If you're still looking at that HP Touchsmart PC Tiger direct has some on clearance right now for like $299. Might be worth checking out, and at that price if you don't like it you can flip it on craigslist or something.
Is Pixelmator actually a decent replacement for Photoshop in terms of doing digital illustration? Or is it really just for old ladies to gussy up their scrapbook photos
I won't lie, content aware fill is SUPER fun to play with. But I need word-of-mouth from illustrators! How are those brushes? HOW DO IT PAAAAAAINNNT actually one of the most attractive things is that it's not an Abominable Bloatmonster like shoop is, also being priced so that mere human beings don't have to
steal it.
(I've been in New York City, where I moved to wif' mah gurl fren')
So considering I've spent the last few years of my life doing nothing but study art and graphic design, I've never really found a place here to express and discuss that aspect of my life. Does that exist here? I know it tends to skew towards illustrators here (which I'm a fan of too), but there must be some designers hiding in a corner somewhere.
So considering I've spent the last few years of my life doing nothing but study art and graphic design, I've never really found a place here to express and discuss that aspect of my life. Does that exist here? I know it tends to skew towards illustrators here (which I'm a fan of too), but there must be some designers hiding in a corner somewhere.
There's a handful of awesome designers here, and a lot of the illustrator-types are multiclassed into it as well and just don't post quite as much of it. You might not get as much feedback with graphic design as you would illustration but I think everyone would love to see/talk about your stuff.
So considering I've spent the last few years of my life doing nothing but study art and graphic design, I've never really found a place here to express and discuss that aspect of my life. Does that exist here? I know it tends to skew towards illustrators here (which I'm a fan of too), but there must be some designers hiding in a corner somewhere.
I do graphic design for a living. I never really post much because most of my work is boring corporate things. But, if you have any resources you want to share or need, or if you have any technical questions about whatever, there are some designers here!
Typographers/Graphic Designers I am trying to put this together for the SC2 Childs Play event the sc2 thread is hosting and I could really use some feedback!
I like the colors and the texture, and I really like the "Rumble in the Bronze" part, but I would put the date at the very end of the poster. If it were me, I want to have the name of the event be the very first thing that I wanted people to see... if they are interested, they will find the date.
Also, you have these cool blocky shapes all over the poster, except in the area between "Rumble" and "Bronze", where you used a round shape.
As for the bottom part, the dude at the bottom is HUGE! I dunno if he's so important as to dominate all that area, but when I compare him to the other guy (or avatar), he looks like he's the lead in the activity.
Also, one thing which is bothering me; why is the word "Charity" in green?
Also, while I don't know what font that is, I know it's not Helvetica because the tail on the uppercase R is different and the lowercase A is also different. There are lots of other ways to tell, but you can usually spot Helvetica really easy by looking at those two letters, they have a lot of character.
Thanks MT! Some great comments. Word charity was green because I wanted people to pick it up as they scroll through quickly. I think it has a better chance of retaining attention if people pick that up. Giant guy at the bottom is sort of a famous starcraft player/commentator and a major draw for the event, and the other guy is just a PA Forum dude. Going to see about implementing some of these ideas.
So considering I've spent the last few years of my life doing nothing but study art and graphic design, I've never really found a place here to express and discuss that aspect of my life. Does that exist here? I know it tends to skew towards illustrators here (which I'm a fan of too), but there must be some designers hiding in a corner somewhere.
There's a handful of awesome designers here, and a lot of the illustrator-types are multiclassed into it as well and just don't post quite as much of it. You might not get as much feedback with graphic design as you would illustration but I think everyone would love to see/talk about your stuff.
So considering I've spent the last few years of my life doing nothing but study art and graphic design, I've never really found a place here to express and discuss that aspect of my life. Does that exist here? I know it tends to skew towards illustrators here (which I'm a fan of too), but there must be some designers hiding in a corner somewhere.
I do graphic design for a living. I never really post much because most of my work is boring corporate things. But, if you have any resources you want to share or need, or if you have any technical questions about whatever, there are some designers here!
Thanks. That's good to know. I'm finishing up my BFA this semester so I've been spending a lot of time buried in senior projects, classes, and preparing for our graduating exhibition, while needing to finish my professional portfolio while being told conflicting things on how to assemble it by different professors so I'm pretty likely to have questions and be scouring everywhere for resources.
Noob here (apologies in advance). A couple of questions.
1. Is there anything wrong with drawing from photographs of people/animals as opposed to drawing them from real life (photos of actual people, not anime/cartoon characters)- as far as artistic growth is concerned?
2. I'm struggling with the accuracy of proportions (sizes and spacing) on everything I draw (i.e. facial features in relation to one another), and I want to focus on improving this. Does anyone have any advice on how I can work towards improving my sense of spacial orientation as I draw?
1. Yes, definitely. You'll be learning far more by looking at the real thing. My biggest beef with pictures is that they're often poorly lit for drawing and also you should never take photos for being the truth/reality so it's much better to see the subject through your own eyes. People often mistake photographs for the word of god but they'll never really give an accurate representation of light and shadows. It also adds a whole lot to your repertoire when the background, middleground and foreground are actually separated.
2. Remember to measure, always and everywhere. It doesn't have to be with a pencil or a thumb, you can use your eye just as well. The important thing is that you measure and compare in almost every direction whenever you draw a line. Also remember to design what you see, you don't have to take all those tenuous details into account because they'll just distract you from the bigger more defining shapes. You can always add the details later on top of a solid basic form.
So my professor is adamant about us getting screw and post portfolios. He keeps pointing to this example for us. I get that we want to spend as much as we need to for a professional book but what's wrong with something like this?
It still has the aluminum hinges and screw and post binding, looks nicer I think, and is less than half the cost. Would anything be wrong with that option? Also, I realize that the decision is entirely up to me and if I wanted to, I could probably get away with a cheap itoya with strong enough work, but I like the look of that black one and it's seeming sturdiness over a cheap book. Essentially, I'm sold on screw and post, just not paying another 100% for, as far as I can tell, just a wood laminate cover.
Well the first thing that jumps out at me is that they are different sizes. But anyways, the sheets of plastic or aluminum containing your portfolio are pretty irrelevant. I don't know what type of art you are pursuing, but in just about every field of art it's what is inside of your portfolio that matters most. Of course you want to present your stuff in as clean and nice a way as possible, but you don't need to drop a fortune to do that.
That said, I am probably going to order one of those awesome cherry portfolios you linked for myself.
damn it I am totally messing up these links. They where both supposed to be 11x14 versions of each style. Yeah I realize a lot of that is true though. The cherry is nice but I like the black just as well and it's not as close to breaking my bank on student job hours with rent to pay. I don't know. I think I'm just trying to separate the professor's personal opinion from the outside world.
Well, a portfolio is supposed to showcase your strenghts as an artist. In my case, I would never buy those because in my particular case I want to show that I am knowledgable about print.
My portfolio is a little booklet that I give away after my interview, or I ship overseas before I go to an interview. With this, I am telling the peson; I can choose the most appropriate paper stock for this particular print job, I can bind, I can finish, I can choose the most appropriate printer type, am knowledgable about print techniques, I can create a mailer that falls within your country's postal guidelines, I will choose the most appropriate adhesives for any given situation.
But, as I said. This is because I want to emphasize my strengths as a print designer.
My suggestion is always play to your strenghts and find a way that highlight them.
If you're more into webdesign and GUI, I really wouldn't go all out on a print portfolio. But, if you're like me and you enjoy noticing the small print diferences between Cover and Dull Text paper stocks, then go for it.
I am considering getting an iPad or android tablet solely for sketching. After seeing this: http://www.macworld.com/article/156560/2011/05/touchscreen_stylus_roundup.html it appears that the stylus can be quite effective. Does anyone here have personal experience trying this? Can you recommended one tablet over another? Can you point me to any links you would recommend for further research?
Thanks!
This world needs a new philosophy. No more, "Could be worse..." I say SHOULD BE BETTER!
If thats literally the only reason you want one, the ASUS Eee slates are pressure sensitive and can run lower levels of PS, but its much, much chunkier than an ipad. A teacher of mine had one and loves it. I've only been able to play with sketching on the ipad, I dont have one. I haven't been able to try the stylus solutions for it, but I'm sorta not convinced the ipad is the best solution for this until its truly pressure sensitive, but maybe someone else has a differing opinion.
That said, if what you really want is a tablet and sketching is just a neat thing that you'd be able to do, I think ipads are pretty great.
I think beavo was doing some sketching on her iPad; it looked pretty good and she said it was serviceable in a digital sketchbook kind of way. You could ask her about it.
To any of you who regularly install shows I need to give you props. I just spent 4 hours hanging my graduating exhibition and my feet are trying to murder me.
So what do you guys use to angle your tablet (if you do, of course)? I tried making something with some scrap wood and screws (and an underpowered drill), with less than satisfactory results.
My desk is glass, so a hard-mounted solution is out, and everything else I've tried slides around. I'm beginning to think I need to invest in some industrial strength velcro.
EDIT: Also, I use an Intuos4 Large, so it has to be pretty sturdy.
Obviously the glass surface of your desks makes mounting some of these difficult- you might be able to pick up some clamps at a hardware store that would keep the base in place, but I don't know how well that would work.
I'm doing a typography poster that I want to get printed out all purty-like for my parents for Christmas. Aside from getting it printed out on a plotter at school(which I think will be closed when i need to use it), I don't know of anywhere else I could get them printed on short notice aside from FedEx. Does anyone know if FedEx has good paper for posters, and if their printing good for that? I've had some smaller stuff printed there with mixed results, not sure how a 11x17/12x18 poster would turn out.
The only other possible option that I know of would be to put it up on RedBubble and buy it for myself, assuming I could get it done in time to ship it to me by Christmas.
I would personally avoid fedex kinkos like the plague, but that's based entirely on the two around me.
Depending on your area you may have smaller printers or sign shops you can contact.
Places like office max or staples can print, but quality depends on the type of printer their using and their format sizes probably don't go much higher than 11x17
I'd counter initiatefailure by saying yes, FedEx can suck but Office Max and Staples (and in my experience the UPS Store) are running bullshit machines with terrible stock options. They are cheaper, though.
FedEx office will print your 11x17/12x18s on the same machine they printed your smaller stuff on, with similar stock options, for better or worse. Stay away from their gloss cardstock; I can't remember the brand they use anymore but it's gross and yellow and the toner can chip right off it. Ask for 80 or 100lb laser cardstock if you go with them and you're set on a heavier stock; if the person running the machine knows anything at all those production copiers (unless your location has switched from Xerox to Canon) can turn out a pretty okay print (don't use the self-service shit). Ultimately I'm assuming you're framing it? so as long as the print quality's okay don't sweat the weight of the stock.
Anything larger than 12x18 and they'll use a large format 6-color inkjet, which have the potential to be pretty okay or suck bushels of dicks, but the pricing is redonkulous. It starts at (last I was there) $7 a square foot.
Like I said my fedex experienced is based entirely on the two in my area being staffed by the least knowledgeable, friendly or helpful staff of any place I've tried to get things printed.
Posts
If you're still looking at that HP Touchsmart PC Tiger direct has some on clearance right now for like $299. Might be worth checking out, and at that price if you don't like it you can flip it on craigslist or something.
Is Pixelmator actually a decent replacement for Photoshop in terms of doing digital illustration? Or is it really just for old ladies to gussy up their scrapbook photos
(Where the fuck have you been?)
(I've been in New York City, where I moved to wif' mah gurl fren')
There's a handful of awesome designers here, and a lot of the illustrator-types are multiclassed into it as well and just don't post quite as much of it. You might not get as much feedback with graphic design as you would illustration but I think everyone would love to see/talk about your stuff.
I do graphic design for a living. I never really post much because most of my work is boring corporate things. But, if you have any resources you want to share or need, or if you have any technical questions about whatever, there are some designers here!
Is that not Helvetica? What typeface is it?
Also, you have these cool blocky shapes all over the poster, except in the area between "Rumble" and "Bronze", where you used a round shape.
As for the bottom part, the dude at the bottom is HUGE! I dunno if he's so important as to dominate all that area, but when I compare him to the other guy (or avatar), he looks like he's the lead in the activity.
Also, one thing which is bothering me; why is the word "Charity" in green?
Also, while I don't know what font that is, I know it's not Helvetica because the tail on the uppercase R is different and the lowercase A is also different. There are lots of other ways to tell, but you can usually spot Helvetica really easy by looking at those two letters, they have a lot of character.
Thanks. That's good to know. I'm finishing up my BFA this semester so I've been spending a lot of time buried in senior projects, classes, and preparing for our graduating exhibition, while needing to finish my professional portfolio while being told conflicting things on how to assemble it by different professors so I'm pretty likely to have questions and be scouring everywhere for resources.
1. Is there anything wrong with drawing from photographs of people/animals as opposed to drawing them from real life (photos of actual people, not anime/cartoon characters)- as far as artistic growth is concerned?
2. I'm struggling with the accuracy of proportions (sizes and spacing) on everything I draw (i.e. facial features in relation to one another), and I want to focus on improving this. Does anyone have any advice on how I can work towards improving my sense of spacial orientation as I draw?
2. Remember to measure, always and everywhere. It doesn't have to be with a pencil or a thumb, you can use your eye just as well. The important thing is that you measure and compare in almost every direction whenever you draw a line. Also remember to design what you see, you don't have to take all those tenuous details into account because they'll just distract you from the bigger more defining shapes. You can always add the details later on top of a solid basic form.
It still has the aluminum hinges and screw and post binding, looks nicer I think, and is less than half the cost. Would anything be wrong with that option? Also, I realize that the decision is entirely up to me and if I wanted to, I could probably get away with a cheap itoya with strong enough work, but I like the look of that black one and it's seeming sturdiness over a cheap book. Essentially, I'm sold on screw and post, just not paying another 100% for, as far as I can tell, just a wood laminate cover.
E: fixed links.
fixed.
That said, I am probably going to order one of those awesome cherry portfolios you linked for myself.
My portfolio is a little booklet that I give away after my interview, or I ship overseas before I go to an interview. With this, I am telling the peson; I can choose the most appropriate paper stock for this particular print job, I can bind, I can finish, I can choose the most appropriate printer type, am knowledgable about print techniques, I can create a mailer that falls within your country's postal guidelines, I will choose the most appropriate adhesives for any given situation.
But, as I said. This is because I want to emphasize my strengths as a print designer.
My suggestion is always play to your strenghts and find a way that highlight them.
If you're more into webdesign and GUI, I really wouldn't go all out on a print portfolio. But, if you're like me and you enjoy noticing the small print diferences between Cover and Dull Text paper stocks, then go for it.
I am considering getting an iPad or android tablet solely for sketching. After seeing this: http://www.macworld.com/article/156560/2011/05/touchscreen_stylus_roundup.html it appears that the stylus can be quite effective. Does anyone here have personal experience trying this? Can you recommended one tablet over another? Can you point me to any links you would recommend for further research?
Thanks!
That said, if what you really want is a tablet and sketching is just a neat thing that you'd be able to do, I think ipads are pretty great.
My desk is glass, so a hard-mounted solution is out, and everything else I've tried slides around. I'm beginning to think I need to invest in some industrial strength velcro.
EDIT: Also, I use an Intuos4 Large, so it has to be pretty sturdy.
http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2011/11/studio-equipment-part-2.html
Obviously the glass surface of your desks makes mounting some of these difficult- you might be able to pick up some clamps at a hardware store that would keep the base in place, but I don't know how well that would work.
EDIT: You could also try something like a bookstand, but you'd have to shop around for one that would be sturdy enough to draw on, and you could tack some pieces of those mats they make to prevent rugs from sliding around so it stays in place. It also would likely not be very adjustable, but thems the breaks.
http://www.amazon.com/Handsfree-Book-Holder-Stand-Easel/dp/B005V0BQ2U/ref=sr_1_41?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1323150147&sr=1-41
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I've actually seen that link, but as you said, the glass thing kind of rules that method out. I'll look into the clamps!
The only other possible option that I know of would be to put it up on RedBubble and buy it for myself, assuming I could get it done in time to ship it to me by Christmas.
Depending on your area you may have smaller printers or sign shops you can contact.
Places like office max or staples can print, but quality depends on the type of printer their using and their format sizes probably don't go much higher than 11x17
FedEx office will print your 11x17/12x18s on the same machine they printed your smaller stuff on, with similar stock options, for better or worse. Stay away from their gloss cardstock; I can't remember the brand they use anymore but it's gross and yellow and the toner can chip right off it. Ask for 80 or 100lb laser cardstock if you go with them and you're set on a heavier stock; if the person running the machine knows anything at all those production copiers (unless your location has switched from Xerox to Canon) can turn out a pretty okay print (don't use the self-service shit). Ultimately I'm assuming you're framing it? so as long as the print quality's okay don't sweat the weight of the stock.
Anything larger than 12x18 and they'll use a large format 6-color inkjet, which have the potential to be pretty okay or suck bushels of dicks, but the pricing is redonkulous. It starts at (last I was there) $7 a square foot.
$12 for two sounds like the high side of normal.