Logo Design

Working towards the plan of having my own company (or at least consulting), each of us in the class have been making our own logos and company names. Fits into my plan nicely!

After a lengthy brainstorming session my company will be called Vivid Pulp Media. I especially like the reference to the pulp fiction of the 50's - making this the New Digital Pulp Media company. Today I came up 16 variations of logos, building, changing and evolving (so I hope). I'll be sure to post it once it's completed!

Another projects that is interesting is the reworking of a failed site design. I have the header complete so now just the rest to get done. Images to come later....

What Monday again!!??

Yes it's Monday morning and I was in at college all weekend. Got a few projects out of the way...but there is always more. Restarted my Iman image, didn't put as many hours in it as the previous weekend, but it's getting there...I anticipate it will be done this weekend.

Funny thing I heard, if I post images on Facebook, Facebook retains the "rights" to that image...having been in business I can understand why they do that, in case of system crash it is then their property and I as the consumer don't have a right to be upset. However there is something a bit sinister about someone else owning what I spent a ridiculous amount of hours on....

Sunday after the blizzard

Well yesterday was a bit of a shock! It had rained all morning when I went to school. The around 5 when I left school it was snowing...first it was a wet snow...but it was actually collecting on the ground!?!? Here it is the end of May, practically June and it was snowing like this...All that ran through my head was the words I used for my last job when I wasn't happy and prepared to move on..."Prepare for my eventual departure" but this time it was in relation to this country...lol.

I need to live somewhere warmer...any suggestions? I'd be open to moving...lol

Working at school

Well today I definitely don't feel like I'm missing much...it's been raining outside all morning and I'm hoping I didn't jinx myself with the last post about rain washing away the old and making a new day...lol. I always forget to be very specific about the things I wish for!

I purposely came in later than my usual early, early morning to sleep in and do some laundry...not at all glamorous in any sense but those are things that had to be done and that I've ignored for a while now since I overly focused on school.

I've restarted work on my Iman image but taking it easy, I'm hoping to finish it tomorrow but we'll see how it goes...I still have early mornings to get stuff done. Have some work to do with Icons tomorrow too, but thankfully I'm almost done dispute the face that it seems that two of my instructors have conflicting views as to what makes good icons...no matter I'll display my work on Facebook once complete!.

Rainy Friday

Maybe I'm a little odd or different (and I tell everyone that I am), but when it rains I feel optimistic. Like everything is starting fresh again...of course it isn't really possible, but with the crazy amount of projects going on, the sudden search for part time work, bills piling up, divorce papers waiting to go through...it's good to have the renewal feeling now and then.

I'll try to get a lot of work done today (like everyday) and see if I can get my self to leave the school for 6, maybe go to the gym and read a book (paper...what the hell is that??)...

more later...

Leaving early for once!

...Well of twice! In an effort to reduce my exposure to White Pixel Retinal Burn Syndrome I've been trying to leave school at a semi decent time...which for me is around 7. Course I come in between 6 - 7 am if I have the key and get stuff done.

Next I'll have to find some part time work, maybe Sobey's or Save-on if worse comes to worse...bills are piling up and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight. Hmmm I remember I use to go to the gym too...

Wings and Beer!

So far this week, twice I was suppose to go out for wings and beer and both times something happened where I couldn't go...This is pretty disappointing for me...lol. Now of course I'll be craving it all day. I wonder where I could get decent winds on a Thursday? Of course it's the best if their on sale too...lol!

Alphabet book

First let me say that it was a beautiful morning as I walked to school. It was 630, the sun shining, birds singing, brisk but not cold...then I walk into a dimly lit classroom to sit in front of a Mac. But that's ok since I think I have completed about 85% of the Alphabet book project. Using InDesign and saving the "styles" got the book practically done in no time. The pain? Printing the mini book and aligning the text so it looks centered and not cut off...shouldn't be so bad right? Well you know I can go crazy over being a bit too detailed...more to come!

Another project down!

Finished another project last night. It was to recreate and existing website in Photoshop. It was a bit harder than I expected...but I'll be able to go to the next project (due Fri morning) and make my own mock-up of a site. This one we'll get to actually design so that will be cool...though I learned not to go crazy adding in my 200%...120% should be ok for some projects ;-)

"Mac Crazy-Eye" Subsiding

Well thank goodness...downloading "Shades" for the Mac really helped me out today. Turns out the lowest setting on the Mac was still pretty bright, and on a 24" screen 2 feet from my face...I suppose working on one project like a crazy man all weekend didn't help much either. Anyway the end of this note is that I'm feeling better.

Also I'm making a plan to do work only part of the day so I can see things like the gym, sun, friends, etc...lol.

I'm a bit behind on projects but quickly catching up so I can feel good about that. Also that I got some pretty good feedback on my David Carson style poster (link included below).

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5961498&l=0046ede675&id=524991538

My villiage - Downtown

You know, I just love living downtown. I even don't mind that it's downtown "Edmonton"! I live a block away from my college, 2 small blocks to City Center Mall, 3 blocks to my gym, and 4 blocks from the supermarket...I feel like my village is the downtown area. I suppose it really is since I know the local merchants, neighbors, and recognize the usual vagrants (and they recognize me so they finally stopped asking me for change since I don't work at the moment). All in all I'm pretty content with my living situation...

Next I have to get past my WPRB Syndrome...took the entire night off away from anything that looks like a computer, and I'm still not feeling so hot this morning as I write this. I suppose I'll have to listen to my friends that said I should get out of the class now and then...I guess I won't quite my Club Fit membership just yet!

Getting a part time job might help this too...plus pay some bills. What to do, what to do...?

White Pixel Retinal Burn Syndrome...

I am sad to report that apparently I am a WPRBS sufferer. I can no longer look at the Mac's white screen without feeling sick. When I close my eyes I still see the white screen and feel it's a type of motion sickness! I imagine this is normal for some people who deal with Mac's a lot, but also it might mean that I need a break...So far I've logged 66+ hours working on this vector image, over 20 just in this weekend...unfortunately I might have to give it a rest.

I've heard that victims of WPRBS seem to respond best with beer therapy...

ps. Decided to call this affliction "Mac Crazy-Eye" for public media attention...lol

Victoria Day!

It is the start of Monday morning...and I slept in a little, till 630! I still have a lot of work to do on my image of Iman...but I hope I'm on track to get it done today. There are so many other projects and although I totally enjoy creating this image, it consumes all my time. It's my own fault since I tend to be too detailed...but I am who I am...lol!

Long Weekend Sunday

It's just about 6 am and I just got to school. My lava lamp that sits on my desk is warming up and I have to get my social networking out of the way before I can start work. That describes how I work for the most part, I need 15-30 min of doing my own thing before jumping on the tasks for the day. I think that today I will be very close to getting my vector image of Iman completed. I finished the most difficult part...the upper right quadrant of hair. It took near 1.5 days to do it (over 15 hours) but the results are worth it!

For those that do not know, our class had an assignment to make a vector image in Illustrator. Basically it is a tracing using shapes and lines. Due to the vast amount work required, you would try to limit the extreme detail. Of course being who I am, I went pretty extreme, but the result will be an awesome vector image that I can use for my portfolio. The other advantage is that the image can be re-sized to whatever format you want. 8.5x11" or 8x11 Feet! So I'm excited that eventually I will have some art I can hang up in my place.

Actually through Facebook I've had some people inquiring about buying this piece or other similar work like this. Unfortunately it won't be right away since it will be for a lounge that will open in a few months...looks like a part time job will not be far away after all...



ps. I thought I should add for those in the know...that the image is done without the use of "live-trace"...strictly the pen and pencil tool!

Saturday Morning

An early day for me, though not as early as usual. Lately I have been waking up at 4-430 am to work on projects. I use to have a problem sleeping but working on so many cool projects (not to mention that I have a tendency to make some projects bigger by doing 120% of what's needed). Luckily I have a key to the college this weekend so I anticipate on getting a lot done.

Check out my facebook account for an album of some of my completed projects :-)

Facebook Album

Before the long weekend...

Well it's Friday and the beginning of the long weekend. This time last year I would have been having beers with coworkers and planning some get-together parties with friends. This year is very different. Lots of projects for school, but I find it so rewarding...if only I didn't have bills to pay...lol...

The first entry of many....

Well I have to admit I was never really interested in blogging or reading blogs. However as I am entering another phase of my professional career, networking...specific all online networking has become more important. While I always had strong network ties to friends and colleagues, social networks like facebook, Empire Avenue, etc have a tenuous thread to people we might not exactly know.

With that out of the way, I intend to use this blog for thoughts on projects I'm working on. I don't think it will be too personal...but time will tell how things evolve.

Enjoy the Net!
Dano


EAVB_FZTXJNEKFZ