Simple. Golden.

I'm a huge fan of simplistic design/minimalism. It's actually more difficult to design something with only a few elements and get the point across. Anyone can throw shit all over the page and have someone get it. I've always lived by the motto, "You can't follow your work and explain it. It has to explain itself." Makes sense. So many times have I dealt with cocky designers that think they came up with the most brilliant design but no one got it until they talked about their ridiculous concept. UGH.

That being said, these posters by Exergian are amazing. They get the point across quickly, effectively, and cleverly.

By the way, in love with House.

Don't know what it is, but genuine guys that can be assholes at times are such a turn on.

Yummy.

Insomnia.

On a different, less disgusting note, I had insomnia last night. My brain (and stomach aches for that matter) decided that sleep was the last thing on my list. It's amazing the things you come up with at the most unexpected moments. Came up with another tattoo! I'm thinking I might get it this summer in Poland since it's more of a heritage piece.

Let me explain.

There is a form of traditional Polish art called Wycinanki. It's actually an amazing form of paper cutting. I remember walking through the main square in Krakow and watching artists on the street just doing silhouettes for people and they managed to get a perfect silhouette in under 5 minutes. Some of the designs are simplistic, but most are so intricate and complicated it's hard to believe it's just paper and scissors.

I'd probably find an original design off the street and go from there, I'm not even going to try to make my own, it'll be hopeless! I'm thinking either the top of my foot to ankle or back. Either way, it'll be the little piece of home that I'm looking for...

I also watched my all time favorite movie last night—High Fidelity.

It never gets old, and it's always hilarious.

Mainly because the music in it is fantastic.

I've never read the book...probably should...but I think it might kill the movie for me.

Mmmm. The Beta Band.

It's not the most insightful movie, but it does make you think. I look back on past relationships, past mistakes, life choices, and think what could have been.

I never regret anything I've done because it's made me what I am today. I made lots of mistakes. Holy shit a lot. But I don't regret a single one.

"What came first, the music or the misery? People worry about kids playing with guns, or watching violent videos, that some sort of culture of violence will take them over. Nobody worries about kids listening to thousands, literally thousands of songs about heartbreak, rejection, pain, misery and loss. Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music? "

You want insightful? Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Donnie Darko. Vanilla Sky. Memento. Fight Club. I can't sleep for hours after watching these movies but I always want more. Some days I want to live in that fucked up sense of reality just to experience something different. I'd compare it to being bumped by a stranger and getting that chill down your whole body. You don't know why you like it, but it makes you feel good. After all, it was just a bump.

It just takes one touch, one whisper, one moan. I do everything I do to find that chill. Whether it be in design, my career, relationships, anything.

I will always strive to be better and I know I'm on the right track when the chill overwhelms me.

Dream jobs:

Magazine Layout Designer

Club Design and Promotions (working in all aspects)

Graphic Designer for something music related

If I was to move....

1. Chicago

2. San Francisco

3. Nashville

4. Milan, Italy

I love Italy. The food, the people, the culture. It's amazing. Now, please, true Italian women are nothing like what is portrayed on shows like Jersey Shore and all that. These are not New York Italians. True Italians are laid back, loving, caring people with a strong cultural heritage.

I love Tennessee too. The weather is perfect. You're still far enough south to have the warmth but far enough north to experience snow. Gatlinburg is amazing in the winter. Never been to Nashville, heard it's amazing. If Gibson called me today to be their designer I would leave in a moment.

Design can be disgusting...

What is it?

Believe it or not, it's a pantone chart of snail poop HAH! Manuel Jovin figured out that colored paper has an effect on the color of snail poop, so for some reason he thought it was a brilliant idea to make this Pantone chart to prove his point. Kind of gross, kind of cool, ewww. He later went on to make packaging out of snail poop to hold escargot...how fitting. I don't think I'd eat escargot held in snail poo...

I don't really like escargot anyway. I had it in Paris, it was really chewy.

Bad Design. Only because it's bad research.

Caution: If you're going to redesign something that is a cult cultural classic, make sure to do your homework. This is a student redesign for Żubrówka, which is a Polish vodka that has a piece of bison grass inside the bottle. The flavor is sweet and smooth, almost delicate in nature. This student made several HUGE mistakes.

Number one: spell the project right! Accents might not be big in American culture, but not using accents in Polish can completely change the meaning of a word.

Number two: Don't cover up the most unique part of the product! The grass is what makes this vodka distinct. You see this on a shelf, you wouldn't even know what the hell it is.

Number three: Don't bullshit. The student claimed the concept behind the design was that these unique bison in the woods of Poland leave these footprints so she wanted to use an imprint-like design. Just because this has something to do with bison don't mean that you have to include bison. The concept completely contradicts everything the vodka is about. Delicate, like the grass. There is no burn. And yet you use something harsh.

Very frustrating!

View the original post here.

It's important that when designing you are essentially an international designer. Read up people. It's like car companies. Take for example the Buick LaCrosse. Seems harmless. Too bad in French it translates to "Buick Jerking Off." Smart. Make sure you know your demographic before you sell them an insult!

More bad car names?

Ford Pinto—Ford Penis in Portuguese

Mazda LaPuta—Mazda Whore in Spanish

Toyota Fiera—In Puerto Rican, Toyota Ugly Old Woman

Rolls Royce Mist—Rolls Royce Pile of Shit in German

Seriously. Technically this isn't really the designers fault. Marketing. Design and marketing go hand in hand, but somewhere in there someone should have caught this!

I started a blog!

Aren't I special?

I don't really care if anyone reads anything I write...this is more for myself, a collection of thoughts that I can eventually look back on.

What will we find here?

Well, let's see. Mainly design-related inspiration.

Life-related inspiration.

The craziness that ensues through my life.

Random shit I find that I can't get enough of.

Goals, dreams, aspirations.

As I go on I'll post portfolio pieces as well for critique and just cause.

Life's more exciting when you show people your talent!

Feel free to comment. I take criticism like a champ so bring it on.

So we shall begin.

If you know me, you'll know 2008 was a shitty year. 2009 wasn't much better, so I'm determined to make 2010 my bitch. I have a list of shit I have to get done this year in order to progress forward. Here it is:

1. Graduate.

2. Move downtown after graduation.

3. Get the several tattoos that I have scoped out.

4. Visit home.

5. Learn how to drift.

6. Give my car the attention that it deserves.

7. Skydiving.

8. Get off my ass and ride the SV650. Maybe even get it transferred in my name.

9. Set my goals and fucking get after them.

10. Take any opportunity.

11. Get the nerve to figure out what the hell is wrong with my stomach.

12. Never slow down. Never settle.

I will add more as time go on...those are just preliminaries. As least the year has started off well!

I have a full busy schedule, which I have a love/hate relationship but I keep thinking that it'll pay off in the end. I get paid for a job I hate and I work for free at a job I love hah! I've tied loose ends, released people that dragged me down no matter how hard that was, and I finally feel good.

We all have to start somewhere.