Inspiration

I like Computer Arts magazine

. Inspiration, Resources

As what title said, I Like Computer Arts! For the pass few months I had been buying several design magazines to get more readings and inspiration apart from the web research, such as Computer Arts (RM42), Practical Web Design (RM29.90) and Web Designer Mag (RM46.90). I had gone through these three books and all of them are nice to read, but I think Computer Arts appeals more.

Well is kinda unfair to compare in such a way because these three mag has their own function and target area. I like Computer Arts because it is more round up, I can get to see creative people’s showcase… inspiring tutorial and the Free CD content is rich too! I am here are not promoting this book but it is really nice to read with great content.

I think I will continue to buy the CA’s future issues. This does not mean that I will stop buying the other two, if there’s chance to meet them in the bookshelfs because, all these mags are hard to find thou in Malaysia… but you can find it in MPH, My-News and Popular bookstores if you ask where i get those.

Computer Arts mag, definitely a great resource and inspiration magazine that worth every penny.

4 interesting flash clocks

. Art & Design, Inspiration

A clock is an instrument for measuring time. Clock can be any format such as clock tower, wall clock and watch either in analog or digital presentation. Clock plays and important role in human life to inform you about time, or to remind you to do something. Sometimes clock can be interesting and fun to watch too.

Flickr Time

As title, this clock is Flickr based. Before seeing this page, you need to enter two keywords so that it will find the relevant pictures from Flickr and displays as clock. This is one example of mash-up and it was designed by designer Hiroshi Tazawa. Outstanding!

Industorious Clock

This is a pretty hilarious clock. The clock ticks by erasing the numbers and write a new one, then erase and write a new one….endless process. Imagine people doing this is real world. Created by Yugo Nakamura. Thanks because it gives me a good laugh when first saw this.

Human Clock

This is quite a nice clock. The clock numbers is build by using human body formation. Somehow it looks pretty photoshopped. Haha, nevermind but creative indeed.

The Timeline

This is more than a clock. It shows date, month and even year. This looks pretty cool despite the simple looking interface. Design by InsertMonkey.

Extras
Looking for more? There ya go. Head on this site which provides you a cool clock for download as either screen saver or desktop widget. I’m using the screen saver for my office’s computer and it actually attracts some attention.

About button design

. Art & Design, Inspiration, Resources, Web 2.0

Last week, I had been doing some UI design which consists of many buttons. When the first time I did for review, they said my button is too flat and not delicious enough to click. Hmmm okay.. Actually it is hard to judge a good button design but certainly is lack of research material out there! So what makes a good button? Actually I also not very sure. After that review I tweaked my button design and some of them shown above.

I used a lot of blend modes to achieve the 3D effect above for example: Drop shadow, gradient overlay, bevel and emboss, inner shadow, inner glow, stroke, outer glow…. Wow that’s a lot, and sometimes, several layers is needed to make a button. It is quite troublesome huh? But i quite happy with the outcome until the next review :P.

Good button examples

Actually I had three buttons in mind that I think is very good button. First up the Apple button, the glossy effect is really stand out from the rest (Example shown is firefox’s macfoxgraphite theme). Next is the Iconbuffet button. It is bold and contrasting color with the big and clear text, located in big whitespace, which makes it nice element to the page design too. And final, actually I don’t want to credit this but, the button is really well executed! Introducing the popular fart button. The button is very dominating and 3D realistic! But I never clicked it. 😛

Free online button generator

Sometimes, let the app do the button design for you, haha. Cool. Below are some websites that offering this service.

1. Buttonator – drag and drop web buttons (need pay thou for more option)
2. Adam Kalsey’s Button Maker
3. My Cool Button – Web 2.0 free button maker!
4. YaBB Button Generator – flash based generator. Slick but IMO it’s not very convenient.

5. Button maker web – I think this is far most the best button generator site. It has the most options and variation of designs available. Sadly it’s only in Japanese currently.

Extras

In the meantime of writing this post, DesignWalker posted an article about ways to execute icon’s shadow effect which is quite comprehensive and inspiring which I think is applicable to button design as well. Click here to read and grab the free useful resource file. Plus, Alex Griffioen’s How to make sexy buttons with CSS article, which i think is quite useful.

Japanese rice paddy crop art

. Art & Design, Inspiration, Japan

Recent days I stumbled upon this article titled Pimp my rice paddy. The article and the pictures caught my eye. According to Pink Tentacle, each year, farmers in the town of Inakadate in Aomori prefecture create works of crop art by growing a little purple and yellow-leafed kodaimai rice along with their local green-leafed tsugaru-roman variety.

And this year’s creation — a pair of grassy reproductions of famous woodblock prints from Hokusai’s 36 Views of Mount Fuji — has begun to appear like the picture shown above. It will be visible until the rice is harvested in September. The picture shown below is the planning and work in progress of planting the seeds into the field, photoed back in May 27th. To be honest, I don’t know how they planning out the plan and how they precisely planted them into the right position because the crop art is pretty complicated and huge!

Inakadate’s farmers already practice this activities since years ago (can be traced since 1993), and they already created some magnificent work of art like pictures shown below. And it actually influence other towns’ farmers to do the same too. I think is pretty good because can grow food and doing something creative at the same time. Two benefit in an activity, brilliant!

Japanese crop art vs crop circle

Maybe you will start to think that this Japanese crop art is similar to Western crop circle (i mean those man-made one). Well, there is something different is the Japanese crop art that is planned carefully and the art only came be seen when the crop is fully grown, while the crop circle is appeared in middle of nowhere which causes surprises. Besides that, the Japanese is “growing” the art, while crop circles is produced by stepping down the crops, thus create the shape.

For more research and reading, visit:
1. www.vill.inakadate.aomori.jp,
2. www.am.askanet.ne.jp and
3. 田んぼアート（たんぼアート, Tanbo art）Japan Wikipedia.

本當超面白! Lets talk Nihongo influences

. Inspiration, Japan

Probably when you read the title you will think what is that?? Yes, today I want to talk a little about the Japanese language influence in Chinese contemporary language. 本當超面白 or in Jap “Honto cho-omoshiroi” means “very interesting”. I found this word while reading MILK magazine. The article is about Japanese stuff so the author integrate some Japanese word into it, and I found it quite interesting.

The Nihongo influence particularly strong in Asia countries that speaks Chinese especially Taiwan and China. Thanks to Astro, I got to watch many Taiwan entertainment shows. They use Japanese words like “人気” (Ninki – means popular), “卡哇衣” (Kawaii – means cute) and “哦衣西” (Oishii – means delicious). There is another which I think is worth mentioning is in the game show, when the guest is failed to advance, instead of putting “可惜”, they use “残念 (Zannen)”! Hahaha.

In my humble opinion, I think there is some reason of using Japanese language instead of original Chinese, first it makes the language more interesting. Second, it feels more trendy and young that will attract younger audiences. As you know, the Chinese 汉字 (Kanji) was been integrated in Japanese language, and Japan now is popular and this is common that those Kanji is being integrated into other languages.

Actually it is quite interesting on how the Japanese interpret Kanji, for example “人気” mentioned above. If direct translate to Chinese it means “people gas”. Because the thing is popular, so many people wants to buy it so the “gas” becomes a lot make the item “hot”. Another one is “無料 (Muryou)” which means FREE. So because is free so no need material (money). What about need money? Maybe you will think is “有料”. Yup, you’re right!

Some other interesting examples like “大丈夫” (Daijoubu – no problem. Chinese – gentlemen). Because even got problem you will also said no problem, so you are very gentlemen and “面倒臭” (Mendokusai – troublesome. Chinese – face down stinks). Because you feel troublesome, so you will turn down your face and it looks stinks”, hahahaha.

Surf in another dimension?

. Art & Design, Inspiration, Web Design

Screen are flat, normally what we see on the net is just a flat piece of info. But there is designers that breaks that boundary. They want the viewer to experience that actually you are in the virtual 3D web space which create the illusion to viewer. These websites are outstanding and inspiring just like M. C. Escher‘s drawing partially shown above.

The websites listed here are powered by Flash, and they are range from 3D menu system to the whole 3D web environment. Please enjoy! Continue reading

More free fonts & web gallery

. Art & Design, Inspiration, Resources, Typography, Web Design

What is so great about having a habit of surfing Del.icio.us’s Popular and Recent bookmarks is, you get to know the nice & inspiring websites that discovered by other people which is so convenient and useful! Thanks to this social networking site, I found another 2 sites that provide quality free fonts & web design gallery.

Die Gestalten free fonts

Die Gestalten offers free fonts featuring experimental display fonts in addition to single weights of the popular text fonts for trial. The free fonts is being added and updated regularly so be sure to visit this site frequently to get all the free fonts they have on offer! Sadly some fonts is available for MAC only.

Style Boost

Styleboost is a gallery for showcasing beautiful web sites. It has been around since January 2001 and is created, designed and maintained by Johan Bakken. The gallery is clean and simple. Every sites that is listed here not only will be categorized by its characteristics, it also categorized by the colors of the site. Plus, a short description to further understanding the listed websites and it also allow users to comment too.

7 Delicious Web Design Galleries

. Art & Design, Inspiration, Web 2.0, Web Design

Web design gallery is the great inspiration place for many designers and enthusiasts. It showcases the best sites that combines both usability and aesthetics of design. Getting listed in one of those could be a great honor to the firm and the designers. Here, I present some of the sites that showcases the great web designs and each gallery is unique on its own, read on!

Continue reading

Jayhan’s 10 favorite blogs

. Inspiration, Resources

Today marks the 10th birthday of blogging history & Mashable is asking to list out our 10 favorite blogs. And here is my list:

1. Techcrunch
The premium source of web technologies and news

2. Mashable
Very useful and resourceful Web2.0 website

3. Smashing Magazine
Inspiration, web design, reading, resources is all here. A must bookmark for web designers and developers.

4. Bittbox
Inspiring freebies, useful tricks and tutorial for both beginners and experienced!

5. Veerle’s Blog
Probably the most beautiful blog u ever seen.

6. Design Walker
Great resources and inspiration website.

7. PingMag
Another great design blog, including many fields like illustration, furniture, architecture etc.

8. Subtraction
Another nice blog which utilised grid layout. Very neat and easy to read.

9. Ikimasshoi+
Latest news about J-pop can be found here

10. Tokyograph
Another great site about Japanese entertainment. Music, gossips, dramas everything Japan!

So what is your list?