Request Cud - Living In The Past

Feeling quite weak after not eating yesterday (because I had to go to x-ray today). I couldn't get much sleep either. I practically can't watch the screen so it's not the most promising working day today.

I was asked to give a lecture on colours in one event in September. Not sure thing yet, but I'm quite excited.

Actually I'm a bit over-excited right now just about everything. What will the doctor say about my x-ray images, am I able to finish my late projects in time next week, what will Mikko say about my first sketches for kite exhibition, will I get one project I truly truly wish to make... And most of all: will we go visit Iceland next autumn - to see lighthouses there. Jeez. The latter one is the biggest one of all: I've wanted to visit Iceland as long as I remember. We'll know about the situation for sure on the last day of January but still there is almost eight months pure anxioty left - these trips can always be cancelled...

Got to go to get some rest.

New Young Pony Club - Bomb

Where I did put my train tickets from Tampere SARV mission a few weeks ago? I know they are *somewhere* safe, but where that safe is, no one knows. I should send them and get my money. I made the SARV layout proposals yesterday but I wasn't quite satisfied with them.

And speaking of layouts: I had another look to the layouts I made for dancers. I'm so not satidfied with them either. HOW BORING CAN THEY BE? Where was my mind? Luckily, they have to solve some fundamental issues before proceeding with the project which gives me some time to improve my work. I started making some changes and updates already.

--- Oh /&(/¤(/¤###! Today I receided **three** emails complaining that the information they sent to me was not seen on the net site. These were separate messages about different projects but the reason was the same: the information is correct and updated on the net but the viewers hadn't emptied their browser cache. It was quite hard to write them back friendly... I don't mind helping people with this cache thing but things can be said in so many different ways. Expecially one of the messages was so andry and blaming me about not doing my job. It would have made me sad if it hadn't made me mad.

Foo Fighters - Breakout

Väristyksiä colour exhibition has started touring around Finland. Right now it has been opened at Children's Culture Center Villa Arttu at Hyvinkää (Kankurinkatu 4-6). The exhibition is open each day 12-16 until April 15, 2006. The exhibition itself is a compact version of the exhibition that was shown at The Craft Museum of Finland last summer.

Some feedback from Savi-M. They like the front page but the product images should be displayed in some other way. They also don't like the off-white background because it's too boring, instead they suggested f.ex. tiled texture background of their logo or light blue background. I'm willing to continue with the latter one of the options...

SARV layouts are due today and I have a total crisis right now. Where are all the ideas?

U2 - Until The End of The World

Yesterday I finished the demo site for Savi-M. It's so long long long time ago I last used the invisible gif tricks but now I had to. There must be a better solution for making the imagemap effect but somehow my brain just refused to get it. I had to place the fantasy image of the opening site as the background image; I tried to make div layer hot spots upon it but I failed. So, I was tired to fight with the problem and made an easy solution: transparent gif. Only, the good old 1x1 didn't work, I had to make the exact size. Oh, old times... nostalgia.

Today I've been making paper works for Live Herring and Spirited Herring. Not really enjoying nut somebody's gotta do it...

Alvar Aalto Foundation + The Craft Museum of Finland + The Arts Council of Central Finland

Goose - Low Mode

Nerd / Desktop image (close up) - this and other weird desk top wallpapers are downloadable at www.esnips.com/web/desktopimages

Savi-M liked my fantasy layout so much that they are going to use the image in their invitation to craft fair... The site is on its way.

I won't be making Alvar Aalto Design Seminar site this year! I just couldn't make any time to visit Helsinki in January (due to my tight schedule and to my back aches which prevent me from pretty much getting anywhere) and suggested that the organizers would find another maker. This was more of relief than lost this time as I have projects nearly too much right now. Although it's always a great experience to work with a well known and awarded graphic artist (in this case Aimo Katajamäki), in a way it's also a bit difficult as I see me more as a graphic artist myself than a coder. But still I'm kind of sad even though I know that this is far most the best solution - I've made the Design Seminar sites from the beginning.

Elina from Opuskirjat informed me that the drawing book cover is about to be printed soon. They asked me in which format my name should be printed in copyright page but my input in the design of the coverpage is so minimal that it would feel strange to see my name on the cover. I made the concept of "a collage cover" with red outlines but there's so big difference in my suggestion and the final cover that I really don't think I should be credited for it.

I'm so not in the working mode right now. I'm going to skip the rest of the day...

Green on Red - Reverend Luther

Jan 15 07 / Web page of photographer Maija Holma [www.kolumbus.fi/naulasaari]

The mail man just loves to bring me bills. Grrr.

Projects are all late, I know, I know. Wish I didn't.

Today has been the day of "could you put this online today asap thank you" -messages - accompanied with a attachments that could employ about ten people for one week. It's makes me so frustrated sometimes when, after years of collaboration, the same wondering of "this is just a small project" comes up. I wouldn't like to explain for the millionth time how and why it takes so much time.

But I've also received a lot work offers too this week. It always makes you feel good, but at this time (c:ter still at the repair shop) it also makes me a bit unsure. I love the ideas of these projects that I've been offered and I really would like to accept them. I'll have to answer them something.

Yesterday I visited Säynätsalo Town Hall (by Alvar Aalto) for the first time. We had a meeting about Säynätsalo new pages. I've already made a basic layout and it's accepted. Now it's only question about content and some slight modifications.

Layouts for dancers came out wild and strange, layouts for SARV are on their way. Papiina just contacted about a major update in following weeks, Taito Shop site is under construction as well as Savi-M with which both I am going to continue working today. After having a small break. Right now.

Out of songs

At last Wednesday I was at SARV (The Finnish Critics Association) meeting at Tampere and when I came back my computer refused to work. The same problem that I had one month ago. Unbelievable! I took it to the c:ter doctor on Thursday but I've heard nothing yet. I'm late with all the project as if it wasn't broken because it took me so long time to install everything as it was.... I'm a bit devostated.

And this has nothing to do with my frustation: I've totally broke my printer too. I actually hit it with my chair (accidentally... really!) and the feed stand broke a bit. I have to invited some kind of patent to hold up my papers as I print.

Any way, I have my Little Silver II (laptop) here and she helps me through the difficult times :) I've made some updates and such but most of all: Maija's site is almost finished. It still has some small adjustments and some images missing but rightnow it feels really good. It let's me remove one of the post-its hanging on my wall (and leaves only about 30 most essential projects...)

Nada Surf - Popular

Today I've tried to get rid of all my small projects that seem never ending. Those small things that won't take more than quater hour to do but which somehow end up hanging for half a year. F.ex. it has been over two months since I gave a course in JAO and it was today I finally could drag myself to give them grades for their projects. Not a good teacher. Little ol' me. A bit shamed.

I received some images from dancers for their website. I'll try to finish the layouts before Wednesday - which gives me... a whole day. Geez.

It's not the projects themselves but the time table that makes my heart beat a little faster sometimes. I've try to left some empty space in my calendar and I try to think rationally but somehow it always keeps coming back as endless hurrying. ASAP is one of the words I use the most. Which is terrifying.

+ updates: Gallery Becker, The Craft Museum of Finland, Alvar Aalto Foundation & The Arts Council of Central Finland

Art Brut - Nag Nag Nag Nag

Savi-M people really liked my fantasy front page design! I made some adjustments for basic layout due to their wishes and I'm hoping to start coding the project next week. This is one of the projects I had planned to finish before x-mas so I truly wish that I could get it online asap.

I'm a bit anxious about the book cover project for Opus publications. I just can't handle the thing. Today I sent my last version which is done upon their suggestion (which was a version of my suggestion etc) - let's see what they like about that one.

I received lot of material from Mikko from Craftmuseum for the kite exhibition illustration project. It got me totally freezed for a moment. It's always like that when you start something new. Well, not something new, but something with bigger scale than never before and a bit tight schedule. I print the material out and I will start illustration sketches while wathing the Idols tonight... Something light minded for light minded. I'm not too worried though. Yesterday I drew a lot (sketches for the dragon kite) and really liked the outcome even though I still have small problems with aligning the elements in effective and dynamic positions.

Inno Foorumi project reminded me the day before yesterday about the blog I should set up for them. There's also a blog for Väri07 project on which I started working today.
+ updates: The Arts Council of Central Finland, Riiminka, Gallery Becker, Alvar Aalto Foundation & The Craft Museum of Finland

Automatic - Raoul

Last night I made a sort of fantasy collage based front page layout for Savi-M. I just opened the layout again and I still like - but it's kind of radical and some what unconvential layout for a ceramic artist. I just hope the client likes it too - that it isn't too much over the limits. Excited...

I've also made some illustration bases for the dragon kite. I have to get them finished even though there are tons of unfinished (paying) work waiting.

A Hawk and A Hacksaw - In The River

[Taidemajakka.fi released Oct 29]

Managing the little stuff off my virtual desk - like writing the 'read me' files and all for the Taidemajakka project which was published over two months ago...

Yesterday evening I got yet another one request for offer from one craft artist / dyer. I sent her my offer and it seems that we'll start to make a new site soon. Nice!

I got my Illustrator fixed! Now it works! SO fascinating how the poor line arts can be converted to sassy looking vector art... Played with some photoshop actions also.

I've spent the whole day by making layouts for Savi-M, coding Maija's webpage and making some small adjustments here and there. Some new appointments in my calendar (which somehow always opens to show me the first week of June... ) Missing summer here.

Tuxedomoon – The Ghost Sonata

Jieee - a new year, new thoughts. Well, not exactly. I've continued to work with projects I started last year.

Yesterday I pre-coded the Väri07 site. Still some test using (even though it's really small page) and setting up a blog with the same outlook.
Today I sent some layouts of Säynätsalo (the link leads to their current site, not mine). We'll have a meeting soon about how to proceed...

+ Some updates to Alvar Aalto Foundation and The Craft Museum of Finland.
---

I've actually not been feeling very well. Cold and wet weather got me in the beginning of December and since then I've been a bit... My back has ached the whole time and sometimes it's hard to walk. I try to avoid to go out to the cold and windy weather - so actually there is nothing else in my life at the moment than work and tv. No wild benji jumping experiences this time.

But... getting better. I just can't wait when I'll have some time to open my Grease luxury DVD package and start the sing-along/dance-along session. ¬_¬