Seasons' Wish

This is my favorite wish for the season, that we all revel in some indulgent joy.

Here's wishing you some Joy Sauce.

Frameable Rust

I have taken lots of pictures of great places, cute animals and family- most of them to record where I was, who I love- taken to capture a memory or mark my place-  but the real treasures are those beautiful things that appear when they are framed by the viewfinder and make themselves into a painting without any help at all.

The Unkindest Font (a designer's rant)

The perception of good design is that it is deceptively simple, so simple in fact, that most people question it's credibility and challenge its elemental process.

"Process,what process? It's just three squares, I could do that."

In other words there an awful lot of people out there who feel qualified to practice without an artist's license.

This is for all the people who: have a knack, have a good eye, know what they want when they see it, want it to match the couch, want to change that one color to purple instead of green and then it will be perfect...

This is a rant that is as old as our profession and yet, still has the power to strike me dumb and curse the anathema that is desktop publishing.

The perfect logo in this business is the holy grail, and as rare as the perfect poem sprung word for word in one sitting, whole and unedited, pure in prose and emotion, each word measured and spot-on with no extras, clean, direct, and evocative, no more- no less-

So, when a client called recently with the problem of not being able to open and rearrange a few things in her final identity assets files, so that she could "lay out a new business card and flyer" I was a little upset.

I was able to maintain an outward calm and asked if she would send me her attempts so far-

I wasn't surprised at the Frankenstein document that was intended for the printer, but I admit to a total meltdown at her suggestion to the printer that they use COMIC SANS, instead of the subtle and elegant Garamond for her business card and  flyer.

"Do you want this to look like a ransom note?"

"Do you realize that there are even tee shirts that advocate the destruction of that ridiculously cheesy font?"

"Do you want your logo to be followed by a punch line?"

"It IS called COMIC sans"

To my client's credit, she did not hang up on me and admitted that Comic Sans was the only typeface on her computer that was the right size and weight.

In the end, she got ten minutes of free design work and I got the logo in it's original form- without the punch line.

Actually the punch line came later, in a follow up call-

as I said in my sternest, most professional voice "Please don't try this at home"

More Circus Obsession

Well, I just could not leave it alone, I printed out my postcards and they looked so plain, I designed a back so they are more like trading cards now- but I am happy- I have covered every square inch and there is no turning back-

for BMC

Congratulations and thank you, BMC, for your voice, your courage and your frank discussion in defense of us all.

The last postcard

Well, here's the last one, I wanted a group shot so that all the bodies would show-

I still have three characters to make, but if I waited until I was through with the entire group, I'd never be able to keep up my nerve to send my proposal to Mr. Waits-

Next is the storyboard scrapbook and then it will be ready to send-

Postcards from the Circus

Here's the latest on the 'Circus' project... four out of the set of five character postcards.

This is is as close as I get to running away.

An actual pattern posting ...

I'm trying to love up to my blog name - so I thought I'd actually post a pattern. This is one from a few years ago. It's a tribute to my obsessive compulsive side- it's done in ball point pen.

The Feather wins

For all of you who were wondering, the quill pen is a winner.

There is just something about Roosters

Well, it's been awhile- but we've been busy here at PGDG- 

It's vacation time, so everybody wears a lot of hats and since some fit better than others,  I have been struggling a bit and staying busy. 

So, I thought I'd just post this rooster art that I did after we returned from Key West, a couple of months ago. Key West is covered with roosters and this one was so accommodating, I must have taken six pictures, before he strutted off, but not before giving me his best side and his trademark one-foot stance. 

When in doubt go for the archives-

Evil Taxman

Thought I'd share the latest character from the graphic novel, I really enjoyed casting this one- My veterinarian graciously allowed me to shoot some reference shots while he was doing his annual family house call-

I was stumped on the character until I had to take one of the cats in to the clinic- I had the "aha" moment then, but it took awhile for me to gather up the courage to ask him to do it-

He was perfect- and not the least bit evil-

What do you guys think? Does he need a feather quill pen under that top thumb to break up the white space, or should I leave it as is?

www.pgdg.com

Handsome Grampa

I've been serious and arty- now it's time to show my true self- this is as goofy as it gets- pretty much like me. This was inpired by my great niece, who after playing with her grampa ( you know the game, push on the nose the tongue comes out, pull an ear and the tongue moves from side to side) she said, "He's like a game!" 

Any similarities to Alfred E. Newman are entirely unintentional.

www.pgdg.com

To and From

Thanks, everybody for your comments- Please stay tuned and come back soon-

So, everyday, I drive through the parking lot behind the Kroger store and strip center and admire the texture on the concrete retaining wall.

Last week I finally made myself stop the car and take some shots of the wall for my pattern archive, yes, the same one where my turtle shell resides- 

I loved the results and was so proud of myself for seizing the moment-

I'm working on one chapter in 

a book of six for a graphic novel- So, on my drive home I'm usually at least partially occupied with what's next in that project, or the remnants of my last file from work-

The reward came when I scanned in the latest splash page for the graphic novel, that was done in black and white. I wanted to add some texture and give it some more interest- AhHah- I wonder how that concrete texture will work with that?

www.pgdg.com

Treasure from the Back Ten

Yesterday, there was a turtle shell soaking in the kitchen sink.

Today it's new art for the pattern folder- ready to become a part of something else or, like most things a seed that will eventually be 

perfect for something- 

Or just beautiful as it is-

www.pgdg.com