Category Archives: Blog

Color, Design, Esoteric, Form, Ideas, Research

Tattwas – Sanskrit language of shapes and designs

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My current inspiration is the Tattwas:

Tattwa are geometric images from India. they are  symbols  that can be used in mandala.  One of the most traditional symbol sets and one considered to have innate power to effect realization is by using  Tattwa. These simple geometric symbols can be used in  meditation.

 Tattwa is a Sanskrit word meaning energy. Tattwas are  five geometric symbols which represent the five universal energies.  Each Tattwas symbolizes unique energies with specific properties, potentials and frequencies. In varying combinations, these five energies make up the sum totality of everything in our physical and spiritual universe. These five basic symbols are combined to create symbols of many different kinds.
 The  tattwa symbols are the ovoid, the triangle, the half-moon, the circle, and the square. These definitions are minimal and in no way represent the totality of the symbol.  Source: http://pjentoft.com/on-Tattwa.html

These would make an interesting language. For example the Circle represents air, and we could have all words associated with the element of air. The prominent shape in the mandala would represent the main theme of what is being expressed. So if we are talking about miscommunication, we would probably have a large circle, in orange. As that is the complimentary color of blue (opposite). So a plain orange circle would mean no communication.

If we were talking about something about selling something like a house, the prominent shape would be yellow square it is represents Earth. Earth is all things materialistic. It would be paired with a smaller blue circle since blue circles represent thought and communication, etc.

They [the shapes] would be layered on top of each other above to create a geometrical story…

Blog, College

Finally!!

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So I have finally time to sit down and write a decent post. Been awhile.
What’s happened this month? A LOT.

The week after thanksgiving I began to feel sick. Loss of appetite, extreme weakness and fatigue. I had it for the entire week and went to the health center by Friday. They tell me that I have Viral syndrome basically a virus that hasn’t manifested yet and told me to sleep and rest over the weekend. Well I did that, and kind of got better, but it didn’t really go away. While I was at the health center I made an appointment with the doctor for Monday. Monday I go see him and he tells me its anxiety and then tells me I should go to the hospital Tuesday morning to get an AKG, heart monitor and bloodwork done. I flipped out since this was now during the final week of classes and for me, all of my art finals happened in about a span of a week.

I broke down at the health center cause I could not deal with something like that. I don’t know the area of Bethlehem all too well, since I don’t have a car, my travel distance is kind of limited to the campus distance. I had a whole bunch of projects to do in a span of five days since that monday and it wasn’t that I didn’t feel like I could not do them, it was my sickness stressing me out even more because I had no strength to work on them. Bad day that monday? Yes.

My portfolio seminar class was supposed to go and have a book making workshop that afternoon but thankfully it got moved. But I couldn’t make any decisions myself since I had pretty much lost my mind. I went to my prof for that class and got a bit of an extension and found out that our final critique time wasn’t until Tuesday of finals week. Phew, I’ve got the weekend to work on the book.

I decided not to go to most of my classes that week, since I had no strength whatsoever. I ended up not going to the hospital since I couldn’t think straight and really didn’t have the time during an already crunched schedule, so I waited until I got home.

I finished my art finals and studied for my sociology final which I got a B- on. But then I was handed back a book review and was accused of plagiarizing that paper!! FOR REAL. As a hobby researcher I should know better than NOT to plagiarize! I got an F for the assignment but not a Zero, but anyway, I didn’t get another F because it was combined with a presentation that my group got an A on. I SWEAR my professor had something against me. He was one of the most arrogant professors I have EVER had. UGH. But thankfully I passed sociology. After the final, I broke down again in my room about the accusation and I couldn’t do anything about it. I had spoken to my prof right after the final since he was going on Sabbatical and he said to me, “There’s nothing you can do about it now”. I emailed the deans and they couldn’t do anything about it either since my prof didn’t file charges for it. So he won either way. FUCK HIM.

And no, I didn’t plagiarize. I wrote those 5 fucking pages myself, granted there were a few things that were incorrect fact and grammar wise, but it probably felt disjointed because I wrote it while under severe anxiety…. sigh.

So. I finish the semester with a straight B+ average except for sociology which I got C-.
I go home and do the bloodwork and they tell me that I have an inactive hypothyroid, so now I am being medicated for it for the rest of my life. Yay for getting my energy and life back??

Blog, Projects

Cape House Ornament

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I had made quite a few of my gifts this year. I got a print of one of my photos for dad, made a necklace for my grandma, and one for my mom. I also busted my ass off this ornament.. its the cape house. My dad and I decided that she needed one so he helped me cut it out of wood and I painted it and decorated it.

On the tree 🙂
Just a bit disappointed that she never actually said she “loved it”. She was really happy with it and was pleased by it.

Maybe I expect too much from her…..
sometimes I feel like she takes things I make for her for granted, which usually makes me not want to make anything at all..she seemed to like this starfish bowl I got her more. Sigh.

Blog
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Busy with finals.
I probably won’t have much time to update all next week, so sorry for the lack of posts recently.

I went to the doctors on monday and they told me I had symptoms of anxiety and wanted me in the hospital tuesday morning.

At the time of monday morning, I had a bunch of work still to do but didn’t know that my portfolio was move to critique time which is next tuesday.

Last week I had to make sure I get 2 5 page papers done and turned in, a half hour presentation, 3 design projects, a presentation/design project on war on propaganda and a 15 piece portfolio book printed and bounded. all this done in about a week.

Yeah. Thankfully I got extensions but I just couldn’t handle  it…

Blog, Mystical Life

Revisiting Reading

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I apologize for not being interesting or posting a lot lately. The semester is winding down and pretty much coming to a close, which means art finals are coming up soon as well as regular finals. I’ve had no motivation to do anything and it seems as if the semester is catching up to me.

Since I didn’t get my internship, I need to figure out my schedule. I also had a couple of days last week where I did not feel like doing much at all, and simply did not, so now I am behind in my work.

Yesterday I went to Baltimore with the art department and spent about 10 hours of walking around the city on no sleep. Never again! I was so tired, I slept whenever we were on the bus. It was bad…

Anyway, one of the things I do usually at the beginning and end of the semester is do a reading comparisons seeing and reviewing the semester to see if the reading I did at the beginning of it came true.

Reading Analysis:
    Seven of Coins, indicated the card of crossroads. Boy was this card true! This card I believe spoke to my internship. I was definitely at cross roads in october, waiting nervously and patiently to hear from disney. I also came across some scheduling problems where I found myself to be 1.25 units short from graduating early. Since one of my summer classes didn’t transfer over. I didn’t know where and what to do for next semester and didn’t know for a long time until just this past week.
   Four of Swords, indicated the card of rest. So true! After last year, I guess this card is/was referring to all the drama that happened last year. Also I am taking some time off of some of my duties that I have during the school year to really focus on my school work and to make sure I have a kick-ass portfolio by graduation.
   Ten of Coins, indicated the Card of Permanence. This happened to be true as well. I had a lot of good business progression regarding design projects. I had quite a lot of them too. Occupy Bethlehem, Manuscript Poster, a website and I know I’m forgetting one… so yes I’ve been getting paid for them too and that’s nice. 🙂

You can find the reading for this semester, here.

Blog

No Internship

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So i didn’t get the disney internship. 
I wished they’d let me know sooner. 
I was SO positive that I had gotten it. 
“No news was good news” casting said. 
No internship and no early graduation. 
Now I gotta go figure out what I should do for next semester. 
I need 1.25 units. But I’m done with everything assuming I pass sociology. 
I’m so tired of being rejected all the time. I just want something to go right for once.
EDIT: Oh yeah and the main site of my blog got hacked so now I have to swipe it clean and start over. 
#greatweeksofar
Blog, Design

Augmented Reality

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Obsessing over something new lately. Ever heard of Augmented Reality? Its a cool little piece of computer science that allows you to embed 3d models and animations into a Real Time video feed. The most practical use I’ve seen it used is for business cards. Information is stored in a symbol and when shown to a webcam the graphics show up.

You don’t need different symbols, just a square box and then you can design the square box.

Take a look:
 

I want my business cards to eventually look like this. Gotta find some time to learn AR.

Here’s more information about it: http://www.augmentedbusinesscard.net/howdoesitwork.php

Blog

I will not be the %99

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I have been reading http://wearethe99percent.tumblr.com and I do support the movement. I do. I understand where they are coming from and I worry about the future of my country as well as my life, too.

This is why I work hard so I will -not- become the %99.

All my life I have been poked fun of for working hard. In middle school it was always appearing as a know-it-all. My father taught me that there should be no reason to answer with “I don’t know”. I didn’t care, I wanted to make something of myself.

In high school, it was learning about myself and overcoming my language disability, truly finding my passion, etc. Understanding that Graphic Design was what I want and was meant to do and trying to get into college. My grades were low because of my disability so finding a college that would accept me, was incredible.

I have had adobe photoshop open every day since age 11 (or whenever I got it). I consider myself to be better than most of the people in the department. Who -don’t- put their career before anything else. I -don’t- party every weekend. I don’t care about making and keeping friends (I do love meeting new people and love my friends that I have now) but people have created so much heart ache for me, more and more I have stopped caring. When I discovered that my college wasn’t giving me the fullest education possible, I went out and learned more about my field on my own.

In college, I am seen as an overachiever (probably) because all I care about is my career. In Graphic Design you work hard. You need to. You compete with everyone in your field. There are jobs and every job is competitive. You need to have personality, a unique style and willingness to succeed in this field. If it appears that all you do is party and put your career last, you will -not- get hired. I have seen it and continue to see it.

I am sick and tired of people not caring about their future. About their lives. You will look back and realize how much time you wasted at college when you could have spent it putting it into your career.

I have not a had a consistent paying job since summer of 2009, only a couple of freelancing jobs here and there.

The American Dream is dead. You work hard and go big in your field of choice. Small companies can’t afford part time employees, they’re looking for cheap work. It is the larger companies that can, and they’re looking for the best of the best.

Some of the notes on http://wearethe99percent.tumblr.com  I don’t see as being part of the %99 but the ones who have medical bills and college bills I see.

Blog, Mystical Life

Third Eye Opening

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At the risk of sounding nuts-o I’ve been meaning to post about this throbbing sensation I have been feeling frequently since the summer of 09′ after my spiritual awakening. Yesterday I decided to do some research, some people believe the throbbing or pulsating sensation is the third eye sending waves of energy out and is beginning to slowly awaken.

I have suspected it has been the third eye. I actually hear this pulsating noise. Its like a heart beat but inside your head, so I’m hoping you can see why I am afraid to speak about this to anyone, cause they would definitely look at me weirdly.

Since then I’ve come completely out of my shell so-to-speak. I’m interested in subjects I never saw myself getting into in high school. My clairvoyance has been spiking. The end products to projects have been coming at me at the speed of light, faster than I can write down the ideas. I design based on an end product that I see in my ‘third-eye area’ and use that as a concept and apply it to my project.

Sleep is difficult. Especially near the full moon as I’ve mentioned before. The moon’s energy seems to affect my hyperactivity/creativity. Philosophical and mystical ideas flow out right before I go to sleep to the point where I’ve started writing a journal to get these ideas down.

I have feel like I’ve been free from a lot of the things in my past and was able to just shed them away. Some ghosts are still there, but most of it I can put behind me.

I’m more aware/careful of what I put into my mouth and hardly overdose on any kind of drug; Tylenol, etc. My time of month has been extremely light to pretty much non-existent.

I’m excited to see where this will take me. I hope it continues to open.