Computerlove™

September 16th, 2006

The method, to the method, to madness

Recently I was talking to a friend of mine about art. I was expressing to her my new found dislike of painting. I really don't care for it anymore. I find it too messy, too time consuming, and overall, unenjoyable. When I see digital paintings like these it becomes harder and harder for me to find reasons to buy a canvas, and set up my easel, vs, grab a coffee, and boot up my pc. Now I know there are many people out there who are devoted to producing art in the original sense. These people will always choose a brush and pallette over a toolbar, and a swatch; a full manual camera and a darkroom, over a digital slr and a printer. I am not one of these people. I can see where these die-hards are coming from, and their viewpoint is justified. I definately don't want to see these art forms lost. They have their place. And if you would rather produce art this way, by all means, go ahead. Some people prefer it one way, some people don't. And let us remember that the fundamentals for any given art form are universal. you NEED the knowledge of how to match colors, use the right colors, and where to place the colors with physical paint, if you're going to paint well with a pc. You need to know what changes in f-stop, or shutter speed are going to do to a photo taken with your full manual camera, because the rules are the same for your digital camera. Anyone who has had the oppertunity to try the classic methods of doing these things is a fortunate person. I think it's important to learn the fundamentals of the craft first, and THEN experiment with different tools. Having tried both methods of painting, digital, and traditional, I feel that I am educated in my decision to discard the latter. My friend proceeded to tell me that her feelings on the subject of painting were opposite mine. She told me that she has been doing alot of painting lately, and she's enjoying it more and more. She then breifly mentioned that she is expressing less and less interest in drawing. What? Hold on a second.. This isn't the preference if a digital media over a traditional art form. This is about discarding the fundamental framework of the creative process. I asked her why, and I remember her saying something along the lines of just not liking it anymore. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but lets say youre beginning a project. Piecing together bits of information to create..say..a logo. What's the first thing you start doing? What's the first thing ANYONE starts doing? Drawing. Personally, when I go directly to my pc, and start trying to piece together a web page, print, logo, anything, and I haven't put anything down in a sketchbook, scrap of paper, or even a napkin, it doesen't go anywhere. I need to draw out some ideas. Flesh out some basic solutions. Put my brain on paper, and build on these basic ideas until I have something I can work with. I've never met anyone who works without preliminary sketches. I told her that if she can manage to do it, thats great. But for me I can't imagine discarding such a fundamental process. Then again, maybe I'm old fashioned.

"Anything that kicks ass, takes effort" -Nathan Skyers

Everyone has their sources of inspiration. Some people don't need anything, some people need to go for a walk. Some people need drugs. I don't like to admit that I NEED anything to inspire me. I like to think I'm self inspired, that I pull every idea out of my own head, and only my own head. Who am I kidding right? Every idea is based on a previous idea. It builds like a tree, branches upon branches. Everything is a version of something else. We create and express different products as a result of the things we've seen felt heard -- experienced. So let me re-iterate. WHEN I need inspiration, I usually look at other artwork. Often I find that taking a look at my art history textbook will spark some creative flame in me. Or bring to light some design solution that I hadn't considered until now. Which is strange, cos more often than not, in my ignorance I disregard anything that has not happened within my lifetime as unimportant [you're shaking your head I know, so am I]. Now, listening to music isn't usually a source of inspiration per se. Just something that I do constantly, and an activity I enjoy more than most. But that's a topic for a different day. However, today I rememberd a song that I haven't heard in a while. A song that fires up an ambition in me every time I hear it. The song is called 'Make yourself', it's the title track on an album by the band, Incubus . Most people I know have heard this song. Actually most own the album, pirated or otherwise. Not my favourite band, but I do hold them in high regard. If you haven't heard this song, you need to do yourself a favor and take care of that. I'm not positive what Brandon had in mind when he wrote it, but listening to the song, I think we all have a pretty good idea. Just the idea of crafting your own life really inspires me. I mean abviously everyone DOES this to an extent. Someone wants to be a doctor, someone wants to be a lawyer, someone wants to be a graphic designer. And these people take steps in life to acheive their goals. Some succeed, some don't. It's really a simple notion, nevertheless, I know many people who are unhappy with certain aspects of their lives. When I hear these lyrics, I think of all the good things that people want in their lives. I want to be fit, I want to be funny, I want to be successful, I want to be..happy. Many of these things are within reach for all of us. Obviously theres a quick-fix, for many 'wants' that people have today. Hit up the drive through, on the way to your botox-injection, if you like. But that's not what I'm talking about here. I mean real goals that we want to achieve in life. Does anyone find it interesting hearing these stories about people who have had near-death-experiences? These people [not all of them mind you] turning their lives around, simply because they've realized how short life can be. I often think, what would I be doing differently If I knew I only had another two years to live? What would I try harder at? What would I stop doing? What would I start doing? There are admittedly a few things I still have on the list. But I'm alot more aware of them than I was a couple years ago. This song reminds me to take a look at the design of my life. To make sure that everything is in check, and heading in the right direction. It may remind you of the same, or it may just be another song. As of right now, I'm pretty satisfied with what I've made.

September 13th, 2006

Wipe that smile off your face, lest I beat the hell from you

Today, you embarrased me, today you made me small. Today you turned me into an idiot in front of many, many people. By pushing me down, you stepped up. I did not react, I did not flinch. Although I was cool outside, inside I was seething. This fuel I will use to show you, I will use to teach you, what I am made of. I will arrive at the place that everyone said I'd never see. I will move foreward and leave you behind. These things do not lessen me, they fuel my fire, and provide to me the pieces I need to win. No matter what you try to do to stop me I will continue to move foreward, and once you think you've seen it all, I will impress you again. Long after I am gone, I will not look back. You will remember me. You will wonder where I am, and what I am doing now that I'm out of your sight. You will learn that I am bigger than you think. I am bigger than you want to allow. I am more. Thank you for feeding me your garbage. Hello and goodbye.

September 8th, 2006

I'm like a ghost, seldom talked about, and rarely seen

Why is it that we always feel the need to do this? I think I'm speaking for everyone and their own awkward situations here when I say this.

A few months ago, I ran into an old friend in the mall here in Kamloops. Now this person, used to be a pretty close friend of mine, so you can imagine my surprise bumping into them. I was just minding my own business, going about my daily doings, and then I'm staring into a face that I havenm't stared into for several years. It's a sobering experience. Anyway, we start talking, doing the whole routine, "how are you? Good how are you, yeah, ok! yea, ok, haha, yeah, awkward pause, forced laughter, blah blah blah" It's exhausting. and every one of you know what I'm talking about here. Here's the best part of this encounter. Every time this scenario befalls one of us, someone ALWAYS ends up saying, "we should do something". Whoa, hold on a second, what did I just say? You have just shot yourself in the foot. You have just entered a world of pain. You have just brought upon yourself a good solid hour of this awkward uncomfortable feeling you're experiencing right now. At this point in the conversation, you'll frantically start searching for a pen, anything to write with. And you dont even write on paper, you always write on your hand, your arm, your neck, somewhere, with whatever you can find, a black magnum felt pen if it's handy. You're clearly not even thinking at this point. All you care about is getting this phone number copied down, so that you can torture yourself later. writing anything else down you'll screw it up. The grocery list you're carrying. The one you made opn your way out the door, you forgot to write down the one thing you came for. But this phone number, you will never EVER screw this up. you could be standing in the middle of a storm. You could be in the center of a battlefield, and you'd still be able to concentrate one-hundred-percent on these seven digits. Now I, like everyone else, did not take the time to think about what was going on at the moment, you just get into this zone. It's like all your reasoning is gone at that moment. And it only ever lasts until the person walks away. Once they leave and you realize that you now have to go out of your way to meet up with this person who you no longer have ANYTHING in common with. You have to continue to pretend to be interested in what they have to say, over a cup of coffee or (heaven forbid) a meal. I did this. Everyone does this, but I did this. and immediately after the whole thing happened, I started thinking about things that I could say on the phone tomorrow, in order to cancel this date with death. I could tell her that I was hit by a car. Maybe I suddenly became extremely ill, and was unable to make it. Anything, at this point in time you'll say anything to dodge this bullet. When it came down to it I simply ended up saying that I was too busy, and that it was too hectic of a schedule for both of us at the time. And again, I tried to ..soften, the blow by saying something along the lines of "maybe some other time". Why do we feel the need to DO this to ourselves. This is constantly happening to me. Now from time to time it's legitimate, and I see someone I want to spend time with, and I do that. Usually though, I run straight into the middle of these situations, unable to stop and think, "hey, do I really want to be doing this? Do I really have anything to say to this person? Or could there be a reason behind the fact that I haven't talked to this person in years. Could there be some sort of intellectual explanation, as to why I haven't called, written, or otherwise tried to contact this person within the last five years? No? Didnt think so, here I go"

* cough *

"Oh Hi! I'm so happy to see you..."

August 15th, 2006

Yourself™

I, like everybody else, would like to dress in a way that says, "I'm completely original, and nobody else is like me, blah blah blah". The only way to achieve this, would be to hand craft all of your clothing, and try your best to make it look like nothing that has ever been seen before. If you try to do this, you will end up looking like that girl in junior high who wore leather cowboy boots all year, and had sequins, and beads on everything she wore. Styles are styles for a reason, they look good. Minus the over enthusiastic G-unit wannabees, with the MC Hammer pants.- So in order to look good, you're usually gonna have to choose a particular style, and dress within the guidelines of that style. Obviously it's not that rigid, I mean people can dress however they want, but for the most part, the majority of people, myself included, dress within what they have dubbed their 'style'. So the majority of us, shop at the same stores, and buy the same kind of clothing, depending on your style. Some people shop at the thrift store, some at the Harley Davidson shop, and others buy Armani. I tend to frequent stores such as Bootlegger, and Thrifty's [yes i know those are pretty much the same store]. Let me add here that the stores people shop at are somewhat dictated by the retail outlets within their area. Now the selection in jeans at these stores is great, jeans are jeans, yeah there's a million fits and styles, but basically if they fit, and the color is ok, great. Jeans are straightforeward. Shirts are not. While visiting these stores, I'm amused to see the various attempts at being witty and original, such as sayings that are put on t-shirts, hats, and in some cases, pants. Kiss me, I'm toasted, drink till she's cute, slogan goes here, I'm big in Japan, the list goes on. I always have a hard time finding shirts at the mall, because everything I pick up either has a logo of some company that I don't want or need to represent, or some corny slogan that everyone else in the mall is wearing. When I do find a plain colored shirt I'll jump on it, and walk out with a good purchase. This doesent happen often. Recently, on a trip to Vancouver, I went clothes shopping. I stumbled upon an American Apparel store. Now I had heard of the brand before, and I knew that they specialized in plain t-shirts, but I did not know that the company had their own stores, dedicated to AA product. I went in and I was presented with a myriad of colors of clothing. Walking down the aisles, I saw every style of clothing you could want. Shirts, long sleeve, shortsleeve, V-neck, underwear, bathing suits, wallets, socks, dresses, shirts, bags, belts, tank tops, they had EVERYTHING. and not a logo, or slogan to be seen. Except for on the simply designed style tags. All done in Arial black font, with a Myspace-caliber photo of someone wearing the clothing displayed. The walls were white with black and white pictures organized in adjacent squares. halogen lighting, and simple aisle organization. I was absolutely amazed. Immediately I began searching through the clothes for t-shirts. In the back of the store near the change rooms I found a small tv, perched in a corner, It looked like ot was from the 70's. It was playing stills of random photography taken around the world. Over the soundsystem i heard Belle and Sebastian, and some other artist that I couldn't place a name to. Within 45 minutes I'd found exactly what i wanted and tried it all on. I walked out $125.00 poorer, but with a good amount of clothing. I'd just been inside the perfect clothing store. The store that I'd imagined shopping at, albeit one that never existed for me until that day. A store that was perfectly laid out, constructed, and managed. Everything about the place was perfect, from the staff working behind the counter, to the atmosphere inside. Out of all the marketing strategies, and clever planning of any other clothing store, which one comes out ahead? The one that provides simple clothing, in plain colors. That's it. Clothes that are just...clothes! Forget what brand I'm wearing, I'm wearing a blue shirt.

If this post is important to anyone who reads it, i'll be surprised. I've never met anyone else who thinks this way about clothing, and brands, besides my wife. For me, this shop was an amazing find. If I could, I'd only shop at AA from now on. Besides of course the jeans that I buy from anywhere, and promptly remove the leather brand patch from the back as soon as I get home. I'm only speaking for myself here but I don't like to be made into a billboard, unless I've created that billboard. So give me my plain clothes, and instead of noticing the company that I buy from, notice my personality. The only part of me that is truly original.

August 3rd, 2006

Upon these muddy banks i sit

I've realized that in order to life a normal life in this part of the world one needs a few basic necessities. This holds true all across the globe, but the rules seem to differ from one area to another. For instance, a child growing up in a third world country does not own much, entire families survive doing their day-to-day routines with less resources than the average Canadian teenager. So one could say that these groups of people need less. Or at least get by with less. And I'm not talking about the people who are starving, just the people who live a simpler life than we do here. They're still just as happy living their lives, and they're doing it all without Tupperware and Sony. This goes to show that the REAL necessities for human life are actually nothing at all, right? Wrong. As far as I'm concerned, if you live in this country, you cannot lead a successful, competent life without a few certain things. Now Don't get me wrong, were still human, and we still require the basics, food, shelter, and clothing. But these necessities are so basic, they are, in this society, taken for granted and need not be mentioned in this observation. That being said, the average Canadian, provides a less-than-average contribution to humanity without a cell phone, a vehichle and a computer with high speed internet access. Now these 'prerequisites for a competent human being' can be tweaked as one sees fit. For instance, a computer with high speed internet is good, but a laptop with bluetooth is better. A vehichle is good, but a fuel efficient, hybrid, sedan is better. And obviously you need to have the know how to operate these devices apropriately. One needs to know how to program numbers into their cellphone, and how to set up an email account on their laptp. Oh and let's not forget the class 5 drivers liscense.
Without these things, the amount of extra time spent trying to get everyday tasks done is nominal. A twenty minute grocery run is now an hour long bus ride. The creation of a resume is now a trip to the job centre to use their dirty public computer. This problem is, as usual, correct me if im wrong, caused by several factors. In the case of transportation, the culprit is poor city planning. Imagine walking to work. For most of you I'm sure that thought inspires a smirk at least. Our cities are constructed assuming that you'll have a car to use the roads and highways provided. In the case of communication, well everything is so fast paced these days that you must be able to compose an email while making a call on your cell, and maintaining several chat windows all at once. If you cannot do these things. You have to work a lot harder than everyone else. If you cannot do these things you are below, you are less, you are worse. If you do not have thes things, in THIS culture, you're being left behind.

Which reminds me, I need to buy a cell.

May 30th, 2006

Grocery bags, the new tumbleweeds. or Better them than me.

Leaving the supermarket the other day I took a peek into the food donation bin. Now what would most people expect to find in a food donation bin? Go ahead say it, probably a very small amount of donations, seeing as it's not Christmas. It's not mean, it's true. I was surprised to see more donations than I expected. But in and among the canned beans and pasta, I saw an unusual amount of garbage. An unusual amount of garbage for something that was not a garbage can. Now I dont know if I'm the only person who doesent understand this, but how is it that people can put their garbage absolutely everywhere but where it belongs. What is it that causes a person to toss trash anywhere they happen to be standing? I mean at least the receipts, grocery contest cards, candy wrappers, and coffee cups weren't blowing around in the parking lot, I should be grateful but I mean, there's a garbage right outside the door. Personally I'd rather hold on to a candy wrapper, or paper cup for a couple hours rather than toss it haphazardly to the grass. It's just not how I was raised. It's becoming more and more apparent to me that the majority of people simply take the easiest path possible. Why hold on to this trash when i can toss it on this lawn? Why look for a garbage when there's a planter right here? Why bother caring about my surroundings when I could just throw this stuff to the wind, and be rid of it? I was talking to someone about this the other day. The conversation spawned as I helped my wife clean out her old apartment. At that time every year, college students are moving out of their apartments and dorms to move home for the summer and get a job so they can move back in August and start school all over again. So naturally, residence dumpsters everywhere are overflowing with clothes, hangars, used old stereos, shelves, and anything else that you don't feel like lugging back to the 'rents for the summer. I looked off the balcony at the landlord trying to tidy the mess of discarded belongings, and started thinking about how the city makes it so easy to throw something in the garbage, yet it is significantly more difficult to recycle. I started to think how if you want anyone to do anything,you pretty much have to make it impossible for them not to do it. If you want people to recycle, you can't expect people to sort the stuff, and you need to make recycling EASIER than getting stuff to the landfill. Most people will do whatever is easiest. Like feeding a sloppy meal to a child wearing clean clothes, you need to put a bib on them. Make it impossible for them to get it on their shirt. 'Cos if the possibility is there, it will happen. I'm absolutely not saying that I'm any better than anyone else. I throw plastic jugs, cartons, cardboard, and paper in the garbage daily. The recycling depot is a few blocks away, but the dumpster is 100 feet. As much as I'd like to think that I'm a hero because I pick up the odd piece of windblown garbage, I'm the same as everybody else. If I had a heart for the environment, I'd have a orange vest, and a pair of trash tongs. I'd be spending weekends in the ditch off the freeway making the world a better place. I woild have taken all the garbage out of the food donation bin, and replaced it with everything I'd just bought. I'd probably be making frequent runs to the depot, with corrugated cardboard, and volunteering at the bottle depot. But I'm not. I don't REALLY care. Not as much as I should. Not the path less travelled. The path with the least amount of branches, puddles, and corners. I think the world has the means to take care of all these problems at once, but lets get real, it's someone ELSE who should do it. Nobody's gonna budge untill there's no other option. I only get off the couch when I run out off chips, or when the remote batteries die, whichever comes first.

God help us all.

April 11th, 2006

Falling down to get up

The portfolio is finished! I just got back from the printers, box in hand, It's ready to go down to the design department. What a load off by mind. Now its time to finish off that Hearts of Oak painting. With all this time off work I should be able to get lots done.

There are alot of talented people out there. Sometimes I wonder if I'm spreading myself too thin, trying to do it all. Whenever i see someone elses work, I think "I can do that, and I can do it better" but is it possible for someone to accomplish all they want to in one lifetime? Is it possible to be that good at so many things? Or am I going to end up burnt out. Frustrated. Some third rate designer who's kinda good at alot of things. Rather than being REALLY good at one.

Browsing the computerlove today I foud that one of my favorite designers is reading the same book that I am. How to become a graphic designer without losing your soul

I must be doing something right.

April 8th, 2006

The rebirth of Computerlove and the end of the portfolio

What a glorious day it was when I found computerlove had been resurrected. I'd been checking the old address for months and months. I'd left it as my homepage, void of content, in hopes that it would someday return. I'd given up all hope, thinking that another great idea had been forgotten about. Then I stumbled upon a link at some design site only to find that they've changed their name to cpluv. As sneaky as they are I'm glad to have them back. This site is [as far as I'm concerned] one of the greatest things to happen to the design community. Im not a very well known person in the world of design, inexperienced in business and I've yet to be cultivated through years of design school. But I think it's a great resource to be able to contact my favorite designers around the world. View their work, read their journals, and observe their creative journeys, all from one location.

If anyone from the Computerlove staff ever reads this, you guys really do a great job with this place, thank you for this extraordinary tool.

Finally the portfolio is almost finished. I just need to print off all the pieces and pack them up. I'll be posting some stuff in a little while after things calm down a bit. Ive got taxes to do, student loans to apply for, a wife to marry, and a humongous painting to finish.