DTO

Lorem Ipsum Mecum Vade

2009-09-01T14:50:00.000-07:00

I have recently come to fruition that just because something is commercial or more obvious doesn't mean that you should necessarily settle for the first thing you see. Do your research! Get creative! I have numerous resources on the web when it comes to designing. Most people usually search Free Fonts in Google and usually daFont.com will come up in the search engine. Now there is nothing wrong with daFont.com, but there are various sites out there that make their own custom Fonts. Not only are they phenomenally obscure, but you have to take into consideration that art is unique. No one piece is going to be like another. Even when borrowing characters and character designs for inspiration. Take the latter for example YouWorkForThem has just released their latest font! I have listed it for your enjoyment! Use it wisely!

LaFraiser

2009-09-01T13:46:00.000-07:00

While perusing the web, I came across this really unique Tee company entitled LaFraiser. They are similar to the previous companies I've listed, but they seem to focus primarily on vector art rather than specific design. You are allowed to upload your work and compete for 1000€ ! For those who do not want to convert I have taken the liberty to do it myself 1,000.00 EUR = 1,422.48 USD. Their shirt range in price from 19€ to 24€. As an Illustrator I can say that this site is one of the best Tee companies that I have come across and you also get to keep your own rights! Be sure to check it out!

Here is a brief synopsis on the co.:laFraise is Europe's largest T-Shirt design competition. Up to 7 designs are chosen every week from over 100 daily submissions to be printed and sold from the site. Mission: We respect our designers: our shirts are strictly limited to 500 per design for which winning designers get 1000€ & keep their copyrights.

Juxtapoz 15th Aniversary Art Auction: Greg Lamarche

2009-08-31T09:47:00.000-07:00

I was reading this article in Juxtapoz that I thought that I would share. Juxtapoz is a magazine that focuses on arts and culture. That's the gist of it! If you would like to know more I have included the link below.

Greg Lamarche was born and raised in Queens and still resides in New York City. Taking inspiration from the streets, and using the same fundamentals he developed during his 25+ years as a graffiti writer, he creates unique collages that blur the line between fine art and graphic design.

Greg definitely takes his time on his work. He strictly uses text from found objects and flat leaflet paper that he collects for sometimes years at a time before the final work is created. His work incorporates an array of typography and word fragments as well as elements of graffiti such as motion, repetition, multiple perspectives, bold color, wit, and fresh styles. The following is an excerpt from a Juxtapoz exclusive interview with SP One…

Elise Hennigan: Can you describe your fascination with typography?

Greg Lamarche: It definitely started with writing graffiti. The idea of making your own letters was always of interest to me. The design possibilities are endless and are a continual challenge.

Do you try to get political with your art or you all about aesthetics?

It’s more personal than anything. I don’t overtly make political statements in my work, but they are there. Whenever I do feel the need to tackle a political issue it’s usually localized or has to do with something right in front of me. Right now New York is ripe with political strife so there is no lack of inspiration on the artistic front.

How would you describe your progression as an artist?

Slow and steady.

Are you at a point now where you are trying to transition away from graffiti art?

I am not content to just do my name over and over on a canvas. Real graffiti is in the street and to me is a totally separate world. Graffiti influences my work but I’m trying to do something new.

What can we expect from you in the future?

More good work.

Keep up on the Juxtapoz 15th Anniversary Auction at Juxtapoz auction

45 Examples Of Beautiful Business Cards For Your Inspiration

2009-08-23T13:05:00.000-07:00

Business cards are so significant when it comes to promoting yourself or advertising for others. A well designed and printed business card can impress clientele and will make an everlasting impression . A poorly designed or printed card can leave a bad impression or even worse be simply forgotten. so it’s important to design a card which is unique and stands out above the crowd.
Here is a collection of creative business cards for your inspiration, which will also assist you in designing your own business card. Enjoy!

Quite possibly the greatest illustrations ever

2009-08-20T16:15:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if many of you have heard of Drew Struzan. Does the name sound familiar? You may not know the name, but if you are at least 25-30 you will definitely recognize his work. He has done illustrations for some of the most epic movies within the last century which include, but are not limited to Indiana Jones & The Raiders Of The Lost Ark, Star Wars, Coming To America & Back To The Future . . . to name a few. These are some of the most phenomenal illustrations that I have seen. This is the true definition of an artist. This is a once in a lifetime talent. We have come to the age where most people have come to utilize technology to the point where it is almost required to do any type of design or illustration work. It all begins with natural talent. The programs, albeit amazing should be second hand to the pencil and pad. I would encourage you to visit Mr. Drew Struzan's portfolio for a great quantity of marvelous works, with the prospect to buy his original pieces. Our legacy will live on through our art. If you haven't seen these movies then you should probably watch them as soon as possible.

One of the Greatest Illustrations in History by Master Drew Struzan
Coming To America

One of the Greatest Illustrations in History by Master Drew Struzan
Batteries Not Included

One of the Greatest Illustrations in History by Master Drew Struzan
Cutthroat Island

One of the Greatest Illustrations in History by Master Drew Struzan
E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial

One of the Greatest Illustrations in History by Master Drew Struzan
The Goonies

One of the Greatest Illustrations in History by Master Drew Struzan
Back to the Future Trilogy

One of the Greatest Illustrations in History by Master Drew Struzan
Back To The Future III

(variation of the original poster)

One of the Greatest Illustrations in History by Master Drew Struzan Big Trouble in Little China

One of the Greatest Illustrations in History by Master Drew Struzan
Blade Runner

One of the Greatest Illustrations in History by Master Drew Struzan
First Blood

(Rambo)

One of the Greatest Illustrations in History by Master Drew Struzan
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

One of the Greatest Illustrations in History by Master Drew Struzan
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

One of the Greatest Illustrations in History by Master Drew Struzan
Hellboy

One of the Greatest Illustrations in History by Master Drew Struzan
Hellboy II the Golden Army

One of the Greatest Illustrations in History by Master Drew Struzan
Hook

One of the Greatest Illustrations in History by Master Drew Struzan
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

One of the Greatest Illustrations in History by Master Drew Struzan
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

One of the Greatest Illustrations in History by Master Drew Struzan
Lonely Guy

One of the Greatest Illustrations in History by Master Drew Struzan
Masters of the Universe

One of the Greatest Illustrations in History by Master Drew Struzan
Meatballs III: Summer Job

One of the Greatest Illustrations in History by Master Drew Struzan
The Name of the Rose

One of the Greatest Illustrations in History by Master Drew Struzan
Pan's Labyrinth

One of the Greatest Illustrations in History by Master Drew Struzan
Police Academy 3: Back in Training

One of the Greatest Illustrations in History by Master Drew Struzan
Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol

One of the Greatest Illustrations in History by Master Drew Struzan
"Revenge of the Jedi"

One of the Greatest Illustrations in History by Master Drew Struzan
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

One of the Greatest Illustrations in History by Master Drew Struzan
Star Wars Trilogy

One of the Greatest Illustrations in History by Master Drew Struzan
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

One of the Greatest Illustrations in History by Master Drew Struzan
The Thing

One of the Greatest Illustrations in History by Master Drew Struzan
Three O'Clock High

Music Is Conducive To Producing Art

2009-08-19T17:29:00.000-07:00

I have been incredibly busy so much so that I have not updated my blog in well over a month. There is simply not enough time. I have been anxiously awaiting the fall. I just recently did a design over at dA. "Rainclouds In My Room" you can peep it my portfolio. Also, if you would like to support my work I have also included the full-sized 16 x 20" print at CafePress. I am not a premium user, so I do not have the full capabilities of editing my shop. I am also in the process of designing new business cards. I have been contemplating. . . on many things, so I like to focus on my thoughts. I can't emphasize enough how important it is to have a passion and to find a niche. I recently got accepted on the SPIN street team. Perhaps, you have heard of SPIN. It's a dope magazine. I utilize it to it's full extent and it's a great way to learn about new bands and stay updated on current news inside the music industry.So, without further ado, I bring to you . . .

Spin

A music magazine for a young, forward-thinking audience, Spin also covers film, fashion, art and politics with a fresh slant and irreverent attitude. Columns bring a similar sensibility to reviews of CDs, videos, movies and consumer electronics.

PHOTOS: Best of Lollapalooza 2009 Live! See Jane's Addiction, Killers, Kings of Leon, Vampire Weekend, Bat for Lashes, Depeche Mode, and 50 more from the Chicago music fest.
CHECK IT OUT
>>

Lollapalooza 2009's Best and Worst Moments
Still nursing our sunburns, SPIN's Lolla team weighs in with a final roundup of the festival's highs and lows.
SEE THE LIST >>

NEWS: Panic! at the Disco Play Secret Acoustic Show
Pete Wentz and Mark Hoppus are among the pleased onlookers as the band goes unplugged -- and covers Journey!
READ NOW >>

Watch: Pearl Jam Play with Rolling Stones
Ron Wood joins the Jam in London. Plus: Eddie Vedder debuts a new acoustic song. Check out the videos here!
WATCH NOW >>

TRIBUTE: John Hughes and the Soundtracks to Our Lives
The iconic late filmmaker defined the plight of smart kids railing against the individuality-crushing high-school caste system. Music was their escape hatch.
READ NOW >>

SPINearth.tv: Lollapalooza 2009 Fan Photo Gallery
Hundreds of thousands of festivalgoers converged on the Windy City for Lollapalooza 2009. Check out a huge photo gallery of the people who made it what it was: great.
VIEW PICS >>

Win the Ultimate Home Entertainment System ($4,700 value)!
Enter Redken For Men's "Hook-Up Your Pad" Sweepstakes for a chance to win a Flat-Screen HD TV, Home Theater System, and a Blu-Ray Disc Player! Did we mention there are 15 runner-up prizes such as the Nintendo Wii and Ipod classic?
ENTER NOW >>

Win A Custom Painted Honda Fury Chopper!
SPIN and Honda are giving away a custom painted Honda Fury Motorcycle with art from 311's newest release, Uplifter. Enter here to win!
ENTER NOW >>

Exclusive Video: Behind the Wilco Cover! Check out Jeff Tweedy and the band hanging out on the set of SPIN's August Cover Shoot, shot on location in Chicago by Photographer, Francesco Carrozzini.
GO NOW >>

Get Our August Issue Free!

Check out SPIN's new Digital Edition, where you can peruse our pages papercut-free, on your computer screen. Best of all, it's FREE when you register, and we'll send you one (little) email each month when the new issue is ready to read.

TRY IT TODAY >>

T-Shirt Templates Vol. 2

2009-08-19T16:38:00.000-07:00

GoMedia Arsenal has released its latest T-Shirt design templates Vol. 2.
This second volume of T-Shirt Templates comes in response to popular demand and features natural, hand-created drop shadows & HDR photography for smoother shading layers

･ Preset Shirt Colors
･ Photos of both Front AND Backs
･ Flat and loosely wrinkled versions
･ Easy to use clipping masks in place
･ Smooth, realistic lighting, drop shadow & shading effects
They also have the Ultimate Apparel Template Collection now up! Buy the ULTIMATE APPAREL TEMPLATE COLLECTION which contains the Distressed T-Shirt Templates, Advanced Hoodie Design Package, Urban Templates, T-Shirt Templates volume 2, Ladies Long Sleeve and Ladies Short Sleeve for one low price! It's a pretty awesome deal!

See more in the image gallery!

If you are in Illustrator aficionado like myself then you should find the following very helpful. GoMedia has just released it's newest tutorial Adobe Illustrator 101.

If you constantly searching for textures then you have come to the right place! GoMedia also has released a stunning set of Spray Paint Textures! Also included are these phenomenal set of hi-res textures, which include everything from wood to fabric. . . These are priceless and I doubt that you would find them anywhere else. I know because as a designer I am well connected and very resourceful. These are simply incomparable.
Take a look!

I have been aware of Go Media for quite some time and I have also been designing for quite some time. It's very seldom that you come across a site that makes it's own fonts. There are a select few on the web that come to mind, but at Go Media they have these wonderful sets of hand-crafted true-type fonts! These are pretty dope!

Thoughtful, Impactful, Meaninful Design. . . what more can I say?!

And Wearing Is Half The Battle

2009-08-19T15:57:00.001-07:00

If you haven't seen G.I. Joe yet, you should probably check it out. Whether you are a die hard fan, or a casual moviegoer it's definitely a fun watch. It may not be the ideal movie going experience, or a perfect film, but it is definitely worth watching in the theatre. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I'm sure that you will do the same. I am a child of the eighties, so it was pure nostalgia for me watching remnants of the past come to life on the big screen. In honor of the film release, New Era has designed these extremely cool G.I. Joe fitteds! Check it out here! G.I. Joe!

Also, New Era is now offering designers a chance to showcase their talent. From now until Nov 3 there is a contest which allows you to design your own cap. I plan to utilize my talent to it's full capability. The possibilities are endless. What are you waiting for?!

Additionally, just in time for fall New Era has released it's new fall collection. These are truly stunning and innovative whether you are a fashion designer, a graphic designer or an interior designer. There designs are truly unique and definitely worth supporting. I am very excited for this line and I encourage you all to support independent labels and designers.

Also, just in are these very cool LE New Era tees. There are some great designs. I really enjoy the particular style of some of their more creative tees. They also come in multiple colors and range in the price range from $28 to $16!

Last but not least, take an additional 30% off already reduced items! Take advantage... while supplies last

This Just In…Shop New Arrivals from New Era!

Michael Jackson Portrait by Andy Warhol Up For Auction

2009-08-19T14:38:00.000-07:00

Andy Warhol 1984 portrait of Michael Jackson up for auction
by Debbie Tuma
DAILY NEWS WRITER

Saturday, July 4th 2009, 4:00 AM

In a silent auction at Vered Gallery in East Hampton the star painting is an Andy Warhol orignal painting of Michael Jackson painted in 1984.

Related News
Articles
The $25K golden coffin fit for a King of Pop
Diprivan found in Michael Jackson's home
Michael Jackson used personal anesthesiologist on tour
The King of Pop Art's portrait of the King of Pop is being auctioned off at a Hamptons gallery.

Andy Warhol's "Michael Jackson" painting went on the block yesterday at the Vered Gallery of East Hampton. The auction ends July 12.

The 30-by-26-inch, synthetic polymer painting on canvas is a portrait of a smiling Jackson in his red military uniform from his album "Thriller."

"We estimate this painting, created in 1984, will sell for $1 million to $10 million," said Ruth Vered, who owns the gallery with her partner, Janet Lehr.

Lehr said the painting, which originally came from the Warhol estate, was consigned to the gallery by a New York private collector.

The portrait is stamped twice by the estate and the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. It has been exhibited around the world, from Rio de Janeiro to Tokyo, to Las Vegas, she said.

"This auction is an unparalleled moment," said Lehr. "Warhol in the Hamptons is so important because he's a monumental figure who had a spectacular oceanfront estate in Montauk. So we have the meetings of the world's greatest artists in the fields of art and music."

Vered said three years ago, her gallery had an exhibit of 20 of Warhol's famous athlete paintings, including Muhammad Ali, Pele, O.J. Simpson, Chris Evert and Jack Nicklaus.

"But now I wanted to have the legendary Michael Jackson," she said.

She said her gallery holds auctions only twice a year, and a percentage of designated lots benefit diffrent charities.

This year, Vered, of Tel-Aviv, said she is donating part of the proceeds to Shderot, a town in Israel that was bombed for about eight years by the Palestinians.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/michael_jackson/2009/07/04/2009-07-04_for_cool_few_million_you_can_own_pop_portrait_of_artist_as_young_man.html#ixzz0RJ2Dn172

Batman: The Dark Knight Sequel (2011)

2009-07-30T19:31:00.000-07:00

SuperHero Hype has just announced that the next Batman sequel in the Nolan series is set for 2011. This is the most exciting news that has dropped since BFTC! I absolutely cannot wait. After the first two were so phenomenal, the third has to be astounding. More information below.

Source:Courier-Post January 25, 2009

New Jersey's Courier-Post talked to Batman Begins and The Dark Knight executive producer Michael Uslan, who expects the third installment of the Christopher Nolan-directed films, starring Christian Bale, to hit theaters in 2011:

Uslan will be onboard as executive producer for the "Dark Knight" sequel, which he estimates will be theaters by 2011. As for the identity of the next round of Batman's supervillains and love interests, Uslan remains tight-lipped. "It's one of those deals where if I told you, I'd have to kill you," he says with a chuckle.

In related news, while The Dark Knight did not receive the Producer of the Year Award at the Producers Guild of America Awards on Saturday (it went to Slumdog Millionaire), the movie did receive awards at the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday - Heath Ledger won for Best Supporting Actor and The Dark Knight also won Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture.

In other news, the first review of Batman: Arkham Asylum has been posted in Spin Magazine. The following review is by Dan Ackerman (a regular contributor to Spin)

Batman Out Of Hell by Dan Ackerman
It’s enough to make a man hang up his cowl.

Few iconic characters have been treated as shabbily by the video game industry as Batman, who’s been subjected to a painful procession of strength-sapping clunkers. The superhero’s digital mojo is so low that the producers of The Dark Knight didn’t even negotiate an accompanying game, normally a given for a genre. (Even 2008’s lackluster The Incredible Hulk got one) But by selectively ignoring the inessential history preferred by previous movies, cartoon series and comic books, Batman: Arkham Asylum has steadily built up buzz since the project was announced last year; despite the lack of a major film tie-in or A-list celebrity involvement (though much of the cast will be familiar to those who watch the cartoons). The game is easily one of the year’s best.

The sterling effort is long overdue. Though games and comics share similarities in their reliance on outlandish character design, far-flung plots and staccato snippets of dialogue, previous attempts to translate Batman to the digital realm have failed because publishers have refused to recognize that the two formats are very different beasts. How so? Most comic book tales follow the ebb and flow of traditional fiction narrative, with character-driven story arcs that build to a climax, punctuated by superhero throw downs. In contrast, video game story telling generally serves as mere background for setting up the basic mode of play (first-person shooting, puzzle solving, etc…) But Asylum, inspired in part by a 1989 graphic novel by Grant Morrison and Dave McKean reconciles these two formats’ disparate aesthetics, striking the right balance between narrative depth and a fun interactive gaming experience.

The plot places a rogue’s gallery of villains (Joker, Harley, Killer Croc & others) together in the titular loony bin. Problems start when the Joker (voiced by Mark Hamill) busts his fellow inmates out during a riot. It’s up to Bruce Wayne’s masked alter ego to recapture them one by one and disrupt a McGuffin-filled plan that reveals a method behind the clown’s madness.

In the free-roaming manner of Grand Theft Auto much of the asylum’s elaborate Gothic landscape is open for Batman to explore. And as with covert-ops titles such as Splinter Cell, players must sneak past armed enemies and stick to the shadows (This bat ain’t bulletproof). Hand-to-hand combat requires a button-mashing series of combos that wouldn’t seem out of place in a straight up actioner like God of War. But you’ll need ample brainpower to follow a suspect’s DNA trail or find the many hidden clues. By nimbly jumping these different gaming approaches as well as honoring the protagonist’s four color origins, Arkham Asylum proves that a video game is capable of capturing Batman’s entertaining complexity. Justice, at last has been served.

Also, just in NewEra has released it's latest line! I own the Superman hat and I wear it quite frequently. I love art and I love comics. I wanted to buy the Batman one, but I didn't like the four-color logo. I will definitely be purchasing the black and gold edition once I accrue the income and financial means to do so. I will support D.C. for life. Batman and I are not so different. We both have a means to an end and we strive for the same ideal.

"People think it's an obsession. A compulsion. As if there were an irresistible impulse to act. It's never been like that. I chose this life. I know what I'm doing. And on any given day, I could stop doing it. Today, however, isn't that day. And tomorrow won't be either" - Batman

Shop New Era and Receive Same Day Shipping. *Orders must be placed by 2pm EST.

MyArtworkSpace Annual Competition

2009-07-30T11:03:00.000-07:00

MyArtworkSpace is extending their annual competition for all artists. There are so many resources on the internet. It's almost infinite. If you are searching for unique Artwork you will find a wide variety of one-of-a-kind art pieces. On MyArtworkSpace.com’s huge online gallery. Search their artist and gallery directories, or by medium, subject, style or keywords. MyArtworkSpace.com enables you to buy online safely and easily using our secure site. Additionally, you can contact our artists to ask questions or purchase their artwork directly.

If you are you an Artist looking for a place to sell your Artwork?
You will have access to a dynamic, full featured site to sell and promote your artwork; www.myartworkspace.com/yourname. MyArtworkSpace.com offers low price plans to meet every artist’s needs. Your artwork will rank higher on search engines because MyArtworkSpace.com is Google and Yahoo optimized. MyArtworkSpace.com is always Art Driven, Customer Focused!
*Deadline extended by popular demand*

*EXTENDED Deadline: August 20th 2009*

MyArtworkSpace.com

2nd Annual Spring Art Competition!

PRIZES

First Place: $1,000 (USD)

Second Place: $500 (USD)

Third Place: $250 (USD)

Fourth Place: $50 to Blick Art Materials

*Sponsored in part by Blick Art Materials*

For more info or to enter click here… MyArtworkSpace

The winners from www.myartworkspace.com Annual Spring Art Competition can be viewed here… http://www.myartworkspace.com/spring08winners.php

Any questions please email support@myartworkspace.com

***For all the artists that have already entered. Since the new artists entries have been given more time, if you would like to change your image entry or update your existing image. Please email the new images to support@myartworkspace.com. Please add your name, phone number and the name of the artwork in the email.

Design By Humans

2009-07-21T19:02:00.000-07:00

DesignByHumans is one of the most quantitative design sites that I have come across. By quantitative I mean they have a variety of quality designs. I have tried submitting my work for their contests in the past, however, my designs were not accepted. They have a certain standard. It's best to look at the examples given on their site login and on the forums before submitting. I tend to stray away from commercial art because it does not fit my particular style, but I still have to make a profit just like every other designer. Like CafePress, you can submit Tees or you can submit your own personal art work.

What is Design By Hümans?
DesignByHümans is a place for people to submit, discover and buy amazing custom t-shirt designs created by artists from around the world. Based around an ongoing t-shirt design contest, all of the designs you see on DesignByHümans have been submitted by our community. Headquartered in Irvine, California, DesignByHümans officially launched in July 2007. To celebrate their two year anniversary they are conducting a special sale. Check it out! Support the arts!

ModernTee

2009-07-21T18:32:00.000-07:00

Since I am on the subject of design and tees. I should also mention ModernTee.com I have posted a description below. The competition NEVER ends! Upload your design, let the public rate it, and they will select the best one(s) to be printed! It's basically a win-win situation!

WHAT DO YOU WIN?

• First, you'll receive a check or money order in the amount of $300.00

• Second, two free t-shirts with your design as soon as we have them printed.

• Third, if we re-print your design for a different color or for a specific print style (baby doll, v-neck, long sleeve, etc.), we'll give you an additional $300.00!

• On top of that, we'll give you a dollar per shirt we sell of your design! Up to $250.00 per month!

• Plus, you get to brag to your friends and family that your design is famous and that you've won $300.00

Eat em' up

2009-07-21T16:47:00.000-07:00

It's that time again! CafePress has just released this awesome set of designs. The theme is great and I think it speaks for itself. Feeling hungry?! Check it out! If you haven't already you should sign up for CafePress. They have a variety of different types of designs to choose from and you can also submit your own. Read my previous post for more information. You obviously have some design skill, put it to use. Find a niche and start creating some shirts and jackets. You can make potentially $75 to $100 a month doing what you already do in your spare time!

Make Your Look the Hot New Trend. Shop Back to School at CafePress.com

To degree or not to degree? That is the question

2009-07-21T12:27:00.000-07:00

Do you need a degree to be a designer?

There are many available options to take in the “design” field. Graphic Art is the term I use to describe my work. There’s often a fine line to distinguish the difference between graphic art and graphic design. Graphic art is more centered on visual development and graphic design focuses more on typography and layout. One of the fastest growing fields for graphic artists is Motion Design (aka – motion graphics). The exhilaration that comes from seeing your art come to life is indescribable. I have taken it upon myself to focus on learning After Effects, Maya & C4D specifically for this purpose. Ringling describes Motion Design as the following: “You see it everyday, but you probably didn’t know it had a name. You see it when you go to the movies, or watch TV, or surf the web, or even go shopping. It is the mysterious title sequence that sets the mood for the latest sci-fi movie. It’s the beautiful animated graphics that introduce the events for the Olympic Games. It’s the cool interface on that website that you use to make your own snowboard designs. It’s the fun, colorful interpretation of music and dance to interest you in the new iPod at the Apple store. Anywhere there is a screen, you’re probably seeing creative work called Motion Design.” Fundamentally, you should have an understanding of all aspects of design whether it’s web, print or motion. Ultimately, you’ll find your niche but you’ll need an underlying base in design principles first.

School is a great option, but it is not always necessary. It’s an amalgamation of motivation, knowledge and ability. All three are essential and rely on each other. There is no one without the other. One of my favorite quotes comes from Henry Hazlitt who said, “A strong passion for any object will ensure success, for the desire of the end will point out the means.” -Henry Hazlitt School will provide the knowledge to improve your ability. The advantage of school is that you can learn cardinal design principles and be critiqued by professionals in an acknowledged environment, but you will always augment when you are surrounded and challenged by others who are in the same field. This is where inspiration comes from. There are also numerous advantages to learning on the web for anything especially when it involves specific software. The people that you meet while in school will go on to be in your industry and can prove to be an invaluable resource when seeking recommendation for employment or verified integrity to establish with clientele. School can also help you form discipline, but if you are not disciplined enough to be motivated without someone else then you should revise and make certain that this is what you intend to do or else you will fall short of your goal and abdicate. Another one of my favorite quotes is from Walt Disney who said, “The difference in winning and losing is most often... not quitting.” -- Walt Disney, Animator, Film Producer If you have a strong desire to achieve an ideal then you must focus and maintain.

You could have all the knowledge available to you, but that may not necessarily mean that you are a great designer. Motivation is the key to gaining knowledge. Not school. If anyone has seen Ratatouille then you can attest that not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere. “You must be imaginative, strong-hearted. You must try things that may not work, and you must not let anyone define your limits because of where you come from. Your only limit is your soul. What I say is true - anyone can cook... but only the fearless can be great.” Chef Gusteau You can also improve your ability by participating in online art communities and blogs. You do not have to go to school to be in the “design” industry, but it will be much more difficult. No one said it was easy. It is my personal conviction that you have to put in work in order to get anywhere in this world. This is the advantage that we have with competition in an open free market. I know people are successful without having gone to college, but it was not an overnight process. There are designers that have generated a substantial income for themselves without an art degree. Albeit not attending college is probably not the norm or what may be suggested, going to school does not necessarily guarantee success either. Like any major, people often graduate and do not find jobs specifically related to the field in which they graduated. I know people who have BA and a steady work history who are complacent with earning an average wage simply because they can not find work in their field.

I was enrolled in classes in school first at a private unaccredited college and then at a public uni. I learned everything from values to Illustrator. My experience, however, was that I learned principles in class; but not really the software. Learning software on your own or with the aid of tutorials will be essential even after you have graduated. The classroom was more about giving me projects and critiquing them. If you intend on being a designer then I would recommend you find your niche and then focus on what it is that you love to do. To have a future in web, which is always evolving, you will need to constantly gentrify the current knowledge that you have. “You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” Eleanor Roosevelt Software is constantly expanding so even if you find your classroom setting practical it will not assist you in the long term without constantly learning. You’ll need to learn how to keep up with software on your own. There is no rest when technology is involved.

Overall, there are accredited colleges like Ringling and Art Institute which I would say would be well worth the time and experience for anyone who has the time and value. However, due to finite resources this option may not available to everyone so it is best to learn on your own. A strong portfolio will speak louder than a résumé or degree.

“Believe you're worth more; push on and stay strong. If you're hungry and motivated you won't starve for long.” Y Society

CafePress Design

2009-07-17T13:51:00.000-07:00

Extra, Extra! Read all about it! Today is the last day that CafePress is having their big sale! CafePress is a site that basically lets you design your own tees. They pay per sale. They also have these format templates that you can customize with your own specific designs. You can make a reasonable amount of money providing you have the talent and the ambition. It is entirely on you. In gist, they allow you to open up your own store and sell merchandise either art or tees and they are separated by category. The process is facilitated by their GUI which is very user friendly, albeit it does take some time to adjust to. They have topics ranging from politics, to logos. What are you waiting for?! Go utilize your design skills and sign up now!

Shop or Create What's On Your Mind at CafePress

Get FREE shipping on orders over $65 from CafePress! Use coupon code "FreeSummer"

The Key To Financial Freedom

2009-07-15T18:39:00.000-07:00

The Key to Financial Freedom for Artists, Actors, Writers & Musicians
Author: Valery Satterwhite

Well-meaning, yet woefully misguided, advice from parents, teachers and other loved ones such as "You'll never make a living as an artist" has become the foundational belief and mantra of the artist's Inner Critic. What's worse is that this also woefully misguided Inner Critic loves to be right and will serve up proof and evidence of this belief and beat you up with it day in and day out to make sure that you do, or not do, what it takes to keep this foundational belief in place. Acting upon the Inner Critic mantra of "You'll never make a living as an artist." your thoughts and actions create the outcome of the starving artist. And the Inner Critic is pleased. This supreme inner entity, this 'knower of all', is doing its job of keeping you safe and small and right!

Except for one thing.......he's WRONG!

Think about it. Look around you. Instead of focusing upon your lack of desired financial resources look to all the actors, artists, writers and musicians who are making boat loads of money! Julian Schnabel, Bono, Annie Leibowitz, Steven Spielburg, Rita Ackerman, Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Stephen King, Dave Barry, Mick Jagger, Dave Matthews - the list of wildly successful and wealthy artists of every kind can easily go on and on and on.

What's the difference between the abundantly rich artist and the starving artist? One thing and one thing only: Self-Mastery.

Self-Mastery as the key to financial freedom is not some airy fairy metaphysical woo-woo concept. From the ancient Greeks to modern day philosophers to modern day celebrity icons, all have recognized that the key to whatever you want in life, including wealth, comes from within. How you show up in your life, what the foundational beliefs that motivate you are based upon, deliver the outcomes you experience.

From Socrates:

- "Know thyself."

- "The unexamined life is not worth living."

- "Give me beauty in the inward soul; may the outward and the inward man be at one."

From others throughout the centuries:

- "If money be not they servant, it will be thy master. The covetous man cannot so properly be said to possess wealth, as that may be said to possess him." - Francis Bacon, British Philosopher

- "All riches have their origin in mind. Wealth is in ideas -- not money." - Robert Collier, American Writer/Publisher

- "I have about concluded that wealth is a state of mind, and that anyone can acquire a wealthy state of mind by thinking rich thoughts."- Andrew Young, Civil Rights Activist

- "Wealth is the product of man's capacity to think." - Ayn Rand, Russian Writer, Philosopher

- "All the breaks you need in life wait within your imagination, Imagination is the workshop of your mind, capable of turning mind energy into accomplishment and wealth." - Napoleon Hill

And:

"Wealth is the ability to fully experience life." - Henry David Thoreau

Where you hold back your fullest expression of your potential as an artist of any kind is where you struggle. Where you doubt your self, your dreams, your worthiness is where you create your poverty. Where you resist your purpose in life, the special gifts that are your birthright, is where you suffer your anxiety.

You are as free, financially and otherwise, as the extent of your ability to acknowledge, honor and master your authenticity and take full responsibility for all of your experiences, good and bad, rich or poor. Those who do not govern themselves are condemned to find other masters to govern over them, including their own Inner Critic.

"I stand for freedom of expression, doing what you believe in, and going after your dreams." - Madonna

About the Author:

Valery is an Artist Mindset Mentor who helps creative people get out of their own way so that they can overcome the struggles that often come packaged with the life of a visual & performing artist. Clients learn how to express their full potential deliberately & responsibly to create more passionately, profoundly, productively and profitably. Empower the Wizard Within to actualize full creative potential. http://www.InnerWizard.com Free tips!

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - The Key to Financial Freedom for Artists, Actors, Writers & Musicians

Bring Me A Hire Love

2009-07-15T17:50:00.000-07:00

Recently, I read a very interesting article in the Tampa Bay Times a local paper distributed in the area published by the St. Pete Times. In this article two employees who were laid off at their previous job discuss blogging through the recession. It's vital in this economy that we unite and form a covalent bond. We are Generation Y: The Millennial Generation. It is up to us to carry on the legacy of our past and lead this nation. We were put on this earth for a reason. There are no other options but to weather the storm. "Believe you're worth more push on & stay strong. If you're hungry and motivated you won't starve for long." - Y Society Fear begets fear. Complaining is not going to solve anything. If you have talent utilize it. Don't be afraid to take a chance. Believe in yourself. Whether you have a degree or you are a starving artist looking for work only you can make the change within. From Thomas Edison:

"Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration."

"Hope is the dream of the waking man." - Aristotle

"Do not quench your inspiration and your imagination; do not become the slave of your model." -Vincent van Gogh

"Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground." - Theodore Roosevelt

"Dream as if you’ll live forever. Live as if you’ll die today." - James Dean

History tells us that the great were great for a reason. We were born to make a difference. It is kismet. Here is a brief description of their site: The unemploymentality is a transformative state of mind that is the result of a sudden loss of job. Initial symptoms include spite and resentment towards the ubiquitous “economy.” People in these early stages can often be found at bars and Speakeasys, their heads hung low over a pint. Later stages of the unemploymentality are subtle as it adapts to the individual’s social, political and cultural environment.

You may not be able to identify someone with the unemploymentality until you ask, “So, what do you do for a living?” At which point the person may rant, answer with sarcasm or avoid the question altogether. But don’t count these people out. They’re a resilient bunch. The advantages of the unemploymentality are countless hours that are often devoted to personal expression and creativity, once job boards and Craigslist have been exhausted for the day.

The purpose of this blog is to report and document the growth of the unemploymentlality, case-by-case, as it spreads across the globe in all its glory. Do you have the unemploymentality? We want to hear from you.
Laid off together, two co-workers blog through unemployment.

An Artist's Unemploymentality from Unemploymentality on Vimeo.

By Peter Couture

pcouture@tampabay.com

When the going got tough, Tania Khadder and John Henion got blogging .

After the co-workers lost their jobs with the San Francisco media company Current TV, they decided to vent their frustrations online. Welcome to Unemploymentality.com.

“We both got laid off together on the same day from the same company,” Khadder says. “We thought, ‘Why not do something other than complain to each other. Let’s start a blog.’” Now Khadder, 29, and Henion, 33, are part of what may be the economy’s few growth industries: recession blogs. As the New York Times noted recently: “We are in the worst eco- nomic downturn of the Internet age, and bloggers are making the most of it.”

Unemploymentality serves as a resource for everything from offbeat career advice (Job fairs won’t get you a dream job, but they could get you a dream date) to first-person journals (“Diaries of a Temp”) to plain old bonding.

“We kind of see it as like a tonguein- cheek look at the recession and at unemployment,” Khadder says. “We’re not covering hard news, really. Although, it is a serious topic, we’re trying to make light of it and have fun with it.”

Unemploymentality has what one expert on the Blogosphere calls an “affinity mentality,” which it shares with other well-known recession blogs such as Pink Slips Are the New Black and Tales From the Recently Laid Off.

“If a site can provide some type of positive encouragement or feedback … then you’re fulfilling a psychological need,” says the expert, David Johnson, a journalism professor at American University in Washington, D.C.

Indeed, part of the fun of Unemploymentailty comes from the bloggers’ knowledge that despite their hardships, they still have it pretty good.

“I think we definitely speak for a certain generation, almost a spoiled generation. And we’re aware of that,” Khadder says. “It’s like, I might be broke, but I’m not in danger of becoming homeless because of it. It’s more like for people in our generation, we’re just spoiled that we can’t believe that we have to go without our Netflix subscription.”

Both Khadder and Henion have become minor pundits, appearing on National Public Radio and even entertaining a book offer.

Henion finds it all amusing. “I kind of think of myself as the Happy Gilmore of writers,” he says. “I’m a filmmaker posing as writer.”

Henion contributed a multimedia documentary, Salina Street , to Unemploymentality . It’s about a neighborhood in Syracuse, N.Y., that’s seen better days. And he recently has been ge tting some freelance video work.

“Even if (our blog) does die off in a while,” he says, “while I was unemployed it gave me something to do to highlight my toolbox.”

The same goes for Khadder.

That’s because an employer came calling . Khadder is now an editor for career-related Web sites.

Her hobby is now her job.

“Basically I never thought that starting that blog would get me a job, but it kind of did in a lot of ways,” she says. “Happy ending. (pause) So far.”

© 2009. All Rights Reserved. Times Publishing Company.

Happy 10th Birthday SpongeBob!

2009-07-14T09:48:00.000-07:00

From the shores of Bikini Bottom, to television sets worldwide SpongeBob has been entertaining the world for a decade. Today is a special day. It is the 10th anniversary of one of the most celebrated cartoons in recent history. Not since the likes of The Simpsons has a show been more acclaimed. While SpongeBob may be an unlikely hero I can assure you there is nothing unlikely about this sitcom. When creator Stephen Hillenburg, a former marine biologist, created the show he never imagined that it would initially go beyond a first season.

He was a marine biology teacher at what is now the Orange County Ocean Institute. He worked as a marine biologist from 1984–1987. In 1987 Hillenburg decided to pursue a career in animation, his second lifelong passion. He made several short films, two of which were awarded and played in animation film festivals internationally. His two short films The Green Beret (1991) (which was featured in an episode of "Liquid Television"; MTV misspelled his name "Hillenberg" in the credits) and Wormholes (1992) became popular shorts in several film festivals - and received various awards.

While still attending animation school, Hillenburg received a job on the children's TV series Mother Goose & Grimm from 1991 to 1993. When attending the California Institute of the Arts he made his thesis film called 'Wormholes' (which was funded by the Princess Grace Foundation). Hillenburg displayed his films at various animation festivals. Joe Murray, creator of Rocko's Modern Life, met Hillenburg at an animation festival[3] and asked Hillenburg if he would be a director on the show, to which he agreed. Hillenburg joined the Nickelodeon animated series as a writer, producer, and storyboard artist. While working on Rocko's Modern Life, Hillenburg became friends with Tom Kenny, who would later become the voice of SpongeBob, and future SpongeBob collaborators Doug Lawrence, Paul Tibbit and others.

When Rocko's Modern Life ended in 1996, Hillenburg developed a concept for a new show about sea creatures, drawing on characters he created for a comic book about tidepools in 1989 at the California Institute of the Arts. He focused the show on a sponge, which Hillenburg initially drew as a natural sponge but changed to a square sponge because it looked funnier. In 1997, Hillenburg teamed with some of his former "Rocko" colleagues, who helped design the show's backgrounds and characters.

While working at the Ocean Institute, Hillenburg wrote a comic book called "The Intertidal Zone". He showed it to Martin Olson, a friend and one of the writers of Rocko's Modern Life. Olson loved it and suggested that Hillenburg rewrite it as an undersea cartoon series.[citation needed]

In 1998, Hillenburg pitched the show to Nickelodeon, using an aquarium, character models, a theme song and the storyboard that would become the pilot episode, "Help Wanted." The main character's name was originally "SpongeBoy", but since the name was copyrighted, he changed it to SpongeBob.[citation needed] Nickelodeon executives bought the pitch and the series premiered on May 1, 1999, and the following episodes started airing on July 17, 1999. He played the ukulele on The Best Day Ever. When his artistic talents lead him to a career in animation, the "SpongeBob" series was born. He left the show in 2004.

To commemorate the 10th anniversary, tonight at 9 p.m., a new special aimed at adults debuts on VH1 (which is owned by Nick's parent company).

"Square Roots: The Story of SpongeBob SquarePants" includes interviews with TV historians, celebrities and the show's cast and crew.

Viewers will learn the origins of the story. "SpongeBob" creator Stephen Hillenburg is a former marine biologist with a talent for art and animation. He developed most of the characters in the 1980s in drawings used to amuse and educate kids at the Orange County Marine Institute in California.
Paul Tibbitt, executive producer of SpongeBob Squarepants, recently shared his thoughts with Reuters in which he says, "The sarcasm or mean-spirited stuff that cartoons are usually about might not translate into other cultures. But happiness and optimism -- the positive traits that SpongeBob has -- translate better. I think people were just hungry for something a little more positive. But I would never have thought it would go 10 years.”

In addition, Tom Kenny who lends his voice to the character said, "“For the first year or two we were on, no one really paid much attention to us. Then about the third year, we suddenly star ted seeing the show hit the radar and grow and become a part of pop culture." As an adult, and an aficionado I can say that SpongeBob has truly captured the essence of society. The holistic approach of a character that utilizes his imagination to the fullest extent and is without finite boundaries is an accomplishment and a formula for success more enticing than a Krabby Patty! Who lives in pineapple under the sea?! absorbent, and yellow and porous is he!

SpongeBob SquarePants - Idiot Box
The Idiot Box

1. ^ "Cover Biography - Stephen Hillenburg". http://www.hwwilson.com/Currentbio/cover_bios/cover_bio_4_03.htm. Retrieved on 2007-11-12.
2. ^ "Nickelodeon Taps Patrick Creadon and Christine O'Malley to Produce First-Ever SpongeBob SquarePants Documentary". Press Release (Viacom). Jan. 19 2009. http://sev.prnewswire.com/film-motion-picture/20090119/NY6023619012009-1.html. Retrieved on 2009-02-01.
3. ^ Makin' Toons: Inside the Most Popular Animated TV Shows and Movies. 50

Anatomy For The Artist

2009-07-13T20:26:00.001-07:00

No matter what your profession may be, you won't get far without a portfolio. Employers are not only interested in your digital content, but they want to see what your talent utilizing pencil and paper. Even at Pixar, when submitting a demo reel they ask for your portfolio. They want to know where your ideas are coming from and how much of a raconteur you are. Today, I would like to share one of the most profound books that I have read as far as art and anatomy. The writer is Sarah Simblet and the photographer is John Davis. This book is phenomenal. It covers everything from muscular structure to portraits to posing. If you are unaware of anatomy and perception then you should definitely look into buying this. It's like having your own life sessions at any given time. The only thing that you do not have is the critique, but you must first gain the experience. I have taken numerous drawing courses throughout school and by no means am I an expert on anatomy. . . yet, however, practice makes perfect.

Product Description
In Anatomy for the Artist, acclaimed artist and teacher Sarah Simblet unveils the extraordinary construction of the human body, and celebrates its continual prominence in Western Art.

The transparent body. Using superb, specially commissioned photographs of male and female models, together with historical and contemporary works of art, and her own illustrations, Sarah shows us how to see inside the human frame, to map its muscle groups, skeletal strength, balance, poise, and grace. Selected drawing superimposed over photographs reveal fascinating relationships between external appearance and internal structure.

Drawing from life. Six drawing classes guide the reader to see the human body afresh, offering techniques and attitudes that imaginatively show how to view and draw the skeleton, head, ribcage, pelvis, hands, and feet.

Dissecting the Masters. By investigating ten Masterworks, the author demonstrates different artist's ideas and knowledge across time, ranging from Holbein's Christ Entombed, to Edward Hopper's Hotel Room. Each Masterclass presents a photographed model set in the same pose, so that anatomical comparisons can be made. Understanding anatomy is often the key to an artist's understanding and interpretation of the body. This imaginative modern reference book will enhance the drawing and painting techniques of artists at every level.
© Amazon.com

Overpopulation Equation

2009-07-12T15:49:00.000-07:00

Overpopulation Equation

If 10,000 Biters use biodegradable condoms every time they make a little love, in a year we'll avert enough polyurethane to fill 223 outdoor trash cans.

Seven billion people + more on the way = …? One Mama Earth with a whole lotta people to look after. In honor of World Population Day (tomorrow) try on an eco-condom for size. It won't hurt your body or the planet - 'cuz the way things are going, we're gonna need more decimals on our calculators very soon.

The Benefits

* Subtracting consumption. Over a lifetime, the average North American will throw away 600 times his or her adult weight in garbage.
* No calculus required…just a condom. To the 38% of Americans who don't use contraception while hoping to avoid pregnancy: seriously? With biodegradable, vegan, and nontox options available, condoms are way sexier than a few years ago.
* Multiplying animal populations. Fewer people traipsing around slows environmental destruction (about 25% of the world's mammals are endangered due to lost habitat).

Personally Speaking
Cola-flavored eco-condoms: at last. (Er…)

Wanna Try?
We're not really sure why these all have to be made so far away (c'mon, American manufacturers!), but at least some are available through American retailers.

* Sheer Glyde Dams - female latex condoms made ethically in Malaysia; includes a cola flavor. Also: male condoms ($5-$10/12).
* French Letter Aphrodisiac Condoms - rose- and vanilla-scented, fair-trade condoms made from FSC-certified rubber latex; three other varieties also available ($15/12).
* Condomi Condoms - an assortment of vegan latex condoms from Germany - including XXL and fruit-flavored versions ($5/15).
* Condom Depot - not vegan, but it only stocks condoms without Nonoxynol-9 (a spermicide in conventional condoms that carries similar risks to parabens).

BLOC28

2009-07-10T13:59:00.000-07:00

NewEra has just released their new line. The BLOC28 is one of the dopest sets I've seen them release, but I must say that I don't tend to deviate from the MARVEL and DC Lines with Fifty Fifty. I'm a comic book geek so I love to wear my art and show my passion while having freedom of expression. I love all their comic related lines. You should also check out the DC line and the LE they did for The Dark Knight and Wolverine: Origins. They are always looking for new talent as well, so be sure to subscribe to their news feed and check out the careers section on their site! New line just released. BLOC28 by Disney - Graffiti artists interpret Disney's icon, Mickey Mouse, on 59FIFTYs | Aroe, Chaz, Ewok + Exciting and limited edition series |

Shop New Era and Receive Same Day Shipping. *Orders must be placed by 2pm EST.

Purple Reign

2009-07-10T12:17:00.000-07:00

SPIN released it's latest issue recently honoring the 25th anniversary of Purple Rain. Music is conducive to producing art. There would be no art without music. They work together simultaneously and the results are blended into a seamless form of art that is always innovative and unique. Prince is one of the pioneers in pop music. He has mastered his craft. He is a consummate artist. I have the utmost respect for his music and I think that he has revolutionized the genre. The entire album is fantastic, but it's no more apparent than in "Baby I'm A Star!" that epitomizes my fruition. "Hey, check it all out Better look now or it just might be 2 late (just might be 2 late)My lucks gonna change tonight There's gotta be a better life Take a picture sweetie I aint got time 2 waste" I realize that I can accomplish anything with diligence and dedication. Everyone should subscribe to Spin. They have a free digital subscription and this month they have put all the music covered in SPIN right on the pages of the digital edition! You can directly purchase the MP3s on Amazon they are compatible with all MP3 players and of course the iPod.

Save up to 90% on Magazine Subscriptions

The latest reviews, emerging trends, in-depth interviews,
and exclusive live music photos.

Prince And The Revolution - Purple Rain

Spin

Envato Marketplaces

2009-07-08T16:50:00.000-07:00

For those of whom are unfamiliar with Envato, they are the geniuses behind Tuts+ Tutorials & Resources, Psdtuts+ Photoshop Tutorials, Vectortuts+ Illustrator Tutorials, Audiotuts+ Music & Sound Tutorials, Nettuts+ Web Development Tutorials, Aetuts+ After Effects Tutorials, Flashtuts+ Flash Tutorials, Cgtuts+ 3D and Graphics Tutorials; they also are partners with Graphic River, AudioJungle, VideoHive, ThemeForest & FlashDen. They send out newsletters periodically if you choose to subscribe. This month they have a variety of things happening please read below!

Licences are here!

There’s just so much great content on the Envato Marketplaces these days, closing on 20,000 different items. All those items means there’s many, many different uses for them. So we’ve been working to create ways for buyers to purchase different types of licenses for use. Having multiple licensing options means buyers can get exactly what they need!

Now you can buy files under:

* Standard Single Use License
This is the same license as the old default license, to be used when you wish to purchase a file to use on a single project.
* 10 Project License (for just 3 x the cost of a Single Use License)
A 10 project license means you can use the same file over and over - up to ten times - without having to buy it again and again.
* Web Services License (for ThemeForest files and FlashDen site templates)
The license is for buyers who wish to buy a site template for use on a web service such as a blog platform.

We hope you find these new license options useful, and if you have any questions please direct them to support, who as always will be happy to help!

Functional, Elegant and Free?!

So, what could possibly be better than a brand new, never before seen, classy, and smooth Flash gallery? A FREE brand new, never before seen, classy, and smooth Flash gallery. That's right, we've pulled out all the stops to bring you, free of charge, the latest and greatest creation from acclaimed author Parker&Kent. Click here for more details.

The free fun doesn't end there my friends. In addition to the free FlashDen file of the month, there are also free files on every corner of the Envato universe. Be sure to also check out the free files from ThemeForest, GraphicRiver, AudioJungle, and VideoHive.

ThemeForest Javascript & PHP Launch!

This month, we launched not one, but two fantastic new categories on ThemeForest. Ever had a need for a drag and drop commenting section? No problem! Need an event calendar for a client’s website? No problem! How about an advanced image gallery management system for your photography business? No problem! With cheap prices ranging from $3 - $12, be sure to browse our continuously expanding selection often. Why waste the day coding a component, when the work has already been done for you? Spend a few dollars and take the day off!

AudioJungle Free File of the Month

Every month, AudioJungle will be giving away a free audio file for the entire month! July's submission is an outstanding collection of eight audio logos by lyden. These audio logos are perfect for podcasts, Web site intros, TV and radio commercials, and much, much more! Don't miss out on July's Free File of the Month and keep checking back each month to see a new free file! If any AudioJungle authors out there would like to submit one of their tracks for consideration for File of the Month, please submit your entry here.

Watch What You Tweet!

2009-07-08T13:14:00.000-07:00

Want a job? Watch what you tweet

Social networking faux pas are no longer the domain of college students and recent grads — established workers need to mind manners, too.

By David Phelp

Minneapolis Star Tribune

Rose McKinney recalls one job candidate who blogged and tweeted herself directly out of a job interview.

This was not an entry-level job or a rookie mistake. The potential job position was a mid-level account manager. The candidate was experienced.

“On paper she looked solid, someone worth talking to,” said McKinney, president of Risdall McKinney Public Relations in Minneapolis. “But on blog spaces and in Twitter conversations she was negative and critical of other agencies. I imagined what she would say about us and our clients.”

Electronic faux pas were once considered the legacy of college students and 20-somethings who would post beer-sodden pictures of themselves and friends on MySpace. But with the rapid advance of Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter from phenomenon to near-obligation for multiple generations, employers are learning that grownups can be just as knuckleheaded as freshly scrubbed college grads when it comes to leaving digital impressions.

Amy Langer, co-founder of Salo, a placement firm for the financial services sector, had one job candidate for a controller’s position who didn’t ge t the job after the employer took displeasure with a negative political posting on the candidate’s Facebook site.

“It’s becoming part of the vetting process,” Langer said. “It makes sense. Social networking was all about personal posts, but now it’s leaked over to the professional side and nobody knows how to handle it.”

“The mistake people make is they pour too much of themselves out there,” said Gillian Gabriel, a headhunter for advertising and marketing agencies who looks at LinkedIn postings as well as Facebook and Twitter when evaluating prospects. “They talk about personal issues — divorce, sick parents, recovery programs. If someone is having a big issue in life, are you going to take that chance (and hire them)?”

Gabriel said one job candidate with whom she had contact went to her LinkedIn network after she didn’t get an agency job and described a scenario where her ideas were at odds with the agency’s.

“She made a poor decision,” said Gabriel, who was part of the candidate’s LinkedIn network. “Not only didn’t she get the job but she publicly pegged herself as a bit of a troublemaker.”

David Gerwitz, an author who specializes in technology and security issues, said social networkers need to realize that their electronic entries will last for years and years.

“Every tweet, every post is being actively indexed by different search engines,” Gerwitz said. “It’s going to be available in perpetuity.”

Sometimes it may not be what you post, but what someone else posts on Professionals is devoting its fall meeting in October to the topic.

“The biggest problem is if you are on the Internet with personal information, hiring managers are going to see it,” said Donna Ploof, a member of the chapter’s board of directors. “If you’re bragging about drinking at a party, that might not be a good thing — for yourself or your company.”

Hiring managers say they often gain access to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn through friends of friends. Often a job applicant is already linked to someone at a company where a job is being sought or belongs to professional groups to which an employer already has access.

“In the business of networking, people know people,” Langer said. “You have to decide what you want your social media face to be. It’s like talking in an elevator. You don’t know who’s listening.”

In an instance of reverse networking , McKinney had one job applicant who became virtual friends with as many current Risdall McKinney employees as possible, thinking that would give him an in when inter viewing . It had the opposite impact.

“It was too much,” McKinney said. It seemed a bit too aggressive. It was overkill. Interviewing is not a group e xercise. It requires some professional decorum.”

T he candidate was not hired for the mid-level job.

“It’s a subtle skill to job-hunt,” Gabriel said. “Every employer has 200 applications on the desk. They want to go with the option where you know you won’t have a problem.”

150 RSS Feeds That All Designers Should Subscribe To

2009-07-06T10:57:00.000-07:00

Over at webdesignblog, they have compiled an amazing list of 150+ RSS Feeds That All Designers Should Subscribe To. For anyone unfamiliar with RSS, here is a brief article on Smashing Mag discussing RSS (Real Simple Syndication). In addition, he has also created an OPML file for to use instead of having to subscribe to each site one-by-one. Enjoy!

How To Turn Your Blog Into A Business

2009-07-06T10:32:00.001-07:00

For anyone interested in working around the system. I would highly advise looking into creating your own site. There are so many valuable resources on the internet. The choice is up to you. It's all a matter of motivation. If you want to continue to live paycheck to paycheck then be my guest. I personally have ideals that I need to achieve and I plan on accomplishing them at any cost. I would advise reading this particular article before pursuing any other endeavor: How To Turn Your Blog Into A Business.

In this article they discuss common mistakes made my freelancers and bloggers. They also discuss how to expedite the process of creating a blog that it not only focused on your passion and the services you have to offer, but a well endowed, successful business. It would be false of me to presume, but I would hope that most people want to be independent and own their stake in a company at some point in their life. I love art. It's my passion. I want to share my works with others. I want to motivate individuals throughout their daily lives vicariously through my personal endeavors. That is my purpose.

In closing, I hope that everyone can benefit from this vital piece of information that I have shared. As Joel Osteen once said "We are all children of the most high" we are meant to achieve higher positions in life. It is kismet. I am not the type of person to coerce or proselytize anyone. Your beliefs are your own. I would like for everyone to realize, however, that change is necessary in order for us to grow. It is an essential part of life. One of my favorite quotes is from Uchiha Itachi, a character in the ongoing manga series Naruto. "True change cannot be made if it is bound by laws & limitations, predictions and imagination." - Uchiha Itachi ♚
As individuals we all must learn to adapt and to overcome if we are to learn and prosper.

Find a niche, not a job

2009-07-05T19:51:00.000-07:00

This is a concise article elaborating on what I feel is the most important aspect in life. Finding your niche and following your passion.

Author: Steven Beck
People often seek my advice, looking for ways to improve the economies of poorer areas and develop business solutions that benefit the entire community. Yet for all their good intentions, they rarely understand the difference between a job and a business.

A business is where the owner has unlimited potential for profit and a job is where a person trades his precious time for a prescribed amount of money. So when people in a community start talking about wooing a company to bring jobs to their town, they are really just asking for a way to trade their time (a priceless commodity) for a flat rate (a common commodity that will meet short term needs).

To attract business, people must learn to think like entrepreneurs. They must find a niche, research it, and discover what their customers really want. Once they know this, they can meet the needs of their niche. Profits will naturally follow.

“So, you are saying teach this to the whole town?”

No, I said teach it to your community. Start with the community you know best, your niche. Then begin to spread out your friends, your church and finally “yes, the whole town!”

Of course, this will take a while, but in the mean time offer free courses to your church and even to your community. Tell them that the reason you do all this is because Jesus Christ is not just Lord of your heart; He is Lord of your business as well and He is Lord of their business! He owns it all!

Search out special-interest groups on the internet, as this will help you find internet niche markets. Use the tools on www.surveymonkey.com to create and distribute a survey to help you discover what customers in each group really want. Using that information, look for affiliate programs associated with that niche.

You will find more products to fill that need than you can shake a stick at! Put up a web page with those products and add some “buy it” buttons, invite that group to your web site and then collect their emails so you can tell them more about their niche every week.

People love to talk about their passions, and your emails let them do that. Everyone loves to learn more about their interests, or to hear of someone else who shares the same passions. Share the joy with your customers, and get ready to make amazing profits with your online business.
About the Author:

Stephen Beck teaches people how to find home-based business opportunities. Take a look at his three free videos here.

Shake The Disease

2009-07-05T19:01:00.001-07:00

The measure of an economy is money. A large economy has a larger supply of money than does a small economy. Therefore, to grow an economy requires a growing supply of money. Every form of money is a form of debt. Therefore, a growing economy requires a growing supply of debt.

The unemployment rate just rose to a staggering 9.4% I am glad that I did not vote in the last election. I find politics to be absolutely absurd. The debt the Obama administration inherited from the Bush admin was immense. I realize that there is no panacea for economics. In my research perusing the web, I came across this brilliant article by Rodger Mitchell. Rodger Malcolm Mitchell, MBA is a "turnaround specialist," who saves troubled companies. He looks at each company with fresh eyes. He ignores corporate common knowledge. He finds the realities of each company's situation. He's learned: When the obvious answers don't work, the real answers will be counter intuitive. While economics may not be of any particular interest to most people the fact remains that it is vital to understand its purpose in society. This article elaborates on Mitchell's cure for all. It may not be ideal, but it is a prototype. Cure for recession & more

Got Me Workin

2009-07-05T13:22:00.001-07:00

With all this current talk of the economy, people are seeking more creative ways to generate income online. I recently started to do affiliate marketing to gain additional income. I thoroughly encourage everyone to check out Link Worth

Get paid every month for links in your sidebar, writing ads (Pay Per Post style) and putting select companies banners on your site. I like it because instead of having to seek out advertisers, they come to you and make you offers. It really doesn't get any more simple than that. This is how it works; they will pay $50.00 for each new account sent through your affiliate link. The $50.00 will be a pending payment which is payable once the referring account has spent or earned a minimum of $100. Most accounts spend well into the thousands, so it will be very simple to meet the requirement. This will ensure accounts being referred are legitimate accounts so we're not just paying money for accounts that may not belong to the one submitting them.

Be Our Sponsor

LinkWorth Stats
Text link ads are a great way to advertise. Click here to check my stats and signup with LinkWorth to advertise with us.

Another great company to check out would be Indeed. You get paid to display job listings. You can place them on your website, in articles and more. It's an excellent way to provide readers with real job info and generate income as well! Plus they have a cool referal program.
If you would like to become a publisher with Indeed, click Indeed Jobs then click where it says "Publishers".

I also just recently discovered MoreNiche. Affiliate marketing is simple; you receive large commissions for referring customers to good quality, unique products or services - see how it works.

If you’re completely new to affiliate marketing then they can provide you with a website, articles and all the advice you need - for free. Great affiliate prizes and signup bundle when you join the MoreNiche Affilite Program for free.

If you’re an experienced marketer than you will love their patent pending tracking technology...

Join For FREE Today

I just found this great website that pays you to try out new products, services, and websites. You can
make $5 to $75 per survey, and you even get to keep the products you review! The surveys are really
easy, and the membership is FREE, so what is there to lose, right?

Check it out!
Vindale Research!

12 Free Font Sites

2009-06-30T16:31:00.000-07:00

Here is a great list of 12 free font sites. If you can't find what you're looking for here then I don't know what to tell you. The original article can be viewed here: The Lance Life be sure to RSS for all the latest updates. Enjoy!

1001 Free Fonts

DaFont

Urban Fonts

Search Free Fonts

Font Freak

1001 Free Fonts

Fonts O

Fontica

Free-Fonts

Fonts 500

Font Squirrel

Show Font

Jer and the Giant Peach

2009-06-29T19:54:00.000-07:00

The Hard Truth About Getting Hired

I'm not entirely sure why I'm posting this. No one really wants to hear anything more about a recession, a depression or the economy. I will never give up. It's not worth it. I can tell you that it's not at all fun living in these times. If I didn't love what I do then I would have probably gone insane by now. Granted my knowledge is finite, there is zero to no opportunity in Florida. I continue to learn as much as I can, however, I often question what is that I truly want to do. No one can know everything. I have practical knowledge of print design and web design sans Flash which I am still learning and yet I still have difficult even securing an interview. It makes me lose my mind every day to work as hard as I do and have no profit. I do not feel vexed, but it is very obfuscating. I sometimes find myself walking around in a daze. I see people spend money lavishly and yet there is a "recession". I feel as if I am in The Matrix. I really loathe politics and the entire media is almost nothing but negativity or who has more money than someone else. The entire financial system in America is nothing more than a sham. While that may be true, money is a requirement to do things until this system is thoroughly fixed. It's not only the monetary system that needs to be reformed either, but I will save those thoughts for another day. There's no need to rant on a fruitless diatribe. In closing thoughts, if something is not done soon then this country is going to be in a state of utter disillusion and chaos. Feel free to share the article above on Twitter and/ or Facebook or MySpace. It reminds me of a joke: See, there were these two guys in a lunatic asylum... and one night, one night they decide they don't like living in an asylum any more. They decide they're going to escape! So, like, they get up onto the roof, and there, just across this narrow gap, they see the rooftops of the town, stretching away in the moon light... stretching away to freedom. Now, the first guy, he jumps right across with no problem. But his friend, his friend didn't dare make the leap. Y'see... Y'see, he's afraid of falling. So then, the first guy has an idea... He says "Hey! I have my flashlight with me! I'll shine it across the gap between the buildings. You can walk along the beam and join me!" B-but the second guy just shakes his head. He suh-says... He says "Wh-what do you think I am? Crazy? You'd turn it off when I was half way across!"

How To Charge More For Your Freelance Projects

2009-06-28T15:52:00.000-07:00

Featured, Marketing, Pricing

It should be a goal of every freelancer to maximize his/her profits without sacrificing the number of clients they service, and yes, the balance between price and amount of work is a very hard one to make, but it is paramount to understand as a freelancer that what you do is an art: so price is ultimately dependent on your skill in your field of expertise.
Your Skill is an Art

The main reason why freelancers need to remind themselves that what they do is an art, is because it comes with one major advantage. It’s as simple as this, the better you are, the more you can charge. This means, that you can in theory become an excellent designer/coder/writer in a short space of time with a bit of dedication, and then end up charging your clients much more as a result.

Too many times I’ve seen designing (especially) being treated as a sort of mechanical process. Take for example in the template industry. There are a lot of people out there offering unique, custom designs for sale, but treat it as though the more designs they make in the shortest amount of time, the more money they’ll make. This is a total lopsided way of thinking when it comes to an art. Time should be taken when making a design (in this example), and you should be concentration on the quality of your work over the amount of work you produce; that way you can charge more for the template at hand and not have to work as much. The key idea here is don’t undersell yourself, the market has had enough of it already.
Take pride in your work

The work you do for a client ultimately represents you. Your personality, talent, interests, are all definable by your work; and you should, therefore, be taking great effort and pride in the work you produce. Focus on quality, not quantity, and you’ll see a nature growth in the number of clients requesting work.

Taiyab Raja is a web designer and entrepreneur who runs an interesting, captivating freelance blog, designs awesome websites for 6creations.com. Be sure to RSS to Freelance apple for all the latest updates.

Originally posted on FreelanceApple

Say, Say, Say

2009-06-28T14:13:00.000-07:00

Best Small Business Idea -- Get Focused and Get Going
ID: 332
Category: Business - Home Based
Author: Michael Clark
Article:
I used to give a talk titled, “10 Ways to Overcome Overwhelm in Business and In Life”. It was an excellent resource for getting into action and taking charge of your business. If you’d like a copy, just email me and I’ll send it to you. After I’d given this talk for awhile, I realized that getting out of overwhelm was even simpler. You don’t need 10 ideas. That’s overwhelming in itself. You just need one essential key. If you can master this one key, you can pretty much get whatever you want out of your business and your life. Here it is. Don’t blink or you’ll miss it. Focus.

That’s right, focus. When you are entirely focused on what you are doing in the moment, you don’t have any attention left for being in overwhelm. Focus and overwhelm are opposites. Think about it. You are overwhelmed because you are thinking about all the things you’ve got to get done today, tomorrow, and the day after. You aren’t solidly focused in the present moment doing what’s in front of you. But when you are stuck in overwhelm, it’s really hard to get focused. So what can you do?

It’s actually very simple. Get back to basics. Go back to your core values, your mission statement, your vision. Stop right now and think about the vision you had for your business when you first started it. What did you want to accomplish? Why did you want to do it? Were you looking for freedom? Did you have a better way of helping people? Completely let yourself be absorbed in the dream you had. Feel how it was when you started. Now you are focused. Take this vision and write it down again. Go into detail about what you really want to do with your business.

Now from this focused state, get into action. It should be much more clear to you now what the most important tasks are. Focus your energy on those and get going. Any time you start feeling overwhelmed, stop and go back to your dream, your vision. Ask yourself why you are doing what you are doing. Really feel it and then start again. I guarantee you this will get you focused and get you out of overwhelm. Now you can get what you really wanted out of your business.

Start up business resource guide and consultant, Michael Clark has been crafting best small business ideas for over 20 years. Michael is a serial entrepreneur having opened multiple successful small businesses over the last 12 years. For more small business success stories and business resource groups, visit his web site at Business & Beyond.com.

This is a really great article. It's concise yet detailed. I haven't been focusing at all lately on actually designing and learning new material, albeit that is my ideal. I will never lose sight of my objective. I know what I have to do. It's all a matter of it coming to fruition. Lately, things have been as hectic as always with constant pressure.

I am willing to go above and beyond in order to succeed and I will do so at whatever the costs may be. I do realize that price comes with a fortune, and the road to success is not an easy path. I do not want it to be facilitated by any means. If you are not willing to give it 110% then it's not worth pursuing. I will never despair. You have to be as dedicated as Batman. If you have never read a Batman comic then you can never understand the pain of achieving an ideal. You have to strive for nothing less than perfection. It's a cruel world and motivation is the only force that will keep you from deviating. As Bruce said,
"People think it's an obsession. A compulsion. As if there were an irresistible impulse to act. It's never been like that. I chose this life. I know what I'm doing. And on any given day, I could stop doing it. Today, however, isn't that day. And tomorrow won't be either" - Batman

R.I.P.

2009-06-26T11:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was one of the most melancholic days in history. Not only one, but two people passed away Farrah Fawcett & Michael Jackson. In reverence to their lives I am going to celebrate their passing by honoring the way they lived. Death should not be something that is looked down upon. They are now resting in a better place. In amidst of all the chaos and confusion there will no longer by physical suffering. Their souls are now at rest. Michael Jackson was a genius. He was the voice of a generation. He was what all artists desire to be. He mastered his craft. Having grown up in the spotlight he never had a childhood. He was a musical genius and the talent and charisma he held were unparalleled. Thriller holds a special significance for me because not only did I grow up listening to the album, but I was born in 1982 the year it was released. I regret having never seen him perform. His music will live on forever. For a complete bio, please refer to the Wiki: Michael Jackson He was The Last Samurai. R.I.P. The proper ending for a great life lived.
"EMPEROR
The Samurai is gone. The spirit
of samurai lives forever.
(a beat)
Tell me how he died.
Algren looks at the Emperor.
ALGREN
I will tell you how he lived."

In addition, he lived a lonely life and became so isolated. No one truly understood his pain. I am going to share a memorable quote from Nagato/Pein from Naruto because I think it elaborates on this: "...Do you understand pain a little now? If you don't share someone's pain, you can never understand them. But just because you understand them doesn't mean you can come to an agreement. That's the truth."

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009)

25 Must-Read Blogs for Freelance Designers

2009-06-25T11:57:00.000-07:00

Over at Freelance folder they have recently composed a list of 25 must read blogs for Freelance designers. I haven’t heard of all of them & I do not read them everyday, but as often as I can. Abduzeedo is amazing and I think Smashing Mag has to be my personal favorite as they incorporate everything. These are the most consummate sites for designers whether you are a web designer, Ps designer, multi-media designer, motion designer, illustrator or photographer. You will find it all here. Be sure to RSS to their blog and follow them on Twitter @ FreelanceFolder!

AI Burn

VectorTuts

VectorDiary

VecTips

PSDTuts

PSD Vibe

PSD Fan

Abduzeedo

Freelance Design Blo

YouTheDesigner

YouTheDesigner

Naldz Graphics

Six Revisions

Think Design

Smashing Magazine

Tutorial 9

Vadeleys Design

Web Design Ledger

Web Designer Depot

Design Newz

Spyre Studios

Top Flash Inspirational Sites

2009-06-25T11:06:00.000-07:00

Usually when I am looking for inspiration while working on a project I go to Twitter and peruse all the resources that are available. Currently, I have been on thefwa.com. It is a really great site with the best of best Flash/Web projects out there. Recently I found on Twitter really cool site called Flash AllStars. The idea is really simple people can submit their sites. If they are something new or jaw-dropping, they are added to the collection. Now there are 8 categories on Flash AllStars.

In addition, Dzine Blog which probably has every know resource available has compiled a list of 25 Creative Flash Websites. Here is a collection of the best Flash Websites with 3D Environment and 3D interface, Make sure to turn your speaker ON as most of these flash websites are using cool audio as well. (These sites will require little bit More band width, please be patient while the site loads, these sites are worth the waiting time)

1.)Comcast Town

2.)Markez Models

3.)Mouricio
http://dzineblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/3D+Flash+Websites/3.jpg

4.)Tinman

5.)Get The Glass

6.)Dragon Hunters

7.)Prism Girl

8.)Capri Sonne

9.)Lata z Coca-Cola

11.)K2 Inavi

12.) Erguvan Platin Evleri

13.) Real Casual

14.) Senisoft

15.) On Toyota’s Mind

10 Most Wanted Vector Tutorials

2009-06-25T10:34:00.001-07:00

I do a lot of work primarily in Illustrator. I love working with vectors and it's such a powerful program. If you are a designer and you plan on printing your work then you should definitely take advantage to the freebies at Graphic mania. The 10 most wanted vector tutorials!

Today’s tutorial collection is very special, because we all want to learn such vector tutorials. Furthermore, I collection wonderful cartoon tutorials, Manga art and Anime tutorials. Most of these tutorials use Adobe Illustrator and provide the trick in a very easy to learn way.

Here are some more amazing vector freebies The Golden Black! Royalty Free Vector Art & Fonts! they are owned by Pale Horse Design Studios. Pale Horse is the Graphic Design Studio of Solo Artist Chris Parks

Since opening the doors in 2006, Pale Horse has opportunity to create artwork for companies, like Hydro 74, Nike, Vans, Etnies, Red Bull, Hurley, Joker Brand, Mattel, The Cartoon Network, Iron Fist Clothing and many others. Chris’ work focuses on apparel, action sports market graphics, and Illustration. He has also had the opportunity to show his work in various galleries throughout Florida and across the US.

Man On The Moon

2009-06-25T09:34:00.000-07:00

This is another great blog that I have read within the past twenty-four hours so I felt the need to share it on here... be sure to RSS to Sandy Wright's blog and follow her on Twitter @ Sandywright

get FREE or low cost PR with these 10 tips
25 06 2009
Get Free or Low-Cost Publicity
These 10 tools can help you get the recognition you’ve been craving.
By Margie Zable Fisher | June 22, 2009
Print ShareThis Get the Mag Weekly Updates [-] Text Size [+]
Like most people, I like to save money. That’ s why I offer so many “do-it-yourself public relations” products. I’m also always on the lookout for great, inexpensive or free publicity tools.
Here’ s a list of tools you can use to get publicity on the cheap:
Like most people, I like to save money. That’ s why I offer so many “do-it-yourself public relations” products. I’m also always on the lookout for great, inexpensive or free publicity tools.
Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/savingscenter/article202378.html#ixzz0JRnVNfMw&C

I found this article on AllTop.com Guy Kawasaki’s site and it has some good info on PR that you might want to check into for your blog or business.

These 10 tools can help you get the recognition you’ve been craving - By Margie Zable Fisher June 22, 2009

Like most people, I like to save money. That’ s why I offer so many “do-it-yourself public relations” products. I’m also always on the lookout for great, inexpensive or free publicity tools.

Here’ s a list of tools you can use to get publicity on the cheap:
1. Help a Reporter: Free leads from reporters who are looking for sources for stories.
2. Contact any Celebrity:One week’ s trial for $1 provides you with contact information for celebrities. If you send your product to a celebrity and he or she likes it, you can use that celebrity’s comments as a testimonial on your website, in a press release, etc., to drive sales.
3. The Gift List: Free trial of a media contact database for consumer product companies; this link will also give you a 15 percent discount should you decide to get a subscription.
4. Contacts on Tap: Free 15-day trial of a media contact database.
5. Chase’s Calendar: Free listing of a holiday you can create; this annual calendar is used by media everywhere.
6. PR Leads: Leads from reporters who are looking for sources for stories. $99 per month.
7. Ezine articles: Free directory of articles; submit yours with a resource box at the bottom to drive traffic to your website.
8. Write a guest post, be interviewed or get mentioned by a top blogger, with a link to your website. Free.
9. Win an award. It takes time to submit an application for an award, but usually it’s free.
10. Write a letter to the editor of a magazine or newspaper, including your company name and website. Free.

Use these tools and watch your publicity efforts become more successful–without spending big bucks.
Margie Zable Fisher is the president of Zable Fisher Public Relations, the leader in small business public relations. To get her free e-mail tips and publicity opportunities, visit zfpr.com.

Creatives benefit from Dying Network News

2009-06-25T09:21:00.000-07:00

While perusing Twitter I came across this article and I thought that I should share it. Republished with permission. Please make sure to read and also to follow him on Twitter @ RickDiBiasio. The video is especially amazing...
Dying network is your creative opportunity by Rick DiBiasio

How Dying Network News = Your Opportunity

Do you remember a time when you didn’t buy plane tickets without a Travel Agent, you couldn’t buy stock without a Stockbroker and the big three television networks had a monopoly on television programming? I’ll tell you what, that day wasn’t that long ago!

Sure there are still travel agents, stockbrokers and television networks, only their jobs have gotten a whole lot harder. Being the only one that has certain information is a very valuable business asset, trying to play that role in the Web 2.0 age is pretty stupid. Knowing a little about the way business is changing is crucial to your survival as a creative in 2009, as I’ve been saying, if your job can be sent to India or done by a computer, you are toast.

When I was a rookie stockbroker in the eighties, all I had to do was get a prospective client into my office and show them my ADP terminal. It was a black and white screen that quoted stock prices in real time and scrolled the Dow Jones News Wire. Once I proved I had access to information they couldn’t get at home, these people couldn’t wait to become new clients. They left stock buying to their stock broker.

If I wanted to go to Vail to ski, I called a travel agent who found everything from a car to a flight to a ski resort, not to mention ski rentals and restaurants. She had a computer terminal with connections and a telephone, you left travel up to your travel agent.

There were only three television channels and they each hired very serious people to tell us what was going on in the world, they controlled the information America got and Walter Cronkite, Huntley and Brinkley told us what to worry about and who was famous. They did it at 6:30 every evening, you’d better tune in or you’d miss the information they were doling out. Local news was the same way; did your team win tonight? Better tune in at 11 to find out.

Old farts like me remember those days, my kids don’t. They use their mobile device to buy a stock, book a trip and find out who won the game; they do it NOW. In fact, just today, the network news reported new ALL TIME lows for CBS and ABC network news, the slide to irrelevancy is near completion.

Yes there will be successful stock brokers (I am one), good travel agents (just less of them) and network news; but our product will have to change to deal with smaller and more specialized markets. Stockbrokers offer financial planning now, travel agents specialize in cruises (or some other niche) and networks have the ability to tell stories in a way no one else does. Note, none of these things involves having a monopoly on disseminating information.

So, what’s The Affluent Artist message here? Actual, quite a bit of this is relevant to the creative.

* Information gets out and people who think they can control it suck. Turn in for news at 11? No thanks, I’ll look on my Blackberry right now. You don’t write for editors or publishers anymore, you don’t paint for gallery owners. You can get your work out to the masses with a You Tube channel, a $19 web cam and a Starbucks connection. You create for your end user, your customer. You use the web to find them.

* That smaller more specialized market thing? I believe you need a niche, you need to find your potential buyers and design stuff just for them. Think of your creative self as the local handcrafted furniture store, building stuff your customers want, you know your neighbors and what they need. It’s JUST like that, only your customers can be anywhere in the world.

* The world is begging for more content. Creative people are in big demand right now, if you can tell a story like no one else or design a product no one else can, you have a talent that people are willing to pay for, Web 2.0 allows you to get that work out there in a more efficient and targeted manner.

I’m pounding away at this business model thing because it is so relevant to the way people buy. Going to open a bicycle shoppe in London? Before you do, through social networking, every bike rider in town should already know who you are and you should know them. Then, selling them bicycles is like shooting fish in a barrel, you know what they want and you can just give it to them.

I’ve got a lot more to say about this, I’ll keep you posted.

2009-06-24T12:37:00.000-07:00

This just in, the kind people at Color Burned have compiled a list of 127 RSS Feeds That All Designers Should Subscribe To! I just recently started to RSS to numerous sites. It is very practical, albeit it is difficult to maintain order with the structuring of how feeds are setup. It would be much easier if I could separate them by category or by tags. I am a Firefox user so I take note of the many resources and add-ons that are essential to me not only as a designer but as a standard user on the web. The number one add-on that I must have at all times is Delicous. The tastiest bookmarks on the web! It's such an ingenious slogan... how could you resist? The great thing about Delicious is that you can take it with you anywhere. It's fantastic! Be sure to RSS to Color Burned and check out their many available contrivances.

GoMedia Arsenal

2009-06-24T10:47:00.001-07:00

For those of you who don't know already... GoMedia is this amazing design studio who in my opinion probably have the best vectors available on the web. Read more about them in the excerpt below...

Who is Go Media Progressive Design at Go Media Arsenal?
Go Media is a progressive design studio based in Cleveland, OH. We get paid to create artwork all day and we love it.

Clients (Bands):
Red Hot Chili Peppers, Evanescence, Velvet Revolver, Metallica, Dragonforce, Gym Class Heroes, Mastodon, Avenged Sevenfold, Stone Sour, Killswitch Engage, As I Lay Dying, and countless others.

Clients (Fashion Companies):
Triple Five Soul, Subscript, Atticus Clothing, Strhess Clothing, Paint the Stars,

Other Clientele:
Adobe, Computer Arts Magazine, IDN Magazine, Advanced Photoshop Magazine, Create Magazine, Coca Cola, Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, Pepsi.

The Arsenal
Throughout the years, we've developed a large library of design elements such as vector art, textures, fonts, brushes, etc. We've called it our "arsenal" of design weaponry. It wasn't until recently we started sharing our Arsenal with you. So choose your weapon and get to work!

What do I need to use them?
All items from Go Media's Arsenal are royalty free and can be used on both commercial and personal works. You need design software such as Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop

And now for a limited time only they have included these special offers as incentives...

20% off Ultimate Texture Collection

20% off Ultimate Apparel Template Collection

15% off Ultimate Type Collection

10% off Entire Order

10% Off Any Poster

From The Blogosphere

2009-06-24T10:01:00.000-07:00

BlogReach has just announced the launch of a new, free service including new widgets -

BlogReach allows bloggers to install a blog headline widget on their website that rotates headlines from other bloggers who have registered with the site. After registering with BlogReach your headlines will be added to the database of headlines, so your headlines will appear on thousands of other blogs.

BlogReach is an easy way to improve SEO rank because the link posted on the widget are direct links to your blog pages - NOT redirected links.

Signup is easy and takes less than 2 minutes. There is absolutely no costs associated with BlogReach.

Intelligent Design

2009-06-24T07:21:00.000-07:00

One of the more recent companies that I have taken notice of lately is ID. Here is an insight into what they do. Check it out! Intelligent Design (ID) juxtaposes iconic images with intriguing messages to create a fresh new look. ID’s creative concepts are inspired by a wide range of social causes from environmental responsibility and economic inequity to world peace. The apparel is designed for the ever-increasing numbers of socially-responsible people who are willing to express themselves through what they wear.

“Peace first. Ask questions later,” declared Bill Jemas, 360ie CEO. “Our fall 2008 line revolves around the world peace movement.” Mr. Jemas, former Marvel Comics Publisher, co-created the ID line with accomplished graphic designer Farrah Gross, 360ie’s Art Director. “We work with dozens of freelance artists and have created a beautiful collection with many diverse messages. But to start, we decided to focus on peace art with peaceful messages.”

To support the broader Peace Movement and publicize its own peace-apparel line, 360ie is launching peacepaint.com - a website that aggregates information about the cause and links to major peace-oriented organizations. Peacepaint.com also comes with an eye-catching twist – exhibiting the best ID designs in body paint on some very sexy canvases!
“We want to make you look,” says Sarah Miller, 360ie’s Business Manager, “but we also make want you to listen and learn. We reached out to the people who make the peace movement move – online and off – and gathered exciting, motivating news and intelligence for Peacepaint.com. Sure, we want to sell clothing, but, like our customers, our primary goal is to ensure as many of us as possible are here in the future to enjoy it. That’s the intelligent design behind Intelligent Design.”

2009-06-23T20:06:00.000-07:00

I've been trying my best to ignore politics, but as the situation escalates in Iran it's become almost impossible. It would be haughty of me to assume that I can possibly understand what they are experiencing. I cannot empathize. I can only hope that things do not exacerbate beyond the state that they are in currently. This is why I do not choose to follow politics. It almost always ends in death. During the post-election protest, President Obama has condemned Iran in their violence against protesters. The article can be read here: Obama condemns violence against Iran protesters Also, there is the ongoing situation with Kim Jong-Il. I don't feel the need to elaborate on that any further because there is tons of information available via the web. If the Japanese and South Korean's build up their army... then this will definitely be a war to remember. It should be something reminiscent of World War II, but let's hope that it will not result in violence, albeit I'm absolutely certain that will be the outcome eventually. If only there could be world peace . . . “Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put an end to mankind... War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today.” - JFK

Traffic Generation

2009-06-23T20:03:00.000-07:00

Traffic generation – if you have been online for long, traffic generation has been something that you have had to learn to master, or you do not have much business. That is just the way it is – you have to generate traffic if you are going to make money online.

Now, one of the much-discussed areas of traffic generation is free traffic generation. And I think that most people that get into free traffic generation will look for free advertising, free ezine ads, free web traffic, and all other kinds of traffic that is called ‘free’. But that traffic really is poor traffic for lots of reasons, one being that only generally only freebie seekers use this traffic – nobody really makes money with free traffic – it is free, afterall, so what incentive is there to have good free traffic?

But I have discovered a few sources of traffic that is not usually limped in with the free traffic, and although it requires some amount of work (20 hours per week is recommended), will create incredible levels of traffic to you.

The root of all this free traffic generation is in maximizing your natural search engine rankings so that your web site comes up in the top ten rankings for your main keyword, and then the search engines send you free traffic.

So how do you do this?

1) Make sure your web site is at least minimally optimized for the search engines…for example, use your main keyword in the title, in your keywords, and at least a few times throughout the web site.

2) Write 10 articles about your web sites’ main topics. Send each of these articles to at least 100 different article directories online. Include an anchor text link in each of the articles with your web site’s main keyword as the text in the anchor link.

3) Submit your web site to at least 100 web directories. The backlinks you get from doing this are priceless, and are easy to get, they just take time, and when you are getting started online, you have more time and less money…so use this little-used technique.

Source: Ezine Articles

MAC Lab

2009-06-21T20:10:00.000-07:00

Rebooting the MAC Labs

Though this is first and foremost a Website to support and promote my high school students, people from around the world seem to have found it of some use as well. Should you find something of value here, please pay it forward in a manner of your choosing. If you want to learn Flash or any other Adobe application in a comprehensive manner without paying $50,000 a year then I highly recommend this site. It is truly amazing. There is no need to further elaborate so I suggest you visit and RSS . . .

Passive Income

2009-06-21T18:40:00.000-07:00

I have been procrastinating for quite some time, but I know a lot of people are probably wondering why I am now advertising CashCrate in my sidebar as a recommended Affiliate Program? The answer is simple, the CashCrate Affiliate Program is very lucrative to you and the list is there to help you. Okay so let me tell you why CashCrate is so lucrative..?

cashcrate affiliate program review
Convinced to Sign Up and Promote Cashcrate!

I know myself I have no interest in surveys or filling out offers online, however many of my friends love them. And that’s how I finally decided to add the program, they convinced me it was the best paid to do offers affiliate program out there. Another reason that made me decide to give it a try was it is a program where anyone can refer and make money as well… Basically refer people to the program and earn a cut of there efforts whenever they fill out or do offers.. Sound good..?
CashCrate – The Sign Up…

Okay so I signed up and first thing I noticed was there were plenty of surveys or free to sign up incentives that paid $7.00 or more. That was surprising as I always based my judgment of paid surveys or paid offers as a bit of a dodgy online system. CashCrate is different though, I did one of them and soon enough boom there is the $7.00. Okay so I have not done any more since then but still for anyone out there wanting to make some money now, why not.. It works..!

Below is a screen shot of a small amount of the current paid offers in CashCrate..

cashcrate affiliate program - paid for doing surveys
After this I did some standard Research on CashCrate…

I started doing some research on the program and what I found was an endless supply of payment proofs and positive feedback. One aspect that interested me is how many people were referring the program and earning over $200 in passive income a month just from there referrals.. That’s when i noticed how lucrative and different CashCrate was… The Referral System..!
cashcrate referral system CashCrate Referral Program is One of the Most Lucrative Out There – Two Tiers of Affiliates.

The system of referrals is so simple, simply refer and get 25% of the earnings of your referral. Which is easy when you can simply earn a couple of dollars for free in a couple of minutes. Now the exciting bit is, if your referall refers someone you get 10% of there earnings as well.. That is a true, two tier powerful system.

Below is some screen shots of payment proofs to see some of my research, I was impressed at how many positive blog posts there were out there as well. So that is the reason I decided to promote it in my sidebar, as a recommended option. It takes a lot of effort and testing, for a program to be put in that spot. Well done CashCrate!

"Persistence overcomes resistance"

2009-06-21T11:09:00.000-07:00

Happy Fathers Day to everyone I thought this would be the ideal opportunity to wish all the real fathers a wonderful day. I was not fortunate enough to grow up with a father, so I am very appreciative of my mom who raised me, albeit I may not say it in so many words. I recently joined RedBubble and I have some of my featured work on sale. Please support real art. They would make great gifts for you or your father. The piece that I have featured is "Survival Of The Fittest" it would be suitable for any occasion, but today it holds a special significance. You can read the excerpt at my account on dA or on the provided link. Always remember . . . “The keys to patience are acceptance and faith. Accept things as they are, and look realistically at the world around you. Have faith in yourself and in the direction you have chosen.” 固執は抵抗に打ち勝ちます。 (koshitsu ha teikou ni uchi kachi masu .) "Persistence overcomes resistance."

Minu Ga Hana

2009-06-19T13:21:00.001-07:00

The world wide web is truly amazing. The opportunities provided through the various uses of technology are amazing. I love comics and I also enjoy manga/anime. I'm a geek. I love learning new things and utilizing those skills to my advantage. One of my many other personal hobbies is studying Japanese since I hear it so frequently used in anime. I don't consider myself to be any type of teacher, but I suppose that I have an extensive amount of knowledge that is enough to share with others. Since English is my native tongue it's not difficult for me. I have been tutoring a student in Japan. Her progress is amazing. One of the most practical resources given to me was from a man named Rudy Arnauts, who said "The one thing that school can't teach you is talent." As long as you have fervor and the desire to learn ... anything is possible. In other exciting news, YouTube has now given us the ability to customize the color of the player. Technology has come quite a long ways, so without further ado, I bring to you...

Adobe struck

2009-06-17T14:28:00.000-07:00

I finally found a comprehensive Flash site for beginners. I'm very excited. I'm also beginning my endeavor to using After Effects. I have a particular focus on motion design. I have been neglectful in doing tutorials lately. If there is no opportunity... you simply have to make it. In order for that to happen then I must utilize my knowledge. If the information is available then you may as well take advantage of it while you have the chance. I am also working on another new project entitled 'The Puzzle Of Life' ... I was on Desktopography and I was looking at their pieces and I thought to myself how amazing it would be to create such a piece. I mean, after all, we are all trying to figure out how to solve the puzzle of life. We just have to find all the necessary pieces!

Creativity At Hand

2009-06-15T16:39:00.000-07:00

I've just uploaded a new project to my dA. It's entitled 'Creativity At Hand' I was inspired by a lot of things all at once. I was looking at the poster for 'Weird Science' and I saw an ad in a comic with a test tube done in Illustrator & I thought it was profound. I figured that I would do something different and original, so thus creativity at hand. The possibilities are infinite!

The Pursuit Of Happyness

2009-06-14T13:38:00.000-07:00

Last night while perusing through the television I just so happened to stop on "The Pursuit Of Happyness" albeit I have seen the film before, I never actually took the time to understand it until it having watched it a second time. Since I have started to follow my passion designing full-time I now more than ever am watching that lifestyle manifest before my eyes. There's more to life than working paycheck to paycheck. I would much rather pursue my passion than to have a standard job for the rest of my life. I have learned everything on my own up until this point & knowledge is infinite especially via the web. I do think that education is important, but is not near as important as "Life, liberty & the pursuit of happiness."

There are different paths that people choose to take in life. I chose to pass by the fork in the road. I do, however, believe that not having a formal education can be a minor setback, but it's not going to stop me from pursuing my dreams. I will succeed at all costs. I must do what is necessary. I have decided that I am now going to change my focus to motion design so my endeavor is to learn Flash, After Effects & Maya. "Some people are pragmatists, taking things as they come and making the best of the choices available. Some people are idealists, standing for principle and refusing to compromise. And some people just act on any whim that enters their heads. I pragmatically turn my whims into principles. " - Calvin & Hobbes

Gallery

2009-06-11T20:41:00.000-07:00

Check out my gallery via Shutterstock! I love what I do and I put my heart into these so I would be much obliged if you were to purchase a subscription. Art is my passion! My ultimate ideal is to inspire and acheive satisfaction knowing that my works manifest vicariously to motivate individuals throughout their daily lives. Be sure to RSS to my blog for all the latest updates!

My latest images for sale at
Shutterstock:

My most popular images for sale at
Shutterstock:

2009-06-11T12:24:00.000-07:00

I almost never turn on the TV because I'm never at home. I keep up with updates via Twitter, facebook, or my Yahoo! home page. I'm sure that most of you are aware of the Holocaust shooting that happened today. Quite frankly, I'm not appalled, but it is a bit absurd that these issues still exist. Why is racism still alive? That's a rhetorical question. As Depeche Mode stated: People are people So why should it be
You and I should get along so awfully People are people So why should it be You and I should get along so awfully? It's absurd. I'm not exactly what goes on in the minds of these people, but they truly fail to realize that our outside appearance is the only thing that differentiates us from each other. We all have the same muscles, the same type of bones, and we all came from women. Race is trivial. This is why I choose not to pay attention to politics. They have essentially destroyed all merit and value. If it weren't for politics people would have no reason to hate other people. Everybody wants to rule the world.

None

2009-06-07T20:29:00.000-07:00

So I went to the movies today to see UP and Terminator: Salvation. I really enjoyed UP. It was definitely one of my favorite Pixar films. It really taught me a valuable lesson on how life is too short to waste time, and albeit that message is conveyed in my head sometimes I do not stick to that principle. I feel as if I should be more aggressive. I should be more ... adventurous. The story truly was motivating. I was very captivated by the intricacies throughout the film. It was really profound and I thought that it was very thought provoking. We take so much for granted in our lives... we fail to realize that we only live once. We take so much for value in material things instead of viewing the world around us from a genuine perspective. We lose what we value most at heart. As children, we are innocent to the world around us and we fail to grasp that the gift that was given to us, our life, is so precious. Too much time is wasted on desires and wishes that most of us never get to actually experience the joys that were once vicariously lived throughout our puerile fantasies. And then there is the inevitable... decrepitude. I would rather live my life knowing that I can achieve all that I desire and hope for and to find my one true love. "We have no way of knowing what lays ahead for us
in the future. all we can do is use the information at hand to make the best
decision possible. It's gonna be fine." In conclusion, I think that we could all learn a valuable lesson from UP "Adventure is out there!" and we must take advantage of it... while there is still opportunity.

2009-06-06T14:24:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking lately about many things. I have given up all hope on Crampa, FL. It's just not the type of place to be creative. Thinking back to Ratouille, location does not matter as long as you have the ambition. My dreams will come to fruition. I will succeed at any cost. I would like to share this excerpt from Anton Ego who is the antagonist in Ratatouille. To fully understand this quote you have to watch the film. It is truly inspirational.

Anton Ego: "In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face, is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the new. The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations, the new needs friends. Last night, I experienced something new, an extraordinary meal from a singularly unexpected source. To say that both the meal and its maker have challenged my preconceptions about fine cooking is a gross understatement. They have rocked me to my core. In the past, I have made no secret of my disdain for Chef Gusteau's famous motto: Anyone can cook. But I realize, only now do I truly understand what he meant. Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere. It is difficult to imagine more humble origins than those of the genius now cooking at Gusteau's, who is, in this critic's opinion, nothing less than the finest chef in France. I will be returning to Gusteau's soon, hungry for more."

Check the technique

2009-06-05T13:07:00.000-07:00

These economic times are really proving challenging. I am going to change my focus to motion design. Now I have to learn not only Flash, but Cinema 4 D, Maya and After effects. I have been working on my portfolio. I never cease to find nuances in the strangest places. I can express myself vicariously via creativity albeit I may not have much to say I let my work speak for itself. I have been working on some new projects and there are more to come, so without further ado, I bring to you...

2009-05-26T18:15:00.000-07:00

I finally finished my design. I don't usually do advertising so much, but I was commissioned to do some work for EDGE by Cameron. Ps + Illustrat + InDesign = amazing. Now more tutorials and learning Flash even if it kills me. I now have a Twitter. Follow me at jdarko82. I have been neglecting my blog, but I will post more in the near future. I have been incredibly busy. It's best to keep myself occupied. I am satisfied wit the end results, however, it's a matter of the client. The client always comes first. I should also note that I have two new projects on my deviantART. Check it out via jdarko82.deviantART.com. I love what I do! I ♡ ART

One Love

2009-01-14T10:38:00.000-08:00

I just recently did another project in regards to a note I recently read my man, Ryan. If you are interested in reading it. Here it is in full. "I just read an article this morning in the St. Pete Times about how popular the Kieffia or Hattah is, and where you can buy them, but unfortunately it is was only put into the pop culture context of nationalist movements and not the larger Arab/Muslim context. A seemingly content in our society.
Anyways, the Israeli/Gaza (Palestinian) situation has had me reflecting a lot on my on life and my own ignorance since it started in late December, as I'm sure many of us here on this book of faces. Since I myself have only started waking up within the past couple years to these Truths in our world, I have had to look to history to fully understand not only why this is happening, but more so, how to solve this conflict.

Many guru's and politicians alike speak the same empty words of cease-fire, peace, putting an end to the violence, blah blah blah. And for some reason, we accept the Nation-State and the leaders at their word and say, well we can't do anything, and we go about our day, filling out stomachs and driving our cars, supporting the industries, CEO's and governments that are perpetuating these wars, while the number of innocent deaths increase every day.

Let me start out by saying that I am just a student of International Relations and am not an expert by any means, but I feel compelled to write about it. That being said, in my perspective both parties, Israel and the Palestinians, are justified in their actions. Security is a Right for all and also is also the foundation for understanding why people and Nation-States act in certain ways. The security to go shopping for food, clothes, to be with family, to work and discover happiness, whatever it may be is a must for social cohesion. To each their own, but when security entails taking away the freedoms of others or ones self, Benjamin Franklin says it best, "They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Security is the foundation for the motivation of many. But when security means killing innocent children, of which both Hamas and Israel are guilty of, the means of achieving Security should be re-examined and questioned until a resolution is agreed upon. As Ghandi once said, "Violence breeds violence...Pure goals can never justify impure or violent action...They say the means are after all just means. I would say means are after all everything. As the means, so the end....If we take care of the means we are bound of reach the end sooner or later." The ends do not justify the means, but rather the ends reflect the means. What are the ends we are trying to achieve? We knew this almost 100 years ago that the Machiavellian philosophy doesn't work.

Needless to say, the main point I want to draw is the cause of this War and the contradiction of the country that I love dearly and am deeply blessed to live in. Recently, Will Smith was in the movie I am Legend, where a virus breaks out in NYC that initially was suppose to cure cancer but ends up causing a major crisis that seems impossible to solve. My friends, this is an allegory for our beloved country. We believe that we can cure cancer with our symptom specific medical practices. For example, the U.S./CIA support for Saddam Hussein as a cure for the cancer that became Iran in the 80s, or Osama Bin Laden and the Mujahadeen as a cure to the cancer of the Soviets during the Cold War. We think we can cure what ills us but symptom specific means. We take the organism out of the environment and social context, pump it full of some chemical (aka money) and then end up either killing people in the society through a coup (look up Economic Hitman) or the individual after the cure has turned on 'us', ultimately becoming 'cancerous' itself. Saddam Hussein was cured through surgical means and the evasive Bin Laden virus has yet to be cured and seems to be spreading across the global as 'Terrorist' attacks have increased since 9/11. This is one of the great contradictions of U.S. foreign policy since WWII. Security driven by illusion that violence and exploitation will bring peace, but only ends up only breeding more violence and more exploitation.

The Israel Palestinian conflict is no different. The government that I have come to know and love, has yet again contradicted itself by initially supported Hamas, which is an acronym for Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya (Islamic Resistance Movement) in the late 1980's, and was a perceived cure to the 'evil' group known as the PLO. Steven Zunes, a professor of Politcis and chair of Middle Eastern Studies at USF California, wrote an article recently stating,"Israel initially encouraged the rise of the Palestinian Islamist movement as a counter to the Palestine Liberation Organization, the secular coalition composed of Fatah and various leftist and other nationalist movements. Beginning in the early 1980s, with generous funding from the U.S.-backed family dictatorship in Saudi Arabia, the antecedents of Hamas began to emerge through the establishment of schools, health care clinics, social service organizations and other entities that stressed an ultraconservative interpretation of Islam, which up to that point had not been very common among the Palestinian population. The hope was that if people spent more time praying in mosques, they would be less prone to enlist in left-wing nationalist movements challenging the Israeli occupation." After the Oslo Agreements, Hamas grew in popularity as it showed to cater to the needs of Palestinians better than the PLO. And after Yassir Arafat proved to be corrupt and inept and an Israeli attack in 2002, peace became a distant dream for the two parties. The U.S. and its supports (Saudi Arabia, Canada) then, since 2004, stopped supporting Hamas and the Palestinian movement, taking with it all Western Aid (Canada and so on) that was supporting social services. With this withdraw of support, Hezbollah and mainly Iran, filled the gaps where the U.S. and counterparts left financial holes. But the contradiction exists not only in the desire for peace and democracy via support of violence, but also in the fact that U.S foreign aid to Israel since its inception till 1997 totals more than Aid sent to all of Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean combined (pop. 486 million). U.S. aid to Israel (pop. 4.8 million) from 1949 to 1997 totaled over $134 billion. Because the U.S. has been unconditionally backing Israel, both economically and militarily either directly through the sale of weapons or indirectly through other American friendly Arab nations since its inception in 1948, it has truly stifled peace and created enormous confusion in both the Arab/Muslim world and within the western nations, as to what side the good guy's are on. If Israel has a common interest in Democracy and Freedom, and if the U.S. and its counter parts have any respect for Democracy and Freedom, then we must recognize the extreme contradiction and ignorance that lies in the U.S. support for having our cake and eating it too.

Many have blamed each party for the cause of this conflict dating back thousands of years. Who shot first? What if we definitively knew who shot first? Would we then blame God for shooting his only son? Or Abraham for killing Isaac (though he didn't)? Or Arjuna for fighting against his brethren on the sacred field of Dharma? This argument only perpetuates anger and resentment towards each other. We must transcend this limited violence perpetuating argument, take a breath and look at the larger picture... our Duty here on earth. We are interconnected and there is no denying it. We are interdependent on nature and the bounties it brings, from air to water and therefore we are also interdependent on each other. We are social beings with that there are certain emotional needs that must be met... the desires for Love, community, and Security entails that we are social beings. Not just social within our own group, which is important, but also, what Martin Luther King called Agape (and Jesus before him) but a love of the masses and more so, a "Respect" towards the 'stranger.' This is the kind of Security that breeds peace, where we respect each other, even though we do not know each other. It entails a faith that everyone is trying to figure out the good life and an inner-balance between the heart and mind that allows one to see the world as it is. For when we have the kind of Respect, like the Motown singer Aretha Franklin sang of, towards the Earth and each other we begin to see the world, not as we do or do not want to, but we begin to see it as it really is. This Respect and inner balance allows us to dialog and potentially understand our perceived enemies. This Respect allows Aid to be received by those that are in need. This Respect for the others recognizes the desire for Security in the 'stranger.'

Now here in the U.S. our desire for Security has caused a unbalance respect and therefore an unbalanced Security which breeds insecurity. As Andrew Bacevich tells us in his book The Limits of Power, the U.S. consumes now 1 out of every 4 barrels of oil. Where does this oil come from? Most of our oil comes from Canada and South America, but quiet a bit comes from Middle Eastern countries (http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/dnav/pet/pet_move_impcus_a2_nus_epc0_im0_mbblpd_a.htm)
This oil is then used by American consumers via automobiles and cooling/heating of homes. But the majority of this oil is used in used our industrial model of mono-culture farming. As Michael Pollan exposes in an interview with PBSs' Bill Moyers, the combination of pesticides & hormones (petro chemicals), fertilizers, supply chains (shipping via trucks and planes), the heating and cooling of the products, the cooking of our foods and the enormous demand from our Fast Food chains, have created a giant industrial complex that demands an enormous amount of the same products (meat, tomatoes, potatoes, hamburger buns bread etc) at cheap price and influences a good chunk of Washington, from the FDA to the Executive Branch. And just to note, most of our grains and corn go to feed cattle and chickens, not people.
Our diets are only one cause of a complex system of cause and effect. Our desire for Food Security say, in terms of cheap and consistent food (the walmart-taco bell lifestlye), has caused a huge addiction to cheap oil. Along with our desire to drive far distances from the 'dirty' 'poor' urban inner cities that are being left behind or to drive fast because we don't want to be alone too long in the car (why does everyone hate being in traffic?). This addiction ultimately has created U.S. foreign policy that contradicts it self but claiming Freedom and peace, but supports brutal regimes like Israel and Saudi Arabia.

I digress... In order to solve this conflict we must first cure the contradictions within our own lives, look at the causes and then take the power back into our own hands and away from the agro-business, and military industrial complex. It will take a lot of political action and dialog on the part of our policy makers, but the responsibility also lies in our hands. We must use peaceful resistance in every way. Vigils and gathering show visible support, but there are also those indirect channels of support for Middle Eastern oil perpetuating occupations via the fast foods industry and excessive driving, our ignorance of voting for politicians that support Israel and AIPAC and then use our tax dollars to fund Israeli Military and build the walls between Israel and the Palestinians. We need to boycott Israeli products (http://www.inminds.co.uk/boycott-faq.html), listen to independent media sources (88.5FM, Democracynow.org, etc). Also, we need to continue organizing and speaking publicly about issues where ever possible. Write to our local politicians (http://action.gazajustice.org/t/4410/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=886). In a Alternet.org article I just read that, "According to a December 31 Rasmussen poll (so far the only measure of US opinion on the Gaza assault), while Americans remained overwhelmingly supportive of Israel, they were split almost evenly on the question of whether Israel should attack Gaza -- 44% in favor of the assault and 41% against it."
The movement is gaining steam. And we need to spread the Truth.

And in solidarity with peace, fasting can help us all over come self-centeredness, our own short sightedness and ultimately can bring us closer to understanding the suffering of those in the Middle East.

I hope this breeds understanding and right action.

If you have criticisms of this, please leave a note. I would appreciate anything, preferably criticism that is constructive, but I can take honesty.

Thank you reading and I apologize if I didn't elaborate everywhere. I need to do homework now. "

The piece I did was entitled One Love. I was so inspired that I felt that it needed to be in more positive direction. There are a lot of people talking, but who is actually doing anything. The only real change occurs when we the people make a stand. The revolution will not be televised.

As If We Existed

2009-01-11T12:27:00.000-08:00

I finally had the opportunity to finish another project. Read The Excerpt in detail to find out the inspiration behind it. I am a graphic artist. I have a style unlike any other. I don't do anything unless I am motivated. I know a lot of artists and I know a lot of designers. I consider myself to be more of an artist than a designer. Web design is fantastic and I enjoy it, but it doesn't move me. My art is my passion. I love it and I would never compromise my art for integrity.

Aristic Intentions

2009-01-05T16:41:00.000-08:00

It's been quite a while since I have wrote anything. I have been incredibly busy. I have been focusing on my art and have also been networking while working on my portfolio. I will have new projects up soon. It's about quality vs. quantity. I don't do anything unless I have the inspiration. "The hard part for us avant-garde post-modern artists is deciding whether or not to embrace commercialism. Do we allow our work to be hyped and exploited by a market that's simply hungry for the next new thing? Do we participate in a system that turns high art into low art so it's better suited for mass consumption? Of course, when an artist goes commercial, he makes a mockery of his status as an outsider and free thinker. He buys into the crass and shallow values art should transcend. He trades the integrity of his art for riches and fame. Oh, what the heck. I'll do it." - Calvin & Hobbes

THE DARK KNIGHT

2008-12-09T17:31:00.001-08:00

2008-12-08T13:03:00.000-08:00

Senator Obama is now the president-elect in the United States many Americans are misinformed. I am not a socialist. I despise capitalism. In these times, I think it is important to familiarize yourself with the Fed government not only in the U.S. but in other countries as well. The excerpt below elaborates further:

Cuba is Socialist, China is a Totalatarian Dictatorship, much like the USSR under Stalin or Indonesia under Suharto.
Some other Socialist democracies woud be, Denmark,Sweden, Venezuala,Bolivia,
As for fascist states check out the following and see if you can think of a major one that isn't quite fascist but certainly on the fast track.

1.Powerful and Continuing Nationalism – Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.

2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights – Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of "need." The people tend to ‘look the other way’ of even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarcerations of prisoners, etc.

3.Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause – The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe; racial, ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; communists; socialists; terrorists, etc.

4. Supremacy of the Military – Even when there are widespread domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized.

5. Rampant Sexism – The government if fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Opposition to abortion is high, as is homophobia and anti-gay legislation and national policy.

6.Controlled Mass Media – Sometimes the media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation, or through sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in wartime, is very common.

7. Obsession with National Security – Fear is used as a motivation tool by the government over the masses.

8. Religion and Government are Intertwined – Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to the government’s policies or actions.

9. Corporate Power is Protected – The industrial and business aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the ones who put the government leaders in power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite.

10. Labor Power is Suppressed – Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist government, labor unions are either eliminated entirely or are severely suppressed.

11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts – Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to higher education, and academia. It is not uncommon for professors and other academics to be censored or even arrested. Free _expression in the arts is openly attacked, and governments often refuse to fund the arts.

12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment – Under fascist regimes, the police are given almost limitless power to enforce laws. The people are often willing to overlook police abuses, and even forego civil liberties, in the name of patriotism. There is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power in fascist nations.

13.. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption – Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions, and who use governmental power and authority to protect their friends from accountability.

14. Fraudulent Elections – Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by smear campaigns against (or even the assassination of) the opposition candidates, the use of legislation to control voting numbers or political district boundaries, and the manipulation of the media. Fascist nations also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections.

In addition, you must know that Capitalism/Fascism & Socialism/Communism are two variants of the same political system. Set yourself free... ← Please Read

What Is Fascism?!
In their book, The Nazi Hydra in America - a book highly recommended by Howard Zinn, author of A People's History of the United States, Glen Yeardon and John Hawkins write:

"Few other words cause more confusion … than fascism. It is often used in the sense of extreme repression. Often the understanding of fascism is limited to the Nazis and repression. The term has been applied to many individuals, such as Joseph McCarthy, J. Edgar Hoover, and others. It is frequently - often wrongly - used to describe police and law enforcement, and government and its policies …

"What then is fascism exactly? Webster's Dictionary defines it as: 'A government system marked by a centralized dictatorship, stringent socioeconomic controls and belligerent nationalism' …

"According to [President] Franklin Roosevelt:

'The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic state itself. That, in its essence, is fascism - ownership of government by … a group or any controlling private power'.

Yeardon and Hawkins suggest that we begin with Roosevelt's definition: that fascism is a form of government that exists (often amidst the trappings of democracy) for the benefit of a few over and against the benefit of the many.

They continue:

"Another good definition of fascism comes from Heywood Broun, a noted American columnist in the 1930s:

'Fascism is a dictatorship from the extreme right, or to put it a little more closely into our local idiom, a government which is run by a small group of large industrialists and financial lords … I think it is not unfair to say that any businessman in America, or public leader, who goes out to break unions is laying the foundations for fascism'."

What Broun has done here is to enlarge the definition of fascism to include a system of government that stands against the economic expression of worker's rights; in other words, it is the antithesis of socialism. It places the rights of "management" above the rights of workers; the rights of the rich over and against the rights of the poor. Indeed, it anathematizes the poor.

Yeardon and Hawkins then add Upton Sinclair's definition of fascism:

"Fascism is capitalism plus murder."

This makes sense because it cannot possibly be imagined that "average people" would of their own volition support a government that places the interests of the few above the interests of the many; the interests of the rich above the interests of "average people."

Finally, Yeardon and Hawkins give their own definition, which in essence sums up the definitions cited above:

"This book (meaning The Nazi Hydra in America) defines fascism as follows, with one condition. Fascism is a repressive totalitarian regime in which a small elite controls and uses the government for their [own] benefit. Any action by the government that places the rights of a corporation or a group of elites above the rights of the people is a step toward fascism."

NOTE: When one connects this definition of fascism to Professor C. Wright Mill's (Columbia University) description of the state of elite power in the United States, one is left shivering at how close to fascism the country has moved in recent years:

"... in this particular epoch a conjunction of historical circumstances has led to the rise of an elite of power ... the men of the circles composing this elite, severally and collectively, now make such key decisions as are made; and that, given the enlargement and the centralization of the means of power now available, the decisions that they make and fail to make carry more consequences for more people than has ever been the case in the world history of mankind."

NOTE: Finally, one should take note of the fact that fascism is not always or even necessarily connected to anti-Semitism. The fascist regimes of Benito Moussolin in Italy, Francisco Franco in Spain and Augusto Pinochet in Chile were not anti-Semitic. Thus, the fact that those elements in the United States that are disposed towards fascism are NOT anti-Semitic - specifically, the Religious Right - should not give anyone reason to believe that fascism is not alive and well in the United States. [Please see our article, "The Supermen of the International Christian Embassy's Feast of Tabernacles."]

WHEN DOES FASCISM OCCUR?

The "one condition" that Yeardon and Hawkins cite is the difficulty in defining exactly when a capitalist democracy transcends IRREVOCABLY into a fascist state that is controlled by the few over and against the interests of the many, where the rich are exalted and the poor are anathematized, where all forms of socialism are damned, where unions are busted and where brutal repression is used to keep "average citizens" in line.

Yeardon and Hawkins explain:

"The one flaw in this definition (see above) is that it fails to delineate the transformation from a capitalist democracy to a fascist state. For instance, when did Germany become a fascist state? Did it occur with Hitler's approval as chancellor? Or was it before or after Hitler's appointment?

"While the March 1933 election was not free, nevertheless, the Nazi Party failed to gain a majority in the Reichstag. Thus it can be argued that the transformation occurred after that election. However, Germany was well along the road to a full fascist state before Hitler's appointment - [just as the United States is today, and that even prior to the appearance of the long-looked-for Restitutor Orbis].

"The lack of a clear line marking the transformation [from a capitalist democracy] to a fascist state points again to the movement's insidious nature … [For this reason] … it is best to look at the traits that explore the degree of fascism …"

Source:

http://www.antipasministries.com/html/file0000283.htm

Now let us take a closer look at all forms of Government which I believe are all a part of the same system

communism, socialism, fascism and capitalism

"Society in every state is a blessing, but government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one; for when we suffer or are exposed to the same miseries by a government, which we might expect in a country without government, our calamity is heightened by reflecting that we furnish the means by which we suffer." - Thomas Paine, Common Sense 1776

"It has been said that all Government is an evil. It would be more proper to say that the necessity of any Government is a misfortune. This necessity however exists; and the problem to be solved is, not what form of Government is perfect, but which of the forms is least imperfect." - James Madison, to an unidentified correspondent 1833

"Why has government been instituted at all? Because the passions of men will not conform to the dictates of reason and justice without constraint." - Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 15

"Government is instituted for the common good; for the protection, safety, prosperity, and happiness of the people; and not for profit, honor, or private interest of any one man, family, or class of men; therefore, the people alone have an incontestable, unalienable, and indefeasible right to institute government; and to reform, alter, or totally change the same, when their protection, safety, prosperity, and happiness require it." - John Adams, Thoughts on Government 1776

"If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place, oblige it to control itself." - James Madison, Federalist No. 51 February 8, 1788

"[A] wise and frugal government...shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government." - Thomas Jefferson, First Inaugural Address March 4, 1801

Morpheus: Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself.
Morpheus: The Matrix is a system, Neo. That system is our enemy. But when you're inside, you look around, what do you see? Businessmen, teachers, lawyers, carpenters. The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a part of that system and that makes them our enemy. You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inured, so hopelessly dependent on the system, that they will fight to protect it.