And just like that, our year had come to a close again.
As always, I hope you have a fantastic season, whatever you celebrate, and look forward to you reading these next year. As for me, I'm going to keep designing, and keep up at finding the right position for me. I'm not sure what the future will hold, but I believe it will be good. Until then, as always, stay tuned!
It's that time of year again! As always, herre are the pictures I take on this holiday. As an added bonus however, I have some extra pictures from the week to add, just to spice things up!
As usual, thanks for joining me in this tradition, and stay tuned!
So in the past, I've gone over redoing an original product. However, that was more about remaking something, and the choices you could make doing so. Today, I want to explore the idea of tweaking ideas for a sequel. What features do you leave in, is it the same writer, etc. So, let's get started on this!
Now, a good way to observe this type of change is, I find, in older video games. At the time, you were able to put them out faster, but still have limited resources to use. In this case, let's look at the changes between Pikmin 1 and Pikmin 2.
As some of you may know, I've been using Adobe Illustrator since I began my graphic design journey. However, I feel it is time I moved on, and went to something else.
That's right ladies and gentlemen, from now on, I shall be using Affinity Designer for all of my graphic design needs! Now, I know there will be a bit of a relearning; I can accept that, as there is no way to move up in design unless you continue to learn. As of right now, I'm beginning a small art project anyways, so I like to think I'm learning fast.
Now, this isn't me trying to persuade you to pick different tools over another; I simply picked Affinity due to what I felt was a better payment plan. This blog is mainly here to let you know about my change of tools, but not to fret, since they're mostly similar tools. With that in mind, thank you once again for reading another quick blog. As always, I hope you stay tuned!
Well, seeing how it is that time again, I wanted to give you the update that Holiday cards for this year are done. Granted, you might have already known that had you seen my portfolio, but I figure now would be a good time to make the post dedicated to them. Hope you enjoy!
Well, I had to talk about it at some point. Recently in Hollywood, writers and actors have been going on strike for a multitude of reasons. Some of those reasons are better pay, some are for better treatment, some not to get replaced by an AI, some to just get more credit for their work etc. Now, I'm not going to try and list all of the demands, but I feel the ones I have listed are pretty reasonable. The only people not saying this are, of course, the top executives.
Now, this isn't the first big writer's strike to happen; and if things keep going the way they are, it won't be the last. As it stands, there are very talented and creative people in Hollywood right now struggling to pay rent, or even to feed themselves. Now, I know there's going to be the argument of 'they need a real job, I don't need them'. Well, to counter that, entertainment, in ant form you find, usually has someone behind it. We as people have always needed entertainment, like it or not. To blow off this needed talent, and refusing to give them any compensation, is just downright deplorable.
I apologize if this blog is a bit more impassioned than usual. However, I feel it stands that what these writers and actors, big or small, are asking for isn't some outrageous demand. This is stems from their need to live, from their need to maintain creative freedom. At the end of the day, it shouldn't have to be said, but pay your writers, actors, and anyone else on the staff. Otherwise, you'll find your movies and TV won't be as fun.
Again, apologies for the somewhat more personal and disorganized blog; I just wanted to put my thoughts out. Hope you enjoyed, and stay tuned.
Update:
https://h8l0v.blogspot.com/2024/01/a-quick-look-back-on-strike.html
So, I keep thinking about how I get the weird inspiration for these blogs, and thought I should share it with all of you. This is going to be another quick blog, so don't expect anything to deep. That being said, let's dive right on in.
The best way I can describe this is with an example. So, to start the story of where I got influenced to do the blog Social Media management. I was scrolling on the internet one day, mostly looking at wrestling-related news. During this time, I read an article about how Roman Reigns, current Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, only used social media for show purposes. Essentially, he doesn't post anything to personal, or break character with it. This then got me thinking about how one could use social media in a similar way.
So, usually what happens is I see something, let it sit in my head a bit, and then make the connection. After which, I relate it to graphic design in some way, and write things down. A random process sure, but I wanted to share it with you. Sometimes randomness is a good way to spark creativity. Anyways, rambling aside, thank you for reading, and stay tuned!
Edit: Apologirs for the late upload everyone, my life was just a blur at the moment. I intend to return to a more steady schedule on Sunday the 25th.
Alright everybody, a bit of a shorter blog this week, but one I think I need to make just to kind of clear my thoughts. As some of you may guess, I'm not exactly a professional designer, most of my topics I randomly choose, and then just put my inner thoughts out; most of which are pretty similar to other blogs. When I first made this thing it was because I was required to by college, and I guess I kept going because I was instructed it would help put my name out there. As you can see, it's been a while since then, and so far these haven't exactly been doing that job. This could be because it's just amateur ramblings, or it could be because I'm not good at putting my name out their with these. It also doesn't help that I have my portfolio on this website, so making these blogs is a way to keep attention onto it.
I don't want to claim to be an expert in this field, and by now I was hoping I had more official projects to share rather than some stuff I made in Illustrator, or what else have you. Make no mistake, I genuinely enjoy graphic design; the creative aspect, the planning, coming up with the right colors, it is fun, and I want to continue to work hard, and make a career out of it. However, as it stands now, with my current portfolio, I feel I need to do these discussion blogs as I was instructed to do. As such, I wish to thank anybody who actually took the time to read these, even if those numbers are few and far in between. However, I will admit I wish I could give you more to stay for, and apologize if I spread negative ideas.
My genuine hope is that you don't have pity on my for this, as this isn't about people feeling sorry for me. This is about the writer of these blogs, putting his honest thoughts in writing for his own sake. I don't know if I'll do these blogs forever, and I can't promise the quality will improve that much. What I can promise though is that I'm not done with graphic design yet, and I hope you stay tuned for more, and continue to read these strange posts I make. Thank you for list if you did.
Ideally, we want as many eyes on our product as possible. The more clients and customers, the better it is for our business. However, that can't always work in our favor. In graphic design, it is important to trim the fat of your audience and focus on one main part. A target audience, big or small, is one of the biggest parts to keep in mind when designing a product. Without further ado, let us explore this topic in today's blog.
Now, a target audience really can be defined as the main group your product grabs. They are arguably the people you want to focus on the most. To give an example, if focusing on kids, it's best to make products with flashy colors, fun characters, and play along with their imagination. If your target audience is the elderly however, it's best to hand out concise, easily read information that doesn't leave them too distracted.
Getting a target audience however, can be more of a challenge than you think. In some cases, you'll have one group in mind, but bring in an entirely different one. Another problem is may you try to grab in another target audience but isolate the one you already had. At the end of the day, getting things right will be a tough balancing act. It's important that you properly research these groups and see how you can improvise going forward.
One piece of advice that I found best, was to first create something for you. With that, you can find a target audience easier, and proceed to learn what works, and doesn't. With all of that being said, thank you for reading, and stay tuned.
As the years go on, social media has become a necessity for companies. Sure, you could try to go without it, but that's a bit of a challenge. More and more people are signing in, and checking out what's trending. Be it on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or what else have you. So, this means that it's probably for the best that you get one for your business too.
Now, one of the biggest issues of social media is letting yourself get too attached. Now, I'm not saying you can't gave a personal account, or not let your professional account have a bit of fun. However, don't go overboard on a professional account, and reply to everything. You represent your skills, and/or the business you work for. It is best not to make the social media page look like a mess of feelings, anger, nonsense, as that paints a bad look.
With that being said, a social media account is a great way to advertise. Not only does it allow you to interact with the consumer in some way, but it allows you to show off your work in a convenient way. Not only that, but with social media, it's a quick way to connect to any potential clients. One just has to be aware that they'll need to post often, and show off their product enough to get attention, and get trending! Word travels fast on social media, so it can be easy!
Trending isn't always the best thing to be on social media however. If people are talking about you, or the brand you represent in a negative way, that bad message is going to spread. As such, watch what you put out, as you ideally won't want negative reception. Also remember that just because it's easy to get trending, doesn't mean you will. Algorithms play a big part of social media, and if you don't know how to market yourself, you will be buried under a sea of other material.
So, with all of that said and done, thank you for reading! Hopefully you'll put this knowledge to good use for your brand, and succeed. Other than that, make sure to stay tuned!
An element of graphic design that has caught my eye would have to be a certain comparison. Mainly, when you compare the beginning ok skill and technology, to the end. While it's easy to look at the wider range of design throughout the ages, I feel it's important to acknowledge design changes across small amounts of time. How small am I talking about? Well, as always, let's look ahead.
So, as we know, the artist can improve over time. So long as they keep learning, and practicing what they do, you will see a massive change in skill. This might be seen as a change in one's art style, or an increase of content. Granted, this isn't to say skills will always improve. That's always going the be up to opinion, or could have a third-party involved like injury. Still, it is something to keep an eye on throughout an artist's life.
What I really want is to focus on however, is how one can use a specific tool. For this discussion, let's turn our attention to the Gameboy.
In the early days of the Gameboy, the games were pretty simple to understand. Games like Tetris were easy to program in, meanwhile games like Super Mario Land were essentially heavy demakes of games like Super Mario Bros. However, as the technology of the Gameboy began to be mastered, and well-learned, things improved. We had games like Pokemon Red and Blue, which featured multiple, collectable characters with their own stats We also had the Wario Land trilogy, based off of the original Mario land, but with a new set of mechanics, better sprites, and refined controls.
So all in all, I would say it's fun to watch styles from beginning to end. See how one can change, and improve, whilst working with what they have. It can, in turn, inspire others to follow suit, and learn more about design. With all of that being said, thank you for reading, and stay tuned!
So, to get the elephant out of the room first, yes it's weird that I'm doing this after I did Conclusions. However, considering people usually think about the goal first, they usually think about how to get their later. The beginning step is still the first obstacle one needs to overcome however. It's not just having an idea and presenting it, it's making sure to start off right. How do we learn about these characters, or has this been done before? Well, let's find out here!
Now, in terms of a first chapter or episode, you'll want to give a good first impression. Setting a theme for the show, having the characters show their personalities, etc. Now, you might not have the best beginning, but can still tell a great story going forward. Great, but don't forget to at least try with a first impression. Be it a chapter, small video, or season, put your best foot forward.
When it comes to beginning a project though, It's a bit different. It's not just having an idea, it's planning it out, testing with audiences, getting licenses, etc. Acto accordingly, and get through the first part before doing anything else. Don't put the cart before the horse, ambition is good, but keep it under control.
So, there you have it. Plan your beginnings well, and make sure they go over well. You only get one chance at a first impression after all.
Exaggeration can be a fun tool in graphic design. Now, I'm not talking about misleading clients, or handing out bad promises. What I am talking about is exaggerating images, scenarios, and just seeing how far your can go. We all want to convey emotions somehow, and the best way to do that sometimes is to really go at it. How does exaggeration work? well let's find out.
This topic came to my mind while I was watching playthroughs of an excellent indie game called Pizza Tower.
One of the main aspects that make this game so good is the expressions on the main character's face. Not just any expressions, exaggerated expressiosns! When the character is angry, his face stretches beyond what it should. When the character is happy, his smile goes beyond the cheeks of his face. This is an animation style done before, but it really shows how good exaggerated expressions can be done.
Now, it doesn't work exaggerating expressions all the time. In moments you want things to be serious, you might want to keep yourself restricted. However, exaggerating how a person moves, and how they talk can help express the emotions you want. Especially if the story is silent, and you can't talk things out. At the end of the day, exaggerating emotions is a balancing act to receive the end product you want.
The point I want to make here, is don't be afraid to exaggerate movements sometimes. If you want to draw running, make the character's legs loop in a circle. If you wanna make an impact seem bigger, add an explosion to it. Exaggerating features and elements is a good way to help your work stand out. With all of that said, thank you for reading, and stay tuned!
For every recipe, you will find an important ingredient that ties it all together. It could be the ingredient the recipe is named after, the ingredient that holds it together, as long as it's important in some form. In another sense, there are ingredients that I would argue should be kept out of recipes. Flavors that don't mesh well, or could just make the food inedible. Like all things I talk about, this applies, to graphic design. So, let's talk about it.
To start us off, let's dive into what makes a specific piece work the most. It could be the shape of an image, a character related to the product, etc. For an example, let's look at the Simpsons.
While not the main appeal, part of the reason it gets your attention is the yellow skin. It was eye-catching, and without it, it's possible the show would never have become as popular as it is now.
However, what's something that could ruin a product if put in? Well, I thought about this, and I figured a good answer would be making Harry Potter and the Philosopher Stone a musical.
Keep in mind, I'm speaking of the movie version. However, knowing the context, and how whimsical that film already is, I feel songs might have made it a bit too kiddy. Not to mention, if you did that for the first movies it could cause a strange ripple effect that involves the rest of the franchise. Where does the tone go from here, do we add song numbers in other movies, it just makes things a mess. So, in this sense, musical theatrics isn't a needed ingredient in the Harry Potter series.
So now we know about ingredients, which ones work, and which ones don't. I know there will be those who have differing opinions than me, so feel free to experiment! Part of the fun of cooking and baking is trying to find what works and what doesn't, and graphic design is no different. Go and find test the recipe for your designs, and see if it needs anything added, or taken away. With that said, thank you for reading, and stay tuned!
Back at it again with the topic of money-making. Just like last time, I plan to go over ways graphic designers can make money for their personal projects, and life in general. Without further ado, let us continue this topic!
To start off, we have the classic concept of advertisements. Now, of course there is the concern of potentially selling out, and getting a bad advertiser. Of course, should you do your research, and find the right ones, they'll pay you. Either by featuring their logo, or sponsoring their product, you can be guaranteed a paycheck for your projects. Just make sure there's a level of cooperation so you get what you want, and they don't pull out.
The other topic I want to suggest is personalized commissions. Be they drawings, logos, videos, take any job you can get. Plenty of people are willing to pay to have the images they want made at last. Just make sure that they will pay you for your work. Also, make sure you set your limits; be those you not wanting to do specific images, or the range of tools you have.
With that out of the way, those are ways to raise money for projects in graphic design. Is there potentially more options, yes; but I wanted to stick with the main four I feel were best to describe. Are all of them perfect, no; however I do feel it all comes down to learning, and keeping your promises. With all of that out of the way, thank you for reading, and stay tuned!
Graphic design is not a free practice. If you want to make a career out of this, you'll need to get paid. If you want to see some ideas come to fruition, you need to take money out of your wallet. As such, it's important to have a steady income, and find ways to add to it. As such, this blog will be going over certain ways I have seen it done, both good, and bad.
To start, I want to bring up Kamen Rider as an example.
Over the years, Kamen Rider toys have taken to trying out different gimmicks to up toy sales. This ranges from the armors you could put on an action figure, to little trinkets you can put in the transformation device. As a result, the shows now feature a multitude of other riders and forms, as opposed to earlier in the franchise's life. Granted, while it does get tiring seeing the story need to incorporate these forms, I enjoy seeing how it does so. So long as the toys are fairly priced, and the story is still good, I think it will work well.
Another way to make money, that's more common for individual designers, is crowd-funding. Yes, this isn't perfect, there have been plenty of Kickstarters that failed, but it's still a method. So long as you have a goal in mind, fulfill your promises, and balance things out, you will probably do fine. On top of that, crowd-funding gives you more freedom for a project.
Would you believe me if I said we're still not done with this topic? As it turns out, their are more ways to make money in Graphic Design. I'll go over those next blog, so stay tuned!
Have you ever watched an old movie, and thought 'what if this were made today'? I've had that thought many of time, ad it's something I believe the art and design world has too. Now, I'm not talking about the mistakes that a designer might have made, or personal criticism, more so outside sources. Think of this as more alternate scenarios for certain products.
Let me paint a scene for you; before WWII, fruits, meat, and vegetables could be considered as common as today. One fruit in particular was bananas, which were used for cream in Twinkies.
Another example I can think of is, as mentioned before, movies and video games made in a different era. For an example, I'll use Psychonauts 2.
So, as stated in previous blogs, graphic designers need to get their name out there. However, do keep mind that you'll need to properly sort the contacts out. Not everyone is going to ask for a commission, they may prank you, or worse. So today, I just want to go over a few options to secure your privacy. I know it may not seem like much, but I felt it was a good idea.
Firstly, and this is pretty simple, but have a business email at the ready. One you don't use for personal accounts, but can share with potential clients. On top of that, it's best recommended to use a different password as well. This way you can better secure information, and avoid work and life mixing up. Of course, there is other reasons for multiple emails than that.
Make sure to maintain yourself when it comes to social media and in public. You represent your own brand, and if potential clients see you say; using your professional account to post curse words regularly, they might back out. Some things are better just left behind closed doors, so it's a good idea not to share every detail of your life. Whether it's big or little, try to maintain how you go about your business.
With that, I hope I got the idea of keeping privacy in your head. I know this was a shorter blog, but I more or less felt this should at least be brought up. Only other thing I have to say is respect the privacy of other designers, as they have their lives to live. With that said, thank you for reading, and stay tuned!
When it comes to world-building, lore is always an important part. For a lot of graphic designers, we like to build stories around our products, whether they be real or not. What can lore do for the greater image or production though? Well, I think we can try and find out today. So, without further ado, let's examine lore.
So, what is lore exactly? Well, one could say it's the story associated with an object; be it factual purpose, or the history it's had. In turn, lore helps elevate the status of said story, or product, whether it be big or small. It gives the audience a hook, something of interest. Or, if you don't plan on revealing it, allows for a base line for world building.
In the first example, the lore of a franchise can be more attractive to people than the actual product itself. While this might not sound ideal, the idea of giving your audience something to care about is. In the case of say, a tea, it could be about the history of how it was made, and how it is priced. In the case of the toy, it could be about the toy's mythical origins, and makes kids fascinated. So long as you can explain things in an intriguing way, you can hook customers on the lore, which hooks them to the product.
In the second example, as I stated, we all like to create stories. However, what are the rules and regulations of these stories? What is the reason to follow here? Lore can help set up a straightforward narrativ, and give us guidelines to attend to. On top of that, it helps set the scene for events to come, so one doesn't have to make stuff up on the spot.
Lore is always a good place to start in graphic design, and a good way to practice creativity. With all of that said, thank you for reading, and stay tuned.
We all know that every form of art comes from inspiration. That's the way it's been since the early days of cave paintings. However, nothing could be a greater honor than knowing your work could inspire others! Whether it be a speech you give, an image you draw, or any creative endeavor. The ability to inspire further creation is what makes graphic design run!
A good example would be fan works. From newer animations, to classic literature; you can find all sorts of media based around love for something. While it's best not to monetize most of them, it's a good way to break into creation. Practice drawing certain characters, write scenarios in the universe, etc. Whatever you were inspired to do, you have an option to try it out, risk free.
Granted, it won't just be fan works. There could be references to what you create, or ideas that use your work as a template. Not all of it will be perfect mind you. It goes without saying that everyone's creative skill, especially children's, varies. However, it's still nice to trigger that creative spark.
Not that in depth of a topic this time, but I just wanted to discuss it. I feel the opportunity to inspire through creation can be rewarding if done right. I hope you agree with me, and stay tuned! Thank you for reading again!
Hello everyone, and Happy New Year! I hope you all have a good future to come with 2023. Make sure to stay tuned, because I still have more blog posts coming your way!
