Money Making Pt. 2

       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!

Money Making

      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.

 Image courtesy of Kamen Riser Wiki.

     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!

What Could Be

       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.

Image courtesy of https://www.pinterest.com/amazedhuman/memorable-ads/

    

    Now, not too much later, WWII happened, and bananas were rationed, making them switch from banana, to vanilla cream. However, what if that change never happened, and Twinkies could be continuously advertised as having banana cream? Well, bananas would probably be used more in advertising obviously; not to mention other Hostess cream-filled cakes might not exist, or be very different. 

        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.

 

Image courtesy of Wikipedia. 

               

        Psychonauts 2 came put a good while after the original, thus the team had more time to fine-tune the mechanics, and take inspiration from other games. However, What if it was made sooner? Well, graphically, and visually, would probably seem more similar to the first, possibly with more  characters from the first as well. There would be some improvements, but I wouldn't say there'd be anything too crazy. Finally, there is a chance the levels would probably be more gimmicky, so as to help the games stand out better.

        I just believe visualizing different routes for graphic design interesting.  What could have been is always a neat topic to investigate, and inspire yourself. Never forget to focus on the now however, and what is. With that said, than you for reading, and stay tuned!

Privacy

    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!

   

The Purpose of Lore

      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.

     

Inspiring Others

       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!

Happy New Year!

   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!

Merry Christmas!

     Hey guys, just wanted to give you the traditional Christmas celebration post! I know it's a bit early, but I hope you have happy holidays no matter what you celebrate! As for me, I'll be taking a little break for a week, but I'll be back to work in early January. Stay tuned!

Treading Old Ground

     For a lot of us, we will wish to go back and correct things. In the field of graphic design, those things we want to alter may vary.  As it stands however, even if the project was a success, a designer might not be completely satisfied with it. However, there's also the case where a creator might want to try something new with a familiar idea. Whatever the story may be, I want to talk about treading old ground in graphic design.

     Now we all have ideas that we can never really fit in sometimes. All projects have deadlines, and there are technical limitations. However, what if there was the chance to go at it again, with more time, and better resources? Chances are, you could turn out the project you wanted initially! If not that, then a good spruce up can do a game, movie, or pictures wonders! It would be like walking down a path with a better pair of shoes. 

      However, maybe you don't want to add to an idea, but try it a different way? Let's say you remake an old commercial for coffee, but do it in a modern setting. You could make fun of the previous commercial, try a role reversal of the plot, etc. As long as you can try something new, there's still potential with an idea. In this case, treading old ground can be seen as taking a different path along the way. 

      Now keep in mind, this can be a double-edged sword. You have to be ready for whatever reaction people may have to your work, even if it's negative. As such, some people will get annoyed if they see the same thing over and over again. Others will get annoyed if they see the wrong changes being made to something they loved. Just be wary of what the people think, before you go down the path again.

      What you want, is to read your main audience, and find what they want. Compromise is going to be key here, so don't forget that when you go down that old path. With all of that said however, thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed, and stay tuned!

Exposure

      We all want to get our names out there somehow. However,  it's not just getting our name out there, but also keeping it out there. How do we go about doing that? Well, this week, I want to go over exposure in graphic design! Without further ado, let's jump in.

      Now, one thing we always need when putting ourselves out there is confidence. Be willing to face criticism, be ready to improve, and be sure to keep motivated. Another thing to remember with exposure is to ensure your name is on the work. Whether the commission gives a shout out, or you have the project on the resume, let them know you're connected. However, this is just the first part.

      Once you have exposure, you need to make sure you keep it. Recommend yourself for follow up jobs, keep up with interviews, show off personal projects, etc. A good example of staying exposed, I would say, is Mariah Carey's 'All I Want For Christmas Is You.'. It's played every year, gives her a decent check every Christmas time, and it keeps her name out there for people to remember. So, I figure a good way to keep ensure people see your product; wether its in a store, or played regularly, just as long as it constantly gets your name out there.

      

 

Image  courtesy of Wikipedia

     

      Now, obviously there are limits. Don't go putting your name out everywhere, or to everyone, you might get in trouble, etc. Just have a good persistence about it. With that in mind however, thank you so much for reading! Hope you enjoyed, and stay tuned!

Happy Thanksgiving 2022!

     It's that time of year again everyone! I hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving day. As usual,  here are my photos.

   Once again, happy Thanksgiving! As usual, I hope you enjoy, and stay tuned!

Reused Assets

 

     We only have so much time before we finish a project. Sometimes, we have to remove elements we wanted. Other times, we'll need to set ourselves on a timer for how much comfort time we have. One thing creators will always find themselves doing however, is reusing assets. From using the same textures for different graphics, to having the same basis for a picture. For this week, we'll be talking about reusing assets, and the pros and cons of it.

Used the same base asset for this.

     So, what is a pro of reusing assets. Well, as stated earlier, it saves up on time. No need to make every individual piece of grass unique; people won't notice, so you can copy and paste the same texture. Another bonus is you can keep those assets for later projects, such as a character model, or custom gradient. This saves up on computer space, and gives you more tools to work with. The versatility of what you made in the past can help what you make in the future.

      As for cons, keep in mind reused assets can look lazy. People have eyes, and if a prominent asset is familiar, they will recognize it. Do this enough, and it will most likely turn the off, as they're tired of repetition. Let's not forget to mention that eventually, your work will look outdated. Do not let yourself become stagnant; if a grass texture looks like it was made in 2000, make a new one to reflect your current ability.  So if you do decide to reuse assets, be prepared for people to critique.

      At the end of the day however, it is your decision to do reuse assets. I'll, even I've done it in the past. I just hope we all consider the pros and cons I have listed. With that said however, thank you for reading, and stay tuned. 

Unlikability

      So, I want to believe we all desire to be liked. If not by everyone, or praised to the moon, then at least tolerated. As for what we create though, we might not instantly want it to be liked. Spinning off of my controversy blogs there are people who do want negative reactions to their works. Perhaps it is for attention, story purposes, or whatever reason. This week, I say we look into it.

    So to start, let's take a look at how we could portray something unlikable. Usually,  when we portray something likable, we hype it up, we think about what we, or our audience want to see, and then build it up. So to portray something unlikable, draw attention to what they don't want to see, and again, build it up.  Don't focus on praising it though, keep attention on the negative aspects. In the case of a story for example, show how the unlikable subject affects people around them.

      Now, keep in mind, it's best to portray unlikability, and not go forward to making something completely unlikable. Not to say it can't be done right, but keep in mind, you will have an audience. If there is too much obnoxious noise in a commercial, no insightful commentary about something awful, or no redeeming qualities whatsoever, it will turn people off. Whether this disliking it is intentional, or not, be wary with your portrayals.

       Remember, it is ok to have an element that is unlikable, just remember to balance it out somehow.  Main character is a jerk the entire time, have him get his comeuppance in an embarrassing way. Doing a documentary about an awful event, speak with knowledge on the matter, and condone those in the wrong. Just making something for the sake of upsetting people isn't a smart way to seem artistic. It is cheap, uninspired,  and shows you probably shouldn't be worked with.

     Once again however, thank you for reading! I hope you got something out of this, and stay tuned!