November 29th, 2007
by Sergio Ordonez at 12:25 am on Mascot design
Sometimes Im really amazed on how the luck (good or bad) become so important in life. Linerider project was the weirdest project I never worked on from SOSFactory. Go ahead if you want to know more about this designs.
Some months ago I was contacted my the webmaster of Linerider.com, he hired me to do lot of design work: website, Vbulletin forum, linerider logo, illustration for the header of the website and 1 mascot design with 2 poses… all a month of work.
This designs was never used because of legal issues between my client and Inxile-entertainment (the company marketing the Linerider game). Looks like my client was sued and lost the domain because of copyright laws.
Hopefully I got paid in full, but I had a client sued and lot of cool designs non published… a shame!! I was a bit worried because of this copyright infringement since I did the designs.
Some days later Inxile-entertainment contacted me, they explained me the issue with the previous owner of the linerider domain, and they really liked our designs so I worked like intermediary to got a deal, they would buy the rights on the designs property of my client and I would do corrections on the mascot for free.
This is the original Linerider mascot
Later Inxile-entertainment asked me to add a nose to the character.
Obviously I was very interested in working for such a cool and famous game (it will be on DS and Wii soon 
), and… who knows, maybe in the future we could design more stuff for them. In other hand my client recovered some of the money he spent so It was a win-win-win situation.
Later Inxile hired me to designed 2 characters more, a girlfriend for Bosch and a bad boy (I dont know his name yet).
Here is the rest of designs we did for the older domain owner: Linerider website, Linerider forum, Linerider 2 , Linerider mascot and logo design. For now all the web design work is non used, but at least our mascot design will be alive.
So this is the real story of linerider mascot design… weird, eh?
Related Post:
- 12 freelancing lessons for 2008
- Protect yourself against design thieves
- Drunken Monkey Photoshop tutorial
November 4th, 2007
by Sergio Ordonez at 9:35 am on Inspiration
We’ve started a new section, every month i’ll write a post about companies or freelances that have a high quality standard. Only the best of the best, divine inspiration
To inaugurate this section i’ve chosen TheSkinsFactory, a company from the USA that i’ve been following for a while. They stand out mainly in user inteface for softwares like Nero, Windows Media and lots of gadgets for companies like Microsoft, Yahoo, Panasonic, MSN, HP, Disney, Warner Bros, Sony, EA… and a lot more.
Their designs are authentic wonders, they have an impressive detail level and are of a very good taste. If you need inspiration at the time of designing objects with volume either in 2D or 3D, TheSkinsFactory is perfect, their bevels, textures, composition, color… simply perfect.
It’s founder and CEO is Jeff Schader, and having in mind it’s possition it’s a relatively accessible person. Some times i’ve been in touch with him through Deviantart and at least he answers.
If you visit his portfolio pay attention to some cases studies, they have very interesting stuff where you can get an idea of the way he works.
Here you have an advance of what you’ll find in his portfolio, quality and quantity.
Enjoy!!!!!!
Related Post:
- Win a mascot at BloggingTips
November 2nd, 2007
by Sergio Ordonez at 8:42 pm on Freelancing
Creativity: "… capacity to create, produce new and valuable things, it’s the capacity of a brain to get to new conclusions and solve problems in an original way."
I’ve seen this topic from the point of view of a designer in thousands of blogs, but almost always they forget something, the psicological point of view. As you may know, appart from designer i’m licensed in Psicology, so i’ll talk about both points of view: the designer’s and psicologist.
Are you creative?
Take a look at the psicological profile of creative people.
Cognitive characteristics:
- Refined perception.
- Intuitive capacity.
- Imagination.
- Critic capacity.
- Intelectual curiosity.
Affective characteristics:
- Grace and freedom.
- Enthusiasm.
- Depth.
- Tenacity.
Freedom? Interesting, huh? According to this, the best design, the most creative, would come from freelance artists, since we have a free life, creative, original, contrary to the norm… and that at the end should be seen in our work.
But, does it surprise you to see that there are personality factors such as tenacity, critic capacity, intelectual curiosity…? Those are factors that implicate concious effort, so we can train them, which is the base for the next point.
Break the mith
If you follow this blog, you should know that i don’t believe in talent, talent is a plus, the difference between noticeable and exceptional. I believe more in tenacity and preparation, if talent is something innate and i don’t have it… why should i worry?, let’s better worry in getting the best version of ourselves, in the worst of the cases we’ll get to noticeable, which is a big achievement.
That’s why we have to end with the mith of the muses, divine inspiration, innate talent or spontaneous ideas. Creativity, as any other side of life, can be trained, success depends on preparation.
Believe in you
Who believes in itself is certain that it’s mission will succeed and knows how to focus productively in learning. When they make mistakes they consider it as a chance to improve, not to abandon.
If you want to become a good designer, try not to make the same mistakes you already did, be confident that as the time passes you’ll get better. Our goal is not to be the best, but to be a little better each time.
Study the rules… and after that break them
Creativity is not other thing than breaking the rules, but to be able to do it, you need to know them. That’s why it’s important to study the classics… if you’re a writer, painter, or designer. Example: if you want to be a good abstract painter study first realism.
Designers take this point to the process of design, the first thing we do is study the client (know his rules) to later force them, stretch them, break them… when we do it right, we get a great design.
Movement is demonstrated moving
I don’t know even one designer that before starting working knows exactly what it’ll create. The first thing to do logically is to know the client, elaborate information, asimilate it, and then… rest, disconnect, relax, good ideas appear when you’re doing something else.
When you come back to your desk, always, always, always, start doodling in a paper (or Photoshop). The idea is to face the white canvas relaxed, that way you disconnect your rational brain and activate less consious areas, where ideas aren’t managed by logic; ideas will start to unify, taking form.
If you can do this in some place or with someone that makes you feel good, a lot better.
Against creative block
After it comes, it has a difficult solution, just try to relax, walk, read a magazine, go out with friends… it’s better to lose 2 hours this way than losing the entire day in front of the canvas.
It’s better to prevent it, just organize your life so work isn’t a nightmare.
- Don’t pick last-minute orders, or too much work.
- Don’t work for people that doesn’t agree with your way of understanding design.
- Plan work so you can have leisure time.
- Make some short break every 1 or 2 hours.
- Start your day with routine tasks to warm up, later, before you get tired, change to creative tasks.
- Try to have varied orders: logos, websites, illustrations…
- Take a nap every once in a while, the best ideas come up when you’re in that state between sleepy and awake.
Unfortunately it’s not easy to make this in the real practice of a designer. I guess that managing stress is another quality of a agood designer.
Feed your mind
A lot of people think i’m crazy when they see me playing a videogame and ask “You don’t work today?”… and i answer… “Can’t you see i’m working?”
We have to cultivate our visual culture, it’s part of our job, so from now on playing games, reading comics, going to the movies, visiting exhibitions or theme parks… that’s working. Everything that surrounds you can inspire your next design.
Don’t unattend your body
If you’re a designer, some of your biggest problems will be sedentarism, lumbalgia and the back pains will go with you your entire life, i guess i don’t even have to say that’s impossible to be creative when your back hurts.
That’s why i recommend you to make some time to play some sport, go to the gym, practice your favorite sport… try to be fit.
Same with the diet, eat varied, lots of fruits and vegetables. If you’re obese try to lose a little weight (i got up to 96 kilograms!!! now i weight 80kg).
To be creative you need to be happy, and this happens when you’re well phisically.
Technics to promote creativity
This technics normally need some training, and if possible, the presense of an expert to help you out, if it’s in group it’s better.
Here you have a website very complete about technics to promote creativity. Even if you don’t practice all of them, i suggest you to take a look, i’ll surely give you some good ideas.
Enjoy your work !!
It’s fundamental to implicate emotionaly with the design, like it, love your work, enjoy, take the order to your territory, make it a life style. If you don’t learn how to be creative in your personal life, the chances of being a creative designer are very few.
At the end everything is summed up in this, be happy with what you do, if you enjoy doing something, you’ll keep doing it.
Related Post:
- SOSFactory is looking for illustrators
- Disadvantages of the Freelance worker
- Contracts for freelance designers
