I think my system just overloaded…

I think to learn…

I’ve been so busy moving, yes moving, that I haven’t been able to really talk about the amazingness that is Adobe CS4. Now most of you have probably dabbled in it, some maybe have even swam, but last Thursday was my first taste. And it tasted so so good. SLC AIGA had a workshop covering CS4 Flash and thanks to work, I got to go! Presenter Paul Trani is a well respected speaker for Adobe. He’s even certified. And he had many people saying, “oooooh” and “aahhhh” for a full 3 hours. He mostly had me shaking my head in disappointment. Disappointment I say because I suffered through a semester of what I now think is crappy Flash CS3. For instance, look at this bone tool!

I wish I could show Paul’s tutorial on the bone tool, but this still gives you an idea of how much simpler animating can be now. And not only does the bone tool make things easier, but they’ve made the motion tween headache free. The automatic keyframe makes me weak in the knees.

He covered a lot of basics, particularly how you can use InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop to design then import to Flash. I knew Photoshop had this capability, but I had a pain drawing in Illustrator and copying it into Flash. And the whole InDesign being exported as a swf blew me away. 7:30 is totally jaw dropping worthy.

Now if only I was an actionscript whiz. But no, I can only appreciate and admire from afar.

I think pink…

Today was my first time leading the creative meeting at work. I wanted to share some printmaking techniques, but my co-worker Jim did screen printing a couple months ago and I wasn’t sure what other medium I could do without having an accessible press, chemicals, or risking slivers. So stamps. I like that I could teach them about relief and it was easy to carve and ink up to use quickly. I did the Fluid logo (middle) and the ampersand. I’m pretty impressed with the others since it was everyone’s first time carving anything. And no one stabbed themselves or their neighbor with tools, which was my biggest fear the whole time.

It felt so good to be carving. Almost too good.

I think of patterns…

How to get over a really bad break up:

 

               [X] Stop talking to him.
               [X] Relocate.
               [X] Buy new clothes.
               [X] Make one (somewhat) excusable mistake.
               [X] Keep busy.
  [X][X][X] Get out of town.
               [X] Repeatedly think how awful and embarrassing the month of April was.
               [X] Meet new people.
               [X] Know I deserve better.

What’s missing? 

 

It’s been 6 months. Most days I’m 90-95% recovered. But somedays I’m 60%. And everyday I think of how there are crazy people in the world and I’m a crazy person magnet. Yet, 60%?

I think it’s true…

I have got to start using my Holga 120CFN more…this is from my last minute trip to New York where I didn’t bring any other camera. It’s my first time using 120 film – I stayed away from it because I didn’t know where to get it developed so I’ve had the camera adapted to 35mm since Christmas 2007. The first two pictures are of Emily and the last a stranger as we wait to cross the street on my way to the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum. It seems I like taking pictures behind people’s backs. You can look at the rest here.

I think out with the old…

See this logo? This little number helped pay for a last minute trip to New York where I got to hang out with my good friend Emily, eat the most amazing hot dog I’ve ever had (and not only was it guilt-free but it was mystery-free too), go on an H&M shopping spree, visit The Arm Studio in Brooklyn, and also go to literally the gayest place I’ve ever been – Fire Island.

Wasatch Endocrinology is a clinic located in Salt Lake City, specializing in everything endocrinology (diabetes, thyroid conditions, metabolism, etc.). They are one of the best diabetes specialists in Utah, but they had the most hideous logo I had ever seen:

Makes you want to cry, doesn’t it? Well wipe those tears away because it’s being retired. The new logo better represents everything about them, focusing on their mission statement, “Taking the time to care.” The ribbon wrapped around the abstract figure is a symbol of protection, engagement, time commitment, focus and continuation of care. The movement of the ribbon continuing through the figure shows a focus on health and the figure embracing this in a positive upward motion. The logo could be identified as similar to the medical symbol, the caduceus. This is beneficial to be quickly referenced as a medical company, but the Wasatch Endocrinology logo is different enough to stand out as it’s own. And most importantly, it’s professional which will capture a lot of trust in new patients.

I am really excited to see what this new logo does for their clinic!

I think you better think twice…

Makes you want to glue paper to your face, doesn’t it? This is a campaign for the Torres Paper Swatch Book Company designed by Hector Sos. I like to think its what happens to you when you don’t recycle!! dun Dun DUN!

I think if you’re a bird, I’m not…

I haven’t uploaded a lot of my latest work (and by latest I mean my last semester of school). I tried to make a series about identity issues. This is my first edition of the series out of (so far) 2 – which is bad, real bad, like I don’t even want to talk about the second one. If you can’t tell, it’s a canary wearing a mask of a woodpecker. It’s an 8 x 8 woodcut with screen printing and some monotype screen printing.

Oh school. How I [somewhat] miss thee.

I think less is more…

Every Friday the lawn gets mowed and as a responsible dog owner, I make sure the yard is picked up. I got a friendly reminder from the mama this morning:

I think I died and went to heaven…

Yesterday was just a typical Monday. Woke up at 6:30am, got ready for work, patted the dog on the head, drove 25 minutes on the freeway, then sat at my desk doing various things until a meeting, then drove a to a strange land called Orem, to a guy’s garage that I hardly know, and screen printed posters for the upcoming Modest Mouse concert. Orem is far. But worth the drive to hang out with Travis Bone and help him print one of his many amazing concert posters.

Almost every week this summer at the Twilight Series, a free concert on Thursdays at the Gallivan Center, I bug Travis or one of his helpers with numerous questions – how did you start? What’s your process? Where did you go to school? etc. etc. etc. Last Thursday, one of my many questions of the day was – are you pretty busy?

“Yeah. So busy I have to bug people.”

“Oh? You could always bug me!”

And he did. And I probably bugged him with more questions as he printed and I racked – what was your degree in? Did you build this table? Where did you buy your ink? Do you like Quentin Tarantino films? Ever heard of a movie called Hump Day? How do you pronounce Bon Iver? Are your parents proud of you? etc. etc. etc.

Then at 11:45pm, I walked away with a little somethin somethin for my help:

Mind you, leaving at 11:45pm means getting home at 1am. But once again worth it. Travis is 27 and has been screen printing for about 5 years. Five years ago he was 22. I am 22. So let’s just say I’m pretty inspired and motivated by Mr. Bone and can’t wait to help him again!