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!