Right now I’m unsure how many sketches I’ll post on a daily basis, but here are a few from day 1. Prismacolor pencil is, I think, the best way to get some initial ideas on paper; doing a similar exercise in digital just isn’t the same.
As you can see here, I’m leaning towards a vertically-oriented cockpit and am exploring the use of various power / transmission mechanisms. (Click on the images below to enlarge)
(Click on the above image to enlarge)
After some brief thought over the past twenty-four hours, I’ve decided to spend the next seven days designing a new vehicle concept.
Given this type of experiment, I am not going to spend a lot of time developing a creative brief because my goal at this point is pure creative focus, and less so on adherence to a specific need (fabricated or otherwise).
This journey will start with some exploratory sketches using traditional media (pencil, markers, etc.) and will ultimately conclude with a final 3D rendering using Modo and Photoshop. While I’ve done several designs and models, these efforts have been separate and distinct – thus, I think it’s going to be a challenge (at least right now) to incorporate both into one project, particularly within such a short duration.
The benefits of this challenge are many. Two that immediately come to mind include the following:
If this experiment proves successful, it’s entirely possible you’ll see other seven day challenges appear on the horizon throughout the year.
Earlier this year, Sade announced the launch of her Soldier of Love tour, which is her first world tour in over ten years. Fortunately for me, I was able to secure a ticket to one of her U.S. shows! There has always been something about Sade’s music that has always inspired me and I knew that this was a unique opportunity that I didn’t want to pass up.
When reading Sade’s “Bio” page on her web site, it appears that this interest is perhaps more relevant to me than I originally thought. Here are a few excerpts to illustrate why.
Integrity
Soldier of Love is only the sixth studio album the band Sade have released during their 25 year career, and the first since Lovers Rock in 2000. For Sade herself, as the lynchpin of the group’s songwriting effort, it’s a simple matter of integrity and authenticity. “I only make records when I feel I have something to say. I’m not interested in releasing music just for the sake of selling something. Sade is not a brand.”
Reinvention
“I never want to repeat myself,” Sade herself says. “And that becomes a more interesting challenge for us the longer we carry on together.”
Persistence
Somewhat to her surprise, she found that while the singing made her nervous, she enjoyed writing songs. Two years later she had overcome her stage fright and was regularly singing back up with a North London Latin funk band called Pride. “I used to get on stage with Pride, like, shaking. I was terrified. But I was determined to try my best, and I decided that if I was going to sing, I would sing the way I speak, because it’s important to be yourself.“
Priorities and Timing
For most of the past 20 years, Sade has prioritised her personal life over her professional career, releasing only three studio albums of new material during that period. Her marriage to the Spanish film director Carlos Scola Pliego in 1989; the birth of her daughter in 1996 and her early 21st century move from North London to rural Gloucestershire, where she now lives with a new partner, have consumed much of her time and attention. And quite rightly so. “You can only grow as an artist as long as you allow yourself the time to grow as a person,” Sade says. “We’re all parents, our lives have all moved on. I couldn’t have made Soldier of Love any time before now, and though it’s been a long wait for the fans – and I am sorry about that – I’m incredibly proud of it.“
One of the core objectives of Immersion is to move away from pure two dimensional design and to expend greater energy and concentration in three dimensional space. These renders below are part of a “digital sculpture” series that I am still toying around with. For the remainder of this particular series, please visit my digital illustration site.
To date, the vast majority of my personal projects have been created independently of one another. While many of my projects have built off of one another (e.g. Microcosms was built upon the Incubator concept), there has not been a unifying link between them. I think there is an opportunity to alter this approach to enable greater creative expansion and exploration.
Over the past several weeks I have been thinking of a few new projects that begin to combine various aspects of my creative exploration in new and unique ways.
Here are a select few:
Mach1na: I came up with this idea a few days ago when listening to Drone Zone on Soma.fm. The music that was playing was a combination of electronica and sounds of syncros, gears and other mechanical devices. It would be very interesting to sketch out new mechanical devices, render them digitally using Photoshop, and then incorporate them in a fabricated information design – as if these devices were in fact, real. Going a step further, being able to showcase these illustrations along with a similar audio track would, I think, create a unique experience.
Gaia: The theory of Gaia, in a nutshell, is that the Earth is a single living organism. Illustrating and coming up with documented concepts that align with this theory could very well be a multi-year endeavor. For example, illustrating plants and foliage from different time periods (prehistoric to sometime in the future) requires considerable research of the underlying taxonomy. It’s one thing to come up with new plant concepts, but it can be more convincing if these concepts are based upon real biological principles.
This encapsulating concept could also introduce visuals that show how the Earth could appear in 2100, or 2200. With global warming, could the Internet become part of the landscape? Again, it’s not just about coming up with pure fantasy-based illustrations or narratives – it’s about combining research with creativity.
I recently acquired Joris Voorn’s 2008 mix – “Balance” – on double CD. In short, the compilation is simply a masterpiece of electronica and well-crafted mixes.
Joris’ introduction pretty much says it all:
“The process of making these mixes has been more like painting with sound rather than performing a traditional DJ-mix.
“As you can see, I have used a lot of tracks. My intention while working on these mixes, however, has not been a simple case of ‘more is more’ – some of the tracks have been reduced to portions as small as a 2-bar loop, or are just a break or an intro.
“The process was inspired and inspiring, and although this Balance project is over, it has created many new leads and ideas for future works.
“I hope that people will enjoy the results. Some listeners will be surprised by what they hear, but I believe I’ve pushed my boundaries in not only a technical way but – even more so – in a musical and artistic way as well.”
As promised, the latest addition to the creative family is live. Digital illustrations of people, objects and environments: http://ink.adriandaniels.com
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.
Game development can be divided into two main activities – logistics and mechanics. Logistics is about the “look and feel” and the pieces / parts that are used within the experience. Mechanics is all about how the game works.
When I was younger, I was completely intrigued with a game by Electronic Arts called “Adventure Construction Set” for the Apple IIe. The game must have had an effect on me because I recall it vividly to this day – I even remember the store where I purchased it!
The Adventure Construction Set facilitates one’s ability to drive the logistics of the game, and provides a suitable platform in which to layer in the mechanics.
This “construction set” concept has value outside of the computer gaming realm.
A simple, but useful construction set is one that focuses on the “logistics” of iPhone and iPad development. This product is called UI Stencils. It’s a unique collection of stencils and related materials designed to help designers and developers formulate an effective user experience without the need for a computer.
A more advanced construction set is a hardware and software product suite called Maschine made by a company called Native Instruments. Maschine is essentially a construction set for creating music.
The hardware controller allows one to enter beats using natural motions and also allows for hands-on adjustments of sound, tempo and effects. While the hardware relies upon the software to run, the hardware can be used almost independently of the former. This is a unique aspect of this construction set in that it’s design goes beyond the “construction set” concept and introduces powerful “user experience” layers which further accelerates music creation.
Not surprisingly, the key to developing a successful construction set is to first identify what the set needs to create! With the objective in mind, see if you can divide the task into discrete categories of work. Each of these categories may become its own “micro” construction set. When combined, this holistic construction set becomes a powerful tool that enables you to focus on the end objective and less on the mechanics of getting you there. This is the key to true creativity.
Can you think of opportunities where a “construction set” would be beneficial? If so, take the time to build one! You may find that your ability to “create” becomes that much easier and enjoyable.