Just some crazy stuff with signs

Glad that Cruel Summer is over or is it starting?

So I just picked up my copy of Cruel Summer and quite satisfy with my purchase I have played it non-stop. (If you don't know Cruel Summer is the new album by Kanye West and group of other rappers like Common, Kid Cudi, John Legend, Pusha T, Q Tip, Big Sean and others under the name of G.O.O.D Music). I bring this up in this art blog as because I have notice how much music is such influence on me in general but more specifically in my artwork. As two properties that are do influenced by the creativeness of the artist you could see why one another would inspire... well one another.

I always look into music and even listen to some all the time when I work on my art as I get a sense of inspiration every time I listen to a couple of my favorite tracks. I don't mainly listen to hip-hop as I delve into other genres like rock, electronic, country and anything that is appealing to my ear I really try to take no sway to a specific genre so I get a broad listen to music.

You would be surprised how well listening to music gives so much insight on your art or maybe you do and understand where I am coming from. It's always nice the letting your mind drift away to the beat and the lyrics of the music and drawing does the same letting you get caught in the world of your own art.

Comics are just awesome

What I really like designing the most are comics they really bring out the most creative out of me. I have always drawn comic strips ever since I was a little kid, as I would try to convey a great story to my fans (my imaginary fans that is). My art is always changing and improving and I truly notice this change when I create a comic. I never take drawing them seriously I always treat them as a sort of experiment or a sort of playground for my style. Drawing comics is like doodling for me, all s**ts and giggles and always some way to reflect on my creative style and my own lifestyle.
With comics I can explore all different types of moods within my art most especially, humor. I always look to comedy to keep me going an I feel it's the driving forever behind my illustrations. I try laugh out loud through my work and poke fun of the things I love laughing about, they do say laughter is the best medicine... but I'm not sick...

Designing Titans

I wanted to create a sort of epic scene for a art gallery show a while back the best thing that click for me was the word "epic". With such a word peeking my interest I was thinking of something with scale and what pops into my head... Giant Robots of course.
But in all seriousness the thoughts I consider when designing my piece was:
1) How do I show off the scale I am trying to emulate?
Give off visuals that show the scale like putting in trees what I did, people looking at the piece when get a trigger in their mind to notice the size. Show more and tell less, the more you have to explain your artwork the more you need to improve on (unless you are making a comic).
2) How can I make the robots different but not in style?
I did many sketches before the final I kept in mind basic shapes so each robot all had the same theme but change aspects of each one. They are only robots but they are all characters and should all have their own personality.

The point I bring is you should question your art before and during the process and even after you finish it as well. Breakdown and plan every thing it is tedious at times it can get you away from actually doing your art but it ultimately improves it overall.

Get on my Soap box

  I would like to get on the soap box about how the small business industry is hiring Secretary's to do Graphic Design. Don't they realize that it is a art form that reflects on their business success?

  I have been going around lately drumming up business for myself. The way that I do this is I find business advertising that needs work you know the one that has has mismatched colors and doesn't follow any design rule. Well I do a quick small redesign of there thing that sucks then I put together a "what can I do for you" package. I make appointments and talk to the people that be....... well even without saying how much I cost they say: well Sally the receptionist does all our work........ This is when I have the "fun time" educating them on what good design does for them and what bad design does to them. 50% of the time the person that I am talking too believes me but 20% of them buys into it. But lately it has become worse two months and not even one bite and today I got a call from one of the secretary's asking me to tutor her in how to use the the programs she herself will pay me!

  Now its real bad that I am getting paid by the secretary to teach her how to do her/my job but her boss can't save her some money and just pay me to do the work. I explained to the girl that knowing the programs is only 10% of the work the 90% takes years to learn and it isn't the programs. She insists I continue to teach her. 

  I can understand that times are tough but it is so bad when the employee sees a problem with there business and spends there hard earned money to fix it. When it should be the boss or manager to realize the problem and do it yourself or at least pay for the employees tutoring or pay a Designer to do do the work so the secretary can do the work she was hired to do.

So you want to make a kids book characture

I was asked one time how do you get a black and white drawing and make it a color illustration without redrawing the whole thing. Well this is how you do it.
1: Scan the sketch and bring into photoshop make the white transparent then make a sublayer.
2: then on as many sublayer's as you want put the colors where you want them.

3: At this point you can add new layers to give the image some depth.

4: Then let the creative juices flow and have fun.
5: depending on the overall look of the book backgrounds can be added later.

Welcome to this awesome blog! Just look at this design!

This blog is run by two dummys who have no idea about blogs and have no real business with it but who cares! the idea is for us to go over and post our design works and explain in detail how we handle the choices we make in the fields we work in. We hope to share insight in The design elements of graphics, characters, backgrounds any others we decide to fill space on our blog. We are a little busy so we will post something of interest soon but don't hold your breath.