Behind the Scenes With JAMES

Happy Monday everyone. Don't forget to stop by my creative journal to see behind the scenes of my latest project, "Man Out of Time." - AMB

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Ethan Through the Lens

Woohoo! I'm very excited to share my latest shoot with you all. I've been wanting to do this shoot for a few months now, and after a couple of scheduling and model set backs, I finally found a team that was well worth the wait.

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The Best Is Yet To Come

Of Dreams and Magic

I came across this quote a few days ago and it hit me like a breath of fresh air. For the first time in months I felt like everything that I have been working towards would work itself out. Of course, I don’t know if this will hold true, but I’ve chosen to believe that there is something bigger out there that can make my dreams happen, and that perhaps the things that I am working so hard for will are already on there way to me.

For anyone else who is feeling a little less than magical during this cold winter season, I have posted this quote in the hopes of inspiring and encouraging you to keep pushing on now that we are in the new year. The best is yet to come!

And for those who don't believe me, here is Frank Sinatra to tell you himself. 

Cheers,

Alicia M. Blair

Before & After of Fabric Wings

Here we go!

Another before and after of a project I created back in 2013. Take a look and spread the word!

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Monday Inspiration: Arthur O'Shaughnessy

“We are the music makers; we are the dreamers of dreams.”- Arthur O'Shaughnessy

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We Are With the Band

Getting to shoot footage of a band while they are performing on stage is a total high. As it turns out, 2nd AC can sometimes mean front row seats to awesome gigs. #2ndAClife 

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Campari Photo Shoot

Campari America

It was great experience to photograph and speak to the head honchos running the show over at one of the world’s most renowned spirits makers.

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Medici's Muse

Happy Thursday Everyone!

Don't forget to stop by my blog to check out my latest post on the making of my image "Medici's Muse".

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What Font Would You Be?

More Than Scribbles

I've never been good at selecting fonts, and these videos are visuals that explain why I struggle.

Typography is so much more than boxy letters or "pretty" cursive. Those might be characteristics of some styles, but to me, they are so much more. The same way colors can mean a million different things, so can typography. Each style has a meaning. It can reflect emotion, time, a place, history, culture, and even the movement of energy. Typography is rich with symbolism, and like everything else in art, it illustrates a type of psychology and/or character.

It's difficult for me to simply pick a font and past it to an image, that seems crude and far too simple. I always like to consider fonts the same way I do all my other work.

I start with:

-Who are my characters?

-What do they want and need?

-What is their story and why?

Based on my answers I begin to search for fonts. Ultimately it can boil down to, what font best represents my main character?

Watching these two short films illustrates this perfectly. Many people may see a skilled technician and curly lines, but if you look deeper, you'll find a world of information and intention within every pen flick. It's wonderfully addicting to watch.

Video by: Johann Chan

Master Calligrapher: Seb Lester

Here is another video created by The Academy about the making of movie titles in the motion picture industry.

If you were a font, what font would you be?

I feel like my logo is a good start to how I envision my brand as an artist. Simple, elegant, clean, and feminine.

Logo by An Dao.

Logo by An Dao.

Alicia M. Blair

My Mini Paradise: Stow Lake

If you are visiting San Francisco, or if you live here and haven’t explored Golden Gate Park, I would highly recommend that you do. Whether it’s to stop by the Japanese Tea Garden, Stow Lake (highly recommended), or to explore the gorgeous Conservatory of Flowers, Golden Gate Park is not a place you want to miss. As the Nike motto goes, “Just do it!”

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Short Film Inspiration: Paperman

Over the summer I took a Principles of Short Form writing class with a wonderful instructor named Tim Boxell. Over the course of seven weeks we watched various short films that were based on narrative storytelling. The films ranged from thirty seconds to twenty-five minutes long, but the purpose of the class was to learn how much information you can present to a viewer in a designated time frame.

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Horoscopes or Horror-scopes?

Today’s topic is horoscopes. Perhaps it’s a bit random, but why not?

I discovered horoscopes when I attended my first summer dance intensive at the age of fifteen. At that point, I had heard about them, but I never invested any time into learning what they were.

At the summer intensive, I spent nine weeks with the same girls, and I quickly discovered how popular and addicting they could be. But unfortunately, like most addictions they can be dangerous.

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Thursday Inspiration: Will Smith

Today marks the beginning of my last semester with the Academy of Art University. Fifteen weeks from now I will be a new university graduate ready to take on the world of Motion Pictures and Photography.

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François-Auguste-René Rodin

Friday Inspiration:

François-Auguste-René Rodin (1840-1917) was a famous sculptor and illustrator known for infusing his work with unexpected realism and working with mythological and allegorical themes.

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Marie Antoinette Boudoir Shoot

Happy Friday!

Don't forget to take a moment to stop by my blog to check out my latest post on my Marie Antoinette photo-shoot from my portfolio development class last semester. Click on this link to see behind the scenes, before & afters, and more. Cheers!

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