I’m really sort of excited, but I can’t let this get away from me.  I’m in such a design moment, and I don’t know really where to start first.

I really think this is a sort of Hitsuzen all its own.  I’ve always like skeleton keys, because when I was a little girl, my own house was locked up with one.  It was big and silver and clunky but it was my key to the house, and in my own mind, it wouldn’t just unlock the door to the outside, but to other places I couldn’t even completely imagine.  Sadly such a gift was lost as our house was modernized and we got real door knobs and real keys that no longer came close to resembling my beloved skeleton key.  The only thing of such a reminder to keep my imagination going was the trips to grandma’s house in Ohio, and the small back hallway that had the dresser, and the glass chicken that kept her hidden skeleton key safe.  Her’s though was black, smooth, and unlike my old house key was not something I could run about and play with for fear of her short temper.  They key was my secret play toy, and I could just be content with looking at it as much.  The only thing that didn’t really seem similar of the two keys, was the black key from my grams was not cut and hand no “tumbler” design. And that just made the key more magical in my eyes than any other key I could possess. Who knew what influence such a childish notion would be today in my life.

That influence seriously manifested itself in a strange way.  The first instance was with the release of a video game called Kingdom Hearts.  When I heard the hype that the weapon was a giant skeleton key, the KEYBLADE, I had to have the game.  Once having finished the game I became a fan to it heart and soul and the story itself was also something that dug deep. My art began to change, and I began to give in and take on and adapt to have my art style like that of Kingdom Hearts, and even thought of a few fan fictions here and there, an explanation of what Kingdom Hearts truly was, and where the heartless came from.  When the sequels came out, my obsession worsened, especially when it became apparent there was no single keyblade, and there were in fact millions of them.  Different names, shapes, sizes, attributes, and symbolisms behind each one.  I also saw more fan art emerge from myself, and even found several doses of fan arts and fictions that I enjoyed immensely and had hoped to see continue, such as Kingdom Hearts : White Heart by Megomba from Deviant art, or Kingdom Hearts : Hearts of Destiny by Sakyumon on Deviant art as well.  I cringed that my talent was so unlike theirs, and halted trying for a short time to work on something that I was already strong in, and hone my skill on that.  I could always revisit my poor little fan art and try again later. 

With this new uprising in such things, I found I would do almost anything to expand my collection of skeleton keys.  At the Ren Faire in summer, I would buy the bronze sets tied with the red ribbons.  My boyfriend for my birthday was able to get his grams to release her hold on a few choice keys, and he gave them to me, with a single special key held back.  This key was engraved with OUR numbers.  His lucky number is 5.   Mine is 7 and both were inscribed on the key.  What threw us both for a loop was the key had a hidden number of 2 on the length of it, and 2 is the day we started officially dating, Feb. 2.  That key has been part of me since, settled by my computer as a constant reminder of his gift to me and our strange way of connecting in the ways that we do.  And later still at an anime convention, I purchased two Kingdom Heart Keyblades to complete my physical collection.  But that wasn’t enough.  With the end movie of the Kingdom Hearts 2 revealed, and the haunting words of Birth by Sleep, was my name, Dreaming Key born.

What does one do when they sleep? They dream.  And what is it that influences the future? One’s dreams.  So what are dreams to people? The Keys to their future.  You cannot have a future if you do not have a dream to chase after, something to aspire to.  And what opens the doors to such a path... well, keys open doors, don’t they?  And in the world of Kingdom Hearts, what is the mightiest of weapons, but the Keyblade?  Now... what if in the KH universe, birth by sleep was referring to the last line of weapons... a DreamingKey.  The key that unknowingly opened the door for the Heartless, they Key that unlocked the door to the nobodies, the key that was born from the world that never was and yet was brought into existence in kingdom hearts itself as the master key...
Yeah all these thoughts and yet no fan fiction from me, sadly.  I could never get it straight in my mind and its as jumbled now as it was then.  However, I did get the design of the key out and down, and I have claimed it as my own.  I unlock doors for people, at least in Graphic Design.

It’s been almost 3 years since the concept of DreamingKey design has been born and slowly developed.  And when it wasn’t a video game or a physical key itself, my sights turned and I couldn’t contain myself when I found a new comic book series to get all giggly about.  Locke&Key.  A house with a name, and a million doors with a million keys that seem that only children have the ability to find the keys to and open the doors.  The “anywhere” key was one, the ghost key, the key to the black door.  The keys are all different and each one has a specific door with a specific power.  Some can make you a ghost, some can take you anywhere, and some can change you from a boy to a girl and vice versa.  And I’ve read the book cover to cover over and over and over and over, in love with it all the more.  The mystery, the idea, the KEYS!

And then I was in a rut.  So many ideas of keys have been used, they are out there.  How could I ever compete.  The games, the comic books... even my favorite series, Keys to the Kingdom...  It seemed that maybe the idea of DreamingKey was a lost cause.  A favorite pet project but a lost cause no matter what. Then I remembered a quote on from the author of Keys to the Kingdom.

Alright, yearly wrap up.

I've finally got the website to how I like it, now I just have to work on content.  Part of the hold up is trying to figure out how exactly to use the lightbox in combination with how to organize my portfolio itself.  I've figured out what pieces I can use from work, now I just need to get them up and running.

And I think.. this will be a better year.  I will get it together and get it out there.  I can do it... and I'll get it done.  With my personal goals listed, and then my professional ones, I think I can get it together, and I'll get up and out there for the world.   I'll get it done, XD.

To be perfectly honest, I don't think I will be able to keep my personal deadline of November 30th to have my portfolio uploaded.

Mainly due to my lack of happiness with the current layout.  I do admit that I had taken a few ideas from a friend, and then tried to change them up a bit so it would be more my own thing.  But despite my changes... its nothing of my own, and I can't seem to break out of it.

So, I've decided a change of pace.  Instead of my clinging to a table design, another friend had a suggestion of how to make the site totally different, and though I haven't done exactly as he had suggested, I am taking the influence and going more towards a CSS layout.

I just never realize how.. tricky and complicated a CSS layout could be, and I mean that in using almost nothing but CSS coding.  I'm also, because I never really paid too much attention to it before, until a classmate of mine had brought it up, I want to be able to get that mini stamp of approval by the W3.  I want to make sure my coding isn't too messy and scrambled, and that I can actually pass the standards.

With that in mind, I need to rework the coding all together, which, I do have the base template set up, and hopefully a bit more tweaking and a finer color pallet, and I will be on my way.

The second hold up, is litterly content.  I have most of the pages done, my profile, the contact page, etc.  But the major page, the portfolio, the reason for this website's existence has been held back, for a few reasons. 

Originally, I was going to make it a flash gallery.  But then I learned about this lightbox script and it seemed nice to use.  I don't want extremely large images and have to make people scroll all over the screen to see my work.so with a lightbox and proper groupings, I can make mini collections and detail veiwing. 

Besides that, I want to actually find one of my projects that has the original thumbnails and pencil sketches, so I can show a complete start to finish production of my own.  That is a bit more tricky, and the only thumbnail sheets I've been able to find is the work for Xsha-Tara, which to be honest, the sketches are Jason's entirely.  So, I don't know how to actually throw those up there and take credit for them.. and yet not take credit for them.

Its still a tricky process, and most of it I do have in my head, its just getting it down on paper.. or.. rather Coding.

If anything I may get a small portfolio up, perhaps mainly just the Xsha-tara stuff and maybe one or two of my "books." I don't really know if I have anything else that goes through the entire sketch to concept process though, and it really makes me upset that I don't. 

Lesson learned: NEVER throw away the concept sketches and drawings.. EVER.  I don't care if I become a junk bug with thousands of sketches...  I will find some way to organize them so they never get misplaced, thrown out, or lost again.

I must say I have a feeling of disappointment really.  I'm really trying to get something of an online portfolio up and running, and when looking through to see who and what I can put in my link list as clientel, I see one I had worked on as a college internship seems to have discarded the designs me and my class worked so hard on. 

The design in question was not even 3 years old, and it has all been redesigned.  I would love to know why, actually.  I can't say that the new design is better or worse, but, why?

Speaking of design, I think it is time to redesign the way things are done at work.  Too many times have I busted my rear end on a proof to have the client suddenly NOT want to run the ad.  In a few scenario's it has been suggested that the client may be using OUR work for another publication which, no, I don't like that, especially when I'm no longer being paid for my services (granted I get paid whether or not the ad runs, but, its still the principle of the thing).  I think I shall design a proof stamp or two, so this is no longer the case.

Fun times, indeed

ARG! I have this very bad feeling I'm doing it again. What do I mean by this?
I have a website: www.dreamingkey.com

There is really and honestly no content.
Why?  Good question.  When I get this far... I falter. I keep wanting to change the layout, change the style and I need to sit down and fine ONE way that it works for me and can function.  I'm seriously looking at how a friend of mine has her new website going on.

www.leywink.net

Perhaps I should do it like that.  It doesn't have to be flash-o-rific, but something simple and functional.  I just...  I don't want to get into the habit of designing and designing and designing that I never actually get the thing to Launch.

..... I need... to focus.  I need to finalize a design I like that I can live with and I can be happy with, and then, seriously focus on the content and what I want to do, be it selling stuff or not.

This will be done, and it is my intention to set this up and finish it before X-mas.  Lets see if I can keep a deadline...

I have to admit, from that time period, until perhaps about January, it was very much a downward spiral. In all actuallity, looking at the freelance job, it was a very big eye openner and taught me several lessons. One such lesson, is getting attatched to the client like a friend. I realize I need to keep my mind focused in such a situation. No, the client is not my friend, the client is a client, and will get work when I get money, and such and such.

Not only that, but I think I really need to work out a system for when I want to do freelance gigs again, like contract systems and pricing. I'm still off on pricing, but its gonna get worked out more and more once I get into a propper grove with my partner.

Yes, this is by no means an epitaph. C.S. team is still alive and well, just perhaps.. on hiadus. In either case, until we can update our equipmentand clear off some debt, thats when we will play the streets once more.

What this does mean, is I did achieve employment near the end of January with a quaint little newspaper company. Not my ideal dream job, but it is in my field, and currently it's enough for me. I know I've got more potential than what I'm doing, and I'm not going to let myself sink into a lulled sense of security. I've got a bit of a game plan though... I'm thinking.. 3-7 years at the moment, something to get me a bit of experience, enough time to save up, and also to explore other possibilities before I try to advance and move on and up in my field.

There are.... pros and cons to this job, but that comes with any, so, I'm taking them in and learning how to counter them. There was one idea to do, and I may do that on my spare time. It will take time, but I will get it done and make it easy and breezy, and at the same time leave something for that.. the day I leave it will help others when they are in my position.

In other news, I've begun to invest in an IRA and sought out health insurance and life insurance, and that will all be starting the first of the new month coming. With that, I think there is a change in the winds. I would like to take up some of my habbits again, but I also suddenly get a new sense of responsibility, and perhaps... slowly and little bit by little bit, I need to put parts of me away until I get my own place.

And it may be sooner than I think.

Basically I'm still in the freelance market.
I did have a moment where I thought I had a job possibility with a Library on the north side, but the having to wait to know is a little disheartening in all honesty.

I do still have my freelance gig. In fact, any readers who want a peek at what I am doing, feel free to take a look at:
http://www.myspace.com/xshatara
I've gotten a whole set up with that, so its my biggest (and when I say MY, I do mean me and my significant other) amount of work thus far. In fact I'm in the process of trying to gather together all the files to actually put to disk in order to show exactly what she's been paying us for. On top of that, I need to sit down and think about what my fee will be for maintaining the myspace. I didn't think it would be this hard, and it really isn't. The hard part is actually trying to make sure those damn phishers and spammers don't overkill her site.

But thats all for now. More will be updated later.

As DreamingKey was born, so now is Creatively Suite. Now with its first run of work, copyrighted.

This.. feels... Amazing.

I will still be DreamingKey, just dreamingkey of the Creatively Suite team.

yayness!

Things have really picked up since last I posted.

I am now working along side a great designer, partnering up with him in all design aspects, going as far as to go into business together as a design team.

Also helps that said designer is my ever beloved boyfriend.
Granted I've heard things about going into business with a friend or loved one, it can strain the relationship, things can go sour when money comes into it. Honestly, though his parents run a business together, I know several other couples that work together, granted they are married, they work together, and its not so much the prospect of ... OH a paycheck, its... I'm doing what I was taught, I'm doing my dream. I'm doing something that will make me happy in the long run.

Basically, one client has thus far grown into the possibilites of 2 and perhaps more. We are making a name for ourselves, and we are working our tails off.

The only bad thing is I think we need to find a way of logging how we actually work, like the other night it took me 3 hours to code and come up with atleast 3 custom graphics for our clients MySpace page. I know the one night I worked with my partner, we worked for practically 7 hours in one sitting, and that doesn't include the fees for coming from conception to publication design.

There are a few things I need to wrap up and send the files along, and then help my beloved recover his computer. In fact, through a friend of ours whom in a slight agreement, they help me and him, I'll be sure to help them out in the future when they need a good design, I may be ordering a new custome made computer with some really nice abilities. what normally would cost perhaps 2000, with this connection I'll be able to get it for 400-500 dollars.

Well at the moment, I'm running off. I have 2 books to finish reading, a design to finalize for printing purposes, and a movie night with my brother.

Things are definately looking up.

.... I seem to have found myself with a load of work...
And oddly, I can't wait to do all I can for it >_>;;

This may be the start to something beautiful. Marking it down, from one year today... I will be a full fledge designer.

I will not say more on this until it is more concrete.

Till then, please wish me luck in this endevor I am being dragged into. Until then...

The Dreaming Key is turning in the lock

While on the job search, I've come across several people and or firms companies that I would tend to cling to and harass on occasion to make sure I am at least getting some attention.

A few places, such as Ambrosi, Schawk, and Live Nation have been the top three.

Another has made it to the list, DTC Publishing. I've found a contact, and mailing info, so as soon as I get my Dreaming Key Identity back up and running at full capacity, they are definitely getting added to the mailing list.

On that note as well, the hunt has not been going as well as I would like, but at least its going. I can't let disappointment keep me from trying again. Back to the drawing board, and back to work.

I've gotten to the point where I need a running start.

Classes have ended since February, and I suppose I let myself slip away. I've taken to slowly but surely re organizing my art. I've redesigned my Key logo, in both color and black and white design. I have also taken to learning a few more new techniques that were not taught in the college, such as the gradient mesh. Not a pro at it, but I have a better Idea. Also, due to the fact I've found the sad but true addage "if you don't use it, you loose it" I'm beginning to forget certain things in certain programs, like Flash. So I've decided to start using my Alumnus status to check out books from the library, and record the ISBN numbers to purchase the best book later on when I can. I have a few that are really good right now, so hopefully it will be just enough to get me through this fog of forgetfulness at the moment.

Other plans are to look through some old paper work and redesign a few things. I know a few people, and I would love to add more to my portfolio on a better scale of what I have. Till then.. I am also beginning to scower for contests of sorts to use my photography of some sort. If I was able to sell a few works to a few people.. I know there are others somewhere that may do the same thing and enjoy my work, even if I am an amatuer ^_^.

The road is becoming brigher.. and soon... I will find my way, and it WILL... get better ^_^

There has been quite an absence on my part. I will correct it all, and put down my production notes to the 10 week project I have been working so hard on. More to come later, along with job progression and notes to record and get straightened up.

Here is to my entering the real world of Graphic Design, and the job hunt, success, and set backs to come.

Wish me the best of luck
^_^

Again I find myself questioning what I have gotten into. Despite several hopes and New Year's resoultions, I find myself crumbling and once more falling into my human rug mode. I haven't been able to work on any of my pet projects, and like other horror stories I have heard when it comes to this field, I'm beginning to hate it. I have a slight fall back at the moment, and maybe while I ride that fall back, I can get my "me" time back and get some stuff done for it.

Till then, I think I need to sit down and plan some things out on paper and get a good idea planned out.

After all.. thats what a Graphic designer is, no? A planner.

Dear god... of all things to recall from that horrid Typography teacher... oi vey.

I need to just sit back.. and look at the big picture for a while. Then I can jump back into the details later.

I just need time, I guess.

I want to freak out, quite honestly.

I really do not know what to do. When discussing things with Jason, I have to say a small part of me was really pleased that a lot of people liked the idea I came up with, with the mini gallery of our own. Originally I had just thought of it as a replacement for the Kozy’s thing we had done before. This would bring in revenue to us the students; get our work out there, and possible open up new doors. I figured at most the idea would be to make a submit form for all students that wished to submit work, and a poster that would hold the fliers and what not.

Hurray for snowballs? My original idea seems to have expanded into ways and areas I had no idea it could. I guess that’s the good thing about working in groups, but part of me feels that... the group is too large? That may be due to all the egos and personalities running amok throughout, but I think we have been able to tame ourselves… slightly.

Either way, as I’ve told Jason, I currently feel useless. Everything I would like to take a hit at, I could name at least 5 other people who I think would do the job better. So currently, all I seem to have been able to contribute is the central idea and being a busy body trying to keep notes on what is going on. Which currently, I don’t think I’m doing a good job, but that’s also because one person talks to one person who talks to another to and another and another. It’s all word of mouth and through the grape vine, which makes it hard to distinguish facts. Part of me wishes I could just get fired, but then again, I would seriously hate to do the dreaded 10 week project all on my own, no matter how Danielle would love to wish it on me.

I guess I just need to sit back, wait a little, and collect my thoughts until the opportunity arises that I can put myself to good use… or at least to what I consider good use. Even if taking notes is helpful, I still don’t think it’s as helpful as jumping in and getting my hands dirty… Just how I feel about it, I suppose.

So, today is agood day for me. I've begun resizing major pieces for my portfolio, and also I've done a major start on my non traditional portfolio. Thus far, I have all the supplies I need, and the tree itself, I cheated and went out and got a real one that was dead and dying. The leaves will be stripped, and I'll make my own leaves out of paper. I have a nifty idea of how to rig it, I'm just gonna need alot of colored paper to do it... which I have plenty of. ^_^

Anyways, ontop of that, I also have hit another marker in my deviant art account. I've gotten to the point of having 250 page views, which really does mean alot to me. Not only that, my Dalek game seems to be very popular, which for my portfolio, if I can get my VLC player to work and get more screen captures, I will be making a mock up Playstation game case, except its a flash game, and the company is me, Dreaming Key.

Speaking of dreaming Key, I've also gotten a good lead on the website, not as much as I would like, but its a start. Instead of putting my work on it, I'm gonna put my sketches and my scraps on it as a portfolio or things that I do not wish to put on the DA.

Also with the name of DreamingKey, I've gotten my first version of my new business card, which ironically can be seen on the deviant account, currently the latest submission.

Things are going a little better, and I really think I've found the balence to my design and fine arts lives ^_^

Go me, I feel much accomplished.

And currently:
Need to work on my portfolios
Need to work on my website
Need to work on my photography
Need to work on entering competitions and contests (adobe and the IBHE ones specifically)
Need to work on my new ID manual.

There is alot more I need to work on, but I'm taking a break from my working life to relax, and spend time with friends.

More to come soon witht he later update in my graphic life.

Finals have come and gone, and now the new quarter is here. Here I must spend time working on my portfolio, both the traditional, professional portfolios of Fine Art and Graphic Art as well as my highly anticipated NON traditional portfolio. My plan for it, is to make a rather large tree, not full size of course, but about my height with artificial branches. On these branches will be a number of lanters, and on each side, assuming the lanterns are cube shaped, there will be an image to light up. The only problem is how to do said tree... Originally I was gonna use a bamboo shoot for the trunk... since I found a rather large specimen on a dumpster dive once, but now I think it may be lacking, quite honestly. I've got an even bigger and better Idea, but it will take ALOT of help from friends and family to do it. I begin sketching the plans out for it tonight.

Aside from that is my lighting class, which is strickly how to do dramatic Lighting in photography. We have gotten a new set of lights from the main campus and I feel quite excited, as I think aside from product packaging photography might be a good deal for me. I've gotten fairly good I think to compete with other photographers that have also just broken over the novice and amateur levels.

The other class I'm not so sure about is about movies. Basically at the moment the current assignment is to draw up opening credits and sequence. I have a fairly good idea for that as well, but with all these major classes, I'm not sure I would be able to keep myself focus. And its hard enough with this quarters Gen Ed... Physics. In which I believe they have the worst woman teaching it. I've had her before, but dear god, she needs to slow down in explaining things and say it plain and PROPER english.

However, on a side note, I can't help but feel guilty that the former typography teacher is no longer teaching here. I never intended for him to lose his job, but then again, the class was a big waste of time and money. I wish they would have let him have another chance, perhaps teaching a different class, or using the old format rather than this new one, but I never thought he would have been cut from the college all together. My class chum often jabs me with the fact that I was the one to write the letter to the dean and inform her of the instructor's short comings. My excuse was that I didn't want him fired, but I also did not want to be screwed over because the teacher and class had bugs in it. I let this thing slide in a past english class, and it broke my perfect score of a 4.0 gpa. I had hoped to keep it as long as my junior year, as I know at one point I would break from my perfectionist streak or lose interest and my muse. Which it has, but at least it was in things that determine my future, not a class for a job or skill that I do not need or want (news writing),

Anyways, I am also happy to announce that the DreamingKey website is up, though not completely finished, so I'm advancing. Also on the note of DreamingKey, the DeviantART account has also been updated, and I'm pleased that I've been doing so well for having JUST submitted my work. I've currently only submitted less than 15 deviations and I've already broken 100 page views. I can't wait to upload more artwork and learn from the other artists. Maybe soon too, I will finally open up and buy a print account and make some money on the side. That would be awesome.

Till then, I think thats all I can do for now... and hopefully I'll stay in my happy mood and it will bleed over into my work. Till the next update!

The finals have come and gone, and the next set of classes have started. For the most part, I think I've averaged a High B low A, thank god.

DreamingKey website is set up, I just need to get some content actually on it. I had something going with the class version, but I don't want to publish that version technically. So it's going to be a little longer before the real site is up and running. But hey, thats just another step closer to what I want ^_^.

DreamingKey on Deviant art was updated, so there are a few more photos and a flash game been loaded up there. Feel free to take a look if you are skimming this journal.

Very soon now, Dreaming Key will launch.

Looking around at hosting sites, I decided to go with virtue.nu.
I recall a friend and I that used to have small personal sites hosted on Envy.nu and Virtue.nu way back when, and then I suppose this 0catch thing bought them out and our sites and hopes of remote linking were wiped out completely. Made us quite mad back then, but its over with now, lol.

Anyways, Virtue seems to offer 100 MB for free, and thats the biggest I've seen around, honestly. Anyways, I have begun finalize MOST of the web page. For my final I have decided it to be one way, and then online I think I need to change some things around. It will be completed very shortly.

I just feel so accomplished to have stuck to something like this, and see it through to the end. Usually with web design I lose interest and jump to the next design thing. But I stuck with it, and I think it's going to look really kick ass when its finished.

I have to say, I don't know if its because the teacher was impressed with how my realationship with my brother is, or if she was just trying to flatter me and build up my confidence, but it really made an impression on me when she said mine was one of the best peices handed in this quarter, that she was really impressed. She showed them to the philosphy teacher, who also liked them a bit much. I teasingly said if he liked them so much, he should buy one...

And you know that nut is going to? He wants to discus with Terri what it should be worth, and he would pay me for it, even though when I found him out to be interested, I said I would flat out give it to him, complete with a frame if he wanted... but he insists on paying me for it. It seems I've made an everlasting impression him as well. And the feeling is quite mutal, I think. I've never had an instructor like him, and I will miss him when he is no longer there to jar me. Anyways, his final is next, XD.

But all in all, I think I may just touch up the photos a bit more, and then upload them to DreamingKey account on Deviant Art, just as soon as this weekend comes. Not only that, I figure now is the perfect time to actually print out my friends' gifts... as I said I would and since frames are still so cheap (currently only $4 at Michaels) I may just do the whole thing up for them.

For a dreaded finals week, it seems my work has really improved and is making a statement and impression. I can only hope it continues through with my web class, and tie all the loose ends together.