Official Frostixa : 2015

Andree Wallin is a digital artist that I have been following for years now. I have communicated with him online and have learned a lot about art direction, matte paintings, set extensions, colour pallettes etc. I stay updated on all of his latest works as each new piece is inspiring. Not only is he great in my eyes, however he has even worked on many famous projects. A solid example of one of his most publicized pieces was the movie Oblivion. He designed many of the concepts arts and posters for the film. I write this post in his honor as I believe his work deserves more attention.

"Andree Wallin is a concept artist and producer working mainly with commercials and films with an expertise in concept/pre-vis art as well as high-end promo art such as movie posters, magazine covers and billboards. Clients include Universal, Warner Bros., Disney, Digital Domain, MPC, Blur, Legendary Pictures etc." - Pulled from Andree's "About Me" page on his website.

Some examples of Andree's pieces:

Check out more on his online portfolio/website: http://andreewallin.com/

//Frostixa

Vscocam is a great alternative to Instagram when it comes to online photo sharing. It takes on a more professional approach and takes away the like and comment system implemented in Instagram. It's focus is simply on the photos. I appreciate that because as Instagram continues it's life it is becoming more and more of a popularity contest. It's not even about the photos anymore, it's simply a visual Facebook of nonsense at times. Not that the new direction is a bad one, however for those who take photography a little more seriously and seek inspiriation it's not a good community to go to.

Vscocam allows you to create, edit, and display photos in a grid system. It's as if you are posting your photos to a virtual museum for others to browse. You shoot images with an advanced UI that includes camera controls such as manual focus, shutter speed, white balance and exposure compenation. Then you sync the images and edit photos in a streamlined workflow. All images you edit go to a virtual cloud based library that can be accessed on any device that can sign into Vscocam (PC and mobile). You edit photos with various filters and effects. Vscocam is known for a washed out, low contrast style... commonly referred to as "vintage" or "hipster" style. It's a photography style that allows for anyone to look good and any image to appear professional thanks to literally cutting out half the spectrum. Once you are done editing you upload it to your profile and share it.

A unique and fun feature to Vscocam is the explore options. You can find inspiration on their "Vsco Grid" and "Vsco Journal." They include journal articles, photography tutorials, inspiration, both famous and amature photographers, and images from around the globe.

For more information visit http://vsco.co/vscocam
Check out my VSCO at http://frostixa.vsco.co/grid/1

//Frostixa

Ever wanted a convieniant and fun way to share what you are working on with others? How about in a full blown online community environment, where you can get advice from others too? All of this can be found on Dribbble. It's an online website that is full of designers answering eachother questions each day. Web designers, graphic designers, illustrators, icon artists, typographers, logo designers, and other creative types share small screenshots (more simply called shots) that showcase their past works, process and current projects. Dribbble is an excellent creative outlook that is worth mentioning on this blog.

https://dribbble.com/

On Dribbble you create a profile that can include your name, a little background info and a small bio. You can also link to your other websites and provide contact information so you can be called upon for freelance work as well. Your page will include thumbnails to your works that can be clicked on and expanded. It provides a great overview for your work for others to see.

Upon clicking on an image you are then provided with extra information. This is where Dribbble is excellent. You can gather an images colour palette, learn more about the image with the description box, view the tags used on the image (so you can find similar images for more inspiration), share the image and even view more by the artist.

Therefore combining the elements of community and a love for arts, Dribbble is an excellent online source that everyone who enjoys digital arts should jump onto.

As an added bonus here is a great example of a profile that consists of top quality content, done by a fellow classmate:

https://dribbble.com/ProfessorAnanth

//Frostixa

The Nvidia Shield Tablet is one of my favourite new companions, as it's an incredibly powerful and versatle piece of tech. Creatively it's useful for music production, photography and digital arts. It features a Tegra K1-optimized processor, an 8-inch 1920x1200 screen, GRID service streamed games, Nvidia Direct Stylus 2 and so much more (For full specs refer to the bottom of this post). In this blog post I will be going over the apps I use on the Shield and why I find it so useful from a creative perspective.

Music Production

The Nvidia shield features a micro USB port and thanks to MIDI support, you can use any MIDI device right on the tablet. This means I can use my Oxygen 61 MIDI keyboard through my Shield Tablet. This process is completely portable, with no wall sockets necessary. This is thanks to the tablet being powerful enough to run the necessary software and hardware on it's own power/battery. I can also plug in my DJ controllers and mix/produce music anywhere I go. Essentially anything that is MIDI can work and from a musical perspective this comes incredibly handy as you can produce anywhere you go.

Key Software: Fl Studio Mobile, Perfect Piano, Soundcloud

Photography

Thanks to the usb port you can also plug any camera you own directly into the tablet. This means on the go all I need to bring is my DSLR and my light weight tablet. I take photos, transfer them to the tablet and then edit/share them. The stylus comes in handy when editing photos as well. There is software on the Google Play Store that also allows you to wireless connect to your camera from the tablet and control it as well, making for some interesting artistic possibilities.

Key Software: Pixlr, Snapseed, Instagram, Vscocam, Lightroom Mobile, PS Touch

Digital Arts

The Nvidia Shield Tablet features a powerful Tegra-accelerated stylus technology. It is a super sensitive, low latency digital pen that features a complex design. The pen itself is regular plastic with an angled rubber tip, however the magic is in the software and algorithms calculated by the Tegra core. The Shield Tablet can differentiate between the stylus and your finger, allowing you to rest you palm on the screen while drawing. Direct Stylus 2 can also detect pressure sensitivity, through measuring the contact point and how much the tip deforms against the screen. Nvidia also bundles the powerful Dabbler art software that is created exclusively for this stylus and technology, for free with the tablet.

Key Software: Nvidia Dabbler, Artflow, Autodesk Sketchbook, Infinite Painter

At a price point of just $299 this tablet from just a creative stand point is incredible. However when you throw in it's powerful gaming capabilities I havn't even discussed and how well-rounded it is; you can't help but admit the Nvidia Shield Tablet is a steal.

//Frostixa

Image courtesy of Nvidia.

Nvidia Shield Tablet Specs

Processor	NVIDIA^® Tegra^® K1 192 core Kepler GPU 2.2 GHz ARM Cortex A15 CPU with 2 GB RAM
Display	8-inch 1920x1200 multi-touch Full-HD display
Video Features	4K Ultra-HD Ready
Audio	Front facing stereo speakers with built-in microphone
Storage*	32 GB (WiFi+4G LTE) / 16 GB (WiFi-only)
Wireless	802.11n 2x2 MIMO 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 LE, GPS / GLONASS, 4G LTE (Optional)
Interfaces	Mini-HDMI output, Micro-USB 2.0, MicroSD slot 3.5 mm stereo headphone jack with microphone support
SIM Card	Micro-SIM
Motion Sensors	3-axis gyro, 3-axis accelerometer, 3-axis compass
Gaming Features	SHIELD controller compatible NVIDIA GRID^™ game streaming service NVIDIA Share NVIDIA GameStream^™ Console Mode Gamepad Mapper
Cameras	Front: 5MP HDR; Back: 5MP auto-focus HDR
Weight and Size	Weight: 13.7 oz / 390 g, Height: 8.8 in / 221 mm Width: 5.0 in / 126 mm, Depth: 0.36 in / 9.2 mm

Stylus	DirectStylus™ 2 with 3D Paint (Included)
Software Updates	SHIELD software upgrades directly from NVIDIA
Battery	19.75 Watt Hours
Operating System	Android Lollipop OS
Included Apps	Google Play, NVIDIA SHIELD Hub,Trine 2: Complete Story Multi language Handwriting Recognition, NVIDIA Dabbler^™ JusWrite, Evernote, Adobe Reader, Camera Awesome
Cellular Connectivity	North America: Unlocked (compatible with AT&T, please check bands supported) LTE, HSPA+, 3G, 2G, GSM, EDGE Outside-North America: Unlocked (please check bands supported) LTE, HSPA+, 3G, 2G, GSM, EDGE
Cellular Bands	North America: LTE: Bands 2,4,5,7,17 (1900, 1700, 850, 2600, 700) HSPA+: Bands 1,2,4,5 (2100, 1900, 1700, 850) Outside-North America: LTE: Bands 1,3,7,20 (2100, 1800, 2600, 800) HSPA+: Bands 1,2,5,8 (2100, 1900, 850, 900) In certain regions, band 1 and voice support are enabled

This past week I had some extra free time, so I felt like pulling out the old midi keyboard and playing some melodies. The beauty of having a midi keyboard is the ability to adjust the sound that is outputted to virtually anything you can imagine. This is due to the audio being generated through a computer and not by the keyboard itself. For more information on which midi keyboard I use or the feature set it has, please refer to my other blog post "Tools and Software." I'll list a couple melodies I've been working on and practicing within this post.

Keyboard Melodies

The following video is a melody I've been practicing. That is most known for it's pivatol role within the kingdom hearts series. As it is present in every game of the series.

Kingdom Hearts - Dearly Beloved by Yōko Shimomura

The next audio clip is a mash up of a couple melodies I have been practicing from various games, that I recorded during a single session. One of the melodies within is something random I came up with during the session. I'll list the melodies in order of when they appear.

Legend of Zelda - The Lost Woods by Koji Kondo

Random melody I played --------------------------------------

Kingdom Hearts - Riku's Theme by Yōko Shimomura

Dark Cloud 2 - Battle for the Future by Tomohito Nishiura

//Frostixa

I’m like a chameleon when it comes to photography, as I experiment with many different styles. My favourites are macro, candid, food, night, and lo-fi. The primary photography tools I utilize are my DSLR (A Nikon D3100), and Photoshop. Every day I see opportunities to capture moments with my camera, and I absolutely love editing photos. The freedom you have with all the various effects you can achieve is incredible. I’ll go over my favourite photography styles in more detail, including some examples I’ve taken.

Macro Photography

Macro photography consists of extremely close-up shots. Usually taken of objects that are small in size. Essentially the goal is to have the object dominate more than 50% of the frame. Achieving a solid depth of field effect is key to creating a great macro shot. You want the background to be blurred, causing the focused object to pop in extreme detail. Lighting is also very important as always with photography. It’s sometimes difficult to get proper lighting between the subject and the lens, as the lens occasionally casts a shadow. A good overhead light is key to prevent this issue.

Candid Photography

This is my favourite style when it comes to social gatherings. Being able to capture people in the moment without preparation allows for completely natural photos. It allows people to appear relaxed and feel at ease, showing their true colours within the photo. In my opinion it’s one of the purest forms of photography as you are capturing life as it happens.

Food Photography

Simple still life shots of food. It consists of selective focus on tilted plates with good and extreme close ups. You can make food look incredibly appealing through this form or even make one of their stand out features more prominent. A strong depth of field is a good trick to use to make food pop off plate more. Bright lighting can cause food to sparkle making it more appetizing as well.

Night Photography

Night photography is exactly what it’s called. Photos taken outdoors between dusk and dawn. This allows for the choice of artificial light, long exposure etc. You can get some really unique effects at night such as light paintings.

Lo-Fi Photography

Recently one of the upcoming trends in the photography world is lo-fi photography. This is partially due to Instagram popularizing retro filters. Lo-fi means low-fidelity and refers to giving the impression of low quality. Such as toy cameras or pinhole cameras. It’s very stylistic, and acts as reminder of how easy it is to create perfect photos today in the digital age; as back then it was not uncommon to have plenty of noise present in photos due to technical limitations.

//Frostixa

Since as long as I can remember I've been interested in the arts. However the one that always stood out the most to me is music. I love listening to, producing and studying it. I find a life without music would be a difficult and sad one. It’s what gets me through each day and depending on which genre I listen to, it can motivate me as well. This is why I’ve chosen to delve deeper into it. I’ll share a condensed version of how I design a track in this blog post.

[Refer to my other blog post about tools and software for more information on what I use to produce.]

The key to producing music is to stay organized and create a plan of attack before you begin. Find your inspiration and think of a story you’d like to tell. If you focus too hard on the technicality of sound, you’ll lose the emotional aspect. This is why it’s important to envision some sort of world or situation and create sounds that tie with it. In my eyes if a listener is not engaged within the first 10 seconds they'll most likely change songs, so make it interesting! Producing in this mindset allows you to maintain a set direction and not stray off the goal.

Once you decide upon what story you’d like to tell, the next step is to design the track. A good workflow I like to use involves drawing out the song before I begin. I'll usually start with the orchestral strings and lay out the foundation. Afterward adding in the percussion and bass. Once the mood and overall structure is set I begin to draw out the details. Little things such as sound effects and noise to create and add suspense to the songs. Once the orchestral layer is completed I being to overlay the electronic parts. Synthesizers, samples, voice clips and those bass drops that seem to be so popular these days.

After the song is completed the task is not yet completed! Mastering is the most important part of sound design, as it divides the good from the bad. Even if you have produced something incredible, if it sounds muddy and distorted no one will want to listen. The key to a good master is to create a professional sound-stage and have crystal clear sound. You want the listeners to feel comfortable with headphones and not squint their eyes or mute the volume. Mastering is done through various programs, and is simply performed through the adjustments of the equalizer, volume spectrum and limiters.

Once mastering has been completed it's time to save, export and share the song with the world!

//Frostixa

I suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder; which is an anxiety based disorder that includes intrusive thoughts, repetitive behaviours, and general obsessions. Utilizing OCD to my advantage and learning how to wield it effectively allows me to focus hard and not miss any details in my life. Most consider it a downfall or an "issue," the key is to take a step out of the shadow of negatives and into the light. I find it to be a blessing as it allows me to achieve my maximum potential through extreme brain power. Yes there are odd side effects, but the key is to put a positive spin on everything. The following are some examples of what I deal with and how they can be of aid in my life.

It gives me a touch of perfectionism. Things must be aligned, proper and respect the boundaries set in place. For example when working on school projects I will not be satisfied 'till things are 100% completed and done properly. I enjoy being proud of my completed works and feel embarrassed to share anything that hasn't had all my heart and soul poured into it.

I have an obsession over being clean and tidy. This leads to extreme organization and a spotless working environment.

I constantly check things repeatedly. You will find me looking around a lot at the floor, the ceiling, myself, others, my items etc. I'm constantly evaluating my surroundings and I take notes of every subtle movement. This ties back with perfectionism and placement. Things have to be in the right places or I begin to stress over them and proceed to fix them. I'm sure most of my classmates notice me take my glasses off and put them back on... over and over. This is because if they are not 100% comfortable I have to adjust them. It drives me absolutely insane having to constantly move them but I cannot help myself. Checking has led me to have an excellent sense of awareness and never forget the little things like leaving the door unlocked.

I count and arrange things obsessively. In elementary school they could not have the clocks up on the walls as I would always count every second and plan the next minute, half hour, hour, day etc. Always thinking of my next move and attempting to perceive what would occur around me next. It would drive me insane. Now I wear a watch and even though I check it almost every minute, I've gotten better at controlling my obsession. Counting has led me to never be late for anything. Period. As well as incredible planning and efficiency.

Now I'm not a washer like most assume because I have OCD. So I don't wash my hands like a mad man. Though I do hate contamination, and will proceed to clean myself off instantly if I get dirty. This is good as I rarely get sick, due to being clean.

I doubt things a lot. I'm afraid things won't be perfect or done correctly. When working on group projects at school you'll find me constantly question the quality of our work, rehearsing and attempting to improve it at all costs. Things have to go 100% smoothly or I start to get headaches.

Tapping and motions... this annoys those around me I know for a fact. I can't stay still so something has to be moving. However I move not because I want to but because I have a compulsion to. The more I move, the more I can focus my brain on the tasks. It helps clear my thoughts because if I don't move it's as if my brain gets clouded and I begin to battle a war within my mind. This can allow for extreme focus when necessary.

The last thing and most irritating for me is thought intrusion. There will be times where I am thinking about something and then a random thought pops in. Something I don't want to think about but it gets stuck. So I then have to fight the thought out of my mind and it can drive me insane. I've had horrible timing during tests with it. I will be doing math and write down a number, for example "7." Then when I move onto the next questions that "7" sticks with me and from there on in it finds its way into every equation for no reason. So I need to fight the thought and push it out. The only time this comes in handy is when I have to memorize or remember something.

So there you have it! I "suffer" from involuntary, seemingly uncontrollable thoughts, images and deal with impulses. But I've found ways to accept them and use them to my advantage.

//Frostixa

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