Creative Hegemony - Project 6 - Rain Girl

Here is part 2 of Project 6. I see at least two more installments in this series; that, I figure, is when I'll tire of this look. Then it'll be on to Project 7. As with the previous posting this image was created entirely in Photoshop CS3, except for the title logo which was fashioned in Illustrator and moved to Photoshop for finishing.

The model has a Zooey Deschanel look to her. The original photo had her in a subway station with a train speeding past, and harsh yellow lighting shining down upon her. It took some effort to get her cut out and reduce the harsh yellows in her hair. I imagine her dress was white, but under the yellow lighting... well - the yellow tint gives her a bit of separation from the rain and sky. There are about 25 layers to this file. Because all the hard work was done on 'Surfer Girl,' this image took half the time. Sadly, I do not know who the photographer is. If and when I discover where this photo came from I will add the proper acknowledgments.

The lower text-line comes from one of two songs - take your pick, I like them both... Love is the Answer[1979] by England Dan & John Ford Coley, and Love is the Answer (Hindi Version) [2009] by Weezer. Both very cool songs.

Here's one note: The clouds in this post are taken from the same picture as the clouds in the previous post, but from the other half.

Creative Hegemony - Project 6 - Surfer Girl

I began a project to expand on my Creative Hegemony portfolio. I've used the title for a number of projects, only two of which are presented here. Of all those projects only the project below, innocuously titled 'Project 2,' used the 3D title font here [created in Illustrator CS3, and finished in Photoshop]. I tried more palm trees, more surf, but nothing I tried looked right. I had already done the palm and board thing, I thought to myself... how about something new?

So I began looking for tutorials. I figured I'd springboard from a tutorial into my own creative pool. I found this tutorial by Jan Cavan and set up my background and photo using the setting the author suggested. But that's where it ends. Thirty layers and three days later this is the result.

The subtitle, 'patience by design,' is a change from the usual tyranny by design I've used in other works. But I remember reading on the photographers site (Ryan Cardone Photography) that the surfer was waiting for a wave, and I imagine the best waves come to those who are patient. Click on the image to view it full-size.

The lower text-line is from a song title on Sting's album 'The Dream of the Blue Turtles.'

Mother's Day Essay Contest 2010

Each year I'm asked to build a new design for a Mother's Day giveaway. Viewers register and write essays demonstrating what we all (for the most part) know: the women who bore us, loved us and raised us, deserve more than one day out of the year.

Adobe Photoshop/Illustrator CS3

Who Wants to Spend a Week at Space Camp?

Prime sponsor Knology, in association with WTVY.com went live with an essay contest that would eventually send one luck kid to Space Camp in Huntsville, AL. This is the artwork for the contest. The central background image, in the spirit of full disclosure, is not my handiwork. But the overall design is. This image was built using Illustrator CS3 and Photshop CS3 and is 1240 pixel by 550. This contest was hosted on the Upickem contest platform. to view the image in its natural habitat visit this link

Creative Hegemony - Project 02 - Fall 2009

Here is a design I posted in stages as the design progressed: This is Part 6a, and unfinished. I want to put a surfer girl in here somehow but I've been unable to find the necessary inspiration to continue. I may need a model... perhaps this summer.

Also, I'm not pleased with my plumeria. I know I can do better. In part 7 of this design I've removed the plumeria and added a floral design down the center of the surfboard. I'm not happy with that part of the design either, so it's back to the drawing board.

Everything in this design is from scratch, hand drawn in Photoshop CS3 or Illustrator. I derived some of the colors, particularly the wave, from actual photos, but otherwise the work is entirely from scratch (except for the plumeria, which is mainly why I'm unhappy with it, and why I removed it in the next progression).

Adobe CS3: Photoshop, Illustrator

Creative Hegemony - Project 01 - Summer 2009


This draws from elements of a tutorial found here. Not content to stay with the lesson I took what I liked and went somewhere else. I was still coming down from my Bama Jam design so I veered deeper into the countryside. I ended up with more than 120 layers before settling down to condense as much as possible. The file still sits at more than 65 layers.

Adobe CS3: Photoshop, Illustrator

Pet Look a Like Contest

The station didn't promote this one very heavily, and as a result we only receive 16 entries. This was designed for and managed using the UPickem contest platform during the month of January 2010. It was a company-wide promotion; each station was required to participate. One of our sister stations decided to stick with the artwork home office sent out. I chose to be unique. This view is as it appeared online.