Tip of the week – to the looking glass

Your monitor is a looking glass into the visual world of iStockphoto. It’s important to set it up correctly but not surprisingly, many people don’t. One of the most important elements, and one of the most difficult to understand, is screen resolution. The higher the resolution, the more you can see. On the flip side, with the same screen, the higher the resolution, the smaller the items appear on screen.

CRT (heavy monitor shaped like an old TV)
The best way to set your screen resolution on a CRT (cathode ray tube) is with a bit of experimentation. As you increase the resolution of a CRT, the refresh rate drops (the number of times the screen is drawn each second). You’ll want to increase the resolution as much as possible while keeping the refresh rate at a minimum of 75-85 Hz. Check right now. Anything lower than 75 Hz will result in a noticeable flicker as the screen refreshes, which is the most common factor in eye strain and fatigue. Pick the highest resolution with an acceptable refresh rate, while keeping the elements and fonts at a comfortable size for your eyes.

LCD (thin flat monitor)
LCDs (liquid crystal display) don’t exhibit the same kind of flicker as CRTs, so lower refresh rates are acceptable. The important thing with an LCD is that you’re running it at its native resolution. What’s your panel’s native resolution? They’re all different, but a few quick searches on Google or your owner’s manual should give you the answer. What might be more important is how you have your LCD connected. Generally, an all-digital connection like DVI gives better results than a typical analog VGA connection. If your computer and LCD have a DVI connector, use it instead of the VGA.

Tip of the week – first one for the year

As a creative, you’re probably a rebel by nature, but it’s easy to feel trapped under a boring, non-risqué cloud where it rains isolation and discouragement. I want you to banish that stormy disposition with a furious hurricane of risk, creativity and exploration.

1. Take Risks – Rebels don’t follow rules, so start by admitting what habits you retreat to when you’re uninspired. Introduce alternatives to those habits, which will throw off your routine. Try a new cafe, change your haircut or leave your house more.

2. Invite Creativity – If you’re a photographer, take your camera somewhere unfamiliar. You never know what you’ll see on a trip to the dump or a walk through the neighbourhood on the other side of the train tracks. If you’re more of an illustrator, take your sketchbook  everywhere, from a garage sale to the aquarium, you just never know when inspiration might strike.

3. Seek Inspiration – Whose art baffles your mind or arrests your soul? Not sure? Well, now’s the time to find out.  Branch out to the ultimate rock stars of your genre who you dream of one day competing with. Take a tutorial you’ve been avoiding.

4. Scrapbook it – No, not quite like your mother used to do. Gather artifacts like photos, ads, concert tickets, articles, lucky shoelaces or fabric samples. Whatever floats your boat and stirs your imagination.

5. Surround Yourself with Creativity Surround Yourself with Creativity – Pump up the volume on your stereo or iPod, rent that old Alfred Hitchcock flick or play a little music to get into that creative space.

5. Challenge Yourself – Test your skills in one of iStock’s friendly competitions.

With creativity, those who add more risk and adventure will find more creative rewards. Now, go mix it up!

Welcome 2008, sorry I’ve been slack.

Um, excuse me, has anyone seen 2007? It seems to have run away on me. One minutes I was celebrating my 21st birthday and the next thing I know, this tough new character called 2008 is elbowing his way in with a suspicious looking friend named ‘January’.

Seriously, though – what happened to 2007? It seemed to whizz by in a frantic haze. Happy New year, by the way! So here we are on the starting blocks for a new year. Who knows what unexpected hang grenades the universe will throw at us throughout the next 365 days, but here’s hoping they are as fun as they are fulfilling.

I’ve been reflecting on the year that was. And it was a big one. For me, 2007 started with a holiday in Vanuatu and ended with a weekend in Sydney. In between. I turned 21, came that little bit closer to finishing my degree, travelled to Malaysia, suffered a disastrous haircut, had good and not-so-good days t word, and shared loads of laughs and tears along the way.

It was also a year of crazy weather and flash flooding in many parts of Australia, and earthquakes in Japan and Jakarta. Kevin Rudd won the election, Stan Zemanek lost his battle with a brain tumour and Britney lots her hair. It was the year we all wore bubble skirts and ankle boots, smoking was banned in pubs and clubs, J.K. Rowling released another Harry Potter book, Live Earth rocked around the world and the Spice Girls reunited. I’m exhausted.

This time last year I was making big, brash New Year’s promises I wont keep. Instead, my priority in 2008 is finding balance. I don’t know about you, but one of the most stressful things in my life is trying to actually fit “life” into a measly 24 hours a day. Somewhere between work, study and sleep we’re meant tp squeeze in all the other good bits, like family, friends, love, fitness, shopping and Me time. Days race by where all I’ve done is woken up, rushed to work, eaten lunch at my desk, come home, scoffed dinner and hopped into bed. I don’t even have time to read.

So this year, I’m going to concentrate on finding balance in my life – I’m going to do something for myself everyday and make time to live my life. But I will be graduating this year. Without a doubt.

Australian Creative Magazine

As an animation student it’s important for me to be aware of what’s going on in the industry not just in film but in commercials as well. Australian Creative magazine is a great way to keep in touch with the industry. Each month it has a listing of the region’s best production companies and top commercial directors, covering industry trends. The issues include case studies of recent commercials from Australia and New Zealand.

Tip of the Week

If you’re stuck in a rut, it can feel as though mastering your Wii was your last big accomplishment, so here are some suggestions to get you off the video games and back in the designing mood.

Choose your soundtrack and slap on your headphones. Queue up some trash metal, rock, hippie rap, or operatic arias. Whatever floats your boat, so long as it gets your Wacom pen flying or your Photoshop fingers flying.

Let your friends inspire you. Take a gander at your one of your Web 2.0 networks and see what your pals from around the world are up to. While you’re at it, rate their work and don’t be afraid to lavish them with praiseon their blogs, in an e-mail or the forums. Speaking of forums, we’ve got a bounty of helpful members standing by to help you.

There’s some killer designs in, my favourite, iStockPhoto’s Designer Spotlight too. We’re a planet full of top talent who continually contribute their award-winning creations to the web, so poke around and see if that sparks your plugs.

Lastly, get out and take it all in. We’re not built to sit in front of monitors for hours on end so get up and move around, and jump start your ideas. Go for a walk and get inspiration from the kids in the street or that guy down the hall in your office with that grey cardigan. Whatever it takes.