John Keats

Again I have been neglecting my blog, yet so it goes. Can I blame this on the gray skies and lack of inspiration Seattle people? No, no excuses because we must have the strongest coffee in all 50 states. Could be the reason I have been having a very productive day today, and still going into the night. Things are humming, I am working on some new projects, ideas and also plans for this spring. In the midst of rummaging for something, I began browsing through my books. The poetry of John Keats caught my eye, as he was a favorite of mine during college.

This poem resonates because it speaks to my love of art.

Endymion: Book I

A thing of beauty is a joy for ever:
Its loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness; but still will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.
Therefore, on every morrow, are wreathing
A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth
Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and o’er-darkened ways
Made for our searching: yes, in spite of all,
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
From our dark spirits.

* (bower: a pleasant shady place under trees or climbing plants in a garden or wood.)

I like the reference to gloomy days, as it seems that there have been plenty of these: “minus sun + lighter shade of cloud afternoons.” When the brightest thing you can see is the computer screen, it is easy to sink into a funk. A little paint, music, and an array of art supplies spread about the room and suddenly the gloom just slips away a little.

 

Photo Gallery Revision

So it has been awhile since my itch to write anything, has needed a scratch. This is not to say that nothing of interest has happened. The Christmas Season is really beautiful this year in downtown Seattle. Perhaps with all the visual distraction about, words seem less important.

Since my last post, I have resolved the issue with my photo galleries not displaying on the web site. In frustration, I assumed that the slideshow was not working properly due to a browser incompatibility. This is somewhat true, in that the problem lied in a slow internet connection. During peak times of web traffic, the browser speed slows down considerably which makes heavier web content difficult to load. I discovered this by accessing the internet site at different times of the day. In the process of studying the affected technology, I also decided to upgrade to the latest Flash Player. This has assisted with stabilizing a consistent playback quality.

Learning about the internet speeds did not fully satisfy my desire to improve the Flash slideshow. I found out that the plugin for my galleries had undergone a fantastic upgrade since it was last installed. I downloaded the current version, and implemented it again to experience the full benefits of the newest features. Simple Viewer Pro vs.2.2.0 is able to display images for mobile devices such as iPhones and iPads that do not support Flash. It uses HTML 5 technology to present a variable slideshow presentation. Pretty great I think! Now people can browse my photos on the bus, or wherever they might be held up away from the computer.

I am kind of excited to return to developing my site. Seeing a project evolve step by step, has its rewards. Over time, the reality that something might never really be done but simply reach a state of suspended completion can become discouraging. It all depends on how you see it. I will reference a quote from one of my new favorite books, (the Artist’s Way, Every Day- by Julia Cameron) “The stringent requirement of a sustained creative life is the humility to start again, to begin anew.”

 

Photo Galleries in Transition

This will be just a quick post to update website users about a minor technical glitch that I have detected  in my website. Apparently with the last Firefox upgrade or something, the photo galleries which download from my Flickr feed are not displaying onscreen. This will affect all the content under the photography link. Please go directly to my Flickr site to view photography galleries in the meantime, until I can resolve this. There may be a security issue between the browser version and the Flash Player. I am considering rebuilding this section using jQuery as a method for improved usability.

Aw, technology isn’t it just so beautiful when it works for you -instead of against you? Given that I noticed this problem when I am up against a deadline for a print project, it is going to have to wait. InDesign is where my head is at right now, and discovering the ins and outs of composing layouts from a Grid. I believe that I have been designing intuitively from a Grid for a long while, but have not paused to analyze the variety of different Grids.

 

Baby Punk

This cat is called Baby Punk, she is a 9 year old diabetic. She has been residing there for a few years. Each one of these cats is sweet and endearing in their own way. I know that I fell in love with them by the time I was done. Their little faces stayed with me long after I left. They too got excited with the extra attention, and a whole room of cats would purr as I walked through the door. I am grateful that this work might somehow make a difference, and am already looking forward to my next visit. To learn more about this shelter, please check out: Purrfect Pals

 

Astrology Logo

Here is the logo I created for my client in Astrology, Ray Couture. I would like to show more examples of this project, however I found that vector files do not display well on WordPress. They all appeared a little blurry. Anyways, it would be a shame not to show how nicely this project came out. Contrary to this image, the work is very crisp and refined. I customized all the shapes with Illustrator, rendering them from gathered source materials.

I must confess, how intrigued I became with studying this type work. In typical zeal, before long I was sitting down watching videos on the ancient origins of this practice. I have new respect for Astrology and how it has shaped modern culture. Historians have traced its roots back 4,000 years to the area of present day Iraq; then Babylonia. It was more common in those days to gauge the passage of time by observations recorded from the surrounding environment. Seasons could be marked by the formation of the stars, and thus their patterns are represented in the twelve signs. Important tribal leaders and religious figures all used Astrology for guidance in their every day life. It was to the credit of the Greeks whom fused their philosophical beliefs with the ancient teachings, that a system by which certain personality traits can be read exists.

So, back to the logo….All the elements combined here signify a relevant meaning for the client and his identity. The glyph characters represent the twelve signs of the Zodiac. I incorporated the arrow symbols to pay reference to Ray’s Native American heritage and to his sign; the Sagittarius. The Archer is the symbol for a Sagittarius. The four crescent shapes are inclusive of the four seasons or perhaps the four natural elements. Natural elements are described as: fire, earth, air and water. The eye in the middle is the human aspect vital for interpreting the signs. It is a symbol often used in Egyptian culture, which also has roots in Astrology. The twelve Egyptian Sky Gods were early predecessors to the signs that exist today.

 

Me and my Muse

I decided tonight I had to find something to lift me out of the depths of a dark mood that was settling over. Lucky for me, I have my ever present fury companion whom is serious about monitoring all events of the house. She never rests at her job of monitoring all forms of activity, and these typically involve me. Here she sits on her chosen perch; my high quality eight color Epson Photo Stylus inkjet printer. Yes, it is clear from this shot that I have given up on trying to sanction off any items from her domain. The best I can do is throw over a protective cloth to guard against the fur. This is her favorite way to watch me work at my desk. Even though the print button keeps turning on, it does not seem to make a difference. I could say she is the best art director I have ever had, and the easiest to please.

Today she discovered a new toy, my light box from Glazers. I must admit I figured it was only a matter of time. The Velcro was rather impressive however; it is made to hold up pretty tight. Yet this afternoon, I heard the crackle and pop of the material being ripped. There was the back end of a gray tail which disappeared into the white tent. She had discovered a way to open the Velcro and squeeze through. That’s my girl! Look how pleased she looks in there. Wow, I learned how great this light box makes everything appear on camera. The cat could be sold on Ebay now. (never) Good to know that it will function well for the purpose of shooting Design work. Once the gray fur is gone. Is she trying out now for the role of Studio Assistant?

 

New Client Stories

Lately I had the pleasure of starting a new client relationship through connections made from my last design job. This project will be a wonderful exercise in identity development; improving on an existing concept to bring it into a more polished state. This card is what we will use as a primary resource. By the time the finished product gets shaped, it will have little resemblance to this earlier version. I am excited to be the vehicle by which this transformation can take place.

I met Ray last week at his place of business. We discussed the ways he identifies with his current logo and what this should symbolize to a larger audience. A logo for an entrepreneur can be very personal. We want the astrological connotation to read, however it will also incorporate some of his philosophical views with extra nuances.

During our meeting I was told a wonderful story which stirred my perspective and lent movement to a creative vision. Ray shared a story from his past to illuminate the cultural significance of his heritage. He is French Canadian with Native American ancestry. One of his ancestors is a pioneer from the territory now known as Montreal. He was a pivotal figure in securing peace between the Iroquois people and the French Europeans. According to the story, he was taken prisoner by the natives during battle and tortured to the edge of death. He was bludgeoned with arrows and endured extreme hardship only to end up in the hands of the former chief’s wife. She nursed him back to health and he assumed the leadership of their tribe. In this role, he went on to negotiate peaceful relations between the two cultures.

This is an amazing biographic tale, but furthermore it touches on some of the themes we want to explore in his branding. The buzz words: empowerment, enlightenment and transformation. I perceive how this heroic figure faced overwhelming adversity, grasped the tenacity to survive- and ultimately transformed to fulfill a higher purpose. (finding enlightenment) I am delighted with the many levels of meaning involved with this work. Already a tidal wave of design ideas is pressing up to the surface. I am also equally intrigued by the practices of Astrology. Learning more about this has come at a timely moment, when I am about to have another birthday. Yay, Virgos…

 

Loka

Loka, a photo by nansiejo on Flickr.

I am loving this pic I took today of a two year old female kitty named Loka. She is up for adoption at the Purrfect Pals animal shelter. Could a little tabby have a more expressive face? These eyes are conveying to me mixed emotions. She is kind of smiling and grimacing all at the same time. The pupils are curled up under her brow indicating a reserved and calculated nature. She is observing me while I am mutually admiring her. How funny. Actually this cat was very affectionate and not reserved at all in character. I guess she can exude a tough look to help make up for being so petite. What great long wispy whiskers she has!

 

Designing with 9.5 Fingers

Well, I have adapted to living with a hand injury for over a week now; twelve days exactly. The Frankenstein finger is regaining its rightful shape next to the others. It still tingles and goes numb under excessive use, but that should decrease over time. What I have missed is being able to pick up a pen and scribble out some notes on paper or throw down a quick sketch every now and then. Truly it seems that the body was designed to balance the hand with all five fingers, not four.

Despite the soreness I managed to upload a new page for my site; the Client link. This page was designed successfully after three alternate variations. An earlier version appeared to conflict with the proposed design for an upcoming Work page, so I revised it. Now it shows a unique view of the design portfolio while highlighting a list of past clientele. The thumbnail icons will be cross linked to open corresponding pages within the Work category.

I am very pleased with the jQuery plugin implemented on this page to present a collection of design samples. When I saw it available on the Code Canyon site, I thought it reminded me of how a portfolio is spread across the table during a job interview. It simulates the exact effect I aimed to communicate, and bonus point- I had not seen it used before. How I love tossing a bit of originality into the mix! The script is well written, even optimized with xml functionality so the image files don’t weigh down the page load. The horizontal slide movement is quick and responsive, it performs as smooth as any Flash equivalent.

On a final note, this page also includes client feedback about a recent business card job. I updated an existing card and we both thought the results turned out great. All in all, a rewarding task to polish off a previous design and keep making it better. Thanks Chantelle for the glowing recommendation, I look forward to working with you again in the near future.

 

My Hands are Tied

Today after coffee, I figured I would rationally sit and think about what I can still do with my hands while recovering from a finger injury. Instead of fuming in frustration and pacing the floor, I have decided to make the best use of the four fingers still functioning on one hand. Typing seems to be an opportunity to be taken advantage of.

It has been only a couple days since my finger got butchered and then sewn up with big dark stitches, yet already my lifestyle has been affected. I have realized what a blessing these fingers are to ensure a purposeful life, in the every day sense. Almost any activity I want to do requires the dexterity of my hands. It is a harsh awakening that cements my identity as an artist. I think now I will consider these ten appendages to be a gift, rather than just taken for granted. Without them, the brainstorm of ideas that ferment inside my head would have no where to go.

A series of books by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (Russian Psychologist) has captured my attention lately. I started buying his books while still an undergrad in art school. He has some fascinating observations on the study of creativity, and how the trait develops in different people. I like this excerpt on “The Creative Personality: Creative individuals are remarkable for their ability to adapt to almost any situation and to make do with whatever is at hand to reach their goals. If nothing else, this distinguishes them from the rest of us.”(Creativity, Ch.3, p.51) I find this both inspiring and relatable. This is what I will be mindful of as I push through the set back with my hands. I will have to adapt and stay busy, while the wounds heal.