I’m not lazy, just unmotivated (…and lazy)

For the past couple of weeks I’ve been lacking motivation and inspiration (probably not the best thing to admit on a blog that is potentially read by teacher and peers) and I have been struggling to make something creative. I’m pretty sure many creative people (artists, designers, etc) fall into this creative rut. However, I am slowly getting out of this rut and slowly becoming more motivated to design. The reason I’m getting out of this rut is that I’ve have been thinking back on the previous creative ruts I have been and what I have done to get my muse back (so to speak). So I have compiled a list of where I find inspiration when I’m feeling uncreative. And for the purpose of this blog, I will post 3 of those places I go to for inspiration.

DeviantArt: Pretty much my standard go-to page for inspiration. At first glance, it’s looks a site where emo kids and anime freaks go to post up their crappy artwork, poetry, and photos. However, once you wade through the crap, you will find many talented artists. This is the first place I go to when I need the inspiration to draw/sketch. I find a artist whose style I admire. Try to sketch in their style and incorporate some of their techniques into improving my style. Then I look at the artists that they are following and then repeat the sketching procedure.

Flickr: This is my go-to page when I need photographic inspiration.

Threadless: I used to go here to see what clever t-shirts I could buy. Now I go here to take a look at the designers. For example, I see a shirt design I think that is well designed and/or clever. I take a look at the profile of the person who designed it. Most of the time the shirt is created by a graphic designer who has a link to their portfolio on the profile. Click the link and see the other designs that he/she has showcased.

3 places that I go to for inspiration. Perhaps In later posts I’ll talk about the others places I go to for inspiration.

That’s one way to generate a Buzz*

“How can we get our name out to the public?”

“I know!! Let’s use disease carrying flying maggots!”

“Brilliant. Give yourself a raise.”

 ”To promote their exhibition stand at the Franfurt Book Fair, Eichborn the publisher with the fly prepared 200 flies with an ultra light banner. The banner was attached with natural wax. After a short time the banner dropped off by itself. And the flies were not harmed.”

Y’know, the things that love to land on s#!t and expel their gastric juices when they eat. Let’s use them to advertise.

So in summary, ew.

(* I would have also accepted That was Pretty Fly, Advertising That Would Bug Me, and It’s Gone Viral: Diphtheria as alternative titles)

F@#&ing Awesome!!

 

My Worst Critic Is Me.

It seems whenever I finish a design, drawing or piece of art I seem to dislike it almost immediately (usually a week or two after). For example, I already hate the design of my website (not including the slow loading times, that will be resolved soon). That goes with all my other recent work. It just seems I’m never satisfied with what I accomplish, which is both good and bad. On one hand, never having the complete satisfaction of making a design or piece of art that you consider great or even good. Constantly looking at each design, nitpicking at each part trying to make it better. Seeing every subtle mistake as a obvious error in your part, even though no one else notices it.

However, there are also advantages to never being satisfied with your work. Overall, it makes you a better designer, constantly trying to make yourself better by practicing, looking at ways to make your work and designs better. Seeing that in the future you will be better than you were before. Actually, I find people who are satisfied and think their work is perfect to be a bit odd. I’ve met people, who call themselves artists and designers, say things such as “This design I created is perfect. Nothing needs to be changed” or “Why do I need to practice poses? My drawing skill is good enough, it’s not like it can get better.” In a weird sort of way, I like being never satisfied with my work because I look forward to making the next piece of work better than the last.

Update on 58

Since people keep asking about the parking fiasco, I talked to sales and yes spot 60 is legally my spot. So they moved the person occupying my spot…. So, yeah… That’s that.

You know an odd feeling? Sitting on the toilet eating a chocolate candy bar

This summer, I took another trip to Japan. I have to say Japan is one of my favorite places to visit. The sprawling metropolis of Tokyo, the numerous temples, shrines, and castles of Kyoto. The beautiful scenery of Mt Koyasan. There are many things I miss about the Japan. The fact that you can get around easily by train, the bakeries, the technology, the ramen shops (oh, go do I miss good ramen). However one of the things I really miss…

…are the Hi-Tech Japanese toilets. They are so well designed.

On my first day in Tokyo, I took the train from Narita airport to Shinjuku, from there I checked into my hotel. Seeing that I was a long flight I decided to go clean up and not be so smelly. Opening the bathroom door, I assumed that it was a standard bathroom (albeit a tad smaller) containing a sink, bathtub/shower, and toilet. I was wrong. As soon as I stepped into the bathroom. The cover of the toilet automatically opened as if it was saying “Hey friend, how are you doing? Would you like to sit on me?” So I obliged (I didn’t want to be rude or anything).

As soon as I sat on my new friend two things happened. 1. The seat was warm. Not the “someone used the toilet seat before me” warm, but the “the toilet has a preheated seat function so that no one sits on a cold seat” warm. 2. The toilet flushed a little bit of water. I later learned that it was getting rid of the cold water in the bidet (I’ll get to that later) and replacing it with warm water. I have to admit the preheated seat is surprising and yet pleasant surprise.

As I look to the left I noticed there was a control panel, it had a bunch of buttons (most of them were labelled in Japanese, and to be honest, I didn’t want to try my luck by randomly pressing buttons) However I did recognize one of the words on the control panel: Bidet.

Sidenote: I never understood how bidets could be useful. After you finish your “client meeting” and use the bidet, you pretty much end up with a soaking wet behind. Oh but you can say “Well, that’s what the toilet paper is for”. Because you know how well toilet paper works on wet surfaces. You pretty much end up with a wet behind with particles of TP mixed in there.

So afterwards I tested out the bidet by putting one foot on the toilet seat (apparently my toilet’s bidet functions only work if there is weight). You can control what area on your backside you want the water to be sprayed, the temperature of the water, and how much water pressure you want. The water pressure ranges from a “gentile trickle” to “OH MY GOD, the water just sprayed all over the bathroom wall”.

After that I stopped playing with the toilet.

And that’s my story about me sitting on the toilet

For more information you can  go to TotoToilets.net

Sometimes I fall asleep at night with my clothes on. I’m going to have all my clothes made out of blankets.

Nice! My new pixel socks finally came in the mail courtesy of R Stevens of Diesel Sweeties fame. Being someone who loved the 8-bit era of game, how could I pass these up? (plus, they were on sale at the time. Score!) Definitely worth the purchase. Even though these socks are cool and definitely worth it, I am reminded that there was something I thought was cool but thought it was not worth the purchase.

Case in Point: The Lippi Selk Bag

Basically, it’s a sleeping bag you wear. It’s a clever design and for a while I definitely wanted one. It appeared to be more comfortable than a regular sleeping bag. All the instances I have used a regular sleeping bag, I felt trapped and my mobility restricted. It’s definitely a problem when you want to turn over. And what happens when a bear decides to pop into the campsite? With the Selk Bag you have a fighting chance of escape. In the regular sleeping bag you look like a ready-to-serve human burrito.

However, the Selk Bag does have it’s drawbacks. Starting price for one of these bags is over $200 (US). Also using the latrine is no easier when compared to the sleeping bag. According to the FAQ, there is no fly for easy bathroom access. You have to unzip pulled down the entire unit (boooo). Pfft! Where’s the fun in that?   You’d expect it to have a front fly and a back flap for easy access. Uh, actually, it’s probably for the best that there isn’t a back flap. You wouldn’t want a “Deliverance” sort of encounter.

Even though the Selk Bag is pretty cool, I’m going to have to take a pass on this purchase. Especially considering I haven’t gone camping in over 4 years, what would be the point?

ARE YOU @#$%@! KIDDING?

So, as I drive into the underground garage of my condo, I noticed that my parking space was occupied. Normally, I would assume it was some visitor who is just parking there momentarily. However, In my space there was a Jeep Liberty and a Motorcycle. They seem to be here for the long-term. So I assumed they were new tenants and they just parked in the wrong spot. So calmly I go the office on the first floor to resolve this matter.

Office Lady: “Hi there, how can I help you?”

Me: “Yeah, there’s a Jeep and a motorcycle parked in my spot”

OL: “What number is your parking space?”

Me: “60″

OL: “Oh you mean the people that moved in today. No that’s their spot. They paid for it”

Me: “WHAT!? No they did not because I paid for it first. Two. Years. Ago!”

OL: “No, no it’s theirs”

Me: “So you’re telling me the spot that I picked (I remember picking it because that was the parking spot I specifically wanted) paid for and parked in for two years is no longer mine?”

OL: “Well, maybe you were wrong and parked in the wrong spot for two years” (said in a smug tone)

*Takes out parking map*

OL: “See according to this, your spot is #58″

Me: “Doesn’t sound right. *sigh* Fine I’ll go take a look at it”

*Go to the parking garage to see spot 58*

Me: (Maybe it wont be all that bad it’s only 2 spaces aw-)

*Get to spot 58*

Me: FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

*I go back to the office*

OL: “So how’s the spot?”

Me: “CCCCCCKKKKKKKKK! ARE YOU @#$%@! KIDDING?

OL: “It’s just a parking spot, I don’t see why you are so hosti-”

*silence*

OL: “Oh…”

Me: “Yeah…”

OL: “Well you are going to have to take it up with sales”

Me: “Where is he?”

OL: “He just left for the day. He’ll be back tomorrow”

Me: “@#$&%!”

OL: “…afternoon”

Me: “@$%&!”

This is why I don’t talk to Kyle

Two weekends ago I was at a friend’s house. It was her birthday so she was hosting a little get-together. Some might call it a “Kegger” but I digress. Anyways, as I walking around, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around and saw it was Kyle, a mutual friend of the birthday girl.

Kyle: “Rob! How’s it going? Man, I haven’t seen you in years. How have you been?”

Me: “Hey Kyle. I’m doing okay, I guess’”

Kyle: “Cool, cool. So what have you been up to?”

Me: “Actually, I decided to go back to school. Taking some graphic design courses.”

Kyle: “Awesome. It totally suits you. I remember you like to doodle and make wacky drawings and s#!t.”

Me: (Wacky drawings?)

Kyle: “My cousin is a designer too and he’s really good at it.”

Me: “Well that’s gr-“

Kyle: “He’ll be starting junior high next week.”

Me: “What?”

Kyle: “Yeah man, he’s really good with Photoshop and Powerpoint and has a Demon-Art page or something ”

Me: (Wait, Powerpoint?….. Demon-Art?)

Kyle: “He also does some webmaking. Do you do that stuff?”

Me: “Actually, I do (did he just say webmaking?)”

(I tell him about robothousedesigns.com, my new freelance site (*nudge nudge wink wink*), at which point he takes out his iPhone and looks at the page)

Kyle: “Cool, cool. Check out the page that my cousin made for me.”

(He proceeds to show me his Myspace page)

Me: “Uh… Wow…”

Kyle: “Awesome right? I even got him to make my new business cards”

(Hands me one of his cards)

Me: “Comic Sans font?”

Kyle: “Comic Sans font?”

Me: “You know, the type. How the typie words look (yes, I said typie)”

Kyle: “Ohhh that. I like how curvy it looks”

(Awkward pause)

Kyle: “Anywho, I’m going to get a beer. If I don’t see you around, good luck with your drafting thing.”

Me: