Apriltara
Design That Works!Archive for economy
Great Gulfcoast Art Festival!!
I really don’t know MUCH about this festival, however I have always wanted to go! Here is a link for more info.
Also there is an awesome Poster contest, all submisssions due by July 17th!! ($1000 prize money, recognition, prints, etc.)
Came across this today…makes ya think!
Inspiration to Advertise
One quick link to a great woman’s journey into the unknown…
One great artist!
If you are at all interested in advertising yourself in a freelance sense…please visit this link! Very informative! Enjoy
oh the simplicity of the e-file…
I FINALLY filed my taxes on line….and THANK GOD I am getting a refund and not having to pay!! It’s absolutely horrible when you find out that you OWE instead of the obvious opposite of GAINING. Anyways, this year I e-filed instead of letting my mom handle it. She does it old school, meaning she doesn’t pay anyone to do what she can do for herself. She has to be one of the few and far between who fill out the forms manually, reading all of the minute details and figuring it all up with a calculator. She even showed me how once (I don’t think I was listening).
On a whole other note, kinda. I am trying really hard to get some freelance by signing up for every known freelance/art portal known to man! This takes alot of time and effort. I really don’t understand why we can’t have a standard size for page headers, avatars etc. I have so many 48×48 or 25×25 or whatevers it’s ridiculous! I am in the middle of redesigning some of the product imagery for etsy, in order to create a more noticeable and readable presence. If you have ever gone on etsy, it is basically a mirage of images and unless yours is definable and clear, there will probably be a lack of response.
- The original image
So as you can see, I basically went from a somewhat detailed and informative stance to short and to the point. Which when a customer is bombarded with pics, why not present yourself in the most clear fashion (hence road signs!). Within the interface, however you can provide more detailed information and points of interest, as well as, sample imagery. I really don’t KNOW how this will work out, but I love etsy and plan on using it for my artwork as well…so hopefully something will come of it. You never know until you try!
I am also giving considerably discounted prices on all of my work to start. I think in this economic climate it is not only wise, but helpful to those who need this stuff to survive! If I were a new business owner I would appreciate this sort of thing. I am also catering to other artists/crafters, which you other designers could probably already tell just by the style I am projecting. I have a real passion for arts and crafts and have always noticed how the crafting industry markets themselves. I like to collect advertising materials (aka business cards, postcards etc.) from art shows, festivals, markets. If I see someone (a small business owner) who needs help with this and could represent themselves better, I WANT to help! I have a passion for it I guess…
If any of you have any information on other sites with which I could advertise…PLEASE SHARE!! I would really really appreciate it! If I learn of something I will definitely return the favor!
A
There Will Be Times…
“There will be times when the will of God will not be abundantly clear to us. During those occasions we are expected to retain our faith and ‘wait on the Lord’ —Learn as you go along what pleases the Lord. Ephesians 5:10″
On August 21, 1997 my mom gave me this quote from a desktop calendar along with a note…
” When God closes one door, he will open another. It is your responsibility to find that door, open it and go forward with your life. You have a very special talent in your ability to draw and I want you to find a way to use your talent in life. You may not get to use it right away but you can set some goals to reach in that direction…..Dream and plan things you want to do or buy… Then work to accomplish your goals. Save some money to go back to school for art. Try again! … There are still lots of options—DON’T GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS JUST FIND THE RIGHT DOOR TO OPEN!”
She gave me this note because I had just dropped out of the University of Montevallo because my grades weren’t high enough to keep my scholarship. I was devastated!! Still, I kept this note and now I have it hung in my office at work. I am working as a professional graphic designer at the Logo Loft. (see www.thelogoloft.com) Most days I don’t look at my job as anything all that great or worth being grateful for…I do however thank god every day that I have a job. (especially these days!) Throughout my life I have had alot of ups and downs….I have even gotten to the point of being homeless, jobless, and transportation-less… but somehow and some way I end up surviving it all. Some opportunity always comes along eventually to change things. I have had many different jobs as a designer…. 5 total..1 as an art teacher…. I would leave one job to move to something that paid just a tiny bit more or was a little more creative. In the end, I have found that no matter what….life (and jobs) are what you make it. A job can REALLY suck if you dwell on every tiny bad (unperfect) detail. And then you take that same job and someone else will LOVE it. It’s all in how you see it.
Right now I am pretty concerned about the company I am working for. I worry that someone (maybe me…or a friend) will be let go because there is no work for them to do. I worry that the “family” I now work with will be broken up and be forced to go separate ways. I worry that whoever it may be that they might not have my courage or experience with these sorts of down falls, in order that they can survive… HOPEFULLY, I am am worrying needlessly and this will all blow over.
Until then, I am looking for freelance work in any shape or form. Today I spent time working on setting up a website, an account with elance.com, and this blog. Tomorrow I will probably work on it a little more. With each step I am trying to become independent of others for work and eventually I hope to be a complete sole proprietorship. No matter what though, I will always have my mothers wisdom and my 10+ year old note….”Learn as you go what please the Lord” ”DON’T GIVE UP!”
here are a few logos that I will have in my online portfolio….
Here are a selection of illustrations that may go into my portfolio...
April
