Multimedia Age for Children.

There has been a huge transformation on how we learn, play and live due to emerge of these techologies. Are we relying totally in the new media age?

Education industries, specially for KS1 and KS2 education system is full of surprises. Phonics and multimodal tools education system are totally a new kick start on how childrens are learning.
These tool has oviously saved teachers task and made the marking system fair . Although, would it be fair to say; are the children really benifiting with these new media educating tools ?

The interactive tool contains: animation, sounds, interactive texts and many more muiltimdal facilities. Can the children possibly concentrate and achieve their goal in learning. How has the children with certain disabilites are coping with it? Has the education publishers and designers are looking into these issues?

Email Design Practice -

Everyone must have came across a lot of email templates. Anyone who is familiar with HTML, XHTML and CSS. Ofcourse, designing a web template is more like designing web pages but a little trick should be applied.

Anyone familiar with XHTML needs to go back and start using HTML (old schooled). It is more like going back to the older version of HTML where designers and developers used a lot of TABLE. Whereas, XHTML uses positioning unlike : float, which might be a wrong idea for email template designs.

Although, the email template uses a lot of TABLE there is a risk of nesting which can create an issue with different browsers. Never mind !! be prepared to do lots and lots of cross browser testing. Anything that appears good might turn out be a big disaster in other browsers.

What a pain huh?? Don't worry it is not just you, even the web developers who has a practice of many years in web development can go wrong with the web template design. Be prepared to make a lot of mistake and learn. Grabbing a cup of tea or coffee might be a good idea.

Therefore, simplicity is the key issue. Keep the design to minimal and simple that reflects the content. Remember!! content is the king.

For more help go and visit: http://net.tutsplus.com/tutorials/html-css-techniques/20-email-design-best-practices-and-resources-for-beginners/

HCI - Human Centred Interface design -USABILITY & CHUNKING

Hmm.... It is interesting how HCI has shaken the design industries with certain obligations on what and how to perform the task by researching on how their users will perceive the design in world context usability.

Miller's argument towards chunking 7+_ rules for navigation was completely stuck inside my head. Somehow, it's hard to believe interpreanure internet companies like YAHOO and GOOLE has so many links. Does this mean Miller's argument was wrong ? or they are not doing their homework properly.

Thanks to my lecturer, who brought a guy from NU Creative the other day and where he mentioned according to his experience he is not applying those rules. He was in a same state of mind while he was a student.

It does not mean Millers argument on chunking was wrong. I believe he was right on a time when he wrote those books. At this stage 85% of the users these days are comfortable with the technology. Therefore, it does not really matter if there are many links or navigation in the website. What matters is the targeted audience. If the targeted audience are elderly people who has minimal experience of web and internet.

Therefore, careful considerations of chunking should be taken care on whom your product will be widely used by.

Why do we have a Lion logo on British eggs??

I presume, most of us here start our day with scrambled, boiled and egg sandwiches. But what we tend to forget is: Why does the British egg company has a lion logo in their egg? It seems like the British egg company design and marketing team has forgot to do their home work.

It is after all an egg business, what are they trying to prove with a lion logo in each and every eggs. Hello!! a lion does not lay egg. It is not a lion business after all. Therefore, i think it is not a justice to hens who produces eggs for us. It is such a pitty that if hen could have had their unity and sued the british egg company they could have lost a lot of money. No offense to the British egg company. It is just my blog.

Considering, the above matter i have designed a logo for a british egg company bearing that in mind that " British eggs are produced and packed under the strict hygiene standards. There is no evidence to suggest that avain flu can be transmitted to human through consumption of eggs."

It is vaccinated against salmonia, healthy and an asset of british value with a crowned hen.

Grapes and Bites

Here you go "Grapes and Bites". A brain storming idea that came out when i got a brief from my friend about her project. She wanted me to design a logo. It really was an interesting brief to look at. My attempt here was to illustrate a sexy lip biting grapes and highlight the subject matter with a colorful typography.

New Book Cover!!!

There are plenty of books in Ebay online book store which seriously needs a new face.

"The Art of Golf" is the another unhappy book which is begging to give it a new life.

I had this golf ball image from the photoshop class while i was in uni during my first year. I thought this image will be the perfect match for the following title. Probably, The text would benefit if it could have had the same colour as the metal.

I would give it a go with golden metal colour effect later when i got plenty of time.

It's highly time for me to get some rest. As my beds inviting me for a good night sleep.

TYPOGRAPHY

Just another day. A day for playing along with texts. Thanks to Adobe Indesign for the amount of different texts it contains. Didot, Didot Italic and Helvetica are the main texts i played with.

All in all a good attempt. What a pleasure!!!!

Final product!!!

Just making an effort as a promotional piece. Looks good though.

Spanish illustrator Marta Antelo

Marta Antelo is one of the spanish illustrator who has her own distinctive creative style. Her works are very playful with harmony with bright subtile colours.

Fortunately, one of my collegue who works me with ask me to check his cousins website who is an illustrator too. When i checked her website i was just intrigued with her work.

It is worth looking at her work. She is just great!!!

New Face to alzhimers book cover

After

As mentioning the poorly design medical book. I came across one of the picture i have taken in my first year at uni in photo studio. The title was "Alzhimer". It really was a vast topic and had to find the best shoot to get the topic stands out. After many shoots i was able to get it right.

Giving new birth to medical books, where are creative industries?

Before

Don't you think this book needs a new face?

This is so injustice for this "Tile of the book" where it seriously needs a new face and refreshing ideas to sell in the market. It still stands in amazon.co.uk with its poor design.

There are hugh list of medical books in the market shelves. What is lacking behind is the poorly design covers. Is it because the medical books does not require a marketing or it has been ignored because it is itself a selling product due to health being a crucial issue that we need them in our daily life. No offense to medical students with thick glasses who are book worms who does not judge the books by its cover.

While talking about the book cover i found a book on Alzhimer disease, I went through hugh list of books on amazon.co.uk but none of the cover really interested me. Probably, i judge the book by it's cover. I admit ...Yes i do!!

The picture shown above is one of the book cover of my interest, simple font, simple colour , simple layout. Although, it still stands in the amazon shop list for consumers around the world.

What a shame to creative industries.

Therefore, i wanted to give a new birth to this title. I had a picture taken in this theme in a photo studio while i was in my first year at uni.

what have i been doing so far ????

I wonder what have i been doing so far? Where are my creative ability, vision ? Where are my works? Demolished???? Questions to be asked my creative fellas.

My hands are just stuck with my Mac looking forward to grab

some work. I was just flipping over my old stuffs. I found a lot of unfinished self promotional work. Literally, for three days i have been playing with it. Somehow

great results !!!

Here are the examples of some work:

Photo Shoot!!!

Just suffered with this terrible back ache problem. Never mind i manage to utilize my valuable time with the creative idea that came out for my Bulgarian Holiday theme. I was more inspired by looking at the Bulgarian souvenier when i went on my ski holiday.

1> Priority of the day was to shoot many pictures of Bulgarian dolls for my promotional piece.

Finally i made it !!!

Although, there are some missing ingredients to it. Therefore, i decided to make some paper mountain. Simple crafted paper mountain with snow seemed to be my requirement. Not to forget the cloud. I decided to utilize my camera inorder to find a creative solution. I wanted the shadow of my cloud. I think i knew what i want.

Here you go after many many shots , i found the right picture. Still photoshop expertise need to take effect. Anyway, love the shadow of the cloud. Well done me!!

Finally, my reward my achievement here you are.

Just love it. How inviting you are towards the tourism market of Bulgaria.

Well done me again!!!!!

Ski Bulgaria

I went on Ski holiday in Bulgaria and wanted to capture some moment with my drawing.

The whole experience made me think of drawing some images for childrens book on SKI.

Merry Christmas 2009 Folks !!!!!

Hello folks !!!

I just had this image pictured in my mind for christmas greeting. 

Still working on few more imagery. 

Will be out soon.

Cheers!!!

Convocation Day

left: Tom Coombs , Me , Ms. Cathie Felstead (Illustrator and Senior Lecturer)

University of Hertfordshire

Graduation Ceremony

19th November 2009

Location: St Albans Cathedral, Alban Arena, St Alban, UK

The day i was desperately waiting for  "convocation day ".  It was a great cheerish moment for all the emerging creative of Hertfordshire university to celebrate for their excellence and achievement after all those years of brainstorming.

Thanks University of Hertfordshire for making it possible.

AOI Winner ?????

AOI Winner !!!! 

I have a good news to announce.

Recently, 22nd October 2009 AOI (Association of Illustrators) posted me a letter where one of the following image has been selected for publication in Images 34, the only jury -selected sourcebook for illustration in UK. Less than one third of all entries were selcted to be published this year.

Please keep a good eye. The image will be out by July 2010. Hopefully, exhibition if i get lucky enough.

New Work 2 Final Piece

New Work 2

Final Piece