A = Antelope

This is the original letter, I used an A because I thought it would be easy to think of ideas for this letter. My first sketch was an A for Apple, but I didn't like this so I started again using an antelope as my idea. I gave my A ears, antlers and hooves to show this . After i had sketched this, I went over it in a black fine liner and scanned it onto the computer. Using Adobe Illustrator, I used the live trace tool and the live paint tool so that I was able to edit the letter.
I made the outline of the 'A' a dark brown so that it blended in more. For the hooves and the antlers I used the linear gradient tool, this was used so that they looked more 3D and gave the impression of a shadow. For the fur I used the radial gradient tool to give it texture and to make it resemble an antelope more.
   I liked my design as it looks simple in sense of the shape and idea, however by using these tools it looks effective and animal like. Overall, I am very pleased with this, but I could have used more detail on it and spent more time on it.

Quicksand

Quicksand- Andrew Paglinawan

This font was created by Andrew Paglinawan in 2008.
Quicksand falls under the contemporary category, it is also sans serif.
I like this font as it is practical, and also quite iformal due to the letters being rounded.

Dare to be.

I used photoshop to create this piece.
The first thing I did was find and image of Taylor swift, I decided to use this one.
I then carefully went around her using the polygon lasso tool to get rid of the background, so that I was left with just Taylor Swift, this was then transferred onto the pink/purple background. Using the burn tool, I darkened her hair and dress, I also used this to make her lips a darker red. I darken her eyes and eye make-up using the burn tool and the clone stamp tool. To change the colour of her skin, I used the dodge tool, this gave it a 'glowing' look. After this I duplicated the edited Taylor and moved two ether side of her, I then changed the opacity level, the two closest to her are 45%, the following 20%. The text 'Dare to be.' is used 8 times on this piece, 6 of which have a gradient on them so that they blend more into the background. The next one is plane black, this is the one that is at the side of her head, I changed the opacity on this to 80% so that it was less visible.  The Last one is a pale pink, I used this as it went with the colour scheme of the background, this rests of her shoulders. 
I then decided to add 4 triangles, which I created by using the the Polygon Lasso tool, I coloured them purple and changed the opacity of them to 15% so that they were hardly noticeable, I place one in the top left corner and one in the right, The other two create a diamond shape in the middle of the piece. 
I used the phrase 'Dare to be.' as in dare to be different, which is shown through Taylor Swift having a different hair colour and eye colour, also through showing her with 'heavier' make-up, by giving her dark eyeliner/eye shadow and deep red lips. This is unlike her usual girly character, with bubbly blonde hair and hardly any make-up.

Mind

This medallion is part of a project called Grow by Andreas Preis, who is a German illustrator . 
Andreas uses a mixture of animal illustrations, mosaics, patterns and typography in his work to make them Unique and inspiring. 95% of the piece was done by hand, using fine-liners and pencils. The colour and structures were then added later using photoshop. 
I like this piece because it's simple, however it is really effective and imaginative.

Journal Font- Fontourist

Journal- Fontourist

This font was created by 'Fontourist' in 2005. The Font falls under the the handwritten, Calligraphic categary, and is classed as Handdrawn. I like this Font as it is 'quirky' and fun, it is also quite casual, which is shown by the hand drawn effect.

Roberto Blake

This work is done by Roberto Blake, who is a freelance graphic designer and digital artist from Brooklyn, New York. Roberto uses Photoshop and InDesign for most of his work. 
These are some of his pieces. 'Catch you if I can', 'Celestial Being', 'Dance Puppet Dance' and 'Raven Dawn 2'.
Raven Dawn 2, the last image, uses quotes from the poem 'The Raven' - Edgar Alan Poe, which puts a very modern twist on an old poem. Roberto uses this kind of idea throughout his work, giving them all a very modern look.

'In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore.
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door -
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door -
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
`Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, `art sure no craven.
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore -
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!'Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

Thoms

This was done by a street artist 'Thoms'
http://www.thoms.it/index.php
I like his work because it's over the top and 'weird'. Everything is over exaggerated and out of proportion, which I think makes his work special.