Brand Protection

            So, this subject is one I am seeing pop up more in graphic design and media in the recent months. You see, as brands become bigger and branch out more, they seem to be more protective of their designs and ideas. While it is understandable when a company could have a hard time controlling their property when they have to manage more, they tend to go overboard with that control. An example of this could be Google, who have made their icons look like lazy, mutated rainbows. Yes, they are Google-owned, but it feels a bit harder to understand what they are for.

 Image found on Opinion-Search.com

            Do not get me wrong, you do not want anybody using your brand image for malicious purposes. However, I feel there is a difference between malicious purposes, and having Mickey Mouse on a KinderGarten wall for fun. There might be a bigger reason to it all that I just don't get, but I also feel like sometimes it should not matter. At least if a company needs to take action, they need to be more transparent about it. Explain the reasoning for the strictness, and have more personality. 

  So, that does it for my blog this time. Hopefully I made sense in my views, and helped other designers get a grasp on how to handle their brands. Other than that, thank you once again for reading. Make sure to comment below, tell me what you thought, and stay tuned!

Second Thanksgiving Celebration!

              To think a year ago, I was still in my Graphic Arts Classes, and now I'm almost done with college. It's kind of crazy how fast time can fly. With that said, I just want to share some photos with you today. Think of it as a Thanksgiving tradition. With that said, thanks for reading, and have a happy Thanksgiving.

Early Preparations

             As a designer, you want to make sure you get a head start on your next project. This allows potential clients to see you as a hard worked, but also keeps your skills sharp. Furthermore, it helps you keep track of any big projects you want to do for a certain holiday or event. So in a sense, it is always nice to have a demonstration before you need to show it off to a big presentation. As they say, the early bird gets the business deal with the graphic design firm!

                  So we have a few reasons why you would want to be early already listed so far, and there is more to come.  Having the ability to get feedback for future reference is always nice, as it leads to better products. Moreso, there is the added benefit of being able to move into the next project, stress free. Finally, I would like to point out that with deadlines existing, you need all the practice  you can to deal with them. At the end of the day, getting work done early is a bit difficult, but it can be fun.

                Now with that put of the way, I'll show off some work I got done early. Holiday cards have been made, so feel free to take them for anything other than commercial use. If you have any comments, please let me know with a comment. Other than that, thank you for reading!

The Effects of the Pandemic

     

 Our lives now.

      

                  Recently, I've been seeing ads on TV, in papers, and online where it feels like the pandemic of Covid-19 must be addressed in some fashion. Commercials for restaurants which urge you to stay home; pictures of auto-shop workers in cloth masks; political campaigns where one side blamed the other for the problems of the virus. It's a bit hard to believe that a 30 day shut-down has escalated so much into our lives that it feels normal. This has me thinking about how much the design philosophy has changed to reflect current events. I then realized however that this isn't the first time we've had to change it.

               Think back to the early days, let's say the first two World Wars, where propaganda against the enemy and support for our countries was through the roof. We were in an era of change, where we couldn't do things the way we used to and had no idea when we could go back. There had to be rationing of  foods and gas, new laws made, and even deals struck that created products in their form today. For example, the Twinkie used to have banana cream before we had to ration bananas out. Now think about anything today that could be affected by the pandemic in such a way.

Images from allthatsinteresting.com

                    I can already imagine food delivery becoming more popular after this is over.  There is also the fact people could want more focus on vaccinations for future viruses. So many things that have changed, so we need to find a way to design with it. Create logos for special masks, advertise new hand sanitizers, etc. I'm sure that as long as we stay in things, it will be alright. With that said, thank you again for reading, and stay tuned.

Hidden Details

               In this sentence, i have hidden something. I won't tell you what it is, but I think you'll notice it if you have a good eye. That is sort of what this blog post will be about, just an appreciation of hidden details on media. Many designers and writers tend to do this as a way to have fun, test the audience, or just to build something up. These details can range from obvious like the A to Z smile in the Amazon Logo, to secretive  like the arrow on the FedEx logo. Both have a special meaning that you could understand if you look closely.

Images property of respective brands.

            So, why is it that hidden details seem so fun? I like to imagine it has to do with the feeling of accomplishment. As if you were able to insert or find something new about whatever you looked at. It could also be pretty embarrassing though, as it you just noticed it, and conclude what you saw should never have been in. Now I am not going to make an example of this, for the sake of protecting other designers. That being said, I think we all know something like this.

            Keeping what I said in mind, I hope you all pay more attention to details in any work, be it yours or not. Stay on the look out for what's in plain sight, and thank you for reading. Hopefully you found the detail I hid in the first sentence. With that said, comment below your thoughts, share this blog, and tell me if you liked it or not. As always my valued readers, stay tuned!

Basic English

             It's time for another class my readers. This month is all about Basic English, and getting better at writing. The good news here is that hopefully not only will I become a better writer, but also that I'll get better at communication. One area I struggle with is putting myself out there, and my main goal with this class is that I'll be able to spin words into something that helps advertise me better. Another area it will help me improve in is getting me better at narrative telling. I always wanted to tell more stories here, and hopefully soon I will be able to. Having a story that helps show my creative side will do wonders for me if I can get it done.

 Front Page of my Basic English class

                As I continue on in this class though, I'm sure some of you have noticed that I'm starting to switch to a bi-weekly format. This is because with my new job and school, I need to remove stress and not do these as much. I promise to get them out when if I have a free week, I just want to become committed to doing them on a different schedule. Make no mistake though, I'm not giving up on this any time soon, as I'm still committed to a job well done! This relates to the class as I once again plan on doing good in it, and keeping my future goals open.

Recycling Ideas

           Recycling ideas is something I'm beginning to see is beneficial to design. Not as a way of being lazy because you can't think of anything else though. To clarify what I mean, imagine you just got done with a big personal project, but you weren't satisfied. So, next project, you take ideas you liked, and improve upon them. Another example is changing an element mid-designing because it doesn't fit, but still looking for a place to use the first element. Just because something fails, doesn't mean you can't fix it up.

             I know not all ideas are going to work, and some will eventually need to be scrapped. Be that because it was insensitive, not convenient, or just forgotten. So do keep in mind what you want to reuse. Just like with actual recycling, there will be need of some disposal, you can't save everything. That being said, we still recycle because in the end, this will save us so much in the future. 

 Just some images I was recycling.

               

             I mainly came to this after hearing how some of my favorite writers reuse ideas they couldn't find a place for in past works. As if they needed a change of scenario for how the events will play out. I also think about how you can do a twist with an old concept to get audiences offguard. Whatever the case, as long as you aren't rehashing ideas, you should be good!

            With that, I once again thank you for reading. Apologies for not blogging last week, but I needed time to decompress. Anyways, make sure to comment your thoughts, and stay tuned! Also make sure to recycle any of your own ideas that you liked!

Microsoft Office

           Once again, I am changing classes! This time, I will be learning about Microsoft Office 365, and all the options I can do for alignment in there. Now, you might be wondering what this has to do with Graphic Design, again.... Well, it's a good way for me to practice new tools and techniques. Get me used to when I can't or don't need to rely on Adobe you see. On top of that, it's a way for me to get better at orientation, and structure.

My new book

        In all honesty, even the most basic of structures can be good graphic design. As long as it serves its purpose of conveying the message. So, as long as the flow charts I soon make convey a direct message to the audience, I'll have made a good one. Granted, I will have to be more grounded when it comes to this. No time to pick out the best color and shape combos, but still enough to find a good one. So, in a sense, this will help me exercise my balance skills as well.

            With that, thank you once again for reading my blog! I'm hoping to put my best into this class, and keep delivering good results so I can be good at graphic design. So, no better time than now to practice, even if I don't plan on keeping this. That being said, this business is always changing, so I may come back to it at one point. Once again, thank you for reading. Make sure to comment down below, share your thoughts, check out and critique my work, and stay tuned.

Bigger, but Better?

          So, is bigger always better? That's the question that has plagued humans for so long. Make the burgers stack higher, make the cars more like tanks, the coffee cup needs to hold a gallon of the stuff! However, you then start to realize maybe you can't handle the size of it. As of you put too much together, and now you regret tackling this.

             That isn't to say not every big thing doesn't have it's benefita, or isn't good, just that it can be too much. On the other hand, it could also feel like too much of a hassle, or be less memorable. The reason I bring this up is because one day, I was watching a ProtonJon stream. In this stream, he was playing the game 'BatMan Arkham City'. While he does say it is a fun game, he states that he prefers the first game, 'BatMan  Arkham Asylum ' , as you're more than likely to complete everything before getting bored.

 Images courtesy of GameSpot and MobyGames respectively.

              Now while I do understand that this is his opinion, I feel like it does set a good argument against bigger things. Just because something is more vast and packed with things to see and do, doesn't mean it's perfect.  Think of a restaurant with an oversized menu, but not enough workers. Chances are, it's going to be a mess. Compare it to the other way around, chances are it'll be a better experience.

              With that being said, thank you once again for reading. Thank you as well ProtonJon for being the inspiration for this post. That being said, as always, make sure to comment, read more of my posts if you haven't, and stay tuned! I'm always looking forward to what anyone has to say about my work.

Different Views

           So, I would say today has been pretty good for me. Originally, I never intended on writing a blog this week. However, after learning about different views, and realizing how it relates to design, I had to! You see, people may come to general conclusions, but everyone has a separate frame of reference. They each like a unique flavor of ice cream if you will!

             Imagine you look into a telescope, and you see an island off in the far distance. You then hand it to your friend who has poor eyesight. Instead, they just view a blur because they can't use the telescope as well. That's more or less what I mean. To build off my post, 'The Power of A Symbol ' not everyone will see what you see. Even if it may be a similar result, it won't be The same.

https://h8l0v.blogspot.com/2020/07/the-power-of-symbol.html

           What does this mean for graphic design though? Where exactly am I going with this? Well, since everyone views things differently, you need to do your best to interpret your thoughts. You need to show what you want them to see. Caution in showing is highly advised, even if there won't be sure conseqeunces. If only because we each look from a special angle. So, we need to help others see from ours, and try to see things from theirs.

          So with that, thank you again for reading. I'm really loving this class so far, and I hope it continues to help me in my goals. Other than that, please comment below. If not, I hope you at least share this around, or still offer feedback! Tell me what you thought, check out my other posts, and as always, stay tuned! 

Speech Class

                   So it's been awhile since I've talked about my classes. At least since the start of the year. I'm sure judging from the title, you're wondering why I'm even talking about this one? It's speech, words, vocality, what does that have to do with Graphic Design? Well, mostly it has to do with getting yourself out there. Blogs, good work, and applications aren't enough. You need to make yourself presentable.

           What do I mean by this? Well, I am a normally shy person. I have trouble putting myself out there, I don't like to talk, and I'm generally scared of other people. Usually, when I see someone else walking on my side of the street, I will do what I can to leave. Bee it then around, go to the other side, or just hide until they leave. As you can imagine, this isn't healthy, and it's clear my confidence is lacking. So in order to improve my confidence, I need to take this class.

             Not only that, but I stumble on my words sometimes. If I am to convince a potential client I'm ready, I need to be a better speaker.  So a speech, whether it be two minutes or two hours, can be important for graphic design. It's the thing that helps you find friends and clients. It's what helps you develop good relationships. Not to mention, if you were to just talk to an audience, having one prepared will make you look good.

               So once again, thank you for reading! Hopefully after this class is over, I'll be making better blogs as well. However until then, comment below, tell me what I should improve on, and stay tunded!

Confidence is like a tree.

The power of a symbol

           So what is a symbol exaclty? Well, according to most dictionaries, it's a mark or character used to represent a person, thought, or object. This could be a common interpretation like a restaurant logo. It could also be uncommon, like ink blots. Really, anything could be a symbol, it just depends on how much balance there is to the design.

             Before we go any further, I want to tell a story. I'm 1984,the movie 'Ghostbusters' had mainly advertised itself with this logo.

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

        

           The reason for this was due to legal issues with the name. There was a show called 'The Ghost Busters', and Columbia had not gotten the rights to the name yet. So, instead of changing the name, the symbol above was used in most, if not all marketing. This would cause audiences to get excited for the new mystery movie, and inspire future films to market the same way. No name, just a picture to excite people.

              Now while that didn't stop the aforementioned film from dealing with legal issues, it was enough to make it a success! So with a way to convey a message to an audience, it's safe to say symbols are excellent for any purposes. Now again, let me remind you not everyone will see them the same way, especially when things get abstract. That being said, it's interesting to hear what people have to say about those.

              With that out of the way, I'm going to share this image now. I want you to try and interpret the symbols I made, and see what you think of them.

           With That out of the way, thank you once again for reading! Make sure to comment below, share this around, and check out my other posts. Most importantly though, stay tuned!

Price Needs To Be Right

                 

Dollar of price!

                  So the price of art, or at least anything art related, is a bit of an odd topic. By odd of course, I mean as complicated as rocket science. You see, there's a lot to balance when you want to set a price on works. How much you've learned, how much time you spend, what resources you need, and what the end result is. Every answer to this question is going to be different for separate creators.

               As for me, I've made my commission prices clear... For now. I still don't think I'm that good yet, and I might need to retool these, but here they are if you're curious.

https://h8l0v.blogspot.com/p/money-listings.html

               Please do keep in mind, I am not taking commissions at this moment. Again, these will probably change, or be negotiated upon. Also do keep in mind that work with more professional businesses will be different, based upon what the contract is.

              At the end of the day, I'm mostly saying this since I've seen some people under value their talents. Not only does that not get them enough money, but it also keeps them from getting more work! The pricier you are, the more people will think you're good! That being said, I've also seen people overvalued their talents. So much so that I'm shocked they're able to get away with it legally.

             So once again, thank you for reading! If any of you have a different take on what my prices should be, or have creatively advice, let me know! I'm always looking for feedback on these blogs, just haven't gotten it yet. So, like always, comment below, share this with your friends, and stay tuned!

In Over My Head?

          I'm going to be honest..... So far, these blogs have not been doing well. Not many comments, little viewing, it's just sort of getting to me. Don't get me wrong, I don't have any intention to stop yet, I'm just starting to feel the drain. A little dumb when I made posts not to long ago about pushing myself but... It's been a weird past few weeks. So I want to address why I think I'm in over my head.

Unwarranted ego

      

      First off, I've been a little busy with my life. Looking for a new job, classes in college, that sort of thing. That being said, I haven't looked towards any creative courses I could do. I also have not really been building things like I think I should. Yet, I also want to keep at my pace right now. Just focus on that stuff later. Sorry if this sounds frustrating, I'm a little fed up as well.

               I'm just worried I won't be The designer people want me to be. I'm also worried I'm not putting myself out there enough. I don't know, maybe things will improve? Maybe they won't, can't say for certain. At the end of the day, I'm just feeling lazy, or at least, like I haven't lived up to my potential. I mean, these blogs haven't really been using my images lately.

             So, what will I do now? Well, I'm going to try and put these blogs out there more, and hope more people read them. I'm also going to give myself more time to design when I get the chance, getting many things out of the way first. It's going to be a long process, but I will improve. Sorry if these blogs slow down a bit, but it might just happen. With that, thank you for reading, comment below, and stay tuned.

Adding some original contest this time.

Licensed Nightmares

              Now at this point in time, it should be obvious how licensed material needs to be handled. Always ask for permission before using it, and credit the original source. If you somehow can't ask for permission, still credit the source, and don't use the material for monetary gain. If the case is drawing a character for a commission though, I'm sure you'll be fine as you created it, and you're not exactly pushing a brand with it. Simple process, should be easy to handle.... But not apparently not everyone thinks that.

         Now please keep in mind I'm giving a brief summer of how I believe this is to be handled. That being said, it's still amazing how some companies and people get away with what they do. For example, I once saw someone share a neat animation, then make people pay for the link to the creator. Another case, people who play full shows to react to them, and then offer little to no reaction. Then charging to have others see it.

       

             However, then there's the issues of internal conflict, where things really get juicy! Take this commercial for Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NvDzjy4j0ZI

              The song used is 'You're So Cool' from the movie True Romance. Nintendo for permission to use the song for the ad, then we're sued in June of 2008. Turns out the studio behind the movie forgot the gaming company got permission to use it, and somewhat embarrassed themselves.

         

               If you thought that was weird, how about this? Turns out the movie It's a Wonderful Life is public domain, but the story isn't! So for the longest time, TV channels were playing the movie before the owners of the story stepped in, and stopped that. Thus, the movie became a Christmas classic where, if you have a the right set of skills, you can rearrange clips into a new story!

            So in conclusion, treat licensed material right. Look up what it's status is, respect the original creators, and double check if someone has permission to use your work. If things go well, you might just even see a great fan piece based around it! With that, thank you for reading, comment below, and stay tuned!

Crowd-funding: Before You Start

                 

              So, you got a new project ready, and want to get into crowd-funding! Seems simple, right? I mean it seems to be the new thing independent creators are doing nowadays. Well....... Do you know what you're doing though? After all, just because it's an easy way to get money doesn't mean it's an easy way to do the work.  

            First off, it is required the platforms you do it on take five percent of what you earn. This is so they can make money, and keep their site running. So you could have a goal of one-thousand dollars, and they would need to take fifty. So you must plan accordingly! Not just for that, but for the entire goal you'll have.

             Something else you'll need to worry about is rewarding your backers. I wouldn't say that it's a requirement, but I do think it'll help greatly. Make sure to give them perks, and rewards. So, that's another thing you need to budget. In the long run, it's best to get some financial advice from several sources.

 

             Now, should your crowd-funding plan fail, what do you do? Well with me, I would just apologize, explain what went wrong, and refund every backer. If I can't, then I would find a way to make it up to them as soon as possible. They can't be blamed for your failing in this one, and it's important to keep a positive image. Don't just sleep on things, and not respond.

               So in conclusion, know what you're doing. I've seen so many of these campaigns fail after reaching their goal, simply because they either didn't have enough, or they didn't keep motivated. Other times, it just feels like a scam. So keep your wits and dignity about you. Thank you for reading, make sure to comment below, and stay tuned!

      

The Present

      So, first off let me say sorry for taking a break. Life just sort of got busy in the moment. Secondly.... The present we live in is looking very scary. I'm not going to go too in depth, but there's been anger, fear, and some eye-opening stuff. I don't know how to best put it really, but I do know where I stand. That is that for too long have things been going this way, and just recently the last straw had broken the camel's back. No, not broken, but insulted the injury that had previously been sustained.

      Now I will acknowledge that there's flaws all around, and that I shouldn't generalize one side over the other. That being said, I also acknowledge I can't just play the middle man here. I can't just sit by, and let things escalate the way they have. At least, not with my conscience telling me what I need to do. I apologize if this is coming off wrong, but this is the best my words can go.

     Usually, this is a blog that talks about graphic design, and art. It still is, for I think these events will make all of us want to learn how we can better ourselves, and our crafts. The present has certainly showed me where I need my morals to stand. So, I'll leave this link here, so you can donate your money where you best believe it belongs. Now, stay safe, and I urge you, please learn about what you can properly do to better yourself. Racism won't stop until we realize that we need to work harder to stop it.

https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co

Black Lives Matter

Public Figures

         So, this should go without saying, but don't be a jerk. I know that's generalizing things, but my point is, your image matters. Sure, you might not care what people think about you, but you'd be surprised at how much this affects. Namely, when you're in public, and representing a brand. If by chance you're a person who acts rude, then the brand can let you go. That ladies and gentlemen, is my topic for this week.

          Now, I understand that not every complaint to someone's character is valid. In fact, it's easy for most people to tell which are valid, and which aren't. My point is, even if you're a freelancer, the design business wants to make sure they aren't hiring someone rude or lazy. You have to keep up an image of yourself that tells clients 'yes, I can do the job!' Honestly, this isn't that hard to do, or at least it shouldn't be.

           Now that being said, I think there are public figures who are to important to a brand. The ones where, no matter how much they screw up, have put way too much in the business. One example is Shigeru Miyamoto of Nintendo. Not only has the man created two of the company's most famous franchises, but he's also been the one taking charge of new ideas, and trying out new features. That being said, there's a lot of fair critique against him. Namely, he's had a habit of butting into games in development, and just interfering when not needed. That being said though, he's already put too much time and energy to leave the company, and I can understand hating it when you're hired to... Oversee papers and not create.

Image from Wikipedia

             Even then though, with as high as some people are in a company, they can't just do what they want. Being a public icon, whether fictional or real, takes a lot of self-maintenance. Thankfully though  it can pay off ing you know what to do. Thank you once again for reading ladies and gentlemen. Make sure to comment down below, and stay tuned.

 

Overlooked Classics

              What would you consider an overlooked classic? Would that be a movie that did bad in the box office? Could it be an artist that worked mostly in magazines? Perhaps you're thinking of third entry in a trilogy, forced to follow-up a phenomenal second act? There are many things and people that for this category. In terms of design, you sadly see it much more than you should.

 

            I find some of the best designs or artists to unnoticed because of their position. Maybe they stick to InstaGram and put everything there, or stick to only designing for an ad agency. A sad fate for some, but if they're happy, and they're getting what they want, well then good for them. They shouldn't feel forced to share with the world because they were told to. At the end of the day, I would rather be secure financially, and doing small drawings as a hobby. It's the better option over fishing for attention everyday, in a place you won't find it.

  

             So, I believe sometimes it's better to go overlooked. You can still keep your identity, but work professionally in the design business. That being said, I would like to share some classics in this category. Not because I'm forcing them to be noticed, but because... I want to share my interests with you.

First, we have the movie Rock & Rule! A musical about a post-apocolyptic future, that went through studio problems to say the least. Somehow though, it came out as a trip that I think should be experienced. Thank you Retro Rerun for putting this in YouTube for the world to see.

https://m.youtube.com/watchv=knenwlh0ffa

Next, we have the game Deadly Premonition. I've talked about this game before, as it helped inspire my music poster. It should be said however that it really is a fascinating playthrough. May not be the most well-polished experience, but I loved it all the way through! Credits to Wikipedia for the image.

Finally, we have the man, Richard Williams. Animation director for Who Framed Roger Rabbit, contributor on several other animated films, and the mind behind The Thief and The Cobbler. I bring him up here as I feel he's just a guy who doesn't get enough attention. That and the aforementioned Thief and the Cobbler went through studio problems too, and was his main dream. Just thought I'd give the guy a shout-out. Image courtesy of Wikipedia again.

Well, with that, I am done for today. Thank you for reading, comment below, and stay tuned!

Officially Unofficial

         Ah, the very word unofficial. Commonly defined as not officially confirmed or authorized, you tend to see this word tossed around in Graphic Design. Now, the reason for this is mainly  copyright. More specifically, seeing something infringe copyright in some way or form. Now, this doesn't happen a lot in mainstream media.... Kind of. There are slips in the cracks every now and then. However, in underground commercials, other countries, or even just shirts from a van!

            Now, I'm not going to go into how this copyright stuff works. I am not a lawyer, and I can't give any information on this without fear of misleading. However, I will say that breaking copyright has given us great gems, like this:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jvvDEzfalCk

This:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=o3UgRO8VvBI&list=PL3kn8xdY4Q-N818VTwYT87u5ysfmocNvP&index=2&t=0s

And this:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6-NKExQIaho

     Now, I know what you're thinking. 'Shouldn't this get the people who did this in trouble?' Answering your question, it does... Sometimes. A good chunk of unofficial stuff is either out of the jurisdiction of the origin countries. Either that, or it's just really underground. However, there are times when these rip-off artists do get in trouble.  Again, don't take my word as fact, not a lawyer. However, why do it anyways?

     It all boils down to two things. Get attention, and so it lazily. Bootlegers, rip-off artists, they all don't want to do too much for money. However, they can lure people in easier with a recognisable face. At that point, once let's say, they have to cease and desist, the viewer still had an impact. Therefore, the product did it's job in a way.

Video-Game Marketing

       So, earlier today while I was doing my online class, my teacher said  a videogame doesn't market anything. Now, I'm not hating on him, but that line did get me thinking. Can videogames be used for marketing? To the casual observer, probably not, but if you look closer... They just might. For one thing, they market themselves in advertisements, which is so obvious  it probably doesn't count


      Let's go deeper though, since I believe a videogame can market something bigger. The studio and companies that make them. Think about it, good games could land a team more work. Consistent work output will  help keep them afloat. A company that publishes great pieces will in turn expand.

    Going further, I've seen games that can be tied with toys, clothes, comics, all sorts of touchpoints. So with that being said, I think it's safe to say they do have marketing potential. Especially when you have a mascot or engine you want to put out.
!

The First of Anything

      So today, I would like to talk about firsts. Not drafts, but more editions. The early days of a brand or style of you will. I went into a similar with my blog, Evolution of Style.

http://www.kugraphics.org/zachary/2019/12/08/style/

Except here, the topic of discussion will be based around the early works. Namely, all the other media around it. For example, in Japan there exists a movie called 'Super Mario Bros.: The Great Mission to Rescue Princess Peach!' Released in 1986, so early a year after the first game, it followed the basic story of plumber saves princess. However, looking back on the film from the perspective of today, there's a lot that doesn't match up. Elements that were made up, different characters and character traits, it certainly is bizarre. Thing is, you can't really say they did anything wrong when making it.

 Image courtesy of Wikipedia

       There was little control over the brand identity at the time. And not just here, but with other forms of media. In fact look at old advertisements for movies that turned into series, long-running shows, etc., and tell me that they say outdated statements. It's bound to happen as the team behind on the first days most likely didn't foresee the success, or hadn't planned it all out yet. They were also more relaxed with their product, not creating the more defined template other designers would need to follow. Whatever the case maybe, I hope this shows that your early designs, stories, or whatever, might become a bit more loose to interpretation. Even by you, things may change.

   

           With that said, thank you again for reading. Hope you enjoyed, comment below, and stay tuned!

   

Wrestling Follow-Up

Never thought I would make a follow-up to Design In Wrestling. Yet, surprising as it is, here we are. For those that need to refresh, there's a link to my words on this subject at the bottom.

         Ah, professional wresting, a… complicated situation. So, remember everything I said about design? Deadlines, drafts, finding the right audience? Toss it right out the window! Nothing can stay the same, and anything can change! That isn’t an exaggeration either, as a fan of wrestling, I notice things become different around two or three weeks. Of course, that does come with some complications.

       You see, this is a form of entertainment you see live. It’s also one with several shows, and many actors. Now, say it’s fake all you want, there are real stunts they perform that can get them injured. While a ladder jump maybe scripted, they are still jumping off a ladder. Now, let’s say they were injured in that jump for a month, and that person was supposed to be the next title holder. Now you have to change plans, any potential merchandise, matches, it just throws things off. It’s not just injuries either. Real life events, the audience reaction, or backstage shenanigans can just have everything go bonkers.


           So….. you can’t make plans to ahead of time with wrestling. You also can’t give up either, because the plans could really pay off. In the end, all you can do is adapt. Just adapt, maybe change someone’s personality, but make sure things are controlled. Things will change, but you’ll be surprised by results. What could have been a good toy would be a better toy. Maybe a video game will be better f they delay it. Either way, the design side of this business requires you to adapt. Like it or not, things won’t stay the same. However, you can succeed from something new.

http://www.kugraphics.org/zachary/2020/03/10/wrestling/

Going Online

            Alright, so...... my class is going online. To put it simply, right now we're having to deal with the Corona Virus scare, and thanks to that, I'm out of school for two weeks. This was a decision by the school's administration, and we will still keep lessons up. In the ned though, I will have to adapt. Something I went into good detail about, last week, I have to do. All of my work will now need to be done at home.  I can now sleep more, but at the cost of that, I don't have the best resources. I also have a more strict online schedule, but it should help me keep up on work better.

         During this time though, I promise to still post blogs, and I promise to still keep up my work. I'm too insane right now to give up so that won't happen. To show you I will still work, I'll post some graphics I make next week.  Other than that though, thank you for reading, stay tuned, and stay healthy.

Design In Wrestling

     Ah, professional wresting, a... complicated situation. So, remember everything I said about design? Deadlines, drafts, finding the right audience? Toss it right out the window! Nothing can stay the same, and anything can change! That isn't an exaggeration either, as a fan of wrestling, I notice things become different around two or three weeks. Of course, that does come with some complications.

       You see, this is a form of entertainment you see live. It's also one with several shows, and many actors. Now, say it's fake all you want, there are real stunts they perform that can get them injured. While a ladder jump maybe scripted, they are still jumping off a ladder. Now, let's say they were injured in that jump for a month, and that person was supposed to be the next title holder. Now you have to change plans, any potential merchandise, matches, it just throws things off. It's not just injuries either. Real life events, the audience reaction, or backstage shenanigans can just have everything go bonkers.

            So..... you can't make plans to ahead of time. You also can't give up either, because the plans could really pay off. In the end, all you can do is adapt. Just adapt, maybe change someone's personality, but make sure things are controlled. Things will change, but you'll be surprised by results. What could have been a good toy would be a better toy. Maybe a video game will be better f they delay it. Either way, the design side of this business requires you to adapt.

                 Well those are my words on the subject. Thank you once again for reading, comment below, and stay tuned!

Art Vs Design

                One thing people need to know is that art and design aren't the same. Design is to art what squares are to rectangles. All squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are squares. It's as simple as that. In this case, all design is art, not all art is design. I say this as I want my audience to understand they can see a floating bag as art. They can see nature as art, however, the purpose behind it was never there in the first place.
               
                       
                  The purpose of this image above is that I wanted to demonstrate the seven chakras. There is a purpose behind it.  So, every element is designed as such, and helps illustrate the point I want to make.                                                                                                      The purpose of this image was to be a fifth-grade children's book cover.  Again, there is a purpose for it, and all the elements help show that. In this case, it's to draw a fifth-graders attention.

 This image, holds no purpose. There was no intention to making other than create something. It is art, but it is not design. I pretty much just turned my brain off when making it for this blog.

                              So, I hope you see my point. When designing something, always have a purpose behind it. Always have something to bring elements together. The same can go for art as well, if you want. However, sometimes you can just go in, and create. Thank you for reading, and stay tuned.

Are Fads Important?

                    So, I was taking a walk one day, when the idea of fads suddenly struck my mind. Essentially, I remembered what someone said about the 3d craze for video games.  How he believed that while it ruined what could have been great games, it showed what works, and what doesn't. Now, I am not saying 3D games are a fad, but the idea that every game has to be 3D is. Eventually that idea died down, people learned from it, and moved on. So what I am asking is, do fads teach us what works and what doesn't?
   
                  To give you an idea of what I mean, remember silly bandz? Those weird toys kids would bring to school, wear, trade, etc?                                   If you don't, hopefully this image they own, and from their Amazon listing will remind you. They were pretty popular for awhile, but most teachers found they were distracting kids. Eventually, it got to points they would take them from kids, or ban them, and then one day.... They weren't popular anymore. The generation that liked them grew up, and someone showed the kids something else, all in the span of a year.
   
                   So what happened to them? Well, when people age, or certain events like banning occurred, nobody would be interested anymore. Either that, or a sort of semi-controversy formed.  Advertisers will see this, and move on to something else, or they go bankrupt. So fads are important, as they show what will work, and what won't Anything that works will stay, and you build around it. Stuff that doesn't, well they disappear.

                 End of the day, just pay attention to them. I'm not saying you have to buy them, or cash in on them, but see what can be learned from their success or failure. You might just be surprised. With that, thank you for reading, and stay tuned!

Maturity in Media

                        During my last class, maturity as a blog topic came to mind when presenting touch points. Without going into to many details, one touch point reminded me of the ad campaign, Joe Camel. For those uninformed, Joe was the mascot for Camel Cigarettes from 1987 to 1997, an anthropomorphic camel, and kind of controversial. You know how today there are so many ads telling young kids and teens to avoid smoking? Joe here was kind of the catalyst, being a Looney Tunes-esque design that was depicted as smooth, and cool. He was also in several print advertisements, and was reportedly recognizable to hundreds of children.

                    So, with that in mind, what went wrong here? For example, the video-game Conker's Bad Fur Day came out when this ad was around. Said game is much, much more mature, with sexual references, alcohol and smoking, swearing, you name it. You also have adult cartoons like South Park and Family Guy that are still around, and doing well. Well, for one thing, they're not marketed to children. I know, there are probably children that wind up watching or playing them, but they are blatantly put in the mature markets. On top of that, a responsibility is put to the viewers to not re-enact the actions, or to watch it at all.

                    Well, can't the same happen for Joe? Parents telling their kids to not smoke? Yes.... and no..... you see, when that child gets older, they may like what they saw in these ads, and try smoking camel.  Also remember, these ads with Joe were everywhere, and felt both mature, and light-hearted. Combine that with the negative stigma smoking has gained,  and Joe has fell through for a reason. He wasn't just a mature cartoon character, he was, as the people saw him, manipulative. He wasn't just something they could tell a child not to see also.

                  So, in conclusion, you can have cartoon characters be mature. However, you need to market it to the right crowd if you do, no kids, so no public billboards near Mcdonald's. If not, make sure said character isn't advertising anything, so no beer. With that said, thank you again for reading. I hope my point came across, ask you to comment, and stay tuned.