Merry Christmas to You

I said I would start early this year (sending Christmas cards), maybe even create my own instead of lining Hallmark’s pockets. But here I am mid-December and no Christmas card, oh the shame. I guess I’ll have to send out the after-seasons-greeting card. Is that lame? or does the thought really count?

the collection of one who does not collect

I don’t consider myself a collector, I do have a few meaningful items I like to keep and display (books, souvenirs from travel and other mementos). Here are a few of them.

Nothing against it, but . . .

I decided early on that I wanted to get through the semester without posting a link from YouTube on my blog. Nothing against the site, I do flip through it every now and then, I just feel that references to YouTube are everywhere (television news, newspapers, etc) and I wanted to find material someplace else. I made it up to today December 5^th, I saw this movie describing graphic design on YouTube, and almost gave in. Then I read the description and happily discovered the web link to Becky’s portfolio. Whew, that was a close one. Maybe cheating a little since I did find it on YouTube, but I won’t tell anyone if you don’t.

Check out Becky’s take on "What is Graphic Design?"

What you can do with that No. 2 pencil

Text for Project 7

 Why keep boring pencils around? Pencils take up valuable desktop space, so they should be useful and amusing. How do you make pencils amusing? You create Pencil Characters. Pickup the supplies, follow the instructions, and you are on your way. Hours of amusement await you.

Supplies Needed to Create Characters

• Pencils (number 2 pencils work well)
  
• Yarn (several different colors)
  
• Glue
  
• Scissors
  
• Eyes
  
• Clay
  
• Eraser heads (optional)
  

First Signs of Life

Pick up a pencil and rotate until the writing or brand information is not facing you. Once you are satisfied that the print is out of view, glue eyes onto the pencil, about an inch down from the eraser. Eye placement sets the face and provides inspiration for the pencil’s character and features. Now you are ready to bring the character to life.

Hair Raising

Select one or more colors of yarn. Hold the end piece(s) in place with your thumb and wrap the strands around your fingers to form a 2.5 – 3 inch loop of yarn for medium length hair. You can make the loop smaller for short spiky hair or larger for longer hair. Once you have wrapped the yarn three to four times, the end piece should be secure and you can release your thumb. Continue wrapping yarn until the loop is about a half inch thick (for thicker and bushier hair go up to .75 or 1 inch). Cut the end when done wrapping. Now cut a separate piece of yarn to secure the loop (about 10 inches) and wrap it around the middle of the loop several times, creating a bow. Leave a couple of inches on each end for use later. Tighten and tie a knot, this will keep the loop in place. Do not trim the ends.

Laying Roots

Place the hair on the pencil, on top of the metal that attaches the eraser to the pencil. Place the long pieces left over from securing the loop (bow) on either side of the pencil. Press hair to pencil, then pick up the pencil and flip it over. Now you need to grab the long strings and tie a knot. Look at the front of the pencil, make sure that the hair is positioned the way you like and once satisfied place a small dab of glue between the center of the hair loop and the pencil. Press and let dry.

Coiffing

Cut end loops of the bow and fluff the hair; make sure that eyes are exposed. If you like you can trim the hair and the end securing pieces. Swoop hair to the side, create bangs, or try different things to give the pencil a unique look. For additional toppings, colorful eraser heads make great hats.

Clothing Optional

What to Wear

To differentiate female characters you can add a skirt. The process for making a skirt is similar to making hair. Select yarn (one color or more) and loop around your fingers. A 2-inch loop creates a short skirt; you can adjust the length of your loop to create a shorter or longer skirt. Wrap the yarn around your fingers at least 5 times to create a slim skirt, more if you would like a fuller look. Cut a separate string about 6 inches in length and wrap around the center of loop, then tie a knot to secure.

  Zip Up & Check for Lint

Place the skirt on front of the pencil (side with eyes), in the middle. Use loop-securing string to attach skirt to the pencil. Once the skirt is in position place a small dab of glue on the pencil, press skirt to the pencil, and let dry. Cut the end loops of bow and arrange skirt. Smooth down for a sleek look or fluff out.

The Grand Stand

Grab enough clay to roll a ball that is a little larger than the diameter of a quarter. Next roll the ball to a slight tube shape, just slightly elongate the ball. Lightly press the pencil into the clay; pencil should lean back a little for balance. Press the pencil and clay down on a flat surface, mold the clay around pencil to support and extend clay out on flat surface to balance.

I can do it, honest

Here is the Double Bypass I brought in for show and tell, together and with heart removed. Here is a link to the Tavern Puzzle Collection. 

Still working on it

This is for Project 6 (the 3-D description). I’m still tweaking it, but let me know what you think.

You are stuck. Ideas just don’t seem to flow; you work hard to come up with little. The scary part, you just started out of the gate and already you feel washed up. The creative fuel tank runs low and the idea board empty. You are stuck, but the clock isn’t. The clock ticks away and the deadline approaches.

You start down one road only to find it dead ends after hours of work. Now you have valuable time invested here, do you dump it pack up and start over? Or do you salvage what you can, limp along for a while and pray for a spark of ingenuity? The spark appeared before, but will it come again? Doubt, the last thing you need, not now. You are stuck, but the clock isn’t. The clock ticks away and frustration sets in.

Alright, enough of this foolishness you are a designer, an artist, you fuse words and images in a single bound. Whatever you do, things will work out. Relax, pick a topic and have fun. Step out on a limb; try making something up, step out of “reality” for a change. This is not rocket science, you can do what you want, and enjoy yourself. Or will your fusings combust? Aarrgh! Still stuck, but the clock isn’t. The clock ticks away and you need aspirin.

Finally, you made a decision, have a product in hand and prepare to present. You wonder if the product in hand is another prize for the can. Maybe. You ask, “Has this been done before?” Probably, but this is your take on the issue. So, sell it, make it work, because you are stuck and out of time.

Dewey vs. Color

I couldn’t resist posting this. I enjoy reading the letters section of Dwell magazine for the letters and to see what little tidbits the staff will share about office life. This month (or rather Dec. 07/Jan. 08) they have included a picture of their library, which they have opted to order by color rather than the Dewey Decimal system. It may not work as well, but it looks nice.

 

Do you know what to look for?

I saw this alcohol ad in Wired magazine, I thought that was a little odd. It has been a while since I’ve seen an alcohol ad, maybe I haven’t paid attention or maybe I just don’t pick up the right magazines. Anyway, this looks like a new take on the old ‘pour alcohol into a glass and have subtle images appear’ trick. The caption that follows is “For those who know what to look for.” For those who don’t, the image includes a woman seated on a lounge chair, legs crossed, in a somewhat sexy pose and a man in a suit with glass in hand approaching her or looking at her. In between them is the bottle of alcohol and the backdrop of the image is another bottle. Basically it is a bar pickup scene.

Five steps to almond bliss

Unnecessary process/instructions from California almonds on “How to make a side dish the main attraction.” On second thought the dish in the ad looks really tasty, maybe this is necessary after all.

Here is step 4, the most important step, “Call attention to the fact that almonds give any meal a heart-healthy boost. Plus, they make it crunchier and tastier, too.” 

project underway

Okay I’ll admit it, I am a big fan of Project Runway and now the show is back with a new crew. This is the first time I’ve caught the first episode of a new season and it was okay, but I’m ready to cut out the fluff and move on. With that said, I’ll probably be glued to the tv set next Wednesday. What do you think? I know I’m not the only person watching this show.

Total Control = visual definition

Have to say I lucked out with this find. Visual definition was the mission for the week and this ad for Speedplay’s Zero pedal system was on target. The ad boasts that the Zero is “the only pedal system that allows you to adjust your fore-aft, side-to-side, and rotational foot positions independently.” So, the Zero gives you total control, just as having a remote control would. So, they use a shoe shaped remote control to represent the control that this pedal system provides.

but I'm feeling betta

I was sick earlier this week and it has been a while since I’ve had a full-blown cold; chills, night sweats, aches, etc. I’d almost forgotten how difficult it is to function while sick. I downed the usual meds, Nyquil for bedtime and non-drowsy Sudafed for the day, but still managed to sleep through the night and day (non-drowsy my @!$). On Wednesday I was awake and at my desk for hours, but accomplished absolutely nothing. Just makes me wonder about over the counter medicines and medicine in general. Perhaps I should take more time to research this stuff, maybe later, right now I feel better and I hope this feeling continues. If not I’ll be in class on Saturday to share, because misery loves company.

sandcastles or houses

This ad from Travelocity caught my eye. The image of a man working on a house is overlaid by an image of him on the beach. Which would you prefer? Work or fun? That was my first thought and it is cute, but the ad goes much further when you read the text and find out that Travelocity has a program for “Change Ambassadors” or volunteer travel/vacations. You spend your vacation volunteering and helping a community in the region of your choice. What better way to learn about and be a part of a community while on vacation? So what will it be, sandcastles or houses? Of course, you can pick both if you have extra time.

Life, narrated by Dr. Seuss

For class this week I needed something relating to narrative, so went to my bookshelf and pulled out Dr. Seuss’ “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” This book is a popular graduation gift for all, young and old. Dr. Seuss narrates the ups and downs of life as only he could and encourages grads to keep plugging along, “And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.)”

Come on in, the water is fine

Okay, last Friday I waited at home for the Fed-X guy to deliver my long awaited copy of Leopard. Since I had to sign for the package I actually took the time to talk to the guy (don’t remember his name) he was in a good mood had a busy day ahead of him, but knew that he we would be greeted by many smiling faces this day. On Friday October 26th, Fed-X guy was Santa Claus!

Leopard, I like it. I really really like it. I’ll hold off on love for now. There are so many different features, I have yet to test and appreciate them all. Stacks have already proved helpful, I can keep my desktop a little more organized quickly. Hadn’t turned on Time Machine, but on Tuesday I wish I had. Tuesday night I lost a few days worth of work files, they just went bye-bye. So I had to start from scratch, luckily a lot of stuff was fresh on my mind. The folder views are nice also, you can take a glimpse at files (illustrator, word, etc) without opening up the program.

I’m still exploring, but so far so good.

handwritten, not typed

I enjoy wandering through stores like Paper Source, looking at stationary, cards, etc. So “Putting Your Stamp on the Mail” in today’s Washington Post caught my attention. It is a short article about note writing in the age of IM-ing and e-mail, they also have several examples of colorful stationary.

I’m dating myself, but I remember a time when writing letters was the best option. My dad was in the military so whenever he was away we would write each other several times a week. It was always fun to check the mailbox, rip open the letter and read Dad’s response. My Dad’s handwriting is immaculate, something I always aspired to, but never achieved. I’m somewhere between his writing and my Mom’s chicken scratch. Now we e-mail, but I have the letters for when I want a trip down memory lane.

 I challenge one and all! Back away from the computer, pick up some quality stationary, your favorite pen and take the time to hand write a note. Let Mom know you are thinking of her or surprise the kids with mail of their own. Add an illustration or doodle if you like, when you are done address it and send through the mail. It is fun to receive letters through snail mail, as opposed to bills and sales flyers. Who knows, maybe you will get a letter in return.

crossing words

This week I’m back to working on the newspaper crossword puzzles. I'm plugging along, although I do have to use reference materials at some point. Is that cheating? Who am I kidding, I don’t know that I care, as long as I’m learning something in the process it is all good. For example, a clue from Tuesday read, “8 on the Beaufort scale,” looking for a 4-letter word. Have you heard of the Beaufort Scale? If I had, I didn't remember.

Sir Francis Beaufort developed the Beaufort Wind Scale in 1805. Here is a link to the Storm Prediction Center and Sir Beaufort’s scale. http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/beaufort.html  

Ever heard your weather forecaster speak of gale force winds? Well, this is where they got that term. By the way “gale” is number 8 of the scale.

interesting typography

Thumbing through Domino magazine when this ad for the Domino Bazaar caught my eye. Type forms the shape of a female shopper and recounts her elation upon finding a lamp at the bazaar, “Joy, victory, and long lasting inspiration…” This is an interesting way to present event information. The ad grabs your attention, it was a little awkward to read at first, but it can be done. What fun is it if you don’t have to work a little?

How did they know? Just what I wanted!

Junk mail strikes again. I just received my Heifer International Holiday catalog! (Every girl’s dream.) I’ve never heard of this organization so at first glance I was stumped. Of course the cover was decked out with Christmas ornaments and a nice picture of sheep (not heifers, sheep) against a photoshopped Christmasy background. The randomness of junk mail, never a dull moment!

All jokes aside this is a charitable organization working to end world hunger.

words, words, words

Here is a list of words that I find interesting. The words made this list because I liked either the meaning or sound. (this list could go on and on, I’ll add more as they come to me)

future, hope, discount, strive, travel, heinous, existence, existential, inconspicuous

Words that really aren’t words, but find a way to creep into speech always crack me up, like strategery. Maybe I should make up a word and if I can get enough people to use it I’ll be on my way.

Category

REI’s adventure guide is always fun to peruse, so I decided to share this for the category section of Show & Tell. The trips are categorized by region, and activity level. A description is provided along with cost, maximum group size and trip dates.

Bookmarks revisited Part 2

Not Coming to a Theatre Near You has a list of movie title sequences designed by Saul Bass, you can click on the title name and click to forward through the sequence. Amazing what can be done with typography and creative thinking.

 

Bookmarks revisited

I decided to look through my bookmark folders, do a little cleaning and revisit some websites. Came across the Color In Motion site, RIT grad Maria C. Cortes’ thesis project from several years ago that was featured in CommArts and a few other places. This is old news, but it is a fun site on color. If you haven’t seen it, check it out. If you saw it before, don’t you think it is time for another look?

in the Details

I have always enjoyed puzzles, riddles, tongue twisters and finding Waldo. As a child, the search for Waldo was endless, but now I enjoy the “second glance” pictures where search for differences in two or more images, requiring that you pay attention to detail. As a sat patiently staring at the Washington Post’s latest Second Glance: Scoping It Out, I realized that I was unconsciously training all these years for the ultimate challenge of typesetting that awaits me this semester and in the future. Reviewing text and making it flow correctly is no small task. I usually just view it as a puzzle, takes time to arrange all of the pieces and be sure to avoid rivers and widows and orphans, oh my! Once done, I may be a little cross-eyed, but I’d do it again.

 If you would like to try your hand at Second Glance: Scoping It Out, click on the name for link.

To Blog or Not to Blog

While looking through Communication Arts I came across an interesting article on blogging, “Blog as a Marketing Tool” by Maria Piscopo. The article addresses the upside and downside of blogging, mostly up though. The most important pieces I took from this article are respecting blogs as marketing tools, edit carefully to put your best foot forward and keep the blog current. (Click on the article title for link)

 I’m slowly adjusting to updating my blog regularly. There are blogs I like to check on occasion, but I had not taken the time to blog myself in the past. Hopefully, by the end of the semester this will be a part of my regular schedule and I will continue on. Blogging is a great way to share information and maintain a web presence.

Call to Action

September was National Preparedness Month. Are you prepared?

I received Target’s safety guide and checklist along with the weekend sales flyers a few weeks ago. This call to action flyer is a fun take on a tiresome task (necessary, but tiresome). The guide includes helpful ideas for putting together your safety kit, along with anecdotes and word finds to entertain along the way.

Posting a small picture would not do the flyer justice, so I decided to set up a link instead. Make A Plan. Save The Day.

Since I’m on the subject I’ll include Ready Kids, from the US Dept of Homeland Security, check it out if you are interested.

Behold the Power at Hand

I saw this ad for the Palm in Wired magazine. Simple and to the point, one hand and one device. It is amazing to think of what we have available at our fingertips in any given moment. I wouldn’t think of leaving home without my cell phone, but there was a time that the only phone I had was wired to the house. Now I can conduct my life with one hand and one device.

 

Adjectives

Last week as I read the chapter on verbs from our text, the School House Rock jingle “Verb! That’s What’s Happening” was running through my mind. This week I thought I would share a snippet from “Unpack Your Adjectives.” Enjoy!

 

Description

Descriptions are all around us. While I enjoyed a snack I decided to take a look at the snack box and not to my surprise, there it was, a description. Explaining what made the bar that I munched tasty and good for me. Fiber, protein and whole grains. You can’t go wrong with that. Right? I’ll just end the description here, no sense in looking at the nutritional facts and discovering how much sugar is included. Happy trails!

Inspiration

Inspiration. In general I try to keep my eyes and ears open to my surroundings, sometimes the smallest of sightings can turn on the light bulb. I’m inspired by modern architecture and furniture design, simple and timeless (this is a new interest, so discovery is fun). Plants and gardens serve as a source of inspiration and at times just a way to clear my head. I enjoy the various colors (even just variations on green), shapes and smells. My thumb may classify as “brownish-green,” but like to try, gardening is good for the soul.

You say weaves, I say leaves

Another season approaches and as usual retail puns lead the way. Hopefully from the picture you can see the die cut of the green pillow. Pier 1 invites you to “rake in the pillows… and jump in.” I could use a laugh maybe I’ll take them up on the offer.

King Panda

This image is from an advertisement I received in the mail. Normally I’m not a big fan of junk mail, but this caught my attention. The article depicted was in a May issue of The Economist. 

“America’s fear of China” is about the US-China Strategic Economic Dialogue (which covers currency issues, trade imbalances, etc.) and discusses the approach Congress has taken during these talks. The play on King Kong is cute, as Pandas are often considered cute and cuddly, but have on occasion lashed out when irritated, so the image also offers an air of caution. There is more that could be said, the image and title speak volumes.

If you are interested here is a link to the article. "America's fear of China"

The first cup

Welcome.

This blog is for Project Green and begins my adventure as a blogger. In keeping with the project title, I'll start things off with a green tea, jasmine sounds nice.

To good health.