Adobe Illustrator: Designs for Menu and Advertisment

These two designs below are my some of the first assignments we did for Graphic Design. We had to make a menu and an ad using Adobe Illustrator. I never knew how to use Adobe Illustrator before until I took this class.  I found the tools in Illustrator are more handy and specified. It is not like Photoshop which allows someone to do more of photo editing. In Illustrator, we could not use it for photo-editing.

The idea of the restaurant is an urban-setting European-fusion cafe. It has to look simple and chic. With the design of the menu, I could definitely see a very cozy monotone architecture with black and white as the colours that dominate the furniture.

The second design is to make an advertisement of an invented-company. As I love creating, designing, writing, my company is a designing company. The idea of the design was inspired by the design for a better life poster (it is on my two previous posts). My professor said it is s really good and attention-getter design. The message is clear.  "We design what you want". The second important thing that has to be appealing is the name of the company, which is ink and print. As we all know, as every company moves toward digital era, all we need is just the website address of the company and its motto -- right below the company name.  The services are the block on the left-top. It is the third message that is wanted to be delivered in the ad.

Using Illustrator is really easy, however there are so many different techniques that can be used for one particular object. It is the role of designer to practice and make themselves comfortable with different tools in Adobe Illustrator.

When Words Meet Design

You all know that I a am very visual person yet I love to play with words.I was making my Indonesian Sosro Jasmine Tea when I thought about these words. I really like the strong scent of the teabag. I opened the drawer and it's nicely stung my nose. Right away, I think about parallelism. Something that is parallel with the soft jasmine petals and the sensation  -- one's lips, a kiss. 

The pink colour represents a feminine side of the texts. Blue is a soft colour that is related to emotion, And triangle show the complexity of love. One like the other, the other like another person.

I love to play with my vision, my words, with my imagination.

 Kiss and Love

Rut Nastiti

p.s: this is obviously not the best design I ever made it only took twenty minutes. However, I like to connect my words and visions. 

p.s: Attention-attention, just got  a message from my dad that my parents are on the way to KLIA now to fly back to Indonesia. My mom is in a good condition after her chemotherapy. Thanks all for the prayers and moral supports. We really appreciate :)

I Would Be Sad If...

Now and then I think of when we were together
Like when you said you felt so happy you could die
Told myself that you were right for me
But felt so lonely in your company
But that was love and it's an ache I still remember

You can be addicted to a certain kind of sadness
Like resignation to the end, always the end
So when we found that we could not make sense
Well you said that we would still be friends
But I'll admit that I was glad that it was over

But you didn't have to cut me off
Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing
And I don't even need your love
But you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough
No you didn't have to stoop so low
Have your friends collect your records and then change your number
I guess that I don't need that though
Now you're just somebody that I used to know

Now you're just somebody that I used to know
Now you're just somebody that I used to know

[Kimbra:]
Now and then I think of all the times you screwed me over
But had me believing it was always something that I'd done
But I don't wanna live that way
Reading into every word you say
You said that you could let it go
And I wouldn't catch you hung up on somebody that you used to know

[Gotye:]
But you didn't have to cut me off
Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing
And I don't even need your love
But you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough
And you didn't have to stoop so low
Have your friends collect your records and then change your number
I guess that I don't need that though
Now you're just somebody that I used to know

[x2]
Somebody
(I used to know)
Somebody
(Now you're just somebody that I used to know)

(I used to know)
(That I used to know)
(I used to know)
Somebody

Monotone

I played around with my new Adobe Photoshop CS 5. Holy cow, it has the best Black and White properties. All these pictures were colored, too many colored. So before, there were too many colors going on; my shocking pink converter, yellow wall, my peach clothes. The Black and White mode works better in all these pictures because it gives them more field depth and ambiance. It makes the surrounding looks rock and roll. It gives my face character; sexy, sassy and messy. No need for cigarettes roll!

Behind Pramono Pramoedjo's Exhibition

Last Thursday (30/06/2011), I was offered by my father to see how an exhibition is prepared (to keep him company in the car and when he is helping his colleague organizing his exhibition). Pramono R Pramodjo is a great cartoonist mostly draws about politics, his name is so much related with Sinar Harapan Afternoon Daily Newspaper.

That was my first time to be involved in a real exhibition in one of the hippest malls in Jakarta, Grand Indonesia. His paintings criticize the immoral behaviors of the government and its auxiliaries. His works, I believe really represent the people's opinions about the country (Indonesia), it can be seen that Pramono uses point of view of the people on his drawings.

I was helping him sorting the paintings into 8 groups, as I remember there are international, corruption (geez, corruption is a title not a sub-title and it has the most drawing overall), domestic,povert and some others. We left the mall at 3 am in the morning, 8 hours before people are coming to the mall again.

The exhibition is held until July 8 2011 at Alun-Alun Grand Indonesia next to Palada Restaurant.

So drop by when you are around Grand Indonesia, take a look and see what is actually happening in our motherland, Indonesia.

The Sea and The Stars

Sometimes I wish that I were such a great creator to make a real version of my ideas, but I am not that knowledgeable and powerful and omnipotent to make everything I want happens. I lately have a big obsession for nebula and starry skies. It is not something new, I am not a big fan of Physics and astrology (apart from horoscope), but I always love to see the skies at night mostly when we were on vacations (usually somewhere 600 km away from Jakarta, for example: West Java, East Java or Nusa Tenggara) the skies are usually clearer, so we can easily see the stars with the wide eyes. The stars are even more beautiful when we are in the seaside or nearby the beach. I always have a wish-list to sleep on a water-bed mattress (inflatable pool) at night on a beautiful calm beach/sea, well unfortunately beach/sea at night are usually not calm around that time and I don't drive boats. I wish I could swim within the stars...

Pronto

I took my American Visa today at the RPX office. Since it is written your visa would be ready in 2-7 days, today's the seventh day after I had my interview. I called a friend of mine who had the same interview date and she told me she already had it since five days ago (so it was ready in two days), she got an email from the US Embassy Jakarta while I did not. Another friend of mine also took it in two days.

"I wanna get my visa, but actuallyI haven't got any email saying that it's ready..."
"Yes, it has been here since last Tuesday (5 days ago),"
Apparently it has been issued since June 21. But it's alright as long as I already have my visa with me.

I made this artwork of the visas I have on my Indonesian passport. I didn't have it that many, but only four. My favourite one is definitely the Visto one. I applied for free (while for example the US one costs around 300 bucks), the coolest thing about that Italian visa was I could enter all the Schengen States,

I had the greatest time so far for two years in Europe. All the countries that I visited are just wonderful. It is not the same kind of beauty that we have in Indonesia. Comparing the palaces that Indonesia and the European countries have, I'd say the palaces in Europe are way prettier, the grand architecture and maintenance, I mean one is so European/Renaisaance style while the other is a typical Indonesian architecture. The palaces in Indonesia are more humble, low-key and close to the nature, we don't have so-high-celling palaces and castle is not that common, but we do have forts, during the Dutch colony.

Visto, Visa and Visa (American-English xP) I got my Visa ready, now I just need to get some immunizations shoots. My departure in on August 24, 2009 first to Singapore and will arrive at Waterloo on 25th. Will spend some days earlier before orientation starts on 29th, need some time to adjust with time difference. I still have around 8 weeks at home!

p.s: I have been home for almost three weeks and haven't bought local sim card, people are complaining about that. Yeah, yeah, pals, soon I will ...

Merge and edit using Photoshop CS2

Venice Carnival 2011 is Published!

THE JAKARTA POST
Venice Carnival: A tribute to women
Ruth Setio Nastiti, Contributor, Venice, Italy
(click here to see online version)

This weekend has been really fabulous. After a great prom last night, finally at around 2 in the morning my mother post a photo into Mama&Papa group written "Congratulation My Daughter as a Jakarta Post Contributor from Venice/Italy" - which officialy marked that my article has been published in the Jakarta Post, Sunday's edition, here is the link of the online version. I am really happy. Ever since the first time I wrote it and getting some messages on how the article is going to be proceeed and the feeling of waiting whether the article is going to be published ot not give me this kind of sensation. I really took it as a big deal, it has something to do with my future career, a journalist, or writer. Most importantly this is my first English article and immediately qualified to be put in the nation's largest English-language newspaper in Indonesia!! The targets are expatriates and Indonesians who work in English environment working place in general.

Two years ago, before coming to the college, we subscribed to the Jakarta Post, because my father thinks it is really important for me to read English newspaper to get used with English reading, and it was also useful to support my activity in English debating - when I was in high school. I always want to write an article about Italy (this country is very beautiful - you know beautiful things need to be shared), ever since I have been to so many cities here for example Naples, Sardegna, Padova, Rome, Mantova Venice and some European countries (Germany, Spain, Croatia - should really go to Slovenia tho) in general regarding my whole experience as scholar, however tho I never really managed and had time to do so. My father always encourages me, once after coming back from Project Week in Naples, or any places I have been to.

This time was just so right, Venice Carnival was a real celebration of the Italian beauty, also the fact that this year Italy celebrates the 150 years of unification, which also talked in the article (and I did not go last year). Moreover since I was given a camera by my parents as Birthday and Christmas gift and started using it properly or seriously last year after the Naples Project Week. Oh, the Chief Editor of the Jakarta Post once texted my father basically said, it was not a waste to give me the camera, because the pictures were just great, the editors love them. He also said "Well done to your daughter, she deserved it." Nothing can make me happier than hearing a press-elite in country said such things. This kind of details give me confidence and the willingness to take on more challenges for my future.

I was also offered to write a story, still in the same newspaper but different section, in Youthspeak - about my journey and experience here as a scholar, and also next Fall in the United States, however it is still discussed by the editors! It is a really good grip - a way to express my hobby and train my journalistic skill.

These weeks I have been so happy. A Sardinian Project week, a Roman vacation, a new crush, a prom, a publication, a cultural visit to Mantova and tomorrow a Sport Festival! I am so grateful and thankful. My life is beautiful and it is always good!

Yours sincerly,
Nastiti

This how it looks like in the paper. This was posted by my mother in our family Blackberry's group :) You see the article on the right-side? It is an article about the Unification of Italy in Rome from a Reuters journalist, somehow feel proud that my article is put next to it, I mean he is a professional!

Posted by daddy. I sent 4 photos to them ( I have 36 great pictures from 600 something). They put the four of them finally!

This is how the online version look. I prefer the printed one tho. It's classy.

Le Fleurs de Rut

The Valentine Cards selling succeed, we raised about 200 euros. Thanks to Maria! I really love making cards, and I am easily attracted to pictures from magazines. Especially fashion magazines, I can't resist not to buy them here in Italy. The fact that the price of magazines here relatively cheaper than if I buy it home and they are just simply amazing, the give extra catalog sometimes and the ads are great. For me, spending money on fashion magazines is never a waste. It gives me a pleasure, I'd rather spend my money on magazines than snacks, it makes me happy to see all the pages all over again.

Fashion magazines here inspire me a lot, I usually buy Elle, since Vogue Italian is somehow too eccentric I can say, it is not that world taste, but it is bold indeed, very Italian. I also like an Italian fashion magazine called AMICA. Simple and chick. But Elle is my favorite. Once they gave a note book as a bonus for the December edition. The notebook is so beautiful. Its color is white, you can see the picture below. Then I thought I had to do something with that, yet I already have my own Parisian diary from my high school best-friends. Then one night, I was just reading my old Elle magazines and an idea popped out, I gotta make my own art slash scrap book. And now that Le Fleur de Chloe note book has became my artwork/scrapbook of my dreams, passions, ideals and anything, about my life. I give you some hints below how it looks inside.

Making those pages makes me so happy. I enjoy it a lot. My best-friend says I should be an artist. I told her, I would do something has to do with art in the college, and therefore I am applying to colleges that emphasize art too, however my dream is to work in an office, in a big city, meeting new people, a job that I can write, I can talk, an outdoor job, full of challenges, not that becoming artist is not enjoyable, but I want to have a career, career-woman. So, let us see how the next four years of my life will really drive me to my dreams, and it also depends on which colleges who accept me - and I am still waiting for most of them. Also, I just put up three posters of colleges that I apply to, I am still sitting, waiting and wishing. Most colleges will announce the acceptances on April. I can only hope for the best now, even I already got one, and I would love also to go there, since it has a good media an communication program. Let's take a look of my new artwork/scrapbook diary, I present you; LE FLEURS DE RUT!

This is the book, it is so classy


The first page, woman on top here means kind of "influential woman", you know.

J'adore diamonds, e toi?

The second page. It was just by chance that the front and the back page make such a good picture of female face with male body.

My favorite of all. It's so meaningful. Principle.

These quotes really move me to be a great giornalista, come pappa.

My best-friend/rooma, I caught here staring when I was making the arts.


Never throw away your fashion magazines. Someone's trash can be others' treasure.

p.s: I am still working and making on it, but not going to show anymore, since it would go personal, so you are lucky that you could see some!

She and He

I created new album in my Facebook "She and He" two days ago on Friday, right after I finished my photography class. The purpose is to upload any kind of planned photos session that I had or will have with people. It was one of the most interesting class ever, first time to use the light studio. Before heading to the light studio, our teacher Max, gave us a basic information about how the light works. For example we had to make sure that the angle of the light and the object is 45 degree steep. And if we play with the low light, a good composition would show a little triangle below the eye. With three lights, it will give such a sparking white background at the back. Here I uploaded the selected photos that I took - however Photoshop is needed to make the pictures even stunning (self reality check!). The models in these pictures are Vladimir and Rosalba.

This is a mix of low light composition and Adobe Photoshop to give such a shinning effect at the back of the object

Forget to tell you, she is Rosalba, comes from Basilicata, Southern Italy. A friend of mine from the college. She just did her haircut. She looks so sexy with it.

This is my favorite photo of her over all. Her expression is so playful plus there is this little triangle under her right eye. The picture looks deep.

He is Vladimir (Vouva) from Russia. I asked him to do this pose, and the result was spectacular.

He smiles with his eyes. And see that light in the left side, it makes it even lively.

I think this photo is too bright. However I liked his transparent eyes that he gave here.