January 27, 2010

MR. MEN IN A BOX



I just couldn't believe my eyes when i saw this cute biscuits box at 7eleven. It's Mr. Men Little Miss!!! Without thinking I just bought it and it selling for quite cheap. The biscuits wasn't great though but what's great is the free gift inside... it's a free limited edition of MMLM bag tag/key chain. And I'm so happy that I've got Mr. Strong... heheheee. Collect all 10 designs now... more about MMLM visit www.ilovemrmen.com

January 23, 2010

2010 TABLE CALENDAR



This is a very cool table calendar. Using recycled paper material and it has info about recycle... Thanks Kak Anny for giving it to me (actually I ask her to give it one to me)... Heheheee.

Copyright by EZAD Design Inc and printed in Kuala Lumpur.

THE NEW iMAC



I've been working with the new iMac this past few days... and I'm lovin it!!! Superb!!!

Love the super wide screen; 27 inch display. Like the mouse... but hate the new keyboard. It's inside one package, you can't change it, need to purchase new one separately. I like their previous keyboard (long one). One thing about this new keyboard, it's too short for me and NO backspace keyboard?!!! The rest is wonderful... so far.

Sadly, it's not mine... just borrowed. although I can't afford it yet, I'm goin to force my partner to buy one for me soon... hahahaaa.

SYMBOL OF THE DAY. #1



I saw this big symbol/logo on the shop wall... love the basic/simple line.

January 16, 2010

FREE 2010 CALENDAR

I've been plan to do this a long time ago... but no time to do it, and no artworks. Probably somewhere this year (wahh...). Will let you guyz know.

I used to download free calendar from 72 Lounge. They have a very cool designs; a collective artworks from different designer for each months. But too bad, their site is now down.

Anyway, i've found this cool pdf calendar from Love. Obsess. Inspire, designed by Gleaux. Download it and ready to print. This is one of the nicest calendar out there. Let me know if you found something nice too!!! Sharing is good... heheheee

January 11, 2010

OHANASHINO-HANA

(Bloomed Words)

Recently, I just found this cute short animation. It won the Excellence Prize for animation division at Japan Media Arts Plaza 2006.



Artist by: Kubo Amica & Inoue Seita

Reason for Award:
The work offers perfect pacing in an animation which develops with the casual rhythm of everyday realistic conversation. The graphics that appear one after another are sophisticated and the individual forms are interesting. One of the features of animation is visualizing invisible phenomena. In this work, as the title explains, casual conversation has been turned into joyful visual scenes. (article from Japan Media Arts Plaza 2006)

WHITE COLLAR



I was looking for new tv series... and finally found this one. Just watched the pilot show last night and got addicted. I love crime detective investigation style series...

For more information, click the picture below. And here is a plot from IMDB:
"A white collar criminal agrees to help the FBI catch other white collar criminals using his expertise as an art and securities thief, counterfeiter and racketeer."



You've got to admit... the poster looks cool too.

FANTASTIC DESKTOP WALLPAPERS

I think it's time for you guyz to change your desktop wallpaper. It's good to have a new, fresh and inspiring visual on your computer screen once in awhile. Dzine blog has selected 50 Really Fantastic Desktop Wallpapers For Designers. So, choose your favourite here.

And my favourite is this one... (I'm a sucker for blue sky & green field). It's very soothing and peaceful!


(image from Dzine blog)

GET INSPIRED

I know this will involve a lots of browsing and scrolling and clicking... but it's worth it. Check out on my right sidebar under GET INSPIRED section to check out some of the coolest design web/site on the net. The links with bold typeface are my top 5 favorites. Hope will help you guyz to start to get an ideas. So go explore and be inspired!!!...




FUMIKO NO KOKUHAKU

(Fumiko's Confession)

What happened if your love confession got rejected? This story brings you to a new level of Japanese animation. Check out this cool short animation by Ishida Hiroyasu. Other than sweetness, fantastic visual and impressive animation movement, it will be ridiculous enough not to laugh...



To check out others Ishida Hiroyasu works, go here. Enjoy!

January 5, 2010

NEW NAME CALLED AWAN

I've decided to change my blog name again because my previous name seems a bit weird and it doesn't make sense. Finally... i came up with this one.



Awan in english is means cloud. In my opinion, it could represent the movement of everyday life that ever changing or not at all, but every-time you look above, it's always a magnificent view. That's what i want to see around me.

... The view from above ...

IT'S GOOD TO BE A DESIGNER

By Todd Bertsch
President of E-volve Creative Group
Web Solutions

as seen on AIGA.org, digg.com and float.com

After reading the November issue of How Magazine’s article by Bryn Mooth, entitled “Follow Your Heart” (which is a very awesome, inspiring article, I might add). I felt compelled to share my thoughts on why I feel it’s good to be a graphic designer.

Well, we know it’s not for the FAME & Glory. Or the humongous salaries. However, there are several reasons why we must not take for granted our great gift of communication; the excitement that we bring into text everyday, the designs and imagery we bring to life, the magic…

A skill.

We’re designers because it’s fun and exciting. A God given talent. A skill, we sometimes take for granted. Most people in the business world don’t have a skill to hold tight to their chest. They may have the intelligence and a degree, but not a skill. We have something tangible. A portfolio. A gallery of designs. NOT many people have this. A skill that we can tap into to manufacture extra money for our families. Which reminds me of an enlightening conversion around the fire pit. I was talking to a friend a couple weeks ago and he said “You know Todd, I really envy you.” I said, “Really? Why?” He says, “You have a skill. And you have the opportunity to use that skill at home to make extra money anytime you like.” He continues… “Your lucky. I would love to have something like that.” Then it hit me. He’s exactly right. Sometimes we quickly forget what we have. Thanks for the reminder Ken.

Passion.

Passion for every project big or small. Some say we’re quirky or even weird. Damn tootin. We have to see the world in a different way. Otherwise the world would all look the same. Every time we lay our fingers into the keyboard or wrap our hands around that mouse, it’s magic. It’s our STAMP. Like a master piece of artwork on display at the Louve, it has our name on it and we’re damn proud of that. We are a unique breed. Other colleagues envy us. That’s right, we actually like to come to work. It’s like being a kid in toy store.

Power.

The power to communicate, to deliver a message so important and so invoking that it triggers something inside a human being. Something that makes them stop and think. The power to influence someone’s decision. Shape lives. Contribute our skill and time to life saving organizations. It’s your canvas. Your time.

The thrill.

True, we all have our not-so-posh days of setting paragraphs of text, cutting a background out of an image, or copying and pasting many lines of code. But at the end of the day, you have to admit, it was fun. Like a never ending roller coaster. You can’t be totally creative everyday. But when you’re in the zone, it’s a great feeling. What a thrill.

The security.

As Bryn Mooth professed; Designers are here to stay. Most everything else can be automated and shipped overseas. But not good design. Nope. This delicate, fragile and often times crazy profession, needs creativity and whit, in which can’t be shipped out. Ups, Fed ex, DHL…Nope, ain’t happening. Yep, most of us are labeled as the “strange ones”. Sorry, we see things differently. With that comes a shield of security. True the economy has not been the most prosperous, but at least we are not being shipped out.

The stories.

That one story you’ll never forget. It’s like golf. You could be destroying the greens all day long, then you sink that one 30 foot putt for par, and your hooked. You’ll be back for more. I think of graphic design like that sometimes. You may not win many awards for your work. You may not get the pat on the backs that you know you deserve from your clients or peers. But, there will be that one story. That one experience that locks you in. That 30 foot putt for par. Here’s one of mine:

It was senior year of undergrad school and a few design buddies decided we would get together and start to develop some freelance work. One of the guys had landed us a small project. Not a big money maker. Not a glamorous design project by all means. But it was an opportunity none the less. The project entailed creating an invitation to promote the opening of a new downtown club’s Martini & Cigar Room (the couture of the time). So we designed the invitation with a newly designed Martini Lounge Logo with a personal touch. How such a small element could make the piece come to life. We proceeded to punch an actual cocktail toothpick through the paper. Thank goodness their staff helped us out with that task. The amazing part about being at the opening was watching the full experience. The full life cycle of the invitation. The recipients (a few select hundred people) arrived with invitation in hand, eager to join the celebration. And to enjoy a few stinky cigars. But, the interesting part of the evening was when we noticed that everyone (or most everyone) was stilling holding onto their invitation. In fact, they even asked the hostess if they could keep it. They just didn’t want to part with it. Now that was cool! It was a good day.

Design is all around us. It’s Everywhere. We can not get away from it.

In the end, it’s what we do. It’s all we know.
We are graphic designers…
…and that’s a good thing.
tb.

January 1, 2010

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010

Hope everything will going smoothly this new year. Wish u all the best & may god bless u all!!!