tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19452589799313151802011-10-20T12:36:34.492-04:00icolithichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354614040850359148noreply@blogger.comBlogger221100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945258979931315180.post-64616911816490546862011-01-20T21:05:00.000-05:002011-01-20T21:05:20.669-05:00

So I'm getting back to my roots ... back to illustration and more traditional art. The Spring Thing is an idea to promote an upcoming event organized by an awesome group of crafters and artisans ... the D.C. Craft Mafia. I thought it would be a great way to pick up my Wacom pen and tablet and get back into the groove. Not as easy as I thought it would be ... not honing your digital painting and

icolithichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354614040850359148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945258979931315180.post-16941721315144837242010-12-02T09:14:00.001-05:002010-12-02T09:20:33.212-05:00

Not everyone has access to Adobe's Creative Suite ... or even something compatible. I hate Microsoft products by principle as any good little graphic artist should, but when working on a template for a group of friends who have no reason (or domestic justification) to casually purchase a 1K bundle, I realized I would have to commit a sin — one usually reserved for my day job, where I have to

icolithichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354614040850359148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945258979931315180.post-24598347160534040202010-12-02T09:11:00.000-05:002010-12-02T09:11:58.382-05:00

There was a time when only graphic artists knew what Adobe was ... now, the name is more than industry standard — it's household... that is until the everyday computer socializer sees the pricetag. It's no wonder that Apple can gather it's flock to rally against the grand-daddy of graphic apps. I digress ... this short blog entry is not to bash the next Microsoft, it's to give the curious

icolithichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354614040850359148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945258979931315180.post-75027996680919071662010-09-28T21:51:00.006-04:002010-09-28T21:56:24.557-04:00

I think it's a given that artists and designers sketch more than they actually produce. The act (sketching) is more than a creative process  -- it's a way of releasing pent-up energies that build up in an artist's head. I have tons of sketches ... sketches for projects I've done, and many more of projects I probably never will get to. It's both entertaining and depressing to sort through them ..

icolithichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354614040850359148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945258979931315180.post-77398435394026499902010-08-18T13:32:00.000-04:002010-08-18T13:32:42.483-04:00

Recently, a Facebook friend posted a blog article about the pros and cons of listening to music while working on design projects. It's tricky asking for one's thoughts on the subject, since I feel it depends greatly on individual work habits. Without even trying to be objective, here is my take on "unplugging." Fellow artists and designers may agree that to dip into your creativity you have

icolithichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354614040850359148noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945258979931315180.post-31520804393705577612010-08-12T16:19:00.003-04:002010-08-12T16:39:13.860-04:00

My name is Jack Hernandez, and I am not a full-time freelancer. But, I'm glad that I'm not. The idea of being a fully dedicated freelancer is as romantic as an artist making a living without commissions... only a designer can't hawk brochures in Soho on Sundays. Don't get me wrong ... I still freelance, and I enjoy it immensely. Having a daytime alter-ego means I can have more fun doing it.

icolithichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354614040850359148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945258979931315180.post-77334395483519439042010-08-03T21:36:00.001-04:002010-08-04T08:32:30.096-04:00

Sometimes a project takes longer than you want it to, but EHL Creations is finally good as done. It's not active yet, but I'll post the link when it is. Hording is usually a habit that needs some intervention and serious counseling, but where a graphic design project is concerned, it's an excellent way to catalog  your work process and file away resources for future use. My style of art involves

icolithichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354614040850359148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945258979931315180.post-50990694459900744322010-04-25T20:48:00.005-04:002010-04-25T20:58:22.770-04:00

Work continues on EHL creations and I'm thrilled with the graphics. I especially had a fun time creating the altered stamps for Facebook & Twitter. They're rollover transparent PNG graphics.Writing the site in CSS is a new thing for us actually... despite the complications, society seems to like the CSS approach. It never fails ... the easier an interface is for the user, the more difficult it is

icolithichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354614040850359148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945258979931315180.post-52468451738318416852010-03-24T21:06:00.006-04:002010-03-24T21:25:59.165-04:00

Web site under development ... Emily's EHL Creations. A friend and fellow mobster, Em specializes in Polaroid emulsion lifts and transfers. It's a unique process where an image printed on film sheet (with a special Polaroid printer) is "lifted" onto other materials such as watercolor paper, ceramic tiles and even metal. She's pretty active and always has a camera handy wherever she travels. Her

icolithichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354614040850359148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945258979931315180.post-19190142517486817872010-01-20T21:15:00.005-05:002010-03-28T14:29:21.693-04:00

Dave Tieff is the lead singer of Laughing Colors. He also works solo and is very active in his music and humanitarian projects. Check out his Web site at http://www.davetieff.com.I presented several ideas for his recent album, The Art of Peace, and was quite happy with every version. Pictured is the final album packaging and some art that didn't make the final cut. The CD design is an obvious

icolithichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354614040850359148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945258979931315180.post-50765989387465144122010-01-11T21:55:00.002-05:002010-01-11T22:10:14.554-05:00

My only New Year's resolution ... to update more often.Over the Tracks Music ... a stock music site with simple, but pop-ish elements. After presenting several color schemes and "splatter" texture options, the clients opted for the blue and orange.After it was completed, I wished I had worked more pngs and transparencies into the site. Doing so probably would have allowed me to move the graphics

icolithichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354614040850359148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945258979931315180.post-28095285439725530592009-11-22T18:19:00.005-05:002009-11-22T18:46:25.205-05:00

Laughing Colors "The Blink of an Ideal World" CDMy first gig when I settled in Maryland was Laughing Colors' Web site. It was also the first time I met Chris Wright ... we've been mates since, working on several projects together ... including two more sites for Laughing Colors (LC).LC is one of those veteran bands that should have made it big, but somehow never got the "big break." They command

icolithichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354614040850359148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945258979931315180.post-60438587711231338482009-11-21T21:44:00.005-05:002009-11-21T21:59:25.547-05:00

I really have to get used to blogging more often ... it's not like I have an excuse not to.Anyhow ... here's the final Halfway Broken entry... their CD packaging. Originally, I had a face on the cover -- an illustrated version and a photo -- that was being segmented by all the chaotic details. I still like the idea of the face, but the band liked the cleaner look. Either way, it was a treat

icolithichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354614040850359148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945258979931315180.post-38742195262383573822009-10-08T19:42:00.007-04:002009-10-08T20:07:14.457-04:00

Continuing Halfway Broken ... here is the finalized Web site. Flash was embedded into the HTML to get the desired effects we were aiming for. The Bio page featured an image of the band members. When the mouse cursor moved over an individual, a line sketch of that particular person would be "drawn" on the screen. A lot of grunge textures were created for the overall graphic look. Iconic antique

icolithichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354614040850359148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945258979931315180.post-10528398302550682572009-10-07T20:51:00.012-04:002009-10-07T21:14:52.699-04:00

Halfway Broken Graphic (traced vector image)Small bands are the most fun to work with, but you have to be really generous in your fees. The real reward comes in the form of praise and the knowledge that you've helped promote a fellow artist. I think I can speak for my partner in this matter ... Chris? ... Chris? With Halfway Broken, we designed not only their site, but I also put together their

icolithichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354614040850359148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945258979931315180.post-88047378298237706422009-09-10T20:14:00.005-04:002009-09-10T20:29:33.864-04:00

I love it when I get to work on a project that fits my vision and gets me paid at the same time. A game company contacted me to design a game map for their miniatures war game. The setting is an alternate future on a barren world wrought with constant fighting ... love it already. Not that I'm a dark and brooding person who contemplates the apocalypse (I like the occasional blue bird on my

icolithichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354614040850359148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945258979931315180.post-59688517226072465212009-09-10T19:23:00.008-04:002009-09-10T19:34:29.517-04:00

Another old Web site, but still one of the favorites -- Jennifer Cella is a vocalist who performed with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. The homepage alternated between the blue and plum color. Originally, I used layer modes to blend her photo with textures. But after cropping her out with the details of her hair and obvious good-looks overlapping the background images, there was no question which

icolithichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354614040850359148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945258979931315180.post-58833802540349705172009-09-02T22:00:00.004-04:002009-09-10T20:00:07.289-04:00

[Personal project] ... I recently completed this digital piece for my wife's birthday. Some of the inspiration comes from a poem by Li-Young Lee (verses are hand written in the background). The background for the most part was painted and assembled on a canvas. Photos taken by me with the exception of the butterfly. Everything was assembled in Photoshop with some treatment applied in Painter. A

icolithichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354614040850359148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945258979931315180.post-23581904774662636072009-08-26T19:54:00.002-04:002009-08-26T20:03:31.140-04:00

A logo design for a bar in Baltimore called the Whiskey 1803 designed in Illustrator. I decided to make the whole guitar just in case it would be used in the final logo, but it wasn't. The top one was selected.

icolithichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354614040850359148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945258979931315180.post-52059138489945354392009-08-25T20:54:00.005-04:002009-08-25T21:07:43.686-04:00

"Emulsional Inspirational"Scanned finished Polaroid lifts printed on transparencies and other mixed media.A friend works with Polaroid emulsions and lifts, and the results of her work have been a major influence in my decision to get back to creating art. I had been meaning to work on artist trading cards, using her images, for some time. I figured her birthday would be a nice time to present

icolithichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354614040850359148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945258979931315180.post-79025424113087797512009-08-23T21:06:00.011-04:002009-08-23T21:35:34.132-04:00

Did this site a couple years ago. Right now, I want to populate this blog with some interesting images. Why not old projects yeah? These are actually two submitted designs for Shane Hines and the Trance. After establishing color schemes and the general feel of the site elements, I came up with two layouts. The top one ended up being selected. The main image changed randomly every time the site

icolithichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354614040850359148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945258979931315180.post-20458988810900498022009-08-21T13:50:00.003-04:002009-08-23T21:43:15.383-04:00

Icolithic's blog will be a place where I can post recent projects and works in progress, resource links and anything else that fellow designers might find useful or interesting ... a visual journal of sorts. In the blog is where I can post personal projects and stuff I've put together just for fun.

icolithichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354614040850359148noreply@blogger.com0