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Post by Creativity on Mar 18, 2009 18:29:24 GMT -5
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Post by Creativity on Mar 18, 2009 18:32:13 GMT -5
Welcome to the first issue of 'Pages from Creativity'. Firstly, general business. Since our first issue Varia Studios has undergone a lot. It WAS created after all, wasn't it? Since then a lot has happened. Several major updates including patch 1.1.1, with 1.1.2 being released with this issue of The Pages. We've had members come and go, enjoy themselves and laugh with us, argue with us and cry with us. We made 5,000 posts very quickly which is an achievement to be noted. We look forward to the continuing development of Varia Studios for a long time coming (essentially forever)In this issue we have a few interviews, media discussion, reviews on various types of art work, and even resources. When setting this up, we had no intentions of it being such a success. We are glad that it was so taken up, it makes us proud and a little big-headed with this success. However, it wasn't us who made it successful, it was everyone who has contributed, everyone who wrote, everyone who reads this issue that makes it a success. There are some really good highlights in this issue, being our first one - obviously that's a massive highlight. We survived issue 1, intact and stronger. We have some innovative articles, including two high quality interviews with some of the leading artists in the digital world, we hope to extend this further into more additions to come. Remember, we are always looking for more expressions of interest for writing with us. We hope that you will consider it. And with that said, enjoy the read. |
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Post by Creativity on Mar 18, 2009 18:52:34 GMT -5
Welcome to the first article of the Latest Design Trends. In each article I will examine a different area of trending and give comments on them along with my opinions. The point of this article is to inform you of the current trend, discuss it, and identify possible future trends. This week is about signatures. Ok, firstly I want to discuss pros and semi-pros. There doesn't seem to be any trend at all with semi/pro designers, everyone seems to be doing their own thing spare the fact that digital painting seems to be a little prominent in the professional league. Other than that, there's no real trend going right now. Some designers lean toward digital painting and museum-looking artwork (old-style painting) as mentioned, some go for orbs and C4D effects, while a few go for smudging styles. Each person has their own style and they seem to stick to it very strictly, to the point their art work almost becomes boring and repetitive. Now as for moderate designers, they seem to be trending toward the smudge & C4D whore style, I'm seeing it more and more everywhere. They're smudging tags in a variety of ways, and slapping C4Ds over the canvas under various filters, probably as a result from various PSD resource packs released by inter+ designers recently. This style is more or less all you see on the moderate and novice side of things, and rarely am I seeing it pulled off effectively. Here I've listed some moderate/novice tags, ones I didn't even need to look far for, as everyone seems to be going with this style:       What's my take on this style? I personally dislike the smudging style, I believe it takes an extremely experienced designer to pull it off, and even then, sometimes, they fail. As for C4D whoring, I feel it's a very effective way to learn, and probably one of the most appealing styles right now, with the highest capacity in general. C4D tags look good whether you're moderate or semi-pro, just on different levels quality - They get better as you grow as a designer, unlike smudging, which either sucks, or is amazing. As for future trends, I don't see the moderate scene changing any time soon, in fact, I see there being many more heavy C4D pieces, where the C4D render is the main focus, and I imagine smudging will die down, as it has already. I'm not here to give too much advice, I'm simply here to state the trends and give my opinions on them. I will however, leave you all with this:I feel going with the C4D style of tag making is a very effective way of learning for many reasons, for one, there's plenty of C4D resources out there, for two, they serve as somewhat of a crutch for learning how to effectively use lighting and depth effects, since they're pre-made with perfect lighting. And lastly, there are many PSD resources out there using C4Ds effectively, these resources make it a lot easier to pass the huge wall there seems to be between moderate and intermediate designers. That is just my take on things, as well as my reviews on the latest trends, and leaving advice. Hope you enjoyed this article. -Sunjo |
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Post by Creativity on Mar 18, 2009 18:53:09 GMT -5
Ok, so writing this article will be inspiration for what the best music, in my opinion, is to listen to while designing any piece. It's good for what will get you working hard, concentrating effectively while still allowing you to dance in your chair in between using the burn and smudge tools! Ok, well, my personal preference is something with a decent baseline. Especially when heard on a 5.1 surround system with the sub - woofer sitting under the computer desk. Living in the middle of nowhere, I have the advantage of turning the music up loud with no one around to complain. My spine tingles at the mere thought of a baseline. Most people will also enjoy the baseline the most, giving the song rhythm with the treble being some pretty cool little flicks in the music. As a result, I'm going to recommend anything that is trance/techno or with some element of 'urban' in it. Urban used loosely, as it's not street rap, but relying more on synthesizers and a nice beat to carry it through. Looking at my playlist, I listen to a lot of alternative rock while designing as well. Some recommendations into alternative rock would be nearly anything by MGMT, however, especially Electric Feel, Kids and Time to Pretend. All these songs have amazing base lines, nice treble to just zone out and listen to, Time to Pretend in particular sparks the imagination and gets you thinking. These songs are fast paced, making you work harder - concentrating more effectively. Glancing back at my playlist, something soothing. To keep the stress at bay and to just play with the smudge and burn tools. Don't Panic by Coldplay, an old one I know - but brilliant none the less. What I do not recommend is anything that is heavy metal. AKA, Slipknot, Nine Inch Nails, Death Cab, KoRn, etc, etc. These songs generally give poor performance as you are too worried about killing yourself than what is happening on the screen. |
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Post by Creativity on Mar 18, 2009 18:54:42 GMT -5
 Reverberate by Kevotu was featured as a Daily Deviation. Yet, while at first this piece is amazing, and I don't want people to assume that it shouldn't have been featured, cause it's an amazing design piece, this piece could be improved somewhat dramatically to really get that perfect look. The C4D behind all those bright crazy lines is one that is worth mentioning. The design of it is absolutely perfect and well fitting, this is fine work. However, what really ruins this piece in my view is the focal. The focal should always be the one part that is complete, awsome and incredibly amazing. While this piece does have an amazing focal, it's not complete nor is it awsome. There are segments of this focal that have really over sharpened lines running through it. The majority of the line work is fine, especially noting the part that runs up the left hand 'leg/arm' extending outward. However, the lines going along the upwards 'leg/arm' really ruin this focal point for me. To be honest, what is the biggest killer about this piece is the upwards 'arm/leg'. It ruins the flow completely, not even being slightly curved like the left arm, this one is wavy and all over the place. It has lines randomly coming out the side of it, unlike the well executed lines on the left arm, this one looks unintentional and really awkward. Also to note, the left arm stays nice and sharp, the upwards arm is out of focus, and translucent, creating an imbalance within the piece. One thing that surprises me so much about this piece is that it is meant to have amazing depth, yet, while there is depth - it's limited only to the focal with the outwards arms having no effect, maybe a negative one - on the piece. The arms remain a constant size the whole way, as they get closer and closer to us, making our eyes/brain depth perception crap it's pants and say it can't be happening. If these were scaled so they were increasing in size as they drew closer, this piece would be stunning. While this piece does have it's flaws, it is still an amazing piece of designing. It was worth the Daily Deviation that it obtained, it has intense brilliantly constructed colours, a nice clear focal point with some nice line work. |
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Post by Creativity on Mar 18, 2009 18:56:42 GMT -5
Creating Metal 3D text - 23 Steps  One would think that making high quality 3D objects can only be made in 3D programs like C4D or Terragen. However, this tutorial will show you how to create high quality metal 3D text all in Photoshop. Basic understanding of Photoshop tools might be needed but this is a fairly beginner friendly tutorial. Source file is provided if one is a Plus+ member on the site (Unfortunately, this requires money) . End Result - Visit Tutorial
Creating a 3D Box Logo - 7 Steps  Again, making another 3D object in Photoshop. However, this time, you're making a glossy cube-like logo. Results are stunning and it'll will give you a great overview of dealing with perspectives and lighting.The tutorial isn't super detailed so make sure you have a general knowledge of Photoshop before you attempt. Visit Tutorial
Pen Tool Exercise - Amount of Steps will vary  Too afraid to touch the pen tool? One shouldn't be because the pen tool is one of the most useful tools, if not the most. Well if you are struggling with this tool please take a look at this tutorial because it's not just very detailed but it has an amazing resource to go with it so make sure you download it. Great for beginners! Visit Tutorial
Creating a Business Layout - Around 10-15 steps; will vary  A design like this might look overly complicated but it's actually no more than a bunch of steps using the gradient and shape tool. This tutorial on a professional web design, will give one the overview in the process of web designing. Source file is included and is recommended. Visit Tutorial
3D Renders + Sexy Lady -18 steps  Combine 3D renders with a sexy lady to create an action packed piece of art. In this tutorial, you'll learn how to blend images and create depth. One must at least have a decent knowledge on all of Photoshop tools before attempting this tutorial or else you'll be sure to get lost. Stocks and source file is included so remember to download it! Visit Tutorial
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Post by Creativity on Mar 18, 2009 18:57:19 GMT -5
I really love this technique, which got beautiful pieces of work. I'm pretty sure you guys will like it also.
This is an experimental film made up of over 35,000 photographs.
It combines an innovative mix of stop motion and live projection mapping techniques. |
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Post by Creativity on Mar 18, 2009 18:58:08 GMT -5
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Post by Creativity on Mar 18, 2009 19:02:49 GMT -5
Alright folks, we asked for an interview with a very popular web designer for our first Pages from Creativity issue. He's a very talented graphic designer, and was truly before his time in Interface web design. We are interviewing none other than Jimmy Björkman aka Cosmo, we've asked him an array of questions so sit back and enjoy the read.  How did you get started with design?Well, it all started when I was 14 years old, when I got my first computer. I played a lot of games back then, mostly Call of Duty. When I decided to join a team we all wanted a website to introduce who we where, and I’ve always been into art of all kind. So I decided to give it a try. What songs do you listen to while designing?To be honest, I do not listen to music when I’m designing. I like to focus on what I’m doing and not something else... How long does each template take you on average?6 to 8 hours when it’s highly detailed. Favorite color?Blue Other than design, what other things do you like doing?Be with friends, go snowboarding/ skateboarding, gym. Are there any particular goals you'd like to achieve next?Grow as a person, learn to a better lifestyle I guess Favorite Sport?Skateboard What do you think about the global economic crisis?I think it sucks... but bad stuff often happens, but this time not much I can do about it. Who is more attractive? Jessica Alba or Rhianna (the singer)?Rihanna If you had any super powers what would they be?Invisible ofcourse  Is the glass half empty or half full?half empty Well that's it for the interview, any last words or advice before we sign off?Keep focus on what to do, then do it. Kind Regards, Jimmy Björkman |
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Post by Creativity on Mar 18, 2009 19:03:48 GMT -5
Here we are interviewing Kire, we've asked him to introduce himself, and along the way we've included thumbnail links of his work. 1) Welcome to VS` Please introduce yourself, give us a brief bio, tell us where you're from, and how you got started in the field.Hi, my name is Erik Schumacher, also known as "Kire" in some places. I'm coming from Germany and I'm currently reading Physics at the university of my hometown. In my bare freetime I love to work with Photoshop or just discuss with other creatives about art. I first got in touch with the field of digital graphic design when I did an internship at a German company for Webdesign. A few years passed until I discovered Photoshop again. I registered in a gamer forum and saw all those nice signatures the other users had and of course I was dying to know how they made them and wanted to create them myself. That was in summer 2005.   2) Since you are very experienced in the field of painting, and 3D renders, what advice would you give to someone who is just starting to create these types of style?First of all I'm not very experienced in either media, neither painting, nor 3D. However, from what I have learned about digital painting so far, I can say patience is a must. Don't expect to be successful within a few hours, in fact it takes several years to actually learn how to draw. In case you don't have a great talent for drawing in general, there's no reason to be discouraged, it is possible to learn it! But you have to work even harder then. I can only suggest "learning by doing", that's the best way to improve.  3) The majority of your designs incorporate photo manipulations, terragen renders, and some 3D art, what exactly draws you to those specific styles?On the one hand the reason why I often incorporate photo manipulations is the possibility to add as many details as possible as long as you can find the right stocks. On the other hand I often work with photo manipulations just because it is the easiest way for me to achieve a certain effect. I'm familar with this style since 2005, so I had the chance to gain a lot of experience. I'm still not good enough at digital painting to draw things myself. Sometimes I use 3D-Renders for my landscapes because some themes cannot be build by stocks. It's pretty hard to create a convincing futuristic landscape without any 3D-renders or painted elements.   4) You use a lot of photomanipulations in your artwork. What extra element do you think they bring to your art?Everything is possible with photo manipulations, realism, surrealism, abstract art, there are no rules or borderlines. You can mix several styles if you feel like it. I personally often like to work with a combination of realism and surrealism. I love to create photo realistic scenes which you won't ever see in reality. I find it fascinating to create images whose subjects don't exist, but the image itself makes the viewer believe it does.   5) In terms of designing, where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?I don't see myself going for a career in digital graphic design. It's a great hobby, however, for me hobbies lose their fascination if they become too engaging. I've had a few bigger freelance commissions in the past and my conclusion is that I don't like to work for clients and their deadlines. I cannot create art all the time but only when I have the inspiration I need. I rather create art for myself. I just hope to make my master's degree in Physics and get into the field of scientific research, ha.  6) Thanks again for providing Varia Studios with this opportunity at interviewing you, any final thoughts?Oh, thank you for making me feel like a star. Of course you're welcome, it was really fun. I hope to hear more about Varia Studios in the future!    Kire's deviantART` kire1987.deviantart.com/ |
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Post by Creativity on Mar 18, 2009 19:05:28 GMT -5
Woe Is Ye, Apple Apple began as a small company inside of Steve Jobs' garage in California, producing the Apple I and II, but soon moved on to bigger things (as if they weren't big enough). In 1984, they introduced Macintosh, which hailed their claim to eternal fame. They continued down what we now know as the path of Apple with a huge falling in the 1990s, but with the return of Steve (Jobs) in 1997 they turned their failures around into major successes. Their seemingly minuscule market share now is in contrast with what it was in the mid 80s, but it is now on the rise. With the introduction of the iPod, iMac, iPhone, and any other iProducts they can think of, Apple can go anywhere but down. Or can they?
A major component to Apple's success is its intense cult following, all of which are proud to be a part of. If you ask any true Apple follower, they will tell you they purchase a product just because it is from Apple. Regardless of what it is, they want it. Apple TV? Want it. iPhone? Want it. Mac Pro? Want it. It could be an iRefrigerator for all they care, the answer will always be centered around the "want" factor. Which Apple touts upon all of its products. How can so many people be so fixated on just a company? The answer is simple, Apple wasn't just a company thirty years ago. It was a movement. They were the cultural revolution, one that was sticking it to the man, and the man was IBM. Every adult or teenager who ever got it from the man, was now on Apple's side for life.
What would you do if you had a cult following? Apple's answer came quickly in the years to come, and that was to test their allegiance. With Steve Jobs gone, Apple became just another computer company coming out with faster computers, but not better in anyway compared to the PC realm. Windows quickly surpassed the Mac OS market share, and many left Apple. But what of the ones who were left? They stayed proudly, assuring themselves one day Apple would make a comeback.
Indeed it did, this time with the second coming of Steve Jobs. Of course they were paid back for their loyalty with an assortment of new products: the iMac in 1998, Mac OS X (a well needed reboot for the Mac OS) in 2001 as well as the iPod of the same year. Tons of others were soon to follow (MacBooks, Mac Pros, and iPhones, oh my!), but the revolutionary thoughts of past were gone. This new Apple was a newer, stingier Apple. It causes one to think of what Steve Jobs learned in exile. It may be saving the company, but what of the culture behind the icon? Now, all that Apple has behind its back is some of the leftovers of the 80s and 90s as well as the kids that are tagging along because iPods are the current hip product.
A cult following of teens and leftovers isn't quite the culture of trouble makers, misfits, and rebels that the 1997 Think Different advertisement presented, or at least that's not how I remember it. I remember when people who thought different differed from the status quo, not contribute to it. I remember of when sticking it to the man involved actually sticking it to the man, not being on his side. I thought we were a part of a revolution, Apple. Or was I mistaken, and we should just keep hitting the refresh button on our products every year or so? Just worry about the money, the revolution will take care of itself... See, I thought it was the other way around . . . At least that's how I remember it.
What is Apple without its cult following, but a company? And what is a company? A company is just another company. Woe is ye, Apple... Woe is ye. . .
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Post by Creativity on Mar 18, 2009 19:06:08 GMT -5
The Triptune
Comprising of a duet, the vocalist Alice Glass and multi-instrumentalist Ethan Kath, Crystal Castles debuted their first studio album a year ago as of 18.March.2009, and it has received mixed reviews. I promise you though, I only have two thoughts while I am listening to this music: 1. "Am I stoned?" and 2. "This is the best music I've heard to come from a label in the past few years," because it is made up of the stuff that you would never believe could make an unbelievable album. Lyrics of a stoned woman, what sounds to be like a Gameboy on crack, and a synthesizer that just dropped acid: this is what Crystal Castles has to offer.
Even pronouncing the name aloud in one's cranium invokes the music you will experience as you trip through the world of Crystal Castles, and all of its many rabbit holes and other realms. They are labeled as a Canadian electronic band, but I believe this label is under a misconception. It may be made under the same rules, but it is an entirely different genre: the genre of triptune. A term I coined myself as I listened to it, it seemed reminiscent of the chiptune world but had this uncanny feeling about it. The feeling that one might be tripping on something that was a mixture of an assortment of drugs, while still feeling as if you're oompa loompaing around Goombas and Koopas. This feeling is the most mellow form of chaos known to the music universe. This is the trip tune.
I give Crystal Castle's self titled album 10/10 crystal castles.
Dancing an Insane Waltz
Just recently released and winner of several awards, Waltz with Bashir was a moving film. Employing several techniques to get his point across, Avi Folman used his own experience and those of others to recreate the 1982 Lebanon War. Entirely animated in a seemingly flash-based manner, this film is a beautiful one. Regardless of how wonderful and capable on its own the story is, the animation and soundtrack is on an entirely different level altogether. Intense battles, epic landscapes, hearing shratnel reverberate off of tanks, and so much more make up one of the most beautiful animations of this year.
One thing to definitely complain about, the story was lacking in many places, all of which if included could ruin the story for one yet to have seen it. I hope this doesn't cause reluctance in wanting to see it though, as I said before the animation and sound production make up for everything it lacks in.
I give Waltz with Bashir 7/10 bomb shells.
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Post by Creativity on Mar 18, 2009 19:06:52 GMT -5
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Post by Creativity on Mar 20, 2009 17:34:37 GMT -5
Well that ties it up for the first issue of Pages from Creativity, we hope you enjoyed all of the articles, whether you read them all, or just this one here. We will try to keep the magazine going as a fortnightly or monthly thing, with more articles per magazine as time goes by. I can't end the article here, can I? So here's a bit of info on updates upcoming into the world of Varia Studios. -Affiliation-Points-User Shops-VS Blog-Custom Profile-SotWAnd of course, the next issue of Pages from Creativity, as well as other things, the staff board is filled with lists of things we're working on.. I guess everything is kinda coming at once. So look forward to it, and keep watching. So long, and thanks for all the fish. |
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