Machine-aargh

Tapping this down from a sense of exhasperation that dawns on me when devices and networks don't work.

So there's a way they work, which is what we expect them to do. It's when they don't function despite no power cuts, software bugs or human intervention that sets you back a bit in limbo. That, if you can get a pulse on, is what makes the difference between really understanding inanimate things and flinging your phone across space time and wifi zones. If you can imagine that device as a living creature with needs, functions, care and maintenance, the gap between the machine and your patience threshold reduces. 

We may spend less on new gadgets and actually make the most of resources simple because we understand what more to do with them. Just a thought.

Machine-aargh

Tapping this down from a sense of exhasperation that dawns on me when devices and networks don't work.

So there's a way they work, which is what we expect them to do. It's when they don't function despite no power cuts, software bugs or human intervention that sets you back a bit in limbo. That, if you can get a pulse on, is what makes the difference between really understanding inanimate things and flinging your phone across space time and wifi zones. If you can imagine that device as a living creature with needs, functions, care and maintenance, the gap between the machine and your patience threshold reduces. 

We may spend less on new gadgets and actually make the most of resources simple because we understand what more to do with them. Just a thought.

Puppy politics is easy business

The general elections currently underway have split friends and relatives in factions. This got me thinking about things I don't usually bother much with. Are we are currently in love with an image? If euphoria can still sway this country, how far have we come from 1991?
Of all the geopolitical elements that go into making decisions, keeping all biases aside, we could discuss three things before we vote for a leader- ease of doing business in India, euphoria in marketing a product, and finally, the janlokpal bill.
Firstly, ease of doing business. India lags behind African countries on the ease of doing business index - http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/india
If one looks at the main factors that pulls us down on this index, it boils down to getting approvals in starting a business, getting construction permits and electricity. Corrupt government officials are the gargoyles that guard this gateway. Multinational corporations keep aside bribe provisions as part of incorporation expenses. So corruption is undoubtedly the Achilles heel for the entrepreneurial spirit of India.
Euphoria in marketing- if a product has an emotional appeal attached to it, the product will sell on its own. It helps hide crucial faults or intentions because the visual alone helps win half the battle. We have seen this in the Hutch (now Vodafone) ads in which the adorable pug boosted the brand value. Those ads sold pugs for Rs.50,000 a pup.
Janlokpal bill - that elephant in the room everyone wished wouldn't look at them. The first line in the agenda could be the only reason any politician would make sure it does not come in force. 'If a politician or government official is found guilty of corruption, he will lose his job, go to jail and his property would be confiscated- without government permission.' Ouch. Now that hurts the very purpose of getting into politics.
Its difficult to get a majority on anything nowadays. So go ahead and disagree, without a bias against a coughing candidate. C'mon... Now that's petty.

Puppy politics is easy business

The general elections currently underway have split friends and relatives in factions. This got me thinking about things I don't usually bother much with. Are we are currently in love with an image? If euphoria can still sway this country, how far have we come from 1991?
Of all the geopolitical elements that go into making decisions, keeping all biases aside, we could discuss three things before we vote for a leader- ease of doing business in India, euphoria in marketing a product, and finally, the janlokpal bill.
Firstly, ease of doing business. India lags behind African countries on the ease of doing business index - http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/india
If one looks at the main factors that pulls us down on this index, it boils down to getting approvals in starting a business, getting construction permits and electricity. Corrupt government officials are the gargoyles that guard this gateway. Multinational corporations keep aside bribe provisions as part of incorporation expenses. So corruption is undoubtedly the Achilles heel for the entrepreneurial spirit of India.
Euphoria in marketing- if a product has an emotional appeal attached to it, the product will sell on its own. It helps hide crucial faults or intentions because the visual alone helps win half the battle. We have seen this in the Hutch (now Vodafone) ads in which the adorable pug boosted the brand value. Those ads sold pugs for Rs.50,000 a pup.
Janlokpal bill - that elephant in the room everyone wished wouldn't look at them. The first line in the agenda could be the only reason any politician would make sure it does not come in force. 'If a politician or government official is found guilty of corruption, he will lose his job, go to jail and his property would be confiscated- without government permission.' Ouch. Now that hurts the very purpose of getting into politics.
Its difficult to get a majority on anything nowadays. So go ahead and disagree, without a bias against a coughing candidate. C'mon... Now that's petty.

Dragon girl

So here is this imaginary cover art, for a story unreal, for a segment of readers that does not exist.
Ever been in a moment when an idea arrives like a butterfly and you do not really know what that was about, but had to be created and given some visual form? A pointless scribble becomes cover art in the same day before the clock strikes 12 midnight and you are already on a ride with claws and pterodactyl wings, but a heart of marshmallow...

Dragon girl

So here is this imaginary cover art, for a story unreal, for a segment of readers that does not exist.
Ever been in a moment when an idea arrives like a butterfly and you do not really know what that was about, but had to be created and given some visual form? A pointless scribble becomes cover art in the same day before the clock strikes 12 midnight and you are already on a ride with claws and pterodactyl wings, but a heart of marshmallow...

Destined to do, and eat.

One thing I aspired to do in my free time was to read the auto-biographies of both Adolf Hitler and Mahatma Gandhi. Both men stand on either ends of the spectrum when it comes to their contribution to humanity; and I was curious about how both functioned as leaders in their time.

When looking up the introductions, there’s a startling find- both came into this world in unusual circumstances. Adolf Hitler was the fourth of six babies born to his parents. All older siblings died as toddlers, succumbing to measles or diphtheria. The one that survived becomes the Hitler we know. In Gandhi’s case, his father married 4 times, and Gandhi was the youngest of four children from the fourth wife. Despite the challenges, they both went ahead to do what both had to do.

So here’s the point- if you have a reasonably good life and upbringing, notwithstanding challenges, you should be able to do whatever you aspire to do- but be nice. We know the legacy both have left behind.

 --------------------------------------------------------------------

For the weekend eat-out my wife and I decided to try out something new. We were at the Select City Walk mall in Saket and happened to walk past a place called Mamagoto. This place is positioned as 'fun Asian eating'. The restaurant is colorful and the food looked good on the menu. The attendants outside tried explain to us what we found interesting on the menu. Since we understood very little, I turned to my wife and said, ‘Whatever, let's try it out.'

Certificates from various eat-out guides decorating their entrance. Inside, the decor is set with Japanese Manga-style graphics. Attendants here wore headgear to prevent hair falling into the food. Now this is something we have been noticing in most restaurants these days. If it’s a new thing on the checklist from various health inspectors, it’s a good one. The attendants were patient with us despite the place being full up. We browsed through their colorful menu which looked like a scrapbook and photo album put together. After much deliberation, we decided to try out two things- first up was Hunan grilled fish which came with sticky rice. This I thoroughly relished and could have easily ploughed through another serving. Next came the Soggy Thai basil fried rice. Since it came in a large bowl, I had to help my wife finish it.

This place is totally recommended on various counts - great food, well-mannered staff and friendly décor; more so if you happened to be non-vegetarian, particularly fish-loving, maybe Manga-comics-adoring graphic designer. Ok, just kidding go on and try it!

Destined to do, and eat.

One thing I aspired to do in my free time was to read the auto-biographies of both Adolf Hitler and Mahatma Gandhi. Both men stand on either ends of the spectrum when it comes to their contribution to humanity; and I was curious about how both functioned as leaders in their time.

When looking up the introductions, there’s a startling find- both came into this world in unusual circumstances. Adolf Hitler was the fourth of six babies born to his parents. All older siblings died as toddlers, succumbing to measles or diphtheria. The one that survived becomes the Hitler we know. In Gandhi’s case, his father married 4 times, and Gandhi was the youngest of four children from the fourth wife. Despite the challenges, they both went ahead to do what both had to do.

So here’s the point- if you have a reasonably good life and upbringing, notwithstanding challenges, you should be able to do whatever you aspire to do- but be nice. We know the legacy both have left behind.

 --------------------------------------------------------------------

For the weekend eat-out my wife and I decided to try out something new. We were at the Select City Walk mall in Saket and happened to walk past a place called Mamagoto. This place is positioned as 'fun Asian eating'. The restaurant is colorful and the food looked good on the menu. The attendants outside tried explain to us what we found interesting on the menu. Since we understood very little, I turned to my wife and said, ‘Whatever, let's try it out.'

Certificates from various eat-out guides decorating their entrance. Inside, the decor is set with Japanese Manga-style graphics. Attendants here wore headgear to prevent hair falling into the food. Now this is something we have been noticing in most restaurants these days. If it’s a new thing on the checklist from various health inspectors, it’s a good one. The attendants were patient with us despite the place being full up. We browsed through their colorful menu which looked like a scrapbook and photo album put together. After much deliberation, we decided to try out two things- first up was Hunan grilled fish which came with sticky rice. This I thoroughly relished and could have easily ploughed through another serving. Next came the Soggy Thai basil fried rice. Since it came in a large bowl, I had to help my wife finish it.

This place is totally recommended on various counts - great food, well-mannered staff and friendly décor; more so if you happened to be non-vegetarian, particularly fish-loving, maybe Manga-comics-adoring graphic designer. Ok, just kidding go on and try it!

Time-lapsing for Vine

Very excited about my first 'Vine' video. Was going to finally paint this piece after much procrastinating, so figured lets pack in another something on the way.

Could not upload to Vine since that works entirely via the phone app. Anyways had to try 'weaving' a narrative in 6 seconds  - anything.

Time-lapsing for Vine

Very excited about my first 'Vine' video. Was going to finally paint this piece after much procrastinating, so figured lets pack in another something on the way.

Could not upload to Vine since that works entirely via the phone app. Anyways had to try 'weaving' a narrative in 6 seconds  - anything.

Passion and HTML5

After 14 years of learning and working with Macromedia Shockwave, which later became Adobe Flash, we are today unlearning it all. HTML5 has been around for a while now - the spine that runs web 2.0. As designers we can run as much from the inevitable code work required, but it is not as daunting as it looks. This 'new normal' for devices does not require high-end hardware for multimedia, and Flash Player is a resource hog.

So I have this lovely Parallax scrolling demo to try out with my macrophotography and sketches. I just replaced the images for now, which is hardly any work-

http://arjunkariyal.com/html5/macro/

http://arjunkariyal.com/html5/sketches/

A big thanks to inspiretrends.com for the tutorials.

Passion and HTML5

After 14 years of learning and working with Macromedia Shockwave, which later became Adobe Flash, we are today unlearning it all. HTML5 has been around for a while now - the spine that runs web 2.0. As designers we can run as much from the inevitable code work required, but it is not as daunting as it looks. This 'new normal' for devices does not require high-end hardware for multimedia, and Flash Player is a resource hog.

So I have this lovely Parallax scrolling demo to try out with my macrophotography and sketches. I just replaced the images for now, which is hardly any work-

http://arjunkariyal.com/html5/macro/

http://arjunkariyal.com/html5/sketches/

A big thanks to inspiretrends.com for the tutorials.

10 tips on client meeting and events

Sharing tips which could be useful for client meetings or events -

1. A day or two in advance, imagine a client meeting as much as you can (with a colleague if possible), including details. It will help put together things you need the next day. 'Victory loves preparation.' - from the movie 'The Mechanic'.

2. Rehearse a presentation on a projector before the actual client meeting. Your 'final' version may need changes when projected. Order or quantum of content, font size and colors that looked fine while preparing may need work when projected.

3. Clients love a thinking consultant – the reason they come to us in the first place. Think a bit before agreeing to what the client says. Offer other options. If you don’t agree, add to his thoughts instead of going against the grain (depending on your relationship). Example- ‘That is one way to go, or how about…’

4. Sit with an ideating group and sort out exactly why you need marketing materiallike banners, brochures or videos. What works for others may not work for you.

5. Videos needs much planning for the image they project later. Social media the world over can see what you create or upload; so prepare your material likewise.

6. Pick up the phone or walk across and speak with people. Direct communication still works better than email.

7. Don’t be afraid of appearing funny or awkward when addressing your team directly. It is better than not showing up at all. Appreciating someone for a job well done needs direct addressing.

8. ‘Tentative cost’ is dear for all. Share cost or quote from vendors with stakeholders before it is incurred even if the client or colleague has factored it in.

9. After the event or meeting, asking for feedback shows you care. Get feedback from chatting, emails or web tools.

10. Once in a while, take initiatives that do not add up to annual performance goals. Not everything needs to add up, tally or reach somewhere. You are human and that means quite a bit.

Hope these make sense!

Regards

10 tips on client meeting and events

Sharing tips which could be useful for client meetings or events -

1. A day or two in advance, imagine a client meeting as much as you can (with a colleague if possible), including details. It will help put together things you need the next day. 'Victory loves preparation.' - from the movie 'The Mechanic'.

2. Rehearse a presentation on a projector before the actual client meeting. Your 'final' version may need changes when projected. Order or quantum of content, font size and colors that looked fine while preparing may need work when projected.

3. Clients love a thinking consultant – the reason they come to us in the first place. Think a bit before agreeing to what the client says. Offer other options. If you don’t agree, add to his thoughts instead of going against the grain (depending on your relationship). Example- ‘That is one way to go, or how about…’

4. Sit with an ideating group and sort out exactly why you need marketing material like banners, brochures or videos. What works for others may not work for you.

5. Videos needs much planning for the image they project later. Social media the world over can see what you create or upload; so prepare your material likewise.

6. Pick up the phone or walk across and speak with people. Direct communication still works better than email.

7. Don’t be afraid of appearing funny or awkward when addressing your team directly. It is better than not showing up at all. Appreciating someone for a job well done needs direct addressing.

8. ‘Tentative cost’ is dear for all. Share cost or quote from vendors with stakeholders before it is incurred even if the client or colleague has factored it in.

9. After the event or meeting, asking for feedback shows you care. Get feedback from chatting, emails or web tools.

10. Once in a while, take initiatives that do not add up to annual performance goals. Not everything needs to add up, tally or reach somewhere. You are human and that means quite a bit.

Hope these make sense!

Regards

Independence ahoy!

Our Independence day was 'celebrated' on 15 August with a splatter of the national flag colours in newspaper ads. Local malls had the tricolour criss-crossing overhead, justifying the need to swipe your cards so they could clear off their stock. In Ambience Mall in Gurgaon, one of the biggest malls in the country, almost all shops sell imported material and international brands. In fact, the only thing that remains ‘Indian’ in the entire mall is Haldiram, an Indian fast food chain and ofcourse, Hindi movies that play in PVR cinemas. So it looks like when it comes to food and movies, we are Indian all the way, but when it comes to stuff and products, we fancy western material. Manufacturing is down, foreign brand invasion is up, and no thanks to our short-term, low-cost attitude to products, everything is made in China.

So what leaves us with any feeling of being independent? How free are we really? A volatile currency shakes the stock market; and the one thing that comes to our minds is to shop more before things go out of reach. At get-togethers and parties we lament on rock star politicians to save the nation. But no politician can change anything, unless people revolt. That is what is wrong with us. We take everything lying down. Other signs are more alarming - a sincere government servant is openly reprimanded for doing her job that hurts vested interests, price hike for a basic vegetable, violation of human rights, total disregard for women in all sections of society, public money for welfare is either squandered or unused, these are enough signs that we are not headed in the right direction.

People of France come out on the streets on the most basic things, and that keep their government on their toes. For the ‘great’ nation that we are, with rebels that India has produced, this is the time to stand up for stuff we believe in. We have to go beyond the discount offers in rotated star burst ads. Are we prepared to stand in queues and get our official paper work done, and not pay a tout? These changes will have to come in our own behaviour before we demand a change. Here are a few things I do from the core, hoping it would snowball with the efforts of others to make a larger change.

1.       Keep and repair old stuff. Don’t fall for the need to buy things you don’t need. If you feel like buying stuff, postpone the purchase by a week. If you still need it, you will know.

2.       Give back to society. In any that you feel fit- donate blood, spend time in a NGO school for a few hours on weekends, donate to organizations that work for the welfare of the girl child, old people, your choice. That time should be given away, and not go in owning, buying things or in any other personal benefit other that the satisfaction of benefiting someone underprivileged.

3.       Discuss atrocities that you notice. Share with neighbours and friends stuff that disturbs you. If you let it go, others will.

4.       Stop watching TV, read a book or paint. TV is made to sell you things you do not need, make you feel like a lesser mortal unless you buy. Everything is ad driven today to satiate a vague need. When you do other stuff, you start thinking. That is what a fascist hates.

5.       Eat less. The more you devour, the lesser you think. The less you eat, the lighter you stay, makes you want to get off your seat and walk the street. That changes things.

6.       Do not compare your lives and possessions with others. If you have reached this far on your own, it is because you defined what is important.

7.       Go to a place of worship other than that of your own religion. Understand other people just for the sake of it. Observe and respect what they do.

8.       Talk to people outside your trade. Know more about the world.

9.       Avoid discussing gadgets. Talk about relationships.

10.   Keep a pet. Being in touch with an animal is a grounding experience at many levels.

Surely there are other ways to ‘keep it real’. The whole point is to get back to being more human. Technology has not improved our social life. We interact much less than we ever did. We also have lesser friends than our parents have. That says quite a lot about the loneliness our lives are made of. All this can be fixed in a short time, but the effort has to come from all of us, at an individual level.

Independence ahoy!

Our Independence day was 'celebrated' on 15 August with a splatter of the national flag colours in newspaper ads. Local malls had the tricolour criss-crossing overhead, justifying the need to swipe your cards so they could clear off their stock. In Ambience Mall in Gurgaon, one of the biggest malls in the country, almost all shops sell imported material and international brands. In fact, the only thing that remains ‘Indian’ in the entire mall is Haldiram, an Indian fast food chain and ofcourse, Hindi movies that play in PVR cinemas. So it looks like when it comes to food and movies, we are Indian all the way, but when it comes to stuff and products, we fancy western material. Manufacturing is down, foreign brand invasion is up, and no thanks to our short-term, low-cost attitude to products, everything is made in China.

So what leaves us with any feeling of being independent? How free are we really? A volatile currency shakes the stock market; and the one thing that comes to our minds is to shop more before things go out of reach. At get-togethers and parties we lament on rock star politicians to save the nation. But no politician can change anything, unless people revolt. That is what is wrong with us. We take everything lying down. Other signs are more alarming - a sincere government servant is openly reprimanded for doing her job that hurts vested interests, price hike for a basic vegetable, violation of human rights, total disregard for women in all sections of society, public money for welfare is either squandered or unused, these are enough signs that we are not headed in the right direction.

People of France come out on the streets on the most basic things, and that keep their government on their toes. For the ‘great’ nation that we are, with rebels that India has produced, this is the time to stand up for stuff we believe in. We have to go beyond the discount offers in rotated star burst ads. Are we prepared to stand in queues and get our official paper work done, and not pay a tout? These changes will have to come in our own behaviour before we demand a change. Here are a few things I do from the core, hoping it would snowball with the efforts of others to make a larger change.

1.       Keep and repair old stuff. Don’t fall for the need to buy things you don’t need. If you feel like buying stuff, postpone the purchase by a week. If you still need it, you will know.

2.       Give back to society. In any that you feel fit- donate blood, spend time in a NGO school for a few hours on weekends, donate to organizations that work for the welfare of the girl child, old people, your choice. That time should be given away, and not go in owning, buying things or in any other personal benefit other that the satisfaction of benefiting someone underprivileged.

3.       Discuss atrocities that you notice. Share with neighbours and friends stuff that disturbs you. If you let it go, others will.

4.       Stop watching TV, read a book or paint. TV is made to sell you things you do not need, make you feel like a lesser mortal unless you buy. Everything is ad driven today to satiate a vague need. When you do other stuff, you start thinking. That is what a fascist hates.

5.       Eat less. The more you devour, the lesser you think. The less you eat, the lighter you stay, makes you want to get off your seat and walk the street. That changes things.

6.       Do not compare your lives and possessions with others. If you have reached this far on your own, it is because you defined what is important.

7.       Go to a place of worship other than that of your own religion. Understand other people just for the sake of it. Observe and respect what they do.

8.       Talk to people outside your trade. Know more about the world.

9.       Avoid discussing gadgets. Talk about relationships.

10.   Keep a pet. Being in touch with an animal is a grounding experience at many levels.

Surely there are other ways to ‘keep it real’. The whole point is to get back to being more human. Technology has not improved our social life. We interact much less than we ever did. We also have lesser friends than our parents have. That says quite a lot about the loneliness our lives are made of. All this can be fixed in a short time, but the effort has to come from all of us, at an individual level.

Knowing history helps

For all those moments when you wondered why it helps to go into the history of things, there are ample reasons how one benefits from studying the past.
Of the 4 years I spent in art school,  my batch studied art history for an unusual 3 years. Art history was supposed to last no more than a year but due to some alteration in our course design, we ended up watching slides of paintings of a bygone era for 3 exasperating years. Though it was an ordeal back then, in hindsight it was a blessing to have studied the works of the great masters. The basics got drilled, nailed and cemented in our fuzzed-out juvenile minds.
How does that help?
Last weekend I was in a discussion with a friend and potential client who may in time comission me as a consultant for a product targeted at European buyers. We started talking about certain types and styles of graphics. As we spoke more I was able to better articulate and classify the styles as Renaissance,  Baroque,art Nouveaux, art Deco and Bauhaus. This led to a detailed understanding of tastes, preferences and a way ahead for the project.

When you know the history well, you are able to process the current information in context of time. There you go- I couldn't have articulated it better than that. When you are aware of where the material originated from, you are a few steps ahead of others because you would or could be the only person to take forward the matter or project from there on. 'To see the future, we must look into our past', goes the adage.

So dwell into the past once in a while, purely from a futuristic point of view. The neighborly historian or librarian could well be the next soothsayers if they apply resources to study trends over time.

Knowing history helps

For all those moments when you wondered why it helps to go into the history of things, there are ample reasons how one benefits from studying the past.
Of the 4 years I spent in art school,  my batch studied art history for an unusual 3 years. Art history was supposed to last no more than a year but due to some alteration in our course design, we ended up watching slides of paintings of a bygone era for 3 exasperating years. Though it was an ordeal back then, in hindsight it was a blessing to have studied the works of the great masters. The basics got drilled, nailed and cemented in our fuzzed-out juvenile minds.
How does that help?
Last weekend I was in a discussion with a friend and potential client who may in time comission me as a consultant for a product targeted at European buyers. We started talking about certain types and styles of graphics. As we spoke more I was able to better articulate and classify the styles as Renaissance,  Baroque,art Nouveaux, art Deco and Bauhaus. This led to a detailed understanding of tastes, preferences and a way ahead for the project.

When you know the history well, you are able to process the current information in context of time. There you go- I couldn't have articulated it better than that. When you are aware of where the material originated from, you are a few steps ahead of others because you would or could be the only person to take forward the matter or project from there on. 'To see the future, we must look into our past', goes the adage.

So dwell into the past once in a while, purely from a futuristic point of view. The neighborly historian or librarian could well be the next soothsayers if they apply resources to study trends over time.

Looking ahead

We like to think we know where life is headed. I hear that the state your mind is in today is the way it will be all your life. One way to 'see' a progression in life is to look back at life and see how far you have come. Keep the money aspect out for a moment. How far have I come as a person?
If the progression is positive then thats good news. If money is the only positive measure then we need to look at other dimensions.

So how does this work? Here are a few questions to ask oneself-
Have people grown under my guidance?  Am I collaborating with other talents? Have my students become better teachers or mentors than me? Are they actually doing much better work than I would in the same conditions?  Are they preferred people to work with? Do they feel inspired when speaking with me (I would lool for the 'aha' moment here)? And the biggest question that would need a certain level of self-actualization- if I am removed from this system, would they carry things on successfully?
If the majority of the answers are yes, then we are getting somewhere. Then you are the Buddha!

The way to have sustainable growth is to give the way to others to lead, happily!

Looking ahead

We like to think we know where life is headed. I hear that the state your mind is in today is the way it will be all your life. One way to 'see' a progression in life is to look back at life and see how far you have come. Keep the money aspect out for a moment. How far have I come as a person?
If the progression is positive then thats good news. If money is the only positive measure then we need to look at other dimensions.

So how does this work? Here are a few questions to ask oneself-
Have people grown under my guidance?  Am I collaborating with other talents? Have my students become better teachers or mentors than me? Are they actually doing much better work than I would in the same conditions?  Are they preferred people to work with? Do they feel inspired when speaking with me (I would lool for the 'aha' moment here)? And the biggest question that would need a certain level of self-actualization- if I am removed from this system, would they carry things on successfully?
If the majority of the answers are yes, then we are getting somewhere. Then you are the Buddha!

The way to have sustainable growth is to give the way to others to lead, happily!