There’s More to that Design

There is so much more to design than what meets the eye. As designers and creators, we know that plain old aesthetics aren't enough, and often feel obligated to "improve" on what has been created before us. We may even get a little defensive when questioned, because we know that the quality of our work speaks for itself.

However, this mindset can be dangerous; it makes us lazy and complacent in our own abilities as designers. In order to remain satisfied in our work, we must be actively challenging ourselves, being daring and innovative.

And it is not only the quantity of ideas that we produce, but also the quality of them. There is nothing more important than making well-designed things; this is what makes us designers. And if we can't produce well-designed things, how can we call ourselves designers? Sure there are those who label themselves "doodlers" or "illustrators," but these are nobody's definition of a designer.

In advertising design there is a tendency to focus too much on aesthetics and less on function. Over the years this has resulted in cliche, useless and boring ads. But other fields of design are much more willing to step outside the rules and explore new solutions, and in this way take risks.

All designers must constantly be thinking about what they can do better, or differently. Even when they aren't aiming to create groundbreaking work, they should be making their designs as smart, simple or clean as possible. Doing things badly is not the same as doing nothing at all!

The best thing is to keep refining your work and always striving for perfection; some of your best ideas may come from mistakes you don't even realize you've made. We will never improve if we don't challenge ourselves every now and then.

Graphic design is a fine art, and the more we strive to improve at it, the better we will become. But in order to move forward we must embrace the individuality that defines us. There is no one else like you, and there is no reason why your work can't be as good as anyone else's. Don't let yourself be limited by what has been done before you.

And remember that sometimes the best designs are not even designed!

The author of this article is Kirill Eremenko. Kirill is a web designer, creative coder and founder of LAMP: a free online design school to learn and teach design.  

GAUGUIN PAINTING CHRISTIANITY VS HINDUISM

The Hindu philosophy has in common with the Christian belief that all human beings are equal, that they are entrusted by their respective gods with the duty of preserving their common good. But the Hindu faith has not supported the same humanistic revolution the Christians have made, whether in the political or social domain. Hinduism demands from its followers mysticism or ascetic practices; it does not tolerate individual reform. Hinduism has accepted the institution of caste, which is the source of a great deal of social injustice to this day. The Hindu religion accepts those inequality in society as the will of their gods, and the existence of castes is not likely to disappear unless by force. (GUGUIN)

MICHELANGELO SURVIVED SIXTEEN YEARS IN THE BAGLIONI PRISON

Michelangelo was born in 1475 and died in 1564 at the age of 89. During his long life, he made many achievements: His artworks included sculptures, paintings and architectural designs; he is also one of the most celebrated painters in history. He worked with Pope Julius II in painting St. Peter's Basilica, and the fresco 'The Last Judgment' on the altar wall. For this work he was imprisoned in Castel Sant'Angelo by Pope Julius II, who was afraid of Michelangelo leaving Rome with this fresco as he had done with a previous unfinished project of the pope. When released, he continued working on it for ten years.

When Michelangelo was young, none could imagine that one day he would be famous. Michelangelo was born in a family of artisans: His father worked as a goldsmith and his mother as a wool weaver. The family was poor but talented; many members learned painting and sculpture skills from masters in Florence. In 1488, Michelangelo was only 13 when he was apprenticed to Domenico Ghirlandaio, an acclaimed fresco painter of Florence. His work was mainly to assist in painting in the workshop, grind the colors and carry the heavy buckets of plaster. The master-apprentice relationship between Domenico and Michelangelo quickly progressed into that of a friendship. Ghirlandaio often recommended his apprentice to other artists, who were short of assistants or journeymen.

During this apprenticeship period, Michelangelo learned many skills from his master and fellow painters. His artistic education was enriched through his knowledge of painting and all the arts. While working for Ghirlandaio, he became familiar with the works of masters like Leonardo da Vinci and Domenico Ghirlandaio, from which he learned new techniques in perspective. His master also loved to teach young artists and encouraged Michelangelo to speak up during conversations, an exceptional experience for a young artist who usually kept quiet so as not to fail his master's eyes.

Michelangelo received many orders from visiting noble Florentine families which he took seriously, but under the advice of his friend Cimabue, who believed that art should serve a good cause, he turned down many commissions. He also turned down other commissions from the Medici family and powerful guilds in Florence. Cimabue's influence made a profound impression on Michelangelo, who was to become the most famous artist of his time.

In 1489, when Michelangelo was 20, he became partner of an important workshop with Ghirlandaio. Together they worked on a number of commissions and produced many masterpieces. In 1440, Michelangelo made his first public appearance in Florence at the wedding between Lorenzo il Magnifico and Bona of Savoy – this was during Pope Sixtus IV's stay in Florence. However he gave up architecture and painting at a young age to dedicate himself to sculpture.

In 1499, Michelangelo was invited by the Pope to Rome where his artworks received much appreciation. In 1502, he was asked to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel for Pope Julius II . He later moved to work in several other countries, such as France, Spain and Germany.

Michelangelo is one of the greatest artists that have ever lived. Without his creative mind and dedication, the statues which have become a symbol of Rome's artistic excellence would not exist. Through his work he has shown us that a single individual or group can change our world (if their vision aligns with ours).

Michelangelo's life was plagued with ups and downs but this did not stop him from achieving what he has done.

Conclusion

Michelangelo has been an example for many artists in the world. Even though he was born into a poor family, by sheer hard work and dedication, he became one of the best artists in the world. He did not run away from his responsibilities and kept working on his projects till completion. He had a vision and stuck to it. Today, we still have his masterpieces all around us. His works inspire us to look at our own life and work towards achieving success through hard work.