August
31-Aug-2008
Updates again...
Have been doing a lot of planning for a personal portal website for the past few days. I hope this would go well, really hope so. What I have done so far is just some basic design of the whole website look and feel but I still have to put in a fair bit of work to all the information that I am going to include. Will try and upload some images of the layout that I created soon.
Today is the last day of gold coast show day. Until now I still don't understand why are those people so crazy about the show as every year is the same and there is nothing much special.
28-Aug-2008
Just some normal update.
Went to the bank this morning to set up some new account so that I can save money every time I receive my pay. Have to start saving some money for a couple of things. Then I came to uni and stay until now to do a bit of work. Had a meeting with the people that would be involved with the creation of the graduation DVD as I was the person who did the DVD last year. It seemed that there would be a few version of the catalogue as well as the DVD for this year for he different specialisation.
After the meeting, went for the Time Based Vector class as I am joining the class for free since I know the person teaching. Is really glad that I have the chance to learn some programming as I didn't have the chance to learn any last time. So far, he is still teaching some basic php functions and soon will in corporate into flash. Hopefully, I could do more of programming the next time, even the very basic ones.
Job is finally more stable as I have FINALLY gotten my visa but I would say the business is still expanding. Really wish that the business can continue to grow and next year, the company could afford to sponsor me with a permanent work visa.
Please link my blog page to mlstudiosonline.com/blog.php if you have not do so. Thanks people...
21-Aug-2008
Have been really lazy to update my site as I don't really have the time to update. Work is busy and wanted to rest as much when i got home. Today is thursday and is late night tonight so will be going to buy some food for dinner.
Currently, I am still working on Aussie Loan Arrangers. Started with doing the logo, website, bus ad and now letterhead as well as business card. Is getting more and more things from them. The website is getting better than last time buy I guess at the end of the day, is still up to the client to decide.
Upgraded to firefox 3 recently and I am glad my display bug or problem has been solved. Some websites show problems but I am glad the mlstudiosonline has no problem until now. I think the float command might be the problem as it is quite obvious in some of the websites Justin had done.
Will upload the some images when more things are being finalised. I also hope I can update my recent portfolio section soon.
Hope people will like the new header image that I have created. Please let me know...
15-Aug-2008
Just a preview of the new header that I am working on.
11-Aug-2008
Working on the new header for the website and would be updating my header soon...
06-Aug-2008
This will be my first post for August. Weather is getting better recently and the temperature is around 20 degree in the afternoon and at night is around 10 degree. Kind of feel a bit hot in the afternoon.
Recently had some issue regarding on some design mentality, just feel so sad to have decent design being replaced by non-design. I am not so sure how I should describe this kind of feeling. I cold still remember Shuen introduced the term “Artistic Depression” to me last year when I was doubting myself being a designer as I was having some difficulties of coming out with decent design for my assignment. Gladly, that period didn’t last long and I was able to have something for that assignment. This year I was being hit by “Artistic Depression” again just when Hasan came back from Singapore. Maybe I was having too much stress that I could not keep up with his design standard. Fortunately, I recovered from that after a short period of time.
Anyway back to my story. My main job normally would be coming out with the visual layout of the project and send to the client for approval. Recently, I have to create a logo and a website for this company. The first thing I did was to settle the logo first as once the logo is done, everything would have a certain theme to follow. So I spent some time working on the logo following closely to what the client wanted and the logo did get approved. I was quite glad, as logo creation might be really difficult as it is really very subjective. So the next time I went on is to create the website. The only thing I have to work with is the logo I did and also some basic texts to be put in the website. This website only have 3 main pages which is really a very small website but in one of the sections, there will be some forms that needs to be inserted into it. Is not really that hard to do as I did some forms before as well. The index page of the website was being done within a short time and then I was told that the client wanted an advertisement design that would be displayed in the bus. For me, that was really not an issue, just design something and that’s it. So after I done with the design and submitted for the client to approve, I was being told that they didn’t like it. I was fine as design is really subjective. I was also being given some instructions to follow and I was really shocked and amazed, just not sure how I should react. The final design was really just amateur placement of some texts and the logo. There is no design principle at all. I showed to Amanda and she could not believe it. In the end, the client wanted the non-design design.
I am really upset and so I decided to write this event down. Was really thinking a lot this few days on the subject of what is actually a designer? I always think that designer is someone who can produce design of a certain standard and is also the designer’s job to cultivate the knowledge of design to the public. I felt so hard to compromise when someone wanted their things to be done in their way even though is crap but emphasising there is a certain representation. I know someone would be thinking at the end of the day, is what the client wants. But in reality, what would a designer think, what would the piece of design think? Is design really a subjective thing, even bad design? Am I just being really bias about my own work or am I just having too much pride in my own work? Can’t anyone ever felt sad when a good design is not being recognised and a crap was being chosen.
So at the end of the day, compromise standard for the client or maintain the original standard and asking the client to understand? Just don’t like the way that we have to drop our standard of design just for a client as all along, we have maintain this top level of standard in our work. Having something not having the standard would make us look stupid as people would not really remember so much on the good things that we have but will instantly remember that we own a crap design.
I had tried my best to recreate the layout for the website and so far is still looking really professional and corporate. Not sure is that’s what the client wants but I hope it would not be a case of the client wanting to have their way and decides to have something that is not even professional to be their design.