General
IPad Sketchbook Pro
Apr 11th
Sketching on the iPad, oh lordy I want one…
Autodesk Sketchbook Pro for iPad
I’d love the potential portability that the iPad brings. I carry a sketchbook and a MacBook Pro, which is more of a brick might I add. And no I don’t have an iPhone 
Personally I’d like something I can use that’s small, easy to transport and that I can also blog with, which someone did – see Mashable article.
Internet access is ‘a fundamental right’
Mar 8th
Article from the BBC goes a long way to arguing the case for digital inclusion.
Generative Flash Experiments
Jan 18th
Finally got around to producing some basic generative pieces using Flash ActionScript 3.0, the paintbrush tool and the fab Kuler for colour palettes – my first digital painting of sorts. These are the first results in mark making using the brush tool. The idea is simply to use shape, colour and tints to produce a random composition. I’m going to import some painted textures next and see what happens…
Believe the HYPE: Actionscript for beginners
Jan 11th
The hype framework, Joshua Daves & Branden Hall
If you’re like me, the task of learning Flash and ActionScript 3.0 from scratch is pretty daunting. I keep hearing about how amazing Actionscript 3.0 is, but so far it’s novelties have alluded me. In fact I’ve been trying to turn my hand to Processing as a result. The coding seems to make a lot more sense to a mere mortal like myself. Thankfully Flash gods Joshua Davies and Branden Hall have launched ‘Hype‘. Feeling like a complete idiot isn’t a feeling I have particularly enjoyed whilst learning Flash but the timely release of HYPE has been launched with people like me in mind:
In the beginning the most innovative works were created by designers, artists and other non-developers. These people created the “hype” that made Flash rise above, way above, any similar technologies – but today these enthusiasts are becoming an endangered species.
Flash has matured incredibly in the past decade, but it has done so in a way that has blocked non-developers from even getting started. The simple fact of the matter is that with older versions of Flash you could learn the tool and how to program ActionScript almost entirely through creative play. With the latest iterations, unless you have a background in object-oriented programming, that method of learning by doing is simply not an option.
According to Davies & Hall HYPE is a coding network built ‘on top’ of ActionScrpt 3.0 to enable newcomers to Flash and ActionScript to creatively play with coding whilst learning to program. Designers can get on with designing whilst HYPE deals with the complex stuff behind the scenes.
To get started, the user needs only the most basic knowledge of programming – variables, conditionals, loops, and functions, for example.
As the user learns more about programming they can extend HYPE and thus grow their skills, while at the same time inspiring the next generation.
Other Flash tutorial sites that I’ll be looking at include:
active.tutsplus.com/ – Created by the folks at Envato, I’ve always found the tutorials from these networks pretty easy to follow and relevant to effects/functions I want to achieve.
www.computerarts.co.uk/ – As a subscriber to Computer Arts, I always marvel at what’s being produced in the big wide world. Every month they feature various tutorials for various creative programs. The flash tutorials, although a bit ‘cut and paste’ are structured in a way that means you can follow, step by step, how an effect is achieved. The tutorials and source files are also free to download from the computer arts website.
My playful experiments will be posted in due course.
Love Books? Love Design? This is For You
Dec 28th
Book By Its Cover
Just discovered this gorgeous site ‘Book By It’s Cover‘ with some really inspirational content and links. It celebrates the tactility of books, illustration and some of the most beautiful work in print around. My favourite is the sketchbook section…
More Gorgeousness From Silo and Others
Dec 21st
kurye video festival promotion film from Silo1 on Vimeo.
Sony Ericsson – Motion from Upper First on Vimeo.
(Shame about cheesy music)
Weekly Wrap Up
Nov 18th
Besides making Christmas lists amid the usual chaotic routine of studying, freelancing and managing the schedule of two small boys, this week has been interspersed with some other rather interesting bits and pieces. Last week saw the MADMA students learning processing with Ollie Glass. “Processing is an open source programming language and environment for people who want to program images, animation, and interactions”. I was pretty excited about learning processing and the amazing results that can be achieved – if you know what you’re doing that is. However my lack of studying for 10 years and perhaps my age (!) became quite apparent as I tried to get the creative and logical parts of my brain to work in tandem. Let’s say that this part of the course is a work in progress and I’m hopeful my confidence levels will rise enough to post some of my creations at some point. One day I might be producing work like this Flock of Birds.
Friday night was spent at the Glug Brighton Meetup at The Basement for designer ‘notworking’ fun, hosted by Crush and Agency Rush. A free drink, live artwork, animation and a dj set kept the bold and the beautiful of Brighton entertained for a few hours. Live painting feels simply terrifying to someone like me who can spend an hour debating a brush stroke so I thoroughly enjoyed watching the creations take place. The Basement is a pretty good space for an event too. You can view the Glug Brighton photos from the night on their Flickr page.
Yesterday we were introduced to Semiotics and Memetics with Micheál at the Lighthouse. Thanks to Marie and Matt for the info and well done for making the presentations! Your wise words have kick-started my brain which is now working away on some new ideas for a piece.
Finally, eight weeks of teaching my new group of students at the Sussex Downs College has really motivated me as a teacher. A shaky start and initial struggles have been replaced by sparks of innovation and some really wonderful results. I feel a real sense of achievement for them and plan to keep a journal of their efforts via a Flickr group. I’m hoping to see some of their work adorning a gallery wall sometime soon…I might actually get around to posting some of tutorials at some point too.
Dear Santa
Nov 17th
Dear Santa
I’ve have worked very this year, ran the ‘Race For Life’ in June, got over some difficulties and generally been a very good girl. So I thought I would take 5 minutes to make a small Christmas list. I hope this finds you well in time for the 25th December.
1. Being a very creative type, I’m never without my A4 sketchbook. However due to it being very heavy, I’ve been suffering from backache and think the new Microsoft Courier Tablet would be a welcome addition to my handbag. My chiropractor says it would definitely benefit me in the long term too.
2. I’ve had to spend my well earned pennies on broken boilers and cleaning carpets from muddy rugby boots latterly and therefore haven’t been able to take the kids on holiday. I was thinking it might be nice to have a few air tickets to New York to go and visit the 5th Avenue Apple Store. This would of course be very educational for the boys, enhancing their ICT as well as their Design & Technology skills. Economy class will be fine.
3. Finally, something simple to remind me of all the important people in my life, past and present with these very stylish genealogy charts next to my desk. They would provide a very functional, informative way of teaching the boys about their family history. The sleek design would complement my decor beautifully too.
Best wishes and much love to the Mrs
G xxx
Theremin
Nov 13th
A truly original gestural interface…
The electronic instrument of his design which also bears his name — by all accounts the first electronic musical instrument — is notable for its whooping and sliding high-pitched squeal. The theremin has influenced popular music, classical music, television and film soundtracks, and the musical avant-garde. Read more at Wired.com