New Designs, Fast, Furious!

Once again, I’m working on new designs. Right now, I can’t show them off… so instead, enjoy this photo I took in Forza Motorsport 3 — a 2003 Infiniti G35 with a few mods, and painted Athens Blue. I’ve designed some custom decals, too; I’m still working on nicer stuff, and I haven’t quite figured out the decal editor. I’ve yet to create anything truly stunning.

The US release of the game was October 27, so it’s not like I’ve had a lot of time.

Hopefully the flu (or whatever it was) has passed… I’ve got stuff to do, writing to finish, blog posts to share. I’m keeping this entry short and sweet, but before I go —

A Thank You to Daniel “Sullivenom”

Recently, Daniel sent me gifts (yay!) — a Moleskine Info book and a Behance Action Pad mini. If you’re into steampunk, check out his blog “Steam Effort.” Perhaps there are still undiscovered goodies awaiting me in my mailroom… exciting!

Last, but not least…

Do you need design?

I have some availability during mid-November for comprehensive design and marketing work. 2010 is only a few months away, and now is a great time to think about gloriously re-emerging next year with new, striking graphics and advertisements. If you’re just looking for a new, punchy logo design or brochure, don’t hesitate. Contact me. I can squeeze that in… especially if you’re likeable.

Ink Changes Ahead

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[INK POST HTML TEXT VERSION, with LINKS]

First, thank you for visiting my new blog! It means a lot to me that you take the time to read my handwriting — I know that it’s more time-consuming. I’ve spent almost two years developing this style.

Cult of Ink
There are other inkbloggers out there, and I’m going to add some to my links. My thought is — I’d like to create a colloborative ink project — multiple inkers at one site! At a minimum, I’m going to create a special ink section here, with an “about” and some tips — “how to start ink-blogging.” Which brings me to the next matter at hand…

I’d mentioned at Twitter (@bradtastic) — I’m looking for an inkblog super-sponsor! I can ink more-frequently with a little support, and cover more-serious topics.

I’m offering prominently-placed full-site advertisements, marketing and design, write-ups, reviews, loyal fans and followers — I’ll even send a present!

Last year, I won an Ink Blot Award. Gottabemobile.com is down with my style, plus — I’m Bradtastic — all kinds of cool stuff is coming. 2010 is going to be BIG!

Please let me know if you’re interested — I’ll send to you, your brand or business, the details and all of the information. Future topics include — psychology, deception detection, relationships, business, art, criminology, tech-stuff… fiction and more!

Please subscribe to my RSS FEED — I’m going to post information on new Bradtastic Projects and websites, plus more on the future of Superfloo.us and my new “business” site. I’ve been working on some really cool stuff and I am currently talking to some new, very-interesting people. I’m also putting together new things — super-top-secret (not really) — with longtime associates.

Hugs & Kisses, Love plus high-fives!
Bradtastic

Inkblogging Again!

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[INK POST: “Inkblogging Again!” TEXT VERSION]

Note: This is still work-in-progress, meaning, I’m still figuring out the best way to present “inkblog entries” aka handwritten articles, saved as images. If you’re having issues of any kind — most specifically, if you cannot see an image above — please let me know ASAP! (Thanks!)

Bradtastic “Superfloo.us” — First Ink Attempt.

Much thanks to Sumocat for his help; perhaps I could even get the updated Live Writer to work with the inkblog plugin!

Well, Bradtastic is back in inkblogging action! I think that I’m going to setup a separate “journal” (at this site… don’t worry) for my inkposts, but I’m back!

Thanks for your patience and support! I ordered a few Canteo A5 notebooks and a Rhodia webnotebook, hopefully they’ll arrive in two weeks. I’ll write a review and share my findings here. Stay tuned — I have more artwork and Designwork to post, including another “Superfloo.us” logo design… this time, it’s high quality and Bradtasticool. Hope you like it — please let me know what you think, it only takes a minute to leave a comment. Once again, thanks! It’s good to be inking once again, with an updated style, too!

Superfloo.us Inked — Logo Concept

©2009 Bradtastic Brad Chin. All rights reserved — if you want something, just ask!

Tablet PCs really are a blessing for artists and designers…

Actually, I think that everyone can benefit from Tablet technology — whether or not people know it, or will admit it. The iPhone has proven that touch technology can be truly inspiring and life-changing; and to think, Tablet PCs could have multi-touch and Penabled technology in the same device. That would allow a computer to have all the pinch-zoom goodness of multi-touch and the pressure-sensitivity of Wacom’s pens — the best of both worlds, productivity and art — in harmony.

I wish I could get a new slate; the note-taking benefits from software such as OneNote, illustration with Autodesk’s Sketchbook Pro, and of course, Adobe Creative Suite… all in a sleek, easy to carry/use (for a semi-crippled vampire) form-factor… even if I can’t get inkblogging to work, there’s more than enough work to do to keep me busy. Satisfied.

And to think, if I could get inkblogging to work (possibly with some help!), I could change the world! Well, okay, maybe that’s overstating things just a tad… but right now, that’s how it feels. I’m severely limited at the moment, restrained — tethered, really — by the power cord, because my Fujitsu convertible’s battery (fully charged) runs dry within 25 minutes. In practical terms, I can’t risk using the device unplugged, making it no more mobile than my iMac.

But I can still create art — illustrations, designs — such as the one above. That logo concept is rough, but it brought me to the realization that… I want a logo. A logo designed by me, and probably not vectored. I like the sketched look… so I created another, after coloring the “rough.”

©2009 Bradtastic Brad Chin. “Superfloo.us” Logo, (Superfluous) Colored Version 001, draft.

I could create something for you… just throwing that out there.

After coloring the logo concept, I realized that I didn’t like the design… fundamentally. The style and colors are close, but not exactly what I want. Obviously, this draft is undeveloped — emphasis on rough — so the final version would be shaded more deeply, with richer colors and a presentation much more bold.

I also realized… drawing on the Tablet is fun!

Inkblog or not, expect more art. It might be unrelated to the post, but hey, it livens up the entry, yea? I’d really like to inkblog again, however.

Initially I was going to use Bradtastic Premier for art and design, and blog here about superfluous — perhaps superficial — things… but now, I’m having fun being serious. Seriously. When I went to the Apple Store several days ago to get my iPhone 3GS and Snow Leopard, I met a new sales associate, Armont, and we spoke about my writings and thoughts regarding criminology and the DOC — he was intrigued, naturally.

[Sidenote: we had a miscommunication in the beginning; I had told him that I was entitled to a “business discount” and he tried to look-up “AIS” on the list — and couldn’t find it, because I should have said that I’m a “business customer.”]

Conversation is a powerful tool; each time I discuss my thoughts about recidivism and psychology, I think of something new… generally, a stronger, more-direct way to deliver my information or express my opinions. Ultimately, I believe that “discussing” — blogging — about the things that I write about will make for better books.

Along the way, I can share some sketches.

Hope you enjoy it! Please leave comments or feedback; some people have been generous, getting me things from my Amazon Wishlist (link and widget located on my sidebar), and I’ve been thinking about paying it forward… by giving away some gifts of my own, to lucky website contributors!

I’ll post another Superfluous logo design soon. Stay tuned!

Bradtastic — Art, Design and Ink.

I want to expand this website, beyond this blog…

I’ve mentioned at Facebook and my Twitter (@bradtastic) that I’m trying to inkblog again, like I did at my first decent inkblog, bradchin.com. My progress was halted — incidentally after winning an Ink Blot Award — because my Tablet PC, bloated with viruses and junkware, stopped connecting to the Internet… and then stopped functioning altogether.

Work and recovery stood in the way of progress — but I never stopped writing. I never stopped dreaming about books and blogging — changing the world by changing one mind — contributing to the ever-growing collective…

With ink, I wanted to share what Montblanc calls the art of writing; with computers and typesetting so available, handwriting has become a dying art. People neglect it — it’s not being taught in schools, and it’s as if it’s just not that important. True — no one is openly graded on it, graphology is a pseudo-science, but I believe in its importance — the importance of the image of writing.

I look at classic documents of incalculable value — The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution and Bill of Rights — I look at the penmanship displayed on these documents and think, “would these documents hold so much value if they were chicken-scratched?”

Of course, these documents will always be important — crappy handwriting wouldn’t change that — but I think that if they weren’t written so beautifully, with a combination of perfect word and perfect handwriting, we’d look today at reprints… rewritten or typed.

The blessing of the computer is a bane to handwriting.

The abundance and availability of free fonts and the ease of stealing fonts makes almost every computer user an amateur typesetter. Software such as Microsoft Word allows an untrained, unskilled user to create beautifully organized and set documents — legible documents.

It’s time to take a stand!

In defiance of this trend, I’d decided to share my art, illustrations, design and writing. I try to keep my personality vibrant and loud, but paradoxically, I prefer to keep much of my “art” private — including my handwriting styles — but shortly after I started inkblogging, I received positive feedback, genuine comments and interest.

I was contacted by other inkbloggers, enthusiastic and energetic. Their comments were positive, their words —
encouraging. I felt that I could represent the format in a strong way, drawing fresh eyes and attention to Tablet PCs and WACOM Penabled technologies. 

A new beginning.

Tablet PCs have generally been thought of as the business tools for doctors, contractors, engineers and the military… but this is changing. For consumers, “the pen” has been a nuisance; with Palm devices and PDAs, it’s just another piece to misplace or break. The iPhone has bridged the gap in a beautiful way; integrating multi-touch technology with incredible usability and consumer-friendliness.

New devices are looming. Apple might release a Tablet-type computer next year. Many netbook manufacturers are adding touch-screen technology to their lineups.

Handwriting, to make a comeback?

Devices like the Livescribe Pulse Pen make evident the convenience and occasional necessity of writing by hand. To “jot” something down — a phone number, address, take-out order — it’s much easier (and quicker) writing with a pen… especially compared to thumb-typing on a handheld or worse — stylus keyboard input.

The tech-world is changing, and I’m part of it. Perhaps I can inspire more people to enhance their lives. I’ve already done so with tools like HighriseHQ, BackpackIT and products like Moleskine notebooks and websites like jetpens.com.

Hopefully I can continue changing the game and setting trends. For more information on the  Bradtastic Approved© — check out bradloves.us/links or contact me or one of my associates. You can also just leave a comment or message at my guestbook.

Please let me know if you can help with inkblogging — you can also help by simply spreading the word, “Superfloo.us!”