitated to cut it up ruthlessly - to my benefit.

Hello, this is my first post. Started post at bad time and have not much to say. Sorry. Will write more later.