Despite having interesting topics to write about, there comes a time when whatever I type looks and feels uninspired. When that happens, I visit the online abodes of my favorite artists. The team stumbles upon new sites and artists often, and that’s what You! Be Inspired! is all about! We hope you enjoy these creative folks as much as we do!
You’ll never look at literary and historical figures the same way when you read Kate Beaton’s well-loved comic, Hark! A Vagrant. The artist’s simple drawings paired with witty lines are always fun to read. Her hand-drawn comics do not have that overly-edited look, making them easy to read.
We believe that one should always have access to any form of art. Katrine Knauer has been helpful enough to collect photos of architecture, store fronts, exhibits, and public art in Barcelona. Take a look at more of her photos and check out your local art scene, too!
Get your fill of graphic design topics, from tried-and-tested techniques to relatively new practices. 100 Ideas that Changed Graphic Design by Steven Heller is one we’re thinking of adding to our growing “library” here at the office!
Most of the graphic designers I know started with fan art. Anyone who says otherwise is lying. The Internet is teeming with fan-made art, and sometimes they become more interesting than the original material. Check out this video about how the fan art community is one of the most active and creative online.
Speaking of fan art, you may have heard of Rule 63. It’s part of the Rules of the Internet, and it states that “for any given male character, there exists a female character” and vice versa. It’s interesting to see how artistic different fandoms get when it comes to creating designs for this rule. Gender-swapping is a good illustration exercise for beginners who’ve yet to come up with their own characters and stories.
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Ever wondered how other creatives arrange their workspaces? Where They Draw is a blog that posts photos of tools and spaces used by artists. Take a look at the site and see if your desk has the cluttered-but-still-organized look like some of the ones featured there!
See your favorite heroes in Helvetica form! Rene Mambembe used the popular typeface to portray some of the most popular heroes in pop culture. Which hero in alphabet form is your favorite?
We hope you enjoyed this week’s roundup of inspiring work. Send us your creative designs and get a chance to be featured in one of our weekly inspiration roundups! You can also add us up on Facebook and Twitter for more updates on our latest You! Be Inspired! compilations.