Tag: Portfolio

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portfolio

228 of 365 is a self portrait #Inkscape

Self portrait by John LeMasney via lemasney.com
Self portrait by John LeMasney via lemasney.com
Self portrait
Self portrait

Yes, Inkscape is primarily a vector based editor, but I use bitmap or raster based images in it all the time. Inkscape gives you the ability to work in a light way with bitmaps but makes it more difficult to paint into, alter, erase, etc. with bitmaps, unless you do a bitmap trace. In this case, I imported my image, and set it in layer one. Then I imported another image of some rust into layer 2, and set that layer to mode: darken, and brought the opacity down a bit. Finally, I imported the third image, a kind of tech looking checkerboard, and applied the same mode, darken, and lowered the opacity. This is one example of how the layers menu can be really useful in Inkscape, where it is essential inside photo manipulation apps like the GIMP.

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portfolio

227 of 365 is a Pomplamoose lyric [illustration] #Inkscape

Fly fly away (Pomplamoose)
Fly fly away (Pomplamoose)
Fly fly away (Pomplamoose)
Fly fly away (Pomplamoose)

This is a lyric from a short Pomplamoose song. A jingle, really. It seemed perfect for a little 30 second commercial for an airline. Really fun, cute stuff from Nataly Dawn’s collaboration with Jack Conte. Check out the YouTube video below to see why I think they’re so great. The jingle is at the end of the video after the song “Another Day”

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brand design principles Illustration Inkscape portfolio references requests

Just Ask (Just Task)

Just ask (Just Task) by John LeMasney via lemasney.com
Just ask (Just Task) by John LeMasney via lemasney.com
Just ask (Just Task) by John LeMasney via lemasney.com
Just Ask (Just Task)

So this came out of a recent discussion with one of my oldest friends, Roch. He’s a great artist, and one of my lifelong inspirations. This sketch celebrates just one example of why I love him as a friend and mentor. He told me a few years back about an art project in which the focus was on a single phrase that could be taken in more then one way, but could also potentially be seen as a way of life.

As I understand it, Roch’s idea, “Just (t)ask”, is a play on words that indicates that as long as the thing you’re asking for is just (reasonable, not hurtful, helpful, etc.) I’m more than willing to consider helping you to do it. Just ask, just say the words, help me to understand that you want to do this thing, and let’s do it. Together.

Much love, Roch, and thanks for the inspiration for all the time I’ve known you.

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portfolio

A twitter backdrop by John LeMasney via 365sketches.org #Inkscape #background

Twitter backdrop by John LeMasney via lemasney.com
Twitter backdrop by John LeMasney via lemasney.com lemasney, design, open source, creative commons, cc-by, typography, poster, Inkscape, GIMP Look at my favorite images from this project on the My Favorite Pieces page

Twitter backdrop by John LeMasney via lemasney.com
Twitter backdrop by John LeMasney via lemasney.com lemasney, design, open source, creative commons, cc-by, typography, poster, Inkscape, GIMPLook at my favorite images from this project on the My Favorite Pieces page

It’s fairly easy to make a custom Twitter background in Inkscape. My advice is to find one you like, right-click on it and choose view background image, then save it as a starting point. If it’s anything like most of the ones I’ve seen, it will be in the range of 1000 pixels high by 1800 pixels wide. There are places for certain elements, such as a side banner, which are covered if it extends too far to the right from the left. With Inkscape, you can experiment with placements, or as I suggested, start with someone else’s. So in Inkscape, either start with a new 1800×1000 pixel image or import your saved exemplar twitter background then create a rectangle of the same size, and then use your imagination. Calligraphy tools, effects, masking, and the new 0.48 Spraypaint tool all work great! Hope you have fun with it.

If you like this image, please share it. If you use it, please attribute me, and thanks! (cc-by lemasney)

lemasney, twitter, background, design, open source, creative commons, cc-by, typography, poster, Inkscape, GIMP

Look at my favorite images from this project on the My Favorite Pieces page

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portfolio requests

216 of 365 is a Takoma Plays bumper sticker [design] #Inkscape @philshapiro @ewingnj

Takoma Plays by John LeMasney via lemasney.com
Takoma Plays by John LeMasney via lemasney.com

So Phil Shapiro, a regular commenter and visitor to this project, suggested a sketch for a volunteer project that promotes play. That’s right — an organization to make sure that play is on the minds of Takoma Park visitors. I love it so much I’d like to propose it for my own town of Ewing, NJ. I’m always looking for ways in which happiness can be increased on a larger scale; I’m deeply interested in studies and stats about happiness and how it is recorded and shared. Hint: Happiness is not usually associated/concurrent with money. I’d love to see the effects of citywide play adoption on happiness.

At any rate, Phil asked me to design a bumper sticker for the newish organization, and I was more than happy to oblige. Below is an example of their current branding. I’m hoping maybe next time I’ll get a shot at helping them to relaunch their entire brand. 🙂

Takoma Plays logo
Takoma Plays logo

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portfolio requests

215 of 365 is a field of dreams [illustration] Inkscape @scarbonaro

Field of dreams by John LeMasney via lemasney.com
Field of dreams by John LeMasney via lemasney.com

Field of dreams by John LeMasney via lemasney.com
Field of dreams by John LeMasney via lemasney.com

I myself had a rough time with sports through my life. I really was a very bad baseball player, and had some success with basketball. Football is something that just escapes me. If you’ve never met me, I’m a bit of a tank. I’m not proud of it, it just is. Always has been. I earned the rage of my high school football team and earned a lot of school-wide enemies by dropping off the team after two games in my freshman year. I hated the game. I didn’t understand why I was being asked to (specifically) hurt people. I personally feel like my lack of interest in team sports was kind of a wedge between me and my dad, one of my sisters, and many co-workers for whom team sports is a kind of religion. A handful of close friends are highly avid fanatics for sports teams, though, and it’s something I ask from time to time: Why do you care about (team name)? What is it that makes you so excited? I’ve never gotten an answer that was personally satisfying. But to them, it’s a way of life that requires jacket and mug purchasing, score retweets, and spontaneous play by play monologue for everyday actions. I don’t get it, but I still love them.

Suzanne Carbonaro is a friend, an avid NY teams fan, and a long time collaborator in many projects. She recently made the request for a field of dreams with a pretty sunset, and I hope I came through for her.