Author: Brad
Poem Book on Sale Now!!!
Posted on Categories Motion Graphics, Print, Publications, WritingThe paperback version of my book of poetry, Windows to the Soul, was listed on Amazon.com today. I’m not sure when it will actually be available for purchase on Amazon, but it is available right now through CreateSpace, Amazon’s self-publishing service.
The Kindle version has been on sale for a couple of weeks, but I just approved the proof for the print version a couple of days ago. I’m now working on a promotional video to put on YouTube announcing the publication of the print version. Until then, check out a sample of my poetry from Windows to the Soul on Goodreads.com.
Self-Publishing My Book of Poems
Posted on Categories Print, Publications, WritingA week or so ago, I noticed a link at the bottom of Amazon.com that said “Self-publish with Us.” Intrigued, I clicked the link and discovered that Amazon has a service where a person can create Kindle books and print books using a couple of different services and self-publish them. I have been writing poetry for about fifteen years, and have been collecting the poems into a book which I have been planning to publish at some point. So I thought, Why not publish it this way? It seems quick, simple, and easy.
As a result, I have spent the last week sifting through my poetry, selecting the best poems to publish in an anthology, which I have titled Windows to the Soul. I am pleased to announce the selection and formatting process is finished! I just need to finish designing the cover, and within a couple of weeks I will have a book of poetry for sale. I will probably publish it as a Kindle book first, then as a physical book second, but I haven’t decided yet. Keep checking back for more updates!
First Monthly Newsletter e-Mailed
Posted on Categories MiscellaneousMy first monthly newsletter went out today! I started the series with a brief history detailing how and why I started Artistic Imposter Design and the various incarnations my portfolio went through before becoming the finished product we all know and love. For those who have not yet subscribed to my newsletter, the history is available here.
Each monthly newsletter will include a software review featuring a freeware or open-source design related software product. I will to spend about eight hours each month using the selected software, then review it based on how quickly I was able to pick it up, as well the quality of the documentation and the portability to various OS platforms. These reviews should not be considered a definitive statement on the quality of the software; merely a guide based on a cursory examination. For the first newsletter, I reviewed the open-source 3d modeling software Blender. My full review and criteria is available on the Software Reviews page of this site.
I am also including links to various conferences and events that are applicable to the design community. If anyone happens to notice an important event which I have overlooked in the calendar, please let me know.
New Newsletter Starting in November
Posted on Categories MiscellaneousWhile attempting to learn how to embed a YouTube video on Facebook using Facebook Markup Language, I came across an article on Mashable.com called 4 Elements of a Successful Business Web Presence. The four items listed in the article are:
- The Website
- The Blog
- The Newsletter
- Social Media Accounts
While I have some experience in the first, second, and fourth areas, I have never done a newsletter, so I decided to start one. Beginning in November, I will be sending out an e-mail newsletter around the first of each month to a list of subscribers. Since I am usually busy with my regular job and I’m still getting a toehold on the whole freelance front, I may not always have much to write about. To remedy this, I’m going to double my efforts to find new and interesting projects to work on. The newsletter will also include a list of links to my blog posts for the previous month, and occasionally I may even write summaries of interesting articles I discover relating to graphic/web design and animation.
What this means for me: I need to get up off my couch occasionally, turn off the TV, and finally do some of those projects I’ve been thinking about and planning for months and years.
What this means for you: More blog updates, More cool projects, More tutorials, and More fun!!!!
To subscribe to my new newsletter, just fill out the form in the sidebar.
Just Listed as an Official Font Vendor
Posted on Categories FontsI received an e-mail today from Microsoft Typography informing me that I am now a registered font vendor on their site. Registration is, of course, not required to produce fonts, but I was hoping it would possibly bring some exposure and it also gives me a unique Vendor ID that I can put in all my fonts. Check out my vendor page.
Updated Site Menu
Posted on Categories Miscellaneous, Web designI changed my Web site menu a little. I changed the Animation link in the site menu to Typography to link to my new fonts page, and I moved the Animation link to the sidebar. I eventually want to make the Animation page into its own subsite, possibly with a url of its own. I’m also working on a better version of the Typography page which will pull all of the font names, pricing, and descriptions from a database so that I just have to update the database whenever I want to change a price or add a new font.
AI Circular KBW Font
Posted on Categories FontsWorking on my AI Toon KBW font inspired me to finish another font I have been working on for a while. This font is called AI Circular KBW. It is a decorative font, and all of the letters are based on a circle.
The font contains only capital letters and numbers, with all lowercase letters mapping to their respective capital letters. It is available in Windows TrueType format. AI Circular KBW is available for purchase at this page: https://www.artisticimposter.com/aicircularkbw.php. A valid e-mail address and a PayPal account are required for purchase. Once the fee has been paid, the font will be sent to the purchaser by e-mail. This font is for personal and/or commercial use. Since fonts are software, by purchasing and installing this font, you agree that you have read and understand the End-User License Agreement for software purchased from Artistic Imposter Design.
LearnKey 10 Commandments of the PC Tech Wallpaper
Posted on Categories MiscellaneousA few months ago, I wrote The 10 Commandments of the PC Tech, a post about a video created by LearnKey which I was in and helped a lot with. LearnKey’s marketing team has now created a wallpaper featuring images from the video alongside Mike Meyer’s 10 commandments. The wallpaper can be downloaded from LearnKey’s blog for those interested.
AI Toon KBW Font
Posted on Categories Animation, FontsWhile working on “The Skydiver”, I decided to create a typeface to use for the text so the writing would look consistent. I’ve spent some time working on it and I now have a sample to show:
The font contains all of the letters and symbols on the keys of a standard American keyboard and is available in Windows TrueType format at this page: https://www.artisticimposter.com/aitoonkbw.php. A valid e-mail address and a PayPal account are required for purchase. Once the fee has been paid, the font will be sent to the purchaser by e-mail. This font is for personal and/or commercial use. Since fonts are software, by purchasing and installing this font, you agree that you have read and understand the End-User License Agreement for software purchased from Artistic Imposter Design.
New Animated Short Underway
Posted on Categories Animation, IllustrationOver the weekend, I began working on a new idea for a Flash animated short. Several years ago, I performed an original pantomime entitled “The Skydiver,” and over the holiday weekend I began turning my pantomime into an animated Flash cartoon. Here’s a screenshot of part of the cartoon:
I’m doing some experimenting with this cartoon, and I plan to do most of the actual animation using traditional frame-by-frame methods, so it could take me a little longer to finish than it would otherwise. Once it is finished, I’m going to build a new page into my Web site just for Flash cartoons, and it will also be posted on YouTube.