Transforming Your Face - Digitally

During the latest course of mad internet browsing (the topic was microscope slide pendants this time) I managed to stumble across an interesting tool. Students at the University of St. Andrews have created a tool that will transform a face into a number of 'styles'.

The list of options isn't extensive, but there are a few artistic styles represented and the resulting art would look great as part of a collage or scrapbook. I tested this out with a rather blah photo of myself. Here's my favorite result in the style of Mucha:

Overwhelmed & Undervalued

For a while now, I've been contemplating taking my freelance work to a new level and trying to making a living at it full time. I have to admit the idea of setting my own schedule and not being limited to one place holds a great deal of appeal for me. So, in the interest of this pursuit I've been browsing through the sites online that offer 'help' for freelancers to find work.

To begin let me say that it's a sad state of affairs when you have to devalue yourself just to get a job. It seems to me after browsing through quite a few of these sites and even submitting bids myself that the only one who profits is the customer.

Just today I read a post for a full time graphic designer. This individual wanted one designer to work with him/her to create a php/mysql back end website and work on it exclusively. That's right 9-5, working on just this site and not being able to take any other jobs. The pay? $12 a day. Wow look out world I might managed to feed myself on that!

A Vampyre Prayer

One new design is available in the Inherent Darkness store. Tonight it's limited to clothing only, but tomorrow I have plans to alter it for printing on a bunch of other merchandise. Light and dark versions of the design are available and I'm including previews below. Click here for a direct link to the section should anyone wish to order.

Sand Painting

A long time ago I had the opportunity to watch Tibetan monks paint a sand mandala. It was a very beautiful and tranquil thing to watch. Since then whenever I think of sand painting - a mandala is what immediately springs to mind.

Recently a good friend shared a link to a video on youtube of the artist Ilana Yahav who changed my perception of sand painting.



If you have not heard of this artist, I highly recommend watching at least one of her videos. She paints images with sand the way I would expect to see someone use paint. These images are lit from beneath and projected onto a screen for the audience. A very unusual method of performance art but very interesting to watch.

Inherent Darkness store update

Three new products designs are available in my cafepress store.





Here's the shop link: Inherent Darkness

New T-Shirt Designs

It seems like forever since I worked on T-shirt designs. I know I have a list about a mile long of phrases to either set or illustrate! At any rate, I decided to jump on the fan merchandise bandwagon at cafepress and made up a couple of Twilight designs. The first design is just a random thing that wormed it's way into my completed category.

Oh and for anyone wanting to buy there very own, shirt, button, etc, here's the link:
http://inherentdarkness.net

Status

If anyone reading knows me personally, you know that I Friday I lost my job. I knew in advance that it was going to happen so I had a little time to prepare. Still, I don't think you can ever be truly prepared for something like that. At the moment I'm looking around my apartment overflowing with boxes and trying to imagine where I'll end up.

The dark cloud of negativity is hanging over my head tonight and I'm having trouble picturing the positive. I would really like to crawl into a hole and not come out for a while, but I don't anticipate having the opportunity.

Tomorrow I start moving furniture.