It’s official. My new 2008 Honda Civic in….

Nighthawk Black Pearl (aka black with oh-so-pretty sparkles).

It wasn’t an easy decision by far. I was seriously a chicken with it’s head cut off at the car dealer. Going back and forth between silver, black, and white. The silver looked pretty, but I felt it was too pedestrian, especially for the Civic (based on my street observations it is by far the most common Civic color–along with Galaxy Gray). White was nice too..but I think I’m reserving that color for when (and if) I get a larger, more luxurious vehicle.

So yes, now it has been…a month and a half with my new black Civic (I started this post approximately that much time ago…apologies for any awkward-continuation-moments). In this time much has happened. I not only bought a new car, but I shipped it cross-country from Northern Virginia to Phoenix, Arizona and flew over to greet it. Then I began working right away at my new gig–a design internship with The Arizona Republic (Wiki) (some pages I’ve done so far have been posted in my portfolio).All this was in early January, when it was…eh..about 55 degrees out here (13 degrees back home–and a snow storm). Now it’s already almost V-day (and supposed to be in the 70s by the weekend) and the Super Bowl and Super Tuesday have passed..barely. Yesterday, for Super Tuesday, practically the whole newsroom stayed past 12:30 (a.m., of course) for primary coverage and it was….well…planned chaos.

Anyways, back to car stuff. One thing I have to say that is nice about silver is that it’s a very safe color–not only in terms of the whole pedestrian thing, but also in terms of surface scratches. Let’s just say everything shows up on black–I mean everything–and I’m sure it’s a similar thing for white. Silver on the other hand can get a bit more dirty, a bit more scratched and it will still look…nice. I’ve had some pretty bad “gasp” moments while washing my car (aka “WTF did that come from?”). Too many in fact, it’s quite depressing. So I’ve been trying to take really good care of Chanel (my car’s lovely name).Here’s a list of some things I’ve treated her to…

1. Cilajet Paint Sealant (done at dealer–Fairfax Honda): I swear my car felt like silk after this was put on.

2. Got some floor mats (only because I couldn’t stop cringing whenever someone with dirty shoes stepped in). Rubber Queen 70506 4-Piece Vinyl Floor Mats (Clear) from Amazon, which are clear, but with a slight bluish/purplish tint which actually goes really well with the Civic’s blue dashboard lighting.

3. Bi-weekly hand car washes using the Meguiar’s Gold Class Wash & Wax Kit ordered on Amazon. With drying done using The Original California Jelly Blade also from Amazon (really really speeds up the drying process). And buffing wax/spot drying/interior cleaning with the Meguiar’s X2020 Supreme Shine Microfiber - Pack of 3 and yes, Amazon.

4. 3M Window tinting done at A Better Tint (out here in Arizona). The sun’s temperature (aka 90% vanity) was getting to me and everyone (seriousl, everyone) has their windows tinted out here. It’s practically a dealer default, so naturally, I had to get them done–to Virginia standards though (lighter–boo hoo).

5. A retractable auxilary cable for my iPod and iPhone: Scosche IU3.5RC 2.5 Inch Plug Cable to 3.5mm Plug Cable - retractable from you-know-where and of course a jack adapter for my iPhone. Also a car charger for iPhone (or any iPod).

6. Various air fresheners and a car compass (necessary out here..really..!) with a suction cup that I’ve attached to my windshield.

I’m hoping that I haven’t spoiled her….(too late?) but it’s been fun (and not so cheap). I’m holding off purchasing a surface scratch remover (the couple I know exist are killing me). Any recommendations?

BONUS: some random interior shots during the first week or two back in VA (all taken with my iPhone–notice the clarity during day and the lack of at night). P.S. I am living off my the Google Maps app on my iPhone out here. It’s the only way I’m getting around..! Gotta love it and the new GPS-like feature (if you haven’t already go download the free update! (should be able to get through iTunes).

The Best Car Colors? A dilemma for the ‘08 Honda Civic!

I know I haven’t posted in…two weeks, but for good reason..! Two words: finals and car shopping. Okay so three, but I’m happy to announce that I have wrapped up all the final-mambo-jambo (woot) and am back home, only to take on the stressful task of buying a new car. As much as I am excited about owning my first car, I have to admit I am terrified of car dealerships and the dealers. So much so that I was trying to convince my parents that I should be a used car from a private owner/individual. But my dad was adamant about having a one-owner VIN report and was concerned about resale value from a used car, so low and behold I will be off to the dealership as soon as today or tomorrow. (YIKES!) I’m considering posting a blog about what I’ve learned from the car-buying process and some advice, that is, depending on how my own deal goes…. :X

Before I go though, I have been having the worst dilemma over what color car I should buy. It’s between the classic (and perhaps boring) black, white, and silver. My parents have a white and silver car already, so I was leaning towards black, but I noticed how beautiful the white and silver looked at night, whereas black was practically invisible (with the exception of the red brake and rear lights). I’ve done some quick research on the statistics of car colors and here is what Cars.com published from DuPont Automotive in their its Color Popularity Report, a study analyzing and predicting color trends by model type and world region. In 2007, white was the most popular color in North America, making up 19 percent of all vehicles. Silver, black, red and gray rounded out the top five. Then the report broke down the statistics by car type and for full-size and midsize cars, the most popular car was silver at 21%, followed by a tie between blue and white at 14%, which was followed by another tie between black and red at a close 13%.

Something I’ve noticed is the color really depends on the car model too. Like if I was getting a BMW, I know without a doubt I would get silver, but the reality is I’m getting a 2008 Honda Civic Sedan. Ever since I decided what car I (realistically) wanted, my eyes have been glued to every 2006+ Civic (7th generation) I’ve seen on the road (safety hazard I know), but I’ve noticed the white and silver make the Civic look a bit larger than the slimming black, which is logical. The thing is, the Civic is not a huge sedan, it’s midsize, maybe even slightly compact, where looking larger is not a bad thing. So I was leaning toward white and silver, but then black can be a very sexy color. Anyways, I have been changing my decision every other hour (not good), so I was hoping a blog entry would put my thoughts onto “paper” and perhaps some people would share their opinion (wink, wink). For reference, the interior will be gray for black and silver and I have the option of gray or beige for the white.

So tell me, which color should I get?

Black:

White:

(Keep in mind the white background)

Couldn’t find a shot of the sedan. Not a fair comparison, I know. Sorry!

Silver:

(Looks more gray than it actually is)

 *bonus: Interior shot (I’m digging the illuminated two-tier instrument panel)

Just bought the Apple iPhone, photos!

I just bought the Apple iPhone (Time Magazine’s Invention of the Year) the other day and have been to busy playing around with it to do much of anything. It can be very distracting…to say the least. It definitely keeps me connected, perhaps too much. I’m notified of each new piece of mail with vibrates and of course I can’t resist seeing who sent me what and I’m off again, into iPhone land…

I was already an AT&T(orig. Cingular) customer, so I thought the transition would be easy, but it was easier. I literally took the iPhone out of the box and connected it to my computer and voila! my old phone was deactivated and the iPhone in place and already syncing my photos, videos, and music–I had my old number and everything was good to go.

One thing I’ve noticed after two and a half days of use is that the way the iPhone responds to finger motion is revolutionary. The whole pinching in to zoom in and tapping (or pinching out) to zoom out, adjusting the amount of pressing pressure to click on links in Safari or magnify text is amazing. As one person put it, it simply does what you want it too. It doesn’t get much better than that.

It cost me $399 (iPhone) + $69 (warranty) + $25 (tax) = about $500.

After some extensive research, I ordered a nice case for the iPhone from cozip off of Amazon ($10 + 7 S&H). It happens to be the number one selling case there and for good reason. It’s sleek and made out of polycarbonate, meaning it’s a hard, but somewhat flexible (but don’t do gymnastics with it). It comes in the most popular black, silver (the same color as the original back), white, pink, and a deep red/crimson (which I bought). The case is very fitted and easily snaps on without creating scratches (as the Agent 18 case does, according to reviews). I don’t know how protective it is to impact (and hopefully I won’t be “testing” this out anytime soon), but at the same time I’m willing to sacrifice some protection for less bulk. What’s the point of having a beautiful device if it’s going to be wrapped within a cm or more of rubber (with lint all over it > )? That being said, I’ve got be careful…(knocks on wood).

I also bought the Crystal film from the Apple store for $15. It was very easy application, and keeps me from worrying about scratching the phone’s beautiful 3.5-inch screen. I contemplated between the Power Support crystal film (sold at the Apple store) and the InvisibleShield film, but I’m glad I went with the Crystal Film. I used InvisibleShield for my iPod mini and previous cell phone, and while it is very strong as advertised, I felt like it attracted too much dirt and lint on its edges (on the adhesive). Once again, willing to sacrifice some of the film strength (not too much sacrifice in this case) for the beauty of the phone.

Well, I took the liberty of taking a gazillion photos of the beautiful device. Here’s just a “few.”

NY Times: In Korea, a Boot Camp Cure for Web Obsession

Just read (well, read a few days ago) about the first Internet addiction boot camp in Korea. Pretty crazy, but not unrealistic.

Researchers say an overwhelming majority of compulsive computer users are male. At Jump Up, campers are denied computer use and are limited to one hour of cellphone calls a day. Here, campers listen to instructions on how to get through the high-wire course.

November 18, 2007

In Korea, a Boot Camp Cure for Web Obsession

By MARTIN FACKLER

MOKCHEON, South Korea — The compound — part boot camp, part rehab center — resembles programs around the world for troubled youths. Drill instructors drive young men through military-style obstacle courses, counselors lead group sessions, and there are even therapeutic workshops on pottery and drumming.

But these young people are not battling alcohol or drugs. Rather, they have severe cases of what many in this country believe is a new and potentially deadly addiction: cyberspace.

They come here, to the Jump Up Internet Rescue School, the first camp of its kind in South Korea and possibly the world, to be cured.

South Korea boasts of being the most wired nation on earth. In fact, perhaps no other country has so fully embraced the Internet. Ninety percent of homes connect to cheap, high-speed broadband, online gaming is a professional sport, and social life for the young revolves around the “PC bang,” dim Internet parlors that sit on practically every street corner.

But such ready access to the Web has come at a price as legions of obsessed users find that they cannot tear themselves away from their computer screens.

Compulsive Internet use has been identified as a mental health issue in other countries, including the United States. However, it may be a particularly acute problem in South Korea because of the country’s nearly universal Internet access.

It has become a national issue here in recent years, as users started dropping dead from exhaustion after playing online games for days on end. A growing number of students have skipped school to stay online, shockingly self-destructive behavior in this intensely competitive society.

Up to 30 percent of South Koreans under 18, or about 2.4 million people, are at risk of Internet addiction, said Ahn Dong-hyun, a child psychiatrist at Hanyang University in Seoul who just completed a three-year government-financed survey of the problem.

The ad agency behind the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty, Ogilvy & Mather Toronto

I’m sure most of you have seen the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty commercials on TV or online. Let me introduce the main main behind these innovative ads. His name is Tim Piper and he is an associate creative director of Ogilvy & Mather Toronto, one of the largest ad agencies in the world. I remember seeing some of his videos he uploaded onto his YouTube account and as an interested fan, I sent him a message seeking creative advice, not really expecting a response. Much to my surprise, he responded almost immediately. He wrote:

Thanks,
Buy a book called ‘Pick Me’ How to get in advertising and stay there.
By Janet Kestin and Nancy Vonk.
That will tell you everything you need to know. It’s a must.
Good luck,
Tim.

Right away, I ordered the book off of Amazon and it’s been helpful indeed. Janet and Nancy have a website that’s a great free resource: www.ihaveanidea.org and even their book for free viewing online. Particularly famous is their “Ask Jancy” column. There’s also a recent interview with ‘Jancy’ posted about the Dove campaign.

For those of you who haven’t seem the commerials yet or need a refresher, here they are:

dove evolution

dove onslaught

Richard May, unique illustrator

I recently stumbled upon Richard May, who produces illustrations that are a mixture of the fine arts and computer graphics. His work is interesting and unique.

Here’s an excerpt from an interview with Apple

With an impressive roster of high-profile clients — ranging from The Guardian newspaper and Timemagazine to Peugeot and Waterstones — and artistic collaborations with bands such as Echobelly and Therapy? under his belt, 27-year-old Richard May is spearheading a new generation of British mixed media illustrators.

May’s work is highly distinctive, with its fluidity and exciting textures, layered with sketches and graphics. But in creative circles, May is equally well-known as one of the three founding members of Pixelsurgeon— a Web portal for the creative community providing news, reviews and interviews with designers, musicians, filmmakers and artists, as well as competitions and online exhibitions of artwork from all over the world. The site is a “labour of love” that brings in more than 8,000 unique visitors each day, and prides itself — in May’s words — in “bending over for nobody in exchange for advertising”, and that means editorial integrity, which translates into respect.

Looking at the complexity and variety of May’s creative activities, it may seem surprising that his studio consists of a relatively simple technical set up: two Power Macs, a scanner and an Epson A3 colour printer. He also has a big cutting board and pasteboard, with paints and scalpels, and photography equipment (a manual Pentax and a few Polaroid cameras), which he describes as his “production line”.

This eclectic approach to his work is certainly influenced by the fact that May comes from a fine art, rather than a technical, background (“apart from computer games”, he chuckles).

Some of his work:

A collection of magazine cover/design websites, SND Boston to go

Julie Lasky shared some of her favorite magazine cover/design websites at SND Boston this past October. Here they are:

Time.com/time/coversearch
Time cover archive: 1923-present

Esquire.com/cover-archive
Esquire cover galery, 1933-present

Life.com/Life/cover_search/
Life magazine covers, 1936-present

Sportsillustrated.cnn.com/si_online/covers/
Sports Illustrated cover archive

Rollingstone.com/photos/covers
Rolling Stone cover archive

Cartoonbank.com
New Yorker cover archive

Designingmagazines.com
Publication designer Jandos Rothstein’s blog, features a wide range of news and critiques of magazine design. His in-depth book with the same name is coming out in Nov.

Magculture.com/blog/
Publication news and gossip, by noted British art director Jeremy Leslie. He’s the author of two great books on magazine design, MagCulture and Issues.

Robertnewman.com
Word samples, influences, and many interesting links.

The Virginian-Pilot is looking for a talented graphics intern!

My newly acquainted “mentor,” Charles Apple, graphics director over at the fabulous Virginian-Pilot is looking for a talented graphics (not design, otherwise I would have jumped on it :P) intern for this upcoming summer. He’s a great guy and this will be no doubt an amazing experience. Here’s his recruitment flyer:

My mock magazine cover designs, “encanto”

A follow-up of my previous mock magazine entry. Despite encanto being a fake magazine, I got a bit into it and went ahead and designed Jan.-July 2008 (April’s not ready yet). Comments and suggestions appreciated.

click to enlarge thumbnails

   

   

I’m having some dilemma over the masthead, “encanto.” I like the drop shadow on it, but I don’t know if I should also add the embossing or not.

Before (drop shadow only)

After (drop shadow + emboss)

Blogs are the best resumes

As I picked up a copy of The Breeze (JMU’s student newspaper) today, out fell an inserted “ad,” Target’s publication, Red. What I initially thought was a 33-page catalog, turned out to be filled with colorful illustrations and actually useful information. Page eight particularly caught my attention, with its big blue headline of “STUDENT SITE 2.0.” The article discussed students and how the Internet is a great tool for them–not just academically (research, etc.), but for their career. It mentioned the role of blogs and websites and at the very end had a top 10 list of online tools, as well. Some things I found noteworthy:

“Professors are smart, but they can be boring at times. But if every student contributed to a wiki all the notes for a class, all the students in that class put themselves at the same level and can doze off every once in a while.”

“Blogs are the best resumes. I have been offered several paying jobs for just writing about things like the most efficient way to drink a cup of coffee. We are living in a bizarre time.”

-Kelly Sutton, creator of HackCollege.com

“The whole website idea was encourage during school. They made it clear that for my generation, if you’re working in a creative field, you have to have a website if you want to get work.”

“You can’t rely on mailers because one picture is not enough to convince a client to hire you. Seeing a portfolio online gives them reassurance that I can do the job.”

-Brad Rankin, photographer

HackCollege’s Top 10 Online Tools
by Kelly Sutton and Rosario Doriott

1. Google Calendar
2. The PocketMod
3. Meebo
4. GrandCentral
5. BibMe
6. Google Reader
7. Yelp
8. Democracy TV
9. Rasterbator
10. Google Docs and Spreadsheets