With education as the backbone to my personal and professional life, the beginning of September continues (even to this day) to symbolize a new beginning for me. Having moved into the ninth Plane (“Exodus”) in May, September 1st signifies the start of Phase 39 and a set of revised objectives for the months ahead:
Painting – Having experience with both traditional and digital art, I’ve found that having a true understanding of the fundamentals can make a significant difference when that same process is carried over into the digital realm. This, I think, is one major reason why I’ve found it easier to paint with the Cintiq than I had originally believed – having taken a foundations course several years ago using charcoal and graphite. However, to further improve my digital painting abilities, I am considering taking an oil or acrylic painting course at The Visual Arts Center of Richmond this term.
Ink – As you have already seen, my brief exploration with the Cintiq has pushed me to think seriously about the design and launch of a new “microsite” under my parent domain. While some may question the purpose of a site such as this (i.e. not all of my creations will be deemed “remarkable”), that’s ultimately the point – you have to start somewhere. As a real-world example, I started experimenting with graphic design nearly seventeen years ago and my early attempts were less than great (“comical” is the word that actually comes to mind …). Fortunately, my enjoyment for the process and medium has allowed me to gain the necessary experience to launch a business which may open up additional doors in the future.
OpenIDEO – While I have not had a chance to explore this site in much depth, I think this is a unique opportunity to make a positive impact while continuing to push myself both intellectually and creatively. (And the fact that is comes from a company that I greatly admire doesn’t hurt either!)
Version Two – Having launched my personal brand earlier this year, I would like to revise the site to ensure that it includes other aspects of my portfolio – not just “Ink” but other projects as well, including my work at Big Generator.
The Factory – This concept is the graphical equivalent to Incubator. It’s a microsite that will develop new graphical concepts that can be incorporated into graphic designs and/or digital illustrations. The origins of this idea came partially from Eric Hanson’s video (“Digital Sets 1 – Design, Modeling and Camera”) where he highlights the concept of creating virtual buildings that can be later incorporated into larger 3D environments. This idea is still in its infancy, and may not become visible until 2011 or later but it is worth thinking about now.
GD – Now having a solid graphic design portfolio established, I can now take inventory of what the next generation of my designs will need to entail. Most of my designs up until this point focus primarily on color and typography and are nearly absent of patterns or imagery. GD (capital letters) is the next chapter of my graphic / information design exploration.
