My work is a game, a very serious game. - M.C. Escher

It's that time again. Thanks for coming back.

Well, it's Saturday, and I'm at work. Judging by some of the posts on the GDF , I'm not the only one. Being a graphic designer & illustrator, I think today's quote holds special meaning. I love my work. I love it so much that it's also one of my hobbies. If I couldn't do design as a job, I'd probably still do it at home. Now, lots of people are designers, and some of them are better at it than I am. Many of them are members of the aforementioned GDF, and the HOW forums. These are two forums that are about the same profession, but are completely different in their ideologies. GDF is a forum that exists to help build up designers, and make them as good as they can be. They do this through constructive criticism and supportive comments. They make one feel like they belong. I like that. HOW, on the other hand, is like the other side of GDF's coin. They are, on the whole, rude, argumentative and snobby. They make it a point to alienate and belittle anyone who sets a virtual foot into their domain. They do this with unconstructive comments, and rudeness, and are very often vulgar and demeaning. This is not to say all the members there are rude, there are a few who are genuinely there to help it seems, but the vocal majority seems content in making themselves feel good at the expense of others. These others are often new designers in or fresh out of college, who may very well be scared off the design field altogether after being lambasted for an (in their eyes) inferior design. Recently, while surfing the HOW forums, I came upon a post ridiculing the website of a friend of mine. The comments were unsolicited, and unconstructive. This man makes money vectorizing logos so that they can be used in many applications. He does not design the logos in question. However, the designers there made no attempt to understand the content of the site, or the owner's intentions. They mocked the design of his site, his business model, and the work. The thread author's own comments pretty much admit to the fact that he was just looking for something to bitch about. Now, there are designers on that site who's work I admire greatly. But it kills me to see them jump in and kick a person when he can't defend himself. That's bullshit. Some people need to be knocked down a few pegs, methinks. Mr. Glitscka, if you ever read this, I'm a great fan of your work and style. You are one of my biggest design influences. But, to do shit like this demeans yourself and the profession you represent. Please consider that when next you decide to pick on someone who is not harming you or your source of income.

I'm posting two pieces today. These are advertisements for O.B. Tampons. When I was out of work, and looking for a job, I was referred to a woman who runs a yarn manufacturing company. After a length review of my portfolio, it was determined that my style was 'too masculine.' However, she decided that she'd give me a chance to prove that I can do a 'feminine style'. So, in lieu of doing up an ad for her company that she might have stolen, I did ads for tampons. In hindsight, they may have been a bit too risqué, but I felt that they deal with a very true to life occurence. Any man who is close with a woman, has had to go to the store to get feminine products. I know I have. And any woman who sends her man out to retreive these products knows the frustration of describing a pink or purple box among the wall of pink and purple boxes. Thus, the idea behind these. O.B.'s boxes are white with a band of color indicating their absorbency. EASY TO FIND. So, here you go.





On an unrealted note, the U.S. House of Representatives is trying to take away your right to see this and anything else on the internet. The telecom lobbyists are paying your legislators off to give them complete control over the internet. Thereby limiting what you can and can't see without having to pay. THIS MUST NOT HAPPEN! To stop this, click the link on the sidebar labeled 'Save the internet.' (or, you can click here if you're lazy ;))