I always like to keep an open mind about people. When we start saying why do all X do Y, we are potentially revealing our biases that we have accumulated. It’s easy to do, but it’s not always the right thing, and it’s potentially hurtful.
Tag: GIMP
I saw this great post on Lifehacker (at http://lifehacker.com/5543914/do-not-covet-your-ideas) that I feel clarifies a big part of why I’m doing this project. This quote belongs to Paul Arden, and the Lifehacker post shows more of his related ideas. This idea rings true for me. It explains why all of my work, posts, and images are Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike licensed. It explains why I often will give presentations for free if the budget does not exist. It explains why I love open source software and open standards. I know it all comes back a hundred fold. Yes, I have a paying job, but in that job, I work to show what I know about topics in an open way. Yes, I often will be lucky enough to get a compensated presentation, but I try to pass on as much information as I can in those sessions, and I often ask people to contact me with follow-up questions or connect with me. Holding on to your ideas and knowledge with a tight grip does very little for you, and nothing for anyone else. For those of you who share so freely, thanks for all you do!
lemasney, creative commons, open source, inkscape, gimp, open, openness, freedom, sharing
Related articles
- 20121216: Most everything means something by John LeMasney via 365sketches.org #creativecommons #design #cc-by (365sketches.org)
- 20121217: Ikea Lack table comes to life by John LeMasney via 365sketches.org #creativecommons #design #cc-by (365sketches.org)
- 20121217: symbols of nature by John LeMasney via 365sketches.org #creativecommons #design #cc-by (365sketches.org)
A simple idea that I need to focus on right now. 😉
On calligraphy
I started making these calligraphic lines many years ago as a way of making shorthand notes on movement while watching a video of ballet. As the dancers turned and spun in the air, being thrown and jumping, I’d record the motion with a pen on a page.
It turned into a primary form of my mark-making ever since that first moment. I have thoroughly enjoyed moving from analog mark-making on paper and canvas to the digital canvas. Inkscape has been a beautiful analogue for that process. The things that I learned in one have definitely influenced the other, and I feel privileged to be among those who had a foot in each pool (digital and analog mark-making).
Using a digital canvas
I never get tired of making things glow, shine, have depth, reflect, or stand out in Inkscape. In this case, I took my Wacom tablet, and with the calligraphy tool, I made the key 3 marks you see. Then I duplicated, applied a yellow, and applied a blur to the duplicate, sending it behind the first marks. I added a deep red background, and to create some depth I made a pill shape and used the spray paint tool set to single path to create the texture.
What about you?
Have you ever practiced making marks on a page? Do you doodle in corners? How would you like to see the ways in which you could turn those marks into art using tools like Inkscape and the GIMP? Contact me at 6095539498, or john@lemasney.com to see how you could get started!
So this is the fold design for a paper airplane that I learned when I was about 7 years old. It’s a great flier, a long-lasting glider, and you may even know how to make it, but if you don’t, I wanted to try to convey how to make one using Inkscape to illustrate. What I found was that the imprint of how to do it in my mind is no match for trying to illustrate that. Try to make it, and if you have trouble, let me know in your comments!
Related articles by Zemanta
- Using paper airplanes to learn about flight (mt-soft.com.ar)
- 20121122: Sliced by John LeMasney via 365sketches.org #cc #design #typography (365sketches.org)
- 20121121: Hell yes by John LeMasney via 365sketches.org #cc #design (365sketches.org)
- 20121108: A waveform of the word “open” #tattoo (365sketches.org)
- 12 Cool Paper Airplanes You Can Make Now (techeblog.com)
In this sketch, I tried to keep it really simple and fun. I drew a dinosaur by hand from a reference image, emphasizing a plush-like body structure. I used the calligraphy tool throughout which worked great for the undulating line. I decided to make the dinosaur think about roaring because this one wouldn’t think about making a ruckus out loud. I added the Rawr! with the text tool, then converted to path so I could apply the Bend Live Path Effect. I created the cloud with the spraypaint tool. Enjoy!
Related articles
Special webcast Monday, March 10, at 10 p.m. ET