Recently, while trying to make some new designs for my digital art store on Zazzle, Archetypus Digital, I decided to make a few designs for business cards as well. I'd love to hear what people have to say about them. Check them out below.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Lunch Time Fractal
I know that sometimes, I have trouble naming my designs. I know that many artists just call them by technical names like "JuliaN 17" but I like to give them all names. I don't really know why, but I do.
Sometimes, the design just makes me think of an object or it reminds me of a certain idea or has a feeling. Other times, it is, in all honest, totally random. that is where this design falls.
I was working and really all I could think about was going to get some lunch. I only eat out one day a week and this was the day so I was REALLY looking forward to getting some pizza. After a few setbacks, I was starving and so I names this design "Lunch" and set it to render in Apophysis while I was off eating.
X marks the Spot!
This fractal design is more than just a big X. It has lots of levels of complex patterns and colors. I really have to admit that this is one of the favorites I have made in a while.
Marbleizer script for Apophysis.
Here is a great scrip I came across that makes any of your designs or a random batch in to marbles, well with a bit of tweaking that is.
It suggest to make a random batch or to use some files you already have loaded and the just run the script. I found that using a random batch you kinda get hit or miss results, but overall it works really well.
Please feel free to post links to your images you make with this here.
This is one of the best results I got using it and some toying with just two triangles. I'm sure that much more complex designs are possible.
Can you say NEON?
Most of my designs, I have no plan at all when I start out. I just jump right into Apophysis and make a random batch and see what comes up interesting. Sometimes, I have to make a few batches before I get anything good, but sometimes I'll get a few good ones from a single batch.
This design, though, I decided to challenge myself. I wanted to plan a design and see how close I could come to making it. So I thought about it and I had another design made with a different program that almost appeared to be a neon sign because of the bold colors and high contrast. I decided I wanted to make a neon spiral with various shades of blue.
After some playing around, I just couldn't come up with exactly what I had envisioned, but this design certainly does fit the description.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
After the rain
I love to take pictures after it rains. It just seems like everything has a glow to it that it doesn't at other times. This photo was taken of a Rose-of-Sharon blossom, similar to a hibiscus, that grows behind my house. I have another photo I may post, but not sure yet.
Musician Bag
I was in Apophysis playing around with some setting after completing a tutorial on making splits-cylinder designs (link here) and this was what I came up with...well one of them. I really think this basic design (the one you get at the end of the tutorial) had a ton of potential. I will be making more desings with it.
I called this one "Musician" because the flowing folding lines reminded me of a musical staff and trebel cleff. The colors and the swirl represent the music as you hear it.
Spiraline Tee
Like art? Why not wear it?
This shirt has a spiraling flame fractal on it. The bold design and colors always get tons of compliments when I wear it. Yes, I do actually own this shirt and wear it myself and I always get compliments on it.
My First Today's Best Award on Zazzle!
After a long rough day yesterday, I just wanted to come home and go to bed. I'm really glad I didn't. I checked on my Zazzle store, along with several other things and to my total shock, I had gotten a Today's Best Award on one of my designs!
Honestly, this one is not even one of my personal favorites, though I was very happy with how well it turned out. It was made with Apophysis and only used 2 triangles and linear and spherical variations. I think what made it so well received it the lighting. I didn't take long to set up the design, but the lighting on it took me about an hour to get it just the way I wanted it.
Tunnels iPad Case
A great way to show off your style and protect your iPad is with a custom designed iPad case. This case features a flame fractal design I titled Tunnels. It looks to me like a series of tunnels in a strange cave system.
Church in Island Grove, IL
A few days ago, my mom an I were on the road and trad to take the back way to get from one town to the next to avoid a lengthy wait in road construction. (We sat for over 15 min on the way there). In the process, we saw some great scenery in the area. My camera was busy the whole time - don't worry my mom was driving.
In the process, we got a little turned around and ended up going kinda out of the way. We saw a church and a water tower and though that must be a town. Well, it was, but not much of one. It was just a church, water tower and small school with a few houses around. This is the church in this photo.
Although it may not look that old, it was originally built in 1902 according to the sign in front. The photo I originally took was, to be honest, pretty boring. So I decided I'd Photoshop it to make it look like it was front 1902 when it was built.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Design Contest!
Want to design the next Discover Card?
Anyone who like design contests should check this out. The top prize is $5000 and Discover will donate $1 to Operation Homefront to help military families in need. The contest entry deadline is July 4th so everyone better hurry and get those entries in. Check out the link to get more information.
DESIGN THE NEXT DISCOVER CARD
Anyone who like design contests should check this out. The top prize is $5000 and Discover will donate $1 to Operation Homefront to help military families in need. The contest entry deadline is July 4th so everyone better hurry and get those entries in. Check out the link to get more information.
DESIGN THE NEXT DISCOVER CARD
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Glittery Pink Monogram Bookmarks
Looking for a unique gift idea tha tis actually useful? Why not check out these monogrammed bookmarks?
I read someone suggest that the indestructible skinny prifile cards make great bookmark so I added my latest desing to them. This glittery pink monogram stands out on a dark gray and black swirling background. Although this design is available on several different gift item that you can personalize to your liking, I chose to feature the bookmarks. They would be great for a book club or a bookstore looking for a small item to give away.
Here is the Initial A as an example. You can also find this on a long list of print on demand items as well as the rest of the alphabet and other designs by following the link and browsing my stores on Zazzle.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Photoshop Text Tutorial
Just came across a new text effect that I really liked. It's fun and (as my sister would say) glitterrific. (For some reason, spell check thinks that's not spelled correctly...lol).
Anyway, this text effect is a bit complex, but I think the results are well worth the wait. It makes a nice pinkish purple glittery text that kinda looks like a cross between gel and glass.
I'm working on a new set of pink monograms with a dark gray stripey background for my Zazzle shop. I'll hopefully have those all finished up later tonight to post here.
For now, just go check out this very detailed tutorial and post a link here to anything you make if you like.
Create an Elegant Text Effect in Purple
Anyway, this text effect is a bit complex, but I think the results are well worth the wait. It makes a nice pinkish purple glittery text that kinda looks like a cross between gel and glass.
I'm working on a new set of pink monograms with a dark gray stripey background for my Zazzle shop. I'll hopefully have those all finished up later tonight to post here.
For now, just go check out this very detailed tutorial and post a link here to anything you make if you like.
Green Feather & Fleur
Flame fractals come in as many different styles as there are artists creating them. One of the first that most Apopysis users learn to make are simple and elegant designs that feature flowing swirls of color. Its probably the easiest to create without lots of trial and error, plug-ins, scripts, or a detailed tutorial. Just move the triangles around until you get a flowing pattern that you like.
Although I have come a long way, I still like to make some of those beautiful swirling designs. When I was first learning, I always put them on a black background. Although this does bring out some fine details, it also hides other qualities. So in an attempt to be less monotonous and get away from just plain black backgrounds, these are both on colored backgrounds (which is a particular challenge for me as I am partially colorblind...lol)
Here are the two designs that I created in this endeavor.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Torrent
As you may know, I am always searching for new tutorials for different programs I use. Lately I have been finding all kinds of new tuts for Apophysis. This is great because I use that program the most for my fractal designs. I love it because its free, lots of people use it (so there are plenty to help with issues), it is fairly actively updated, and there is always someone coming up with a new tutorial.
Recently I came across a long list of great tutorials on DeviantArt.com. One of my new favorites is this one (LINK) "Splits-Cylinder Tuto for Apo" . It is fairly simple and produces some spectacular results. Please note - READ THE COMMENTS AT THE BOTTOM. The creator left out one tiny setting change and it makes a world of difference in the end result.
So anyway, after a few tries of playing with some of the basic settings, this was what I came up with.
Vernian Jewel
I have to admit, I am a HUGE fan of Jules Vern and his amazing tales of impossible adventures. I's also a growing fan of the steampunk style on everything. The are both similar in many ways to each other. Lots of gadgets and gears and vehicles that are out of the ordinary. I really just like to be different and Jules Vern and the steam punk style are both exactly that.
Besides delving further into the realm of steampunk, I also have decided that I should take some of my fractal art to the next level. Rather than just changing colors or adding a frame, I'll be trying out more detailed work and photo-manipulations on them. (I hope my friends and family are ready to get a bajillion pictures take of them for stock...lol)
I know this really isn't anything too exciting, but its a beginning. I had made the fractal part of this image a while back and loved it, but it just felt like it was missing something. So I added some layers and other bits around it to look like it is an imaginary sky out of a window. I hope everyone likes it.
Monogrammed Mugs
Recently I was at a wedding and the whole bridal party had their own beer steins. I though to myself, "that would make a great gift if they were all monogrammed!" A few days later I still hadn't put up any monogrammed mugs, but I was rearranging my Zazzle store (http://www.zazzle.com/archetypus*) and though that this glossy black text I had made on some other designs would work out great on the steins with the silver trim. Below is the letter A version, but the other letters are all available too, of course. You can also find this same design on several other gifts in my store on Zazzle as well.
Have an idea you'd like to see made or want a modification to one of my Zazzle items? Just message me using the link on the left hand sidebar in any of my Zazzle stores. Thanks for reading and take care!
Zazzle postcard from Archetypus: Tree Root in Crevice
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Wednesday, June 22, 2011
FRACTAL ART - Time Flare
Math as Art. This circular flame fractal design has a red brown background to showcase a pattern of reds, greens, yellows and browns and shows that math is art too.
Fun Polka Dots Business Cards
Just because you are in business doesn't mean you can;t have fun, right? Check out these new, fun polka dot business cards on Zazzle. You can easily customize them by filling in the blanks or totally make them personal by rearranging the text using Zazzle's customization tools.
Daisy Photograph
A detailed photograph of a daisy bloom showing the contrast of the bright white petals and the bold orange center against a dark green background. This would make a great picture to give to anyone who loves gardening or flowers.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Stylish Grunge Business Cards
Grunge may sound dirty and grimy, but it is quite a bit more than that when you are talking about style. The grunge style for times such as business cards is more of a fun, not-so-organized look that shows off your personality with textures and splotches. Check out these Stylish Grunge business cards I created recently on Zazzle. They are completely customizable and easy to personalize using Zazzle's fill in the blank forms.
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