Allison Dominguez Blog

I'm on Dribbble!

2011-05-14T10:40:00.003-04:00

Thanks to the kind and always-inspiring Dennis Eusebio, you can now find me on Dribbble.

A J Fosik

2011-01-18T20:36:00.002-05:00

A J Fosik's work makes my heart go all a-flutter!

December Art Walk

2010-12-04T14:11:00.003-05:00

First off, just want to say a big thank you to everyone who came by my table Wednesday night! As this was my first foray into displaying my work to the general public, I was a bit nervous and apprehensive about going through with it. In the end, I'm happy I did and I'm so glad I was able to share my work with everyone. I honestly thought I would only get a handful of people who were interested and maybe 4 people who were willing to part with a few dollars in exchange for one of my prints. I am honored and thankful for all the support shown to me that night. The warm response has really encouraged me to keep doing what I'm doing.

With that said, I am planning on having a more formal showing of my work sometime in the near future. And it won't be limited to just prints! If you want to be in the know of all the latest news and updates, just send me an email at heythereallison[at]gmail[dot]com and I'll add you to the mailing list! I can't wait for you to see where I go next!

BlackYard

2010-11-07T14:37:00.003-05:00

BlackYard, a group of four Swiss illustrators and designers, creates some of my favorite work. What's even more impressive is that their portfolio is filled with more show-stoppers than you can shake a stick at. I can't believe I'm just now blogging about them.

Lion, Bringer of Death

2010-09-13T21:44:00.002-04:00

Here's an illustration a did a bit ago. It's the first of a series. I've really been trying to simplify my illustration style lately, presenting drawings cleanly yet cleverly. Come to think of it, this is how I would like to approach all aspects of my life. No fuss, all swag. I'm a work in progress.

Dueling Banjo Pigs

2010-08-06T23:17:00.003-04:00

I came across this blog while making my daily trip to Drawn! a couple weeks ago and thought it would be fun to participate. Basically all you do is submit a picture of a pig and a banjo and they post it to the site. Here's my contribution. What good fun!

Grove Bamboo iPhone cases

2010-08-04T22:58:00.004-04:00

I realize I've kind of been on an iPhone kick after getting the latest iteration a little over a month ago, but I can't help it. I'm a fan. I've been wanting a wooden iPhone case ever since I had the idea of wanting an iPhone. These bamboo cases by Grove are beautifully crafted and deliciously designed. You can choose between two shades of bamboo, and either a silver or black bezel. They even have a wide selection of artist designed laser etchings for the back of the case, or you can submit your own artwork. Pretty cool! I like the idea of having artwork on the back for better gripping if nothing else, but like everything else in my life, I'd be too afraid of getting tired of it in the long run. I think I would opt for the plain case in dark bamboo with a silver bezel if anyone out there wants to purchase me a birthday gift. I'll pretend to act surprised.

iPhone 4 wallpapers

2010-07-24T18:49:00.004-04:00

So, folks, the moment you didn't know you were waiting for has finally arrived! My iPhone wallpapers are here in full 640 x 960 resolution - great for your iPhone and even better for your iPhone 4! There's a bit to choose from so you're sure to find something you like. And if, for some reason unbeknownst to me, you don't, you can email me with requests. Talk about 100% satisfaction guaranteed! Hop on over and git you some!

Soccer

2010-06-25T15:19:00.002-04:00

This is a soccer illustration I made.

Plus63

2010-05-31T03:34:00.004-04:00

Way to knock my holy freakin' socks off! I just realized I've been featured on Plus63, your one-stop shop for Filipino creativity on the net. A big thank you to the gang over at Plus63! You can check out the mention here.

Across the Sea

2010-05-19T20:27:00.002-04:00

So, I decided to jump on the Lost art band wagon. It actually didn't start as a Lost piece, but that's where it ended up. You may or may not see how some of these elements were originally intended in a future post.... or maybe we'll flash forward, transport back to the past, rewrite history, come back to present day, go back to the future for good measure and come back to yesterday just to see how it all unfolds, refolds, and unfolds anew. Maybe.

Patch Together: Zeus Almighty

2010-05-05T20:01:00.002-04:00

I created a character for the "Greek Mythology" challenge at Patch Together. It's like Threadless, but for toys. You submit a design, people vote, most popular designs get produced. It was fun creating turnarounds for one of my characters. I really want to draw more. It feels so rewarding. But enough chit-chat, GO VOTE FOR MY DESIGN!

BOOKS!

2010-04-29T21:11:00.006-04:00

Oh my gepetto! Four awesome books were awaiting my arrival from work today. I have to give myself a pat on the back for these smart purchases. I've been gobbling these up since I got my grubby paws on them.

I Am Plastic is jam packed with designer toys. I'm talkin' JAM. PACKED. It gives a comprehensive view of toys from around the world from leading, as well as lesser, names in the industry. Although it doesn't give much information on the individual designers themselves, it provides plenty to look at there's nothing to complain about that.

American Trademarks is not your momma's logo book. The diversity between all the marks included really sets it apart from other literature on the subject. While there are some simple designs similar to the Japanese municipal flags that got plenty of attention about a year ago, there are even more illustrative logomarks with lots of hand-drawn typography to boot. Sweet, sweet eye candy.

Ed Emberley's Make A World are the drawing books I grew up with as a kid. He is so clever in his execution and very easy to follow in his direction. Not only that, but he demonstrates how to draw a gazillion things in very few pages, making the book light and thin, easy for a little kid to pick up and manage. Everything included in the book is drawn with 15 basic shapes, creating a simplicity and cohesiveness throughout all of the pictures. It's no wonder I'm turning back to this in my ripe age. This legend of a man's got ingenuity oozing from every orifice!

Rework is brought to you by the heads behind 37signals. It gives great advice, information, and inspiration on starting a business, staying motivated, work ethic, creativity--in short, being a better creative who knows how to manage and market his work. It's written very colloquially, so you feel like you're having a conversation with those who have experience and have gone through the things you are going through or want to get through. The book is broken down into short, easily digestible sections so you don't ever get the sense that you're being lectured at. Moreso, it gets you thinking about the subject so you can start developing your own ideas. Before each section there's also a nice little typographic illustration to introduce the new topic, each of which could easily be turned into a motivational poster--minus the cat hanging from a tree branch.

Red Bearon

2010-04-27T18:55:00.003-04:00

For those of you who haven't already caught him in my portfolio, I present to you "Red Bearon"! He has 1 point of articulation, a dashing grin, and his favorite plane in tow. Yowzas!

Ingela P Arrhenius

2010-04-27T12:52:00.004-04:00

Talk about making all of the same things I love in a style that I adore. Ingela P Arrhenius is my new favorite artist. Done.
(Thank you, grain edit.)

Mr. Fancypants in...

2010-04-14T20:58:00.002-04:00

MOUNTAINS OF MONEY!!! Money..money.... money...
Check the 3-D version here.

leo

2010-04-13T13:15:00.002-04:00

I was in the middle of working on something when this lion begged me to put a face on him.

Ursa Major in 2-D!

2010-04-08T14:41:00.005-04:00

I thought it would be nice to do some 2-D art to accompany my 3-D art of the same character. He was a lot of fun to recreate. I hope to do more like it.

Luke Bott

2010-03-30T13:51:00.001-04:00

Lovin' on Luke.

Argentinian Llama

2010-03-27T21:22:00.005-04:00

Here's a llama I created from Sculpey and some acrylic paint. In Argentina, there's a tradition in which llamas are dressed up in blankets and scarves. I learned that from "The Amazing Race." See this and lotsa other new work recently uploaded to the misc section of my website! Have a look-see!

Burglar

2010-03-23T13:34:00.001-04:00

So, I know my doodles aren't that hot, but c'mon, scanner! Cut a girl a break!

Exotic bird

2010-03-22T15:23:00.003-04:00

A quick doodle that started out with a peacock in mind.

Ape

2010-03-10T14:02:00.004-05:00

So, I'm trying this new thing. I don't want to say too much in case it doesn't come through, but I still want to keep a record of my progress. Hopefully that's not too vague.

Network Osaka

2010-03-01T13:00:00.003-05:00

Have you heard of Network Osaka? I've had his Adobe video sitting on my desktop for some time now and often turn to it for an instant burst of inspiration. Since then, I've forgotten what a wealth of goodness his website is. ...until today. A lot of his print stuff is hit or miss, but I love the simple/Swiss stylings that he seems so at home doing. Most of all, his logo is pretty baller.

Speedometers

2010-03-01T10:34:00.003-05:00

I'm just now realizing speedometers can be sexy little pieces of design. All the elements for greatness are there. A combination of numbers, letters, color and a sense of hierarchy give the gauge tons of potential.

Zombie Dog

2010-02-27T15:34:00.006-05:00

I painted this pup about a month ago, but never took his picture for fear of stealing his soul. He was a regular dog just before I snapped this photo. His snout, ears, and melty face could use more 3-dimensionality. It's a learning process. Click the pic for more views!

Peat Duggins

2010-02-25T10:15:00.002-05:00

Why, yes, Peat Duggins. Yes, I will have your children.

Font Aid IV

2010-02-17T10:01:00.004-05:00

The people of The Society of Typographic Aficionados and Font Aid IV have put together a font full of ampersands... and I'm a contributor! The best part? All proceeds go to Doctors Without Borders to benefit the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. Nothing like designing for a cause to get your noodle going.

Feel The Beat

2010-02-15T16:08:00.001-05:00

Look at this cheesy thing I made. I laugh at myself for creating such a thing.

Oops. I did it again.

2010-02-15T12:20:00.002-05:00

I'm probably the only one who finds any artistic value in this whatsoever, but thought I'd post it here just to catalog it for my own records. Hooray for accidental art!

Dan Stiles

2010-02-05T11:12:00.002-05:00

I'm really loving the work of Dan Stiles. His geometric simplicity and retro-modernism strike so many chords with how I want my own style to develop. His color palettes are pretty bodacious, too. I've especially fallen for his Feist poster. Too good!

Bear Run

2010-01-27T22:45:00.002-05:00

This is the first in a series of animals exercising.

Kong

2010-01-20T21:31:00.002-05:00

Here's a wooden action figure I wrapped up last night. The pic isn't so hot, but I couldn't keep this little guy to myself. There'll be better shots of him when I take portfolio pics. I think it's the best thing I've made yet. I love that his arms move and his head turns and you can even pull him apart for extra gore and fun! I can't wait to make more movable pieces. If this is the kind of work I do when I'm procrastinating on other things, this is the kind of work I should be doing for the rest of my life.

The Greater Good

2010-01-18T17:50:00.005-05:00

Here's an illustration I recently completed. Its about smaller parts coming together in support of a greater good. More or less, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Based on my scientific research, I've found that 3 things in life improve the quality of anything they come in contact with. Those three things being wings, bears, and bacon. Having them all together in one place just might be the greatest good of all.

Busy?

2010-01-16T23:16:00.004-05:00

Lately I haven't been as productive as I would like. I blame the frigid weather. My painted objects have been at a standstill for weeks and I haven't been drawing as much as I would like. On a more positive note, my brother and I beat New Super Mario Bros. and collected all the star coins. Oh. That's where my time has been going. The picture above is for something I've been working on at work.

Matthew Lyons

2010-01-10T16:56:00.005-05:00

Beautiful movie title screens from Matthew Lyons. The typography is spot on with his retro style of illustration. Really genius idea, too. Since the movies are all made up, he can really show off his skills in pairing type and narrative without having to be bogged down by preconceived opinions about a particular film. Wish I could bottle these up and take a swig of his talent.

via drawn!

Sights

2010-01-06T21:46:00.004-05:00

I'm back from vacation and I have lots of pictures to prove it! I saw many things, felt many degrees (or lack thereof) of cold, ate many foods, and enjoyed every second of it--even the parts where I turned into icicles. Upon my return, I was greeted with a beautiful Gestalten book, Naive: Modernism and Folklore in Contemporary Graphic Design. Open the book up to any spread and prepare to be inspired. A very welcome addition to my library.

Mr. Fancypants

2009-12-29T23:29:00.005-05:00

I just finished uploading some new images of my latest project. Introducing: Mr. Fancypants! Complete with monocle and removable top hat! I probably should've constructed the hat out of a different, more forgiving, material, but oh well. You live and you learn. I added this to the Miscellaneous section of my website. Clicking on the pictures will take you to the Flickr set. There's lots of new pics over in my photostream, so check them all out while you're in the neighborhood.

Accidental Art

2009-12-23T16:23:00.000-05:00

This composition just happened while on my way to a different image. It's funny how things like that occur without premeditation. Although not revolutionary by any stretch of the word, I love it when I am able to create things that I find to be intriguing without actually meaning to.

Custom Christmas Gift Tags

2009-12-22T21:15:00.000-05:00

I made these Christmas gift tags to give my presents a little hand-made quality. Originally, I was planning on making all of my actual gifts, but the holidays snuck up on me and I found myself drastically short on time. Using my collection of stamps, I was still able to give away some of my artwork, if only in a scaled-down version of what I had intended. They're tiny little prints that fit intimately in the palm of your hand!

Portfolio website

2009-12-19T13:55:00.000-05:00

So, if by some miraculous series of events, you haven't heard about my new site and yet managed to find your way to my blog... I have a new site! I've been working out some of the kinks this past week, but there's a few minor probs lingering. Check out some of what I've been up to. There's also a link at the top of the blog. Thanks, brother.

Sanna Annukka

2009-12-18T09:30:00.000-05:00

Goodie, goodie gumdrops! The work of Sanna Annukka is GAWEGEOUS! I always admired the album artwork of Keane's Under The Iron Sea and even contemplated buying the cd just so I could own the insert. I was young and naive then, and never thought to research into the artist behind the work. Needless to say, I loved her even before I knew who she was. She reminds me of a modern-day Stefan Kanchev, a graphic design legend whose work ethic and sheer knowledge we should all aspire to achieve. More of Sanna's illustration can be found here in addition to her own website. Someone get me that mug!

via grain edit

Alec Jones

2009-12-17T23:20:00.000-05:00

I'm loving the paper card collages of Alec Jones. So carefully crafted and well planned, these suckers are jaw-dropping. They're a lot bigger than you think, too. One of those blades of grass in that alien piece is over an inch tall! It'd be so cool to have one of these framed and decorating my living quarters. Hook it up, yo.

Little Kitchen

2009-12-16T13:11:00.000-05:00

I found this photo while perusing through the image archives at work and found it too adorable not to share. The fridge is a little small, but I guess it helps keep Giant hands off of the ice cream.

Bit.Trip Beat

2009-12-14T23:50:00.000-05:00

I played this game for the first time today and fell completely in love with its soundtrack! The visuals are stunning as well. Simple, addictive gameplay, great music, fun to watch... truly a work of art in itself.

Chauskoskis

2009-12-12T14:06:00.000-05:00

Walter Jacott, bka Chauskoskis if you've ever heard of him through the internets, has got to be my new favorite artist! So good, so inspiring. Check out much, much more, including some insight on how he turns vinyl toys into truly original works of art, on his Flickr page.

Space Panda

2009-12-03T00:57:00.000-05:00

I've developed an affinity for what I'm calling "3D illustration." It's really just painted objects, sculpture, decoration, etc. It's more "art for art's sake" than anything else. Basically it's my reaction to the overpriced vinyl toys that I can't afford. This started as a little post-topper that I picked up at Home Depot for a couple bucks. It's not really flying anywhere in 2010, unless of course, someone overseas decides to buy it. Even then I'm not really sure about it's means of getting there. Maybe boat, maybe plane, maybe penguin-propelled hovercraft... If anyone else feels the desire to paint one of these, let me know. We can start the latest craze. For now, this space ursa will contemplate the inner workings of its troubled, lonely heart. Check out a couple more pics on my flickr page.

The Small Stakes

2009-12-02T00:51:00.000-05:00

It's official. I'm an impulsive buyer. But I just couldn't resist the fine work of Jason Munn at The Small Stakes. It's precision and simplicity were calling my name!

Nobrow

2009-11-28T16:19:00.000-05:00

Nobrow is a small publishing company based in the UK. They produce limited runs of magazines, books, and other design and illustrative goodness that I hope to get my grubby little hands on one day. If you or someone you know would like to aid in that process, these prints would look great in my possession! Just sayin'... Here's how they stay on top:

"Our aim is to place a renewed focus on quality in print, using wherever possible the best materials we can get our hands on and always trying to play with format, color, size and design to ensure that our publications are well conceived and individual. We work closely with locally based printers wherever possible so that we can be involved in the creative process from start to finish and we always try to achieve finished products that are not only filled with great work, but that themselves are art objects, to be coveted, collected and cherished."

Also check out their small press, filled with all things screenprinted. These would make great Christmas gifts!

Delicious Design League

2009-11-21T18:01:00.001-05:00

This poster came for me in the mail yesterday. I promptly bought a frame for it and it is now currently hanging on my bedroom wall. She's a beaut! Delicious Design League does great work.

Thanksgiving Invitation

2009-11-17T00:18:00.000-05:00

Just wrapped up this invite. Mailing out to friends and family tomorrow.

Rohit Iyer

2009-11-13T11:02:00.000-05:00

Holey Cow
Smooch-stache
Bird Flip
88

Rohit Iyer's work is quirky, clever, and fun. I'm always charmed by simple styles that are able to carry such an enormous amount of wit. My favorite is "88." View more work at his blog: here.

Face-melting Guitar Solo

2009-11-09T23:39:00.001-05:00

Here's a sketch I made for Wooden Toy Quarterly's music edition. Unfortunately, I decided not to submit it for review when I realized I couldn't decide on how to color it. Oh well. Drawing is always fun.

Bananas are trouble.

2009-11-05T22:02:00.000-05:00

Lately I've been getting into custom type and exploring letterforms. These are the first of my now many type sketches. Yeah, not that impressive, but just wait until you see where I go from here! When drawing letters, as in most areas of my life, it's hard breaking out of my comfort zone. With these little sketches, there's no pressure. Unfortunately, I tend to draw the same curves or use the same line quality in a lot of them. I should probably use a different medium than pen or pencil just to free up my strokes a bit. My fear of failure and imperfection, however, holds me back. Wow. The biggest problems of my life drastically affect the art I create. I want my art to be its own entity and breathe its own life, not be tainted with my shortcomings. Is it possible to make a more conscious effort to control subconscious thoughts?

Atmosphere

2009-11-01T18:45:00.000-05:00

Beautiful sky tonight. Admiring it while listening to Mogwai's "Friend of the Night" is near perfection. This photo does not do it justice by any means. It's times like these that make me realize I desperately need a new camera.

Robotz Sans

2009-10-28T21:22:00.000-04:00

Here's some initial sketching for a typeface I plan on using for my Robotz identity. I still haven't come up with a better name for this undertaking...

The Time Machine

2009-10-26T00:41:00.000-04:00

Check out this vintage book cover from an old paperback I picked up this weekend at the Friends of the Library book sale. Fifty cents for awesome art and a classic novel. The wear on this is perfect and I'm loving the block of type on the back cover. Not to mention the equally compelling composition of the cover art and its rhythmic relationship with the letterforms. Plus, the conceptual connection with the plot's theme of space (positive/negative) and time (repetition/rhythm). One of my many great finds!

Draplin Design Co.

2009-10-20T16:39:00.000-04:00

Beautiful work by Draplin Design Co. The operation is led by Aaron James Draplin, whose design sensibilities are just as big as his personality.

Corey Holms's Food Dye Photography

2009-10-16T20:59:00.000-04:00

Ohmygoodness, yes.

Tiger egg

2009-10-15T00:49:00.000-04:00

This here's the first of a series of animal eggs. Although, the form of the egg has absolutely nothing to do with a tiger in the literal sense, I think it's nice to see something unexpected on its surface. I've come to realize that I love painting on wood. These little sculptures are my way of transitioning into doing what I ultimately want to do--that is, making toys or movable sculpture. Going from 2-D to 3-D is especially exciting because of its tangibility. It's not meant to hang on your wall and be admired from a certain distance, while keeping a safe amount of space between you and the art. It's a tactile experience. You're meant to walk around it, hold it in your hand, and pour over every inch of its surface. That's the kind of intimacy I always strive for.

Bicycle, at long last!

2009-10-12T22:40:00.000-04:00

Before (partly disassambled, most decals pulled off)

After
I received this bike as a gift about 5 years ago, but didn't really ride it so much for the past three. I decided a new paint job would breathe new life into me ol' bike since I was always unhappy with the Hawaiian theme of it. However, what I thought would be a simple weekend project, turned into a much more complicated, month-long project. I never worked on a bike before, so I did my research to make sure I did it properly. I went through all the sanding, stripping, priming, painting and finishing, and at each step, something went horridly wrong. Granted, this was my first bike project and perfection is hard to come by at any means. Ultimately, it was a good learning experience, one that I thought I'd never see the end of, but Lo and Behold! It's finally finished! I'll probably end up painting red lightning bolts on it for added speed.

ROBOTZ 1.0

2009-10-11T00:04:00.000-04:00

I finished these guys up a little while ago, but only got around to actually photographing them today. They started as simple little sculptures that I wanted to fill a $1 wooden pencil box with, but after having spent much time on them collectively, I've come to realize they could be used for so much more. That said, I have a few ideas of where to take this project. Hopefully I'll tap into all of them and come out with a nice finished product in the end.

Working, working.

2009-10-06T12:57:00.000-04:00

I've been busily working on several different projects simultaneously, so it has taken me longer than expected to make the update I've been wanting to make next. I'm very excited about my current projects and I hope they're received just as well. More info soon to come!

Vasco Mourão

2009-10-01T22:56:00.000-04:00

My goodness, this guy is AMAZING. I was speechless after seeing the work of Vasco Mourão over a year ago and his work has just gotten better since then. His architectural vocabulary and his exceptional understanding of positive/negative space are qualities to be deeply envious of. Its artists like him that make me wonder what I'm good at. View more work here.

Wooden Toy Publishing Co.

2009-09-30T10:32:00.000-04:00

Have you heard of Wooden Toy? They're great!

Book Hunting

2009-09-27T23:18:00.000-04:00

This weekend I enjoyed one of my favorite pastimes--book hunting! I'm constantly on the lookout for inspiring printed material and books are the best source for a quick fix. Chamblin's Book Mine here in Jacksonville has tons to peruse. This time I picked up four great books--Packaging Source Book from Robert Opie, Dover's Pictorial Archive of Printer's Ornaments as well as Modern Monograms, and Typology from Stephen Heller and Louise Fili.

Packaging Source Book is a visual guide to a century of packaging design and has a multitude of examples dating as far back as the 1800's. Nothing gets me going like antique graphic design. Color schemes and typography from previous eras are really something to be admired. I recommend picking this book up if you have a soft spot for anything vintage or antique.

Dover's Pictorial Archive books are always fun to look at. They have collections of differently styled alphabets, calligraphic ornaments, borders, numbers, and anything else a person interested in print design would be interested in. Their Pictorial Archive of Printers Ornaments from the Renaissance to the 20th Century doesn't disappoint. It's full of beautiful scratchboard illustrations and detailed borders, headers, floral arrangements, and various other decorative elements, to be very broad about its contents. It's a great source of inspiration and useful for appropriation since its all royalty-free!

Modern Monograms is full of beautiful letterforms, ligatures and symbols. It will be a book I turn to, I'm sure, when struggling to create a new identity or type style.

Typology takes you through the history of type design from the Victorian Era to the Digital Age. Another great look-book, but also informative in content, it guides you through the evolution of type as it pertains to the art movement of the time. So many influential examples from well-known designers from each period. Even quickly flipping through the pages gives you a pretty good overview of type's progression. An appreciable book for the type-lover.

Francesco Mugnai

2009-09-26T01:00:00.000-04:00

Franceso Mugnai is a designer from Florence, Italy. He keeps a compelling blog of various collections of design items from sources around the net. The crop ranges from business cards to peaceful and relaxing posters and lots of stuff in between. What I found particularly interesting was his handful of information graphics. It's hit and miss, but I'm a sucker for beautiful design that also relates something factual or quantitative. So much inspiration to be found at his blog!

Aged Type

2009-09-23T16:19:00.000-04:00

In an attempt to rid computer graphics of its coldness, designers have turned to the act of feigning the hand-made. It amazes me what a little distressing can do for a piece. I always have trouble remembering the best ways to recreate that kind of wear and often find myself searching and researching how to do it. Today I came across a site that offers an extremely easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide to distressing type and the result is pretty authentic. This effect, however, does have its downfalls. It's easy to overdo it and to use it as a crutch. A good designer exercises restraint in its implementation to make the most of its effectiveness. Let's learn how to do that together. GoMediaZine

Keyboard Shortcuts

2009-09-22T11:19:00.000-04:00

By chance, while working on an Ai project, I discovered that option+drag makes a copy of whatever I had selected. At first I thought this was just a CS4 development since I already knew about making a duplicate artboard. However, I had no idea the same shortcut would work on anything I have selected on the artboard and that this was already around in CS3! Oh, how I wish I knew about it before going through 2 years of "cmd+c, cmd+f" through my design courses. Just imagine the countless milliseconds (that could have added into hours) I could've saved! I like to make copies of everything before I alter it in any way and this gives me a quicker means of doing so. Here's a site that has a ton of shortcuts, some I have memorized and some I never knew about. Noble Desktop's Illustrator Shortcuts

Jean Giraud

2009-09-21T16:06:00.000-04:00

Behold! The masterful stylings of French comic book artist, Jean "Moebius" Giraud! His attention to detail, sense of whimsy, fascination with the fantastical and impeccable color schemes all attribute to his timelessness. I cannot stress enough how enthralled I am by his illustration style. With the proliferation of his body of work, it is no wonder that he is also known for his speed of production.

The Egret

2009-09-20T20:32:00.000-04:00

While taking my dog for a walk, I saw an egret by a pond. I thought that would be a good name for a spaceship. What actually developed, however, was U.S.S. Goose.

Safe Bedside Table

2009-09-17T10:27:00.001-04:00

I found this while searching for reference images for a current project. I laughed. Here's the article.

Developing an online presence

2009-09-16T15:04:00.000-04:00

As artists/designers/creatives, we have a desire to create and to share our creations with others. After having graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in Graphic Design back in May, it was imperative that I find new avenues to not only express my creativity, but also to showcase the results of said adventures. Without the constant throwing of assignments in my face and the room full of fellow designers to share process and end-products with, I am turning to the universe for feedback and critique. My hope is that this blog will soon contain all my latest projects and serve as a record of their lives, however meek or humble they may be. I will also post links that are personally inspiring as well as other miscellaneous thoughts/ramblings, like this one, for example (the first post is always the toughest!). If you want to know more about me, there are several ways to contact me. Pick one. ...or more! Hope to hear from you soon.