Art Dimension Blog » Digital art

David Ope digital art

Art-d — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 16:04:32 +0000

davidope (David Szakaly) is a Hungarian/German graphic designer, living with his dachshund in a suburb of Budapest.

dvdp is the creative director and founder of the design atelier volll and Fredlig.
dvdp was raised in love – bilingual and bicultural (DE/HU), which explains a lot.
dvdp is living in a suburb of Budapest, with his dachshund Susie.
dvdp loves the danger: 2 liters of coke and 40 camels a day.

Visit his visual chinatown – inspiring stuff form around the globe and some own crap too.

http://www.davidope.com/

This series is exclusive to I Want You.

Andrey SHCH

Art-d — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 15:26:37 +0000

Interview

Tell us a little bit about your background?
To begin with, I’ve been drawing all my life. I draw the way I want to and the way I feel. I was born and live in the best country of the world, Ukraine, in the city of Kyiv. I have never studied drawing, never finished any art schools, probably, for the better. Because they would have told me which way of drawing is good and which is not. And I don’t know any rules, basics, anything about the composition of a “correct” drawing, any restrictions. I draw guided by my heart and my inspiration. Young artists, who attend academies or schools, often suffer from different rules being imposed on them, and that does not allow them to disclose their talents in full measure. They are suppressed with those rules and their creativity appears limited. I believe that one should practice more, draw more, do more and view the world with the eyes wide open.

Who are your main inspirations? / What are your influences?
Life itself is my inspiration, life is unpredictable, very interesting and it brings me a lot of surprises. And also my dear girlfriend, my muse. Her large hazel eyes are bottomless wells for my inspirations.

How do you keep motivated and interested?
My motivation is simple. I want to astonish and amaze the world we live in. With the help of my works I want to show that I have heart inside, to show the beauty it is filled with, and in that way to make people looking at my works happy, or maybe surprise them. Surprise them with my world.

Do you have any new projects coming up that you can tell us about?
I like both my commercial and non-commercial projects. My last projects were applying my drawings on fabric, trainers, and painting on walls, plates and dishes. Also I have some interesting projects on decorating cars, snowboards, fridges and other domestic appliances.

What do you know about your country’s design/designers?
I know that there are a lot of them, they are very talented, and they please me with their works. I am grateful to them for what they are doing and I wish them success in their work.

Any words you would like to pass it to new comer designers?
I would gladly wish one simple thing to both newcomers and experienced designers: to wonder every day, and always look at the world through the eyes of a baby, which is excited by everything, and which is glad to any opportunity to see beauty and do something that could excite other people. Be wondered and try to wonder others.

What is your most favorite commercial design of our own?
My most favorite project is still ahead, it is not created yet. This is just a beginning.

Name 8 designers you like it most?
-Cmart (Oleg Pashchenko),
-Dali,
-Picasso,
-Van Gogh,
-Bosch Hieronymus van Aeken
-Edouard Manet
-Tizianо Vecellio
-Kasimir Malevich

Any final comments:
Many thanks for the opportunity to present my works and myself in your great magazine, I hope that was not for the last time. If you ever visit Ukraine, I will be happy to receive you as guests. Especially since there will be a good occasion – in 2012 Ukraine will host a European football cup tournament. Come to see me, you are always welcome. My best wishes to you!

artist website

Jean-Sebastien Rossbach

Art-d — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 11:47:21 +0000

“French artist Jean-Sebastien ROSSBACH blends a classic painter’s sensibility with cutting edge technology. When not working on Merlin or creating covers for Marvel Comics, he teaches art to hopefuls at various workshops.” – Spectrum 17.

J.S. is the co-author of MERLIN, an ambitious 116 pages fully illustrated artbook about the legendary wizard published by Soleil editions.

MOVIES: Blur Studios …

VIDEO GAMES: Ubisoft (Fr) | Magic Lab (Fr) …

RECORD LABELS: EMI music (Fr) Earache Records (Uk) | Horch (Ger) | RagingPlanet (Pt) …

ADVERTISING: Atletico International (Sp) | SEAT (Sp)

livingrope@hotmail.com

Free image stock websites

Art-d — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 19:30:22 +0000

Using designer

Art-d — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 17:58:44 +0000

How to (and not to) work with a designer

from Will Harris

Imagine that you’re Christopher Columbus. You arrive in the New World and are so disappointed there are none of the oriental silks and spices you came looking for that you turn around and go home, missing all the wonders of the New World.

That’s what happens when you have preconceived notions about design. You can end up with something that’s better, but NOT see or appreciate it because you’re only focusing on the fact that it’s not what had in mind.

Remember you are a vital part of the design process. If you aren’t a good client, then you can’t expect good results.

Preconceived notions are just one of the mistakes people make when they work with a designer. A good designer’s work will make something:

Work better
Sell better
Shed new light on old subjects
Look better

The trouble is, a lot of people hire designers because they want their site to “look good.” But that’s just scratching the surface of what a designer can and should do. So they don’t know what’s possible, so they don’t get the most bang for their buck.

Just as writers are not just people who can type, designers are not just people who can use graphics programs. Good Design is more than skin deep.

Design is communication.

The way to inspire a designer is to give them the message and feeling you want to convey, and the freedom to convey it in a fresh, new way.

So how do you work with a designer to get their best work? Here are some suggestions:

1) Choose your designer carefully

Look at their previous work. The best designers don’t have a “signature look.” Their sites look as different as their clients do. Awards don’t necessarily mean the design worked for the client. If you’re not sure about a design, go to sites they designed and ask their clients.

2) Leave your preconceived notions at the door. Don’t ask for a site like someone else’s but in a different color. Be open to new, unexpected ideas. Don’t be afraid of something different. Let new ideas sink in.

3) Tell your designer what you want to say rather than how you want it to look. Don’t ask for a color, shape, or style–ask for meaning or emotion.

4) Be clear about specific features you need. You want your designer to create a design specific to your needs. If you try to add features as you go along, the design won’t fit as well.

5) Do your research and be specific about your needs. “I need to sell meeting planners on the idea of hiring me to plan entertainment for their events.” That’s clear and specific about both the product and the audience. The more detailed and specific you are at the start, the better the designer can tailor the site to your needs. If you add requirements later on, the designer will probably just have to shoe-horn them in, which won’t give you the best results.

6) Make sure your message and content are clear. The more of your content you have complete, the better the designer can build your site around it. A good designer may make suggestions to refine your content to get your message across faster or more clearly, but the more content you have complete, the more the designer will have to work with.

7) Design for your customer, not yourself, your friends or your colleagues. Be specific so your designer knows who your customers are and what they want. It’s more important that they like your site than that you like it. Always remember, “What’s in it for them.”

If the design pleases your customers, they’ll please you. If you insist on a design that only pleases you, then your customers may not be inspired to buy your product or service and in the end you will lose.

Have good reasons for your preferences. You can show the designer sites that appeal to you, but dig deeper and figure out why they speak to you. Think in terms of feelings.

Design makes you feel, so tell your designer how it makes you feel. Instead of saying, “I like yellow,” get to the root of it and say “I want a site that feels warm,” or “I want something upbeat and friendly.” Focusing on your logical or emotional impressions give the designer more to work with. Why? Because your customers may not “like” the same things you do, but a good designer can convey the impression you want them to have.

9) Don’t design by committee. No good design was ever created by a consensus. The more people who have a voice in the process, the more watered down the results will be. Your friends and coworkers will often give you conflicting advice and people often have ulterior motives when they give you comments (they may be jealous or threatened if you get something that’s too good, or they may just be ignorant). You can show it to a few trusted people and get their comments, but there can only be one person making decisions. Don’t be wishy washy and try to change direction late in the process.

10) Don’t tell your designer how to design. That’s not your area of expertise. Give a designer your requirements and preferences, but also the freedom to create something that answers them as effectively as possible. If you micromanage a designer, they won’t be motivated to do anything but cash your check.

11) You can’t please all the people all the time. Bill Cosby said “The only sure way to failure is to try to please everybody.” If everyone thinks your site is “OK” then it’s probably too dull to get much of a reaction from anyone. If you design a site with NO personality no one will hate it. Or love it.

12) Trust your designer (you are paying for their expertise).

Then when they start to show you “comps” (design versions), give them specific comments.

Don’t just say, “I don’t like brown.” That says nothing of real value. If you say “I’m concerned that the color looks sickly and we need something that conveys growth,” then you are giving the designer useful information, because you’re talking about content rather than telling them how to design.

Your designer should know more than you do about design and its implications, both emotional and cultural. So if you ask for a color and the designer explains why it isn’t a good idea, believe them. Don’t ask for a color, shape, or style–ask for meaning or emotion.

Yes, designers can make mistakes and take wrong directions. And yes, you need to give them direction. But you must tell them what you need, not how to achieve that goal.

The reason that so many great discoveries have been accidents is because when you set out with a destination in mind then end up someplace else you feel you’ve missed the mark and gotten lost.

The reality is different—you may have ended up someplace different—but better. Yet if you’re only viewing things in terms of “this is where I wanted to go and I’m not there,” you will be disappointed, even with something better.

So when working with a designer you need to step back and ask yourself if you’re just being Columbus, missing the wonders of the new world.

Art of Philip Straub

Art-d — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 17:17:48 +0000

Ballistic Publishing and Philip Straub take the fantasy graphic novel to the next level with their latest release, Utherworlds.

Utherworlds combines a fantasy novel with written and spoken languages, maps, and stunning paintings in a large format that shows Phil Straub’s artwork like never before.

Website:

Skins:

https://www.gelaskins.com/artist.php?ArtistID=112

About Phil Straub

As an Art Director, Philip Straub has worked with some of the biggest names in the gaming industry including: Vivendi Universal; Electronic Arts; NCSoft; and Big Fish Games. Philip’s work has appeared in over 30 childrens’ books, and he has co-authored three digital art tutorial books including d’artiste Digital Painting.

In the entertainment industry he has worked with many clients including: Mattel; Fisher Price; Disney; Universal Studios; Warner Bros; DC Comics; and Knowledge Adventure.

He also teaches an annual online Concept Art class to students around the globe. Philip is a founding member of The CGSociety and regularly contributes to the illustration and digital art communities by judging illustration competitions including: The Society of Illustrators; PAINTER; EXPOSÉ; and CG Challenges hosted by The CGSociety.

Philip’s licensed designs appear on a variety of products including: books; games; wall murals; scrap-booking; gifts; stationery; apparel; and textiles. As a freelance illustrator his work has appeared on: broadcast media; book jackets; CD and magazine covers; trading cards; feature films; and advertising campaigns.

Rich illustrated books:

http://www.ballisticpublishing.com/books/

Industry insiders’ advice on how to secure a job in the current economic climate

Art-d — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:07:52 +0000

Obfuscation. I like this word for two reasons. First, more than is the case for many words, it needs to be spelt properly. Clear communication. Attention to detail. Second, its existence is almost an oxymoron. Nobody expects you to be a one-person design machine – evidence of teamwork is good. Many CVs I receive are as convincing (and illuminating) as that wonderful combo of alcohol and breath fresheners. Oh yes, and know your design history. I once interviewed someone who explained that they’d gone for a ‘Punky feel’, but couldn’t tell me why, or what Punk was about. Not good.
Ian Allison, Creative director, Bell Design
The main issue with the number of design candidates applying for each design vacancy is one of quality. As the grip tightens on our industry the demand for excellence will be paramount. The jobs available will be given to the top idea-generators who can immediately have an impact on your clients’ business. Clearly, there are more designers out there looking because of the economic climate, especially freelances who want to secure fixed-term contracts. But, regardless of the downturn, it’s the same old story – there will always be work for great people.
Glenn Tutssel, Executive creative director, The Brand Union
We all respond well to the unusual. Beyond proven experience, I look for personality, inventiveness and even a touch of humour. Good recent examples include someone pretending to write to us from his prison cell and a young creative introducing herself with a rejection letter to us. Nice twist. Mature candidates have to be knowing, friendly and confident, turning contact into conversation. Juniors should be inventive, honest and grounded. Gut reaction still cuts HR techniques, and a more relaxed approach to trial periods benefits both parties.
It’s a good time to play with casual relationships while yearning for a happy marriage.
Tim Elliott, Creative director, Jack Morton Worldwide
Finding work in the creative industries always requires determination, and it’s important not to be overwhelmed. Stay practical – not everyone will be maximising their chances, so make sure you maximise yours. There are fewer jobs and more competition.
Simple maths says you need to apply more, spread the net wider. Job mobility and recruitment often rely on your address book. In a recession many of your contacts will move around more. Establish connections with people outside of their office so you don’t lose them (but not by stalking on Facebook). Be flexible and persevere. Recessions end.
Laura Woodroffe, Education and professional development director, D&AD
At entry level, every design group needs fresh blood. The design industry thrives on new and different ways of thinking, especially in the digital age. [As a junior designer], your energy and enthusiasm should motivate and inspire everyone around you. That’s why you can offer value for money, even in these difficult times. At senior levels, all consultancies are looking to cut costs. Try to demonstrate that you will bring a level of creativity and experience. That will mean cracking the brief quicker, with fabulous, technically achievable design.
Mano Manoharan, Joint managing director, LFH
There are still chances during the credit crunch. For the senior, it’s freelance work. It’s not unusual for those who have been made redundant to end up in the same jobs on a freelance basis, earning more. It’s ‘human recycling’. Target the types of organisations you’re used to. If you’re young, get in there with an amazing CV: a nice, simple, leave-behind idea. Target those you really want to work for, read up on the groups before you turn up and don’t give up on those who are making cuts – they will be recruiting again. And quit smoking and start cycling. You’ll feel less stressed. And it makes you really happy.
Marksteen Adamson, Founding partner, Arthur Steen Horne AdamsonKey trends

• Salary takes priority over non-salary benefits
• In demand/ Digital, brand identity, packaging and fmcg, TV and graphics, client services, new business developers and corporate communications
• Going down: Print specialists, corporate branding, retail interiors, graduates (designers and account handlers), and account executives
• Freelance rates are already coming down, and recruiters are predicting further drops in rates of up to 20%. But freelances might lead the vanguard of recovery
• Permanent salaries are expected to remain frozen over the next 12 months
DOWNLOAD THE SALARIES PDF HERE

Design Week Magazine

Best photography sources

Art-d — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 17:02:08 +0000

Take a look at photos and you may sale yours too…

Art galleries

Animation

Art-d — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 22:36:27 +0000

About plainpicture

Art-d — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:25:44 +0000

plainpicture stands for authentic, experimental and unusual imagery. The unwavering execution of subjects away from the mainstream creates an inspirational resource for creative projects. Our people images are model released and show individuals in various aspects of life instead of conformist clean beauty. Targeted editing results in exciting and unconventional images which fit our profile.

phone: +44 (0)20 8980 2333 | www.plainpicture.com