February 21, 2011 In art, communication, design, words and language By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P's / #9: "Punctuation"

Punctuation is a really good thing. Without the unsung little darlings of writing and grammar ~ those wonderful marks that emphasize, clarify and organize our words ~ thoughts would run on in an emotionless void, something like this:

Guess what Jimmy won an Olympic medal today were so excited we were all jumping up and down please have Aunt Jane call Jimmy he will like that today he is tired tomorrow will be better okay we hope youre well

Not to mention; using. them (incorrectly) leads? to not ~ ! making sense” :…

So, embrace those practical characters! Discover their charm. Use them with finesse and diligence. Because proper punctuation makes life a less chaotic, more positive, place.

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February 20, 2011 In books & stuff, graphic design By Patricia Saxton

Evolution of a Book Cover

It starts with a story. An idea, words on a page.

The words unfold, revealing characters, settings, moods. And then, a bit like being put to music, the words get put to pictures. Different styles are explored, and certain elements are established that will express the essence of an entire book. A few renditions later, author and artist in sync, a cover is made.

This is Sam Moffie’s fifth novel; publish date forthcoming. Book cover designs @Patricia Saxton.

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February 14, 2011 In art, communication, design, illustration, imagination, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora Of P's / #8: "Passion"

Passion is an uncontainable spark; it’s the fire in your chest, in your belly, or rising from the soles of your feet … that expands up, around and through, spilling out over the edges of reason. It’s unbridled enthusiasm. It’s love. It’s hate. It’s wonder. It’s joy. It’s feeling alive.

Passion is a gift from the Gods that makes your spirit laugh out loud. It writes symphonies, bakes cakes, throws plates. It discovers civilizations, turns ideas electric, moves us to tears, heals hearts, builds dreams.

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! ~ let your passions shine.

 

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February 10, 2011 In communication, imagination, inspiration, presentation, words and language By Patricia Saxton

JK Rowling: The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination

A dynamic, inspiring speech. Watch the whole thing; it’s truly worthwhile.

<p><a href=”http://vimeo.com/1711302″>J.K. Rowling Speaks at Harvard Commencement</a> from <a href=”http://vimeo.com/harvard”>Harvard Magazine</a> on <a href=”http://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a>.</p>

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February 10, 2011 In animation, art, communication, creativity, drawing, illustration, inspiration, presentation By Patricia Saxton

Daniel Pink's Ideas on Motivation, (literally) Illustrated

A Whole New Mind author Dan Pink has another fascinating book out called Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. If it’s as compelling a read as A Whole New Mind, we’re in for a treat.

Based on Pink’s research on science and motivation, originally presented in a TED talk (always worth watching), the illustrated video below is a pretty inspiring treat itself.

I’ll reserve judgment on the content (it sounds good, and some of it makes huge sense…), except to say that it’s thought-provoking and fantastically presented.

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February 8, 2011 In art, books & stuff, creativity, design By Patricia Saxton

Googling Jules Verne

Every once in a while Google has some fun with its logo treatment. Today’s marine scene caught my eye (were there Mermaids swimming inside the double “o”‘s?), so I did a little deeper-sea exploration.

The design ~ which is interactive, by the way (the “joystick” lets you move the sea and its creatures around … such power!) ~ honors the birthday of prolific French author Jules Verne (February 8, 1828 – March 24, 1905). Verne is best known for “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1870), A Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864), and Around the World in Eighty Days (1873).

A click on their logo takes you to a Google search page all about Jules Verne. A very clever way to say Happy Birthday to one of the literary greats.

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February 7, 2011 In appreciation, art, creativity, design By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P's / #7: "Patience"

“Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.” ~ Winnie the Pooh

Time. The great illusionist. Ticks slowly when we want something to happen; the fast-forward button gets pressed when we’ve got someplace to be.

Time seems to move faster and faster; like it’s in a race. (The great rat-race?) The world’s in such a hurry.

I grew up hearing that “Patience is a virtue”, and I think that’s true. But it’s more than a display of fine character. Exercising patience allows things to unfold more gracefully, in their own right time. And it’s a challenge!

Patience is about what we can tolerate before blowing a personal fuse. It tests us in many forms ~ patience towards self, patience towards others, towards listening, towards learning, towards a menial task, towards traffic jams, towards time …  Wouldn’t it feel good if we could toss the accompanying irritation out the window? Have it vanish in thin air and just “go with the flow”? Easier said than done ~ but possible, if we re-calibrate our thoughts.

We come into this world packaged with personality intact, “strengths and weaknesses” already flowing through our veins, inborn traits determining whether we have more or less of this or that characteristic.

That doesn’t mean, though, that someone born with an impatient nature can’t develop greater degrees of patience ~ not necessarily reaching levels of saintliness, but we are ever-growing, learning, changing beings who can and do evolve and enhance our existence by stretching, expanding and nurturing the various aspects of our inherent nature. Patience is one well worth the effort. Think about it …

Feeling impatient can be such a maddening, aggravating, blood-pressure-rising experience, the solution might seem to be to hurry through it, be done with it. But we all know that doesn’t work …  it doesn’t make the traffic light turn green, it doesn’t make the baby stop crying, it doesn’t make the pot boil, it doesn’t make the flower grow, it doesn’t erase a mistake you might have made; it only lets you experience impatience.

So maybe we can’t make grapes ripen faster on the vine… and if we harvest them too soon, we end up with sour grapes. (And I’m pretty sure that creating sour grapes isn’t on anyone’s bucket list.)

But we can, instead, think patient anticipation. We can shift our focus to eagerness. Patience then is not a passive burden but steps that light up the path.

A wonderful thing happens when you take a few deep breaths and mindfully infuse patience: resistance backs off.  You can be present. You can even begin to enjoy and participate in the unfolding.

Maybe we should heed the line from the old Simon & Garfunkel song, “slow down, you move too fast,  you got to make the morning last …”. Because when we don’t, we don’t feel so “groovy”.

The river doesn’t ask “are we there yet?”. Like the river, we’ll all get where we’re going.

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February 6, 2011 In art, children's books, drawing, illustration By Patricia Saxton

A Tail is Born

Rough sketch. Just a tease, that’s all.

Stage One of another illustration for the next book ….  with other postings, you’ll see it come to life. Maybe even breathe fire.

 

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February 4, 2011 In communication, design, imagination, words and language By Patricia Saxton

A Season of Pinks

It’s the month for pink, the color of love, which got me thinking about color.

Which also got me thinking ~ I wish someone would give me the job of naming the new colors that come out each year. You know, all the new lipsticks shades, crayons and interior paint chips. Really, who gets to do that?

Does the fashion-company-president’s daughter sit around a kitchen table with friends and a couple glasses of wine and decide what trendy words will be uttered when asking for the latest pink nail gloss? Or do they hire a design team to consult with psychologists to scientifically determine what will spark the consumer’s emotionally-driven buying fancy this year?

And who decides ~ excuse me, “forecasts” ~ which colors will be “in” for a coming season. Of course all those colors need new names too. Really, I’d be willing to do that. You could twist my arm, and pay me instead of an entire design team/psychologist duo. But, what if it’s the company president’s daughter and her friends… forgot about that possibility. Can’t argue that one, unless of course, they lack imagination.

Maybe I could ask around at Sherwin Williams, or ask someone like my friend Marty who worked in the cosmetics industry for umpteen years. But I’d rather wonder…

Who comes up with Mermaid’s Tail Green, or Ol’ Swimmin’ Hole Green, Old Pickup Blue, or Blizzard Blue, Kinky Pink, Ballet-Slipper Pink, Curious Yellow (although I kinda like that one… as well as Unmellow Yellow)? Then there’s Really Red Red (particularly clever), Violet Groove, or I’m Not Really a Waitress (yes, an apparently fab-u-lously shimmery nail polish).

Seriously, I could do this.

And from Paris we now have spring’s 2011 fashion color-combo trends: Archaic Garden, Underwater Variation, Tropical Dramaturgy (huh?), Enchanted Picnic, Shadowy Shores.

Be still my heart. What would I wear if not for these tips?

I shouldn’t be sarcastic I guess, it just seems so … presumptuous? pedantic? pedestrian? provincial? (just seeing if you’re still reading, and catching the P words…)  In all honesty, while “unnecessary”, some of the names are plain fun, and surely we could all use a bit more of that these days.

Plus, you see, we graphic designers get Pantone inks– Pantone 133, Pantone 345, Warm Gray 9. Glorious colors, but with useful, practical, “un-fun” names. (Which is for good reason, don’t get me wrong. Keeps things orderly.)

So, all in all, I think it’d be great if I got a chance to name a season of pinks. You probably would too. Just sayin’.

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February 2, 2011 In appreciation, art, painting By Patricia Saxton

Deliciously Cool: Google's Art Project

Imagine each stroke of Van Gogh’s brush. Or Matisse or Manet’s.

Well, now you can see them. And from the short time I’ve had to wander through Google’s Art Project, the images are as brilliant and breathtaking as any virtual images could be. Possibly a masterpiece itself.

It boggles the mind – what a massive undertaking! – and it’s superbly done. Online, you can “Explore museums from around the world, discover and view hundreds of artworks at incredible zoom levels, and even create and share your own collection of masterpieces.”

If you haven’t already (I’m sure the buzz has swelled by now!), it’s a site completely worth visiting. It’s an experience!

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February 1, 2011 In art, communication, design By Patricia Saxton

Blame it on Cupid

Yesterday I talked about  “presence”… today, “presents”!

But this isn’t one of my “Plethora of P’s” posts (even though presents can be positive too!). This one’s all because of Cupid and his quivering arrow. Or maybe it’s St. Valentine’s doing. Or St. Hallmark’s.

Ah, well, whoever’s responsible, love is always worth celebrating. And since Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, I put together some gifts over at my CafePress shop for gift-givers interested in something a little different.

Of course you can’t go wrong with flowers. But here’s an idea … you could fill the “52 Weeks of Peace” heart mug with chocolate truffles or yummy bath oils…  write a clever, poetic line or two in the love journal … or maybe sweeten up someone’s iPhone. They’ve all got heart … and love … and peace!

And, right ~ flowers would go well with all three. ♥

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January 31, 2011 In appreciation, drawing, illustration, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P's / #6: "Presence"

Presence is a medium-sized word with larger than life impact. Presence is a simple act, but a very big deal. Presence is about being mindful, being aware, being completely, undistractedly, present right here and now.

Presence is granular. It’s thinking the thought, it’s feeling the feeling, it’s tasting the taste.

It’s not about “showing up”; it’s about being attentive. It’s a decision to listen, to see, to intentionally connect. It’s a very deliberate action based on the deliberate thought to be present. Presence is to choose, in this moment, this moment.

I would go so far as to promise you’ll feel a positive difference in your day when you consciously choose to practice being present. … You will truly enjoy that cup of coffee. You will appreciate the comfortable chair. You will experience an unexpected delight somewhere that you otherwise would have missed. And by allowing yourself the opportunity to make simple yet mindful choices each hour, all day, you even may find that you will slow down time a little bit. You will also give others one of the best gifts you can give – your sincere attention. And if you need to move on, remember that that sincerity ~ your presence ~ even in small doses ~ is far better than any amount of “yea, yea, uh-huh”.

Our world is fast-paced and gaining speed. I say, don’t let that fool us into passing by on the powerful thought, and simple action, of presence in our own lives.

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Note: the complete series of positive P words can be seen unfolding all together on the “Plethora of P’s” page of this blog,

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