Fireworks – Good, Bad, Ugly
December 3, 2007 
Ahhhhhh, Fireworks.
A meeting of softwares. In general, I find that this software is like a cocktail party of my other graphic tools.
“Hi, I’m Photoshop, I allow manipulation of pixel-based images.”
“Nice to meet you, Photoshop, I’m Illustrator, I love working with lines and type. I like to keep my work organic and scalable. I’m vector-based.”
“Hi, you guys. I’m Fireworks. I really like what you both do. In fact, I like your work so well, that I do all of it. I’m good with vector and pixel-based art. I can handle type. I can manipulate images. Heck, I can draw the sweetest logos, you ever did see!”
“Showoff!” cries Photoshop.
“Punk,” fumed Illustrator.
Then they all went to the kitchen to have a byte…. Get it? A byte.
Just kidding.
Fireworks has been really easy for me to pick up. Maybe too easy. I trip around the program fairly well but I need to really dig in a bit more to see the depth of it software.
So far, it’s been more good than ugly.
Mona Mouse (is that a smile?)
November 26, 2007 
In response to the Disney cartel’s hold on our copyright laws, I post this image. Let them sue me!
A Child’s Christmas In Wales
November 25, 2007 
I just finished baking four batches of Toll House Cookies and started running the water to clean up the dishes. The snow fell outside the kitchen window in the perfect dusk of that Christmas Eve. I’d spent the afternoon preparing for Christmas day. I baked and wrapped gifts. I drank coffee and wrapped gifts. I read the paper and wrapped gifts. But my spirit was easy and unhurried.I had the radio tuned to KUAC that afternoon and all the regular shows were featuring Holiday music. It was the voice I noticed first – a crisp, clear British voice – recorded years ago. I could hear the crackle and hiss of the old recording. Then the story … something about a young boy and special Christmas Eve. “I can never remember whether it snowed for six days and six nights when I was twelve or whether it snowed for twelve days and twelve nights when I was six.” The British voice was rhythmic and regal. One that surrounded me. I listened to the voice as water ran over my hands. I could see that little boy in Wales – many, many years ago – as Dylan Thomas read his famous piece, “A Child’s Christmas In Wales.” His voice filled my cabin. Completely. I don’t know how long the story lasted but it seemed like time had stopped. And just as quietly as it started, he finished the story. I look back at that afternoon as one of my favorite Christmas memories; the smell of cookies, the falling snow, the story of family, and the sound of his voice. As if he was saying to me, “Happy Christmas” from a long time ago.
Copyrights and CopyWRONGs
I can scan and change and print and sell images of the Mona Lisa without worry of being sued by anyone because the image of the Mona Lisa is in the public domain. Apparently, re-purposing iconic Mickey Mouse for any reason would land me in jail and/or cost me thousands if not millions of dollars.
For example, the copyright which subsists in relation to a Mickey Mouse cartoon prohibits unauthorized parties from distributing copies of the cartoon or creating derivative works which copy or mimic Disney’s particular anthropomorphic mouse, but does not prohibit the creation of artistic works about anthropomorphic mice in general, so long as they are sufficiently different to not be deemed imitative of the original.
Why is Mickey more valuable than Mona? I guess he just has the better lawyer.
Copyright in Business
As an graphic artist, I understand the need for copyright. I contract photographers, painters, and writers for their work before I can use any of it in my own finished work. I purchase the rights for a given length of time (one time use or a calendar year) or in the way I use it (brochure and a poster). Since these professionals make their living by creating these pieces, I have no issue with paying them the requisite fees and or adhering to their limits of use.
Public Domain
Public domain comprises the body of knowledge and innovation (especially creative works such as writing, art, music, and inventions) in relation to which no person or other legal entity can establish or maintain proprietary interests within a particular legal jurisdiction. This body of information and creativity is considered to be part of a common cultural and intellectual heritage, which, in general, anyone may use or exploit, whether for commercial or non-commercial purposes.
In the electronic age, it’s become harder for copyright holders to “control” duplication and distribution of their intellectual property. In fact, some creative folks actually “dare” the corporations by sampling, or hugging close to original pieces to make a point about owning creative ideas.
For this I use the original Mac vs PC commercials.
I think they’re great… but it’s even more fun to see them spoofed. Is this considered a copyright infringement?
Then, to see the spoof of a spoof brings the whole idea of copyright full circle.
Imitation is the highest form of flattery.
This image is ineligible for copyright and therefore in the public domain, because it consists entirely of information that is common property and contains no original authorship.
This land is your land, this land is Iceland
If anyone listens to KUAC with any consistency, you’ll know that one of their reporters, Libby Casey, is in Iceland on a IRP Fellowship. She’s been broadcasting back to Fairbanks sporadically about life there. If you want to follow her adventure she has her own blog.
It’s fun to know one of our own is in such an amazing place.
Dreamweaver or Nightmare on First Street
As we enter the 2nd month of class, the Dreamweaver application has frustrated and spoiled me. At moments, I am petulant about it.
Six of One ~ Half Dozen of Another
Each action can be done in nearly a dozen ways. Is this convenient or frustrating. I’m not sure I’ve decided yet. The tools and actions seem familiar from other programs that I use. Therefore, I’m comfortable in this Adobe world.
Easy Peasey
It’s deceptively easy to use. I’m sure that once I’m set free of the tutorial, I’ll have a different relationship with this program. It’s a bit smoke and mirrors but I think it’s going to be a great tool for my studio.
HTML, XHTML, CSS, RSS, M-O-U-S-E
I had a crash course in HTML and XHTML. We had to use that language to build some webpages. That was a disaster. A bit like trying to write Les Misérables while learning French. In 4 weeks.
Dreamweaver is a bit like a translator with a spellcheck. I could learn to like this program.
Make My Logo Bigger
“Goes on smooth,” is the claim for makemylogobiggercream.com.I was introduced to this website by a designer colleague back east. It’s touches on every painful request a client can make. The ones you bang your head on your desk over. The requests that make you wonder why you don’t just sell shoes for a living.”Can you make my logo bigger?”"Can you lose some of that white space?”"Gosh, we’d love to see a starburst on this corner.”"Hey, can you make this a bit more colorful?”Those clients are forgotten when in the heat of the design process, I wrestle a great image down to the ground and wrap it up in the perfect headline, I can sit back and say, “Ah…. now let’s add a little more white space.”
Above the Arctic Circle
I’m visiting my cabin in Bettles, AK. That’s 180 air miles north of Fairbanks and 30 miles west of the Dalton Highway. We are off the road system so, the only way in is via the Koyakuk River or by plane. Most folks who live here are pilots, trappers, park rangers, dog mushers, or wilderness guides.
Evansville/Bettles was established nearly 100 years ago by gold miners looking for pay dirt. They floated down the Koyakuk River from Coldfoot and found the natives friendly. It’s been a mixed community ever since. It was also a place where the Eskimo and the Athabascan fought hideous battles over this influential trading area. The Koyakuk has always been the dividing line between the two groups. Once the white man began mapping the area, and establishing towns, the tribes became less nomadic and began to settle, inter-marry and finally called Evansville, home. If you’re white, you called it Bettles, if you’re Native you call it Evansville.
No matter what you call it our village, it is considered the Gateway to the Arctic. It has an airfield and a float pond which supports one of the oldest lodges in the state (Bettles Lodge). In addition, Bettles is the headquarters and visitor center for the The Gates of the Arctic National Park causing the population to swell with outdoor adventurers.This is where outdoor adventurers gather and stage their supplies before flying north into the largest unspoiled place in Alaska.
During the winter the population drops down to 15-20 people depending on the day. Because Bettles/Evansville is so remote, the economy is very stressed. Heating oil is $6.10/gallon. There is no grocery store so all food has to be flown in at $.60/lb making liquids very expensive. Beer and wine, olive oil, soda are considered luxuries. Fresh vegetables become very special and some folks invite themselves to dinner if they know that fresh broccoli is being served. Simple things become important.
This Saturday night we’ll have a potluck at the Evansville Tribal Council and finish up with a friendly evening of Bingo. It’s expected that all 25 people in town will attend, except for Cheryl Poore who is on duty at the “Weather Box” to report the weather every hour for the FAA.
All in all, it’s a beautiful part of the world. Some call it the end of the road, I call it paradise.
Typography: For Good or Evil
Well, I must admit that this was such a comfortable subject for me that I let it get away from me.I thought it’d be easy to find great examples of each, but the sheer information on the web nearly throws me into an axiety attack. Performance anxiety attack.GOODSo many examples of lovely type. Some just in the headers, or throught the art of the body, but for a soft, beautiful treatment of hand-drawn and display type I chose the website for an illustrator from Philadelphia. Bearskinrug has a vintage feel to it but seems fresh as well. Retro without being fussy. The tiny woodcut touches are simple and tasteful. Less is more. Thank god.EVILAnything with Zapf Chancery. All Caps. Or the god forsaken Comic Sans. Please stop using that font. Or perhaps a rookie favorite, Papyrus. Please. Please stop using these fonts.
ON-AIR
Wow. What an exciting event. I was so nervous about going live, on-air for 3 hours! But once we started… we had a blast. We spent those hours wheedling and cajoling the listeners to open their wallets and show us the money!
I think what worked best was being listeners ourselves, we knew that after 2 weeks of hearing about t-shirts or mugs, we were going to avoid talking about them as much as we could. Gretchen, the producer was in the control booth with us. She was silent but very much a part of our team. With a dry erase board and pre-printed que cards, she waved and updated the pledge amounts and important prompts that we needed to focus on. She was like a conductor in front of a symphony. There was lots of arm waving going on in that control room.
World Cafe
Evan and I kept the patter silly and light. But it was meant to look natural. Like we talked about $75 pledge mugs every day. We were on air from 7-9pm and it seemed truly like moments. We enjoyed ourselves thoroughly.
CarTalk
Early Saturday morning was much easier. I had a bit more confidence and a really looked forward to being silly with my friend, Julie Estey. She’d done this before, so I knew I was in good hands. In fact, we did shine. We had friends calling in from Florida to make their pledge. One call was to pledge “any amount of money to get those two off the air.” Nice friends, eh? Thanks Al and Michelle.
We had folks calling in a pledging money from their dogs. No one was safe from our challenges. I with my friends in the downtown area and some east coasters, and Julie with her dog mushing colleagues. Can you believe that we raised nearly $5000 in one hour?
It was a really great experience and one more example of why I love living this community. You can make a difference.
