Inspiration-Retro Web Design

Here's a link to 40 Beautiful Examples of Vintage and Retro in Web Design from Sixrevisions.com. It has a nice collection of various websites that have the good retro feel. It's amazing to see designers go back to old times and bring back what was hot during that time. It's true, history does repeat itself, except I feel designers add a modern twist.

Click to see more

SKETCHES '06-Now Vol.1

Artists are insecure when it comes to their work and I hate people looking at my drawings or while I'm drawing, but I figured I'll let everyone get a glimpse of my world when it comes to my sketches. This has no design process, notes, or my typography, just whatever I sketched from '06 to now. This is only a small portion of what I have and I do mean this is only a small portion. The more recent stuff is done on the yellow pages. I may not be that 

great, but it's an outlet of mine, so hope you like what you see. I think it's very inspiring for other artists to look at other sketchbooks and see their techniques and thoughts. I feel it's very important for both the viewer and the one being viewed. I hope you enjoy. Feel free to comment.

-Joe Baron

The designer in me, said, "Keep it simple."
I might actually create a design with this on the computer. I like it.

This was the first thing I put in my sketchbook when I was in the hospital on Friday the 13th, 2006 from a very bad car accident.

The second phrase I put down when I was in the hospital. Don't take life for granted. Carpe Diem.

Nothing like cartooning. I like how that bullet is aiming to that one head and it's scared. Unintentional, but works.

Project Spectrum-People with Autism expressing their creative side!

Autism is a terrible disability and it affects 1 in 150 American children. So, when I went on google for a search, I saw that they had a link to this creative project with autism people. I never knew google had a 3D program called, "Google SketchUp" and there was this "Project Spectrum."
This is what appears as the purpose for this idea on the link:
" Project Spectrum was created to give people with autism the opportunity to express their creativity and develop a life skill using Google SketchUp 3D modeling software."
They have a link where educators can learn exercises, so they can have their students use it. There's a video of how to use this 3D program and it's cool and simple. There's a gallery of different models where students can try to create their own versions of these models. I believe that art is very important and it does wonders to the human soul. Everyone needs an outlet to express themselves and it doesn't matter if you do not believe you cannot draw or sculpt, it's about expressing yourself. Technique is important, but sometimes when you have to get something off your chest whether it's joy or anger, just let it out. I'm glad that this is a positive element for autistic people, because they're like everyone else-different.(I mean that in a good way, because we are all unique individuals)


Check out more info here:Autism Society of America

Extreme Sports Templates

Presenting a client with your artwork on a template is very useful. It gives them a view how it would be perceived if it actually was on the surface of whatever you are designing for. It's much better than just presenting them with the 2D art. I came across these extreme, excuse me XTREME sports templates. You have a skateboard template, a snowboard template, a surfing template, a skiing template, and a wakeboard template for you to add your XTREME designs on. Have fun with these.

Links for download:

>> Skateboard
http://nunosk8.deviantart.com/art/NEW-skateboard-template-79021200

>> Snowboard
http://nunosk8.deviantart.com/art/NEW-snowboard-template-70928561

>> Skiboard
http://nunosk8.deviantart.com/art/Ski-Template-90378658

>> Surfboard
http://nunosk8.deviantart.com/art/Surfboard-Templates-91094761

>> Wakeboard
http://nunosk8.deviantart.com/art/Wakeboard-Template-91106932

3 sites for logo inspiration

Whether you're a fan of logos or looking for inspiration here are three sites that are useful.
Logo Pond

http://www.logopond.com This is a good site, where you can join and upload your photos as well. There are plenty of designers, you can talk on the forums, pick your favorites, maybe be a featured designer, and have your logo appear on the homepage. You'll see some heavyweight designers in the industry in the "Feature" section. It's worth checking out. Logopond has a sister site called Illypads for illustrators to showcase their work.


Fave up
http://www.faveup.com This site showcases logos and unique business cards that were submitted and approved by the people at Faveup. This site is updated every couple of days, so it's usually current with new work. I like looking at the business cards a bit more when I'm on this site, because it's an element of the corporate identity package.



Logo Faves
http://logofaves.com
This site is similar to Fave Up and probably has some logos from there on here. This site wants to have only the best logos out there, so you can recommend a logo that you find inspirational or submit one of yours.

VIDEO- T-Shirt Screen Printing Process

Since, I worked as a graphic artist for a really good New Jersey screen printing company, http://www.colorflographics.com and I continue to work on t-shirt designs I figured it would be good to show the process. This is a good video that one printing company created.

Jay Wise Music Video Release Party 4/19/09 in NYC

Hey Everyone,
My good friend, hip hop artist Jay Wise is releasing his music video, "Foolish Things" to the public which will be hitting television sets nationwide soon. I was asked to contribute some of my design elements to the video, which some of it made it to the final cut and I'm pretty excited. I'll be looking at the video later on today, but from the preview clips I've seen it looks like a fun video. I also appear in the video, not as an extra, but as a scientist/nerd. I immediately told Jay that I wanted one of the scientist roles and he was able to get it for me.
If you're in the New York City area, I highly recommend you come through and have fun on April 19, 2009 at the Guesthouse. We'll chat, party, and have fun on a Sunday. I would've promoted this even if I wasn't friends with Jay Wise or had myself or my designs in it, because Jay Wise creates some good music. His music is good and happens to be good hip hop as well. You can purchase some songs on iTunes or I'll post a free download later on. You can find him on facebook, check out his myspace page ( http://www.myspace.com/jaywise181 ), and you can check out his blog. http://www.teammilehigh.blogspot.com/ His blog has a lot to do with what he considers fresh in hip hop, sneakerheads, clothing, videos, his group the Corp Cartel and Team Mile High, and more.

Here's the sneak peek of the video.

TheGoldenBlack.com Royalty Free Vector Art & Fonts

If you're looking for good quality vector art and fonts, then check out www.thegoldenblack.com Artists like Hydro 74, Palehorse, Godmachine, Los Fokos, and Jason June created the stylish vectors. I must it admit that they may be "trendy", since there are a lot of skulls, japanese art, tattoo art, guts, and more, but they are really good what they do. It may not show on my portfolio, but I do look at these artists for inspiration. Plus, the fonts that are for sale will definitely add an extra element of style to your design. I recommend checking it out.

P.S. There are some freebies, so you can test the waters first.

No Pattern's, "Lil Wayne In a Chick Flick Poster" Contest Results

So, Chuck Anderson(No Pattern) had some little contest on twitter to put Lil Wayne in a chick flick poster. They may not be the greatest designs, but it's funny seeing a rapper in a scenario that you wouldn't normally see one in. Here are some that I found to be humorous.






Marley and Me isn't a chick flick, it's more of a family film that's a bit sad, but this poster is still funny.



I find that one to be creepy, especially since I'm a fan of Julia Roberts.

Useful illustration site Illustrationclass.com

This is a good site for anyone curious how other illustrators create their illustration or for those starting out. It gives a break down of the process of the step by step of an illustration. It will give you an idea what was done. I like it, because I enjoy seeing other illustrators process, plus it's a good learning experience. I would definitely check a couple of their tutorials, because you never know if there's a new technique or faster process you may learn.

http://www.illustrationclass.com

Dripping w/ KRink: The History of Krink

I'm a big fan of graffiti, so I figured I'd post this video on one company, KRINK. Yes, I saw this first on Black Flag's blog, so thanks to them I'm sharing this with you. Little story, I went to a club in White Plains and I had a KRINK marker on me and the bouncer looked at me weird, told me no one uses them anymore, and took it from me. Well I know people here in Jersey that uses it, but needless to say I made sure I got my marker back before I left the club. Oh, I don't promote the defacing of public property, especially if it's terrible art.