Keeping a diary supports personal development — SagmeisterTumblr (3.0; @konospoon)http://blog.konospoon.net/<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lshcw3J3Iw1r08uwlo1_500.png"/><br/><br/><p>Metallic brew… in progress.</p>http://blog.konospoon.net/post/10974418530http://blog.konospoon.net/post/10974418530Mon, 03 Oct 2011 16:00:02 +0800doingillustration<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lseejxoJNF1r08uwlo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><span> </span>20 minutes<br/>flickr random image<br/>paint with areas, not lines</p> <p><strong>Painting + Practice = Paintice #2</strong><br/><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/47204914@N08/6185561771/"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/47204914@N08/6185561771/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/47204914@N08/6185561771/</a></a></p>http://blog.konospoon.net/post/10895939244http://blog.konospoon.net/post/10895939244Sun, 02 Oct 2011 01:43:00 +0800artdoingillustrationpaintingpainticepractising<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lsdo62MyVJ1r08uwlo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>20 minutes<br/>flickr random image<br/>paint with areas, not lines</p> <p><span><strong>Painting + Practice = Paintice #1 </strong></span><br/><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mashuga/6179776292/"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mashuga/6179776292/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/mashuga/6179776292/</a></a></p>http://blog.konospoon.net/post/10881995690http://blog.konospoon.net/post/10881995690Sat, 01 Oct 2011 16:13:00 +0800artdoingillustrationpaintingpanticepractising<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ls1ec53AyL1r08uwlo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>One more from the archives</p>http://blog.konospoon.net/post/10602881202http://blog.konospoon.net/post/10602881202Sun, 25 Sep 2011 01:09:41 +0800doingillustrationbook coveroriginalcontent<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ls1awnZzbE1r08uwlo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/>http://blog.konospoon.net/post/10600017157http://blog.konospoon.net/post/10600017157Sat, 24 Sep 2011 23:55:00 +0800detournemountdesignsatiredoingoriginalcontent<p>Last Wednesday (21st Sept), I graduated officially from Lasalle College of the Arts Singapore.</p> <p><img src="http://konospoon.net/funkybunny/DSC_5552.gif"/></p>http://blog.konospoon.net/post/10599702766http://blog.konospoon.net/post/10599702766Sat, 24 Sep 2011 23:47:00 +0800GIFcelebratingconvocationdesigngraduationlasalle college of the artsoriginalcontentgratitude<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lrysigoqsQ1r08uwlo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Currently working on this… For another new show! For my “<a href="http://19sixtyfive.com.sg/">work</a>” work of course. </p>http://blog.konospoon.net/post/10550782127http://blog.konospoon.net/post/10550782127Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:23:04 +0800Illustrationdoingvintagevictorianchinese medspackagingparody<p>Is there a correct way to use Tumblr? If yes, how?</p>http://blog.konospoon.net/post/10270577287http://blog.konospoon.net/post/10270577287Fri, 16 Sep 2011 14:53:10 +0800thinking<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lrgslgWRJl1r08uwlo1_500.jpg"/><br/> Morcheeba!<br/><br/> <img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lrgslgWRJl1r08uwlo2_500.jpg"/><br/> mazerrrland<br/><br/> <img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lrgslgWRJl1r08uwlo3_500.jpg"/><br/> Ampersand<br/><br/> <img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lrgslgWRJl1r08uwlo4_500.jpg"/><br/> but Karenin is.<br/><br/> <img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lrgslgWRJl1r08uwlo5_500.jpg"/><br/> Singaporeans like this phrase.<br/><br/> <img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lrgslgWRJl1r08uwlo6_500.jpg"/><br/> -fi<br/><br/> <img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lrgslgWRJl1r08uwlo7_500.jpg"/><br/> sue me<br/><br/> <p>More scratching attempts,<br/>Some improvements,<br/>Mostly not.  </p>http://blog.konospoon.net/post/10163841793http://blog.konospoon.net/post/10163841793Tue, 13 Sep 2011 22:08:55 +0800doinglettering<p>Is the noise I associate with writing with a calligraphy pen nib thing. I found my current favourite nib at Art Friend, which was one of those $18 sets that comes with 5 nibs. Mine was &#8220;for map-making&#8221; and there was another one for writing, but I figured I could use more graphic variation in my <em>writing</em>. I am after all a <em>lettering</em> person more than a <em>typography</em> person. </p> <p>So after finally buying the book <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Scripts-Elegant-Lettering-Designs-Golden/dp/0500515689">Scripts</a></em> yesterday after a month or so of <em>considering</em> whether to spend that 60 bucks, I was sufficiently &#8220;<strong>inspired&#8221;</strong> to break out the calligraphy <em>set</em> again, and produced quite a number of sketches I thought looked <em>graphic</em> enough. Here they are. Mind you I&#8217;m not saying these look like scripts at all, just think of them as <em>lettering</em> okay? I have no historical understanding of typography <em>or</em> lettering to speak of. </p> <p><img src="http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/312152_200649626669433_199462330121496_513429_137399954_n.jpg" width="700" height="361" alt="Me."/></p> <p>Me.</p> <p><img src="http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/309529_200649526669443_199462330121496_513428_676887187_n.jpg" width="700" height="565" alt="No one says &quot;lady&quot; together with &quot;gaga&quot; or I'll shoot. &quot;Radio Gaga&quot; is fine."/></p> <p><em>No one says &#8220;lady&#8221; together with &#8220;gaga&#8221; or I&#8217;ll shoot. &#8220;Radio Gaga&#8221; is fine.</em></p> <p><img src="http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/294166_200649350002794_199462330121496_513427_1935441126_n.jpg" alt="Naturally this phrase turned out to be one of the better ones." width="700" height="291"/></p> <p>Naturally this phrase turned out to be one of the better ones.</p>http://blog.konospoon.net/post/10065282648http://blog.konospoon.net/post/10065282648Sun, 11 Sep 2011 11:05:00 +0800doingletteringdesign<p>The prevailing impression I have of the people around me now is one of folks just waiting for something to WATCH. That or they think they are on a TV VARIETY SHOW twenty four seven.</p>http://blog.konospoon.net/post/10029179164http://blog.konospoon.net/post/10029179164Sat, 10 Sep 2011 16:33:39 +0800Thinkingevil thoughts<a href="http://www.konospoon.net">New, Hot off the cold cold digital press!</a>http://blog.konospoon.net/post/9960465408http://blog.konospoon.net/post/9960465408Fri, 09 Sep 2011 01:01:34 +0800<p>Retro is dangerously easy.</p>http://blog.konospoon.net/post/9360721299http://blog.konospoon.net/post/9360721299Thu, 25 Aug 2011 10:48:46 +0800thinkingthoughtson design<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lpyltz2fFb1r08uwlo1_400.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>A cat for the cat. </p>http://blog.konospoon.net/post/8945055475http://blog.konospoon.net/post/8945055475Mon, 15 Aug 2011 15:51:35 +0800doingillustrationprintmaking<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lpt10bN6VI1r08uwlo1_500.png"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lpt10bN6VI1r08uwlo2_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><p>It’s time for another Friday Bit goodness! This one is a logo I designed quickly for my brother, for his class T-shirt. It reads T3 in the middle, which is the code of his class. Practice makes progress!</p>http://blog.konospoon.net/post/8814910799http://blog.konospoon.net/post/8814910799Fri, 12 Aug 2011 15:33:00 +0800doingletteringdesign<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lpg999Bpax1r08uwlo1_500.png"/><br/><br/><p>Another bit of Friday leftover goodness. </p>http://blog.konospoon.net/post/8509672678http://blog.konospoon.net/post/8509672678Fri, 05 Aug 2011 18:03:00 +0800designdoingletteringIllustration<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lpc2jvhejB1r08uwlo1_500.png"/><br/><br/><p>contemplating an SSD</p>http://blog.konospoon.net/post/8414049870http://blog.konospoon.net/post/8414049870Wed, 03 Aug 2011 11:47:55 +0800thinkingslow computer<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_loxj84bQDZ1r08uwlo1_r1_500.png"/><br/><br/><p><strong>Tech Trees, Technology and Skills</strong></p> <p>This is a reflection on working and learning, from the perspective of a graphic designer.</p> <p>I have a couple of designer friends (friends who are designers) who are really good at one aspect; <a href="http://ferditrihadi.com">Ferdi</a> is really good at illustration, a number of friends are very good at photography, for example. Out of all my “skillsets”, I am best at typography (fonts, lettering, etc).</p> <p>What I notice in common among these cases is that the person usually has an obsessive fascination with the subject, enough so that he is going at it even when it seems irrational or excessive to do so. For example, Ferdi has always drawn in his style for the longest time ever—I would know because we were schoolmates for 3 years in art school—and at one point some of us kids were saying that he’s not creating anything new anymore. Truth of the matter is, he is able to say a lot with that “style” he has honed through all this time because he has mastered it like an extension of his body.</p> <p>I think in this field, people are too eager to point out that someone “is not doing something new”, as if new is the sole objective of graphic design. I myself have been accused of doing swash when in fact it’s my second time using swash type for an actual job, and that the real thing takes years of practise! The search for “new” is a natural product of the industry which thrives on promising “new”, but I do think that mastery has been pushed aside just a little too much.</p> <p>Remember tech trees in practically any strategy or RPG game? You have to learn a skill, raise it to a certain level and so on before you are allowed to raise the level of a subsequent skill. I think learning skills in real life is a lot like that. When I was starting out in the graphic design course, I was a Helvetica-hugging type snob, after which I promptly collapsed into postmodernist typographical midlife-crisis, and came out sober, drinking up retro/vernacular typography and getting all drunk again. What I’m trying to say here is that sometimes learning involves going through the motions, coming of age… Before we are able to learn a new, advanced skill, we need to gain the perspective and contextual understanding by grinding an old, basic skill. </p> <p>I think the tech tree in computer games illustrate that quite succinctly. I also do think that we should change our minds about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grinding_(video_gaming)">grinding</a>. </p> <p>I end with a quote, for perspective.</p> <blockquote> <p>Now, I always saw design careers like surreal staircases. If you look at the staircase, you’ll see that in your 20s the risers are very high and the steps are very short, and you make huge discoveries. You sort of leap up very quickly in your youth. That’s because you don’t know anything and you have a lot to learn, and so that anything you do is a learning experience and you’re just jumping right up there. As you get older, the risers get shallower and the steps get wider, and you start moving along at a slower pace because you’re making fewer discoveries. And as you get older and more decrepit, you sort of inch along on this sort of depressing, long staircase, leading you into oblivion.</p> <p>— <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/paula_scher_gets_serious.html">Paula Scher Gets Serious</a>, a very effortless talk that you should watch if you haven’t yet.</p> </blockquote>http://blog.konospoon.net/post/8409948691http://blog.konospoon.net/post/8409948691Wed, 03 Aug 2011 10:02:28 +0800designdoinglearningthinkingthoughts<p>Words, I think, is a slow but satisfying medium. Patience is rewarded with depth. </p>http://blog.konospoon.net/post/8375610892http://blog.konospoon.net/post/8375610892Tue, 02 Aug 2011 14:29:34 +0800thinkingthoughts<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lp8ji8STmA1r08uwlo1_500.png"/><br/><br/><p>little things last Friday</p>http://blog.konospoon.net/post/8330686658http://blog.konospoon.net/post/8330686658Mon, 01 Aug 2011 14:03:52 +0800letteringdesigndoing