I am Eebs Berenstein - hear me roar!

Beginning sketch. (After a few practice attempts at the 'Eebs Berenstein' portion). Came to me as I was walking home... Was thinking about the stitching on baseball caps as inspiration for the Eebs.

Final product. Round 1. Tweeked the sketch after I scanned it and worked with some fantastic paper and a picture of myself to create texture and depth. 

Makes me think of a circus/burlesque show!

Eebs Berensteins' Visual Identity

On the wake of the realisation that I need to invest more into my professional development, I've been working on my visual identity!

Doing a project a day (or round-about that) has really given me a new sense of purpose and has re-ignited my creativity! I'm sketching daily, investing time into reading articles, taking more pictures.... They're little things but they all add up. I find myself daydreaming of my next photoshop creation or drawing. I find myself choosing the computer chair over the couch and a show. I feel I've found my way back onto my path!

So as an effort to come off as more put-together as a designer (and also to encourage myself to feel more put-together), I've developed an invoice layout, quote layout and have reworked my c.v. so that everything is in line with my portfolio and business card!

My end goal here is appear as professional as my design work but I think it will also benefit by showing clients that I cross my t's and dot my i's. Hopefully, this will encourage their trust in me and therefore they may be more inclined to accept a higher quote :). Let's face it, clients can be cheap and first impressions count!

As a reminder, here's what my business card looks like:

Here's the first page of my portfolio book: 

First page of my pdf portfolio:

A page from my pdf portfolio: 

First page from my CV:

Front page of a quote. The invoice looks very similar...

Any thoughts, my people?

LA COQUETTE

Design by Eebs Berenstein

Visit The Famous Burj Khalifa

Photo by Hicham Eid - Design by Eebs Berenstein

ILLUMINATION

"illuminati" by EebsBerenstein. Photo by Hisham Eid. Texture created by William Morris pattern.

POWER OF THE MIND

Changing my mentality and being proactive about a positive change. I'm going to experiment with the powers of positive reinforcement and envisioning the future (short, medium and long term) that I want for myself. Taking a few moments several times throughout the day to remind myself of my value as a creator. Also, reminding myself of where I want to be in the next year and therefore, lighting the fire for the actions I must take in order to get to that point.

MANIFESTING THROUGH ENVISIONING AND ACTING ON/TOWARDS GOALS.

For those of you who need a little kick, as I often do:

A fantastic collection of manifestos for the creative in all of us. Btw, if you do not follow this blog, you absolutely should! (Pics of journal were borrowed from this page)

http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2011/04/08/five-manifestos-for-life/

A great blog of inspirational design. Dedicated young designer who did one design a day (the end goal being simply creation) for a year.

http://alldaysgoby.tumblr.com/

Follow me on twitter! I like to share creative stuff! @EebsBerenstein

Collection of weird, interesting, stimulating, visually appealing:

 http://www.laughingsquid.com

Hedonistic Sustainibility -- Europe is at the forefront of design, architecture, living-well... optimal living, you could say! Check out this great TED Talks by inspiring and innovative architect/visionary Bjarke Ingels: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogXT_CI7KRU

Janurary 2012 Career Mantras from EB and MP

In chronological order:

EB - "Having faith in my instincts and passions will lead me to success and fulfillment!"

MP - "Align yourself for the next step by pursuing your interests and informing yourself about those fields of interest -- Who are the big players? What are the trends? How do you fit in? -- With this prep, you will be ready when an opportunity presents itself - and it will, just be patient."

EB - "I will not allow myself to be bogged down by an under-stimulating environment! I will make time for my interests and nurture my passions!"

MP - "Do not be undervalued or taken advantage of! You are a flower, don't be bulldozed."

EB - "Living for my passions, even if my next step is not directly aimed at my end goal, will be right for me and right for my path."

MP - "Focus-Focus-Focus on the big picture and aim yourself at your goals. If you want to be a hippy for the summer, only do it if you know it is aimed at your long-term goals."

EB - "Don't get overwhelmed, things will fall into place as long as I am creating, learning and pushing my boundaries. Think clearly and think for myself!"

MP - "THINK BIG-DREAM IN COLOUR-IN 3D AND IN MOVEMENT-STRIVE TO ALWAYS BECOME BETTER IN ALL ASPECTS OF YOUR LIFE - BE HAPPY IN  APPRECIATING LITTLE DETAILS - IT IS IN THE DETAILS OF THE DETAILS THAT YOU MAKE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SUCCESS AND FAILURE IN YOUR LIFE! IT IS CALLED BEING "AWAKE & AWARE" - IT LEADS YOU TO ATTITUDE AND ACTION!"

Hannes Beer: http://alldaysgoby.tumblr.com/

Big thoughts to have only 1 month into the year... but sometimes tough love is what's needed.

This transition has been trying for me - from student to worker - attempting to figure out what's right for ME. I won't lie, I've been stressing. It's hard enough that my thoughts are all over the place and I feel that every decision I make will either make or break me. But, on top of my own insecurities and indecisiveness, my mentor is putting pressure on me to be the "best" me I can be. It's revealing, overwhelming, frightening and freeing to have someone hold a mirror up to you and make you consider who you truly want to be. I'm coming out of the other side of all of this pressure - more aware and realistic. The tough part is realizing the hard work that needs to go into becoming a big player in any field. And, ya, my ultimate goal is definitely that! 

So, next step?

- Patience

- LESS AGONIZING

- Active research

- Me time

- Art time

- More stuff like Hannes Beer is doing: http://alldaysgoby.tumblr.com/

Words to help me visualize my yearly goals -- steps towards the future!!: 

- DEEP-UNIQUE-PERSONALIZED-DESIGN

- SEEK OUT INSPIRATION

- LESS EATING OUT

- SAN FRANCISCO

- SUN YEAR ROUND

- $10,000

- TRAVEL

- ART DIRECTOR

- GRAND CANYON

- JAN 2013

A bumpy, slow start to 2012... & my necessary resolutions

(The fact that I'm posting this 12 days into the new year just shows how detached I am from my motivation and personal creation.)


So.... I've been out for a minute. Several minutes, infact. Getting lost in the numbingness of the job and searching (lacklusterly) for who are am as a creator in the midst of all of this. 

A new year but this one feels... different. For those of you who are still in school, soak it up. I'm jealous of you. The pending semester always laid out the beginning of the new year so clearly - your path is right there in front of you. All you have to do is keep going about your student-life day-to-day. Studying, learning, expanding the mind in the process. You are preparing yourself for the next step and it's virtually effortless; the professor tells you what to do and you do it and VOILA, you have learned something new, and in the process, you have shed a layer and gotten closer to who you will become.

I don't know. I'm just missing school. Feeling stagnant for the first time since I took a semester off between CEGEP and university.

Who am I as a designer and creative person when all my work is produced for others? It's tough to stay in touch with yourself. You loose track of time, loose track of the passion that you had during school and before you know it, you haven't created anything for the fun of it in months.

God, listen to me, I sound like I've been in this business for years. During the holiday vacay I was honest with myself and attempted to reconnect with my seemingly lost conviction. Having faith in your gut and stepping out of something comfortable and into something new has become difficult for me - it never used to be. Hence my need to reconnect with my self-confidence. Maybe it's an attitude change that I need, maybe it's a change of space.

But I am where I am and I want to feel balanced and fulfilled even though I not entirely satisfied with my present employment; it is the perfect season for a kick in the ass. The resolution season.

I was inspired by my friend, Phil Ha. Witty blogger, sharer of cultural-musical-interesting-fashion&faux-pas tidbits. He attempted to challenge himself with 10 attainable resolutions rather than the regular "go to the gym" b.s. 

I'm jumping on the bandwagon. 10 realistic resolutions to center me, keep me creative and allow me to evolve spiritually.... Or something along those lines.

1 - Trust my instincts and act on them:

Sidenote to this one: Don't feel ashamed or guilty for being honest when it comes to my career and future path. Open my eyes, speak what I see when necessary and proudly display my emotions and thoughts on my face (i.e. cover pic)

2 - More Yoga:

Otherwise I'll be hunched over permanently by the end of 2012. And also, to give my mind a few moments of peace during the week.

3 - Live more organically:

Food, karma, give/take with the earth, have plants/possible garden, follow the weather, dress for the seasons, cultivate the good and avoid the aggressive, more local support

4 - Do more drawing for leisure

5 - Pass on my positives to others:

Passing on my good moods, absorbing the benefits of t.a.ing and passing on my knowledge, offering drawing classes to children... holding the door for others, and so on.

6 - Earlier rising

7 - More baking bread:

With my whole self involved. Leaving the thoughts behind and kneading with love and energy.

8 - Actively budget and budget the loans away

9 - One big trip

This song makes me want to visit many places at once:

10 - No electronic devices in bed

And as with every other year, so it doesn't need to be numbered, more tea and more quebec cheeses.

And hopefully, more blogging....  :)

Times-a-flyin', Dreamlands float by, Nightmares don't knock me down but they sure do get my heart-beating faster.

Later in my life, when wiser and seasoned, I'll write a country song about the sorrows and joys of periods of change. I'm such a newb to it all right now; overreacting at the smallest upset! Change is tough, guys and gals! My Grandma agreed rather knowingly when I mentioned how I was feeling. "Transition is difficult, Dear", she said, faint remains of her British accent audible in certain words. She came to Canada on a ship in her mid-Twenties with an infant and a bun in the oven, leaving her family and friends to start a new life; she knows about periods of transition.

As you may know, my performance anxiety has been getting to me. Vivid nightmares in which I am forced to create or a big, bad man will fly down at me and bite off my legs...

It's only been a few weeks since my last contemplative post but much has changed since then, I feel. I'm seeing more clearly. And frankly, I'm happy that I had that little down to put me in my place! I'm young - the downs and confusion and ego-bursting moments are necessary in order to show me the way to the next level, my next peak.

I'm settling into my job, settling into the level of creation, settling into my first fall since I was four years old that I am not in school. My gosh, I do yearn for more schooling. I had a few days of feeling as though since I am done school, the learning is complete and this is the level of design that I will be at for the rest of my life. Hahah, so ridiculous. I've snapped out of it. Now, I'm just trying to go with the flow. It's a joy to have some free time to focus on my development - I just need to get used to the happiness of it all.

For a little while there, I felt as though I wasn't creating anything interesting. It all seemed so blah to me. After having brainstormed some ideas with my bosses and close friends, I realize there's something interesting in the majority of my ideas. I gotta have faith! It's all coming together, I feel myself relaxing into it.

So, what's next?

Well... I'm conceptualizing and designing a promotional journal for Surface Jalouse. The release of the book will coincide with a huge reopening of the Surface Boutique! I have to design displays for the interior of the boutique (vinyls, showcase boxes, pieces of furniture) and a line of t-shirts. We're also going to develop the winter season window installations for the Boutique and for several clothing stores. And all this for only a couple of months from now. Wow - seems I'm a little out of my league with all this stuff! Lots of inspiration though... so things will roll :)!

Here's some inspiration for you now:

A great, long episode of The Strombo Show on CBC Radio:
http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/Radio/1447825254/ID=2127808266

The first in a series of short films called Made by Hand, promoting hand-made, local artisans:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfuGWT8alT4

I want to start embroidering on photos:

Vibrant artwork by an artist whose name I can't fully remember... Francis something. Sorry artist! Who didn't love Darjeeling Limited?! Watch for gorgeous patterns in every scene!

Love this kind of symmetrical illustration, using a strong white space and simple, unhesitating, lines. Mingo Lamberti

Great new tune to enjoy:

Feist - How come you never go there?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h65YIvjIV7E

And I'll leave you with something to consider... I've been mulling it over for a while now. Why not be a part of your community by making it more beautiful? Positive vandalism, if you will. It takes little effort and goes such a long way in brightening your environment and neighbours' lives.  And in a city like Montreal - pot-hole filled and such - who wouldn't love a little ironic, colourful addition to their surroundings?

Til next time everyone! Enjoy the change, layers of clothing and fall colours...

Wall Mural-ing

Unfortunately, I haven't got any higher quality photos of my work just yet, but here are a few shots from a wall mural I did for a resto bar in Quebec City called Jack Saloon!