I know I’ve said it, tweeted it, promised it and even hoped for it… but it’s a new year damnit, and i need to light my own fire to get my butt in gear. So, in (hopefully) the first of many portfolio updates to come, here’s a really quick sneak peak at some Tilt-Shift photography edits i made earlier today. Thanks to Brandon Jaime, i’ve been given a crash course in how to make my (or photos found on compfight.com) really stand out and gain a sense of uniqueness. You can take practically any tired old photo and within minutes *POOF* perfect, shiny and new… Rode hard and put away wet!! (That’s a little tribute to one of my old-school favorite bands, Diesel Boy)

Browsing through my google reader I came across a nifty link that lets you build and direct your own 3d movie. Due to my always pressing time constraint I was only able to throw a little video together, but I plan on making another when I’ve got more free time. It’s kind of fun getting to play “God”… I guess that’s why I became a designer… to create!

Here’s the movie… Enjoy!

Now… go make your own and share me the link in the comment section. I’d love to get some feedback and see what the ‘blogosphere’ is creating!

There i was, driving to pick up my girlfriend’s car from the night before, and the tune into KROQ to catch the mid-section of Spencer Pratt covering the Killers - Human. (Of course, it’s Psycho Mike) Kristen and i could not stop laughing the whole way through. So, for your listening pleasure… Spencer Pratt covering the Killers - Human.

…… after the jump. (you should know by now. )
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I just took a little break from my Saturday work day at Churm Media to watch a video that may have just put an impact on my life… and hopefully will get around virally enough to get people up off their asses and doing something they love to do, not just grinding their ways though life trying to make sure the rent is paid with a job you hate rolling out of bed for. I mean. c’mon…. look at me. I’m working on a saturday! haha!

note to self… book flight to next web2expo… check.. and check.

Full length video after the jump.
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Quiksilver, a Huntington Beach-based lifestyle and apparel brand, held a flashback to the 80s contest on Saturday, Dec. 6, in conjunction with Tony Hawk and his newest business venture, shredordie.com, a Web site where everyone from top athletes to everyday users can post their favorite sports clips.

Launched in October 2007, the site had very little press coverage – until now, that is. The All 80s All Day Vert Challenge, held at Quiksilver’s headquarters, featured 21 well-known skaters of the 80s, such as Huntington Beach native Christian Hosoi, Steve Caballero and Bucky Lasek. These skateboarders – now successful business people – were decked out from head to toe in 80s garb.

Hawk flashed back to his roots with his blue shirt – worn in the 1987 skate film “The Search for Animal Chin” — highlighted hair and, of course, his bright pink skate deck, which he got out of storage specifically for the daylong challenge. Hosoi outfitted himself in spandex pants and a cutoff T-shirt, finishing off the ensemble with a wig. Pink highlights, ripped denim and high tops were some of the other flashy fashions worn during the event.

But the skaters weren’t the only ones who dressed up. More than 800 people attended – and they were required to don clothing popular during that time period. Side ponytails, bright pink high heels and hoop earrings were in abundance – and that’s just the girls! Guys wore torn T-shirts, big hair, suspenders – the works.

Amidst all the 80s mayhem, a skate competition ensued. The 80s-style vert ramp and skate decks proved to be a challenge for the skaters, but they were determined to skate to the best of their abilities.

“We gotta ride the real deal here,” says Hawk. And they certainly did. With 80s punk bands like The Ramones and The Clash playing in the background, the skaters competed in three challenges: Vert Challenge, Big Air Session and Jam Session.

Cash prizes were awarded to the first through 11th place winners, and Hawk took home the first place prize of $1,980, which he distributed amongst the skaters who didn’t place. Other awards include the Overall 80s, which went to Hosoi, and the Big Air, which went to Bucky Lasek.

The only video allowed at the event was from shredordie.com, which will release it, relying on the viral lure of Internet video to get the word out about the site’s features to action-sports buffs.

Quiksilver also debuted some of its Spring 2009 collection – with an 80s theme, of course. The brightly colored, printed and patterned vintage fashions were on display in the company’s expansive headquarters. The vintage outfits will be available in January.

Preview Video and photos after the jump.

All photogrpahy is copyright Luke Hodsdon @ ninethreestudio

Written by Kristen Schott @ ninethreestudio

Please contact Luke Hodsdon or Kristen Schott @ ninethreestudio if you would like to use any of this material. Thank you.

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Send from the heavens to ruin mom and dad’s sleep for the next 27 years… assuming he’s like any other musician waiting for the “band to make it big”. This little 3 year old panty-dropper is going to bring the thunder at an early age, granted he sticks with the drums and doesn’t get into something girly like the saxaphone.

Video of this little maniacal munchikin after the jump! Thanks Afrojacks!
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Justin over at Big Head Design suggested a site to me. Knowing his judgment is usually a stones throw away from funny, I bring you the Typography Conference from College humor!

First off, let me say thank you Design Bump for leading me to this post, and secondly a big thank you to Sverre Sjøthun at Crestock.com for making this AWESOME List. I can in no way take credit for this, but i sure as hell can 95% relate to it. ahhhhhh, the good life of a designer. Look out world, we’re over-worked, under-paid and looking for our bosses to get all our hard earned recognitions. (kick up the feet on the desk and bask in the goodness)

• You smile that spanking-kind-of-smile when you use the CSS property: padding-bottom.
• You know exactly what I’m referring to when I say “Make my logo bigger”.
• Every now and then you go through a ‘herbal tea’ phase to try and reduce your dependence to coffee, but you always go back to the inky demon eventually.
• You’ve caught yourself more than once hitting CTRL or CMD+N when you need a coffee refill…
• Sleep and nighttime are no longer irrevocably linked.
• You have woken up in the middle of the night your sleep and started recreating the dream you just had in Photoshop.
• When getting up, you wish you had a healing brush/patch tool for those unsightly blemishes and undereye luggage.
• Your keyboard could definitely be someone’s grocery list - you’re eating there constantly.
• You know several Photoshop shortcuts that require 4 fingers (Shift+Ctrl+Alt+K anyone?).
• Whenever you see fog on a forested hillside, you think, nature is making a gaussian blur.
• You’re sitting in the movie theater watching the movie titles, shaking your head at how badly they’re kerned.
• Your biggest fear is Papyrus becoming the new Comic Sans.
• If you could go back in time you wouldn’t go back to see the rise and fall of civilizations, you’d go back in time to destroy Comic Sans and Papyrus.
• Your most romantic date was when you went to see Helvetica by Gary Hustwit.
• You’ve considered naming your children things like ‘Kern’, ‘Pica’, ‘Bézier’, ‘Nyala’, and ‘Serif’.
• You are trying catch the post-it notes at your monitor with your cursor.
• You know that, by default, if three designs are shown to a client, your least favorite will be chosen - or any combination of worst components of each.
• You also know that if you ask for more copy it will be sent as a Jpeg; If you ask for images they will be sent as PowerPoint presentations; if you ask for a vector logo, it’ll come in the form of a Gif – from their website.
• You have an uncanny ability to automatically see when something is lined up properly without the need for tools or devices, for instance if a shelf is straight, and where the center of the wall is to hang a picture.
• And as a direct cause, get an almost uncontrollable urge to adjust a painting that’s tilted ever so slightly.
• And when in doubt, you automatically think CTRL or CMD+;
• When girls are picking up Vogue and Cosmopolitan drooling over the latest trend in eye makeup and trying to figure out how to accomplish the the same effect, you’re drooling over the most amazing 2 page advertising spread you’ve ever seen - trying to figure out how to accomplish the the same Photoshop effect…
• You actually understand this post and pass it on to your fellow geeks friends.

Name: The Churm Media Band of Brothers
Designer: Albert Ornelas
Programs: Photoshop & Illustrator

Albert Ornelas is the Churm Media jack of all trades. Starting as a graphic designer and moving his way though the ranks to land as a web Specialist, Albert is one of “the band”. The “Band of Brothers” is the group of production guys who work in the heavily woman dominated offices of Churm Media. Over the year of the band’s inception, some have come and gone, but the brotherhood still remains. Taking the inspiration from the bond we have, Albert created his interpretation of the band of brothers. Taking the caricature drawings of the brothers and stylizing them with color, shading, and adorning them with helmets, Albert has created a flag to fly proud for “The Band”.

Full image after the jump… wait for it… JUMP!
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In the pending months to come there’s a planned re-design for ninethreestudio.com. This will include a new “web 2.0″ style logo as well as *hopefully* a complete site revamp… so i guess this logo is a small sneak peek at the new 2.0 stylings. Subtle, yet noticeably different than the current logo.

UPDATE:This logo has also been submitted to Logo of the Day, so let’s hope that they post it and my 7 faithful blog readers can vote for it!! *finger’s crossed*

Please feel free to comment and let me know what you think! … please …

“un-styled” logo after the jump and on the link… JUMP!
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Jacob Cass has recently launched one of my new daily stops on the internet underground subway! Logo of the Day is a site dedicated to quality logo design. Each day a new chosen logo will be placed up on the site for review by the site’s community of users. How BRILLIANT! Any designer worth his weight in leftover Adobe Creative Suite packaging knows that logos hold a special place in their hearts… at least mine does, prudes! haha. Stop by the site, and also swing by Just Creative Design for Jacob’s personal website. There’s a lot of GREAT information on there, don’t be the “should have” in your cubicle chatterboxes!

UPDATE: I’m an idiot. In my previous post i referred to Jacob as Justin. It’s late. i’m sorry!

Google has gone and done it again. In Google’s domain Simplicity is king, Functionality is it’s queen, and I am it’s peasant. About 20 minutes ago when i opened my browser to do some “research” my google reader popped up and I’d almost not noticed the difference, but I could tell something wasn’t the same. Poking around I noticed the subtle changes they made to my already favorite web landing pad. Clean, easily-navigated new interface. New sidebar and options… Google, i thank thee.

Ahhh, and again i thank the world for google and their google reader! Digging through my nearly 100 subscriptions now Bits & Pieces shines through the drudge again. One visit to the site BlahblahFish.com and you’ll be thoroughly entertained for a good half of your intense work day. Bosses beware, ha!

Step 1: Enter phrase…
I decided to go with the tried and true “Nine Three Studio. Designer by trade, artist by passion.” Hey, it seemed fitting. Don’t judge.

Step 2: Choose your desired language to be BlahblahFished.

Step 3: Results! And much mumbled laughter.

• Italian: Study nine three. Planner through commerce, artist from passion.
• Greek: Studio nine three. Designer from the trade, artist from the passion.
• Welsh: ‘ heartburn son-in-law ‘ heartburn Three Studio. Designer to market , artist to heat.
• Swedish: Nine Three Studio. Designer by trade , artist wide candle.
• Latin: Nine Three Stud. Intention very monastic rule , author very passion.
• Serbian: Nine Three Studio. Designer at bargain , artist at emotion.
• Norwegian: Nine Three The workrooms. Design by trade , is not circulating perforate at delight.
• Russian: In mother russia, Studio nine three you! Just kidding

Well…. clearly about 1/3 of the way through my post the internets gods decided they didn’t want me to spread the gospel. My work’s firewall has blocked BlahblahFish from me midway through my copy and paste spree. sigh. To be continued from a remote local, aka my home office.

UPDATE: Well i was able to get a couple more funny ones up there. Enjoy. Surf the link. Create your own funny!

persistence and dedication slip through the tips of your fingers? That’s how my day went at about 2:13pm today. There i was, refreshing my way to a final victory of internet deal surfing. Click after click, unwanted product after monotonous unwanted product… Until the saving grace of the woot-off blessed my fingertips with it’s unattainably pixelated “bag of crap”. Hurried, I clicked on the I WANT ONE button only to find that while the midst of my workday has taken me to a tabbed browser 10 seconds too late… SERVER BUSY is all i got. The months of daily woot checking and mid day hoping for a woot-off has again left me questing for the day that i get my bag of crap….

You’ve won this time internets… this time…

“GOD” over at Deaddog has given a nice little blast about my latest portfolio addition, HALFrican-American. Now if only i could convince Jesus to be so kind as well…