#while there are indeed many better options for drawing than Photoshop

[yume-fanfare]

"why don't artists finally start boycotting adobe" YOU THINK I'D BE USING THIS STUFF IF I ACTUALLY HAD A CHANCE NOT TO???

[tinyredlawyer]

samurai-esquire:

tinyredlawyer

… Oh, he didn’t know.

Simon stifled a laugh. Ah, what a treat Nahyuta had given him, giving him the opportunity to see Justice’s reaction to this. He considered briefly, how much he might tell. Should he go as far as to say that they were courting? No–Simon struggled enough to believe that himself, he could hardly expect Justice to believe it. There was little sport in putting it all out on the table now, if it were only going to be denied as wholly impossible. 

Still, they both were men of the courtroom. Surely he could not deny him in the face of evidence.

“’Doesn’t know me?’” he repeated with a grin, stepping towards the board on the wall. He saw a photograph there, and a familiar shade of lavender hair. “Interesting, though my kitchen would disagree with you. He’s certainly made a mess of it enough times. And my motorbike, for that matter: I’ve chauffeured him about on it on more than one occasion. Ah, indeed, and my couch may object as well, for his posterior has been parked upon it many a time.”

He nodded in the direction of the picture.

“Charming photograph, by the way,” he said, reaching into his pocket. “I’ve not seen any pictures of him as a child. Though I do have a few pictures of my own, if you still do not believe me.”

He unlocked the phone screen out of Justice’s view. He did not need to know that Simon was sentimental enough to also have the monk on his lock screen, in a picture that had managed to capture both Nahyuta and Taka in frame. Still, there are a few options, and it takes little time for Simon to sift through them. He rarely ever took pictures, in truth–lest they be of Nahyuta or Taka.

He settled upon one of the pictures Nahyuta took of himself some time ago, at his desk, surrounded by birds. 

“There, now,” he said. “How would I have this if we were strangers, hm?” 

The mere confidence with which Prosecutor Blackquill strutted across the room and rebutted filled Apollo with dread. What kind of ulterior motive did he have for pretending to be acquainted with Nahyuta? Was he planning something nefarious, or was he just flexing his powers of psychological manipulation to mess with him?

That smile was unnerving. He carefully put his box with Athena’s care package down on his desk, in case any further bombshells would cause him to throw it.

“Your kitchen?” Okay, that had to be a lie, no matter how well Blackquill hid it from his bracelet. Simon Blackquill was definitely not the type to host kitchen parties, even for his associates in the prosecutors’ office. “Y-you’re... just pulling my leg, right...?”

He’d better be, or else Apollo was ready to charge him with reckless endangerment for putting Nahyuta on deathtrap motorcycle... whenever he got the balls to face him in court again.

He paled at the claim that there was photographic evidence of Blackquill’s ludicrous story, and was held frozen in suspense while the man browsed his phone for the picture. This was all wrong -- how could he still not escape a potential sword-murderer by moving to a whole new hemisphere? How could Nahyuta even get himself involved with such a person?

A strangled sound escaped him when he was finally shown the photo. “Ph-photoshop,” he managed, staring to find any clues that it had been manipulated. Even to his superior eyesight, it just looked like a regular picture. “A... very good photoshop...”

Maybe he was just having a nightmare right now. Blackquill showing up in his office and pretending to be a friend of Nahyuta’s was probably the sort of subject he’d have a nightmare about.

“So-- what do you want from Nahyuta?” Apollo tried to draw himself up a little taller to at least feign that he wasn’t scared of being samurai-sworded for demanding such a thing. “E-even if he does know you, he’s busy. You can’t see him.”

[holytheoristtastemaker]

The tools we use can go a long way towards determining whether we produce a quality end product. And they also play a huge role in helping us stay within a project’s budget and timeline.

So often, we tend to focus on the software side of things. That makes sense, as the right apps can help us produce stunning designs, layouts and special effects.

But hardware doesn’t seem to be the hot topic it once was. That’s a shame, because the components we choose are real difference-makers. Use the wrong setup and you can go out for a cup of coffee while your After Effects project renders. The right one may not even allow you a full sip before completing the task.

Today, we’re going to show a little love to the gadgets that make our design businesses go. We’re not going to go into specific model numbers, as these things change faster than a client changes their mind. Instead, we’ll focus on some general guidelines on how to make the best choices to suit your needs.

Consider the Form Factor for Work On-The-Go

We all see people working from far-flung locations with laptops and even the occasional tablet. Those devices offer the convenience of portability. But how appropriate are they for design and code?

Tablet Devices

It seems like a lot of software vendors see vast potential in tablets. Apps such as Photoshop have been made available with the added bonus of enabling users to draw with a stylus. Then there’s Procreate, a design app built specifically for the iPad.

That being said, tablets often lack the processing power required to do intense graphical work. That’s not to say you can’t create some amazing art – just don’t expect apps to perform as well as they do on a more traditional machine. Then too, the apps themselves may not have all of the bells and whistles that you’d find on a laptop or desktop computer.

Meanwhile, coding on a tablet might be possible, but it’s unlikely to be an efficient way to do so. If you do attempt this feat, an external keyboard is a must-have accessory.

If you need extra horsepower, there are some high-end options worth considering. But, in general, a tablet probably works best as a secondary device for creative professionals.

What to look for: Choose a tablet that has a comfortable screen size, lots of internal storage and the ability to add more via a memory card. Also, verify that it’s capable of running the latest version of its mobile OS.

Laptop Computers

These days, laptops can be had at virtually every price point. But you get what you pay for.

The lower end of the spectrum may stick you with an outdated processor and rudimentary graphics. Plus, internal storage tends to be incredibly light. So, going this route would probably mean working in the cloud.

This doesn’t mean, however, that you have to spend thousands of dollars for good performance. Unless you really want the status that goes with top-notch industrial design (ahem, Apple) or enough power for a desktop replacement, a solid midrange model will do.

A middle-of-the-road processor from AMD or Intel should be enough to run most applications reasonably well. As for multicore options, the more cores you can afford – the better. But aim for at least four cores if you plan on doing even mildly intense graphic or coding work.

Mobile graphics tend to pale in comparison to their desktop counterparts, except at the very top end of the pricing spectrum. Still, it’s important to have a graphics chip or discrete card that provides 2D and 3D acceleration.

Portability and battery life are also key considerations. If you’re working on the road, you will probably want to avoid something that’s too heavy or can’t hold a charge for more than a handful of hours.

What to look for: Aim for a laptop that has enough processor and graphics muscle to run your preferred apps. Ideally, you’ll have enough solid-state storage to allow for fast boot times and the ability to install all of your necessary software. RAM is also important – especially if you’re multi-tasking. Go for at least 16GB.

Build a Better Workstation

Desktop devices are still the top choice for creative professionals working at home or in an office. While you lose portability, you gain tons of computing power. Not to mention the opportunity to rock a gigantic display and loads of storage.

Among the top considerations for your workstation:

Form Factor

Desktop devices usually fall into one of two form factors: All-in-one (AIO) or the more traditional mid or full-tower. Whichever you choose, the ability to perform future upgrades is vital.

Smaller devices may not allow you to, say, add an additional internal drive or swap out the graphics card for something bigger. At the very least, you should have easy access to exchange or expand RAM and any internal drives.

Needs inevitably change. So, think about the future before deciding on a workstation setup.

Display

How big is too big? The rule of thumb here is ensuring that you have enough space for your applications to fit comfortably on your screen. At the same time, you shouldn’t have to strain your eyes to read text at a comfortable distance or have to crane your neck.

With today’s creative applications requiring a lot of screen real estate for settings panels, etc., a size of at least 24-27 inches is ideal. Anything smaller than that could be a little too cramped. If you have the means to go bigger – go for it.

When it comes to resolution, 1080p (full HD) is the absolute minimum these days. 4k monitors are becoming more popular. However, the pixel density can be difficult to deal with at smaller screen sizes. And you’ll also need a solid graphics card to feed it high-quality video.

Other considerations are refresh rates and response time (not terribly important unless you’re working with a lot of fast-moving images), connectivity (HDMI or DisplayPort) and an adjustable stand. There are plenty of other goodies to be had, but the basics are of most importance.

Graphics Card

Speaking of graphics, this is an area where you don’t want to skimp. Professional-grade apps are relying more on graphics cards than ever. Look for a card that will work with your favorite apps and provide acceleration. Photoshop, for example, publishes some GPU guidelines that are worth a look before you buy.

While onboard graphics are indeed getting better, they still don’t hold a candle when compared to discrete cards. Therefore, it’s often worth the investment in a mid-to-high range card.

Processor

Many of the preferred apps that graphic and web designers utilize are multi-threaded. Having a processor that is optimized for these sorts of tasks is a must. Thankfully, most recent models from AMD and Intel have this capability.

This especially comes into play when doing intensive work like editing large media files or compiling code. The more threads your processor can handle, the quicker things get done (to a point).

Avoid the bargain bin if at all possible, as spending just a bit more can really improve performance. It may also be wise to avoid the very top-of-the-line options, as it is unlikely to be worth the cost. Instead, opt for a processor that occupies the sweet spot in the middle.

Storage

Sure, it’s quite common to store your files in the cloud, but it’s not always ideal for home-based freelancers. Internal storage is still vital to system performance and convenience. Plus, this is an area where you can get a lot of bang for your buck.

For faster boot times and the ability to quickly launch your apps, a solid-state (SSD) drive with at least 1TB of capacity is recommended. Anything less and you might find yourself in a crunch for free space later on.

For local file storage, old-school mechanical drives are still a good choice. Buy a terabyte or two more capacity than you think you’ll need. This should serve you well both now and a few years from now.

Memory

RAM plays a critical role for designers. It’s what allows us to have 20 tabs open in our browser – in addition to all of our resource-hogging creative apps.

Having too little will hinder your ability to multitask. Therefore, it’s important to stock your system with enough to handle your daily workload (and then some).

As with laptops, your workstation should have at least 16GB of memory. Doubling up to 32GB is even better for those who want even snappier performance.

Final Thoughts

The hardware needs of designers aren’t the same as the same as that of the typical consumer. When it comes to laptop and desktop devices, most off-the-shelf systems aren’t going to get it done.

Instead, each major component should be carefully considered. After all, they do have an impact on our daily work.

The good news is that, in most cases, you don’t have to blow out your budget. Solid performance and future upgradability can usually be found for a reasonable price.

The key is in not splurging on high-end components the moment they hit the market. Instead, look for midrange options or maybe let that expensive part age for a few months before making your move. The price will likely have been slashed over that time.

And, if you’re not sure where to start, look at reviews from a variety of sources. That will give you a better idea of what to expect when it comes to both cost and performance.

Happy shopping!

[ghostfantasyart]

30 Reasons Why Drawing Tablets Are Totally Worth It

Drawing tablets are a great way for you to enhance your skills as an artist and practice your technique in a totally new and innovative way.

They help you to control your pace and precision with the many different features they have to offer. The main group that drawing tablets are targeted towards are digital artists, but the fact remains that anyone may use these tablets in order to practice their technique.

If you’ve been considering purchasing a drawing tablet, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, we will give you some important information you should know while shopping for a drawing tablet on this list of 30 different reasons why we think drawing tablets are totally worth buying.

For Beginners

1. Both beginners and professionals can use them.

You don’t have to be an artist with an exceptional track record and many awards in order to use a drawing tablet. Even if you’re just starting out, you will be able to find a lot of use for drawing tablets. They can help you to enhance your skills and move further into the world of art.

Whether you’re someone who is just starting out or you’re a well-known professional, drawing tablets are one of the best tools to have at your disposal.

They will help you to draw high-quality pieces using modern software. You will be surprised by how much your art will improve with a drawing tablet.

2. They are easy to use.

Another great feature of drawing tablets is that they are incredibly easy to use. There are some drawing tablets on the market that were specifically designed for beginners, but in general, these tablets are easy to use and to customize.

Most of them have several buttons on the side that have different features you can customize, which may include scrolling up and down, zooming in and out, and more.

If you choose to get a drawing tablet with a screen, you will also be able to control your work with your hands as you would with any other smart device or with the stylus the device comes with.

3. You will be able to explore a new world of possibilities as an artist!

This might as well be the best reason why you should purchase a drawing tablet. These small devices will allow you to explore an entire world of possibilities that a simple pencil and paper wouldn’t have provided you.

For example, you can learn all about graphic design, working with Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator, and the sensitivity and pressure you need to use in order to get the design you want.

While many people do prefer the traditional route of pencil and paper, the fact remains that we live in a technological world and it’s important to have this knowledge at our disposal, too.

4. You can explore how much pressure you need to use in general.

All drawing tablets have varying levels of sensitivity, so you will be able to see for yourself how much pressure you need to use in order to get the strokes you need.

This will also help you throughout your career as an artist because you will need to practice drawing light strokes and heavier strokes.

With the use of a drawing tablet, you can learn how heavily you need to apply the stylus to the device in order to get the result you want.

Technological Advantages

5. You can connect it to your computer.

There are some drawing tablets that you will be able to use with your computer. While many of them now can be used portably, keep in mind that this still is an option, especially if you opted for a tablet that does not have a screen.

They should come with a USB cord that is compatible with your computer.

6. You will be able to customize the settings.

There are lots of preferences that you will be able to set with the drawing tablet in order to maximize your experience.

When you get started, you will be able to choose how you want the pen buttons to function, adjust the pen tip, whether you want there to be an audible clicking when the tablet is in use, right or left-handed use, and many more important features that will customize your experience with the tablet.

7. Most drawing tablets include multi-touch features.

Many drawing pads also come with multi-touch features, which will also help you to have an easier experience with the tablet. These features essentially allow you to use the tablet in the same way you would use a smart device- by touching the screen.

Some of these features might include using two fingers to scroll, zoom, and more. The specifics will depend on the individual tablet.

8. They are great for designers who need to use Photoshop or Illustrator.

If your job requires you to be knowledgable in Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator, getting a drawing tablet can greatly help you out here.

These drawing tablets are compatible with those software programs to provide you with a better experience as you work. So, you will become better at operating those systems, which will help you to perform better both in your art and in other work.

9. Drawing tablets can be used by those who aren’t technologically savvy.

Even if you do not consider yourself to be particularly knowledgable when it comes to technology, you still will be able to get a lot of use out of the drawing tablet.

As we said earlier, drawing tablets are easy to use, especially considering the button shortcuts and the basic programs they have. You don’t need to be a programmer to use one.

10. It is much easier to use for graphic drawing than a computer with a mouse.

This is a simple fact. Many people prefer the use of these innovative drawing tablets over the use of a computer.

While many people have indeed used computers for graphic art, the mouse simply does not offer the same precision that a stylus does and it can be much more difficult to navigate and draw properly. But drawing tablets will not give you any of these issues.

11. These tablets will most likely be compatible with any software you use.

When you go to buy a drawing tablet, it is important to read all the information about the tablet you want first before you purchase it to make sure that it suits all of your needs, which will include whether or not it is compatible with the software you intend on using and, if it’s a tablet that needs to be used in conjunction with a computer, whether or not it is compatible with the computer you own.

In most cases, tablets are compatible with Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, CorelDraw, and other important software services.

Personal Benefits

12. Drawing tablets can help to stave off carpal tunnel syndrome.

This might come to a surprise for some, but many people have found that their drawing tablets help to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome and other repetitive stress injuries.

This is especially true if your tablet has a touch screen; you will be able to use your hand instead of a mouse to control the device, which is ultimately better for your wrist health.

The use of the stylus will put significantly less stress on your hands and wrists than if you were to attempt to draw using a mouse, so drawing tablets could be seen as a great way for you to avoid getting these syndromes or to relieve some of the symptoms if you already have them.

13. They are better for the environment.

In our quest to save the environment from climate change, many of us have become more aware of the products we are using and the ways in which we can help decrease our negative impact on the Earth and its atmosphere.

Indeed, using all kinds of paper and other materials causes a lot of waste and is not that great for our environment unless we recycle, but even then, some people have debated whether or not it’s a good idea to produce all that paper in the first place.

Drawing tablets completely eliminate the need for paper, so you won’t have to worry about having a negative environmental impact.

Practicality and Convenience

14. You can find drawing tablets in a wide range of prices.

One of the biggest downsides to drawing tablets is how expensive they are. Many people feel intimidated and scared when they see the cost of some of the best drawing tablets on the market.

It is indeed true that you may have to pay more than you’d expect in order to have a good drawing tablet, but that doesn’t mean that you should stay away from them. In fact, this also does not mean that every drawing tablet on the market is going to be that expensive.

There are many factors that go into the cost of these devices, including the size, the resolution, the different features it has to offer, whether it has a screen or not, and more.

Depending on the kind of drawing tablet you purchase, you can easily find versions that are less expensive. For example, you may see that the best drawing tablets cost around $400, but there are other highly-rated ones for less than $100, some even being as inexpensive as $26.

It all depends on the features you choose and what functions you need the device to have. But know that not all drawing tablets are expensive and you can easily find one that’s within your budget range.

15. They come in multiple sizes.

You don’t just have to settle for one size in a drawing tablet if you don’t want to. There are several different sizes that you can choose from, which will depend on the brand.

But most brands will offer a range in sizes from small to large, so you can choose the tablet you want according to what you need it for.

Larger tablets will naturally be more expensive, but some people find that they are much easier to work with due to the larger amount of screen space.

Smaller tablets can also be useful because you not only will not have to spend as much money, but you also get enough room to draw anything you’d like. The choice entirely depends on you.

16. They last for a long time.

Many people were pleased and surprised by how long their drawing tablets lasted. Indeed, these products are made to withstand a lot and they are made out of durable materials.

You will most likely have a warranty on your drawing tablet, too, if anything happens to it near the time of purchase.

But some people might not have expected for these devices to sometimes even last longer than their much more expensive smartphones and computers, so this is a pleasant surprise.

If you look after your drawing tablet well and are careful not to drop it or toss it around, you easily could be keeping yours for around 10 years or so.

These devices are built to last, just like many other modern pieces of technology. Don’t be afraid to use a little bit of pressure when you draw. The important part is on you, and that’s to make sure that you maintain your device as well as possible.

17. Drawing tablets will offer you more control over your work.

While you might not think that you will have as much control over what you’re drawing on a tablet, the reality is that the opposite is true.

First, many tablets have buttons on them that provide shortcuts for you to choose what to do with your drawing, such as zoom in and out or moving to a different page.

Another thing, which we will get into later, is that you won’t feel as though you’re drawing on a tablet or piece of technology whatsoever; it will seem similar to drawing on a piece of paper or a canvas, but you will be able to get a lot closer on the tablet.

This gives you better control and thus, a better result. The added bonus of a stylus will help you to control your work even further without any difficulties.

18. These tablets are desk space efficient.

If you have a smaller desk space, you no longer need to worry about that causing issues for you.

If you were to be using paint, canvases, papers, and more, a small desktop might not allow you to have enough room to store everything, and you might not have the necessary funds to purchase a bigger desk or a new space in order to store all your art supplies.

Thanks to the small size of your drawing tablet, you will easily be able to put it on your small desk and not worry about it taking up too much room.

19. The stylus does not run out of batteries.

Here’s another key feature that will also help to ensure that you won’t need to spend more money than necessary.

The styluses of most drawing tablets do not operate using batteries, so you don’t have to worry about what happens when the battery dies and you have to find the appropriate battery.

This might leave you wondering, then, how the pen works. The Wacom brand stylus pen, for example, has a digital chip inside that controls the tablet.

The drawing tablet has a sensor board which also has a magnetic field, and the stylus ends up producing its own magnetic field when it touches the screen. This is why you don’t need to use any batteries when operating the stylus. How innovative!

20. You won’t have to worry about spending so much money on ink and other supplies.

Part of being an artist- or having any career, for that matter- includes the need to purchase a lot of materials for you to become better at your skill. So, it’s inevitable that you will need to spend some money in order to enhance your artistic abilities.

But the amount of money that you will need to spend will be drastically cut in half if you begin to rely on your drawing tablet for most of your work.

You won’t have to constantly buy pencils, paper, canvases, markers, paints, and any of the other necessary materials that you will have to work with.

When you’re using the tablet, you can automatically start a new drawing even if you were working on another one without having to worry about buying new supplies. This also further enhances our other argument about how drawing tablets are good for the environment.

21. You can easily take your drawing tablet with you wherever you go.

Drawing tablets tend to be rather small and will easily fit in your purse or bag. This means that you don’t always have to leave it at home- you can take it with you if you’re going on a long trip or if you’re taking the subway and have some time to kill.

In addition, due to the small size of these tablets, you’re not going to have a heavy weight on your shoulders from carrying it with you. You can efficiently take your drawing tablet with you wherever you want to go.

Artistic Benefits

22. The quality and design of your art will be stunning.

Just like many other people who have used drawing tablets, you will be surprised by the quality of your drawings when you start to use the drawing tablet.

This will especially be true if you get one that has a higher resolution, but even if you didn’t, most drawing tablets will provide you with a unique and interesting way to view your drawings.

23. You don’t have to put in a lot of effort for precision.

Since most drawing tablets are sensitive and have a good pressure response, it will be possible for you to draw precisely without having to put in too much effort.

This is due to the fact that you can touch the screen lightly and draw precise lines; the technology in the stylus will allow you to do this effortlessly.

This might be one of the best features of drawing tablets, since they let you draw beautiful pieces without having to put in more effort than necessary. A light touch is all you will need to draw precise lines and other features that you might have difficulty with on paper.

24. They allow you to increase your efficiency and productivity.

If you’re a graphic artist, you will be surprised by how much drawing tablets will increase your productivity as you draw. This is because you will build muscle memory in terms of how hard you need to press on the screen in order to draw your desired strokes.

So, it will help you to draw a lot easier and faster. As you use the tablet more and more, you will learn how it works a lot better, which will allow you to become better in your work moving forward. This means that you can produce a lot more drawings in less time.

25. They provide a lot of accuracy due to the sensitivity features.

As we said before, drawing tablets have varying levels of sensitivity. This means that, depending on how much pressure you apply to the device, you will be able to have varying sizes in your strokes.

This furthers the point we made earlier about having precise strokes with little effort. This means that you will be able to draw a wide variety of different things, including anything that will require a lot of fine detail, and you won’t have any issues while doing so.

This is especially true if you choose a device that has a higher level of sensitivity.

26. Many drawing tablets have high resolutions.

One of the many features that you will need to consider when you purchase a drawing tablet is its resolution. Drawing tablets tend to vary in their levels of resolution, but it’s a given that ones with higher resolutions will produce better-quality art.

This will allow you to see your work a lot more clearly and give you an image that you couldn’t have imagined being produced elsewhere. If you choose a tablet with a high resolution, you will be surprised by how good the quality of your work will turn out.

27. Despite what some may think, it feels completely natural to use.

Regardless of what technology is available on the market, there are still many people who prefer the traditional route of pencil and paper or paintbrush and canvas. And that’s perfectly fine. But you also will have that natural feel when you use a drawing tablet and a stylus.

This is due to the fact that the stylus is shaped very much like a regular pen, which means that the way you draw won’t be much different than the way you will draw on paper.

You will be using the same hand motions, you will be holding the stylus in the same way you hold the pen, and it will seem just the same. This will make using a drawing tablet feel a lot more natural.

28. Your work will look a lot more natural.

If you are a digital artist, you may have noticed that drawing with a regular mouse might not give your art the most natural appearance. This is due to the harsher and less rounded strokes that are produced by the mouse.

But if you use a drawing tablet, this problem is eliminated due to the natural look that is provided by the stylus or your finger.

You have the opportunity to create smaller shapes and much smoother curves this way, which furthers our point earlier about how you will have more control when drawing with a drawing tablet.

29. Some can be used for many different purposes.

Drawing tablets can be used for many different purposes, some of which include graphic design, Photoshop, CorelDraw, and more. You don’t have to limit yourself to just one activity with your drawing tablet, which always gives you a lot more room to grow and expand in your abilities.

In addition to that, one of the most interesting things that you will be able to do with your drawing tablet is editing your photos if you’re a photographer.

30. You can add a lot more detail to your drawings.

Thanks to the aforementioned precision and sensitivity that drawing tablets provide artists, you will have no trouble adding as much color, fine detail, lines, and more to your art on the tablet.

Generally, the point on the stylus is so thin that you will have the ability to draw as finely as necessary. So, no matter how detailed your drawing needs to be, you will be able to add that detail using the drawing tablet.

It seems to be a misconception with drawing tablets that you won’t be able to do this, but especially thanks to the zoom-in feature as well, this will not be an issue for you.

Conclusion

It is up to you to decide whether or not you want a drawing tablet, but we believe that they’re totally worth it. You could easily use a drawing tablet to help you enhance your skills.

Don’t let some of the common arguments against drawing tablets, such as the expensive price of some of them, set you back.

[boncottled]

Concept statement

https://freesound.org/people/RoganDerrick/sounds/260434/Can creative acts be rebellious when rebellion has become canonised in art, design and media histories? What would a contemporary creative rebellion look like?

My feelings about this question is that being “rebellious” has indeed lost its full meaning in many ways, due to the volume of such works being created. With the world more connected than ever before, there are endless things to fight and speak out against. With this knowledge, my conclusion from assessment 1 was that the most important aspect of rebellion is the individual drive to create positive change.

When most people see a rebellious creative work, they acknowledge it and its message, and then will have forgotten about it a week later. My work tries to convey the idea that a personal drive is often required to truly take action, not just the words and pictures of a stranger that you see repeated countless times. This was the main message behind my work for assessment 1: stop simply appreciating all of these rebellious works, actually do something that you want to do!

For a long time I wasn’t sure where to take my ideas, or even what kind of experiments I could do with the resources at hand. After playing with and thinking about my poster from assessment 1, however, I was able to solidify my central ideas and look for directions to head in.

It was the article by Kristen Kalp that finally made sense of my thoughts, with the message that living a healthy, happy life is the best way to rebel in the modern day. The truth of this varies from one perspective to another but it at least offered some coherence to my jumbled mind. My conclusion was that the individual aspect of changing the way you live to release yourself from any pressures or constraints you may have, and to become happier in your everyday life, is one of the most important things to consider about rebellion. While it was more or less just an extension of my earlier work, I wasn’t able to properly formulate this as a concept until this point.

For my final work, I settled on creating an animation as I felt it would offer the greatest freedom for me to shape the work into what I wanted it to be and represent. From there the process was quite straight forward; many hours of drawing and editing in Photoshop and Premiere, as well as sound work done in Ableton Live. It was my first time really using Photoshop to create an animation from scratch; I even had to do some video editing within Photoshop when Premiere wouldn’t work properly. So it was fun learning some new techniques and figuring out solutions to various problems.

The video questions the meaning of rebellion itself, by making it seem as though “anti-rebellion” is the better option. However, the “anti-rebellion” is the true rebellion, in the midst of a myriad of countless ads and posters that label themselves as rebellious. The anti-rebellion headphones allow the character(s) in the video to take a look at their own life, free from the words of others, and decide what they want to change about their situation. This is the essence of rebellion; fighting against oppression to create positive change. This is what really happens to the character(s) using the headphones; they refuse to accept the ‘norm’ (in this case, the norm is rebellion in all facets of life) and in doing so, better their situation. So by refusing rebellion, they are inf act rebelling more than anyone else. I think that this contrast does a good job of encapsulating the main ideas behind my work.

Overall I am very happy with my final work. Not only do I like it due to the fact that it’s a hand-drawn animation, but I think I successfully managed to convey the main ideas behind it. Given more time, I believe I could have added more to make the message clearer, but I am proud of my work nonetheless.

Kalp, K. ‘50 everyday acts of rebellion.’, Kristen Kalp. https://kristenkalp.com/rebellion/

Sounds taken from:

https://freesound.org/people/RoganDerrick/sounds/260434/

https://freesound.org/people/zanox/sounds/233645/

[archienewling]

Thank you to The Shade Store for sponsoring this post.

The Victorian is definitely a bit lovelier these days with the addition of custom window treatments in the double parlor!

We’ve been here for 4.5 years, and I’ve liked the look of the house with bare windows. I started to realize I wanted to change them last year though. Visually, I knew the extra layer would look nice, and I also wanted the heating and cooling benefits of quality curtains (because 125-year-old windows can be drafty). They arrived a couple of months ago and are indeed everything this home needed! Beauty and function combined.

You likely know that there’s a lot of unpainted wood trim in this house (like, A WHOLE LOT). Curtains help soften things up.

There’s a radiator behind the teal sofa in the bay window. It made hanging curtains there a bit tricky, but I came up with a clever solution! If you’ve ever encountered a similar obstacle, scroll down to the end of the post for ideas on working around it.

I’ve been focusing on style upgrades and finishing touches for the main floor. I chose matching rugs for the double parlor with a greek key pattern late last year, and I love the design continuity between the two spaces. I had thought about doing something similar for the windows — choosing the same fabric for all — but I’m glad I went in a different direction. The library got pale pink linen (“Cameo”) to match the wall color, and the black living room has an oversized paisley print on a warm charcoal background (“Asherton Granite”).

Another new addition to the living room is the giant mirror above the fireplace. The windows are so pretty in its reflection! The doorway to the dining room is a bit of a black hole in this photo — less so in real life, but the northern exposure and proximity to neighbors means it is always dark. The mirror helps bring a bit of lightness to the center of the house, and seeing the curtain fabric in it is much nicer than a reflection of more unpainted wood trim.

I worked with The Shade Store back when I did our entryway for the One Room Challenge. The entry window has a pale pink linen roman shade, and I wanted to continue with the same fabric into the adjacent library.

The window between the bookshelves we added got a matching roman shade, and the curved windows facing the street have tailored pleat curtains. Eventually, I would like to add a custom curtain rod that follows the curve of the wall.

Before & After

I’m so glad I went with tonal variations for each space rather than a contrasting color or bold new pattern. The rooms still look like themselves — just better.

Tips & Tricks

The Shade Store can measure for you, make recommendations, and even handle the installation, but I do have some tips and tricks for you whether you’re hiring out for some, all, or none of the process.

You’ve probably heard to hang your curtains “high and wide,” right? That’s good advice if you want to make your room seem taller and your windows look larger, but it’s not always the right thing to do in every application. Our ceilings are 10′ high — I want to show off that height but I don’t need to make them look taller than they are. The bow and bay windows are contained within the architecture — no need to extend the curtains to make the windows look wider. Instead, I added about 6″ to the width and height for curtains that are nicely proportioned to the windows and room.

I like the traditional look of pinch pleat drapery, but chose a tailored pleat for our home. It keeps the fullness and luxe look of the pleating but takes it in a modern, slightly more casual direction. They have drapery hooks that hang from curtain rings, so they slide open and closed easily.

All of our curtains from The Shade Store are interlined, which has two benefits. Interlining adds weight and fullness to drapery, giving it a more beautiful hang, and it adds to the insulating properties of window treatments. Chicago offers up the worst of the temperature extremes with hot, humid summers and long, cold winters. We don’t have central air, so being able to close the curtains on the hottest days will keep our home cooler (both rooms get a lot of sun). We have interior storm windows for the kitchen to keep out cold winter drafts, but have relied on disposable plastic weatherproofing film for the drafty living room and library windows. We were able to skip that step this year by keeping the café shutters closed and drawing the curtains on particularly bad days.

You can stop into any of The Shade Store’s locations (they just opened their second in Chicagoland this weekend!) to see samples in person and bring home swatches. Everything is online too, and they’ll send fabric swatches to you for free. Take advantage of this option! I had narrowed down my top choices and worked them into a Photoshop mockup, but I didn’t make any final decisions until I had the actual fabrics in my home. Even for something as straightforward as “simple white curtains” there are a lot of options with subtle differences, but of course there are a ton of colors and patterns to choose from too!

Curtain Solution for a Bay Window with Radiator

This old house of ours is filled with quirks and angles. Figuring out how to hang curtains in a bay window was easy enough. Many curtain rods are available with corner connectors, which is what I used to create one long, seemingly unbroken rod that fits the space perfectly. The area behind the sofa was particularly tricky though because of a long radiator in the center.

Custom curtains are less expensive in pairs (rather than individually priced panels), but if I had simply ordered three pairs of curtains sized for each of the three windows, there would have been a visible gap along the bottom where the shorter center panels met the corners.

Instead, I ordered the shortest center pair of curtains sized to the width of the radiator (not to the width of that wall). Then I ordered two pairs of curtains to be split between the outer windows. The skinnier pair went to the outermost edges, while the fuller pair was used to cover the the inner corners.

Here’s a shot of how the curtains perfectly fit over the radiator. You wouldn’t see this from a normal angle because the sofa hides it, but it does look tailored and clean.

Bare Windows No More

I liked both the library and living room before, but adding window treatments from The Shade Store definitely took them to the next level. The rooms look and feel so much better! Curtains and shades always make such an impact, don’t they?

© 2018, published by Making it Lovely as Custom Window Treatments for the Double Parlor | No comments | This post may contains affiliate links; I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

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How to Offer and Outline Custom Sketches

On-line money settling on decisions for the most part expect you to have some type of site, and have some type of ability in publicizing and on-line business to begin with. Nonetheless, consider the possibility that I prompted you that there was an alternative to wind up beneficial internet using your present expressions and artworks capacities. For those who're intrigued, learn on, because of we will attempt Etsy, and the way you have to utilize your present expressions and specialties aptitudes to acknowledge money online. What Is Etsy? Etsy, and different destinations incline toward it, is an electronic entrance that empowers individuals from the situating to posting their true expressions and artworks manifestations on the site, include a cost and transport costs, and elevate them to people the world over. It's fairly similar to eBay, other than that everything on it is high quality by the people who utilize the location. What Would you be able to Advance On Etsy? Almost anything that is high quality. People advance each part from full estimated oil work convenient beaded gems, hand sewed child garments and handcrafted candles. From leatherwork to painting, chiseling to portraying, if it's specialties and artworks, you'll have the capacity to offer it on the positioning. How Do You Make Money? Unlike a few destinations, Etsy would not take a commission off your deal. As an option, they allow clients to distribute their specialties and artworks on the situating, in their own 'retailer' for a little charge for every posting. You advance your items, put a value on them and typify transport costs, and furthermore you get reputation to the many the individuals who utilize the situating. It resembles an electronic specialty showcase, with significantly more visitors! Is It a Decent Thought? When you have an energy that you essentially as of now do, and that you'd wish to make money on-line with, at that point Etsy is an awesome thought! It can give you significantly greater reputation to considerably more individuals, and could even prompt you having the capacity to seek after your energy full time, to some degree than exclusively on ends of the week and at night! As you'll have the capacity to see, with regards to bringing home the bacon on the web, and on-line endeavor, it isn't just the in fact talented and the business disapproved of that may profit. Everybody, even individuals who like to work with their palms, can win a living on-line, and both start or widen on a present cash making concept. Sketches are only free hand illustrations that comprises of numerous covering lines. Normally outlines are useful to report one thing for later utilize. Portrayals will enable craftsman to stretch out his inventiveness to control and gives him a chance to create something supportive inside the zone of fine art. Coming about because of cutting edge programming program, nowadays online representations are likewise conceivable. That is exceptionally marvelous that people can express their thoughts by making draws using these product program instruments. Probably the best advanced applications for this sort of workmanship is Adobe Photoshop. In early days individuals had been utilizing MS paint programming, by the by it has less alternatives in correlation with Adobe Photoshop. You ought to have PC on the off chance that you wish to make advanced representations. It is an exceptionally one of a kind method to make all the portrayals incredibly utilizing most up to date programming project and equipment on the computer. It moreover gives a more noteworthy picture quality then you may have ever anticipated. It makes exceptionally direct for the specialists who wants to make pictures for mechanical capacity like item notices, digital book covers, video computer games and a lot of something beyond. Likewise extraordinary compared to other element of computerized painting is you could send it to anybody by method for email. Give me a chance to tell you something key with respect to the adobe photoshop programming. This product program is the most developed programming at any point investigated for painting, pictures and doodles. It offers top quality pictures and offers productive print high caliber. It is anything but difficult to make outlines utilizing adobe photoshop. In case you're experiencing issue to make draws using mouse, at that point you may get advanced cushions or cordless pen to make it smoother. The cordless pen will act like a mouse and it exchanges picture on the PC drawn by the craftsman. From this product even picture takers can build up some extraordinary consequences of their photos and may give them a pretty look. That is the brilliant unrest propelled in the realm of depict and sketches. When you have recently begun making an endeavor close by on portraying, you should take in the significant recommendations given appropriate here. These will give assistance to in portray making. You need to first see that outlining can't be learnt in a day. It's a fine art. To develop to be capable around there, you could buckle down and apply parcels. The more you watch, the better it will probably be to attract. Sketching is a free hand drawing made with pencil on paper. For making great portrayals, you ought to have appropriate gives like outline pencils and paper. The standard of provisions can affect the tip results. Sketchers keep up pencils in various sorts like tripod hold, overhand grasp and underhand grasp. Be that as it may, there is no most noteworthy style. You ought to pick the style that you are most comfortable with. It is best to begin honing with basic figures like straight follows, bends, circles, ovals, squares and triangles. 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Proportion is a fundamental a piece of drawing great representations. For example, in case you're making a picture, it's basic to have a right idea of separation between eyes, estimation of eyes and length of nose. Indeed, even a simple change inside the point of face alterations these extents. In this manner, a sketcher should be prepared to do accurately appraise the measurements. Whereas making an outline, you should first concentrate just on the characterize. Constantly take a shot at specifying afterwards. Shading gives a 3-dimensional look to an illustration. It additionally causes a person to envision whether the article is stopped or far, regardless of whether it's stationary or moving, what is the surface of the thing, what time of day it's et cetera. Hence, it is best to give careful consideration to shading. Concentrate totally unique sorts of finishing. Put resources into great quality smooth pencils of various evaluations for shading your sketches. Through the underlying considering process, don't be excessively critical of what you have outlined. Concentrate from your mix-ups and upgrade with each drawing. Final however not the minimum, get training from a specialist. You can be a piece of an illustration class or concentrate a few aptitudes and tips from a private guide. You also can take the help of internet drawing instructional exercises for learning strategies to sketch. It's no mystery that we're passing by methods for some essentially attempting financial events. Subsidence, sadness, twofold plunge retreat, paying little heed to the specialists and examiners are calling it meanwhile, cases are troublesome and the joblessness cost is without question one of the most exceedingly awful inside the historical backdrop of our nation. While one of numerous issues which I do is instruct people tips on the most proficient method to win a living with growing a site by offshoot promoting and publicizing, in fact it sets aside some opportunity to build up a gainful site which you'll live off of. Therefore at introduce we'll discuss what to do once you're resolved and cover how you can make money online rapidly. Additional essentially it will exclusively discuss how you can wind up gainful quick on-line without spending a dime specifically. Micro Employment Websites Providing your suppliers is kind of conceivably the speediest technique to profit online rapidly. Smaller scale work locales like Fiverr.com are the manner by which heaps of individuals make an ensured quick buck by publicizing their organizations to included buyers. These are sites which you can go to and win cash from about something which you'll consider. Take your aptitudes and publicize them on these sites and intrigued buyers will get in touch with you about doing your promoted work for them. You get paid in a flash for doing what you're enthused about or have a capacity for regardless of whether that is composing articles/content material, doing work in Photoshop for somebody, completing an illustration or draw, doing voiceover work; truly anything you'll have the capacity to think of. GigHour, Gigbucks, Fittytown pay out at a ton more prominent levels than Fiverr so think about how a great deal whatever you're publicizing is worth and get to it. I have assembled a total helpful asset on how you can influence money with Fiverr to emerge from the group, to discover customers, and get paid; this data might be connected to any miniaturized scale work site, as well. Craigslist Craigslist stays to be an awesome place for finding brisk coincidental occupations which pay notwithstanding all day work. Only a couple of years in the past once I was simply beginning in associate web promoting and didn't know much to anything Tamahagane about what toiled and what didn't work and was therefore in any case attempting to help myself, I took to Craigslist and found a few employments which spared me going inside the snappy term while I got my footing. One work made them compose portrayals for a mess of money related items on a budgetary site loaded with associate gives (which I didn't see till later). I used to be paid $1000 for only a couple of days of work. Take a glance at the "And so forth." segment, low maintenance segment, or pursuit "working from home" in your city or any number of enormous urban communities for gigs which you can do from your own home. Basically be sure that to practice your due persistence to simply make certain you're working with a decent one that won't solid you on charge. 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When You are Urgent Keep in mind In the occasion you're truly up contrary to the divider, reach office simply like the Salvation Military, sustenance banks, or city human administration divisions to guarantee that you keep the lights on and suppers on the table.