Warm, Welcoming And Well-Built

Here is an illustration of an eldar care facility where I creativly used a shallow depth of field (measure of how much of a photo is in focus), to bring a warm and welcoming feel to the illustration.

The basic idea of depth of field is fairly simple—the shallower the depth of field, the more of the illustration is likely to be out of focus. A depth of field of two inches, for example, means that anything within two inches of your point of focus will be in focus. The above illustration has the flowers basket in focus, bringing your attention to it and not the building surrounding it.

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Is it art?

If design isn't profitable, then it's art ~ Henrik Fiskar

Do you make mistakes?

A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new

Albert Einstein

5 Tips from the Masters for Better Architecture Rendering

Architecture renderings offer a distinct set of challenges for illustrators. There are elements of composition which are more evident when it comes to rendering architecture. The following are five tips to render better illustrations of structures.

1. Consider the Context

Some types of structures need to be illustratoed in their correct context. This is true for older structures as well as farmhouses. For modern buildings, the context is rarely necessary. illustrating people can also help the viewer identify the function of the building.

2. Play with the Light and Shadows

The weather and timing can provide an interesting combination of light and shadows. Light passing through columns and windows can affect the ambiance of the interiors and alter the way the structure looks. The same structure can also appear differently depending on the time of the day. Illustrate the same structure during different times of the day to see the effects of natural and artificial forms of light on the structure.

3. Focus on Lines and Shapes

A lot of architecture relies on the principle of symmetry. Curvilinear lines such as a long pathway can create movement in an image. Archways and windows can also become natural frames for an image. 

4. Change the View

With skyscrapers and longer buildings, use various perspectives for a different look. Go at the base of a tall building and render straight up. This will make the image appear distorted but creates an interesting dimension to the illustration.

5. Capture the Details

Structures are made from a variety of materials. Using a macro lens technique will help capture the various textures that make the structure look distinct.

HDR video

Are you ready for a wave of HDR to crash over the consumer electronics industry, leaving nothing but oversaturated photos and full-to-the-brim Flickr groups in its wake? We've got a sneaky suspicion that Apple's inclusion of HDR in the iPhone is one of those telling warning signs that you ignore at your own risk, and now we've got HDR video to cower from behind our fast-aging current gen devices. As you might expect, HDR video looks just like HDR stills (an underexposed and an overexposed image combined into one), except in motion.

The effect has been accomplished by Soviet Montage Productions, who used two Canon EOS 5D Mark II DSLRs and a beam splitter, which allows each camera to look at the exact same subject, to accomplish the effect. They're short on details on the post-processing end, but we're sure there will be "an app for that" before too long. Sample is after the break.

 

10 Reasons to Use an Exercise Ball as Your Chair

I recently came across this article, which talks about using an exercise ball as your home or office chair. I have used an exercise ball as a chair before, and it was thoroughly enjoyable. Here are some of the benefits of using an exercise ball as your chair. Whether you spend your desk time at the office, or studying at home for that next exam, office ball chairs can help you in many ways. 

 

1. Forces proper spine alignment. Because an exercise ball is not stable, your body needs to try to balance itself on it. The perfect spinal posture is coincidently the easiest to balance with. Thus, your body will automatically try to align itself into the proper posture. This helps improve your spinal health, and decrease back pains.

 

2. Causes you to frequently change positions. An exercise ball causes to you to change your position often to balance. For example, if you turn 45 degrees to face the phone, your body will assume a new position. This helps reduce damage caused by prolonged sitting in the same position.

 

3. Fitness is at your fingertips. Another great thing about using this alternative to a chair, is that you can do stretches or mini-workouts whenever you want, without getting up. If you’ve ever stuck waiting for a minute or two, you can make productive use of that time with a quick workout or stretch. Because it’s much more convenient, you will probably do it more, thus resulting in better health.

 

4. Improve your balance. This one is very understandable. Sitting on an unstable surface all day will improve your sense of balance, as well as the reactions of your muscles. The result? An overall better balance, that can be observed out of the office.

 

5. Get that 6-pack you’ve been wanting. Your body primarily uses your core (abdominal) muscles to help compensate for changes in balance. Thus, your essentially getting a low-key abdominal workout. This may not sound like a lot, but consider the amount of time you spend on your computer at the office, or at home. Those hours can build up, and result in a strengthening of ab muscles.

 

 

6. Improves your circulation. Using an exercise ball will keep the blood flowing to all parts of your body, throughout the day. A desk chair on the other hand, reduces circulation to some parts of the body after prolonged use.

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7. You’ll feel more energetic. It has been proven that staying in one position, will make you more tired, while moving around and being active with give you more energy. With an exercise ball as a chair, you will feel much more energized after you finish your work.

8. Burn up to 350 calories per day. More movement during the day = more calories burnt. Burning 350 calories per day = losing one pound of fat every 10 days. You may not burn quite 350, but nonetheless, it will help you stay fit.

 

9. Really cheap. Specialized exercise balls designed for sitting usage can range from $15 to $80. Much cheaper than buying an ergonomic chair, which can range anywhere from $100 to $400 and up.

 

10. C’mon, its fun! Who doesn’t like the idea of bouncing around on an exercise ball all day. Exercise balls are an exciting alternative to chairs, and may just give that spark of fun to your day.

Update: I just bought an exercise ball for myself. So far, I am really enjoying it! My only complaint is that in the morning when I am half-awake, it is hard to balance. I found this cheap exercise ball

  at Target for only $15! Great for trying it out,  if you don’t want to invest $40-$50 in a ball which you may never actually use. Also, before you buy, make sure you know what size is right for you. I am about 5 feet, 6 inches, and the 65cm ball fits me well. Your legs should be almost parallel with the ground. If you are above 5ft10 I would go with a 75cm ball.

 

Have you personally had experience with using an exercise ball as a chair? Drop us a comment on how it worked out for you.