I read this blog post from the Washington Post this morning entitled Smart design + school = health. It described beautifully why atmosphere is important in the classroom. The final quote stood out to me:
“We really focused on what kids need. What I see in that space are kids gravitating to that atmosphere because they know it’s for them, about them. Everything is tailored to their needs.”
Dina Sorensen, project designer, VMDO Architects
Today, I got a great reminder from Michael Hyatt on the keys to being a successful creative.
7 WAYS SUCCESSFUL CREATIVES THINK DIFFERENTLY THAN UNSUCCESSFUL ONES It Takes More Than Talent
It’s definitely worth reading. Too often, creative people rely on talent. It also takes the right attitude, the ability to work with teams and do the hard work. It’s a great reminder that talented people don’t get a free pass to be difficult geniuses.
No, it’s not a gigantic sketch this morning. I’m trying something different with my blog. In the coming posts, I’ll take this sketch and bring it to a finished illustration.
This is a doodle out of my November, 2010 sketchbook. Lately, I’ve been documenting my sketches with a program/web service called Evernote. I highly recommend it for anyone who has a lot of notes and are trying to find a way to organize it all. It is a service on a web, but also an application for Windows and the Mac. You can also access if from your iPhone, iPad, Android or other smart phone.
The Mac version has worked very well for me. You can scan or take photos of your handwritten notes and sketchbook pages. If your writing is legible, Evernote will recognize the text and make it searchable.
I liked this sketch because it will complement the vector style I’ve been experimenting with. I’ve noticed my drawing style has changed while I’ve been drawing in Adobe Illustrator. I am paying attention to simpler shapes and how to design an illustration.
I’ve been a designer since college along with an illustrator. But I’ve noticed how the two disciplines are complementing each other. When I was younger, I thought the primary purpose of illustration was to accurately and convincingly portray an object or scene. That’s ironic, considering I’ve always preferred a cartoon style. Cartooning is all about exaggeration. If anybody in the real world looked like a cartoon, they’d stop traffic, and it wouldn’t be because they were drop dead gorgeous!
Now I see that an illustration needs to be designed well just like a well designed book or web page. That’s my epiphany for the day.
Next, I’ll get a more polished sketch together. Stay tuned!
Spear_3479 Cartoon
Originally uploaded by speartoons
Still looking for that million dollar contract? Aren’t we all. If only there was a design and illustration clause to the Federal stimulus package.
The other day a friend at the gym was looking at disgust at his mp3 player. He said, “There’s nothing but bad news. I’m going to stop listening to anything related to business.”
It can be tough out there to get work. But don’t panic. A designer can still find work out there. Here are some things you can do to keep the freelance fires burning.
We’re all in this together. Keep looking up!