CLIENT: [bfp] , Creative collective based in Greensboro, NC. 

Project: Mixtape cover for release. 

More information: Trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePKwU73skww

CLIENT: CAROLINABANDS.ORG, Total Site Re-Design

First experiment with WordPress. After a frustrating installing stage, really got into it and love the result. Content Management is a heavenly gift if you know how to set it up properly.

http://www.carolinabands.org/wordpress

http://www.shypsicreative.com/portfolio

For your viewing pleasure, I give you my interpretation of parts of the William Earnest Henley poem, Invictus.

Bonus points for those who can identify the parts that are expressed.

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

(larger versions of these can be found in my updated PORTFOLIO)

But the Daily Design Challenge inspired me to make the time.

So, yesterday, for my 14th daily design, I tried my hand at creating more than a design. I tried my hand at create a work of art that would (hopefully) be admired and be a sign of the maturation of a creative. 

Here is the result:

-Original Stock Photo (sxc.hu)-

-HEART + MASK (BTW, It is very fun & satisfying naming your work after you are finished)-

So, the question is: Are you a designer or an artist? Or both?

Before 2010, I would have answered "designer". But, with the new year, comes new inspiration, ambition, and knowledge. This year I want to attempt to gain crossover appeal through experimentation and expression.

When I saw similar artwork, I thought, "Well, all they are doing is taking a picture and throwing brushes on top. But somehow they know exactly where and how to place and manipulate them." This work didn't come easy. There was a lot of trial and error, as always. I learned what makes an artist...an artist. Artists are charged with knowing what needs to go where and how. Manipulation can be a complex task that can become troublesome and end in heartache or become fulfilling and end in a beautiful artistic display. 

I think trying my hand at this will improve my designing. Allowing your mind to run free will cause you to think in new ways. I am excited about where this could lead as I embark on a brave new journey in 2010.

I am a graphic/web designer. 

But I do have an artist's ambition.

"Actors rehearse their lines until they learn them perfectly. Musicians practice their songs until every note is just right. Athletes practice their particular sport so they can excel. As designers, why can’t we do the same? Ask any successful designer in the community about how they have succeeded and they will attribute much of their success to practice. I challenge you today to design something daily. Take fifteen to twenty minutes that you would normally use to surf the Web today and devote it to designing something."

I have decided to take the challenge and you can follow my daily journey into the fortress of my imagination on my new Flickr photostream.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shypsi/

I will also announce each design through my Twitter (@shypsicreative).

[DESIGNED2DANCE.COM]

Current projects include:

The OFFICIAL CAROLINABANDS.ORG ULTIMATE SHOWDOWN JAMBOREE 2009 DVD

(ON SALE NOW at http://www.carolinabands.org)

BAND BRAWL V (NORTH CAROLINA A&T V. NORFOLK STATE) DVD

NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY BLUE & GOLD MARCHING MACHINE 08 & 09 SEASON DVDs

THE SHOW-STOPPING A&T BLUE & GOLD MARCHING MACHINE vs. THE ESTEEMED NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPARTAN LEGION IN 2009 ANNUAL BAND BRAWL!!

September 1, 2009

GREENSBORO, NC – EXPERIENCE THE THRILL OF EXTREME MUSICAL FINESSE! The Blue & Gold Marching Machine of North Carolina A&T State University is pleased to announce its Annual Band Brawl, which will take place on Friday, September 11, 2009. The Machine will compete against Norfolk State University’s Spartan Legion in a night of music and mayhem. Each year the two collegiate bands go head-to-head with precision and force to clench the victory as the winner of the Brawl.

During the showcase, there will be a battle between the two large musical ensembles as well as sectional battles. A&T’s own versatile auxiliary, Golden Delight, as well as the renowned Cold Steel Drumline will also be featured.

Since 2004, the A&T Marching Machine has sponsored the event, which has proven to be a sensation. It began with a mere vision of two of the MEAC’s finest bands showcasing their talent, but has developed into a noteworthy event.

This year, the event will take place in the Corbett Sports Arena on the campus of A&T. Showtime is at 7:00PM. Contact the University Band Center at 336-334-7776 for tickets. Tickets are on sale for $8 for students with ID, $10 for general public, and $12 on the day of the event.

Come out and enjoy the powerful sounds of the Blue & Gold Marching Machine as they showcase their remarkable musical talent!