tripping clever

I've put over ninety hours over the last couple weeks in this newest website design, since Dec.19 till today, oh fateful new years eve, and I am nowhere near finishing... the links on the first pages.

A total of 6 designs have been completed and discarded as possible introduction pages, link design and section introduction. Simplicity and complexity have both been weighed against each other in the design of the site. Whatever theme that I choose will be consistent throughout the site- link setup and navigation, as well as frames in frames in frames.

I feel like Alice and I've fallen down the web-site hole.

For every option of how to setup a title bar, there are how many buttons and where, past general layout there is a spectrum of colour schemes to choose from.

And every button design that my mind could possibly conceive.

I think what frustrates me most is that I find it hard to keep track as to what direction I'm taking with the site, and which graphics are the most current. Keeping it all in order is contrary to the chaotic creativity that I think I purposely do not delete old files to keep myself from feeling too organized.

Eccentric disorganization is the mother of my inventions.

With something like a website, I can only brainstorm a design so far, so in effect, this is a very time consuming effort and I am a demanding client- each possibility is created and dismantled.

Reminds me of Lego.

The birth of an Artist's image

I remember when I first started thinking about a website design and business cards. Choosing a logo and a name to represent myself with was a big responsibility.
I'm 18 and I think I have a message for the world but all I can think about is should I have a white or black background, and should I call it Heidi-web-art.com or something infinitely more clever?
No doubt having a name that has people questioning what I do, what does it mean and how do I spell it is what I want.
Having barely smelt the proverbial maturity that comes with being a legal adult that the title of my website would have to be the 'porcelain warrior' (@geocities) and an equally vague title on my business cards 'dreamscaping.' The website came to fruition, and the business cards wouldn't be printed for shame of not having my own dot com on the card.
This concern carried less weight a couple years later when the 'wandering octopus press' was printed, along with my name and number- with no proclamation of my profession. Or website address.
Two years ago, the creative side was feeling rather stifled, so in an effort so reinvent and revive an artist, 'wanderingoctopuspress.com' was created. The second of many revisions to the website design had begun, and I read deeper into frontpage help to learn about frames and creating a slightly more complex website.
It's fourth version, 15th revision, I haven't even moved past the introduction page.- I find it difficult to get it right the first time. Design for me is like chess, and unless I have every move planned out I cannot move forwards- every direction and possibility must be mapped otherwise I may as well trade in the King for Snakes and Ladders.

In all the effort, I forget about the purpose of the message as my vision is clouded by imagination.... I really don't remember any more what the point of this entry was going to be.

-H

My own metamorphosis

This (early) Christmas, my boyfriend gave me my much anticipated graphic novel 'Kabuki: Metamorphosis by David Mack', one of my favorite artists. His style is a huge source of inspiration for me- I strive to master his level of style and composition.

You can feel depth with the texture of rendered expressions- I envy the seeming ease in which his art flows. Figuratively and actually. I can only aspire to follow his movements across the page- his technique with water colour ink and other mixed media is impressive.

Artists like David Mack, Jose Villarrubia and Dave McKean have all affected the manner in which I approach art and the way I portray my thoughts.