theworldofsarah

Well, things have been starting to pick up on the job hunting front - I’ve had five interviews in four weeks… for three different design jobs and one non-design job (and one second interview).  I’m afraid I just got a rejection call from one of them (for not have the exact, specific type of experience they were looking for) - its a shame, the role was in a fabulous location and the role seemed like it would suit me.  In any case, I’ve had one second interview lately and completed several ‘assignments’ as part of my job application process.

I thought I might share them here… along with a logo I just made for my sister.

Here is the logo of/for my sister:(she is currently using it as her facebook profile picture to drum up some business for me and on a tutoring website to drum up some business for her - http://studentoffortune.com/cgi/view_profile?user=Miss_Eliza_J )

And this is a comic strip I created after an interview at Cex for a graphic design position.  We were given a very vague, wide brief, with specific instructions that we could not offend them no matter how hard we tried:

Please click the image to see a bigger version

Finally, here is an A4 size advertisement, promoting myself as a designer (this is where all of the Julian Opie style avatars came from - the picture of me in a box is currently my facebook profile pic):

Please click the image to see a bigger, PDF version

I hope you have enjoyed these… I have quite enjoyed doing them.  It keeps my creative juices flowing.

Just trying out the new 99designs portfolio widget…

Check out other Logo Designs from 99designs

I just thought I would write a quick blurb about my latest project, Millwright Engineering’s website.  I designed their website several years ago, and they have asked me to increase Search Engine Optimisation and make a few tweaks.  I wouldn’t have minded re-designing the whole thing (its looking a bit old now, and I know a lot more about website design now) - but they are only paying  me to make some tweaks.  So, I have taken out the Flash slideshow and replaced it with unique URLs for each image (descriptive text coming soon!), and I have added a Google Map & favicon etc.  They also now have a new domain name, which I think will help them tremendously: www.millwrightgroup.com.  (I must admit, I wanted to add the link here, because I’m trying to get Google to notice the new domain name! - I’ve been submitting the name to various online directories).

Its been really nice having a project to sink my teeth into lately - but its sadly now coming to an end.

Now it’s back to crowdsourcing… here are some of my latest pictures:

After dabbling for several months in the crowd sourcing pool, I have finally been awarded a win!  ..and I can’t help but brag a little by posting it on here.  The brief was to create a  3 step visual to describe the process of purchasing & redeeming a giftcard on the Unique Perspectives website.

(Here is a link to my Crowdspring.com profile, showing the chosen design)

It just so happens, I created a small diagram of my own to map my creative process whilst working on the project:

Primarily, I created this to show at a recent interview.. it was just a little something I threw together.. and this final design is not the final, final, FINAL version now - I received a few change requests from Unique Perspectives, and the final version will hopefully be found on their website on this page: Give the gift of Photography 

And thus the saga continues.. Over and out.

My sister is currently down in Miami doing some charity work with Konbit for Haiti, in response to the recent earthquake in Haiti: Konbit for Haiti.

Due to my current unemployment, I have been able to help them out by making a few buttons and things for their website.  I thought I would post it here on the blog to spread the word for Konbit & make myself look a bit more useful than I am at the moment.The buttons aren’t all that amazing, but I think its what they were looking for:

I made a few more, but they don’t seem to be on the website yet… If you want to learn more about Konbit, please  visit the website.

(apologies for the small borders on the images.. I’m not very adept with wordpress template alterations! I will try to rectify this when I get a chance)

welcome to my re-design…

I have recently decided that theworldofsarah.com should feature all of my work.. and not just my illustrations.  Previously, I was using swanpillows.com, however it was extremely difficult to keep up-to-date, and it was generally less user-friendly.  Its still there - you will see that my ‘art exhibitions list’ link still goes to the old site, but eventually I will sort this out as well….

In other news, I am no longer in full time, permanent employment, and I am excited about pulling in some commissions and freelance work.. so please pass my details along to anyone who might need an artist or designer of any kind!Please also leave me any feedback about my new additions to the website..

Thanks!

So, I continue to submit things to this Worth1000 website I discovered recently..

At the moment, I’ve only been doing things I can manage to create on my lunch hour at work.. I can’t seem to work up the momentum to do these things on the computer when i get home - I think the main reason for this is actually that we have Photoshop 7.0 at home, and i have the full CS3 suite available at work.. not to mention my lovely mac screen is so much better here at work.

Anyway, my second submission was for the literal food category, and i submitted a Pineapple.. and, yes, sadly i spelled it wrong, this has bothered me since I submitted it. heh.

Here is the whole contest (you’ll note i came 4th in this one!  I didn’t think it was quite good enough to come fourth, but hey, i take what i can get.. i got a little gold star! but not quite one of the gold/silver or bronze trophys hehe)

And here is my entry - there are a bunch of funny stats you can see, and you can click through to my username: whoshallisay and see the various stats I’ve got so far.. its kinda fun, i can’t even work out where all the points and things come from, like Karma..

Anyway, I’ve submitted one for the Celebrity Vampire category as well, but i won’t tell you which one it is in case you want to vote or something..

I think I’ve been enjoying this all just a little too much.. but I think it reflects the lack of creative activity in my day-to-day activities.. it also reflects the fact that I don’t feel my creativity is noticed or rewarded in my current employment. In any case.. its something to do on my lunch break… I’m planning on entering the restoration game 6 once they fix the glitch on the website that won’t let me download the main image…

Just a quick note..
Voting has now ended for that silly photoshop contest - I ranked 11 out of 44… which, for my first entry aint too bad I think.

If you follow this main link again, it will now show the entries in order of best to worst (not counting the batman one, which was simply to demonstrate the theme) - the piece that won is definitely the best one, very impressively turning dali’s gala into snow white.

If you follow this link, you’ll go directy to my charlie brown one, where you can see several very nice comments people left…

x

I recently stumbled across this website called worth1000.com - I’m still getting to grips with it, but it seems to hold a series of competitions/contests where people submit photoshopped images, photographs, and other things like illustrations, based on a theme of sorts.  I have signed up and entered the Photoshop category - I dived straight in to the Advanced section - for a contest described thus:

In this contest, you are asked to update an old painting, swapping in a cartoon character for the original subject. Use traditional, two-dimensional characters only: No Computer Generated Characters (Incredibles, Shrek, etc.)

If you follow that link you will find all 44 entries, and mine is on the second page i think:

Its quite cool because they only give you like two days to make it and submit it… (in this category anyway).  I have yet to try anything in the other categories which might include more things like illustration…

p.s.
i think the identity of each creator is still technically hidden for another 12 hours while people vote - so please don’t vote or anything, it might get me in trouble!  If i don’t post this now i’ll totally forget…

Ah yes, the animated bunny…
here we go:

it seems to be a really slow the first time - when its loading the images… then not too slow.. its still slower than I would have liked, but apparently I can’t get it any faster without removing more frames.. and I don’t want to do that.

This animation should appear - when you find a hidden egg on the site.. so you click the egg and then get a little animation pop up of him placing it in your basket!

I will try to remember to post next wednesday - to let you know when the bunnies will be live on Brora’s site!

(ah crud - as an afternote I have just looked at this on the site and in my Firefox on a Mac, I cannot see the whole thing.. because the wordpress template will now allow it.  If you want to see it in full, Click Here)