Test
Workspace
Just thought I’d share a little about my workspace. This is where I spend most of my free time working on code, drawings or any other endeavor. Nothing deep or exciting about it. Its just a place where I can just be me.
What Am I Reading
I haven’t blogged in a while so I am getting back on track. I have been busy reading up on UX design and UI development. I have been moved to lead UI Developer for VVM and have been on fire reading and studying User Interface Development and getting more familiar with User Experience Design.
“Rocket Surgery Made Easy” by Steve Krug
This has a lot of good information for doing your own usability testing and doing it in a simple way so you don’t have to use all of your resources to get good information.
E Book
The Smashing Book
From A-Z this is an excellent resource for Web Design
Also I just bought “A Project Guide To UX Design” by Russ Unger and Carolyn Chandler. Just got it today so Ill let you know how it is.
E Book
On top of that I have been trying to increase my knowledge of business in general. I am almost done with Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh. This book is great. It really got me thinking on what type of business, as far as the way the company works internally, I want to be working for and where I would like to be in my career to be happy. Long story short it’s well written and really gets you thinking.
E-book
Flip Book Videos
I was flipping through YouTube the other day and found a bunch of flipbook videos that people have done. Thought I’d share some of the cool ones I found.
Matrix Style
Life
3D Cube
Different Approach on Flip Books
Crush It
I am reading “Why now is the time to crush it! Cash in on your passion” by Gary Vanerchuk. A friend of mine just read it and passed it on to me. It’s only about 150 pages and it’s a great read. The book focuses on how to build your own personal brand and hopefully step out on your own to follow your passion, what ever that might be. He takes you through the steps mentally of how to identify if you are ready and what mind set you should take to being the expert in your niche. He also has some great information about social media and how to use it correctly.
He comes off quite arrogant but he probably wouldn’t be where he is today if he wasn’t.
Next Level Wireframing
At work I have been getting a lot of practice wireframing interfaces for Village Voice. I have been getting bored just using Fireworks to wireframe because I feel it has really started to take the creativity out of it. So I am trying to take my wireframing skills to the next level by hand drawing them instead of going straight to computer with them. Today I went to Utrecht in Tempe and grabbed some Bienfang gridded 11×17 paper and some Prismacolor markers. I am currently working on some new wireframes for work and it is really making a difference wireframing this way. I feel more connected with the project and taking more time thinking about every aspect of the interface.
I was inspired by another local artist and web designer who wireframes in this method. It really adds that creative feel to wireframes that you don’t get with a Fireworks file.
Rose also ended up buying me a really great drafting pencil. Its a Pentel GraphGear 1000 size 0.5mm. I really recommend these for more technical art.
Cool Books for User Interface Design
Here are a couple of cool books I have been reading lately. I have been obsessing over really studying User Interface design and User Experience Design and have been doing a lot of reading on the subject. I have always had to deal with user interface design and thought I understood it but now that I am knee deep in researching it I am hooked.
I am redefining the way I design sites the same way I did when I first started learning SEO back in 2003. You think about the web completely different when you really get into these areas. Anyway here are some books I have been reading on the subject and related areas.
My Business Cards
I have been working in the web design business for just about 10 years. The other day I was at my dentist and the very chatty and nice receptionist asked me what I do. I explained that I do web development at the New Times and she asked me if I do work on the side. When I told her yes she asked for my business card and although I have been asked for my business card in the past, I have never realized that I have never even designed a business card.
So the other night I changed that and did a business card design for my self and here it is.
My New Tattoo
I have been looking to get a new tattoo for a while now. I have always liked the whole Mesoamerican art of the Maya, Aztec, Olmec, etc.. I am looking to do a sort of best of Mesoamerica theme on my chest shoulders and upper back. I did this sketch the other day for fun when I was obsessing about this project. 
It was also a nice little test for some new inking pens I just picked up, a Pigma Micron Pen set. These are some of the best inking pens I have ever owned. Better than Rapidographs because you don’t have to clean them.
This might go into the tattoo but I’m not quite sure yet.
