Design is a Serious Lifestyle

"BC" logo conceptual designs, #madewithpaper

Putting letters and symbols inside of shapes and playing with balance and positive versus negative space. Reminds me of "cake cutting" from NUMB3RS. Says Brad

As an artist, designing for yourself is often one of the hardest things to do.

When I started designing professionally eight years ago, I would meet all kinds of professional artists who didn't have their own business cards and websites. Sometimes, I'd get the qualifying statements excuses, "oh, this card is temporary," (or old), "my site is under construction." Fast-forward: things are about the same, except I'm not out much due to disability and chronic pain.

Sometimes I talk to artists online — at least now it's easy to setup an online gallery, free blog, flickr account, etc. — but the situation is still similar. As a solo freelance designer, you can't hire someone else to design your own stuff, and if you want to pay the bills each month, you have to keep working.

Disability and chronic pain changed everything for me, every aspect of my existence. I'm doing things and dealing with things that I never imagined in my pre-teen years. However, I still like a lot of the same things.

I've tried to create a little something for myself over the years, eventually settling on something that I liked, only to create something better the next day, week, or month. As an artist and as with all things, learning and improving — progress — should be constant. Consistent. So it's only natural that I'd continue to get better.

Design is a mission

Design should evolve and progress with society and culture. Being a designer is a commitment — the process itself is its own art form. Design is a way of thinking and a way of being. Design must grow, and sometimes through growth, change, but the commitment remains in the roots. Great design requires a commitment to perpetual excellence.

But logos? Logos should be constant… at least for longer. Like a name, a logo is an essential symbol of identity, but it should be more. It should convey values and ideals, traditions and origins. It should impress upon and instill its audience with a thought or feeling. Good logos deliver messages. So how does a designer design a logo? Design is always changing, designers are always improving, but a logo should stay the same. A paradox? No. Difficult, though.

The big blessing, The New iPad

Using Paper, I created a few "BC" logo concepts — something I could use, like a monogram maybe. Throughout the day, I tweaked and refines these sketches; some were erased, others duplicated. Some of them work, others not so much. During this process, I thought about how I was doing what I was doing… and how special it is for me.

Several years ago, Apple released the iPad and surprisingly, changed my life. Earlier this year, I was fortunate enough to get The New iPad; just a minor update/refresh of the iPad 2 for some, this device changed my life again, and continues to with new apps and app updates.

Equally surprising is the app Paper by FiftyThree, my thoughts paralleling the first-generation iPad. (I loved The Next Generation from the beginning) When I first saw (both of) these, I thought more style than substance, and I probably won't use this. In both cases, I'm very happy to be so-entirely incorrect.

I couldn't envision the benefits. Both seemed too similar to stuff I already had, stuff I was satisfied with. Both have blown me away, both I've mentioned before.

I mention it now because both the iPad (especially the new one with the Retina Display) and Paper (with my super styluses, oStylus DOT and Cosmonaut) are my main creative tools. Despite my condition, I can quickly draw and write, even laying down. With Dictation on the New iPad, I capture thoughts without holding the device!

The stuff I've drawn here probably wouldn't exist without these things. Hopefully, both will continue to improve, as design should! (Paper could really use more color options, zoom, and Jot Touch/Jaja support!)

The bigger, better

The relationships that I've developed because of the iPad are perhaps even more extraordinary. I'm friends with people I'd never have met otherwise; people across the country, some from other continents, others out of our solar system on outpost space stations and starships.

Some of the app developers have inspired me to keep trying, keep improving. iOS developers and accessory makers (those I've interacted with) are all really nice people, easy to communicate with and quick to respond. They appreciate and often encourage feedback, constantly improving, as designers should!

In particular, I want to mention Lance Barton. His company makes blogging happen on the iPad. Blogsy is fantastic as-is, and is always improving… (there's a pattern to things I appreciate and admire)

Lance has been really courteous and generous with his time. We email, and although he isn't a big writer, he always responds. Hopefully we'll video chat; FaceTime or something. He's from California but llives in South Korea; I think that's pretty cool. Aside from being my friend, I think it's great that he cares a lot about Blogsy user experience and answers everyone's questions. I had an relatively minor issue publishing here using Blogsy; he invested a lot of time troubleshooting, and had his team figure out how to fix it.

I also want to mention Andrew Goss. He's a manufacturing jeweler in Canada and is fantastically generous and kind. He designed and made the amazing oStylus, and then improved it with the DOT, and then improved the DOT! He's also a grandfather. He designed the oStylus because he wanted a great stylus to use with his iPad. That's pretty cool.

Sometimes, the process is more remarkable than the outcome.

Design lead me the iPad and these people just as graphic design is the basis of the images above. Sometimes, the journey is more important than the destination. Perhaps design isn't just a way of life or result. Perhaps it's in the core, the components, the elements, the trials, the errors, the paths — both what is done and how it's done. Maybe sometimes God is in the details.

A final thought on portfolios for professional artists out there.

I've found that sometimes, a comprehensive portfolio can work against you and your client or prospect. This happens when a potential client sees work done for someone else, and is then set on something similar. Instead of presenting previous projects and too many options, if I thought someone might offer repeat business, I'd create a few free design concepts. The advantage is that it's customized specifically for that potential client, the disadvantage is that it could mean doing work for no money — and the risk that that s/he/they might take that idea and give it to someone else. (There are a few ways to mitigate this risk, however.)

Brad Chin uses Blogsy

Bradtastic Online and oStylus DOT magic

Over a decade of work, about to be online…

Together for the first time. I'm excited. An iPad + iMac Bradtastic/SaysBrad endeavor.

Several days ago, I was looking for a video, World Business Review with Alexander Haig on AIS Insurance (my father's business) — the original WMV, that is. In this search effort, I uncovered not only the file in question, but a collection of designs — hand-drawn, vectored, painted, Photoshopped — the works… my collection of art, illustration and design from over the years.

I've never hosted this in a single location, and I think it's about time. This revelation has me excited; I decided then, to design something unique and original for Says Brad.

The image posted here, drawn with an oStylus DOT.

This design, done entirely on iPad 2 and the new iPad, incorporates lettering and an outline done in SketchBook Pro with a background image created using Wurm.

I love the oStylus DOT.

I drew it with my favorite capacitive touch stylus, the DOT (oStylus DOT images), created in Canada by the genius jeweler, Andrew Goss. [I recently posted a review featured on #madewithpaper as well.] Check it out; give it a try, and you'll love the DOT also!

Some key features of the DOT

• Unprecedented control – the unique tip is small enough to feel like a regular pen, but large enough that it's always recognized by tablets. Some styli like the Jot offer a smaller nib, but those aren't as consistent. Wacom Bamboo capacitive stylus offers similar reliability, but less accuracy, and it feels like the blunt instrument that it is.

• Won't scratch your screen – I won't lie, I haven't vigorously tried to scratch my screen — that'd be silly stupid — but under normal use, even with firm pressure, it hasn't happened. The folks over at oStylus have tried to scratch the screen by using the oStylus incorrectly and found no damage. If you keep your screen relatively free of debris, you should be fine.

• Great for artists – Because of its pencil grip, amazing precision and reliability, this tool is wonderful for drawing and handwriting. If you utilize tablet art apps, you need the DOT. If you're looking for a stylus for rapid brush strokes, you may want to check out the nomad brush (featured on my sidebar).

• Supports a family-oriented small business with great customer service – Andrew Goss stands behind his products and makes these by hand. You won't get corporate speak and run-arounds dealing with him.

• Note: Not so great for games and typing – If you're looking for a stylus to replace your finger for things like navigation, typing and games, the Bamboo may be a better fit. It's inherent, soft tip makes a liter contact with the screen, and you won't have to deal with loud tapping. However, if you're only getting one stylus, go with the DOT. For sure.

iPad users, digital artists, cool people:

Follow me online for art updates, links to cool stuff, app advice and reviews and some common sense. My social links are on the sidebar, and I'd really appreciate it if you shared my blog with your friends — specifically, if you know someone with some type of physical limitation, please refer them to me. I'm trying to collect other stories about mobility issues and overcoming these challenges with technology to share with people.

I know that for many people, an iPad seems extraneous, expensive, frivolous, but for me, it's a lifeline. As a supplemental technology, many people don't need one, but it can be a primary computer, I've been using it that way for years now.

New "superfluous" logo concepts

Another glimpse behind the scenes; here's an iPhone 4 camera phone pic of my conceptual logo work for this website, Bradtastic's (not) Superfluous (Blog... or journal).

Phase two is a move from an iPhone 4 snapshot of my Brookstone "Boogie Board" (really cool, and inexpensive; Bradtastic Approved) to the iPad 2 — first Penultimate, then Autodesk Sketchbook Pro. From there, it'll be vectored.

The tools are basically all mobile technology now... and I think that that's awesome.