The Third World Slide

 This is the first of a new wave of posts. From here one my art is going to be writing about the crazy world I find myself exposed to, here. It’s like I’m telling you the truth and you think it’s hell.

Yesterday, I went to a casino in Erie, PA. Drove I-90 up and Rt 20 back. Not much to see on I-90, but US Rt 20 is a whole different story.

That highway is lined with empty stores, factories, houses, car dealerships, etc. Why is that you wonder?

It’s because of an action the Republicans and their friends started in 1928-29. Check it out, if you don’t believe me! They tried to move manufacturing to third world countries in order to reduce labor costs. Sound familiar?

We were saved, that time, by an act passed by the Dems.

But time passes, and the current crop of Republican scumbags crawled out from under their rock, with the same idea. And this time it worked.

This should be your awake up, America. But it probably won’t be.

Just another day in beautiful downtown paradise!

 

I wish I was down in the islands right now, harbornating. I define harbornating as renting a ville at Treasure Cay and living like a beach bum. Easy to do on a three mile long white sand beach. But instead I’m here, in my office/studio, working on a couple of projects.

The most interesting one is the job of rendering of a transparent beach house. Since I’ve never done anything quite like this before, I thought I’d share the stages I go thru to develop a project like this with you.

The first step:

The first thing I do in a project involving perspective, is to create a perspective template. Since architectural illustrations commonly use two point perspective, as will this drawing. And that’s what my template reflects.

The template I’m using is to large to cram in here. So instead I’ll describe it to you. It is a 48 inch circle with a 16X12.5” drawing area (paper) in the center. On either side are a pair of lines which are used as perspective lines.

Here’s the first draft.

 

Advise For Technical Illustrator Newbies

 

First off, I think it’s important to know that there are other artistic fields closely related to technical illustration. These include:

• science illustration
• architectural illustration
• science fiction illustration.

The reason I mention this is because as tech illustration contractor you will probably be asked to create illustrations of one or more of these types. Just shows you that technical illustration is not easily defined.

The basic skill every tech illustrator needs is:

• descriptive visualization—the ability to read a blue print and turn it into 3-D form.

The skills a contract tech illustrator needs are more complex. They include:

• self discipline (This is, I think, the most important. The rest can be picked up from books.)
• business skills
• drawing skills
• the ability to accurately observe and make notes & sketches of
• knowledge of perspective drawing systems
• basic engineering methods
• color knowledge
• graphic design
• typography
• a general sense of design related to the subject of your assignment
• computer skills.

In order to find clients, you have to know how tech illustrations are used. Basically they appear in:

• advertising
• sales literature
• marketing materials
• instruction books
• technical manuals
• service manuals
• how to books and magazines
• catalogs
• museum displays
• film making.

So here is the career field laid out in basic terms. Follow this path wisely.

Why am I starting all over again?

 

You might be wondering why I sort of jumped ship here and started a new blog.

Well it has to do with the fact that there is something about writing that bugs me. What it is is that writing transmits information in a serial string—one word at a time. Technical Illustration, Infographics, and Art on the other hand delivers the whole story all at once. Don’t believe me, look at Picasso’s Guernica, and you’ll get the idea. Word’s could not tell that story as quickly or as well. The second part of this response is that I know more about Technical Illustration, Infographics, and Art than I do about anything else.

Course that raise other questions, such as will I make any money from Technical Illustration, Infographics, and Art or writing about them? I’ll have to think about that one. But one way I plan to increase my reach, is by including Drafting in my list of skills both here and on my web site.

What is my background? How long have I been an illustrator?

I started drafting after I finished an Electronics Technology course at National Radio Electronics School in Cleveland and Akron, OH. I worked my way up from electrical/electronic design drafter and mechanical drafter and Facilities Maintenance (consisting of architectural, structural, piping, electromechanical design drafting) drafter into full time technical illustrator in 2001. I completed my first technical illustration job for White Motors, Inc. in 1975. So I have nine years experience as a full time tech illustrator and 34 years experience in both manual and computer drawn technical illustration.

Am I a freelancer?

Don’t like the word freelancer, because of the many negative implications. I prefer to be called a contractor.

Do I have my own business or do I work for a company?

I have a studio in my home in Chardon, OH. And I work as a contractor for companies like Adecco.

What is my software of choice?

My main software of choice is CorelDRAW.

No not Adobe Illustrator. Because Adobe, Inc. gives free copies of its products to all art schools and colleges doesn’t make it the best product. But it does make Adobe a better marketer than Corel Corp.

Other software products I use are: TurboCAD, MS Visio, and Inkscape.

What is my favorite illustration?

The one I’m working on at the present time.

Advice for illustrators just starting out?

I would say work hard and most importantly work smart. Never do a project on spec. And don’t be afraid to try new things. Go for the brass ring and stay luck.

See my web site at NFN.web.officelive.com  And return often to this blog. Stay tuned!