gez fry can draw. so can you.

just read an article about Gez Fry, a London native who really wanted to do japanese-style illustration. initially, he wanted to be a diplomat, but he changed his mind (i know what that's like, heh). so with no art background whatsoever, this guy locked himself in his room for 2 years and learned how to draw.. and draw super well. he gets a lot of jobs from the UK and the States, but he's determined to make it big in Japan, which is extra hard for foreigners. i have to admire this guy for his talent and his drive and his big dream.

here's the full article from pingmag:
http://pingmag.jp/2006/06/02/how-japanese-style-illustration-works/

guess what i ffffound

FFFFOUND!

this is such a magical place. it's nothing fancy or anything, but it's just a place where people tag images as their favorites (what they refer to as "image bookmarking"), and from those images, they are recommended similar images. it's a great place just to click around for hours and find something inspiring. you never know where you'll end up. unfortunately, this service is by invite only. *sad sad me*

but it's definitely worth looking at. i love it love it.

PC Case Mods

Since I'm currently in the (physical!) process of building my PC (the sexy, silent, stylish powerhouse that it is), I felt this post would be appropriate to match my nerdish fit of excitement.

I happened to come across an old article over Dark Roasted Blend about PC case mods. The article itself is really a giant photo gallery of some interesting mods, some I consider to be ingenious works of art, others which are downright trashy. There are also links to sources that show you the step-by-step process on how those mods were created, which I always find fascinating.


A metal box with cathode lights, grapefruit-sized exhaust fans, and tribal-patterned glass etchings does NOT make a good case mod!!! I find those types of case mods to be irritatingly annoying; they all seem so industrial and uncreative. It's like The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift in a box. Also, what the heck is up with aliens, skulls, and gothic towers? It's horribly cliched and flat out UGLY.

I like cases that show ingenuity, something that makes me go "Oh! Why didn't I think of that?", something where form meets function. Something simple, artistic, elegant, not outrageous for the sake of having a hulking, mechanical beast.


This mod shown above is actually pretty clever. The case itself is made from an IKEA trash can. I like it because it takes something that I commonly see everyday and transforms it into something unintended. Yes, there is a lot of wire tubing, and even a cathode, but the way this was constructed makes it seem clever and innovative. And it looks quite simple. Plus, the trash can itself is $4, so you can't go wrong with that!


No doubt some of you may have already seen the Victorian-era PC mod. I think it looks beautiful, and is truly a work of art and craftsmanship. The flowery/ivy etchings on the sides of the monitor look exquisite, and the adjustable railings look smart. Don't get me started about that webcam (or microphone?), although the mouse looks a bit painful. I like my mice ergonomic and comfortable, thank you very much.

What are some interesting case mods you've seen?

Inspiration!

Since our blog is all about creativity (more or less), this entry will be about its partner-in-crime, Inspiration.
Inspiredology's goal is to find and post about things that will hopefully inspire you to get out of that creative rut you sometimes find yourself in. There is a heavy emphasis on website design, as well as design in general. I find the entry on business card design to be very interesting, and it makes me want to redesign my own. I thought this was subtly cute:
And speaking of the source of this inspiration, here are some puppies and flowers for you, dear Shift-Click bloggers. ;)