Art – Page 20 – Brandon Moeller

‘Oh my God do we love patterns’

Kim’s sitting right next to me, and she said I should add a comma to the title of this post, but you know what? The article it comes from didn’t add the punctuation, and I just don’t feel like ruining the flow of it. You see?

Also, on a related copy editing tangent, I’m really glad that the Associated Press changed the style of the word, “website” – previously, it was mandated that it be written as two words with the first one capitalized, as in ‘Web site’ – I found this out today thanks to a colleague who lamented the change. But I love it. It’s about time. Website, website, website, website, website!

Anyway, back to the title of this post, there was this great blog posting I read this week just because the title was “The Care and Feeding of a Developer” which, after reading the article, I take to be the title of a presentation given by someone named Jason Johnson who spoke at some conference or something. Whatever! I was just in it for the part where it suggests bosses buy their (web?) developers bigger monitors and other tech gadgets that “passively” increase their work performance. There was a bunch of videos in the post – none of which I watched – because unless it’s 30 seconds long and involves a cat on a Roomba, I just won’t watch it, people.

Anyway, here’s a quote from the article:

“OK, three of them have some sort of interest in music, and you all listen to music while you hack? Right? Yes, there’s a connection here – patterns. Developers love, love, love patterns. Oh my God do we love patterns. We like relational databases, we like constructs and languages that do really neat things and they happen over and over again. So we’re constantly looking for these patterns to satisfy this need for immediate gratification. We love it.”

Speaking of patterns, I found this great website called Repper Lite that allows you to make a pattern from a photo you upload. I know how to do this in Photoshop, but what’s cool about this website, is it has some built in filters that distort the photo similar to a kaleidoscope, and you can alter the photo quicker than Photoshop.

So I uploaded the following photo of my new Neon Cowboy rose:

(UPDATE! Now, click on the photos for a sample page with the pattern)

The first pattern I created with Repper Lite.

The last pattern. Which one is your favorite?

Our wedding program

I have finished the design for the wedding program! Our wedding program. The one I insisted on designing and getting printed myself.

We used the font Brioso Pro throughout the program.

Main wedding program graphic — Here's the main graphic for the cover of the wedding program that I designed.

Interlocking name — Here's the graphic I created for our name. Note the interlocking ampersand.

Here is the PDF of the wedding program I designed for our wedding.

Our wedding coozie designs

Today, I finished the designs for the coozies that we will give away during our wedding.

I designed them using Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator CS4.

Here they are:

Photos taken for the blue coozie were shot by Pin Lim, from our engagement photo shoot. The background of this coozie will be blue, so the ink needs to be white, and so the white ink is black above – which means it’s kind of hard to tell what this one will look like. I’m confident it will be awesome.

One of the photos taken for the white coozie was shot by Pin Lim (see the one on the far right). The others were shot myself, holding the camera out at a decent distance. This coozie was white with blue ink, so it’s not hard to see what it will look like, since the black ink above will be blue.

UPDATE: See a photo of the finished coozie, printed by Kustom Koozies, from Pin Lim’s wedding photo shoot:

The coozies came out great. Our guests loved them!

A week late and a few thousand short

It’s the weekly list of links, except this is more than a week late and such. Yeah, I took last week off from blogging. I blame the new school year, a rush order at work and planning a wedding – all of which has helped to warp what’s left of my sanity.
ART
Time to take a bath : http://www.baldheretic.com/2009/08/09/bath-time

Why being a professor is the best job in the world : http://comics.com/pearls_before_swine/2009-08-16/

Poor, poor Annie Leibovitz : http://nymag.com/fashion/09/fall/58346/

GARDENING
Hunting season for gardners? : http://www.chron.com/commons/persona.html?newspaperUserId=rjudd&plckPersonaPage=BlogViewPost&plckUserId=rjudd&plckPostId=Blog%3arjuddPost%3a805907a5-17e1-4765-afa5-967e18cca9e8&plckController=PersonaBlog&plckScript=personaScript&plckElementId=personaDest

How to ripen tomatoes : http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/ripen-green-tomatoes.html

A shot of lavender, please : http://www.gardenrant.com/my_weblog/2009/08/grow-your-own-drinks.html

GEEK + TECH
Can Streamy fill the FriendFeed void? : http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/why_streamy_could_be_the_next_friendfeed.php

Wired’s first look Windows 7 : http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/08/first-look-windows7

Maximize Photoshop efficiency and such : http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/08/13/10-simple-steps-to-better-photoshop-performance/

Yahoo’s Know Your Mojo says I’m a “matchmaker,” as in, I should have my own game show. Lame. : http://yahoo.knowyourmojo.com/

We’re the digital sharecroppers : http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/001295.html

1998 was a long, long time ago : http://www.smashingapps.com/2009/08/13/how-popular-website-designs-looked-like-in-late-90s.html

Why not to call your boss a “wanker” on facebook, especially if they’re your “friend” on the service : http://thenextweb.com/2009/08/09/note-friend-boss-fb-bitch-job/

Get the OpenID code : http://openid.net/developers/

iGoogle gets more social : http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/google_launches_social_gadgets_for_igoogle.php

Why not to switch to Windows 7 : http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/08/7-reasons-to-avoid-windows-7/

Facebook to RSS … for now : http://www.allfacebook.com/2009/08/another-facebook-newsfeed-rss-application-emerges-will-facebook-let-it-stay/

What about Bob : http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/001297.html

Advanced CSS 3 Selectors : http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/08/17/taming-advanced-css-selectors/

Fonts on the web – where we’re at : http://www.zeldman.com/2009/08/17/web-fonts-and-standards/

21.3 GB = The Pirate Bay : http://torrentfreak.com/download-a-copy-of-the-pirate-bay-before-its-gone-090816/

WordPress Hook Hacks : http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/08/18/10-useful-wordpress-hook-hacks/

Lookout for the virus that seeks out your stored-FTP passwords : http://www.internetevolution.com/author.asp?section_id=732&doc_id=180663

Photoshop paths refresher : http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/08/18/mastering-photoshop-with-paths/

It’s content strategy, dummy : http://www.alistapart.com/articles/the-case-for-content-strategy-motown-style/

Twitter – It replaces nothing and adds nothing : http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/08/17/why-i-dont-use-twitter/

When stealing isn’t flattery : http://www.designer-daily.com/what-to-do-when-your-design-is-stolen-2855

How to die the green way : http://blogs.chron.com/sciguy/archives/2009/08/the_ultimate_environmentally_friendly_way_to_die.html

HYPER-LOCAL
Chron Neighborhood News draws the attention of Hairballs : http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2009/08/chronicle_email_quotes.php

BlogHouston talks about the Chron’s adventure in bad journalism : http://www.bloghouston.net/item/7791

A high tech county fair? : http://www.fbherald.com/articles/2009/08/15/news/doc4a86d266d07da325602700.txt

“(Alberto) Gonzales teaching a class on executive branch issues is a bit like … Dick Cheney speaking on firearm safety” : http://www.texasobserver.org/index.php?/pi/going-gonzo-in-lubbock/

Texas Watchdog isn’t granted access to the Lege floor : http://www.texaswatchdog.org/2009/08/news-web-sites-denied-press-access/

It’s a good thing blogs always get it right : http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2009/08/bloggingfail_right_here_in_hou.php

Holy Rosary Bazaar is Sunday : http://www.fbherald.com/articles/2009/08/18/news/doc4a8aef2220ad4244821238.txt

Shudder: Could Perry pick Patrick : http://www.texasmonthly.com/blogs/burkablog/?p=4448

“rick perry gay” : http://www.texasobserver.org/editorial/gay-panic/

The latest issue of graffit-e, the newsletter for the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, is out : http://www.class.uh.edu/enews/2009/08/index.html

MIXED SIGNALS
I’m stock-full of playing experience, I’ll let you know : http://communitynewspapergroup.com/articles/2009/08/20/waverly_newspapers/sports/doc4a8c6a9f0eb44811736602.txt

MUSIC
Despite Eddie Money, Neko Case to play Warehouse Live on Nov. 22 : http://www.29-95.com/music/story/neko-case-houston-date-announced

Lone Star Indie Bash : http://indiehouston.org/upcoming-shows/lone-star-beer-is-having-a-show-support-your-states-brewery/

R.E.M. live discs out Oct. 26 : http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2009/08/rem-live-at-the-olympia-set-for-oct-26-release.html

New R.E.M. tracklist : http://pitchfork.com/news/36257-rem-reveal-live-album-details/

Kind of Bloop – a tribute to Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue : http://laughingsquid.com/kind-of-bloop-an-8-bit-tribute-to-miles-davis/

Astral Years : http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/08/17/van-morrison-rediscovers-astral-weeks-in-to-be-born-again-doc/

Why Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue is so great : http://www.slate.com/id/2225336/pagenum/all/

NEWS
Meet the Jefferson Area Drug Enforcement (JADE) : http://iheartejade.blogspot.com/

A screeching halt : http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/21/business/21clunkers.html

The rich not as rich no more, featuring Mr. (Virus) McAfee : http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/21/business/economy/21inequality.html

Mr. Beaumont

Ace reporter Ken Fountain, a personal friend and colleague, has moved to Beaumont to continue his craft of raising hell and taking names, or – at least – taking names and dodging storms.

I first met Ken in college, when we both were sharpening our skills at The Daily Cougar. He was the ace reporter who always got it right and I was the columnist who never knew what time it was. Since then, he had a stint at many a small paper around Houston and we last worked together at the Houston Chronicle’s Neighborhood News department.

We all got together to bid him farewell recently, and I snapped a few shots of the journalistic legend. But, I was shooting into the glare of a large window behind him, so I have altered the following photos to highlight his good features.

Keep in touch, buddy.

I haven’t had much time to read this week. But, still.

It’s the weekly obligatory linkpost. Yeah, you know you want it.

Here's a shot I snapped of Westheimer at Dunlavy, during a recent visit with my pal David. — Here’s a shot I snapped of Westheimer at Dunlavy, during a recent visit with my pal David.

RECREATIONAL READING
Another great post from Betty Martin’s blog : http://bettymartin.wordpress.com/2009/08/05/another-anti-war-blog/

GEEK + TECH
Houston design firm makes unmatchedstyle.com : http://www.unmatchedstyle.com/gallery/poplabscom.php

For IE6, gif it, don’t png it. : http://www.pewpewlaser.com/articles/png-into-gif

“The over-extended class” : http://www.gapingvoid.com/Moveable_Type/archives/005073.html

What WebMonkey wants to throw in a black hole, featuring #99ff33 : http://www.webmonkey.com/blog/8_Things_on_the_Web_We_d_Like_to_Throw_Down_a_Black_Hole

Nobody cares about your website : http://newsweaver.ie/gerrymcgovern/e_article001512755.cfm

New tools for Google Services for Websites : http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/new-tools-for-google-services-for.html

The crash-happy Firefox 3.5 : http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/08/08/i-want-to-love-firefox-35-but-it-keeps-crashing-on-me/

16 ways to share large files : http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/08/08/16-apps-that-make-sharing-large-files-a-snap/

Does Microsoft’s investment in Facebook net them “below-the-fold” search results when one searches Facebook? : http://www.allfacebook.com/2009/08/facebook-search-bing/

Advanced CSS tips and tricks : http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/08/10/mastering-css-advanced-techniques-and-tools/

“… A website is more like a storefront … you need to advertise to attract trade.” : http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/08/09/10-harsh-truths-about-corporate-blogging/

As it broke – Facebook acquires FriendFeed : http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/08/10/facebook-acquires-friendfeed/

Blackberry vs. iPhone : http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2009/08/great-geek-debates-iphone-vs-blackberry/

Forgetting is healthy : http://blogs.chron.com/sciguy/archives/2009/08/in_a_webbed_world_do_we_remember_too_much.html

You can’t delete Flash “cookies” : http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2009/08/you-deleted-your-cookies-think-again/

Android has some cool apps : http://lifehacker.com/5331710/ten-more-neat-and-productive-android-apps/gallery/

How to create a line art silhouette : http://www.layersmagazine.com/silhouettes.html

How to create line art from a photo : http://www.graphic-design-employment.com/live-trace.html

Colorizing line art : http://www.peachpit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=30229&seqNum=8

“New Photoshop Line Art Trick” : http://www.tomrichmond.com/blog/2008/06/06/new-photoshop-line-art-trick/

HYPER-LOCAL
Maybe carp is not crap : http://www.texasobserver.org/index.php?/botb/one-mans-trash-fish

More on the Schulenburg dance hall : http://www.texasobserver.org/index.php?/critics-notebook/destination_dance_hall

WiFi coming to Rosenberg : http://www.fbherald.com/articles/2009/08/06/news/doc4a7b0c05465f7459130225.txt

Sunflower swiping in the Montrose? : http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2009/08/some_old_ahole_is_swiping_the.php

I can’t believe there wasn’t any water at Summer Fest. My God. : http://www.29-95.com/music/story/29-thoughts-summerfest

Prescriptions just got cheaper in Fort Bend County : http://www.fbherald.com/articles/2009/08/10/news/doc4a8082d5e8e8f365451104.txt

MEDIA
On media layoffs, and the wrong assumption of “Iâ€™m a lot better than that doofus, so I must be safe.â€ (the comments are as good as the post) : http://johnemcintyre.blogspot.com/2009/08/patron-and-protege.html

The term is “programmer/journalist” : http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2009/08/how-computer-assisted-reporters-evolved-into-programmerjournalists219.html

NEWS
How to refute the birthers : http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2009/08/05/birther_faq/index.html

So what – a third of the kids who graduate college were likely pushed there by rich parents and thus have no debt. For the rest, the median debt was about $20K : http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/12/education/12college.html

ART
Why so serious? : http://www.drawger.com/drewfriedman/?section=articles&article_id=8462

Marmaduke explained : http://www.29-95.com/time-suck/story/marmaduke-explained-08-10-09

MUSIC
Elton John + Alice in Chains = Black Gives Way to Blue : http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/08/11/elton-john-joins-alice-in-chains-new-album-to-honor-layne-staley/

.CMX : http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/08/11/in-a-move-im-calling-too-little-too-late-too-proprietary-major-labels-are-introducing-their-own-file-format/

TELEVISION
Mad Men written predominately by mad women : http://www.salon.com/mwt/broadsheet/feature/2009/08/08/mad_women_writers/index.html

GARDENING
Tomato blight is partly the fault of the renewed interest in gardening, Dan Barber claims : http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/09/opinion/09barber.html?_r=2&scp=1&sq=late%20blight&st=cse

Coreopsis – one you don’t hardly have to water : http://blogs.chron.com/lazygardener/2009/08/ol_reliable_heat_bloomer_coreo.html

Tribute presents

A few Sundays ago we went to my uncle’s house for a family birthday party. We celebrated a lot of birthdays.

Five. Could have been more if more people showed up. Those people will remain nameless, but they know who they are.

Two of the five people were Donna Novak and Melissa Jones. Donna is my cousin Steve’s wife. Melissa is her oldest daughter.

In February, Donna’s mother passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. I never got to know her very well, but I did know she was a great cook and a longtime busdriver for the Magnolia Independent School District.

A scholarship was created in her honor after her passing, and word is a Magnolia student’s college burden was gratefully lighter.

Anyway, so, for their birthday gift, Donna and Melissa received a 5×7 frame with a print of some photo art I worked up for them. From recent photos I had taken at Melissa’s November wedding.

Mike and Judy Chaney pose for a photo during Melissa's wedding. This was the photo I gave Donna. I made the background grayscale and blurred it a bit to bring out the brightness of Judy's smile. — Mike and Judy Chaney pose for a photo during Melissa's wedding. This was the photo I gave Donna. I took out the red eye, made the background grayscale and blurred it a bit to bring out the brightness of Judy's smile.

Mike and Judy Chaney join the newly weds Melissa and Tim Jones for a wedding portrait. This is the photo I gave Melissa for her birthday. I combined two photos in order to capture the whole arch, took out the red eye and gently blurred the background to bring out the people. — Mike and Judy Chaney join the newly weds Melissa and Tim Jones for a wedding portrait. This is the photo I gave Melissa for her birthday. I combined two photos in order to capture the whole arch, took out the red eye and gently blurred the background to emphasize the happiness in these couples.

I share these photos here not only to show off my skills in Photoshop, but also as a way to honor the Chaneys who mean so much to people who mean so much to me.