Tooling around with illustrator, it took me about an hour to make this:

Click for larger version.

Not the worst thing ever, but it took me an *hour* to do it. Coming from Photoshop’s paths, Illustrator is really messed up. Take for instance the yellow bits of hair: In photoshop, I would simply make the head shape and the hair lines, then make a subtractive selection from them. I’m sure I’m doing this wrong, but in Illustrator I had to copy the head and hair twice, and then make a clipping path for each side (in the process making about 4 useless layers). Ugh.

I’m sure I’ll crack the Illustrator learning curve soon, I’ve only had it for 2 days, it’s just frustrating when you’re migrating from a inefficient but usuable art-production method to something much more unfamiliar and convoluted.

On a side note, I’ve started working on a new version of LJI. It’s mostly a user-interface update so far, but if you have any feature requests, you can leave them here.

I got a copy of Adobe Illustrator CS2 earlier, and started messing around with it. I remade the arcolz logo:

Click for larger version.

A meager learning experiment. I think it turned out pretty meh, but I like the text. Illustrator baffles me, but I’m starting to figure it out.

I’m starting to rethink this whole branding thing. Not only does “arco” sound like a 50’s carburator manufacturer, it doesn’t even sound like a cool carburator manufacturer. Is it necessary for me to obfuscate myself through the use of meaningless screen names and website titles?

“nillahood” sucks too.

Hmm.

I did have a happy birthday, and thanks to everyone who said so: Hannah, Chas, Cecilia, Lydia, Berta, Amy, Duncan, Maham, Hwaran, May, Alissa, Kali, and so on.

Here’s the required bulleted gift list (Now with 33% more commentary):

• From Parents:
  • Black sweater
  • Plum collared shirt
  • Ferruche gold t-shirt with brown trim
  • Lucky brand brown corduroys
  • Clothes are always considered a lame birthday gift, but I have to say these are pretty awesome
• From Hannah: A wonderful handmade book of photos of us. It’s super cute and because she made it late at night, super silly.
• From Amy:
  • Rock ‘em Sock ‘em Robots pen: This thing is way more fun than it should be
  • Modeling clay: Everyone love modeling clay
  • Journal with a big purple flower. Inside joke about our advert design class: I try to stick a flower in my projects whenever possible.
  • Assorted Candies: Mmm.
  • Rubber Ducky Soap: Is she saying I smell bad? :)
• Duncan: 3 crisp fivers. Duncan’s all about the cash monay.
• Maham: Limericks. They were too awful wonderful to reproduce here. Trust me. Bad Enlightening. I guess it’s the thought that counts :)
• Alissa: Sign. She made me a big sign that said ‘Happy Birthday Fergus!’ I felt a bit self-conscious walking around with a sign that said that, but you know, it’s cool.

Thanks again everyone!

After school Duncan and Hannah came over. We partook in delicious black bean lasanga and lemon poppyseed cake courtesy of my Mother. Delicious. Hannah and I snuggled and watched Osamu Tezuka’s Metropolis. Now I’m writing this, and going to bed contented.