Happy long weekend everyone

YAYYY! long weekend is just few hours awayyy… I am excited!!!

The weather looking really fantastic. Camping and road trip would be nice to do… since many places will be closed during Easter. I hope everyone enjoy the long break whatever you're going to do. For me, I am gonna spend my last few days with my parents.

Happy Easter!!! just in case if I don't manage to post anything on the weekend… and tell me how many chocolates did you have ;)

Sorry

Day 32: Coffee That Always Late, originally uploaded by ILoveDoodle.

Yea sorry, I've been gone far too long.

And yet, until now I haven't bought a new camera. This will be my second excuse why I haven't been posting. I am back… I am really back this time :P

Do you know? I am a latte person… I've been drinking coffee, I can't live without a coffee in a week. It's funny how a person can change… I used to say 'no, I don't drink coffee.' :P ps: I am drinking coffee while writting this ehehhe…

Here is an interesting reading about coffee place in HK: Hong Kong's Hidden Coffee Shops.

This is make me laugh

Damn you, you meddling duck!!! via cuteoverload.

Clearly, I am very annoyed

So you know what the result is. Hmmmpphhh… my friend suggested me to waste the place. Now, I think it's freakin good idea. It's funny though… I only upset because I still haven't got any job yet. Not because I really like the studio. I thought it was IT. But, honestly… I really don't have emotional attachment… My heart didn't plumet as I expected it would. (I did baked 2 bread over my dissapointment!!!).

If we could rewind the past, for about 2.5 years ago when I just graduated from my honours degree. The same studio that I recently applied was looking for junior designer. It was a place to die for. But, I was late applying, the application had already closed. I had no chance knowing of the place… in back on my mind, I had regrets, knowing that I would have pretty good chance of getting the position. Maybe, I would had become a kickass designer rather than stucked at Wiley.

So now, I was given a second chance. The opportunity of knowing… as it turned out, it wasn't the place that I wanted to be. Sometimes, what you think is good, it's not necessarily good. Instead, what you think is bad, is not bad at all. Now, I know I was wrong, I don't have any regrets. (except I am right, that I would get the job :P I was the runner up over few hundreds applicant)

I know, I must be freakin mad. 'Cos I just need any job but why am I acting so picky!!! Let say, it's the only way to redeem my sanity and I wanted to belive there is a better job for me, the one that really worth of all what happened. Amen

Very amusing photograph by Angie Mckaig

Cover design: You can’t take it with you

You might be wondering what sort of design have I been doing. Well, it wasn't entirely exciting, since I worked in publishing that specialise in academic text books and trades. But as a designer, you really need to take the opportunity to always have fun. Otherwise, everything is going to be dull and boring. Playing around is what we do as designer to keep our creative minds alive :P

Let me show you one of my favourite cover that I worked on. Although, in the end, it wasn’t quite the perfect cover I wanted to be. But hell yeah, I had fun and that’s what important: The process.

You can’t take it with you is a trade book about managing your wealth before you go to the better place. It provides advices on how to make a good will and etc. Above is my first concept. I like it how surreal it looks like. Everyone at the studio had a chuckled about this cover. The concept is about heaven and earth. The man with white suits, which reminds me of Morgan Freeman at Bruce Almighty movie. He is either being happy for what he have done or was looking back his life with regrets. I guess, you need to read the book if you wanted to be happy and RIP.

After reassessing the cover, I decided not to send through the first idea. So came up with the second one. This is relates about travelling. Mind you, this book is only for Australian market thus there’s some Australian icons incorporated in the cover. I thought this was pretty darn good and would hit the jackpot! But sadly, turned down by the publishing editor. They completely dislike the travel angle since it could be misleading as a travelling book. They got their points.

So back reworking the cover again. Received their suggestions, this is pretty much what they said “try to make it more simple like just pen and paper. Or look death in more metaphorical sense, perhaps a road leading into a white light”. Oh, how hard could it be (yes, it’s very common to receive a contradict comment. At this stage, they are desperate to get the right cover. They pretty much don’t know what they want). Luckily, I still had my patience and I was actually getting more excited. Hmm… a road leading into a white light… Aha! This is what I came up.

Remind you of something? It’s from Mr. Bean opening title. I really like it a lot, it’s brillant! Stronger than the original concept. I came up with more ideas, but they weren’t great. It was just showing what they’ve asked for.

But it wasn’t there yet. So I went to do more traditional approach, searching for stock photos. Then this came along. For the last draft, I only sent this one cover and they LOVE it! Even the author was so pleased. It wasn't the most exciting cover but it's an appropriate cover for what it meant for.

The rationale: Letting go ballons is certainly becoming a more common ritual at funerals. And there are plenty of other ties such as 'letting go'. It’s probably more common at younger people's funerals, but we are banking on the fact that most people don't think of themselves as old or near to dying. And a prime market for this book is definitely the 30s and 40s with young kids. Since Many of these parents probably haven't already done a will. (I am on mid 20's and I’ve already got my will and my self insured. Although, I just wish I had my income protection insurance as well, sigh…).

ps: this post had been on a draft for ages, since 10/02/09. I just haven't got the time to post the images yet. And, just incase it might cost me loosing my job :P But you know what?! I already HAVE!

So what do you think? Tell me your opinions? Should I put the whole process into my portfolio?

For the love of type

New Uglier Font, originally uploaded by Jamie Latendresse.

Have you heard about IKEA change their branding typeface from FUTURA into VERDANA?!! I know… it's insane, or was it a joke?!!!!!

Won't believe me, read the article from TIME magazine, here. Join the great discussion at Typophille. Read Jamie Latendresse blog post, Why Verdana, Why IKEA, WHY? (my reaction was the same). The photo above was created by him.

To release your frustration, try enjoy watching this short movie!

I'm amazed that there're people who willing to give their time to make this happening. Try to understand dingbats… LOL.

Perfect brief from Mick Jagger to Andy Warhol

This is made me smile :) I like the honesty 'take little notice'.

via swissmiss

Pork chop

Hrhrhrhrhr… so funny :P

Whatever happened through the week, I hope everyone would have a happy weekend!

image via inside out

Something cute to watch

It's an animation of how to make google street view in Japan :P It's quite cute. I wish I could hire that Scanner robot.

Enjoy your mid-week!

OMG, it's a giant rubber duckie

Can't wait till it reach Brisbane river. I should have this giant rubber duckie for The Great Brisbane duck race… hrhrhhrhr… I shall be the winner!!!!

The race is on this Saturday, 26 September, thousands of rubber ducks will flock to the Brisbane River to battle it out in a race to fight cancer and to WIN one lucky owner a brand new car - a Sci-Fleet Toyota Yaris! All the the purchase of ducks will go to cancer research at the PA Hospital. Join me adopting a duck/duck family here.

This cute but superbly huge duck hatched by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman, this 9.5m tall by 11m long rubber duck has been spotted in Europe, Japan, and Brazil. See more photos here. (sorry to dissapoint but this giant duck will not show up this Saturday at the race.)

via cute overload.

Happy Friday everyone

This is made me laugh (LOL)

New Math by Craig Damraurer via FFFOUND

Duck! Rabbit!

Something fun to watch. It's short animation from a book called Duck! Rabbit! by By Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld. It teaches your kids about optical illusion. It's definitely a compulsory reading for my kids (My kids!!!!… Oh my, I'm thinking too far) well, just incase they want to follow my foot step become a graphic designer :P (ck ck ck… yes, i'm being ridiculous) You could get the book from here.

Have a lovely weekend everyone!!! Hope you enjoy the short clip^^ …and Happy Birthday to Kanimaki^^ I wish you have a great birthday

Cadbury Eyebrows commercial Ad

This is made me laugh in the middle of the night. Sighhh… a glass and half full and joy, indeed. Hmm… make me crave for chocolate, I might just grab a bite before I went to bed.

via Blackeiffel