So this is a way to add more UMPH to a website?

http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/03/50-inspirational-website-introductions/

Of course one of my favorite websites to visit for more tips and trick in the art (and website making) world...Webdesignerdepot.com

This post shows a bunch of examples on how websites use an opening face page consisting of a sentence or two explaining the purpose or short bio of the artist. Apparently it's a new trend these days...and I have just the spot to do it on my website!

http://www.snowwhitedesign.com

I have always tried to figure out what to do with that spot...maybe I'll handwrite a short intro there. Right now the text seems a little artificial and too digital to really match up with the style of the drawing. I'm also considering maybe adding in some color to the drawing instead of keeping it purely blue and white.

Any thoughts?

3d Typography!

So I've been trying to think of ways that I can integrate typography more into my images so that they seem more intertwined...still working on that.

I like to think of John Hendrix's examples of his 3-D type that he uses in a lot of his work. Lots of 3D type. It's like his ongoing special in a diner or something.

I came across this website posted on Digg.com on 3D typographic examples. very LOVELY! I am so inspired now! Here's the link:

http://naldzgraphics.net/inspiration/40-most-inspiring-3d-text-typography-designs/

and some examples from the site:

Branding Me?

So today is the first step I'm taking in trying to "Brand" myself...as in giving myself a logo that sort of stands for me as well as linking my resume, cover letter, website, and portfolio in all forms so that it may all be cohesive.

So I came up with this neat design for my name...as you will now see in the header at the top. A very nice cursive snow with a snowflake substituted as the "o." Just trying to emphasize the uniqueness of my name, really. Hopefully this is something I can stick with for awhile and really build up on it.

Also, I got an internship offer at Twist, a small local marketing agency specializing in branding small local businesses that revolve around lifestyle and entertainment, though theres some others as well. I have still yet to have an interview with Rivet, so we'll see where my road takes me, but it looks like I definitely have an option!

Urban Outfitters and Illustration NOW!

There are a few reasons why I hardly purchase anything at Urban Outfitters:

1. Honestly, who spends $45 on a basic t-shirt that I can find at target for $9?
2. I don't know how they decided when grandpa's sweater came back in style...it never did.
3. Almost all of their stuff is fairly seasonal, though I've seen them put out the same basic soft sweater from their dusty winter inventory 3 years in a row.

But on the counterpart, I love their accessories and home furnishings. I stumbled across a shelve of books they were selling, and I found behold...

ILLUSTRATION NOW (a tanschen book)!!!
A conglomeration of 96 different illustrators' work. AMAZING! (Yuko Shimizu is in there too, btw).

I'm having all sorts of fun flipping through it and checking out all the contemporary illustrators work. So far my favorites are:

- Gina Triplett (she has a wonderful balance between acrylic and ink)
- Christoph Niemann (tons of visual metaphors and very clever)
- Arthur dePins
- Jason Brooks
- Delicatessen (the last three are very similar in their vector/flat shape way of composing people

Another fabulous book to add to my library, which I have just recently thought of building.
I just purchased the other day a "photo reference for comic book artists" book, which has basically men and women in very neat action poses in different perspectives, with very awesome lighting. I would have purchased the "all male models" one since I am lacking in my male anatomy skills (if you know what I mean, everytime I draw the male body, it ends up being slick straight like a rectangle with very little muscle definition. Like nerdy guys with baggy clothes.)
My library is building... :D

ThurtenE Poster Contest entry

So here's the poster that I created for the poster contest. The theme was "Timeless Traditions, Endless Opportunities."

So what can I draw that alludes to something that is timeless and endless.....a MOBIUS STRIP! it's very endless (and one sided) or basically an infinity sign, which is essentially shaped like a mobius strip. So what if I just have the entire carnival on this mobius strip?

I hope my idea works. The illustration took me awhile but I'm very happy with the way it turned out, and The color workshop keeps helping me explore non-neon colors and I ended up dulling a lot of stuff down. Also, notice the lovely texture added, because it looked horrifying as flat color.

Finished Wine Bottle Labels!

Here are the finished labels for this project in John's class. We first made icons of animals (I started with the lemur) and then were given the task of creating a label with the icons on them. I think my labels turned out nicely, though I think if I had another class period I could really experiment more with varying how the type is set.