3D

3D Modelling can be a very tasking and brain hurting thing to do. I decided one day I would give it a go, not to make money from it or a career, but purely as a hobby. To make models of something, interior, exterior, or even gadgets such as tv's, phones etc would be good.

I have had SketchUP and IndigoRender for a while now as I know sketchup is an easy tool to use. I simply did some text in it, changed the material of it to a red plasticy look on Indigo and rendered it. Here it is, my gf's name.

I decided that SketchUP wouldn't get me far with this, as it is easy, but when it comes to certain shapes, etc it's a lot more hassle than other software. I don't have the money to splash out on such programmes as Maya, 3DS Max, Cinema 4D etc, so I am now going to try and learn Blender. See how that goes.. i'll update as i go along.

Tilt Shift Photography

Well, I was roaming around on the web earlier today and saw TiltShift photography and decided to read up a bit about it. It is simply turning one of your photographs into a model looking photo. Obviously, people that do this alot, are incredible with their outcomes.

For instance, check this one out: http://www.flickr.com/photos/andrewpanshin/5745618515/in/pool-59319377@N00/

Now, here is a photo I took a year ago, in Spain and I thought I would give it a go. Personally, it was the wrong photo to try this with, but as a first decided to go along with it anyway.

Second attempt:

wichRadio Entry

I entered a logo competition to simply get better at my logo design. Win or not I didn't mind. I didn't win, the design that won was actually quite similar to mine, but that's the way it goes.

The logo didn't have to be a specific colour, but had to work in Black and White as well as it was also for b/w letter heads etc.

Get a simple CMS..

And let it be called, GetSimple. GetSimple is an XML based lite Content Management System. To go along with it's best-in-class user interface, we have loaded it with features that every website needs, but with nothing it doesn't. GetSimple is truly the simplest way to manage a small-business website.

1. XML Based
   We don't use mySQL to store our information, but instead depend the simplicity of XML. By utilizing XML, we are able stay away from introducing an extra layer of slowness and complexity associated with connecting to a mySQL database. Because GetSimple was built specifically for the small-site market, we feel this is the absolutely best option for data storage.
2. You can "Undo" Almost Everything
   This feature was based off an eye-opening AListApart article explaining how warning messages never work as planned. Because of this, we've included "undo" into almost every action you can take on the site, giving you peace-of-mind for when you make those inevitable stupid mistakes.
3. Easy to Learn UI
   The top priority when designing our user-interface was to make it the best in it's class. We had the luxury of trying and testing all the competing management systems before designing ours, so we took the best out of each one - then refined it.
4. Simple Installation
   The total time in setting up a website took a total of 5 minutes, from starting the FTP to finishing the setup procedure.
5. Simple Theme Customization
   We have how to documents that show you how to create a custom theme. Our goal was not to bloat our software with hundreds of little-used theme functions, but to offer more than enough to allow for a fully customized theme.
6. Designed For the Small-Site Market
   This is one of the reasons GetSimple uses XML rather than a robust database such as mySQL. For most small businesses, their only real need is to be able to easily update their site without the need of a ton of extraneous rarely used features. GetSimple's goal is to manage small websites efficiently and effectively.
   
   
   I have been with GetSimple for some time now, messing in bits and bobs, doing mainly personal projects using the CMS. I have recently decided that the CMS is growing stronger day by day, with more modules to suit clients needs. I decided I am going to be using GS more often now for websites that are 10-20 pages and do not require any special MySQL. I am also currently learning to code my own modules, which will help in the future if a client needs a little extension. I rate GS very highly and would recommend it to anyone, from basic knowledge of web design / development and are just starting out, to even professional standard freelance developers or even companies. 
   Alongside this I will also be learning to theme wordpress, purely for my own personal needs, and then for other clients who need a fully integrated blog system on their website, which GS does not yet comply with. 

Visit: GetSimple Website
Join: Support Forums

Vector Art

Well, lately i have been trying a bit of vector art. I started off with just black and white ones.
My first ever one was a vector of Lily Allen.

Pleased with the outcome I decided to go a bit further, but stayed with black and white still.

This one turned out a lot better in my opinion.This really got be going and next I wanted to add colour. So I did. The next are for friends that asked for one, i decided to try out colour for them as it looks better when the final piece is done. My style is to only really do the head and neck, but a couple where easier block colours for other parts of the body so i finished it off.

Sasquatch Festival Poster

Well, at college i was given a project brief to create, 1 A3 poster for a band at the Sasquatch festival.

"Tasks and Working Methods: You will need to show that you understand the potential of digital design in contemporary practice (by investigating the work of others and commenting on it) and develop skills using your own traditionally produced (drawings, paintings, photographs, printmaking) originals and Photoshop. All these things need to be presented as evidence."

And here it is..

Night Snow Shots

Well, snow came down even heavier one way home from work today. Decided to let it slow down a little and get out with my camera and tripod to get a few night shots of the snow.

The white stuff... Snow.

"Snow is falling 

all around me 

children playing 

having fun 

it's the season 

love and understanding 

merry christmas everyone "

Frost..

Well popped into the garden today to get a few night shots of the frost. Not photography, just some messing aroundd :D

Garden Photography

I enjoy getting out in my garden on a nice day, get a few snaps here and there.
Using a range of different apertures to get the effect and depth of field I needed for that specific image.

Macro Shots here and There..

Macro shots in my eyes is one of the best points in photography. Getting up nice and close to the flower, not only to smell, but see every fine detail on each and every petal or leaf.

Memories of Spain

This year, again for around the 7th year running my holiday was in Marbella, Spain. A lovely area of Spain with many beaches, roof top views and more to take great photos, alongside this the great weather for natural lighting!

Watermark

Well, recently decided to just erase my posts for a while and watermark my photography.
I am doing this to prevent any idiots,  I shall say, out there from stealing my work. It is actually a big thing, many people take others work, photos, designs etc and pass it off as their own.

The ONE big thing though, is know-one can re-create the time, date, ISO, aperture, shutter speed and many other properties of a camera, unless they were there at the very same place at the very same time, which, is impossible. :)

Images such as my light painting I will not watermark as they are only experiments anyway.

Photos and work will be back up soon.

Light Painting / Drawing

Most of us will have seen the TalkTalk advert, and also the beginning of the X-Factor. Well, that is light painting. If you still do not know what i am rambling on about, then just wait and look at my images, you will soon tell.

Well, i am currently doing this at college, in my photography class. I had already played around with shutter speeds and light painting so had a fair bit of knowledge on the area. The only difference is we do not set the shutter speed to say, 13seconds, we put the camera to B mode. This means, for as long as the shutter is being held down, the image is still taking. We were using ISO 200, and F16. Manual focus on as we were going into pitch black and auto-focus would have been all over the place.

I currently do not have my images from college, but i have a few of my own experiments, so i'll show you those for now.

Website Design.

I have always been a fan of web design. I love hitting photoshop with a few ideas and creating an awesome design. But lately i hadn't, so decided to get open photoshop and give it a go.
The name on this design is not real (or not as far as i know) and is not a design made for anyone. It was simply to clear off the rust with my skills.

Joby Gorillapod Review

Well, first of all, this is a small review on the Joby Gorillapod. A nice and lightweight tripod that can, infact fit in your pocket if needed. This tripod probably is only best suited to more compact camera as of the such small frame. It is only around 6 or 7 inches tall off the ground, BUT because of the great bending legs on it, it can wrap around anything you may want it too. A pole, a tree branch, lay on the floor, anything!