Valeria Script @ MyFonts.com

Valeria Script is a wonderful font for special event design - specifically for engagement and wedding invitation suites. This font family can be purchased at MyFonts.com. And, you can’t beat the price tag either – its only $20!

Michael Murphy: The Ultimate InDesigner

My two day InDesign training was phenominal. Michael Murphy is an exceptional instructor. I honestly do not know why this man is not on Adobe’s direct payroll. His knowledge of InDesign surpasses expert levels. He’s more than an InDesign professional – he’s an InDesign genius. And this is no exaggeration. For both days, his instruction was consistently engaging. I could listen to him teach InDesign for hours, and the time did go by quickly. Nothing about this training was boring or drone.

First off, this course was not for InDesign beginners. The class was called, “Master Class for Designers (CS3)”, and it was mostly for designers who are proficient in software, but have missed the more advanced features.

Many advanced features were discussed – here area few: GREP, Nested Styles, Snippets, new Effects features (ex. Feathering), Effective use of Anchored Objects, Text Variables, and Scripts (under Automation).

As I practice some of these on my own, I’ll post some cool tips for the designers that read this blog. I’ll tell you this though – if you can master the GREP features (under Edit à Find/Change), you can literally cut your document production time by 80%.

If you want more info about Michael Murphy – check out his site (The InDesigner). His podcasts are priceless.

My Kid Could Paint That

Tonight I watched the documentary “My Kid Could Paint That” filmed by director Amir Bar Lev. Overall it was a great film, and I highly recommend it - especially for artists or art enthusiasts. I feel awful that I passed up this film in 2007 when I attended the Sundance Film Festival. For those of you who haven’t seen it, ‘spoiler alert’ ahead.

The film is about a little girl named Marla Olmstead who is seemingly an abstract art prodigy. She rises to fame with her abstract paintings (selling some for a whopping $5,000+), but soon after is the subject of criticism and skepticism when Mark, her father, is accused of either ‘doctoring’ or ‘coaching’ her paintings. This little four year old girl is scrutinized by the fine art community and is even subjected to a severely negative critique by CBS' ’60-minutes”.

I have mixed feelings about the Olmstead family’s predicament. In the end, I feel bad for Marla. She’s so innocent to everything going on around her. For the most part in the film, Marla seems very indifferent, uncomfortable, and even withdrawn from all the attention she receives from her paintings. I think her mother, Laura, was a very genuine person, who was manipulated into making her daughter a spectacle. The father on the other hand, in my opinion, is one of the main offenders. It’s clear he liked the attention that his family received from Marla’s paintings. In a way, he seemed to be living vicariously through Marla, as he himself was an aspiring painter. I found it odd that, in the end, the mother was so tired of all the accusations that she offered to take a polygraph. The dad sat silent. He didn’t make any convincing argument that he was innocent of being overly involved in Marla’s paintings. The directors of the documentary even went so far as to videotape Marla’s paintings while she went through the artistic process. I think it was evident that the painting they recorded on video was definitely ‘elementary’ compared to the untapped ‘polished’ pieces that hung in local art galleries.

Honestly, we really have no real proof if Marla did her paintings herself, or if her dad coached/directed her. Only the family knows the truth. But considering the documentary as a whole, I don’t think Marla is a ‘painting prodigy’. I think she’s a little girl that loves to paint. I don't think she chooses her color palettes, but rather they are given to her. I believe she's being exploited for the financial gain of her parents and artistic promoters. And I think her parents have gotten used to the elevated lifestyle attributed her paintings. Her poor little brother Zane is going to grow up with an inferiority complex. He’s almost the ‘forgotten’ one in the family. Even Marla tried to give him some artistic credit, stating to the dad in the film that he paints too.

I have to say, even though I too am an artist (with a background in fine art), I don’t totally understand abstract art at times. I appreciate the colors. I acknowledge it as an artform. But I don’t initially see the symbolism. I don’t think all abstract paintings are calculated. And I do think some elements of abstract art are accidental.

Marla is in a serious situation. As stated at the end of the film, what does happen to her at age 12? Will she still be hailed or forgotten? I guess Marla could be considered an artist in her own right, but should she be acclaimed as an artistic abstract painting prodigy?…I personally don’t think so.

Anyone else see the film? What did you think?

InDesign Training

Today and tomorrow is the second leg of my external designing training, which was FINALLY approved by my employer. The last training session I took in the summer was lackluster to say the least. The class was full of people who were not designers, and had no idea what "Adobe" was. This time, I signed up for "Adobe InDesign CS3: Master Class for Designers". This is a special course instructed by Michael Murphy, who also has a popular InDesign podcast. I have a feeling I'll be learning a lot in the next two days, especially about CS3 (it's so sad that CS4 is already being shipped-I feel so behind).

I'm self taught in InDesign, and have always wondered if there was something that I missed in my personal tutorials. So, I'm totally grateful to my employers for allowing me to take this course.

Hopefully when I return on Friday, I'll be able to share some interesting InDesign tips with you all.

Have You Seen [FPO] Magazine?

As a designer, I find that some graphic design magazines are rather boring. Some repeat the same information in others (Sorry, CommArts and Print), and then some gravely lack beneficial content (you listening, Graphic Design USA?). Because of this trend, I’ve narrowed down my design magazine subscription substantially. I now only receive HOW Design and Dynamic Graphics.

But recently, a new magazine has grabbed my attention. It’s called FPO (For Publications Only). I received a free promotionally issue a few weeks ago, and recently had the time to review it. I was surprised at the wealth of information included in this mag. It focuses largely on publication design, which is great for me. Sometimes I get ‘designer’s block’ when thinking up new and creative ideas for large editorial pieces or page design for lengthy documents.

If you’re in the industry, I highly recommend that you check out the magazine. I’m not sure how long it’s been in circulation, but for now, it’s my ‘go-to’ source for publication design inspiration and tips.

A Weekend Alone

What a relaxing weekend I had. The husband went on a fishing trip with buddies, so I had the house to myself. It was a weekend free from snoring, dirty dishes, and barking (our dog went to my brother in law's house). People often ask me if I'm scared at home alone. Why would I be?! I get the best sleep, it's quiet, and the house stays clean.

Friday, I went to see the Secret Life of Bees, which was by far the best film of the year. Warning though, this one is a major tear-jerker - so bring the tissues. They changed some major elements from the novel, but it was still good none-the-less. Saturday night, we went to see Sinbad. He was just as funny as he was in the early nineties - and also skinner to boot. And no, he did not wear those strange multi-colored 'genie' pants.

The husband came back home today, and I'm glad he had a fun and safe trip. Here's a photo of him fishing. Isn't he cute? =)

Got Craft?

If you haven’t already done so, please take a peek at The Paper Source site – or if you’re in the DC Metro area, stop by their store on M St. NW.

This place is a truly a caft-o-holic’s dream. I’m personally not a particularly crafty person. I’ve never quite been able to master cutting perfect shapes with scissors, nor scrapbooking. However, the Paper Source makes crafting easy by offering a wide array of rubber stamps, stationery, envelopes, paints, embellishments, and the like.

I’ve actually come here for a few pieces when designing wedding invitations or special event invites. My favorite items are the rubber stamps, the pillow box favors, and the brad embellishments. They have some wonderfully handmade papers as well. This place was a gem in college, particularly for times when I needed creative inspiration for my projects.

I think I’m going to go back to creating my own personalized cards vs. giving Hallmark my $2.99 every time I need to say ‘thank you’ or 'happy anniversary'.

Insomnia Strikes Again

Lately my sleep pattern has been really off. Maybe it’s because of the vacation/time change. But that’s been nearly over a week now. All last weekend, I had trouble sleeping. I averaged about 3-4hrs a night. Monday I was so tired, that I slept until nearly 1pm. Last night, I was plagued with insomnia again, and maybe got a total of 2hrs sleep. On top of it all, I also got another ‘visual aura’ yesterday, followed by a very mild migraine. I guess I was mistaken thinking my aura days were over.

I feel totally shattered today. I’m really tired, and unable to focus. I really hope it’s a slow day today at work, because I think I might have trouble comprehending anything complex.

Maybe it’s time I start thinking about taking Lunesta or Ambien. I really hate to medicate myself, but I rarely ever wake up refreshed and well rested. For once I’d like to know what that feels like.

Do Good Movie Posters = Good Films?

Lately, I’ve been pretty impressed by movie posters. They’ve really come a long ways, and some actually display some incredible design elements:

I came across the posters for some movie called “Blindness”. I think the official one is the poster on the right. The poster on the left is pretty uncreative. It’s clearly a blatant rip off of an optometrist Snellen chart. What a typical, and overly realistic interpretation of the movie title! I bet the designer who created this thing made thousands of dollars.

I wonder if movie/production companies realize that a percentage of the population – like myself – may decide to see a movie if they are drawn in by the poster. Personally, I do not always choose to see a film based on storyline and actor/actress selection alone. Despite the great lack of budget for most indie films, it seems they invest more time, effort and creativity to designing a stellar movie poster.

Next indie film on my roster – ‘The Secret Life of Bees’.
Best indie movie of all time – The Waitress

Sinbad at the Warner Theatre

This week has been great so far.

I know it's only Monday - but since today is a holiday, I had the day off. Plus, I'm also off on Friday, which means - 3 day work week! woohoo!

This Saturday, I have tickets to see comedian Sinbad at the Warner theatre. Remember him? There were rumors a while ago that he died - which turned out to be false. I remember him being pretty hilarious back in the early-mid 90s. I hope it'll be fun.

It's usually 'hit or miss' when it comes to comedy shows. Some are really filthy too. I once took a group of friends to see Margaret Cho...it was a bad idea. All of her skits were about, um, the female anatomy. Very graphic I might add.

Another time, I took some friends to see Dave Chappelle. Although he's normally really funny, he was also really 'high' this time. It was clear he was on something. Basically he just stood there laughing, and barely told any jokes. We paid $30 - he was on stage for about 20min.

Corcoran Gallery of Art Lecture Series

One excellent, and sadly, overlooked artistic resource in DC is the Corcoran Gallery of Art’s Lecture Series. The gallery coordinates for industry professionals in all genres of art (cake decorating, fine art, graphic design, fashion design, etc.) to engage the public in an artistic forum of sorts. You’re able to meet the featured artists, attend their book signings, and on occasion, drink champagne in the process.

In the past, I’ve had the privilege of meeting photographer Annie Leibovitz – but most recently, they’ve had lectures from fashion design expert Tim Gunn (who is also a DC native), and pastry chef Duff Goldman (of Ace of Cakes fame).

Be sure to bookmark this link for lecture updates, and hopefully I’ll see you soon at the Corcoran! (Corcoran Lectures)

I See London, I See France

You ever notice how after a vacation, you need about a week to adjust back to the ‘real world’? It’s almost as if the body returns, but the mind doesn’t. I’m still so tired adjusting back to east coast time, from pacific time – but as of today, I think I’m finally back in the swing of things.

Even though my Hawaiian vacation was lovely, I’m so excited to be going back to Paris and London next month! We’re staying in Paris, and only going to London for a day trip. I have such fond memories of England – I wish I could afford to do one week in France, and one week in England.

So now, countdown to vacation #2 starts. I guess I need to start practicing my French.

Operation NICE Has Really Taken Off

I’ve mentioned Operation NICE on here before. Fellow designer and blogger Melissa Morris Ivone created Operation NICE as a movement to increase – you’ve guessed it – niceness. Her local paper wrote up an article about her movement, and she recently got some recognition from Good Morning America! (Check out her tv spot).

Congrats to Mel! Next stop…Oprah? Tyra Show maybe?

Finally Found My New Haircut

I'm totally bored of my hair. For most of the summer, I wore it curly because of the extreme humidity. But now that it's getting colder, my hair is more tame and can handle other styles.

I really miss my short pixie cut. But it took forever to grow out. So, I've decided to do a nice mid-length cut, that I can style both curly and straight.

Here are a few of my ideas:
I want a bunch of layers in the back - but no so much that it looks like a bob or a mullet (and I've actually had a bad haircut once that was a mullet…ew). I think I might opt for the Rachel McAdams cut (on the right), but with more layers on top.

I'm also going to do my copper highlights again, but this time, they won't be as subtle as before. I'm not afraid to cut my hair - but I'm always afraid of color. Color is expensive, and if you don’t like it, it’s hard to change because you can damage the hair. But, I promise not to chicken out this time.

Steph vs. Technology

For the first time in my life, I feel old. Not because of wrinkles (which I don’t have). Not because I'm nearly 30 (27 is still young, man!).

The problem is, I’ve realized I'm totally behind in technology! I always swore I would never be one of those people who gets so out of touch with technology that they can't relate to younger generations. I refused to be like some people who have never even heard of a TiVo, Blue Ray, or iPhones.

Sadly, I am beginning to be one of those people.

Since my precious iPod got stolen, I'm desperate for a new one. I’ve avoided the gym because it’s so boring without my music. I went online to see if I could replace my 30BG iPod video, but now the iPod video is called the "iPod Classic". Since when did the iPod video become a 'classic'? iPod Classic comes in a standard 120GB, and eventually Apple has plans to phase out the 'click-wheel' format, and manufacture only the iTouch iPod. What? I've heard of iTouch, but I myself have never even seen one.

I think it's time to visit the Apple store to educate myself.

I guess I do have one thing to be proud of. Last week my brother in law scored me a "Wii"! So now I feel cool again. Anyone care to challenge me in some Guitar Hero?

'Novel' Recommendations

One thing I love about traveling is catching up on good books. I purchased two novels prior to my vacation – Sue Monk Kidd’s “The Secret Life of Bees” and Jane Green’s “Second Chance”.

I highly recommend the Secret Life of Bees. The entire novel is engaging and heartwarming. Here’s the synopsis from Wikipedia:

“Set in South Carolina in 1964, The Secret Life of Bees tells the story of Lily Owens, whose life is shaped by her blurred memory of the afternoon of her mother's accidental death. When Lily's black "stand-in mother," Rosaleen, insults three racists in town, they escape to Tiburon, South Carolina, a town that holds the secret to Lily's mother's past. Taken in by an eccentric trio of black beekeeping sisters, Lily is introduced to their mesmerizing world of bees and honey.”

I know the synopsis sounds a little silly, but the novel truly is excellent. Be sure to read this book soon. I hear they’ve already made it into a movie featuring Dakota Fanning as Lily. Movies never do a novel justice.

The other novel – Second Chance – was utterly pathetic. Truthfully, I only got through the first chapter before I could no longer take the lackluster writing and shallow characters. The book appears to be about several estranged British schoolmates, who are all rich, successful, and glamorous. They come together to mourn a mutual friend’s death. Blah blah blah…Zzz..who cares. Worst book I ever spent $15 on. Skip it.

Back from Hawaii! Did Ya Miss Me?

Well, after about 19hrs of travel, we've arrived back in Maryland today. I'm going to miss the sunny 85 degree weather, the mai tai's, the blue water, the pineapple, and the odd Japanese tourists. This time around my mother joined us, and it was her first time to Hawaii. So, even though we didn't have an itinerary per se, we did repeat a few things we did two years ago when vacationing.

Almost everyday, we went to Waikiki beaches to enjoy the sand, water and people watching (buff tan guys on surf boards, woohoo!). Last Tuesday, we did our second tour of the Polynesian Cultural Center. I recommend that place for any first timers, because you learn about all of the Polynesian islands and cultures. And bonus, there's a great buffet and concert at the end.

Wednesday, we took a little drive to the North Shore and saw the start of the Billabong women's surfing competition. Those waves were killer. I had to admire the skill and courage those girls had to face some of those gigantic/powerful waves! We also visited Lanakai and Kailua beaches, which were pretty disappointing since there was so much beach run off.

Thursday we did a sunset sail on a catamaran, but unfortunately, some clouds blocked our view of the horizon. But all was good - we had plenty of mai tai's and wine on the boat.

Friday we planned some deep sea snorkeling. I must admit, this wasn't a highlight for me. I already have trouble breathing through my mouth, so when you couple giant turtles, other strange looking undersea creatures and deep water - I totally freak out. I did snorkel a bit while clutching for dear life to the boat's anchor, so I am quite proud of myself.

And Saturday...well...we got robbed. Yes, robbed.

Saturday was our last day, and we had to check out of the hotel at 10am. Unfortunately, our flight didnt leave until 10pm - so we had to leave all of our stuff in the car. We figured we'd be fine as long as we stayed in well lit and well populated areas. Trying to kill the last two hours before heading to the airport, we went to some 'ghetto' mall in Pearl City. Bad idea. We didn't know that Pearl City was a high crime area. In the end, some thugs stole my mother's ENTIRE suitcase with all her clothes, and they also got away with my portable DVD player (brand new I might add), my iPod, and my camera - with all my photos from our trip. So needless to say, I won't be posting any Hawaii vacation pics here on my blog. Sigh.

We had to laugh to keep from crying though. We found it pretty funny while going through baggage checks, because my mom had nothing but her purse. It's very doubtful any of our items will be recovered. All in all, we didn't let that ruin the end of our vacation. At least insurance will cover most of the items stolen. Lesson learned I guess. But we still had a great time and great memories.

Just no souvenirs. (lol)