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.

Before & After Magazine

The other week I stumbled across another wonderful online resource: Before & After magazine. This magazine has been sharing its practical approach to graphic design since 1990. Because our modern world has made designers of us all (ready or not), Before & After has dedicated itself to making graphic design understandable, useful and even fun for everyone.

Before & After is an online magazine you have to subscribe for but so far I’ve found it to be well worth it’s while. You can get 32 articles in individual downloads for $24 or you can get 4 issues (8 articles in each issue) printed for $42 with the downloadable PDF version included free. I think the printed subscription may only be available in the USA but I’m not to sure.

There was one article I found that I thought was particularly relevant to the types of things I have been discussing on this here blog. It’s titled “Small site, great format.” If you’re a solo professional or part of a small group this article is made for you. The site shown in the artical is ideal for short text as well as portfolio or product images. It’s designed to be beautifully smalll; it’s not a half-empty big site. It’s easy to make, easy to maintain and compelling to read.

If you like to read the article for yourself I believe you can check it out at http://www.bamag.com/email/0-he3i084iei-email/thoAn9/BA0648SmallSite.pdf
If not and you’re interested in having a look subscribe at >http://www.bamagazine.com/Subscribe.asp. It’s well worth it.

Storyboards, Inc.

Browsing the web today I stumbled across this really interesting website, www.storyboardsinc.com. For over 30 years, Storyboards, Inc. has been representing the best storyboard artists in the industry. Their commercial, advertising, and film artists bring a modern, dynamic, and cinematic energy to every project. With the talent and diversity of more than 60 of the industry’s top illustrators, they nail every frame’s angle, look, and vibe. Lastly, a careful screening process and extensive knowledge of the business allowing them to confidently meet all of your storyboarding needs. With Storyboards, Inc. in your corner your advertising, commercial, and film boards will capture the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but a perfect visual representation of your ideas.

Tim Burgard is one of the artists featured on Storyboards, Inc. and after doing a little further searching on the site along with a bit of googling I began to find storyboarding more and more interesting. I mean I’ve had to make my own storyboards before, for all my animations in fact, but I’ve always hated it. Tim Burgard has a list a mile long of amazing films that he has worked on. For example:

• The Incredible Hulk…Louis Leterrier
• Evan Almighty…Tom Shadyac
• X-Men: The Last Stand…Brett Ratner
• Fun with Dick and Jane…Dean Parisot
• Bewitched…Robert Stadd
• Son Of The Mask… Larry Guterman
• Me Again… Dean Parisot
• Cursed… Wes Craven
• The Day After Tomorrow… Roland Emmerich
• Domestic Disturbance… Harold Becker

The list goes on and on. You can even view some of his storyboards on his website, www.timburgardart.com, or at www.storyboardsinc.com.

Here is an example:

I think that one of the reasons I first stopped to look at storyboards is that one of my friend’s dream is to become a storyboard artist. I made a website for her about a month ago. Check it out, I’d love feed back on her work and on your thoughts on the website

www.rhimcg.com

Cheers.

iStockphoto

Sometime earlier in the year I stumbled across an awesome online community called iStockphoto.

iStockphoto is a royalty free, international photography provider. I subscribed to the community and each week receive an email with links to the “Tip of Week” and once a month a copy of the “Webzine”, iStockphoto’s monthly web mag.

Click here to download an example of “Tip of the Week”

Click here to download an example of the “Webzine”

This week’s “Tip of the Week” discusses composition and colour. It also provides links to both the free images of the week and the free video and vector for the month.

Check it out for yourself. I love it!

www.istockphoto.com