Sunday, December 12, 2010
The Art Of Inspiration
There is a question that I seem to get asked quite a lot that I really hate. The question is where do you get your inspiration / ideas from ? I internally shudder everytime, for two reasons.
Firstly, inspiration is a fickle and random beast. There is no one source. It is everywhere, everything and at times, nowhere at all. People expect a nice easy answer as to where and there just isn't one.
The second reason is that my artworks are based around really simple ideas. Artists tend to have these long winded explanations about themes and meanings. I am not in that catergory.
Take the image at the top of this post for example. I was watching a tv show that said a city was like a living organism, ever growing and changing. I really liked that sentiment and set out to put the idea of a living city into the form of an image. Thats it. I also titled it, not very imaginatively, Living City.
Another example is my Gizmo Ipad case design. That came about from a conversation with a friend. After mentioning that zazzle was now offering custom Ipad and Iphone cases, he asked "what is an Ipad for anyway ?" After much discussion we decided that neither of us knew just what it was actually for. His closing comment was "Guess it is just another gizmo" That cracked me up, so I decided to do a design around that sentence.
There really is nothing special or magical about it. Some things come along that I think are great ideas, so I work on them. I actually wrote a squidoo lens about this topic a while back. Examining Inspiration If you want to know more feel free to check it out.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Who Needs Talent Anyway ?
Once upon a time, you needed talent to become a star. Movie stars had it, so did singers and artists. Heck you needed talent to even get on tv or a magazine.
However with the age of the internet anyone can be a star, talent not required. People are famous just for being famous. What the heck does Paris Hilton do anyway ? Take a look at this video and make sure you watch it all the way through.
This dorky 15 year old kid is in his messy bedroom lip synching, very badly, in front of his webcam that his mommy probably bought for him. Then pow ! In walks multi platinum artist 50cent.
WTF ? If you bother to go to this kids channel, he has done heaps of these stupid vids. What is truly bizarre is the fact that people like them. Some of them have over 20 million hits. He has become a star. No talent and not even an original idea.
Un-freakin-believable. Seriously with those sort of numbers you could put up affiliate links to anything and make money. On top of that he can launch a career in showbiz. If he is not a millionarre and set for life within a year he is dumber than he looks.
So the only conclusion is that to make money on the internet you need absolutley no talent or original ideas. Well I am going to jump on this bandwagon. How about a video of me bashing my head against the keyboard repeatedly while humming the theme from mission impossible. No, that is too unique, people will think it is performance art.
Maybe dress up like a bottle and spin around until I throw up. Ahhh stuff it. I am going to get a beer. I just can't dumb myself down that much.
However with the age of the internet anyone can be a star, talent not required. People are famous just for being famous. What the heck does Paris Hilton do anyway ? Take a look at this video and make sure you watch it all the way through.
This dorky 15 year old kid is in his messy bedroom lip synching, very badly, in front of his webcam that his mommy probably bought for him. Then pow ! In walks multi platinum artist 50cent.
WTF ? If you bother to go to this kids channel, he has done heaps of these stupid vids. What is truly bizarre is the fact that people like them. Some of them have over 20 million hits. He has become a star. No talent and not even an original idea.
Un-freakin-believable. Seriously with those sort of numbers you could put up affiliate links to anything and make money. On top of that he can launch a career in showbiz. If he is not a millionarre and set for life within a year he is dumber than he looks.
So the only conclusion is that to make money on the internet you need absolutley no talent or original ideas. Well I am going to jump on this bandwagon. How about a video of me bashing my head against the keyboard repeatedly while humming the theme from mission impossible. No, that is too unique, people will think it is performance art.
Maybe dress up like a bottle and spin around until I throw up. Ahhh stuff it. I am going to get a beer. I just can't dumb myself down that much.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
The Zazzle Funfair
Roll up. Roll up. Welcome to the Zazzle Funfair. Plenty to do for everyone. Admission is free.
Ride the sales rollercoaster. Listen to the clack clackety sound ,like coins dropping in a slot, as you head seemingly ever upwards, only to be plunged in a screaming downwards spiral, back to pennyless.
Take a walk down the sideshow alley marketplace where good designs and artworks are hidden amongst the tonnes of cheap crap and louis vitton knock offs.
Join the promotion horror train. Don’t worry, no one will hear you scream because no one is listening. Those people sitting in the train with you are screaming to get heard as well.
Hang out with the crowds in the forum common ground, until bullies beat you up and take your lunch money.
Have a go at the product merry go round that never stops. Get dizzy making products until the site goes down for maintennance, then you can cower in the corner with the shakes until it comes back online and you can feed your addiction again.
It’s fun for the whole family so come on in and join the POD machine. You don’t really need a life do you ?
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Spam Fun
While I generally find spam to be annoying or worse, there are times (generally when I am procrastinating) when I find enjoyment in it. For example there was the time a Nigerian princess sent me an email asking for help to launder some money for her husband. I took great delight in trying to convince her that I would make a better partner than a husband with money troubles. For some reason she didn't believe my explanation for needing her bank account details.
More fun was had with a spam post in a forum that I used to frequent. The spammer kindly left his email address in the post. I sent about 200 emails to him trying to sell him my art. Eventually my emails started to bounce, guess he didn't like being spammed. (Just a note, if you want to try this set up a seperate email address to use for it).
To get to the point of this blog post, I was just checking my emails when I came across this beauty.
Attn Beneficiary;
The Board of federal ministry of finance Benin Republic are hereby to notify you of your payment inheritance funds of US $1.4million after the meeting held on 6th of Nov 2010. His Excellence the PRESIDENT OF FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF BENIN has Instructed this Department to send your funds through our westernunion money transfer, for easy receive of your inheritance funds without any further delay to avoid paying money to the fraud stars that is going on through globa now ,
You are required to send your name and address Where you want your fund to be send to you through WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER. The maximium amount you will be receiving per a day starting from tomorrow is $7,500.00) and the MTCN NO# will be sent along with the Text Questions & Answers for you to receive your fund through any Western Union Location in your Country,
Send your inforrmation to of westernunion money transfer in Cotonou Benin Republic.
Receiver name--------------
Country-----------------------
City....................
Test question...............
Answer...................
Tel phone----------------------
Age.........................
For further procedure Contact Western union payment officer with the information below;
Manager name= Mr Kenneth Aka
Tel; +22996334110
Email; westernunionn1@sify.com
Try to fill the Above Informations where they will be sending you your
money ,
Your faithfuly
Mr Mohamed Williams
Wow, that is one of the worst written spam emails that I have seen in quite some time. You would have to be clinically insane to fall for something like that. The type of person that wakes up in the morning and thinks that they are an onion and sucks moisture off of ducks. I wonder how they will react to my request for a cheque made out to cash to be sent to post office box 666 in Lilliput ?
More fun was had with a spam post in a forum that I used to frequent. The spammer kindly left his email address in the post. I sent about 200 emails to him trying to sell him my art. Eventually my emails started to bounce, guess he didn't like being spammed. (Just a note, if you want to try this set up a seperate email address to use for it).
To get to the point of this blog post, I was just checking my emails when I came across this beauty.
Attn Beneficiary;
The Board of federal ministry of finance Benin Republic are hereby to notify you of your payment inheritance funds of US $1.4million after the meeting held on 6th of Nov 2010. His Excellence the PRESIDENT OF FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF BENIN has Instructed this Department to send your funds through our westernunion money transfer, for easy receive of your inheritance funds without any further delay to avoid paying money to the fraud stars that is going on through globa now ,
You are required to send your name and address Where you want your fund to be send to you through WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER. The maximium amount you will be receiving per a day starting from tomorrow is $7,500.00) and the MTCN NO# will be sent along with the Text Questions & Answers for you to receive your fund through any Western Union Location in your Country,
Send your inforrmation to of westernunion money transfer in Cotonou Benin Republic.
Receiver name--------------
Country-----------------------
City....................
Test question...............
Answer...................
Tel phone----------------------
Age.........................
For further procedure Contact Western union payment officer with the information below;
Manager name= Mr Kenneth Aka
Tel; +22996334110
Email; westernunionn1@sify.com
Try to fill the Above Informations where they will be sending you your
money ,
Your faithfuly
Mr Mohamed Williams
Wow, that is one of the worst written spam emails that I have seen in quite some time. You would have to be clinically insane to fall for something like that. The type of person that wakes up in the morning and thinks that they are an onion and sucks moisture off of ducks. I wonder how they will react to my request for a cheque made out to cash to be sent to post office box 666 in Lilliput ?
Friday, November 5, 2010
Believe In Fairies
Those that have been following along on my progression know that I have a thing for pixies. I just find them more interesting than the common fairy. They are quirky and not the stereotypical beauty that fairies are. However recently I have found myself following the herd and doing some pictures of these fae creatures. I have been aiming for sexy without slutty. Think I got it. (I hope I got it) Posted a couple of them here as eye candy for you.
Sorry I try not to spam my art here but it is what I do.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Urban Piranhas
I have fish as pets. I would love to have a dog or cat as well, however I just wouldn’t have time to take care of them properly. Personally I don’t believe that is fair on the animals. Taking care of myself is a big enough chore. The beauty of fish as pets is that they require very little of your time. Can’t feed them for a couple of days ? No problem. They will still be alive and healthy when you get back to them. People always under estimate how hardy fish really are. They are like underwater cockroaches. As long as you have a few basics right they will live their happy aquatic cockroach existance for many years.
Now I better explain that mine is not your average small household tank, neither are the fish. The tank is a decent size. 6 foot by 2 foot by 2 foot. The inhabitants are not little guppies either. The biggest is about the length of my forearm.
Occasionally you do have to clean their home. These aqua roaches are not domesticated. Like all animals, fish have their own personalities. One of mine has come to the conclusion that trying to pull out my arm hairs when I am cleaning his domicile is a really fun game. It is very disconcerting when you don’t see him coming. Cleaning the tank today the little bugger got me multiple times. The problem is that every time I jump. I just can’t help it. As far as I am concerned this is a natural reaction. It has been passed down from our forefathers, way back from when they had to dodge giant piranhas and other evil species that could strip the flesh from your bones before you could say ugg.
For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Remember this from school science class ? In this case that means copious amounts of water fly out of the tank at high velocity every time I involuntry jump and jerk my arm. The area around my tank soon takes on the look of a water amusement park. There is water running down the walls and dripping from the ceiling. For a little while there was even a mini water fall running over the edge of the step. I kept expecting Kevin Costner, complete with a set of gills, to come sailing in on a makeshift boat.
At least it is done now. The beauty of my set up is that I don’t have to worry about it for another three months or so. By that time I will have forgotten just how bad it is. Now I better go remove the lake from the middle of my house before a family of ducks decide to move in.
Now I better explain that mine is not your average small household tank, neither are the fish. The tank is a decent size. 6 foot by 2 foot by 2 foot. The inhabitants are not little guppies either. The biggest is about the length of my forearm.
Occasionally you do have to clean their home. These aqua roaches are not domesticated. Like all animals, fish have their own personalities. One of mine has come to the conclusion that trying to pull out my arm hairs when I am cleaning his domicile is a really fun game. It is very disconcerting when you don’t see him coming. Cleaning the tank today the little bugger got me multiple times. The problem is that every time I jump. I just can’t help it. As far as I am concerned this is a natural reaction. It has been passed down from our forefathers, way back from when they had to dodge giant piranhas and other evil species that could strip the flesh from your bones before you could say ugg.
For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Remember this from school science class ? In this case that means copious amounts of water fly out of the tank at high velocity every time I involuntry jump and jerk my arm. The area around my tank soon takes on the look of a water amusement park. There is water running down the walls and dripping from the ceiling. For a little while there was even a mini water fall running over the edge of the step. I kept expecting Kevin Costner, complete with a set of gills, to come sailing in on a makeshift boat.
At least it is done now. The beauty of my set up is that I don’t have to worry about it for another three months or so. By that time I will have forgotten just how bad it is. Now I better go remove the lake from the middle of my house before a family of ducks decide to move in.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
The Hard Road
People say life is a journey and that we choose which roads we travel. Personally I have travelled many, changing professions more than once, as well as where I live and the people I know. Today however I want to talk about a section of road that I decided to travel along one year ago.
One year and three weeks ago I had never owned a computer. One year and two weeks ago I purchased my first computer, a cheap laptop. One year ago today, I signed up to the print on demand site zazzle and started to teach myself graphic art and design. I saw what the site could offer and with no experience or skill, optimistically thought - Yeah, I can do that.
Today is my first anniversary as a zazzler.
Not surprisingly, it has not been the easiest of journeys. My first forays were, well lets face facts, they were terrible. Never having done anything like this before I made plenty of mistakes. The upside is that for the last few months I have been fairly consistently completing designs that I am happy with. Even better is the fact that people are buying them. There is nothing quite as satisfying as knowing that somebody thought that your work was so good that they had to own it.
In the past year I have learned so much, met a lot of great people and my friends now ask me for computer advice. Just over a year ago I never thought any of that would ever be possible. I was a technological neanderthal.
I certainly do not want to look back at the road that I have travelled to get to this point. I can imagine the carnage that I have left behind and that is something that nobody should have to look at. I prefer to always look forwards. Unfortunately the sun is shining in my eyes so there is no way of knowing if the road ahead is straight or curved. The best thing is to just keep moving forward slowly in the knowledge that at least the way is bright in that direction.
This whole point of this post has just been to give a little insight into why this last bit of it is so important.
I would like to publicy thank all the people that have helped me along the way. Putting up with my dumb noob questions and mistakes, giving me encouragement and helping to promote my work.
A massive thankyou to you all. You know who you are.
One year and three weeks ago I had never owned a computer. One year and two weeks ago I purchased my first computer, a cheap laptop. One year ago today, I signed up to the print on demand site zazzle and started to teach myself graphic art and design. I saw what the site could offer and with no experience or skill, optimistically thought - Yeah, I can do that.
Today is my first anniversary as a zazzler.
Not surprisingly, it has not been the easiest of journeys. My first forays were, well lets face facts, they were terrible. Never having done anything like this before I made plenty of mistakes. The upside is that for the last few months I have been fairly consistently completing designs that I am happy with. Even better is the fact that people are buying them. There is nothing quite as satisfying as knowing that somebody thought that your work was so good that they had to own it.
In the past year I have learned so much, met a lot of great people and my friends now ask me for computer advice. Just over a year ago I never thought any of that would ever be possible. I was a technological neanderthal.
I certainly do not want to look back at the road that I have travelled to get to this point. I can imagine the carnage that I have left behind and that is something that nobody should have to look at. I prefer to always look forwards. Unfortunately the sun is shining in my eyes so there is no way of knowing if the road ahead is straight or curved. The best thing is to just keep moving forward slowly in the knowledge that at least the way is bright in that direction.
This whole point of this post has just been to give a little insight into why this last bit of it is so important.
I would like to publicy thank all the people that have helped me along the way. Putting up with my dumb noob questions and mistakes, giving me encouragement and helping to promote my work.
A massive thankyou to you all. You know who you are.
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