How: nGen Works

nGen Works is a local web development business here in Jacksonville, Florida. They not only take on local projects, but also projects for clients all over the world. From it's small exterior store front nGen Works does not look like much, but one can gain a great appreciation for the grand work this small team of people can accomplish as a whole.

Inside, a small office setting with dim lights, a group of computers arranged against the left side of the room. Only eight employees including owner Carl Smith make up the nGen Works team. Two of which work out of state, and the other who all have flexible work schedules of their own. This relaxing work environment and cheery crew definitely leaves a lasting impression for what one would hope to experience when working for a web development company.

The owner Carl Smith is laid back and approachable, and overall seems like a cool guy to work for. Instead of picking the skills he wanted his employees to possess, he chose the people he liked, and assembled an optimal work crew. This is a far less traditional approach versus one a lot of companies would have taken. I think this approach has clearly been advantageous to the success of nGen Works and will continue to serve it well in the future.

Visit their website: http://www.ngenworks.com

Hashrocket: to infinity and beyond....

My class recently took a trip to visit Hashrocket, a local web
development company located in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. The seventh
floor view was spectacular, glass walled offices with an up scale
kitchen area, dimly lit with scattered computers and couches, it was
more than just a bit inviting. It would be any aspiring web developers
dream to have such a posh working environment.

During our visit, we were able to meet the founder and CEO Obie
Fernandez. He spoke with us briefly about what makes Hashrocket truly
unique amongst web development companies. One of the most interesting
topics of conversation was the company's use of Ruby on Rails. Which is
an essential part of the development process at Hashrocket. Since many
developers in the field are not familiar with this process, developers
with this knowledge are currently in high demand.

Later we were able to listen to a presentation by Dennis Eusebio
(Creative Director) and Shane Riley (Front End Developer). During the
presentation we were able to see the process Hashrocket utilizes to
achieve its success among it's cliental. From the beginning consultation
with the client, to the finalization of the web application, Hashrocket
has it's professionalism and knowledge up to par with today's growing
market. Overall with their open door policy, live streaming videos, and
contributions to open source, they have been highly informative. Thanks
Hashrocket! :)

Visit the site: www.hashrocket.com

The Robin Shepherd Group has got it goin' on

Recently I visited The Robin Shepherd Group of Jacksonville, Florida.
This is a local advertising firm that offers a variety of options for
companies wishing to attract new business. Established in 1984, this
company has definitely survived many trends in the world of advertising,
and stays up to date on the cutting edge. Now with 50 employees, it
offers jobs to designers, web designers, programmers, graphic designers,
and copy writers alike.

After listening to the opening speech about the company, we were taken
on a short tour of the office area. Upon viewing the work environment, I
could definitely see myself working at a place like The Robin Shepherd
Group. Instead of the sleezy corporate feel you could imagine at an
advertising firm, The Robin Shepherd Group feels inspiring. The employee
desks are decorated with objects that fuel their creative energies, and
the office environment looks like a hip cafe you'd visit to unwind. Not
to mention the employees looked happy! Nothing more inviting about a
company, than one who has employees that love their jobs.

I think their mission statement says it all : "To save the world from
the bland and boring, pedestrian and ineffective marketing that
threatens to numb consumers to death on a daily basis." Not only is this
a basis they use for their advertising projects, The Robin Shepherd
Group also believes in taking a different approach to it's corporate
structure, allowing a more approachable and creative feel to it's
company.

Visit their official site: http://www.trsg.net

Marked for life

As tattoos have become more widely accepted among the masses, everyone
has jumped on the tattoo band wagon. Not only are they wanting to get
tattooed, they are starting to get them at younger ages. While in the
state of Florida, you need parental consent, and a form notarized that
doesn't necessarily mean that getting your minor tattooed is a good
idea.

In the state of Georgia, even with parental consent...it is illegal for
a minor to get tattooed or pierced. I know when I was 16 and wanted to
get my tongue pierced, all I needed was my mom to give verbal
permission. Now there are all sorts of hoops to jump through. I think
this is a good thing, but many parents disagree, and are often highly
pissed that they have to go get a form notarized. They also have to
bring their ID and their child's ID...which never gets a favorable
response.

While I agree, if the parents don't let their kid get something
done..they will probably do it behind their back....maybe by a
friend...or in some stranger's garage. Either scenario sounds like an
extremely bad idea. I do feel parent's should compromise to a degree, as
tattoos have become a very permanent part of American culture. They
should also discuss design element and design placement, and make sure
that their child is making an educated decision. While it is their body,
they also are a minor and do not have the final say.

Visible tattoos may not be the best choice for a teenager who does not
have a job yet. While most employers have become more lenient with
employees having visible tattoos, it still has a stigma surrounding it.
While their summer job in the fast food industry helps pay for the
tattoo, it may not be a career worthy decision. I feel the best tattoo
ideas need tons of research and must be extremely thought out. While in
the state of Florida it is legal to let your minor get tattooed, it is
still your job as their parent to make sure it's a decision they can
live with for the rest of their life.

God of War 3, is super sexy

Being an avid video game player and supporter..I've watched as
technology has advanced to the point where video games have become more
beautiful than ever before. My first gaming computer was a Commodore
64, and as much as I love those 2D graphics...it's a real shocking
comparison, even to games one can get on one's cell phone.

Most recently I played "God of War 3" for the PS3...this game is truly
amazing. From the opening scenes...which are visually stunning, one
doesn't realize the game play has even started. The controller can not
be put down even for cut scenes, as one can never know when a button
sequence might pop up. The game is so well executed, the story, the
graphics, and the game play...that an overall sense of harmony is
achieved.

Video games like "God of War 3" totally engulf the player into the game.
You become the character, you get sucked into the story line. It's easy
to see why most video games are later made into movies (which by the way
do the games no justice at all!) . The game is complete eye candy, and
keeps one interested until the very end. Even after I beat it, I wanted
to go back and play on "God Mode" (hard). This game might be long
stretch from what I grew up with, but it's impossible not to appreciate
the craftsmanship that make a game like this possible.

Social Networking : is it worth the risk?

In a busy world saturated with pop up adds, billboards, commercials, and spam, the ease of one click uploads, status updates, blogging, ect... social networking integration has found itself firmly implanted in our way of life. Being an artist one not only relies on traditional means but also digital means for presentation purposes. With the many social networking sites; blogs, facebook, myspace, youtube, ect... one is able to not only express one's ideas, but also post ideas, artwork, videos, ect... It's become easier than ever to share one's art, and easier than ever for someone to steal it. This can be absolutely terrifying to someone that wants the exposure, but also wants to be financially successful.

Theft is entirely too easy via the internet. Not to mention most people do not even realize that what they are doing would be considered theft. Nor do they realize how it may affect the creator/artist. Even social networking sites all come with their own sets of user agreements that may endanger your rights as an artist/creator. Not only can someone steal an artist's work, they can now steal ideas, and even view the step by step construction of projects to create it themselves. It's risky venture, but in a lot of cases has proved to be worth the risk.

While I realize the pros and cons related to social networking, and the dangers of putting my work artwork online, I still partake. Mostly because I am absolutely addicted to technology and I need a digital portfolio for exposure purposes. I have seen where people, even friends of mine have stolen images, maybe on purpose, or unbeknownst to them, one way I try and protect myself is by putting an annoying watermark on everything I post online. Yes, it's obnoxious, and yes I realize people hate it, but honestly I do not care. If they dislike viewing my artwork with a watermark across it, then they can buy it :)

Visual effects to die for

There has been a drastic climb in visual effects and animation in the past 10 years. Animation has become visually stunning, video games put you right in the line of fire, and movies are pulling off scenes and effects that one may have never imagined possible. Being a huge fan of video games and movies I have watched as technology and artistry have reached an all time high, seems like only yesterday I playing Super Mario Bros. and watching Star Wars....oh wait that was yesterday! The Point being that movies and video games have come a long way!

Being an artist I have come to appreciate even the smallest details that make up a whole, whether it be naturally occurring as in nature, or synthetically fabricated for other purposes. Photography is one of my favorite artistic mediums and has a strong influence on any art that I create or enjoy. When watching films each frame tells a story, very much like a photograph, and when every part is orchestrated properly a very harmonious outcome occurs.



Most recently I watched Let Me In in theater, I had not viewed the trailer so I had no idea what I was in for. Being a fan of horror movies, I thoroughly enjoyed it, but not just because of the genre. I felt the film itself was eloquently shot, and the visual effects were well executed. After reading the article by AWN (Animation World News) on some of the challenges while shooting, I was intrigued. I had no idea that a lot of the scenes were fabricated, even some backgrounds were rendered using Maya. Most of the scenes and characters were even altered using Maya and Houdini. It's no surprise coming from director Matt Reeves who also brought us Cloverfield. Overall, the film is excellent, and the visual effects are to die for.


Original Article from AWN:

Disney Digs Up Traditional Animators

Traditional 2D animation is beautiful, unique, yet is very time consuming. Even when produced by the most prestigious animation studios, hand drawn animations can take years to complete. In today's world, time is everything, and there has been a dramatic decline in the use of traditional animation over the years. This decline has lead many to believe that hand drawn animation is a dying art form. Technology has advanced to a point where everything has evolved, not only the art, but also the artist.

Animators who have been classically trained in animation would have to adapt to the new three dimensional techniques. While I do have an appreciation for artwork that has been created via the computer, traditional painting and hand drawn artwork is astonishing. There is something more personal about traditionally created artwork, especially if you have the honor of owning an original piece. It's like owning a piece of the artist, that is truly one of a kind, something that can never be replaced by the cold duplicate created on the machine. I realize that with the ever changing world of technology one must adapt to survive, but the beauty of artwork created by hand is irreplaceable.

I find it very refreshing that Disney has revisited its past with the creation of The Princess and the Frog. This has been Disney's first hand drawn animation since 2004. Since the release of Toy Story in 1995, CGI has become the norm amongst various animation studios. While I do not think there is anything wrong with computer animated films, I do feel that 2D animation needs to be resurrected. The beauty of hand drawn animation should be more than a nostalgic past time, hopefully this trend will continue for Disney's future animations as well.