#someone teach me typography

[wahgifs]

userdramas event 10: emotions — g-idle - i do: a love story in bangkok •

[ao3cassandraic]

Angels, demons, language, and culture: part 2

(Part 1, for those interested)

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." --John 1:1, King James Bible

A better theologian than I could perhaps write a meta in which the Starmaker is the Word. I'm not prepared to go that far, honestly. I am fully prepared to say that written words, in the GOverse, are very, very important -- but curiously neither angelic nor demonic. They're human.

I mean, watching s1 I noticed that there's not a whole lot of written words in Heaven, to the point that I was wondering whether angels are even literate. There's the Quartermaster's list (which now I'm wondering about again -- we don't see whether there are words on it; perhaps it's just pictures and maybe checkboxes?), and... and... um... surely there's more... there's got to be more, right? ... huh, go figure.

Word of Gaiman says that angels mostly don't read the Bible; it's not angelic, it's human, and as such rather déclassé. In s2, we do see Gabriel's name written across his file -- but inside it? Not forms, not written documents, but video. There's an Ursula K. LeGuin line -- I think from The Telling? or maybe Four Ways to Forgiveness -- about a society that's postliterate, having left the written word behind for video, and is for that reason extra gullible. Yeah, that line sure does remind me of Heaven.

No wonder Muriel doesn't get much respect from their colleagues or reporting line. If words aren't angelic, how can respect be due to a mere scrivener?

Jimbriel can read, though his grasp on the alphabet is a bit shaky. He can't really read, though -- just as angels can speak human language but not think human thoughts. Only someone who can't quite get his head around the idea that written words convey meaning would try to organize books alphabetically by first word. (Aziraphale does understand this, of course. "But nobody would ever -- yes, fine, go ahead." I love that line. Aziraphale would hate my metadata class -- or he'd love it, just to do the opposite of every organizational principle I teach!)

Hell uses writing, but very inexpertly: the typography on its signs is (with full Doylist intent) execrable, and in s2 we learn that most demons can't spell for beans. What Hell can do with written words, apparently, is contracts, like the one Crowley has to sign for the baby Antichrist -- and after the Job minisode and its miles-long bet contract, I don't actually think contracts come from Hell in general, I think it's Satan specifically who writes them. (Maybe Satan used to be the Word. That'd be interesting. GO theologians, start your engines.)

Hell does seem to have a lot of paper around, shuffled into various overflowing cabinets and stamped at various desks. Hell even has a Lord of the Files! Even so, Furfur relies substantially on a visual display at his desk, a camera, and a surveillance video display. Most of the paper seems to be for handling former humans -- once again, written words and humans are inextricably entwined in the GOverse.

As for angelic and demonic magic, I notice a substantial absence of grimoires, chanting, or incantation, and a whole lot of picture (as we see in the Starmaker's book) and gesture. The Starmaker says "Let there be light" (and so does Aziraphale in s1), but I don't think by internal GOverse logic it'd have worked without the pull-down gesture.

All of which is to say that Aziraphale doesn't need the written word to be an angel; the written word is distinctly unangelic. Writing has to have been something he picked up from humanity, and decided he liked. It's one more thing that distances him from Heaven, as we can see in Gabriel's open contempt for Aziraphale's books, and even the well-meaning Jimbriel's instrumentalist use of books as fans and flyswatters and gravity testers.

Notably, when Nina asks to use Aziraphale's books instrumentally -- as weapons -- she rationalizes it to Aziraphale by indicating that the information in the encyclopedias will still exist online. Aziraphale accepts this! Not without pain, but he accepts it. He, unlike Jimbriel, can separate the meaning of a writing from its carrier. Hi, hello, yes, I am a librarian and I have read my Suzanne "Madame Documentation" Briet and Paul Otlet and Michael Buckland. I've even taught them. Content vs. carrier is a Whole Dang Thing in the history of librarianship. (Also, I am now headcanoning liek whoa that Aziraphale learned French to better understand Briet and Otlet. If he ever starts waffling about antelopes, I will know why.)

But that still leaves @thundercrackfic's actual questions: what exactly attracts Aziraphale to the written word? and how well does he understand it? And my additional question: what about Muriel? I'll get there. I promise! But I still need to talk about rules.

[jakeyp]

CREATOR TAG GAME

thank you for tagging me erika @padme-amidala! 🥰

pick your 5 favorite gif sets of 2023 that got less than 1k notes and then pick 10 gifsets of someone else's that got less than 1k notes.

my sets:

this jake set (theyre all probably gonna be jake sets) cause that's when i started using those coloring settings that i always use now!

this other jake set cause it's my favorite combo of colors which is evident akshsd. it also was my first comission 🤍

this set and guess who's featuring it. jakey. not a fan of the 1st and 3rd gif but i love the rest

this set of leslie knope. jk it's jake peralta. and the set definitely deserved 1k notes 😤

and this set of not jake peralta! but it's andy samberg. it was easy to gif but one of my faves cause it's him

sets from awesome talented people: (ngl i had to scroll down some of their gif tags cause i'm not in all of their fandoms askjdhskdf)

merlin set by @ughmerlin i love her style so much, i even wanted to do a set inspired by it but i dont have the talent AKJSHDKS it's a really creative concept and the colors are so gorgeous and perfect for it!

sab set by @yenvengerberg she's a legend and this set is hilarious and i love the green! it's a crime that not all her sets get at least 1k notes cause they all deserve it

arthur set by @usershelby cause it has a quote from succession and also it's BEAUTIFUL. it was kinda hard to find a set of hers that didnt have 1k and i love that for her. also shoutout to this set cause why the hell not. and also this set. they're freaking mindblowing

jake set by @kitconnor it has a special place in my heart and ilysm mwah

got set by @padme-amidala it was so hard to pick one but this one is just... wow. those two colors go so well together and the typography is out of this world. also here's her gif page cause youre gonna wanna see it all

steve harrington set by @robin-buckleys i always recognize her gifs and i'm obsessed with her style! like the sharpening and vibrant coloring are so pretty always. i love this set cause of the color and also the no no no gif i love how each little "no" is arranged aksjhksd

bridgerton set by @cal-kestis i'm in love with the blue and the typography is so perfect. also their blending is always amazing and so smooth

sab set by @saws2004 this gifset is INSANE. like excuse me who allowed you to be this talented. blows my mind and it's one of the only things i've ever saved in fave to go back and look at it

percy set by @edwards-teach the blending on this set are you kidding me?? that second gif is straight up breathtaking i love it

heartstopper set by @lespanaye this set is hilarious and the coloring is *chefs kiss*

i'm also tagging the people mentioned above, no pressure :)

[cressidascowper]

CREATOR TAG GAME

bringing this back bc i think it's fun 🤭

pick your 5 favorite gif sets of 2023 that got less than 1k notes and then pick 10 gifsets of someone else's that got less than 1k notes.

mine:

this alicent hightower set bc i love the guts album for her and the cassette tape effects along with the ripped paper effects were super fun to play with

my beloved ladies (phoebe, rachel, & monica)!!! i just love them sm

natasha romanoff's tinder page was a random thought that came to my head and v proud of how it turned out :D

this yennefer set is one of my most prized possessions. the blending alone took me so long and i'm happy w the way it looks

the blending of this anidala set nearly killed me...and this is one of the only times i've ever done a quadruple blend

others:

i am OBSESSED with this star wars set by @edwards-teach...the coloring is just so stunning and i love the simplicity of the quotes in a box!

this star wars set by @padme-amidala is probably the best thing i have ever seen. the amount of blends and transitions and coloring is just mind blowing! seriously a piece of art work. still can't get over that erika made this set for me <3

becca's (@yenvengerberg) gifs always leave me speechless but this yen and tissaia set just has a special place in my heart..the quote, the colors, the blending, the transitions are all just perfection and capture the relationship so well 🥹

this alicent set by @saws2004 lives in my mind rent free. i absolutely ADORE the way the quote flows through the layout, so well done. the blending and the use of b&w is just superb. honestly one of my fav sets ever i could just stare at it all day

i LOVE the typography in this anidala set by @cal-kestis...nik is just a photoshop wizard and her creativity always blows me away. the blue and orange go so well together and nik's ability to combine multiple fonts is perfection.

this yennefer set by @ughmerlin is so so pretty!! the colors are so soft and the song matches yennefer perfectly. i also love the transition from b&w to color chefs kiss. & the font choice is just lovely.

umm hello??? this shang chi set by @simoneashley is gorgeous. the amount of time this must have taken was so worth it bc the colors are so so vibrant. i always love a good rainbow set esp when the coloring is this amazing!!

this house of the dragon set by @lady-arryn is so beautiful. the coloring and sharpening is just so soft and ethereal. and this particular blue/orange combo is wonderful. i am particularly obsessed with the blending of second gif..its just SO pretty.

my beloved triss!! this triss merigold set by @genyazafin is amazing i love it sm. i love the blue and orange and the way the coloring captures the darkness of the show. also the blending of the last gif is just so satisfying

screeeeeaaaaam this natasha and yelena set by @rosamndpike is just pURE pAin and is also rly rly pretty. the blending is flawless and i love the song + scene pairing choices. the typography alignment and placement is also super unique and satisfying

+ one more because i can – this regina set by bestie @morgana-pendragon is just teehee amazing. i love the trio of term idea and those three words fit regina perfectly (esp the 1st and 3rd lol).. the purple coloring is so her and is so well done

no pressure tagging all the people above & @singularities @moirainesedai @rebecca-weltons & anyone else who wants to do this !

[20dollarlolita]

I want to make my own version of AP's 2022 lyrical bunny coat. I have an embroidery machine and digitizing software. I've already digitized the lyrical bunny patch. The other patch says Angelic Pretty. I don't want to put their name on something I made. I was planning on making it say just AP. Do you think that's too close? I could do LB for lyrical bunny or my own initials. I'm changing the colors of the jacket to what fabric I have in my stash, so it won't be identical to the real one.

For starters, copying existing things so that you can learn how to do something is totally legitimate. Referencing, especially when you're doing something complex like embroidery, is completely valid.

For people who don't digitize embroidery, it's a lot more complex than just vector art. There's a ton of stuff out there that no one's going to teach you how to do, and you have to learn how to render an image in thread by looking at how others rendered it in thread. Just looking at how someone draws it isn't the same, in the same way that looking at a photograph of a person isn't going to teach you how to blend oil paint on wood to perfectly capture their skin texture. "Learn how to make your own without copying," is not a valid argument here.

That said, you're completely correct in that copying a brand logo and trying to pass it off as legitimate is not the same as copying a brand to learn their style. I'd definitely want to do something to make it clear that it's not trying to be counterfeit.

You could easily get something that's similar looking, but upon inspection is clearly not the original brand. "Angelic Petty" kind of comes to mind.

You could also pick something that's absolute gibberish, but has a similar uppy-downy-curly-shape (some typography nerd please tell me what that's called) as the AP logo. Skerple brand sharpie markers come to mind.

You could also definitely just put your own initials or your own signature. You could make a patch with a shape that feels like it should match the bunny. You could pick something else from the release (I liked this key chain) and turn that into a patch.

But if you're asking if I think it's a good idea to just digitize AP's logo and stick it on a patch, well? It's not really doing anything morally wrong as long as you're exclusively using it for personal use and are not attempting to gain some kind of money or social status from it, but you have such a good option to make something to elevate the concept.

So, if you can, try taking the image in a different direction. What is something that you can add to it that makes it something no one else could make? How can you make this yours?

For further reading: I answered another ask similar before.

[figueroths]

Artists self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five arts/sets/edits/gifs that you've done, then pass on to at least five other people. Time to shine and spread some self-love and appreciation 💖

ik it says five but pls understand and respect that i am incapable of making such decisions <3 and also know that I am abt to start tedtalking <3 i am not sorry for any of this <3

TOP FIVE SIX :)

this maleficent set - maleficent (2014) makes me feel insane like true love being familial, parental in fact !! uwuwuwuwu is top tier and anyway I love these gifs individually and how they pair!

this aquamera set - I love love love aquamera, and this is so vibrant and fun! using the fish font style on the fish man line was inspired i'm such a hottie for that! an early mistake in blending mode led to the first gif being so fucking extra and mwah tbh good call to just run with it. also just remembering I specifically told @khazadkeit to send me that prompt lmfao brave of them, after all the essays I've written in their dms, to invite in even more rot ryan i am kissing u on the shoulder tenderly

this ginny baker set - someone called this "visually intense" in a way that felt like 15% derogatory so i'm gonna snatch that phrasing and make it 100% affectionate. like there's a lot happening, and it's so rewarding to look at these gifs now and find little layered surprises in the blending or layout or typography! 😌

this nabrielise set - listen I am so deep in the rot on tbsatdh that my body has adapted to it and I need that rot to breathe and function. it's a v simple, v pretty, v tender set and I love it

this made for love set - my most slept on set for a most slept on series. typography? sexy! colors? sexy! blending? sexy! simmer + hazel green? 📢 SEXY!

this first kill set - i misquoted in a tiny way that gets deeply on my nerves but I just think theo and talia have one of the most compelling relationships on the show and I really love the flow of this set. sometimes u make smth and one or more gifs are a little off the vibe but this one's 10/10 start to finish 💅🏽

honorable mentions <3 yes <3 i'm that annoying <3 still no apologies <3

the first gif in this san junipero set is so perfect I wanna get back on whatever I was on when I made that

this whole nick miller set I snapped! just sat down and made that in a few hours, learning how to do stuff as ideas occurred to me like oh? beyond my abilities? ok I will simply expand my abilities then ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

ignore the rest but the last gif in this mad max: fury road set might actually be the best blending I've ever done I'm counting 4 shots in there plus triple layers on the big guy

light of my life penny robinson!! idk this just sparks joy but also I'm obsessed with the hand(/claw?) at her temple in the first gif

more robinsons! this time judy & john beloveds. fuckdjsklfidng typography is my passion 😐 but anyway the second gif is so dear to me. that episode is so dear to me really and how they let each other go in totally different ways but how teaching her independence is key to his survival later when he's dependent on her abilities it's emo hours 🥺💗

[yegarts]

I am YEG Arts: Ray Dak Lam

Since taking the plunge into freelancing, Ray Dak Lam has made big waves as a graphic designer and illustrator. Known best for his signature geometric designs and vibrant colour palette, Ray is sought after locally and internationally with some big-name clients under his belt. In just a few years as a freelancer, Ray has embraced new opportunities from his first mural project to taking part in Adobe’s Global Creator series — this week’s I am YEG Arts story puts the spotlight on Ray Dak Lam.    

Tell us a little bit about yourself and about why you’ve made Edmonton your home. 

I'm an illustrator and designer from Edmonton. I graduated from the MacEwan Design Studies program in 2014. I got my creative career started working at a couple of advertising agencies and at a smaller design agency. Since then, I’ve become a full-time freelancer — that's what I've been doing for the past few years. I really like the creative freedom of freelancing, and that I get to explore more of my own personal style as well as choose my own clients and hours. 

I was born in Edmonton and have lived here all my life. All my friends and family are here, I feel like Edmonton will always be my home. Edmonton has also shaped who I am as an artist in many ways — the people, especially those I went to school with and have worked with, all my coworkers, friends and experiences growing up — I think it all inevitably influences the subject matter in my work and the themes that I introduce into my illustrations. And now I hope to contribute what I can to the city's creative culture. 

What drew you to graphic design and illustration? How did you get your start? 

During my first year of high school, I took a graphic arts program, and my very first project was to recreate a font or typeface. It was through typography that I discovered my love for graphic design. And that's when I began considering it as a career for myself.     As for illustration, drawing has always been part of my life. I was always drawing as a kid, and I was never really good at any other subjects in school. Art was the only subject that I was passionate about. It is what motivated me and pushed me to pursue it all through childhood until now. 

Tell us about someone who mentored you or helped set you on your path. 

One of my first mentors was Andrew Benson. I worked with him at my first job at an advertising agency. He taught me a lot about branding, design, and the advertising industry in general. He’s passionate about print design and illustration and taught me their importance when it comes to design. He really inspired me when he went off to start his own studio and I hoped for myself I could follow in his footsteps. 

Tell us about a big professional risk that you have taken and how it has influenced where you are today. 

I would say taking the leap into full-time freelancing. It was scary in the beginning. I got laid off during the beginning of the pandemic from my advertising agency job. And at least for me, it was hard to find another full-time position. I was only able to land various short-term contracts, and some freelance projects here and there. In that moment I saw it as an opportunity to try this freelancing thing full-time since it has always been a dream of mine.  

The pandemic and getting laid off were the push I needed to take the full leap into freelancing. It really changed my career for the better and it has opened up a lot of opportunities that I never would have thought possible. I have had a chance to work with and collaborate with a lot of clients that I had thought were unattainable. And I’ve gotten to collaborate with many other incredibly talented designers and creative people in Edmonton.  

Who's someone inspiring you right now? 

Someone who is really inspiring me right now is an illustrator from Vancouver, Tom Froese, he makes Skillshare courses, through which he teaches his approach to commercial illustration; YouTube videos, podcasts — all on the topic of illustration, and aimed at people interested in the creative industry. I've done a couple of his Skillshare courses and I'm attending one of his workshops at the RGD DesignThinkers conference coming up May 30 -31 in Vancouver.  

He inspired me to find a focus and explore it as deeply as I can. His style has a very distinctive voice and he mentioned in his videos that it was the result of repeating a set of techniques over and over again once he found something that worked for him, so this really inspired me to seek a similar path for myself in terms of finding my own unique stylistic voice.  

What does your creative process look like? Where or how do you usually begin? 

For me, it always begins in my sketchbook. I try to bring my sketchbook with me anywhere and everywhere I can. Especially when I'm traveling, during those long plane rides and train rides where I can just let my mind wander and draw freely — whatever comes to mind. After that I pick my favorite sketches and vectorize the artwork, then bring it into Photoshop where I use my drawing tablet to add texture to bring more of my own personality to the artwork.  

I enjoy creating abstract and geometric compositions because it's a meditative and calming process for me. I started a personal project during the pandemic called "Shape Studies", and it's been an ongoing project ever since. With a focus on the fundamental elements of shape, line, and colour, I explore freely within those basic fundamentals to create the most interesting compositions that I possibly can. I also use similar principles of geometry and abstraction when I'm illustrating other subject matter, such as animals, landscapes, people, etc. I'll continuously remove any unnecessary details and distill them into their most essential and fundamental forms. 

Tell us about one of the most exciting projects or opportunities you've had.

One of the most exciting opportunities I had last year was the chance to collaborate with Adobe on their Global Creator series. It was a series where they featured different artists from around the world and they decided to feature me. They had me self-shoot a ton of footage around my studio, capture shots around Edmonton, and create a short tutorial explaining some of the techniques that I use to create my illustrations.

It was both exciting and nerve wracking appearing on video, but I'm glad I did the project because I love the way it turned out in the end.

Tell us about a favourite local project and a favourite international project.

One of my favourite local projects was for Doughnut Party. They had me create a mural for their Ritchie location. I collaborated with Jennifer Konanz — she's a local mural and sign painter. She's incredibly talented and I feel grateful to have collaborated with her. She helped translate my artwork into a large-scale mural. It was really cool to see my artwork on such a large scale, which I don't get to see very often.

A favourite international project would be a commission for GoDaddy to create a set of illustrations centered around Asian Heritage Month and Lunar New Year. The project was really special to me because I got to express my own cultural background and upbringing as an Asian Canadian. Also, it was fun to illustrate dragons and dumplings in my own style.

What are you currently working on and what do you hope to explore next? 

I've just completed the 36 days of type challenge on Instagram yesterday and it was really satisfying to see it through from start to finish! The project invites designers, illustrators and artists from all over the world to create a letter or number each day for 36 days straight. It was my first time taking part in the challenge. I really love to explore creatively, and I feel it’s important to work outside of client deadlines and budgets. It’s somewhere I can freely express my voice and craft and refine my style.  

It was great seeing all of the other work from artists and designers that I follow, as well as discovering new artists to follow. Freelancing can be isolating at times, so participating in this challenge made me feel like I was part of this larger community all undertaking this daily activity together.  

What excites you most about the Edmonton arts scene right now? 

All the projects centered around Edmonton's Chinatown like Chinatown Greetings, created by Emily Chu and Shawn Tse, and Jordon Hon’s A Portrait of Chinatown documentary series. And many other creative projects that are supported by the Chinatown Transformation Collaborative (CTC). All these projects play a really important role in the revitalization of Edmonton's Chinatown. It's really inspiring to see so many people from different creative backgrounds coming together for a common cause. 

Want more YEG Arts Stories? We’ll be sharing them here and on social media using the hashtag #IamYegArts. Follow along! You can keep up with Ray on Instagram, Behance, Dribbble or visit his website. 

About Ray Dak Lam

Ray Dak Lam is a designer and illustrator from Edmonton, Canada. His work is characterized by its simplicity, utilizing vibrant colours and bold geometric forms as the basis for direct, communicative imagery. He works primarily on brand and illustration focused projects with clients around the world, such as Asana, GoDaddy, and McDonald's.

[asdckanpur15353]

best web development courses for beginners | classes for graphic design near me

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ASDC: Shaping Future Innovators & Creatives!

[rozinaaa]

It's Getting There…

This can relate to a range of different things, but I'm just focusing and working on the curation front during my days off from work (as I have to use up all of my holidays before the end of the month, so that I can get used to the fact that I'll no longer be working for an employer) along with having the time to actually build up the side project to a decent standard, which will allow me to build momentum and to keep going with it, especially as I get launched into the unknown, which I'm slowly starting to view as a brand new opportunity rather than a setback.

At the moment, I'm just manually translating everything from the old site to the new one, and I'm neatly putting everything into lots of different categories, which is a lot harder than I thought it would be (cheers, 21-year-old self for organising everything in the most inefficient way possible by providing short descriptions to everything in the most academically brain melting way imaginable, where I have to read through every single description individually), but once I'm done with it, then it should be easier for everyone to find what they're looking for, since they can click onto a category and find a few links on there, instead of scrolling through everything all at once, to the point where they forget what they were looking for.

It's too soon to say, but I think the new site is a lot more accessible than the old one since I use the typography effectively, and I focus on size, spacing, and responsive web design a lot more, since I view the site on different screen sizes to understand how it will look, as opposed to designing for just one screen size, which is not only ineffective, but also wildly outdated.

Additionally, I think spending my year as a UI Designer has taught me a lot about things that I previously took for granted, so I'll use those skills to make the curation front as decent as possible.

As for the content and marketing side (since those are also important), I probably might take a course on it (although I'm worried that it probably might be a waste of time since some of the things on there would probably be outdated, and therefore impossible to apply in the real world, not to mention that it's very hard to tell if a course is genuine, or if it's just someone trying to sell you their stuff by tricking you into doing a course), but I think the best way to do these things is to just do it and learn through trial and error, because to be honest, I've done way too much research and theorising, but not enough action.

I'll still teach myself the very basics (i.e. creating content effectively and writing copy effectively so that it doesn't sound too vague and rambly, along with figuring out a schedule to create and post everything, not to mention actually making sure that others are aware that it exists in a way that doesn't feel too pushy or forceful), but apart from that, I'll just end up going round in circles if I go beyond that.

Overall, it's good to see some progress with everything, and I like the fact that I've now moved towards a cloud based solution for web development and hosting, meaning that I'm not tied down to using just one device, because that has been a massive barrier for me, so now, I can just access anything from anywhere, and fit in tiny slots of work whenever I can, but doing it in a way so that it doesn't become too overwhelming for me.

With all of that said, I'm glad that I've got the time to purely focus on the curation front (with a bit of a safety net), and that I've been given this opportunity to work on it full time (which will allow me to turn a list of links on a page into something much bigger than that), because to be honest, focusing on doing just one thing at my job quickly became monotonous.

However, it'd be interesting to see how the curation front will be a year from now (especially as I begin to work on it full time), and ideally, I'd like there to be a decent social media presence (I'm keeping my expectations really low, but I'm hoping to have about 1-5k followers on there), along with me creating some decent content and posting it consistently, since this is what makes a brand/company feel real, and not just some abstract concept.

All in all, the one thing I've realised is that doing my own thing (and actually doing it, even if I'm doing something as simple as doing some research around it) feels a lot more fulfilling to me than working at a job (where it's felt like I just kept going through the motions along with pretending to be busy), which explains why the curation front is technically my longest running "job" of almost 2 years (yet something that's been a concept for a lot longer than that), and why (despite all of the domain shenanigans from the past year that prevented me from updating the website) I still come back to it, so I guess now, it's quite literally a much needed rebrand.

[uncloseted]

Hi Christina! I have an interested on graphic media like branding and logos. I really want to start getting into graphic design and I was wondering if you have any advice yourself for someone who is wanting to learn the basics such as typography, procreate, adobe, canva etc. My boyfriend bought me a MacBook Air and I have an Ipad w/ a pen. Do you mind sharing any knowledge you have? Also provide links of artists on yt and fun beginner projects to work on for fun? Thank you so much in advance!

The first thing I would start with is checking out classes on Coursera or edX. These are free classes from actual universities that can help you understand the basics of graphic design. There are lots of options, but I would consider starting with the CalArts Specialization in Graphic Design on Coursera. It's a beginner level set of classes that cover fundamentals of graphic design, typography, imagemaking, graphic design history, and branding. These classes will give you projects to work on that you can add to your portfolio later on.

There are also some books you might want to check out to get a better idea of graphic design theory. A few I've seen recommended are The Non-Designer's Design Book by Robin Williams, Graphic Design: The New Basics and Thinking with Type by Ellen Lupton, The New Designer's Handbook by Alastair Campbell, No Logo by Naomi Klein, Helvetica and Objectified by Gary Hustwit, and Graphic Means by Briar Levit. You can also see if you can find the reading lists for university graphic design classes- sometimes they're publicly available online.

Once you understand the theory behind graphic design, then you can start learning how to use software. InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop are the biggest ones in the industry, and so those are what I would start with if you have access to them. I would do these one at a time, since they can get kind of confusing if you're trying to learn them all at once. Again, there are lots of free online courses that will teach you how to use them. Adobe has their own free online tutorials for their software, so that's where I would start.

Once you have a handle on the principles of graphic design and the tools you need to be a successful designer, then you can start working on creating mockup designs for a portfolio. There are a few sites you can visit to see actual design briefs that you can use to practice: 99designs, Daily UI, Fake Clients, Minted.com, and Theydrawandcook are a few that I've seen recommended.

Once you have enough mockup designs, you can create an online portfolio for other people to see. Having a portfolio ready to go can help you get clients, apply for jobs, or apply for graphic design programs that can help you sharpen your skills.

[wwwprocreationsin]

Website Designing and Development: Your Path to Online Success

In today's digital age, having a strong online presence is essential for businesses and professionals alike. Whether you’re a small business owner, a freelancer, or just someone looking to showcase your skills or hobbies, having a well-designed and functional website can be your ticket to online success. In this blog, we’ll explore the world of web design and development, and how it can benefit you in the digital world.

Understanding Web Design and Web Development:

Before diving into the importance of web design and web development, let’s clarify what these terms actually mean:

- Web Design: This primarily focuses on the visual aesthetics of a website. It involves creating an attractive and user-friendly layout, choosing color schemes, typography, fonts, graphics, and overall look and feel. A web designer's goal is to make your website visually appealing and easy to navigate.

- Web Development: Web development, on the other hand, is the process of turning the design into a  functional website. Web developers use various programming languages and technologies to build the backend of your website, making it work seamlessly. They create interactive features, like contact forms, online catalogs, and applications, that enhance the user experience.

The Importance of Website Designing and Development

Now that we have a basic understanding, let's explore why web design and development are crucial for your online success:

1. Professionalism: A well-designed website gives your business or personal brand a professional image. Visitors are more likely to trust and engage with a website that looks polished and well-maintained.

2. User Experience: An easy-to-navigate website ensures that visitors can find the information they're looking for quickly. A positive user experience can lead to longer visit durations and higher conversion rates.

3. Digital Marketing: Your website is the hub of your online presence. With the right design and development, it becomes a powerful tool for digital marketing. You can integrate SEO (Search Engine Optimization) techniques to rank higher in search results and use your website to promote your business or services through various online marketing strategies.

4. Accessibility: A well-designed website is accessible to a wide range of users, including those with disabilities. This not only expands your audience but also demonstrates your commitment to inclusivity.

5. Mobile-Friendly: In today's mobile-driven world, it's crucial to have a website that's responsive on different devices. Responsive design ensures your site looks great and functions well on smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers.

6. Competitive Advantage: Your competitors are likely investing in web design and development. To stay competitive, you need a website that stands out and offers unique features or content.

Choosing the Right Course, Company, or Agency

If you're considering website designing and development but don't know where to start, you have several options:

1. Courses: Many online courses and tutorials can teach you the basics of web design and development. These are great for those who want to learn and build their websites from scratch.

2. Professional Web Designers and Developers: If you prefer to focus on your business or profession, hiring a professional web designer and developer is a wise choice. They have the expertise to create a custom website tailored to your needs.

3. Web Design and Development Agencies: If your project is more extensive or requires ongoing maintenance, consider hiring a web design and development agency. They have a team of experts who can handle all aspects of your website project.

4. "Near Me" Solutions: You can search for web design and development services near your location for convenience. Many agencies offer local services, making it easier to communicate and collaborate.

In conclusion, website designing and development are your pathways to online success. Whether you're running a business, promoting your professional skills, or pursuing a personal project, a well-crafted website can help you achieve your goals. Take the time to explore your options, choose the right approach, and watch as your online presence flourishes. Don't underestimate the power of a well-designed and developed website in today's digital world.

[wahgifs]

userdramas event 06: second time to shine — black & todd, not me (2021) | romantic homicide, d4vd

[cindyhangrad604]

Object #1: Family Photographs Significance: Photograph of my Grandmother and Uncle on my Dad's side of the family. Between 1975 and 1992, many refugees escaped the murderous regime of the Khmer Rouge. Immigrated to Aotearoa to start their new life with the New Zealand Embassy emblem stamped. More photographs of the family of their lives in Cambodia. New thinking/Connections: Using collages using a variety of mixed mediums (photographs, illustrations etc.) has been a technique I’ve been wanting to work on and tend to gravitate towards. P.O.V: Exploration of my family background and their cultural upbringing and heritage. Visual Elements: Vintage photographs. Creases. Low saturated and grey scaled colours. Qualities: Glossy paper and matte paper. Technical Components + Processes: Context: Socio-cultural and Historical. Primary sources of what Cambodia was like at the time. Relationships to Work: Concertina. I wanted to investigate my cultural heritage. 

Object #2: Buddha Statue  Significance: A Buddha statue is located in our dining room that is placed on top of our bookshelves. New thinking/Connections: Buddhism is the way of living. I could potentially showcase this idea in my poster to cherish it’s way of living.  P.O.V: The values and beliefs of the religion teach how to be resilient, learn how to let go, mindfulness and acceptance. This was where my beliefs and values stem from – although I may not identify as religious but has helped me to better understand who I am.  Visual Elements: Buddha can be seen as a peaceful figure. Qualities: Made out of some kind of material.  Technical Components + Processes: Buddha’s position helps the viewer to understand what kind of figure he is. Context: Socio-cultural and Historical. The history of the religion and its significant impact on communities. Relationships to Work: Folktales. Given the opportunity to explore my heritage’s religion, Buddhism is a predominant religion in Southeast Asian countries.

Object #3: Buddha Statue Significance: Close-up shot of Sampot, a traditional garment worn by men and women in Cambodia. Ao Dai is a Vietnamese traditional garment worn by women.  New thinking/Connections: Take inspiration from the style of the clothing. How it’s presented, taking inspiration from it’s patterns. P.O.V: Cultural clothing is a reflection of the community's history, identity and values. Visual Elements: Elegant, Extragent. Qualities: Different kinds of fabric. Context: Socio-cultural and Historical. Someone's cultural background contributes to how an individual sees themselves and is also to be shared and celebrated with others.  Relationships to Work: Concertina. Where I explored different aspects of my cultural heritage. 

Object #4: Food Markets Significance: My solo trip to Vietnam. Although I haven't had a chance to visit my ethnic country, however, the environment itself is very similar. New thinking/Connections: The differences between my life in New Zealand in comparison to a third-world country. P.O.V: This trip has helped me to gain insight into the environment my parents grew up in. Visual Elements: Overcast, Cloudy, Quiet. Context: Socio-Cultural. Life in a third-world country. Relationships to Work: Taking photographs of the places I’ve been to and being able to look back on them. 

Object #5: Family Owned Businesses  Significance: Being a daughter who is a part of a family-owned business. My parents owned a bakery, where I had spent the majority of my childhood. New thinking/Connections: The impact of being a part of a family business has its moments and hardships. P.O.V: What I miss about this place, was the community and the relationships I've developed while working there. Visual Elements: The designs of collaterals (signs, menus etc.) are in-cohesive. Technical Components + Processes: Typography. Relationships to Work: Brand identity for a cafe.

Object #6: The Kiwi Classics Significance: Kiwi culture - Mince and Cheese Pie, Cream Donut, and a bottle of coke is a staple in New Zealand Culture. New thinking/Connections: Growing up in the Bakery - loved the atmosphere and how food can connect people. Qualities: Savoury, Sweet, Bitterness. Technical Components + Processes: Commercial machines (pastry roller, coffee machine) that are used to ensure the quality and quantity of a product. Relationships to Work: Brand identity for a cafe.

Object #7: Chinese New Year (Red Envelop) Significance: Growing up, celebrating cultural traditions such as Chinese New Year allowed me to feel a sense of community. Now that I haven't celebrated it since my grandparents moved out; it has made me realise how much I missed it. New thinking/Connections: The importance of learning about cultural heritage. It plays a crucial role in shaping how we view the world and feel connected to those who hold the wisdom and insights of those who came before us. P.O.V: Chinese New Year is centred around removing the bad and the old, and welcoming the new and the good. It is a time when it's worshipping ancestors, exorcising evil spirits and praying for a good harvest; to start off the new year. Coming together and celebrating with others. Visual Elements: Red and gold. Technical Components + Processes: A lot of activities and rituals for prep before the New Year. Typically, during this time of year stores will be closed. Context: Historical Context.

Object #8: Flower Dome Significance: I have a lot of fake plants in my room. This one in particular was given to me as a gift. New thinking/Connections: Helps to keep me grounded when things get stressful. Visual Elements: Different kinds of dried flowers Qualities: Rustic, Vintage, Delicate Technical Components + Processes: Dried flowers, fairy lights, Floral Arrangements. Relationships to Work: Floral designs.

Object #9: Acoustic Guitar Significance: I enjoy listening to music, especially listening to an acoustic cover. This led to a new hobby that I cherish in my spare time. New thinking/Connections: Learning new chords, plucking and strumming patterns. Learning how to read sheet music. P.O.V: A part from acoustic, I enjoy listening to instrumental songs in general. Visual Elements: Not your typical wooden guitar. I liked the design of it overall. Repetitive pattern Qualities: Wood Technical Components + Processes: Tuning the guitar Contextual: Being a part of a community and contributing sheet music. I use Guitar Tab, where it's a website where people can contribute their chord or tab version of a song, YouTube is a great source as well.

Object #10: Snowy (Stuffed Animal) Significance: When I was a kid. My Stepdad, Mum and I visited Martha's Backyard. Martha's Backyard is an American Store and at the end of that trip, I brought a plush toy home with me. A Scottish Terrier named Snowy; to this day, it holds sentimental values from my childhood and my love for dogs. New thinking/Connections: I've collected a lot of dog plushes growing up. I've learned the names of each breed and had to name them. I've always wanted a dog but wasn't able to get one until I got to own a Labrador retriever. P.O.V: My love for dogs. Qualities: Some kind of fabric material. Soft material Context: All animals deserve a home.

[jasmine604]

W5. Formative Script/notes for presentation

I wrote up a little script to figure out how long I was taking to talk - with this script it was around the 5minute mark or less.

The creative

My name is jasmine..  Some of my creative work in the past involves photography, campaign and multimedia work. A lot of my influences as a designer come from the media I consume as such artists like rene Ferrari stand out to me as their  material’ also use entertainment as the building blocks to their work.  Thematically I draw a lot of inspiration from people like lise sarfati who document girlhood or psychogeography through travel photography - a lot of these show up in the work I have done such as the cyanotype I did documenting objects of sentiment in my life. 

The community

I explored this in more detail through my mindmpa linking my research to date with my work. Here you can see themes of sentimentalism, music, feminine identify that link my work to that of other creatives a lot of the artists i look into were women who explore what being a women in the modern world intails  - it  then looked into academic sources exploring this.  a lot of the culutral or social infleunce coming through my work is that of the people around me and how they choose to bring meaning to things - something kija lucas looks into specfically. environemtnal influences would be the art of traveling - and how diffefrent environements impact peoples memories/emotions.  I do feel a lot of my work is largely visual and I would want to look into typography going forward alongside screenprinting  - possibly how the two can mar together. 

Creative communities

Lise sarfati, is a french photography who still practises today, I would love to work for her or she be my mentor. I didn’t know the name psychogeography before i started researching her, and I think it applies to the sort of photogrsphy ice always been interested in - as such shes a big current inspiration.  Denis dulude is a practising canadian type, motion, and graphic design is someone who’s work excites me, I think its interesting how he mixes silk screenrpitning with typography - how he layers them, Hes someone I would want to learn more about technique from.  Kris Sowersby A nz type designer is someone I’ve found through this class and made me look at typography in another way  - since i feel im not that versed with ty[ograhy learning from someone like him who uses a range of typogrhy would be interesting.  Jim allen is a deceased NZ visual artist, i particularly likes how he valued all 5 senses when it came to his work - often setting up exhibitions that i imagine would make me feel like i was in cyantoype. I rarelt think of senses like touch or hear since a lot of the work ive done doesnt rely on those two things - it could be interesing to explore.  Kija Lucas is someone I found while looking for inventory examples, she is an practising american photography whose work is that of collections. a lot of her work is around sentamentalsim and as someone who collects my memories it was interesting to see why others do the same - yet how different teach persons stories are. Leading from that , ive started collecting some objects its not complete yet but ive collected objects such as pendants, keepsakes, letters, photography, media with themes of sentamentalism, psychogeography and girlhood and is what im looking into going forward.

[mundaneandmagicalcreature]

I transcribed it cuz the typography is tiny

Leigh Keily: Where are you from?

Sam Reid: I’m from south of Sydney, I grew up on a cattle farm an hour south of Canberra Near the Australian ski fields, which actually exist, which most people don’t know. But I went to school in Sydney which is usually an easier answer!

Stephen Conway: Were you a farmer?

Sam: In school holidays I was, yeah…

Stephen: We had a farm issue…

Sam: Did you?

Leigh: Yeah…

Sam: Oh issue as in a magazine issue… I thought you meant you had like an ‘issue’ (raises eyebrow).

Leigh: Yeah… Most magazines don’t have farm issues. It was actually in my editor’s letter last month that we had to do the Outward Bound survival camp.

Sam: I was an Outward Bound instructor! Did you enjoy it.

Leigh: Only in retrospect. It was horrible at the time.

Sam: Very good life experience I think. Good for character building.

Leigh: It was really good to see people crack under the pressure, of course.

Sam: It was always the guys that cracked! I loved it, having to get massive spiders out of the tents and teaching people how to make tents out of plastic and bits of rope. I always think I’m the worst advertiser for Australia because I always bring up the spiders…

Leigh: I once went to get to bed and there was a snake in my bed.

Sam: Really? My mom once put her foot in a shoe and there was a funnel-web spider in it, and they’re the spiders that are so deadly you have like twenty minutes to get to a hospital if you’re bitten, or you die. And that was living at home in Sydney.

Leigh: Yeah, that’s kind of scary.

Sam: It’s cool though.

Leigh: It’s kind of cool coming from a country where you know spiders are deadly. English people get so freaked out by the smallest creatures here.

Sam: Well it’s kind of like a playground here where you can run around in the grass bare foot and not even worry about it.

Leigh and Stephen gesture arms flapping, running through a field.

Leigh: So what have you been doing lately?

Sam: Well, I’ve had a few films out this year so I’ve had kind of a mad year flying all over the place promoting these films. The Railway Man came out this year and Belle, which we had this incredible journey around America. We opened the film in America and Oprah Winfrey liked the movie and invited me, Gugu and the director to her house. She threw this big lunch - it was nuts! I remember driving up to her house and being like “holy fuck this is actually happening” and there was Oprah standing at the door in her orange poncho. I mean it was incredible having someone

Never getting over the fact that our favourite farmboy Samanthyne Reid also used to be a survival instructor who liked to build tents out of scraps and go hunting for cool spiders in the Australian outback.

From JON Magazine issue 6.

[seascapesandsalt]

Welcome to my “designing a book cover for little to no money” process. I’ve just begun to think about this cover. It’s quite likely I won’t use any of these, and may still end up completely changing the title and/or tagline.