(Part 3) Reddit mentions: The best arts & photography books

Even if this is supposed to be a part of something larger, it should have its own arc. You know what's supposed to happen as the author, so maybe to you, it seems like its fine. But you need to look and craft these things from the perspective of the audience.

I'll use, say, Cowboy Bebop as an example. It's almost entirely a series of self-contained episodes, save for a few episodes that touch on this relationship between Spike and Vicious. But, the self-contained episodes are often iterating and riffing on some of the same overall themes that these connected episodes are built on. Or, when they aren't, they're carried on pure entertainment value. They feel good. They're flat out fun to watch. Or they revel in the absurd, which ties into the show thematically and also rides pure entertainment value.

Fallout: New Vegas does this as well. Side-quests seem self-contained, more or less, but they build on your understanding of the world and they often build on this theme of nostalgia for the Old World, or Old World Blues, as the game eventually puts it. All of the companion character side-quests riff on this theme of clinging to the past or moving forward, the factions all follow in this theme (whether its the major factions modeling their selves after Old World powers or the Brotherhood of Steel finding that they don't belong in the world anymore, so they either need to adapt or cling to the past and die). All of these side quests are self-contained, thus having their own arc and feel satisfying to complete, but also they build on the overarching theme of the game and give the player something to think about once everything is said and done.

You can do this with your own work. You can figure out what it is that you want it to be about and make build on those themes, even just from the start. If you have ideas and themes you want to explore, you can explore them from the start in whatever way you want, and tie it all into something more grand later if you're telling an overall story, or just keep riffing on them in different self-contained scenarios. The main, best thing to keep in mind though is that if this is intended for an audience, you need to write it with the audience experience in mind. Your ideas could be incredible, but the audience would never know it if you've written it to be impenetrable to them, or just so boring that it's unlikely they'll continue to read to get to the good parts.

As an example, I love the show Eureka Seven. Somewhere towards the middle of its run, it has a small arc with a couple of characters named Ray and Charles that culminates in some of the best TV I've ever had the pleasure of seeing. But, I can almost never recommend this show to anyone. The first ~10 to 15ish episodes are a chore. The show sort of acts like you should know who all the characters are already, or doesn't give you a whole lot to work with in terms of giving you something to come back for. For this reason, it took me from when it aired back in 2005 all the way until 2014 to finally finish the show from front to back. There was a ton of good there, but it was so, so difficult to get to it through the start of the show.

So, Entertainment value. Have you read Fiona Staples' and Brian K Vaughan's Saga? The very first panel of the very first page oozes entertainment value, while also giving some great banter to help establish the characters and introduce us to the world. This is a strong opening, and even if there is some lull to the comic afterwards (which there may or may not be depending on your tastes), its given you a taste of what it is and a promise of what its capable of delivering. This is a really great thing to have. If you're aware of Homestuck, it's the GameFAQs FAQ that serves as the end of the comic's first Act that suddenly shows you how the comic will format itself: Lots of nonsensical goofing around until hitting an emotional climax that re-contextualizes the events you had just seen. This isn't at the start of the comic, but entertainment value carries the comic until that point, assuming you're into programming jokes and goofball shenanigans. But, this scene comes so comparatively late that it's likely you've already dropped the comic before getting to the "good part" if these jokes didn't carry the comic for you.

Actual Advice and Critique

Comics are hard, because, unless you have a writer or have an artist to partner with, you're doing both jobs, and the quality of the thing depends both on being well-written and well drawn (or at least some balance between the two that makes it palatable to read). I think that if you think in an actual episodic way, you could improve your writing a ton. With this comic, the arc would be "how did Lasereye become Lasereye?" It's potentially a pretty good premise, right? You'll establish a character and have plenty of chances to create entertaining scenarios because... It's your story! Lasereye became Lasereye in whatever way you decide he did. Go crazy, tell us a story! How did some young, bright-eyed, bushy-tailed kid turn into some dude in a slum with one eye glowing brighter than ever and the other dim and jaded? Telling this in three pages would actually be a great exercise.

Your art is rough in that it looks like you could use learning some base fundamental things like human anatomy. Your palette and the food stand itself reminds me of Kill Six Billion Demons though, which is great. You've created a good atmosphere in panels 1, 2, and the last panel on the last page, despite the artwork itself being rough. That's great! You know how a thing should feel. That's a great thing to have down pat that will only continue to be a boon as your technical skill improves (and it will if you work at it!). I think that if you buckle down and grind through learning how to draw, you could make very great, visually appealing work.

There's a problem in page flow on Page 2. Here I've shown how your page directs the eye with red lines. The way the page is laid out, you end up reading the fifth panel before you read the fourth panel, which will cause a reader to have to double back to read things in order. You don't want that. You'll wanna keep an eye out for how your pages read in the future. Just give them a once-over and ask where the eye would naturally go following the lines on the page.

So, if you aren't currently, learning human anatomy would be a great place to start placing effort. If you have access, figure drawing classes and the such would be a great way to start working on that. It helps immensely to have others around who can help you if you aren't sure what you're doing at first. Books on comics in general would be a good place to go as well. Understanding Comics and Making Comics, both by by Scott McCloud, are good introductory texts. Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative by Will Eisner and Comics and Sequential Art: Principles and Practices from the Legendary Cartoonist also by Will Eisner would be good as well.

For writing, Dan Harmon's Channel 101 guides will be great tutorials as he's one of the best working writers today in episodic TV. I'm aware this isn't directly comics, but the best writing advice is rarely going to come from a comics-focused book. Will Eisner will tell you how to use visuals to your advantage in telling a story, but the nitty-gritty of actually writing will have to come from somewhere else. The Hero of a Thousand Faces by Joseph Cambell may help you understand structure further. This is what Dan Harmon is riffing on and working off of with his Story Circles, but adapted slightly for the sake of episodic television. Film Crit Hulk, an online movie critic/ the Incredible Hulk has a screenwriting book called Screenwriting 101. It's invaluable. I highly recommend it, even if it isn't directly about comic writing. You'll be able to adapt the advice as you work in your own medium.

A Rant and Thoughts on Cross-Instrumental Pedagogy

Well, you're in a world of double suck for several reasons. First of all, most people who have previous instrumental experience have an even harder time with piano rather than any easier one. Why? Because they want to jump in the deep end immediately and ignore their fundamentals. It's like saying, "I can drive a car... so flying this plane can't be that much different... let me take over the controls mid flight!" Sure, you understand the basic concept of using transportation to get get form point A to point B and the idea of not running into obstacles, but that doesn't make you any better at knowing how to control planes, trains, and boats.

Even if you have a deep understanding of a lot of things, the technical work still has to be done for every instrument you pick up. If you end up picking up even more instruments, you can generally get better at the process by understanding it, but you just can't skip the fundamentals.

What makes this problem worse is asking for help from pianists. It seems logical, but they tend to exacerbate the problem. Most of them started as children. They have no background in music education and they take for granted so many of the skills they picked up as a kid. Their advice is about the equivalent of handing someone a guitar and telling them just to go transcribe Steve Vai solos to get better when they can't even play a single chord. It's a serious issue in the piano world. Having trouble with and independence? Can't play Mary Had a Little Lamb out of your beginner book with both hands? Just practice this and you'll be fine.

The reality is that you're just going to have to spend a lot of time on basic stuff and likely put the jazz stuff on hold for quite some time until you get more basic concepts under your fingers. I-IV-V, sure. ii-V-I, not so much. On guitar most chords have a similar difficulty. Heck, I'd argue that most of the moveable jazz chord shapes are easier than some of the triads because they require less barring and tend to cover less strings.

The other advantage on guitar is that if you learn how to play chord, or even a progression, you've pretty much learned it in every key. You don't even have to think about how to play that progression in another key. The physicality of a ii-V-I on guitar is enough that you just need to know which fret to start you ii on and the rest falls into place. Sure, you can learn several variations and voicings of various chords, but the principle still holds. If you want to do something cool like put a 13 on a G7 chord, you just learn the shape. You don't need to know that the 13 of G is E. You sure as hell don't need to know what it is for every other key. You just think, "Well, if I play this on the 7th fret I get C13."

That's probably why piano seems overwhelming. I assure you it does get better and there is a certain amount of similarity in that over time progressions feel the same in every key believe it or not. The thing is, if you learn them in every key, you realize the motion is the same. The voice leading is the same. You're just navigating white and black keys more. But if you spend time practicing scales and actually know you key signatures and such, you start to feel home and instinctively get that same feeling of same-shapeness that guitar has. Though obviously on guitar you can learn a single scale shape and play it in every key.

Although, I think guitarists often get the better deal by playing scales modally from different positions where as classically trained musicians on pretty much every other instrument think every scale begins and ends at the octave and really aren't as fluent in their use unless it fits that mold. Ask most people to play their E major scale starting on B or C# and they'll likely run into problems. Guitarists often have less trouble with that due to the physicality of the instrument.

Some Recommendations

You probably won't like all of these and might be afraid they don't fit your goals, but hear me out.

Alfred - You really should start getting used to reading music on the piano. I don't know what your reading background is and I don't care if you think you can skip this step. It really will help. Virtually every resource you use will use notation. Investing in reading now will pay off immensely in the long run just saving you time and headaches when you want to digest new material and all the resources are written in standard notation. Additionally, playing a lot of the concepts in context will help a lot. And if you don't have reading experience now, learning on piano and then maybe going back and applying it to guitar might be a fun thing for you. Spend a little time in this book daily.

• Practice slowly and accurately.
  
• When you've gotten a piece pretty much down, move on to the next, but review your previous pieces each time. Maybe when you're 10 tunes in, you can start culling the the very first exercises and just reviewing the last 5-10, but don't just complete a piece and scratch it off never to return.
  
• As you get things under your fingers and are reviewing, you can start doing things like trying to look at the page rather than your fingers and making sure you're associating what you're playing with what's on the page.
  
  Scales, etc. - This book has scales, arpeggios, and cadences in every key cleanly written out with recommended fingerings.
  
  
• Start with scales. Just learn the hands together scales in every major key first. You'll probably have to spend lots of time playing each hand individually to make sure it's under your fingers and then put them together agonizingly slowly where you're literally bouncing your brain from hand to hand trying to think which finger comes next. Do it. Eventually it will be like breathing.
  
  
• Pick a nice comfortable tempo that you feel decent at with hands together and then move on. I'd suggest getting to about 60 bpm.
  
  
• Review old scales daily at your target tempo. Do NOT waste practice time trying to speed up old scales. This likely won't be a problem for you, but the tendency of most non-guitarists is to work on the speed of something like C major trying to get it just a little faster while they can barely blunder their way through F#. I guess it's similar to being able to blaze your root position pentatonic on guitar, but not being able to play majors, minors, or other modal shapes because you spent all of you time on the velocity of the easy scale. Just get everything to 60 or so before you even think about speed.
  
  
• Continue reviewing once you have all 12 keys and maybe try to raise the tempo on review. So maybe aim for 65 with everything. Not 120 with C and 65 with everything else. If you can't play B major at 65, you shouldn't try playing C any faster. Eventually they will all be pretty solid. Over time you'll find that you'll be able to review all 12 major scales over 2 octaves in under 5 minutes. Speed will come with time and accurate repetition rather than fighting the metronome for gainz. #scalegoals
  
  
• While reviewing scales, move on to cadences. Same approach. Add a key every time you can and review all previous keys at a comfortable tempo.
  
  
• While reviewing both of the above, move on to major arpeggios. Same deal as above.
  
  
• Now you might want to dabble with minors taking the same approach. You'll find that due to your previous experience, they will move by much more quickly. Many of them share the same "shapes" the way guitar chords do, but they aren't related. For example, doing arpeggios, C major, D minor, E minor, F major, G major, and A minor all feel the same. So do C# major, Eb major, F# minor, and Ab major. You get the idea.
  
  
• Many of these technical concepts will be reinforced and put into practical perspective in the Alfred book.
  
  From here there are tons of directions to go for jazz stuff. My go-to recommendation is this one for getting the basics of how to think about, use and apply jazz concepts for those starting out.
  
  There are tons of other resources that might fit your goals better. A purely technical approach approach is this one, but I'd still recommend the Mark Harrison book first. There are also much deeper jazz texts, though I'm not sure it's even worth recommending them at this moment since you're likely months or years away from being able to approach any of that material.

I started writing some comments, but then decided to just post it all here. Hope this helps:

• How did you come across your first clients? Did you just know some people that knew some people that needed some design work?
  
  Yes. My first freelance gigs were basically from people that I had history with. Coworkers and friends knew what I did and what I was capable of. They would ask me if I could help with 'X project' or whatever, and it would lead from there. Small projects would lead to other small projects. Thats how the work could trickle in.
  
  
  
• Generally speaking, how did you get leads?
  
  Primarily my leads have been through people I know. Coworkers, friends, family. Everybody. I highly recommend just literally emailing everyone you know simple explaining what you are doing or what you are trying to do. Offer your services, send a link to a website, and ask for any referrals. It's easier via email because you will either get someone to reply w/ something helpful, or they can just ignore you. Either way, it can't hurt to let people know.
  
  
  Another way I'd get design work was from random inquiries either off my website or from online portfolio sites like Behance.net or Dribbble.com. I also had a small group of design friends that I'm in contact with. I feel that they were getting better work than I was, and they were more 'ahead' than me, so often if they didn't have time for client work, or didn't think the client was worth their time, they'd tell me about the work, so I could pick up the work.
  
  
  
• Did you register as a business/LLC/etc?
  
  At first I didn't register as an LLC or anything. I just worked as a sole proprietorship and used my Social Security number as my ID. Years later, after I had a chance to team up with a small team of designers, I was an independent contractor and after discussing it with another designer friend, and a CPA, I decided to become an S-corp. I did it primarily to help juggle and save some money during tax time. I'm able to save $ at the end of the year because of it, but I didn't handle any of it personally. I paid my CPA to do my taxes and figure it all out.
  
  If you choose to register for a biz license, it's very easy and you can do it online. When I did it, i used mycorporation.com, but I hear legalzoom .com is good too. When I registered, I believe it cost me about $250.
  
  
  
• How did you handle billing? A percentage up front and the rest on delivery?
  
  
  In terms of billing client, it really depends on the situation. Generally speaking, I suggest trying to get partial payment upfront. To be fair flexible I offer multiple payment options to make it easier for the client to say yes. Sometimes its half upfront/ half when complete. Sometimes its 1/3 for initial concepting, 1/3 for further development of chosen concept, and 1/3 for final files. I also over monthly payments if the scope of work ends with a really high price. I don't have any special payment gateway or anything. I just offer to payment in check to me, or through paypal. No one has ever taken me up on the monthly installment plan, but I feel that the more willing you are to work with payment options with a client, the more willing they are to say 'yes' to a proposed quote.
  
  
  Having said all this, there are plenty of times where I don't set up a contract and things work out just fine. Through the years of doing this, you start to get a 'gut feeling' for who the hell clients will be. There are real personality traits or certain things said that will trigger you to know to stay away. Until you know those things, I'd suggest keeping a contract in the process.
  
  
  There have been times where I was burned by not having a onctract. I have had delayed payments etc, where I ended up trying not to make waves, and waiting months and months before I got paid. One instance, I figured out what forms I needed to file a small claims court locally, and threatened with that. I got paid 2 weeks later. From all the work I've done, I've never flat out never been paid. Typically its just really late late payments. Heh.
  
  
  
• Did you charge by the hour or for the total project?
  
  
  Today, I charge for the total project, but in the beginning of my freelance career I used to charge by the hour, but sometimes it'd be unfair because If I could complete a 10-hr job in 5 hrs, I'd get screwed. Or if I needed to figure something out and it took me 12 hours to figure out something that should've taken 3 hours, that's not fair to the client.
  
  
  After doing this for a while, I've come to realize that generally, a lot of clients want a final price. They don't care about hourly rate, or how long it should take you. Generally, if you can deliver 'project X' in 3 weeks for '$XXX' they'll be happy. A final number is easier to react to. There's less guessing for the client.
  
  
  You get an idea of how long certain things could take, and how much you'd like to make hourly. You basically estimate that, and quote your price accordingly. At first you may screw up the estimate, and lose money, but after a while you'll know what you're doing and you'll do well for yourself.
  
  
  Also remember, for your best interest, and so the client can't make endless revisions, be specific on your deliverables, as well as your number of revisions per project. Anything outside of the agreed upon requirement will result in extra charges to the client.
  
  
  -With the above in mind, did you consult a lawyer before getting started?
  
  Have them write up some kind of contract ot use when taking clients?
  
  
  No I haven't consulted a lawyer at all with my contracts. Generally I've found random contracts or contract templates online and picked and chose parts and pieces of what I thought sounded good to use.
  
  I highly recommend buying this book - The Graphic Artists Handbook to Pricing and Ethical Guidelines. It guides you in pricing as well as showing sample contracts for your projects.
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Graphic-Artists-Handbook-Pricing-Guidelines/dp/0932102166/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464717064&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=desiners+guide+to+ethical+guidelines
  
  
  
• What kind of kind of questions should the client be asked (that may not be common sense) at the onset of a project?
  
  
  The questions you ask really depend on what the project is. Here are a few to get you started.
  
  -Tell me about your company
  
• What do you want to achieve with this design?
  
• Who is your target audience?
  
• What do you want me to produce?
  
• What exists already?
  
• What do you think makes a design good?
  
• Whats your budget?
  
• What designs DON'T you like?
  
• Who will i be working with, how will we communicate? What's your preferred way of communicating?
  
• What is your payment schedule, who do you contact to submit payment information?
  
• Is there anything we haven't covered that you'd like to add/suggest?
  
  I hope these answers help you. If you need more answers, feel free to reach out. I'll try to help if I can.

Hey there! :)

Your question is a VERY difficult one to answer, as it depends on a lot of variables concerning both yourself and the route you decide to take. However, the EASY answer is to say that you cannot achieve a masterful level of proficiency at the piano on your own. This does not hold true 100% of the time, but MOST of the time it's true.

That being said, you can certainly learn a lot on your own before being held back by your lack of a teacher. It will probably go slower, and take longer, and most importantly you won't know for sure if you're doing things correctly or not (this is the biggest thing) and also you won't have someone to ask questions. But it's of course better than nothing and I would never discourage you from it if it's your only option right now!

When I say that you can't know if you're doing things correctly or not, that really is a huge thing. That feedback which a teacher can provide is essential to knowing that you're learning things right. Teachers also can teach you things that will just be glossed over/skipped otherwise, they can guide you to various things that you'd never think of, and they can tailor your lesson plan to you and adjust it as needed.

Here's what you CAN do, right now:

1. Try learning songs by ear. Don't bother with anything except the melody, playing it with the right hand. Pop songs that you like are going to be the best place to start. This may be hard to do for awhile and will require persistence before you can pick up on it but it's a good skill to have. It's ear training :).
   
2. If you go on youtube, you can find all sorts of tutorials for songs. This will not teach you proper technique, nor will it teach you how to learn songs "in the real world", meaning sheet music, which is the preferred way to distribute music and learn it and preserve it. However, it will give you a way of learning songs which you like (again, pop songs are usually best) and it'll start working on your finger dexterity.
   
   The most important thing though, is that you need a lesson plan. Since you don't have a teacher to give you one, you need something to replace that. My suggestion would be to look up the Alfred's adult beginner lesson book. Click here for an amazon link to see it! You can just order it online, or find a local music store and look for it/ask for help finding it. Personally I shop at Evolas, I think they may be fairly local though (I'm in Michigan). A piano lesson book provides structured learning and will cover things that you need to know in an ordered way. Lesson books are not perfect; they don't take the time to explain things in TOO much detail because you're supposed to have a teacher going through it with you, and explaining things themselves. However they DO have some explanation of every lesson, and once you know what you're SUPPOSED to be learning about, you can always turn to google for more information about it.
   
   The lesson book is my single huge recommendation to you. It's probably your best bet. It's by no means perfect, but I don't know what you can do better. You will have to pace yourself; do your best to make sure you understand a concept completely and learn the associated song well before progressing to the next lesson. Again, this will be difficult without a teacher but it's doable!
   
   My source for all of this is that I've been playing piano for twelve years, and have been teaching for the past 3-4. I'm generally an observant, thoughtful person and this is the sort of thing that runs through my mind :). I would like to close by making you an offer... I will still maintain that you cannot do better than to get an actual teacher and take regular lessons. HOWEVER! Should you choose to seriously pursue this to the extent possible, I would like to help you as much as I can! So at ANY point, if you have ANY question whatsoever, you are free to PM me, and I will do my best to answer! I will teach you things that you're confused about or want to know more about, or anything at all that you can think of. So I'll essentially offer myself as a teacher over the internet. It's very limiting, but it may help you to have someone who you can ask those questions that hopefully you'll have :).
   
   Good luck, whatever happens!

1. Accept the fact that if you want to be any good at making electronic music it will take a lot of practice, and studying. You will have to work in order to make anything of it, otherwise your music will be nothing more than a passing curiosity to friends and acquaintances, which isn't a bad thing but should give you an idea of what you actually want from your interest and what you're willing to put in.
   
   
2. Protect your ears. They're your greatest asset. Buy earplugs, carry them with you wherever you go, and wear them when you're in a situation involving loud noise.
   
   
3. Learn to play a musical instrument. It doesn't matter which one, although piano is popular because synthesizers are often available in a keyboard-package, but note there are synthesizers available in wind (blown) and string (plucked) instrument packages as well. Gaining a skill in playing an instrument will greatly assist you in developing a foundation for creating music.
   
   
4. Learn about VST's.
   
   
5. Investigate the available audio trackers and digital audio workstations in order to choose which you would prefer to make music with. Do not attempt to learn multiple programs at once, but rather master the use of one program at a time, and then branch out to other programs as needed in order to use them with one another. It's perfectly reasonable to begin with free software and move on to commercial software at a later time, and a great deal of free software is capable of professional results. Personally I would suggest you start with either MusE or Psycle, but whatever you choose be sure to take the time to read the manual.
   
   
6. Check out Synthesizers.com, a manufacturer of modular synthesizers. Do not start by buying a product from this website, as you'll need a fair bit of experience and money before you can invest in to a modular synthesizer. The product page for each module available for sale on this website however has a section for "usage and patch tips" which can give you a really good idea about each of the individual features commonly (and not so commonly) found on a synthesizer, how to use them, and what they're good for.
   
   
7. Read all of the Synth Secrets articles from SOS magazine freely available on their website. The articles are listed, from top to bottom, from the newest to oldest, so you should start with the first article at the bottom of this page and work your way up. You may tempted to skip articles, or start with the last, but as each article builds upon the previous article you'll get the most out of them by following them in the order they were released.
   
   
8. Check out Lypur's YouTube channel. It's got several videos concerning music theory. I realize that the videos focus on classical music theory, but electronic music isn't just about sound design, but the instrumentation as well. An underlying knowledge of music theory will greatly increase your ability to execute ideas and communicate them to others. You can expand upon your music theory knowledge even further by following this online course.
   
   
9. Read Rick Snowman's Dance Music Manual. While this book doesn't cover music theory, it does cover general techniques, broken down by various electronic genres. I’ve read this book and it is highly recommended.
   
   
10. Read The S.M.A.R.T. Guide to Mixing And Mastering Audio Recordings. You won't need to read this book until you've started to really put together songs, but when you have it will clearly illustrate to you how to mix your music, so that instruments sit well together in a song, and to master a recording so that it's ready to be released publically.
    

> What you are trying to do is impose a moral scale, a ranking, on life that says that taking this life is moral but taking this one is not.

So, I'll try to get this straight. Please set me straight if I have any of this wrong.

You're asserting that in moral terms, ALL LIFE is equal, completely regardless of its nervous system, capacity to perceive the world, form social connections, experience emotion, or suffer. For example, a herd of cows should be given exactly the same ethical consideration as a leaf of spinach: none whatsoever. Right? Because humans have a moral mandate to kill. And since all nonhuman life is equally worthless in these ethical terms, according to our moral mandate, we are allowed to destroy as much life as we please in order to eat what we'd like. Deciding if I want to be responsible for the "death" of a few beans or some spinach, or be responsible for a lifetime of captivity ended by a violent death of a cow (not to mention all the "plant death" that was necessary to make it grow in the first place).

Except humans. We can't kill each other, because we can acknowledge rights for each other.

What would you say about very young children and or mentally handicapped humans who don't have the mental capacity to "respect and protect the rights of others?" If this is where rights come from, then obviously not all humans have rights. Or is there more to it than just that?

> The arbitrary categorization of one life as more valuable than another is not made for moral reasons. It cannot be because morality is binary. A choice is either moral or immoral.

Please cite any theory of morality or ethics at all that says that there is no gradient of morality. While you're at it, please cite any theory of morality or ethics at all that says that if you must kill something, then you're justified in killing anything you want.

Actually, if you could cite anything to support your position, instead of just asserting things, that would be great! In particular, I'd love to see any credible ethical argument that all nonhuman life should be treated exactly equally in ethical terms.

> If this theory is true then the pure herbivores of our species did not survive natural selection - the omnivores proved better adapted for survival.

So, we should take our ethical cues from natural selection, then? I thought you said earlier that we shouldn't.

Regarding "human efficiency," what do you think of the environmental destruction caused by animal agriculture? Or, if human efficiency is only measured on an individual scale, how is it affected by the mounting evidence that eating animals isn't so great? (each word is a distinct link.) What about the antibiotics issue? Please address this.

> Yes - if both animals and plants suffer and several lives have been given already to create the animal then the animal causes the least loss of life and the least suffering. How many plants do you have to slaughter and digest screaming to equal one animal?

You said earlier that plants can't scream. And can't suffer. And the answer, once more with feeling, is: about a 10:1 ratio! Remember? I linked those wikipedia articles for you! Did you read them?

Which reminds me, I've been careful to only cite things that are reasonably "impartial": news articles, PubMed, wikipedia, that sort of thing. Nothing from the Humane Society or anything like that, since I imagine that you'll probably just dismiss it. If you'd be willing to read those things seriously, then by all means let me know and I'll share a few. And if you wouldn't mind addressing some of the things that those linked articles address, I'd appreciate it.

I'll go back a couple posts of yours, if you don't mind, because I forgot to address this point:

> The animal would have eaten the plants regardless of your decision. By eating the animal you are not participating in the death or the potential suffering of the plants.

Yes you are! You've paid for the animal to be bred, raised, fed, and slaughtered. You are contributing to the demand for this process. Are you claiming that by supporting something financially is completely divorced from all ethical responsibility? Please explain this, since I don't understand this view.

> Farming an animal for food is not torture. Torturing an animal for the sake of seeing it suffer is morally wrong.

Well, if you're in America, more than 99% of the time it is. Is it permissible to torture an animal to eat it more cheaply?

Jonathan Safran Foer's book Eating Animals, by the way, is an excellent and very honest investigation of the ethics of eating meat. It's written from the perspective of someone who's oscillated between eating meat and not eating it for his life so far, and I hope you'll believe me when I say that it is absolutely not judgmental of those who do. There's no way around the fact that it's been a human tradition for a very long time, and there's a great deal of sentimentality around it, and this book approaches the subject with great intellectual and moral honesty. I hope you'll at least consider reading it, if you would like to, I'd even be happy to send you my copy in the mail (although I'd probably be unwilling to give out my address over the internet), and you can keep it after that. And if you're right about the ethics of it, you'll blast through it in a few days and come away completely unchanged, since your position is totally bulletproof. If there's no threat, all you have to lose is a few hours of reading time. And, if you don't want to read anything, he's given a couple brief interviews 1, 2, 3, 4 that you can watch in a few minutes (the longest is an hour).

And of course, since I'm suggesting some reading material for you (I hope you're actually reading those articles by the way... it's hard to tell, since you haven't address any of them except the ADA abstract, which you dismissed with an appeal to nature), it's only fair that if you recommend any books or articles or films to me at all, I solemnly swear to read (or watch) them with an open mind. I'll even get back to you about what I think!

I think it's extremely telling that the industry has fought so hard to pass laws against documenting abuse in their operations. Would you agree that given a choice between cheap meat that has been raised in torturous conditions, and expensive meat that was raised in a way to give the animal a good life while it was alive, one has a moral obligation to choose the one that caused less suffering? This, I expect, is in line with your moral mandate to kill. After all:

> Certainly limiting the amount of pain inflicted is a desirable choice.

Try this: go to your refrigerator, and look at the label for the animal flesh you already have in there. See what farm it's from, and look up a phone number. Give them a call, and pretend that you're interested in taking a tour of their facilities to see the conditions. Then, when you're at the farmer's market, find someone selling meat and ask if it would be possible to go see the farm sometime.

Look, I don't want to be hostile. Clearly we disagree on some very fundamental things (like the notion that suffering has anything at all to do with ethical decisions) but I want to be very clear that I'm not trying to pick a fight or belittle you in any way. I just find some (most, frankly) of your views baffling, heartless, and honestly, pretty terrifying. But honest discussion is the whole point of CMV, right? And, I'd like to encourage you again to cite anything to justify your assertion that plants and animals should be given exactly the same ethical consideration (none). And again, please cite anything at all to support the notion that the capacity to suffer is of no moral consequence.

Thanks! I'm looking forward to your reply. I've tried to be very clear about the points I'd like you to address, and hopefully I succeeded.

The following comment operates on the assumption that you are interested in American urban planning from an administrative or public policy focus. For real estate development, urban design/architecture, or international issues, look elsewhere.

A solid, all purpose undergraduate major: philosophy. You can teach yourself subjects and even methods, but to learn how to think critically and write about complex subjects in a clear way you need quality, focused instruction and that's the purpose of philosophy. Outside of your general major requirements, take exclusively analytic philosophy courses. Typically there is an analytic philosophy survey course but for other courses identify which professors in your department operate in this tradition (and take teaching seriously) and take whatever courses they offer, regardless of your personal interest in the subject going in. Common subjects include logic, philosophy of mind, philosophy of science, epistemology, etc. These courses will discipline your thinking and writing in ways that other majors won't. These skills are absolutely fundamental and lay the groundwork for a successful, highly adaptable career.

Outside of that major, which will fulfill your humanities requirements, you should fill your general requirements with courses like U.S. government (typically fulfilling a social science requirement), microeconomics and macroeconomics (social science, business, and occasionally quantitative), and environmental science (natural science). Take as many economics courses as you can. You can also take a basic geography course focused on cities but in my experience these courses teach you what you can easily learn from disciplined study on your own time. Focus your electives on methods courses, specifically statistics and digital mapping (GIS). You can also easily learn these online but if you have to fill up requirements, stick with these.

"But wait, don't I need to know something about urban planning?" Definitely! But you don't need to use up valuable course time on this subjects unless you have top urban planning scholars teaching undergraduate courses at your school, which probably isn't the case. Feel free to share your program and I'm sure the great community here can point out any top scholars active there. Otherwise, focus on teaching yourself the subject over summer and winter breaks. Read books by esteemed experts/scholars/writers in the field. A few broad essentials, all of which should be available at your public library:

• "Death and Life of Great American Cities" by Jane Jacobs (the essential urban planning text)
  
  
• "Triumph of the City" by Edward Glaeser (urban economics)
  
  
• "Zoned in the USA" by Sonia Hirt (land use planning)
  
  
• "Walkable City" by Jeff Speck (transportation/urban design)
  
  
• "Cities of Tomorrow" by Peter Hall (urban theory/history - don't hesitate to save a ton of money by buying an older edition!)
  
  Other users are welcome to contribute what they see as essentials. The key here is to read about urban planning relentlessly in your free time (important: this includes blogs!) and focus your coursework on skills development. This combination of philosophy/methods coursework and disciplined, independent reading will make you not only an issue expert, which are a dime a dozen, but a productive expert, someone who can approach a completely new problem and produce useful results.
  
  This is the path I have followed and I have been happy with the results. Hope this helps.
  
  Edit: grammar errors, typos, etc. fixes.

I would like to encourage you a little and liberate you from the thought that a good designers must "be creative" (i.e., good at making things look pretty).

Form and function. Web design is primarily about function (i.e., problem solving). Form plays a lesser role and can be highly subjective. As a general principles, so long as form does not hinder function and is not needed to communicate a particular message (e.g., elegance, happiness, anger, etc.), then good-enough form is good enough.

Consider Craigslist. It's an ugly website. It's not going to win any good-looks awards. Yet, people are not leaving in droves because it solves a problem (i.e., post, search, and review classifieds) and does so well.

On the flip side, there are many beautiful websites that are functionally defective.

Good designers solve problems. If you want to learn good design, I'd recommend a few courses:

• Graphic Design Specialization [Coursera]
  
• Interaction Design Specialization [Coursera]
  
• Game Design Specialization [Coursera]
  
• User Experience Research and Design MicroMasters [edX]
  
• Intro to the Design of Everyday Things [Udacity]
  
  You can take all of these courses and specializations for free. (Make sure you select the free option if that's your preference.) They will help you learn "design thinking" from three different perspectives.
  
  A really good book on usability (function) with wide applicability is Don't Make Me Think by Steve Krug. A good book on graphic design basics is The Non-Designers Design Book by Robin Williams.
  
  Sadly, most web "design" books focus on teaching HTML, CSS and JavaScript rather than design, so I can't provide any good resources specifically on web design. (Maybe others can fill that void.)
  
  However, the benefit of approaching design from a variety of perspectives and in a variety of contexts is that it helps you learn how to "think design." Seeing design thinking play out across areas reinforces the basic design principles and practices and makes it easier to apply them to web design.
  
  If you are more interested in form, then I'd recommend looking into studio art classes (e.g., drawing, painting, photography, digital imaging, etc). (Alternatively, you could follow courses on YouTube for these.) While these sometimes focus more on technique, they'll help you learn how to dissect what you see. You'll learn to see objects as shapes, lines, textures, shades, hues, etc. Combine that knowledge with good technique (e.g., drawing, HTML/CSS, Photoshop, etc.), and it becomes easy to make things look nice.
  
  Also, don't neglect creativity. One of the best books on creativity that I've ever come across is Sparks of Genius: The Thirteen Thinking Tools of the World's Most Creative People. While it's a long read, it provides you with some great tools to use to "spark" creative thought.
  
  Hope that helps.

A Word of Caution on Inspiration Galleries

Seeking inspiration (ideas) is perfectly acceptable, but it must be done so cautiously. Too often, people fall into the trap of simply copying the sources of inspiration because it looked nice.

Instead, it's helpful to study the source of inspiration. Which components are interesting? Why were they used? What problem was the designer attempting to solve with them? Once you understand why those components were used, then you are better positioned to decide if they help solve your design problem.

It's also helpful to remember that no two design problems are the same. Sure, you're a bank and we're a bank, but we have different needs, target different audiences, have different value propositions, different brands, and so on. Thus, our design solutions will necessarily differ.

Some Helpful Resources

As for helpful resources, I would start with a video from Flint McGlaughlin on the inverted marketing funnel. You're probably already familiar with the funnel concept from marketing, but he describes it as fulfilling a sequence of "micro yes" points. If you have a good understanding of how the user moves through these "micro yes" moments, then it can help you decide where to choose and place elements on a page. For example, should your call-to-action be above the fold? Do you need pictures? Are stock photos okay? And so on.

Going more in-depth, I would recommend looking to The Elements of User Experience by Jesse James Garrett. You can find lecture videos from him on YouTube covering the ideas.

Another book on the essential reading list is Don't Make Me Think, Revisited by Steve Krug. It's a fantastic book on usability and user experience.

For a slightly more graphic design bent, although still applicable, I would recommend The Non-Designer's Design Book by Robin Williams. It will help you understand the basic components of graphic design which can be applied to web design.

What all these resources do is give you a basic framework through which you can make better design decisions.

Design is fundamentally about problem solving. You are not creating a design simply for the sake of the "design." You are creating a design to accomplish some goal. This is true of graphic designer, web design, user experience design, interaction design, and even industrial design.

Not OP, but I can tell you that all of those dishes are super easy to "veganify." Start buying different veggie burger patties, check out Beyond Meat products (they make burgers, ground beef, and chicken type meat currently - honestly I've been meat free for so long that it's all a little too meaty for me, but I wish the Beyond brand had been available when I first stopped eating meat). There are a ton of other veggie patties out there. Check out your nearest vegan restaurant if there are any around you. If you're a milk drinker, I honestly prefer plant-based milk, pea milk, oat milk, almond, flax, soy... all so good. When my husband first went vegan we went and bought a whole bunch of different plant-based kinds of milk to do a taste test b/c he's very picky about the creamer in his coffee. He ended up choosing the pea milk - it's got a good creamy feel to it in coffee. Chao Cheese is delicious (a lot of vegan cheeses aren't so great but that one is).

Easy snacks: almond butter and banana, or avocado and hummus sandwiches, soup and bread is easy, something about coconut oil on toast tastes EXACTLY like butter to me, but there are vegan butters available that mimic the real thing very well also... there's a lot of vegan junk food out there like chips, Oreos, cookies, and ice-cream too to get that fix. Ben and Jerry's dairy-free ice cream is unreal. I didn't even know it was vegan when I used to eat it as a vegetarian.

Vegan cooking blogs:

[Minimalist Baker] (https://minimalistbaker.com/) - she has a good shepherds pie.

[Hot for Food] (https://www.hotforfoodblog.com/welcome) has a lot of good comfort food

[Thug Kitchen] (https://www.thugkitchen.com/)

[Here's a list of the Top 50 vegan food blogs] (https://www.culinarynutrition.com/top-50-vegan-blogs/)

Reading ["Eating Animals" by Jonathan Safran Foer] (https://www.amazon.com/Eating-Animals-Jonathan-Safran-Foer/dp/0316069884) was really instrumental in helping me make the shift as well. Foer is a fiction author who went vegan irl and the book is autobiographical of his decision making, so it's very approachable and not guilt-trippy at all.

Welcome to the right side of history! Also, I didn't feel different at all going from meat-eater to vegetarian, when I went from vegetarian to vegan, however, I felt a world of difference in terms of improved mood and energy and getting to poop like three times a day ha.

And, like someone else said, you don't have to do it all at once. Maybe try cutting out one animal group at a time. If I had to do it over, I would start with dairy, then chicken, fish, pork, beef... Dairy is really just awful in terms of cruelty and health impact.

Okay now I'm rambling. Take care!

Edit: formatting wall of text.

Find me the most amazing bed. It should be comfy and awe-inspiring.

We have the Boots and Barkley version of this dog bed. My little dog sleeps on it, even though we got it for the big one (the little dog has her own, smaller dog bed that the big one now uses. The weirdos). I know it's the best bed in the world, because she used to wake us up early whining to go outside. Now, she lays in bed until I'm up and dressed, suppressing her outstanding need to urinate in favor of laying there.

Perfect bedtime snack. What is it?

I like muffins. This is my favorite kind. They are delicious and wonderful and make the world a delightful place :)

I love classic flannel pajama sets, particularly the ones with cute pictures. What’s the best one you can find?

Owls and polka dots make a sleepy Amber a happy Amber. Now, just to find some muffins....

You are never too old for a nightlight. Find a fun one.

Ooooh, nice! I see cool night lights in Target all the time and always want to get one (ok, all of them), but I never do because we don't really need one. But I checked amazon for the best nightlight in the entire world and I found this one. Because dinosaurs. Do I really need to explain further? :)

Nobody sleeps until the baby sleeps. Can you find an item that will help baby sleep?

Have you tried reading baby a book? This one is particularly effective, I think ;)

Every night I sleep with an animal plushie I bought as a souvenir at the San Diego Zoo. Can you link a plushie version of the same animal

I'm guessing giraffe. My entire basis is that I have a giraffe stuffed animal that I recently got from the NC Zoo. My logic may not be sound, I just love giraffes :)

She used to say she could taste sleep and that it was as delicious as a BLT on fresh French bread. Thanks for the contest! This was a ton of fun. Sorry for being a bit longwinded... :)

Sounds like you really want to help the guy develop professionally; and you also really want to use his work because you think it would sell. Great.

Numbers are hard to put out there without seeing his chops or the style you are asking for. Perhaps a base of, say, $500-$2000 per illustration with rights included so you own them, but with him cut in on the calendar (and other calendar year products) profits; so there is real potential and investment on his side. Then you have this great art to monetize in perpetuity and your friend has seen the light of using his talents — and, if you use the opportunity to teach him, become more comfortable with the process of doing so.

Those are opinions, this is advice:

Tell him you are interested and want him to write a quote. Tell him to base it on the Graphic Artist's Guild Handbook of Pricing and Ethical Guidelines and Business and Legal Forms for Graphic Designers. It's okay to mention you expect consideration for your part in this opportunity for him, but let him know you want the ownership at the end of project. If he gets the books and builds a good quote in a few weeks, good sign — have him Xerox the pages he used to make the quote and you will learn as much as he.

Have a schedule carefully set up in case he flakes. First few concepts in two weeks to develop rapport and trust — then full concepts in four, line work completed and the first few finals for approval at six-eight, finals for approval weeks eight-twelve, revised finals in sixteen. Add your slide time in secretly and only give it away harshly. Expect 12 new paid works after a life of casual attention to be a bit overwhelming for him; and if you really want to be a hero put him in contention for the next year ... but you have no responsibility to.


Because this is one of those amazing chances to really make someone's life better.

(edit: fixed studio-artist level deadline times)

I often see questions like “How do I become a screenwriter?” or "How can I write a screenplay?"

So here’s an answer you can read in five minutes or less.

Read at least two screenwriting “how-to” books

For example, you could try:

• How to Write a Movie in 21 Days
  
• Screenplay (Syd Field)
  
• Story (McKee)
  
• Writing for Emotional Impact
  
• Save the Cat (series)
  
• The Screenwriter’s Bible
  
• My Story Can Beat up Your Story
  
  I think it’s a good idea to read more than one book because you don’t want to get the idea that there’s only one right way to write a screenplay. Different authors have different approaches that you may find more or less useful.
  
  TAKE NOTES ON WHAT YOU LEARN.
  
  

  Read at least five professional scripts
  

  
  You can often find them by googling the name of the movie along with “PDF.”
  
  You can also try Simply Scripts and The Internet Movie Script Database (IMSDb).
  
  Your reading list should include scripts for movies that have been made in the past five years, so you can see what styles are current.
  
  TAKE NOTES ON WHAT YOU LEARN.
  
  One thing you should notice is that professional scripts have certain things in common. For example, they almost all have sluglines that look something like this:
  
  EXT. RAIN FOREST – DAY
  
  Some writers put sluglines in bold (which is a current fashion), and some don’t.
  
  You should also notice that other things are different. For example, some writers use CAPS for objects and sounds a lot more than other writers do. Some writers write long, detailed descriptions of locations; others don’t.
  
  One reason for this exercise is to get a sense of what a professional script looks like – what’s “standard,” and what’s more a matter of individual taste/style.
  
  Another reason to read a lot of scripts (especially award-winning ones) is to get a feel for what “good” looks like.
  
  Think about how these pro scripts follow (or not) the “rules” in the books you’ve read.
  
  

  Follow along in the script as you’re watching the movie
  

  
  Notice how words on a page translate into sights and sounds on the screen.
  
  Notice how much detail is written out by the screenwriter, and how much is left to others (like the costume designer, set designer, or fight choreographer).
  
  

  Come up with a screenplay idea/story
  

  
  A good source for help with developing commercial story ideas is Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds.
  
  Or read this blog: https://lauridonahue.com/fantastic-ideas-and-where-to-find-them-stps-5/
  
  It can be helpful to put your idea into logline form. One basic model for loglines is:
  
  >[Type of person or group] must [do or overcome something] in order to [achieve some goal].
  
  You can also add details about where and when the story takes place, if relevant.
  
  For example:
  
  >A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, a restless farm-boy must rescue a princess and learn to use his supernatural powers in order to defeat an evil empire.
  
  

  Create a beat-sheet
  

  
  A beat-sheet is a short (1-2 page) outline of what happens in your script.
  
  For example, you can use the famous/infamous Blake Snyder “Save the Cat” Beat Sheet.
  
  The books you’ve read may have other models for this.
  
  Some people don’t like outlining. They just like to jump right into the story and start writing. How you work is up to you. But you may find that having an outline will let you know if you’ve got enough story (or too much), keep you on track, and save you from wasting time.
  
  

  Write a treatment or a scriptment
  

  
  A treatment or scriptment is a longer kind of outline.
  
  Again, you may prefer just to dive in. It’s up to you.
  
  

  Try to write a screenplay
  

  
  It’s a good idea to get script formatting software, like Celtx or Highland or Final Draft. If you try to write a script in Word or another standard word processing program, you may drive yourself nuts dealing with format issues, and the end result may not look professional.
  
  Or, just can write your first draft in a notebook, and do your second draft using formatting software. (I decided I wasn’t going to spend money on Final Draft until I proved to myself I could finish a first draft by hand.)
  
  If you finish, congratulations. You’re now a screenwriter. Most wannabes never make it to that point.
  
  However, your script probably isn’t very good. Most first scripts are awful.
  
  What if you want to be a GOOD screenwriter?
  
  Then you’ve got a lot more work ahead of you.
  
  

  Put the script aside
  

  
  Don’t work on it for at least a week. You want to be able to see it with fresh eyes.
  
  Don’t show it to anyone yet, however much you want people to tell you how awesome it is.
  
  This would be a good time to start working on your next script.
  
  

  Rewrite
  

  
  Look back at your notes from the screenwriting books and scripts you read. Think about what makes a script good.
  
  Compare your script to the professional scripts, in terms of format, structure, dialogue, pacing, description, action, etc.
  
  Re-read the chapters on revisions in the books you read.
  
  Read a book like Making a Good Script Great and apply what it suggests.
  
  Rewrite again and again and again until your script is as good as you think you can make it.
  
  

  Get feedback
  

  
  Do NOT get feedback on your first draft. Get feedback on your BEST draft.
  
  So where do you get feedback?
  
  

• You could try Zoetrope.com for free (swapped) peer feedback or pay a screenwriting consultant (like me, ScriptGal, or Screenplay Mechanic, or check Sites, Services, Software, & Supplies) or put your script on The Black List.
  
• Some screenwriting contests, like the Nicholl and Austin, also offer feedback – but you may have to wait quite a few months to get it.
  
• You could take a screenwriting class – in person or online – and get feedback from your teacher and classmates.
  
• You could form or join a screenwriting feedback co-up and swap notes with fellow writers.
  
  Whatever you do, don’t be a douche about the feedback you get. Accept it with THANKS and graciously, even if you think the reader is an idiot for failing to recognize your genius.
  
  And before you ask anyone for free feedback, read this – and don’t be that guy.
  
  

  Rewrite again and again and again
  

  
  Again, in between rewrites and while you’re waiting for feedback, put your script aside and work on more scripts.
  
  You could experiment with different formats (feature, TV, short, webisode, etc.), genres, and styles. Discover where your strengths and interests lie.
  
  

  Get more feedback; revise; repeat
  

  
  Repeat as needed until people who know what they’re talking about (not your buddies, not your mom) say it’s good, and/or you start placing in contests like the Nicholl and Austin and/or getting 8s and up on The Black List.
  
  Keep in mind that it may take years, and many drafts of many scripts, before you get to this point… if you ever do. (Most people don’t.)
  
  If you do make it that far – congratulations again!  You’re now a pretty good screenwriter.
  
  
  (If you like this, please subscribe to my blog: https://lauridonahue.com/how-to-become-a-screenwriter-in-five-minutes-or-less-stps-4/)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Edit: this isn't mine it's Seshat_the_Scribe but it should help

From a theory/craft/story building perspective, I'd start with either John Truby's Anatomy of Story (The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller https://www.amazon.com/dp/0865479933/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_l1iMBb6PRTA0G), or Robert McKee's Story (Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting https://www.amazon.com/dp/0060391685/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_e2iMBb0CKZ42M). They have some similarities but either is a good starting point for the background theories in story telling and story development.

For formatting/templates there are lots of guides. A general Google search for screenplay formatting should get you a good starting point for the standards needed.

Teaching yourself to have a critical eye to discern between good and bad film (and then further between good and great film) takes time as well as remembering that each person's opinion on what makes any one film good/great is subjective. That said, getting a basis in critical film analysis can help because that will get you watching films that have the best stories/characters/dialogues/settings/etc. This will prime your subconscious and get you thinking in those ways so that when you write your own work, you're starting from a place of strength rather than from cliche.

Research what kind of screenplays you could do - original, adaptations, big budget, studio specific, independent, genre, art house, etc. Maybe you'd be happier in a writer's room at a small studio as opposed to a large one. Maybe you really like adaptations. Try to figure out what powers your desire to write (Truby has a great exercise early in his book for this).

Find a local writer's group if possible. Hopefully one that has other screenwriters, but any good group you mesh with well helps, as they can be external mentors and feedback for your efforts.

Look at participating in National Novel Writing Month in November as a rebel (i.e. someone writing something other than a novel) as motivation/structure/deadline to forcing yourself to write.

And most of all - write. Just start. Get going and keep going. You'll want to freeze up or get it right, but so much good comes during the many iterations your story will take, so start earlier rather than later.

Hope that helps.

ETA: links

Hah. It's complicated. I don't think there is such a list. If you build your list purely by data, let's say population or wealth, it doesn't work. Seattle, or San Francisco, which to me are T1 cities, have smaller populations than Houston, Texas, which to me is a T2 (despite being one of the biggest cities in the country).

To me, a Tier 1 city is typically one people outside of the country have heard of. New York. Boston. SF. LA. Seattle. Chicago. When I visited Paris and told people (a cab driver and a worker at a bakery) I was from New Orleans, I shit you not, they had never heard of it. I had to say, "Louis Armstrong? Jazz?" and that gave them sort of a light bulb...

A Tier 1 city has everything you expect. Density of population, residential and commercial spaces in close proximity. Insane traffic. Wealth. The aforementioned things to do. Tier 2 cities tend to be more spread out, like Houston or Atlanta (but, again, LA is insanely spread out so you can't judge cities by density, either), and they tend to have sleepier commercial activity (most stores or restaurants downtown shut down around 5-6 or are only open for lunch).

They tend to have some wealth but not crazy wealth. Charlotte, NC is flush with bank money (I think). Houston and Dallas with energy. Miami with tourism and probably drugs, I dunno. Someone mentioned Boise, I think Boise has been home to a tech scene for a long time but it hasn't ever put the city on much of a map. Oddly I was driving cross country and went past Boise and it looks absolutely miniscule, like a small town that's really proud of having a couple 50 story buildings in it. Not hating, just an example of a place having a bigger reputation than it should.

You might find this book helpful: The Death and Life of Great American Cities, by Jane Jacobs. I read this early on while hunting for a place to live because I wanted to really understand how to recognize a great city without having to visit many of them. I ended up traveling a lot anyway but her work is very insightful. She was instrumental in how Toronto evolved (she even had an impact on New York I believe) and I briefly lived in a neighborhood with her fingerprints all over it, that was essentially her model neighborhood. A perfect blend of medium density residential (some single family homes next to 20-30 unit apartment buildings a few blocks deep) astride a commercial corridor for groceries and entertainment -- the neighborhood is called "The Annex", check it out on Google Street view here. The neighborhood has a mix of students, professors, bankers, artists, etc. Or, it had -- I'm sure it is gentrified like crazy by now.

A Tier 1 city is also a city that is insanely expensive to live in. In San Francisco I rented a 330 sq. ft. apartment in a truly awful neighborhood for $1650/month five years ago. That was a great price back then...in New Orleans I had a 1300 sq. ft. house and was paying the equivalent of $800/month in mortgage. I paid the place off just before I moved away from there, something I never thought I'd be able to do in my lifetime. It is something I will never likely be able to do in a Tier 1 city.

So...probably more of an answer than you wanted or expected, and probably not a very helpful one. My suggestion is to think about what is important to you and find a place that has that. Do you love the outdoors? Denver/Boulder, Portland OR, Seattle, etc. are great cities with that. Do you want to spend tons of time at a beach? San Diego is pretty affordable (for California) and you get that. Do you like hiking and camping? Plenty of places to do that in texas. Find a subreddit here and ask the locals :)

All of them, really. Absolutely no harm will come from reading all the books out there (for a while). At worst, you'll learn ways of doing things that DON'T work for you but it's still good knowledge to have.

After a while, eventually, you'll start noticing though that all the new books out are just copying and rephrasing the books that came before them. That's when it's time to stop.

Some of the popular ones are syd field's book, Robert McKee's book, Joseph Campbell's book (and imo a book called The Writer's Journey by Christopher something that analyzes Campbell's book and puts it into modern story telling terms). That'll get you started. I have varying opinions of each of those books and none of them should be adhered to by law, but they ALL contain concepts and theories that, as a professional writer, you'd do well to expose yourself to. If for no other reason than that you can be aware of the concepts when others talk about them.

Tangentially, Stephen king's On Writing and William Goldman's books are great reads but don't necessarily apply to the craft of screen writing directly. Also useful to read any interviews or collections of interviews with screen writers. You may also want to check out some podcasts, Jeff goldsmith's interviews with screen writers is great and I have no idea if it's still available or even what it's called but I used to listen to one titled something like Sam and Jim Go to Hollywood (I am positive I got those names wrong) about two guys who up and quit their careers as restaurant owners and moved to Hollywood to become writers and share what they've learned. Ted Rossio and Terry Elliot also run, or ran, a website with forums (which are eh) and and a collection of articles about screen writing which are fantastic.

This was all stuff I was into years ago, so I don't know how much of it is still relevant, because like I said when you get to a certain point you've kind of read everything out there and it all starts repeating itself, and you realize all that's left is to read screenplays and write a ton.

Good luck.

e: back on my computer, here are some links:

Syd Field's Sreenplay (he has several books out, that's the one you should start with as it lays the foundation for basic story structure of nearly all modern movies. IMO, it's also the best one out there because he never says these are rules in any way, he simply analyzed a bunch of movies and lays out his findings for you to do with as you wish)

Robert McKee's Story

Joseph Campbell's Hero with a Thousand Faces

and Christopher Vogler's The Writer's Journey

Stephen King's On Writing which describes his writing style and, while I don't prefer it, is a very interesting style similar to the Cohen Brothers

William Goldman's Adventures in the Screen Trade and Which Lie did I Tell? two accounts of William Goldman's experiences as one of the top writers in Hollywood, and dealing with the business. Writer of The Princess Bride, Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid, and many others. Dude's a legend.

Jeff Goldsmith's Q&A podcast he also did the same style podcast while working for a screenwriting magazine, though the name escapes me right now

Sam and Jim Go to Hollywood holy shit I got their names right I can't believe it. Seems to be dead for a few years but it looks like their podcasts are still up.

Wordplay, Ted & Terry's website read every single one of those articles

e: BONUS! Not that useful as an educational resource, but it's fun to read Ken Levine's blog, writer on MASH and Cheers Ken's blog (no, not the guy who made BioShock)

When I was first starting out, way back in the last century, there were few places to go to learn this type of thing. And those that had the knowledge were usually less then excited at the thought of sharing their knowledge with you, so that you could become their competition.

But times have changed, and we have this Internet thing, and everybody is sharing everything. Maybe it isn't the Info Age, as much as it is the Era of Sharing, and sharing means a lot of crappy stuff gets thrown in the mix.

So choose your trusted sources carefully, and see who their trusted sources are.

For a good primer in guitar electronics, I recommend reading this book. It's dated, but it's basic info is good, and it's free to read in your browser (takes some time to load):

https://www.scribd.com/doc/2154081/Craig-Anderton-Guitar-Electronics-for-Musicians

I'm anticipating another book on guitar electronics from a source who's previous work I like:

https://hazeguitars.com/completeguitarwiring

This is a good video to understand shock hazards associated with play the electric guitar:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xS_5K5YEYv8&feature=youtu.be

When it comes to other aspects of guitar adjustment, Dan Erlewine has been the go-to source for decades. His books on guitar repair and maintenance are the gold standard. This first book I've linked is more for the guitar repair professional, and might be a bit much. But the second book I've linked should be must-reading for anyone curious about adjusting their guitar to play it's best:

https://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Player-Repair-Guide-3rd/dp/0879309210

https://www.amazon.com/Make-Your-Electric-Guitar-Great/dp/0879309989

Although I haven't actually read any of the books by John Carruthers, I studied under him and on the basis of that experience I would recommend anything he's involved in:

https://www.musiciansfriend.com/books-sheet-music-media/alfred-teach-yourself-guitar-repair-and-maintenance-book?src=3soswxxa

There are a bunch of John Carruther's videos on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9C05D39374BFA9B1

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLB7631EF18F62E16D

I like this book because it's illustrated so well:

https://www.amazon.com/Players-Guide-Guitar-Maintenance/dp/0879305495

Dan Erlewine is a consultant at the guitar tools and supplies seller Stewart-MacDonald. They are a good resource for not just tools and supplies, but they have educational videos, some of which you can get via email, and some of which can be seen on YouTube:

https://www.stewmac.com/

Many of the boutique pickup makers have blogs on their sites, where they talk about pickup design and characteristics.

Just learning good practices on installing strings on various types of guitars is an important starting place:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfK8lQZaq_8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hW0d9bBzUao

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvTFtHLOQvk

And if you can master the secrets of floating tremolo set-up, you can impress your friends and strike fear into the heart of your enemies:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYcGmMJnX0M&feature=youtu.be&t=213

There are so many more good sources, but that should give you a start.

Trade half of your brain for half of mine? I'm on the other side of the creek from you. Trying to get into development but already established into design. I feel like the main things that would come in handy are

• Color Theory
  
• Typographic Hierarchy / Typography knowledge
  
• Maybe user interface but I know development plays a role in that as well.
  
  Some great sites to check out:
  
  
• Styleboost Great site that shows uniquely designed websites, helpful for inspiration.
  
  
• PSDTUT articles regarding typography/design
  
  
• Smashing Magazine has a lot of great articles regarding design and user interface. I generally read it everyday.
  
  And if you're really getting into graphic design and enjoying it, I suggest some of these books to dive deeper.
  
  
• Graphic Design Referenced
  
  
• An Eye For Color
  
  
• The Elements of Typographic Style
  
  
• For a quick reference regarding different styles or inspirations - Stylepedia
  
  There's a ton more so feel free to ask any questions or if you want any critiques I'd be glad to help. Good Luck!

Very cool how much you want to support him.

The biggest misconception about the industry is probably how little math we actually use. There is of course a spectrum to our field that spans from sculptors and artists to programmers and engineers. By and large, however, we are visual people who hone our skills by practicing art. I was happily surprised in my first term of college to find out how much time we'd spend sketching and drafting. Hopefully that's appealing to him!

As far as what skills to learn: I took a CAD drafting class in high school that gave me a good head start in college. Sketchup is easy to pick up and I'd encourage him to get comfortable with Rhino to really be able to model digitally. I would not recommend Revit at this early stage as it's extremely technical. Physical modeling is also helpful. I grew up on Legos before moving to paper / cardstock / cardboard sketch modeling. Messy and fast and gives three-dimensional insight you can't get from a page or a screen, plus having the ability to make clean models is a great way to impress professors early on.

Regarding reading material. These books made an enormous impression on me:

• 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School
  
• The Fast Guide to Architectural Form
  
• Christopher Alexander's A Pattern Language
  
• Francis D.K. Ching's Form, Space, Order
  
• and Architect? A Candid Guide to the Profession
  
  I would highly recommend each and every one to him. All very approachable reading for a 14 year old already sketching commercial spaces.
  
  And Bjark Ingel's Yes is More is a fun read in graphic novel form.
  
  Lastly— reach out to your local AIA chapter. They can connect you and your brother with resources specific to your area including firms to check out / potentially shadow at, scholarships to apply for, and summer programs and other workshops to attend.
  
  ​
  
  Best of luck to you both! It's quite a journey and a rewarding one if it fits.
  I'm happy to talk more if you'd like to message me.

Here are some resources I’ve found interesting and/or useful.

Books

There are over 10,000 results for “screenwriting” when you search for books on Amazon.com, and at least one new screenwriting book is published every week.

Here are some “how to” books I recommend:

• How to Write a Movie in 21 Days
  
• Screenplay (Syd Field)
  
• Story (McKee)
  
• Writing for Emotional Impact
  
• Save the Cat (series)
  
• The Screenwriter’s Bible
  
• My Story Can Beat up Your Story
  
  There are also good books about the screenwriting life. Some of my favorites are:
  
  
• What Happens Next: A History of American Screenwriting
  
• Adventures in the Screen Trade: A Personal View of Hollywood and Screenwriting
  
• Which Lie Did I Tell?: More Adventures in the Screen Trade
  
• Just the Funny Parts: … And a Few Hard Truths About Sneaking into the Hollywood Boys’ Club
  
• The First Time I Got Paid For It: Writers’ Tales From The Hollywood Trenches
  
  

  Software
  

  
  Some of the most popular screenwriting format programs include:
  
  

• Celtx (free; upgrades available)
  
• Highland (free, with $49.99 pro upgrade)
  
• Final Draft ($249.99 for Final Draft 11; considered over-priced and widely-loathed, but also the industry standard)
  
• Movie Magic ($99.99 for version 6)
  
  More options are discussed here, and you can find about 40 screenwriting programs at The Writer’s Store.
  
  Most programs have free trials, so you can see which one you like best before you commit.
  
  Having screenwriting software is necessary (IMHO) but not sufficient to write a properly formatted screenplay. The software will let you designate dialogue as V.O. (voice over) or O.S. (off-screen), but it won’t explain when you use which. For that, and for many other things, you need to read something that gets into the details of formatting, like The Screenwriter’s Bible.
  
  Many format programs have lots of bells and whistles including:
  
  
• virtual index cards that can be moved around on virtual cork boards,
  
• text-to-speech (so you can hear robots read your screenplay out loud), and
  
• collaboration functions (which are actually useful if you and your writing partner are in different locations or don’t want to crowd around the same screen).
  
  There are also specialized software programs that supposedly help with plotting and structure, character development, etc., but I’ve never used any.
  
  

  Screenplays
  

  
  You can often find screenplays for produced movies by googling the name of the movie along with “PDF.”
  
  Scott Myers has collected a list of 100+ scripts made available by studios and production companies here.
  
  Scripts often appear online around awards season (roughly the three months before the Oscars) but they may disappear later. So if you find a copy of a script you really want to study, it’s a good idea to download and save it.
  
  You can also try Simply Scripts, The Internet Movie Script Database (IMSDb), and Drew’s Script-O-Rama.
  
  Many libraries and bookstores carry published scripts, but often the format will be somewhat different from the original version.
  
  

It was hard, until all of a sudden it was easy. My method? I learned as much as I could about the issues with animal agriculture. At first I continued to eat eggs and dairy (I'd already been a vegetarian for several years), but I'd feel conflicted and guilty afterward. Still, convenience or cravings would keep me coming back. But I kept reading everything I could find on the subject and one day, suddenly, no amount of tastiness or convenience could justify my continuing to support those practices.

Two of the main sources that informed my decision were the book Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer and Colleen Patrick Goudreau's Food for Thought podcast.

Eating Animals is an extremely well-written and comprehensive overview of the ethical, environmental, and health effects of animal agriculture. Food for Thought touches a lot on the "why" of veganism, but where Colleen's work has really been helpful to me is in the "how." She explains, among other things, how to make sure you're properly nourished, how to stave off cravings for old foods, how to respond to questions and confrontations, and how to really take joy and pleasure in your new lifestyle.

As far as specific advice, here are a few tidbits.

1. Learn to cook. Fake meats are fine when you're just getting started, but you're going to find yourself bored and dissatisfied with your diet really quickly if you continue to rely on them. Experiment with new cuisines and vegetables, don't let yourself get into a food rut.
   
   
2. Research nutrition. Vegan Health is a good place to start. You can be healthy and thrive on a vegan diet, but it does have different strengths and weaknesses than an omnivorous diet. As long as you eat a wide variety of unprocessed fruits and vegetables and get enough calories for your size and level of activity, you should get most of the nutrients you need in abundance. There are some things that you should consider supplementing: B-12 (absolutely essential!), omega-3s (recommended), calcium and vitamin D (better to obtain through diet, but can supplement if needed). Don't even worry about protein.
   
   
3. Don't avoid talking about your veganism, but in general it's better if other people initiate the conversation. Keep any dialogue brief and matter of fact unless people seem genuinely interested in learning more. Many people will become defensive because your behavior is making them examine their own more than they are comfortable with. Talk about your experience and your reasons, and avoid telling other people what they should do. Be happy and eat delicious food, and people will come around in time.
   
   
4. Build a support network. Ask questions and share experiences here or on other vegan forums. Join a vegan MeetUp group in your area. Volunteer with relevant organizations. It can seem intimidating to make different consumption choices than those around you, but do whatever you can to remind yourself that you're not alone and that you are making a difference :-)

There are a lot of great books on film out there. Don't listen to other possible saying watch YouTube or wrote your own screenplay. Well, do those things too, but learn some wisdom from some of the masters while you're at it.

You are going to want to read the following:

Hitchcock by Truffaut (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0671604295). One of the greatest directors of all time, interviewed by another of the greatest.

In the Blink of an Eye by Walter Murch (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1879505622/ref=aw_d_detail?pd=1), one of the greatest editors ever. A pretty great director too.

On Directing Film by David Mamet (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0140127224). A great book on directing by one of the great writer/directors.

Rebel Without a Crew by Robert Rodriguez (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0452271878). He wrote this after El Mariachi, before he went on to big budgets. It's one of the most inspiring books you'll ever read-- you'll want to make a film tomorrow. Basically, how to make a movie wit nothing but enthusiasm.

Using 25 cent words alienates you from your audience. You won't ever be an incredible story teller if a good portion of your audience needs a dictionary to decipher your speaking.

As for actual advice, don't use "thinking/feeling" verbs. If you need to talk about what a character is thinking,/feeling talk about it in analogy or better yet, just describe the thought process without saying outright that the character is thinking.

Part two, work within a structure. Syd Field's "Screenplay' is a good jumping off point when you want to learn about 3 act structure. There are plenty of others out there, but basically you want every interaction to build the story and it should follow a good narrative path that has consequences and is linear enough for the audience to follow.

If you are planning on doing this in public and/or with friends, be prepared to improvise. As a story teller, you are the actor of all the parts. You have to be the one that connects with them. So.if you see them getting bored, be flexible enough to change things up. You may have a good spiel down that you memorized and are reciting, but overall that feels phony unless it's in your own type of voice. Remember that the improvisation should still follow the structure.

For better inspiration, I suggest listening to pretty much any standup comic. Their job is telling stories. Henry Rollins is also quite good for actual stories. He's super charismatic and engaging. A good, live musician can do it as well, but in my experience you'd have to head towards the folk scene. I would suggest Arlo Guthrie for that. You may not like his music but his storytelling is incredibly engaging.

I totally love the Christopher Alexander books. Definitely check out his The Timeless Way of Building which is a great companion piece to A Pattern Language. You should know that his works, while great in my opinion, are sort of considered idiosyncratic and not really in the mainstream of architecture/urban design.

Here's a short reading list you should look at:

The Smart Growth Manual and Suburban Nation by Andres Duany & Jeff Speck. Another set of sort-of-companion works, the Manual has a concrete set of recommendations inspired by the critique of modern town planning in Suburban Nation and might be more useful for your purposes.

The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs is probably the most famous and influential book on city planning ever and contains a lot of really original and thoughtful insights on cities. Despite being over half-a-century old it feels very contemporary and relevant.

The Geography of Nowhere by James Howard Kunstler is similarly mostly a critique of modernist planning principles but is both short and very well written so I'd definitely recommend checking it out.

Makeshift Metropolis by Witold Rybczynski: I can't recommend this entire book, but it does contain (in my opinion) the best summary of the history of American urban planning. Really useful for a historical perspective on different schools of thought in city design over the years.

The High Cost of Free Parking by Donald Shoup is the book on parking policy. It's huge (700+ pages) and very thorough and academic, so it might be harder to get through than the other, more popular-audience-oriented titles on the list, but if you want to include parking as a gameplay element, I really can't recommend it highly enough. It's a problem that's thorny enough most city games just ignore it entirely: Simcity2013's developers say they abandoned it after realizing it would mean most of their players' cities would be covered in parking lots, ignoring that most actual American cities are indeed covered in parking lots.

Finally there's a bunch of great blogs/websites out there you should check out: Streetsblog is definitely a giant in transportation/design blogging and has a really capable team of journalists and a staggering amount of content. Chuck Marohn's Strong Towns blog and Podcast are a great source for thinking about these issues more in terms of smaller towns and municipalities (in contrast to Streetsblog's focus on major metropolitan areas). The Sightline Daily's blog does amazing planning/transpo coverage of the Pacific Northwest. Finally [The Atlantic Cities] (http://www.theatlanticcities.com/) blog has incredible coverage on city-issues around the world.

I hope this was helpful and not overwhelming. It's a pretty big (and in my opinion, interesting) topic, so there's a lot of ground to cover even in an introductory sense.

(30+ years experience as a commercial artist, animator, broadcast designer and special effects designer speaking here. Plus I got into digital graphics back in the late '70s before anyone even knew what it was.)

The best place to start is to learn to draw. Anything else is a distraction and an attractive nuisance. Software is the least of your worries for quite some time. And even then, a cheap scanner or digital camera and some simple software are all you need to do a whole lot of learning.

And by drawing, I mean drawing from life. Find a life drawing class in your community if at all possible. I can not stress this enough. This may or may not be what your daughter has in mind, but it is like learning your scales to a musician. It's certainly possible to become a cartoonist without this type of training, but if you succeed you succeed in spite of the lack not because of it. I would say it is not possible to succeed as an animator without formal training. To become good enough to do this for a living, or even for fun, is a lot of work. But very satisfying.

Some books I recommend are:

• _Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain_ by Betty Edwards
  
  
• _The Natural Way To Draw_ by Nicolaides
  
  
• _Figure Drawing For All It's Worth_ by Andrew Loomis (and back in print after 30 years for a very reasonable price! $25 at Amazon!)
  
  
• Animation by Preston Blair. This is a Walter Foster How-To-Draw book and it is the best introduction to cartooning for animation. It is a very fun book, and very worth while, but don't neglect the other areas of study.
  
  When she gets a little farther along, get a copy of _The Animator's Survival Kit_ by Richard Williams.
  
  Edit: Your biggest expense isn't going to be software or computers, but time and paper and pencils. I recommend cheap printer paper, 8.5 x 11 and 11 x 17. Regular pencils work just fine. Get them at the office supply store. Better art supplies can make a difference when you are much farther along, but the main thing when starting out is to do lots of drawings, and make lots of mistakes. Ward Kimball, one of Disney's master animators used to joke that, "the first hundred thousand drawings are the hardest." And it's not really a joke.

Dear guy in the first half of this note,

Here's your fucking problem, asshole: you're a self-centered shitheel who only writes for himself. Want to know how I know this? Because you're bitching about the one aspect of editing that requires the least amount of patience and provides the greatest benefit to readability: spelling and punctu-fuck-you-ation.

Grammar Nazis, jerks or not, are providing a public fucking service. I'm glad you're pissed off. You should be. However, if you're getting a complex, it's not because they're Nazis, it's because you're a shitty student.



Dear guy asking for help,

Great to hear you're interested in improving your ability to communicate. On one hand, it is as easy as having a conversation. On the other, it's really not. Without non-verbal cues and cliches to communicate your meaning and subtext, it becomes easy to write in a way that feels stilted or transmits ideas you don't intend. I recommend continuing to read the authors you like, but start keeping an eye on syntax and structure. That's really the best way to keep sharp. You'll be able to learn which rules persist because they work well (using dashes rather than parentheses, for instance) and which can be broken for the sake of an aesthetic or readership (i.e., Cormac McCarthy's phobia about double-quoting dialog). The rules aren't as strict as you might have been led to believe, but you'll find in time that you respect those stronger rules more for a simple reason: they just work, no matter what you're communicating.

For composition, I recommend William K. Zinsser's On Writing Well. It's a pleasurable read and useful for all but the very best and most experienced writers (and maybe them as well).

For story craft, I recommend Bob McKee's Story and Stephen King's On Writing. The former is nigh fucking indispensable; the second, just gratifying to read.

For spelling, Merriam-Websters and practice.

For punctuation, just be sufficiently considerate of your readers to google the rule you're not sure about.

Thanks for posting this. I hope my 2 cents help.

I have some experience with webcomics. I write and draw Miamaska, which has been going on for 2+years, and I'm about to start my second comic next month.

General advice for web comickers!

(or: How I learned things the hard way and eventually stumbled into a good system)

• Always have a buffer. Always update on time. Be dependable, your readers won't invest in your story if you seem flaky.
  
  
• Don't do video/audio or fullpage ads. New readers will close your tab out of annoyance, and those that stay will be extremely peeved when trying to read a chapter all at once.
  
  
• Set up donation incentives. Wallpapers, progress art for the next update, bonus page when a certain amount is reached, bonus mini-comic, etc!
  
  
• Interact with readers! Put up a comment box, do twitter and tumblr, do request drawings. It's fun, a confidence boost, and a good way to build a fan base.
  
  Regarding dialogue and pacing... what I tend to do is thumbnail an entire scene (3-15 pages for me) first and read through it a few times. I'll leave mini-cliffhangers at the end of each page (like a question, or a realization, or a character entering the scene). During this little review process, I'll also make sure the view for the reader doesn't violate the 180 rule too much, that it's obvious which bubble should be read next, and where the reader is going to look first.
  
  I don't have any experience in the print form of comics yet. So no advice there. Just make sure your comics are in print resolution as well (300+ DPI), or you'll be sorry later.
  
  Resource time
  
  I didn't have many resources starting out, but I'm gonna recommend these for you and anyone else interested:
  
  PaperWings Podcast -- podcast and blog on web comic-making (ongoing, good community, regular but sparse updates, good backlog). Has even more resources on its website.
  
  Art and Story -- podcast on print +web comic-making and the comic industry (ended, but a great backlog).
  
  Understanding Comics, Reinventing Comics, and Making Comics by cartoonist Scott McCloud, worth a read for any comicker. A little more geared towards print, but breaks down comic theory really nicely.
  
  Comics and Sequential Art, Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative, Expressive Anatomy for Comics and Narrative, by Will Eisner.
  
  Those books are pretty popular, so you can probably pick them up from the library or find them on the web somewhere.

It's something I've adapted from a few sources on urban planning/design. It's something I never thought about until recently, but the way we build places can have a huge effect on the people who live in them. Personally, I noticed that I was always happier in cities where I could walk around and see other people walking around, versus when I was in small towns where I had to drive to get to anything. I couldn't put my finger on what it was, exactly, until I was in college and got to read Jane Jacobs's Death and Life of Great American Cities. Suddenly it all started to make sense.

If you're interested in learning more, check out New Urbanism, r/urbanplanning, and maybe a good book on the subject, like Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design. This is a great place to start, it highlights some common problems in our current building patterns and pulls examples from all over the world to show ways that work better and help build happier places.

Some other good reads:

• Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time
  
  
• Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream
  
  
• The Death and Life of Great American Cities

It is a tough industry in many ways, and built around some very specific cities. One decision you should make is what exactly you want to do in film. If you want to be an artist and create your own films, you don't necessarily need to go to film school or even work your way up in the industry. There is lots of cheap gear available. Chances are you have more than enough film making gear right now in your phone and PC, more than you could have dreamed of affording 20+ years ago- when film was film.

So if you want to work in the industry, it will mean 'paying your dues' and might mean never getting to make a film on your own - schools, training programs, etc... are a good idea. You might be poor for awhile, you might have a job so busy and high pressure that at the end of the day more film work (even on your own dream projects) might be the last thing you are interested in doing. Another approach is to come up with a solid day job outside of the industry so that you can pursue your own creative pursuits on the side until such time as they pay off. If you have to count on film making to pay the bills, you would be very fortunate to direct corporate videos and cooking shows and stuff you might not really feel. You will be so close to your dream, but so far away at the same time and that can be frustrating - depending on your goals. If you want to make films on your own terms, you can and should start right away. Don't feel bad if the first 5 or 10 of them are terrible. You are working the bugs out. Read Lumet, a bit of Mamet, and some Rodriguez. Watch a lot of Making of docs on Youtube.

​

Robert Rodriguez wrote El Mariachi with a bit of a brilliant approach. He listed all the interesting ('expensive') things he had access to through his friends (a pit bull, a bus) and incorporated those in his script so it looked a little more big budget. If you write a helicopter landing on a bridge, you would have to pay for it. If your grandma has access to a tennis court and your uncle has a dirt bike - write that instead, and you could pull it off for free. Don't get caught up buying gear, use what you have. You don't need to use lacking gear as an excuse for not making something, and don't need to use buying gear as a replacement for being creative. I have seen that a lot in film, photography, and music. You could hypothetically make a great film for free as a flip book on a pad of paper, and if you do you could show that to people that would help pay for more gear if you need it. Anyway, ramble ramble - free advice is usually worth what you pay for it. Good luck!

TL;DR: A 70D package with everything you need is about $1350 on amazon. Skip the Point and shoot, don't worry about 4K yet, and lighting is important.

This Canon 70D package is about $150 out of your price range, but you have pretty much everything you would need: Camera, Lens, 32GB Class 10 SD Card, and a Rode Mic.

I would skip the point and shoot all together to be honest: your Cellphone already fulfills whatever you would want out of a point and shoot, as well as the GoPro.

The 70D features an articulating screen, 1080p Automatic and manual video exposure, Kelvin scale white balancing, and so on. Knowing how to use these features, such as manual exposure and white balancing are extremely important to the film making process, and a firm grasp of these elements will only make your videos better and more professional. For further reading on exposure, read this, or for Kelvin scale White balancing, read this.

As a plus, the 70D is the go to camera for cinematographers to preview lighting on set while they wait for the Cinema Camera to be built. (Movies use cameras that require accessories mounted on the camera in order to work, such as external monitors, External recorders, wireless video, etc.)

The lens bundled with the kit is honestly shite, but you can still get great picture out of it, and of course going with a canon DSLR means that you can save up for higher quality glass further down the line, and future proof yourself when you want to upgrade the body. Plus, Canon mount is an Film industry standard lens mount along with PL, B4, and C, but you can't really get a sub 5k camera with any of those mounts.

Now, the main drawback of this package compared to others in the $1-4k price range is the video resolution: 1920x1080p, or HD. Most cameras in this price range are moving towards 4K platforms (around 4 times 1080p). Consider, however, that most people watching youtube videos usually are looking at 720p Laptop monitors with shitty bit rates due to youtube compression. 4K is still a few years from being a household standard resolution, as most UHD 4K displays are extremely expensive. The big two 4k prosumer cameras right now are the A7s II, and the GH4, and they aren't all that great yet: the A7s, while being used in hollywood for interviews and as a B-Camera, is only really good at interviews and low light. The GH4, on the other hand uses a Micro 4/3rds sensor, which is much too small for most professional use, though it occasionally pops up on ultra low budget jobs. In a few years, Canon might develop a body that does 4K well: The 5D MK IV has 4k video, for example, but the way in which the camera does it creates all sorts of problems that ultimately make video shooting with it unusable. Further down the line, of course, you can upgrade to an A7s or GH4 and adapt them to a canon mount.

Another thing you should consider after buying your camera is saving up for some lighting. This is the most important part of shooting, before the camera and the lens. For now, some house hold lamps can work, but in the future, you should consider getting some video lights. I started with Home Depot Clamp lights, but eventually went to cheap LED fixtures, and now Tungsten Fresnels, HMIs, and Fluorescent sources. Lighting can be tough to grasp, but if you read The Set Lighting Technician's Handbook by Harry Box, then you will quickly have enough knowledge to become a hollywood electrician.

Good luck, and I hope your Knee gets better!

Edits: sentence structure.
Source: Camera Technician, and Gaffer

My favorite lighting-related resources are:

• The Visual Story. This book is just amazing. It's about how people interpret everything you could possibly put in a frame. Empowering. It's not so much directly about lighting, but lighting is a tool you will use to accomplish what the book describes.
  
  
• Set Lighting Technician's Handbook, every time I read in here I learn something new. I still haven't read it all (It's HUGE) but it's so worth the money. Gives you the techical knowledge to make the best decisions on set, as well pre-production. Needs to be paired with general cinematography-knowledge.
  
  
• Matthew Scott's blog. Great for inspiration and new knowledge.
  
  
• Cinematic Storytelling: The 100 Most Powerful Film Conventions Every Filmmaker Must Know Broad, but nicely covers a lot of the things you can do as a filmmaker to tell the story. I remember thinking everyone in my film school HAD to read this after I finished it. Even though some parts weren't very relevant to me. It's perfect for a director, but you say you are a videographer so I'm sure you will find much use of it as well.
  
  For basic lighting YouTube is your friend.

1. Illustrator is a very useful tool, it would serve you well to know how to use it. Illustrator also uses a very similar skill set to other applications you will end up using like indesign for example.
   
   
2. No not at all, I think people love to complain no matter what industry they are in. However it is very competitive, there are plenty of very very successful designers out there and lots of really unsuccessful ones. No where is it more immediately obvious how "good" or "bad" you are at something than with a visual portfolio, people can see at a glance exactly how competent you are, that's pretty intimidating. For instance you might be able to escape notice as a mediocre insurance claims adjuster for much longer than a mediocre designer. If you can find a handful of solid clients and build good relationships with them it can go a very long way to having a long and comfortable career.
   
   
3. Pay varies dramatically and theres a reason that very few people can give you a straight answer, your dealing with at least 3 variables at any given time if not more. What you are worth, what your client is worth and what the client is asking you to do. So for instance if your doing a multi million dollar marketing campaign and rebranding of a huge corporation while sitting in your manhattan office expect to be paid a little differently than if you are doing the CD cover for your friends band (that they recorded in garageband), the skill set, stakes and experience are dramatically different in those scenarios.
   
   Graphic design is everywhere and at all levels, expect to be paid accordingly. Understand too that $1000 for a logo is completely relative and doesn't by any means reflect the work that goes into it. You may have a someone who whips something together in a few minutes or have a team of designers slaving away iterating on an identity for weeks to make sure it's perfect, to make sure it becomes a household/highly recognizable piece of branding.
   
   
4. One of the toughest and most technically challenging things I feel like you will have to deal with is typography. Having a good understanding of how to wield it's awesome power can go a very very long way. I think as far as learning your tools goes, for me at least the internet has been a far more valuable resource than any book, if you need a problem solved google can do that pretty quickly, theres also a ton of good tutorials or articles on design process out there, I have yet to see any books that come close.
   Now on the typography I can make a few suggestions, some of these are pretty dry and not so flashy but have very solid fundamentals in them. If you go to art school (and I highly suggest you do if you can afford it, it can be a phenomenal experience) then these are the kind of books you will be reading in the first year or two.
   
   Typographic Systems of Design ~Kim Elam
   
   Grid Systems: Principles of Organizing Type ~Kim Elam
   
   Thinking with Type ~Ellen Lupton
   
   Elements of Typography ~Robert Bringhurst
   
   
5. I started doing some design work and drawing in high school. Both my parents are designers so I'm sure that helped, from there I went and got a BFA in illustration. While my first love is drawing and most of my work is illustration I still end up doing lot's of design work because it is (in my experience at least) very frequently in demand.
   
   Hope that was helpful and I'm sure lots of other people have had very different experiences and will share their stories and opinions. It's a very diverse field.
   

You need a method, not random bits of knowledge. You may use Justin's, or you may look for a book.

The secret here is structure, which is only provided by a method. Otherwise you'll always feel your knowledge is scattered all over the place and hence barely usable.

A good method should at least:

• give you tools for identifying the notes on the fretboard. I highly recommend this book, in addition to whatever method you choose.
  
• the CAGED system - essential knowledge. Once you master this, you'll easily be able to play: the chord, the arpeggio, the major scale and modes for each of these five shapes, anywhere on the fretboard.
  
• accent the role of the major scale (the Ionian mode of the diatonic scale), because if you know its shapes in all five (CAGED) positions, you already have the shapes for all other modes, and using modes becomes simply a question of choosing the respective harmony, not learning new shapes. Also, by simply removing certain notes from it, you automagically get the pentatonic scale. You get the idea, most common use scales and modes may be played using the major scale patterns.
  
• teach you intervals and how to build chords, which are simply intervals stacked on top of each other
  
• point out the use of arpeggios in soloing, as opposed to scale soloing only, this makes a world of difference if you want your solos to be interesting
  
• teach you rhythm and how to play in time, even (or perhaps especially) when soloing
  
  Once you have a structure, the Internet truly becomes an awesome resource, because now you can research the issue at hand with a better sense of purpose and more specifically.
  
  So don't fret, this isn't a stupid question, it actually shows you are ready and willing to progress, you'd be amazed how many people become dismissive at this stage, and think they've achieved mastery, because it's "all feel and talent, man," and don't even see how much there is to learn and improve.
  
  TL;DR: get a method by trying several, then stick to the one you choose.

That's an awesome decision to look into going vegan! It's so much easier than you'd think once you start. This veganuary website is loaded with tips and info to get folks started. Plus the FAQ on the side bar might answer some basic questions.

If you're up for more motivation Earthlings is a very powerful movie which will likely cement your resolve to step out of an unnecessary system. Also Forks over Knives and Vegucated are on netflix which are much less graphic and provide lots of info.

I also like to recommend books to help people learn more about the ethics of animal consumption. Eating Animals is a great read from an investigative angle from a renowned novelist and Eat Like You Care is a short and very powerful case for the ethical necessity of not consuming animals.

Regarding your health, so long as you eat a varied diet and occasionally add a B12 supplement you health will not suffer and very possibly improve!

You're making an awesome decision and you will be amazed at how easy it gets after just a few weeks!

The best book on how comics work, for my money, is Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud. That would be followed up by Making Comics from the same author. It's a little theory-heavy but it's amazing. I'd say it's good for 14 and up, or maybe a little younger. This would get him a fantastic background in how comics work and how to create them in general. The first book is literally used as a textbook in some college "Comics Appreciation" type classes. The coolest thing about it is that it's a comic itself, and it demonstrates the things it's talking about right there on the page.

If he's younger, and/or he really just wants to learn to draw superheroes, How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way is really good on the fundamentals. It's old-school (most inkers don't use a brush anymore, they use computers), but the fundamentals haven't changed all that much.

Here's a more modern one from DC that looks pretty good and has good reviews, though I haven't read it.

I started 2 years ago, @25yo. This is how I progressed.

Step 1: I picked up Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course: Lesson Book, Level One and played out of it for about a month. At the end of that month I felt confident enough to play for my grandmother, who inspired me to begin. She encouraged me to go go no further without the instruction of a teacher

Step 2: Got myself a teacher. We began mostly with scales and exercises, then moved on to Keyboard Musician. This book is made up of smaller pieces ranging in difficulty, and incorporates some theory.

Step 3: Practice, practice, practice. I have been at it for two years. I try to practice on my lunch break on every business day, typically for 45 minuted to an hour. Which usually means I get 3-4 days of good practice in a week. Its not enough but I have been able to make progress, and am definitely glad I made the commitment.

I am now choosing bigger pieces to play, typically spending a month or two on each, but I always have 3-4 things going at once. Here are some examples of what I am currently playing or have played: example 1 (1st movement only), example 2 (not me playing ;) ), example 3

Of course you could be looking to go a different route. Many people learn to play by ear and skip the whole reading music part. Learning to read music has been one of the hardest parts for me. Anyway that you do it, just do it. Good luck to you.

Great question, and great idea! Off the top of my head:


The Basics

Landscape Architect's Portable Handbook - This one does get a bit technical, but it's a good guide.


Sociology/Psychology

Social Life of Small Urban Spaces - Just a good book about how people experience spaces

Design with People in Mind - An older film, but a classic. Funny and with great observations about how people use spaces and interact with their environment


Design Theory

Architecture: Form, Space and Order - This is a great guidebook for architects and landscape architects alike


History of Landscape Architecture

Illustrated History of Landscape Design - A great intro to the history of landscape architecture.


Urban Planning/Design

Death and Life of Great American Cities - It's a classic and should be a required read for anyone in landscape architecture or architecture


This is the short list - I'll add to it as I think of more!

Woah, easy killer.

Look I get what you're saying. Highways and wide lanes seem like sexy things. That's exactly what I used to think as well before I started learning about urban planning and transit design. There's a lot of intricacies about it but here's some good beginner stuff

First, check out r/urbanplanning. Super interesting sub about the city ecosystem and how to design a successful city.


Books:

"The Death and Life of Great American Cities" by Jane Jacobs. Basically the bible of city design.

"Walkable City" by Jeff Speck is also an awesome book. That guy is a great presenter as well

Videos:

How Highways Wrecked American Cities

Why Public Transportation Sucks in the US

Why Trains Suck in America

How Closing Roads Could Speed Up Traffic - The Braess Paradox

How to Fix Traffic Forever

Presentations:

Basically any presentation by Jeff Speck

What it boils down to, is you destroy the urban environment by introducing cars. They take up so much room that can be used for dense development but requiring parking sports and wide streets.

Great representation of what car do to cities

This is my last comment here. I can't argue with someone about urban development/planning if they haven't studied the topic themselves. It's a topsy-turvey thing to us living in the post automobile United States, but it makes sense after you do some research.

Enjoy!

/u/Goodwood2794 - welcome to the world of filmmaking! The basic how-to book I recommend for new filmmakers is ["How to Shoot Video that Doesn't Suck", which you can download to Kindle] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0051NHJFU/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0051NHJFU&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20) [Referral Link].

This book was written by Hollywood writer/director [Steve Stockman] (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1870021/), who directed Sally Field in [Two Weeks] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000TV1ST2/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000TV1ST2&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20) [Referral Link], and is a great introduction to visual storytelling.

Here is the trailer: http://vimeo.com/24147165

Reading Steve's book will save you a lot of time and money - and make your movies better right out of the gate.
Once you've read Stockman's book, some people might recommend books about cinematography, lighting and editing, but I've learned more from books from successful filmmakers who have actually made profitable movies, such as [Referral Links]:

• [Rebel Without a Crew: Or How a 23-Year-Old Filmmaker With $7,000 Became a Hollywood Player] (http://www.amazon.com/Rebel-without-Crew-23-Year-Old-Filmmaker/dp/0452271878/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&keywords=Rebel%20Without%20a%20Crew&qid=1462414414&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20) - by [Robert Rodriguez] (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001675/)
  
  
• [Filmmaking: Direct Your Movie from Script to Screen Using Proven Hollywood Techniques] (http://www.amazon.com/Filmmaking-Direct-Script-Hollywood-Techniques-ebook/dp/B009W328QK/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20) - by [Jason Tomaric] (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0866388/) (This book was written by [Jason Tomaric] (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0866388/), who made [Time and Again] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006AZ4OQ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0006AZ4OQ&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20) for less than $2000 and is now an Emmy winning Hollywood director)
  
  
• If you can find it, I also recommend Tomaric's [The Power Filmmaking Kit: Make Your Professional Movie on a Next-to-Nothing Budget] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/024081021X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=024081021X&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20). This book is out of print, but is more of a practical "workbook" for movie production than Jason's other book.
  
  
• If you're on a budget and can't afford any of the other suggestions, I recommend [11 Simple Steps to turn a Screenplay into a Marketable Movie: or, How I got a $10k movie to gross $1 Million through Warner Bros - which is $0.99 for Kindle] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009YKJ5UI/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B009YKJ5UI&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20) - by [Vince Rocca] (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1455690/), I have read this book - and it is worth a lot more than I paid for it.
  
  I have not read this one, but [The Reel Truth] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003MQLZKS/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B003MQLZKS&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20) is next on my list - it consists of interviews with over 100 successful indie filmmakers who detail the mistakes they made - so the reader can avoid them. It is extremely well reviewed - literally 95% out of 89 reviewers on Amazon have given it five stars.
  
  Hope this is helpful and happy reading!

You basically need to do two things: 1) start analyzing music that you like, both its form and function (harmony, for instance), and 2) start to study the art and science of mixing. Get a good book on the subject like Mix Smart or even The Dance Music Manual and start studying.

Mixing your tracks well can turn a okay song into a serious floor-shaker simply by virtue of significantly increasing its production quality. A simple tune that sounds amazing can have a huge emotional impact on the listener, and so much the better if the music is really well written to begin with.

This, of course, is where the analysis comes in. Try to identify why you like the tracks that you like. Is it the way the songs build? Then replicate the form of the song. Is it the way the harmony makes you feel? Then learn how to play that harmony and try to understand what's happening from a theoretical point. In my opinion, you should take it upon yourself to learn basic music theory at the minimum, but if you have a good ear you probably don't need to fret about it too much. Producers that can read and write music aren't too common (the really good ones almost always do, though).

For a while, you'll probably just sound like the producers that you like, but eventually you'll begin to internalize what you've learned and your "voice" will develop. It a natural progression as an artist to mimic your heroes — don't fight it.

There are definitely guidelines. Some are strict, but many of them can be bent.

Your script says "awesome as fuck". I don't know what that means. I need you to explain it. What makes it awesome? That's how you have to spell things out in a script.

But great work on hammering out a screenplay! If you're interested, here are some good books on screenwriting:

• Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting
  
• The Screenwriter's Workbook
  
• How to Write a Movie in 21 Days
  
• Essentials of Screenwriting
  
• The Dramatic Writer's Companion
  
• Save The Cat!
  
  The line you mention from Django is really good. We see that it is a stereotypical western town. We all know exactly what that looks like because we gave seen those millions of towns in westerns before. For your line, we all have different interpretations as to what "awesome as fuck" is.
  
  Did you use Celtx? If not, try it. Great free screenwriting software.

First off, read anything by Carl Jung. His theories on archetypes and the collective unconscious form the groundwork upon which not only games, but the entire modern entertainment industry are built.

Basically Jung argues that there is a collective set of symbols and ideas that all humans, regardless of culture or upbringing will respond to. Understanding these symbols, and building your game around them - either as mechanics or story - allows you to influence how the player will respond.

Jung: A Very Short Introduction is a pretty easy way to get started. After you read that I'd suggest getting into the meat of Jung's own words with The Portable Jung (coincidentally edited by Joseph Campbell)

And with that, you should also read The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell. He takes Jung's ideas, and shows the specific symbols used in the Hero's Journey - one of the most common story types. People talk about the Hero's Journey all the time - but it's a really important concept to understand if you're doing any sort of creative works. Here are two quick video primers on it:

A more serious one: Ted Ed: What Makes a Hero

A more awesome one: Glove and Boots: The Hero's Journey :)

If you want to go further on the narrative route I'd also suggest The Seven Basic Plots by Christopher Booker. He takes the Hero's Journey and shows how it is just one of several different plot archetypes, all of which have their own internal path, rules, and idiosyncrasies.

Now, in case you're thinking "Why are you sharing these books about narrative with me? Games are not stories!" remember that people have been responding to stories for all time - and good storytellers are masters at making people feel the desired emotion at the desired time.

Therefore I'd also direct you to Story By Robert McGee as well as Poetics by Aristotle. Both of these books look at story in a mechanical sense, and explain the precise methods storytellers (both ancient Greek ones and modern Hollywood ones) use to evoke emotions in the audience. These principles almost directly translate to game design.

After that I'd suggest looking at Chris Crawford's list of books all game designers should read. Unfortunately I can't find a copy of the list on the internet, but it's at the end of his book Chris Crawford on Game Design

I'd say your strongest point is your ability to convey action. The leaping on page 16 is particularly well executed. You also actually have a pretty good grasp of perspective drawing with the environments! It could use a little work, but I feel like every artist could do with more practice!!

The main suggestion I could give you is to start drawing from life. I know you are heavily influenced by Japanese comics, but trust me when I say that all professional manga artists are able to draw from life. What I mean is, take a figure drawing class, or at the very least pick up this book, or any other figure drawing book really. It will help you greatly with getting proportions correct, as well as help you with understanding the internal structure of the body. By skipping learning how to draw from life, and learning to draw from looking at Manga, you're really only taking the face value. Like, have you ever used a copy machine to make a copy of a copy? The original page looks crisp and clean, but that first copy has a few spots and scratches, and then the copy of that copy has big black splotches on it, and eventually the text is completely illegible. Not to say that your art is really bad! It's actually pretty decent for your first comics! I just believe that doing some observational studies will help your work greatly!

The next major thing you should work on is the writing. I get that his blindfold is what keeps his demons at bay, but by starting the comic off with the central character punching a guy's body in two, and then ripping another guy's arm off... it makes me not care about the character. I feel like if you would have shown the readers that he was a kind person, by like, helping the elderly, or defending his father or something, then I'd be like, "Why is this sweet kid suddenly a vicious murderer?" But since you didn't I was like, "Is this a violent comic for the sake of drawing a violent comic?" Therefore, when the dad was brought in to be killed, he started talking about how innocent the kid was, which is the exact opposite of my first impression. Also, why did they kill the dad? Why, then, did they let evil demon kid live, only to exile him? Wouldn't killing Kai solve all of their problems?

Anyway, I feel like you have potential, mainly because you were actually able to produce this much work! Do you have any idea how many people say they want to make comics but pale at the sight of how much work it is? You are a hard worker, and I know that you will be able to persevere and evolve into something so much better than you already are! On that note, buy Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud. It will change your life. I'm being 100% serious here. McCloud is not only the go-to comics theorist, but he was also one of the first professional Americans to see the potential of drawing comics influenced by the Japanese! Once you have devoured this book, because you will want more, buy Making Comics, also by Scott McCloud. While Understanding dissects the medium and explains things you never would have thought about before, Making Comics applies those thoughts into a school-like setting.

tl;dr: It's good, but could be much better. Worship Scott McCloud.

I have two different pieces of advice but I am no professional by any means, I've only done scriptwriting properly for 3 years now and still learning a lot as I go.

Firstly, I would just say write, keep writing and as you write, you learn and develop your skills, but don't neglect the essential parts of what creates a script: Logline, outlines, character description profiles, beat sheets and so on that help hone and give your script depth.

Another is to start working on smaller-length scripts first before pursuing any feature length script and practice the different narrative structures, but this in a way contradicts what I previously said about just writing. I'm writing my first feature length this year after 3 years of short pieces and glad I took that time, but at the same time, nothing helps than to just write over and over.

One thing I would say is to definitely develop the story you want to create with the planning stages before writing (unless you have scenes in mind that you can write down, then go for it), but everyone has a different process and I take bits from everything I have mentioned here.

It's entirely up to you and what helps you at the end of the day, and if you're new to the scene I would recommend a couple of books:


Save the cat and Screenplay are both useful books for all levels and have helped me when it comes to writing. Both fairly popular books so should be easy to purchase/access depending on your region.

​

Good luck with your writing journey!

A suggestion, because college writing, even for a tech comm degree, seems to be quite different from the kind of writing you'll do professionally: Read a lot of documentation.

You don't need to read it to understand the product or service, you need to read it to understand what different kinds of documentation look like. And to do this, you need to read a lot of documentation. A lot of documentation. You need to spend hours and days and weeks and months reading documentation. This is how you start to understand what good documentation looks like, and more importantly what bad documentation looks like.

Is the documentation easy to navigate? Can you logically follow from one step to the next? Does the formatting and font choice make it easy to read? What about the use of color - too much, not enough, not at all? Are the screenshots easy to understand? Do they use lists where a table would be a better choice, or vice versa?

For some of these, there isn't a "right" answer - it will come down to personal preference and also to things like corporate style guides. But the more documentation you read, the better you'll be able to create documentation that will be helpful to your audience.

• Find the documentation for every app or service you use. Read it.
  
• Your school uses some kind of LMS (learning management system). Find the documentation for it. Read it.
  
• Do you use a mobile app that has mobile only documentation? Find it, read it.
  
• Look for the documentation for your TV or streaming device or speakers. Read it.
  
• Look at the owner's guide for your car (if you have one). Read it - it's probably available online.
  
• Find the documentation for something you'd never use. Read it and see if you can understand it.
  
  Some places to start, just off the top of my head:
  
  
• Django documentation (Django is a Python framework)
  
• Fedora documentation (Fedora is the community project for Red Hat)
  
• FreeBSD documentation (FreeBSD is one of the oldest open source projects)
  
• mandoc (language for creating UNIX man pages - very technical)
  
• Hugo documentation (a static site generator)
  
  I also highly recommend The Non-Designer's Design Book. Documentation design is very important, and this is the best reference I know of. I use the principles in the book to plan the layout for anything I write.
  
  ​

Since you said you're a meat lover, I'd encourage you not to rely on substitute meat (fake chicken, sausage, etc.). Even though some of them are good, chances are they're not going to live up to actual meat (at least not at first), you may get disappointed and then ultimately get discouraged and go back to eating meat.

Instead, I'd recommend a gradual process where you stop eating one type of meat at a time, starting with your least favorite and ending with your favorite. This will simultaneously encourage you to keep going (because it will be easier to stick to) and it will also slowly train your mind to start focusing your diet around other types of food! You may also start viewing meat in a different way, and may find that it's actually a little weird-feeling when you eat it.

I'd also recommend learning more about factory farming and where food comes from. I know many people recommend Eating Animals, by the author of Everything is Illuminated (great book). He wrote it when he was about to have a son and wanted to explore the farming business and decide how to raise his son (vegetarian or not). He's a fantastic storyteller, and you'll see it has some amazing reviews :)

Whatever path you take, I congratulate you for having a higher consciousness about your food! Best of luck!

If you're going to dump tens of thousands of dollars into a degree, it's usually a good idea to put it towards a degree that will help you pay it back. Unfortunately, music production is likely not going to be that for you. In electronic music production especially, nobody really "hires" you to produce music. You spend years honing your craft and, if you work really freakin' hard and are lucky, somebody will notice you, sign you.... and you still likely won't make any money off of it unless you explode into super stardom like Deadmau5, Tiesto, etc.

You're also not likely to find a public school that has anything like EDM production, so it'll be a private school... and that shit will be expensive.

Save your money and teach music production to yourself via YouTube and practice, practice, practice. Seriously, YouTube is a goldmine for music production knowledge. There's also a great subreddit, /r/edmproduction.

There are some programs that might be worth it, though. I've got a friend taking the 6-8 month (I can't remember exactly) Dubspot program for Logic, and his reports to me say that it's worth every penny... but only if you put more into it than just showing up to class and doing the assignments. There are also schools like SAE that do 6-8 week courses in different topics of music production. A friend of mine did their Intro EDM Production one (I don't remember the exact name), and it was totally worth it. What they have to teach you is nothing that can't be learned off of YouTube, but some people really benefit from having a structured learning environment like that to get them started... especially for things like music production that have such a steep learning curve. It's also much, much more affordable than a "degree" from a college. Pricey (around $2K, maybe?), but still way more doable.

Obviously the Dubspot and SAE stuff aren't available to you for the in-person classes unless you're willing to move from your hometown, but they also have online stuff that may be worth it. In the end, do a lot of research before spending your money.

EDIT: Also, check this book out: the Dance Music Manual. The specific technologies they mention are a bit outdated, but the techniques described are just as spot on now as they were 15 years ago. It's also not specific to any tool, technology, or digital audio workstation, which makes it ridiculously useful to you whichever route you end up taking software/hardware wise.

Thanks for the tips! The pie shakes at Hamburg Inn sound amazing. I actually just caved in tonight and got a burger/shake combo after a week of eating healthy...

As far as recommendations go, I have a feeling you've likely read most of the fiction I'd suggest. That said, here's a couple non-fiction suggestions you might not have read:

Walkable City, by Jeff Speck. If you've ever been interested in cities, what makes them work (or not work), and what types of decisions urban planners make, check it out. It's a quick read, entertaining, and you'll never see your city or any other city in the same way.

Nothing to Envy, by Barbara Demick. Told primarily through the eyes of two people, this book provides readers with a glimpse of what life is like for the millions of ordinary North Korean citizens.

Anyway, I know it's well past the time frame for your AMA, but if you get a chance, I'd love to know if there's any one book that helped you the most as a writer (e.g. King's, "On Writing"), or any one piece of advice that has carried you the most. I don't ever plan on writing professionally, but I've always wanted to write a novel just for the satisfaction of creating something, regardless if anyone actually reads it. I just feel like I spend so much time consuming things others have created, while creating nothing in return. Plus, getting 'lost in a world you're creating' sounds immensely satisfying.

Source: I play piano (3 years of lessons, 2 years self-taught) and have started picking up guitar (6mo self-taught)

Piano and violin can be rough to learn without a teacher. If you just want to play music, there are a lot of free resources available for guitar - justinguitar.com is fantastic. There is a subreddit for learning guitar which has a very helpful and supportive community.

Now, if you maintain that classical piano is really your thing, then I can certainly relate, but I will warn you that the available free video lessons are largely missing. There are tutorials on youtube around specific songs or specific topics, but nothing as structured as justin's site (at least that I've found).

My recommendation is to pick up a method book - I used Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course: Lesson Book, Level One, which is about 10$ on Amazon - and work through it page by page. Join a forum like the adult beginner forum at pianoworld, where you can post videos of your progress and people can help you with the trickier items like posture and hand positions.

There is a subreddit for piano here as well, which is worth subscribing to as well.

I'd start with Save the Cat because it's a fun read and does a great job of laying down the basic structure without over-complicating things.


After you've got that down I'd move on to something a bit more theoretical. I would highly recommend The Art of Dramatic Writing by Lajos Egri. It's about playwriting but the structure is similar and it really impressed upon me the importance of structuring a plot around a character and not the other way around.


I'd also recommend The Sequence Approach as a supplemental structure to the traditional 3 Act structure. The book basically breaks a screenplay into a number of goal-oriented sequences that help guide you towards a satisfying resolution.


I'd keep Story by Robert McKee and Screenplay by Syd Field around for references, but they are more like text books for me and not really inspiring.


One of my professors in grad school wrote a book called The Story Solution based on his own interpretation of story structure. Similar to the sequence approach, he breaks out a screenplay into 23 'hero goal sequences' that keep your story grounded and moving forward, while ensuring that your hero is making progress and completing his character arc.


Also, in answer to your beat question: A beat is the smallest block of measurable plot. a collection of beats make a scene, a collection of scenes makes a sequence, a collection of sequences make an act, a collection of acts make a narrative. Every beat of your screenplay needs to serve the premise in some way or you end up with a bloated script that will drag. Many times writers will actually write 'a beat' into their script to show that there is silence or a pause that is significant to the plot. An example might be a brief pause before a character lies to another character.

1. Buy a DAW -- I like Ableton Live
   
   
2. Learn Your DAW with no specific music preference in mind. -- Check out www.linda.com for a great starter course on ableton.
   
   
3. You like electro house, so buy this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0240521072/ref=oh_o01_s00_i00_details -- This is a great introduction to electro house music. It goes great with Ableton and will teach you how to create your own synths, and understand all the tools all proper DAWs come with (compressor, EQ, synths, programming your own synths, composition, etc etc). Will make you a lot less afraid of Ableton.
   
   
4. Move into more specific tutorials on sites like www.sonicacademy.com
   
   
5. Scour youtube for tutorials for your favorite sounds
   
   
6. Buy VSTs you like (I would die without Massive)
   
   
7. ???
   
   
8. Profit.
   
   
   Also, make sure to inject your own playing around in your DAW between every step. Your biggest hurdle will be becoming comfortable with the software you choose because they are HUGE.
   
   
   ps; If you pirate something, please buy it before you release a song. Don't be a leech.

One thing that I'd urge him to consider if he's serious about this is that the areas of Detroit that are doing best are the ones that are walkable (namely, Midtown and Downtown), and based on this streetview of Dexter and Davison, it's very, very much not walkable.

There are a few really great books on how you can start to make an area walkable: Walkable City by Jeff Speck was the first one that I read. I'd love to read more about a real strategy to make this the sort of place that people really want to live in, but that's a really, really hard job and is going to require some very deliberate execution.

A few steps that I believe would help a lot, all of which are pretty hard:

• Identify one or two adjacent areas of the neighborhood that already receive the most foot traffic. These are the areas you're going to improve.
  
• Work with the city to narrow the roads in these areas. People don't feel safe walking next to an eight lane road.
  
• Find one or two anchor tenants that will get people to come to the area. Something equivalent to what Craftwork and Sister Pie were for West Village.
  
• Make sure that any new development in the area makes things more walkable, not less. He mentions a new Flagstar bank, but if that new bank takes up too much space, it's going to disincentivize people from walking because banks aren't interesting to walk by compared to, say, a shoe shop with a display in the window or a pastry shop. (See Walkable City or Jane Jacobs's writing about how too many banks is actually a sign of an area becoming less walkable. I can't remember which.)
  
• Make sure that the area is as well connected to other already-walkable areas of town as possible.
  
  I know a lot of this probably sounds like "Shit, this guy is just trying to make his rough neighborhood better and might not have a ton of money to do it. How can you expect him to do this stuff?" This stuff is not easy, though: if it were, there would be a hell of a lot more walkable areas in Detroit. The fact of the matter is that you don't fix the city by making it look more like the suburbs, and his suggestions of adding a CVS, Aldi, Comerica, and Flagstaff don't make me terribly optimistic that he understands the factors that are making other areas attractive.

I shoot on a 7D, and my kit contains a 50mm f1.8, a 28-135mm, and a 10-24mm. I record audio on an H4N Zoom, but honestly.. try your hand at one technique at a time. I've a made a few silent films with friends and family, honestly just to hone my craft.
Here and here.

I've also directed music videos using the same equipment.
Here

To be honest man, just go and shoot. The number one rule I see time and time again is just go shoot, and shoot with whatever you've got.
Let whatever limitations you run up against force you to surpass them.
Robert Rodriguez of "Desperado" and "Sin City" fame made his first short films on a home VHS video camera.. and he took those shorts to film festivals and won.

Check out his book, "Rebel Without a Crew". Here ya go!

Good luck dude, and most importantly HAVE FUN!

EDIT: You can put together a decent lighting package with some of those cheap silver metal clampy work lamps from Home Depot and a white bed sheet for diffusion. That's all I used for those two silent films.

Luckily,you live now! Lots and lots of information for free on this here internetz.

John K has an online curriculum for drawing cartoons. If you go through all the links in order on that page, your skills will almost certainly improve a little!

But to be honest, it will only get you so far. If you really want to learn how to draw, I would recommend The Natural Way To Draw.

It's a book that contains about a years worth of a drawing course. It's more suited to life drawing, but the skills learned here will transfer into your imaginative work (hopefully!).

Much of the drawing techniques I learned at uni come straight from that book.

One important thing you need to get your head around now though; don't worry aboutmaking nice pictures. That isnt your aim now. Your aim now is just to learn how to train your hand to spit out exactly what is in your head. This takes time. Years, even.

So if you dont produce beautiful art straight away, don't worry. They say you got 10,000 shitty drawings to get through before you get to the good stuff, so just start working through those and have fun learning.

I would recommend thinking of your drawings as completely disposable right now. Its about learning the skill, not making beautiful art. I'd recommend the cheapest, nastiest paper (utterly disposable) and lots of it!

If you ever want critiques or some help, hit me up :D

Oh yeah, and if you really want to level up, be prepared to have your work seriously critiqued, you have to put your ego aside :)

Jeff Speck’s “Walkable City: How Downtown can Save America, One Step at a Time”” is a personal favorite. He quotes his work in Lowell, MA throughout the book.

I’ve also been recommended to read Cheryl Heller’s “The Intergalactic Design Guide: Harnessing the Creative Potential of Social Design” and while I haven’t yet had the chance to pick it up, I think it might be up the alley of what you’re looking for.

I’m halfway through James and Deborah Fallows’ “Our Towns: A 100,000 Mile Journey into the Heart of America” which is also excellent, and provides a great set of case studies in urban revitalization.

My own masters practica (in Emergency management) is on creating greater access to healthcare via some urban planning interventions in a similar New England city, if not the same one.

I’m local to Boston, and would be happy to loan you the first and last books, should you be interested.

Cheers!

Unpopular opinion here but Earth Hour is not only misleading, it actually gives people a false concept of sustainability.

This American urban planner pulled some of the latest research and found that someone who lives in a super "green" suburban house and drives to it in a hybrid car still produces more carbon emissions than someone who lives in an old house downtown but doesn't drive as much because they can walk or use transit.

Our built environment (i.e. whether you have to drive for every daily task or not) is a real driver of sustainability, not light bulbs or appliances. Plus light bulbs are improving anyways as LED bulbs are becoming more popular and they use very little energy so turning them off for hour almost accomplishes nothing.

Earth Hour essentially tells people it is okay if you live in a McMansion in the deepest of suburban sprawl and burn fuel to drive to pick up even a carton of orange juice - as long as you just turn off a few bulbs once a year. It makes people feel good and ignore the true causes of their carbon footprint. This isn't a call to live like a hippie. It's a call for better urban planning with less sprawl, more transit, and more walkable, mixed-use neighbourhoods.

I'm a full time college student who is getting a graphic design degree, but wants to do full time photography when I graduate. Honestly the best way is to practice making stuff using the programs. Whenever you can't figure something out look up how to do it online. That's essentially the basis of what you'd be doing in classes anyhow (other than learning graphic design principles).

This book is a pretty decent start on learning graphic design principles. It's super short and I found it to be helpful. There is a lot of stuff to learn, but just learning to use the programs and practicing are two important steps you could easily take to improve.

I wouldn't be too worried about the nut. Chances are that they didn't need to do any change to the nut when going from factory 9s to 10s. I've put 10s on all my Fenders and haven't had any issues with the nut action. Even if it was filed slightly, the chances are that it isn't going to really cause any issues going back to 9s, but you won't know for sure until you get it strung up and see what the nut action is like. As for the rest of it, basic setup on a strat is pretty straight forward. You may need to adjust the truss rod slightly in order to get the proper relief, but it isn't difficult. Just do it slow and make small adjustments at a time. The most tedious part is really adjusting intonation and/or if you want the trem to be floated. It isn't difficult, it just takes patience as you have to keep re-tuning after every adjustment.

As for taking all the strings off, you shouldn't have any problem with this. I've never had any issue with taking all the strings off when I restring, because I usually do a fret board clean (and oil if it is rosewood or ebony) and a quick fret polish. The only real worry is the need to reset the trem if you want it floated, which in this case you would have to do anyways since you are changing gauges. It really isn't difficult to do a setup. Just read up/watch some how-to videos and take your time. Also, if you plan on doing your own maintenance I highly recommend checking out this book. It is definitely a great reference/guide for most repair/maintenance work.

As a mom who was equally pragmatic about her pregnancy -- at the anatomy scan, I made halloween skeleton decoration jokes instead of being all excited about the tech finding my fetus's penis, she was very upset with me -- I would recommend Emily Oster's books. She and her husband are behavioral economists, and so their approach a lot of the fluffy "recommendations" and "averages" people tell soon-to-be and new parents was to look at studies to find whatever data they could to support it.

Here's her Amazon page, you'll want copies of both "Expecting better" -- her pregnancy book -- and "Cribsheet" -- her early parenting book. They've reassured both my husband and me about what's actually good precautions and what's just hysteria, and I've referenced Cribsheet at least twice more since actually giving birth. You can also back your wife's and your decisions up with real studies and data when people decide to offer advice you didn't ask for that runs counter to what you want to do.

I'd also recommend the parenting classes the hospital should offer new parents, for everything from how labor will go to new parent awareness. Some of it feels really dumb and sentimental, but some was good reminders and stuff I never thought about -- like how cleaner looks like juice to little kids. (Also, fetuses are swimming in their own pee in the womb.)

Finally, we were gifted an encyclopedia-esque book aimed for fathers at my baby shower. I'll look up the title at home -- my very reserved husband has enjoyed reading it for what's to come type stuff.

PS: You'll want a copy of this book for bedtime, especially when he's little, and Shel Silverstein poetry is much better than any children's book to read at nighttime when they're too little to pay attention to the pictures. All the docs want out of reading to your kids is just talking to them... all the time... so read something you like.

FL Studio is a great start in my opinion. If you've already put 10 hours in, and are making some cool sounds that you feel good about, you've already overcome one of the largest obstacles!

One way to take it to the next level is to try to re-create a song you like, or part of it, in FL Studio. Take for example this section of your first link. You could roughly recreate that in FL Studio without too much pain. Just don't give up until you get the sound you're looking for. Maybe start with the drum parts, figure out the 1,2,3,4's of it, and try to put that into a loop in FL. Then bust out the synthesizer for the saws on top of the drums. You said you don't have much synth experience, so layering some saws over your drums and tweaking things until it sounds correct would be a great exercise.

For MIDI gear, a small keyboard would be great for experimenting and learning. Maybe get one with some pads and knobs that you can map to your sweet FL saws that you were layering? I'd say skip the drum machine for now, you can do all of that sequencing in FL and 1000x better IMO. However drum pads are nice, where you can bang out patterns and fills using your hands. You could try something like the MPK25 USB controller which has keys, pads, and knobs all in one.

The main thing is to really sit down and learn. You've already got good software and the passion, that's all you need. A small midi keyboard or controller might help you get started, but don't get lost in different devices, plugins, etc. as they will just slow down your learning as they provide instant gratification while you miss out on learning the fundamentals. Books can be helpful as well, I'd recommend the Dance Music Manual. Don't lose your passion, practice or study every day. Read and watch videos! Ask questions!

http://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Player-Repair-Guide-3rd/dp/0879309210

That is a really good source of useful information. It goes as far in-depth as you wish to go. There is information that is useful to every level of guitarist and luthier as well. Clearly explains the basics every guitar owner should know. Using this book, I set up my LTD with FR Special on it in drop C the very first time I did it. Really simple procedure and my guitar stays in tune very very well. Divebombs go back up right in tune every time.

I suggest trying different strings, different tunings, and different setups (varying string height etc) to find what you like and what feels good. Take it to a pro if you don't want to go to that much trouble, although it is pretty easy if you have any DIY skills. Try to let them know what you plan to mostly play on it.. different styles will favor a certain setup. That book tells how guitarists including Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, B.B. King and several more have their guitars setup.

Hey man,

For starters, go pick up and read The Non-Designers Design Book by Robin Williams. It's a great little book that should give you a lot of the mental tools really quickly. Once you've got a good bead, you can expand from there.

Now, you say you wanted it friendlier. I don't see that. The original is kinda clobbery, and the background is no good. It's dark and mysterious and a little menacing. It's also CAPS LOCK shouting. It's all a little much, and it doesn't invite you in. So, in comparison, the white background you used still isn't very inviting; it's more like a form or questionnaire. Colours, okay, use them if you want, but these colours are, like, airport signage. I'd imagine pastels or something might be a little friendlier. Icons: your circles don't match your line weights. Small text blocks like this I would kern. You've done nothing different with the title except used a smaller font which needs better leading. You have lots of negative space, but each individual block needs to be balanced better. If you took the top one out, and looked at it on its own, you can see it isn't balanced. Most of all, you've changed the copy, and you should never do this unless instructed. The diamond in the original "I want to take someone out" does not mean the same as your diamond "Take me out". The original copy is friendlier.

That may have sounded a bit harsh, and I don't intend it to be harsh, but just a rough overview of the things I see that you might consider. If you're going to round your edges -- which is great, make it a bigger move. Also consider not rounding them all for a more contemporary feel.

Zero experience?

If you have no experience in typography or design, I recommend learning typography as a starting point. Letterpress printing is a fascinating pursuit on its own, but you'll get much more out of it if you prepare yourself with a strong foundation in typography.

The cool thing about learning typography as it's more often practiced today is there's plenty of carryover from the metal type of a letterpress. Terms like leading and uppercase have meanings that transcend the physical medium, but relate to the history of applying typography with metal type. That's the best way to look at letterpress printing — it's a specific form of applied typography.

To learn how to use a letterpress without learning general typography is to learn penmanship without knowing a written language.

To get started, I recommend reading an introductory typography book:

http://www.amazon.com/Designing-Type-5th-Edition-Typography/dp/0823014134/

Practice a bit, then make your way through Bringhurst:


http://www.amazon.com/The-Elements-Typographic-Style-Anniversary/dp/0881792128/

Much of Bringhurst will be review, but you won't fully appreciate it without already having a basic comprehensive understanding.

Any learning you can do before touching a machine should be done. I recommend this path because working with a letterpress is time consuming and potentially expensive. If you jump straight into producing letterpress work without a typographic background, it will be of poor quality. You can learn the basics much faster digitally, while also gaining the eye that will help you when you move into letterpress printing.

In my humble opinion, the following are great and important reads for a newcomer into the subject.

Experiencing Architecture by Rasmussen

Any and ALL of Frank Ching's books, starting with Form, Space and Order

Sun, Wind, and Light is a timeless reference book.

The Dynamics of Architectural Form by Rudolf Arnheim is a great study on environmental psychology.

Also, Pattern Language if you're a complete masochist and really want to go DEEP into the subject.

I've got more if you're interested, but that should keep you busy for quite a while haha. Best of luck and I hope you find them as enjoyable as I have.

1. That depends, film school is only really worth it for the connections you'll make. For me, it was worth it. I'm from a very dead film less part of the world and University helped me meet people I can go out and make films with now. But if you're living somewhere were you can already pick up a camera and go, then no.
   
   
   
   
2. Yes, read, research and pick up a camera.
   
   I'm not going to post any sites related to the art of making films, rather the act. So how to use a camera correctly etc.
   
   [Phillip bloom] (http://philipbloom.net/)
   
   
   [Stu Machwitz] (http://prolost.com/)
   
   
   [Vincent Laforet] (http://www.laforetvisuals.com/)
   
   
   [Nofilmschool] (http://nofilmschool.com/)
   
   There's many, many more. but you can start with these and see where they send you.
   Remember this is about how to use a camera correctly, not how to make a great film.
   
   Books:
   
   [DV REBEL] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-DV-Rebels-Guide-All-digital/dp/0321413644/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335343450&sr=8-1)
   
   
   [Rebel without a crew] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rebel-without-Crew-Robert-Rodriguez/dp/0452271878/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335343468&sr=1-1)
   
   
   
   
3. The best resources for an aspiring film maker is a camera. I will give you an example
   
   I started by learning about DP and cameras. Like I said, I don't know lots of people who will pick up a camera and film for me. So I depend on me. I bought myself a camera, lenses, filters, shoulder mount. Downloaded editing software, watch lots of videos and just went from there.
   
   I was the best camera man anyone could ask for (in university), and now. When I make my own films that's worked out really well because I'll pick up the camera and make a film. I just need to find a couple of actors on the internet and ask a few friends to come out for the day.
   
   Goodluck
   

The Bringhurst Bible

James Victore's book is amazing. It's a quick read but is packed with inspiration.

Envisioning Information is great for info design.

Megg's History of Graphic Design


The rest of these I haven't read yet, but here is a list of things I currently have on my amazon wish list:

Some People Can't Surf by Art Chantry

Saul Bass: A Life in Film and Design by Jennifer Bass

Seventy-Nine Short Essays on Design by Michael Bierut

Damn Good Advice by George Lois

How To Be A Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul by Adrian Shaughnessy

How To Think Like A Great Graphic Designer by Debbie Millman

The Design of Dissent by Milton Glaser and Mirko Ilic

Iron Fists: Branding the 20th Century Totalitarian State by Steven Heller

Welcome and congrats on your decision!

Here are my tips on getting started:
There is a great plant-based diet you might be interested in, it's called "The Starch Solution by Dr. McDougall":
https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/shopping/books/starch-solution/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_7rrkG3xYk

1.1) Learning new recipes
It takes a few weeks to learn new recipes and get to know new products.
Also, there is quite a bit of misinformation in the area of nutrition.
It will take a while until you see "through the fog". Just hang in there :)
http://www.chooseveg.com/switchnditch (get their free guide on the homepage!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmnPM6QzDTw
https://www.youtube.com/user/thevegancorner
https://www.youtube.com/user/hotforfoodblog
veg restaurants: http://www.happycow.net

1.2) Doing your research (health, ethics, environment)
No worries, 3 documentaries and books and you are fine :)
http://www.forksoverknives.com/the-film/
http://www.cowspiracy.com/
http://www.nationearth.com/earthlings-1/ (graphic)
Watch these with your husband, if possible, so that he is part of your journey and understands the basics.

http://www.amazon.com/Eating-Animals-Jonathan-Safran-Foer/dp/0316069884
https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/shopping/books/starch-solution/
http://www.amazon.com/Love-Dogs-Pigs-Wear-Cows/dp/1573245054/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1457183607&sr=1-1&keywords=why+we+love+dogs+eat+pigs+and+wear+cows
Also has a great TEDx talk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0VrZPBskpg
(I am not affiliated with amazon, btw)

2) Really, no need to worry about protein
http://www.onegreenplanet.org/natural-health/vegan-sources-of-protein/
http://www.forksoverknives.com/slaying-protein-myth/
http://nutritionfacts.org/topics/protein/
You can enter your meals into http://www.cronometer.com just to be safe.

And finally some basic help on getting started:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2k4NHjAP84
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htf5eCgyt5Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8o9uzH_vrXA

That will keep you busy for a month or two, but it will also get you over the hump :)
Let me know if you got any questions or need help.
Good luck!

I'm a type designer, so feel to ask me questions.

To keep the look and feel consistent across the entire font largely depends on understanding the fundamentals of visual communication design, typography, and the relationship between characters.

The process starts with a design with specific parameters, a "skeleton" of a typeface. You need to decide if it's going to be a serif, sans serif, slab serif, display, etc., then move on to the qualities of the typeface. What characters would it have (cold, friendly, fat, loud, etc.)? What purpose would it serve?

Once the design is settled, the work in creating a typeface from scratch involves lots and lots of tweaking to maintain a relationship with each glyph. Drawing glyphs is a lot of work, and yes, a lot of the work is done by eye. Each character could be "generated" and be mathematically accurate as a foundation, but it will be largely optically incorrect and loses an important quality, a human touch.

Extrapolation with fonts can be done with Superpolator and interpolation with RoboFab, but it doesn't make the typeface design better if it is not drawn correctly in the first place.

The best fonts out there, upon close inspection of their glyphs, show that their forms are derived from the written hand. See Gerrit Noordzij's The Stroke for more.

Karen Cheng's Designing Type is another good read. Another book that's coming soon is Fred Smeijers' Counterpunch 2nd Ed..

As glasspenguin mentioned, Typophile.com is a great message forum on type design. You will find a lot of information there.

Hey there!
Since you don't have any musical background, a great place to start is learning how to read sheet music and general music theory. A great website for you is http://www.musictheory.net/
Under lessons, you can learn a ton about sheet music.

To be honest, I'm not a great Piano player. I just recently picked it back up. I do, however, have a musical background and even with the information I have, it is still difficult to pick up. I don't have a teacher but I will eventually get one whenever money isn't so tight. Piano isn't something you learn how to play overnight nor is it something you can "master". You can always improve and there is always something to learn.

The last piece of advice I could give you is buy a workbook! It's especially helpful. I personally recommend:
http://www.amazon.com/Alfreds-Basic-Adult-Piano-Course/dp/0882846167

Good luck and have a blast on this new journey you're about to embark! Remember, don't give up! You got this!

The same way you learned the E string, you can learn the A string with A-shape barre chords. (Then you can learn the C, G and D shape barres.;)

I have spent some time using just about anything I could find for help with learning the fretboard. I use a little trainer app on my phone, and I also used this book. The author uses a system based on five patterns for finding all positions of any given note on the fretboard. ("Pattern 1 has roots on the second and fifth strings, two frets apart.")

In addition, as cthrubuoy says, knowing about the octaves is very useful.

Try learning just the natural notes, or try drilling yourself regularly. Put your finger behind a fret and then identify the note. Or pick a note and find all of them. 10 minutes of this a day can be a HUGE help.

I also memorized a few landmark notes on the fretboard. Places where E, F, B, and C are stacked on top of each other, for instance, helps to learn the notes around them. Also, knowing that in standard tuning the nut (open), the 5th, 10th, 12th, and 17th frets are all natural notes could be useful.

In the end, what works best is consistently applying yourself to getting it. Until I started working at it every day (a few months ago) I could pretty much tell you the E string, and some of the A string, and anything else I would have to count out.

Hey man nice work. You obviously spent a lot of time on this so you definitely, definitely needed a contract and should've been paid regardless if they used it or backed out. I'm in the design field and this happens all the time. I'm not sayin I'm an expert or anything cause I don't freelance much but people have taken advantage of me too and you learn the hard way sometimes. I understand when you're not known or just starting out you have to take what you can get but you also cannot sell yourself short. I highly recommend this book, Graphic Artist's Guild Handbook of Pricing and Ethical Guidelines. This talk by Mike Monteiro called Fuck you, Pay me also has some great insight. Like you said, this is your lively hood and how you pay the bills and feed the family so don't take shit from flakey assholes no matter how amateur you are. Best of luck, keep grindin.

My advice is to buy some books. There's a lot of info on the internet, but it's all spread out and often chopped up into pieces, which can make it a bitch to make sense of. If you're going to go the internet route, though, check out guitarlessons365.com (not affiliated in any way). The vast majority of the lessons are free and the music theory section is completely free, not to mention very good.

http://www.guitarlessons365.com/lessons-archive/music-theory-lessons-archive/

Regarding books, this is a great, easy to read book on music theory that won't hurt your head. I'd start either here or with guitarlessons365.

http://www.amazon.com/Everything-Music-Theory-Book-understanding/dp/1440511829

For guitar books, Fretboard Logic is a must read. Definitely buy this. It focuses on the 5 position system (CAGED). If you're interested in learning the 7 position system for the major scales and other 7 note scales, check out guitarlessons365.

http://www.amazon.com/Fretboard-Logic-SE-Reasoning-Arpeggios/dp/0962477060/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348759781&sr=8-1&keywords=fretboard+logic

After that, I'd check out this as well.

http://www.amazon.com/Music-Theory-Guitarists-Everything-Wanted/dp/063406651X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1348759708&sr=1-1&keywords=guitar+theory

Worth checking this out as well.

http://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Fretboard-Workbook-Barrett-Tagliarino/dp/0634049011/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1348759937&sr=1-3&keywords=guitar+theory

Here's another important book. I'd probably buy this last, though.

http://www.amazon.com/Jazz-Theory-Book-Mark-Levine/dp/1883217040/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1348760257&sr=1-1&keywords=jazz+theory+book+by+mark+levine

This is a really short description of each, but hopefully will help.

CAGED system is a way of knowing how to play chords all over the neck. If you know the notes of the fretboard and where the root note is in each chord shape, then you can use that to play any chord, in any position using only the C, A, G, E and D chord shapes. If you're looking for a C chord near the 13th fret, there's an C on string 2 fret 13. The D shape has the root note on the 2nd string, so if you play a D chord shape at the 12th position (which uses the C root note on the 2nd string), that'll be an C chord. Alternatively, you could think about it this way... if a D chord is at the 14th position, slide a full step down to the 12th position and you'll have a C chord.

Next, if you know the scale positions and the root note within each, you can combine the CAGED system with scale positions and blend them.

The keys to understanding this are 1) understanding the CAGED system, 2) knowing scale positions (you mentioned pentatonic and mixolydian - just pick one scale type for a start), and 3) knowing the notes of the fretboard. Once you have a solid understanding of those, a bit of practice will get you over the hump with combining them.

The thing that helped me put all of this together (apart from hours of practice with backing tracks), was a book called Guitar Fretboard Workbook. The exercises are short and helped with memorizing note positions on the fretboard, and it has a good explanation of the CAGED system as well.

I hope this helps.

Edit: corrected chord name.

Hello! Would love good resources for Disney-style art, if you could spare those.


Here are some of the best things I've found for comic art

How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way A classic. Can be bought used for next to nothing. My only gripe is that it moves very fast and superficially

Incredible Comics with Tom Nguyen: He has a really clean style. Communicates a lot with very few lines. Excellent resource.


How to Draw: Heroic Anatomy More advanced resource. Uses a lot more lines and shading.


Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga and Graphic Novels How to construct the actual comic panels and books

Well, the kitchen is pretty far from the garage, and through a lot of doors and a tiny room. This makes carrying groceries inside suck.

and, as many others have mentioned, the dining room is too far from the kitchen to be functional. Does anybody actually USE a formal dining room anymore? I'd suggest a flex-space addendum to the living room where a formal table can be set in the event of guests, but is normally a nice part of the living room or a usable space between the kitchen & living area.

Overall, it seems messy and inelegant.

If you don't want to scrap the design completely, I would suggest clustering the bedroom/office on the left behind the garage, making the entry central next to the garage, and positioning the kitchen, dining & living areas on the right side. I also like to cluster water-walls for ease of plumbing.

The mudroom is a wonderful idea, but it needs to be big enough to set down groceries, remove shoes & coats, put them away. Also a great place for a laundry/dog sink.

I am not understanding the "dressing" room. Do people dress outside of their bedrooms?

Personally, I'd start over.

I love reading this book for refining ideas.

Books books books!

Some essential reading:

• Thinking with Type - very basic, and a good place to start; designed like a workbook
  
• The Elements of Typographic Style - pure reference
  
• The Vignelli Canon (PDF, also available as paperback)
  
  You have probably heard of the documentary Helvetica. This movie inspired me to become a type nerd. The follow-up movie, Objectified, is also very good and focuses on consumer design.
  
  Web sites / blogs:
  
  
• Typophile - active forum and community
  
• I Love Typography - great blog
  
• The Ampersand - pictures of ampersands; more interesting than it sounds
  
• Brand New - logo design, not typography specifically
  
  If you are at college or have a college campus nearby, check our their art library. There are bound to be awesome resources there. Explore graphic design periodicals and get lost in giant bound books of type samples.
  
  Edit: Disclaimer: I'm merely a design hobbyist.

How did I get into it? I started as a DJ. Next logical step I suppose.



Advice/tips?



Read up. Here are some of my favorites, and I do recommend buying them as you will probably refer to them often.


This would be my top pick: http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Tools-Techniques/dp/0240521072


This is one on psychoacoustics, which I've found had some helpful knowledge: http://www.amazon.com/How-Music-Works-David-Byrne/dp/1938073533



And this is one on the history of electronic music, which I personally LOVED reading. Great information, and if you truly respect the scene as a whole, you should 100% read this: http://www.amazon.com/Last-Night-DJ-Saved-Life/dp/0802146104/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1419810859&sr=1-1&keywords=last+night+a+dj+saved+my+life



As far as software goes, they are all kind of a personal thing. Some offer things that others don't. My recommendation is to try before you buy, especially considering production software is expensive.




In addition, there is also a large choice of hardware you can use for production. You should look into getting a keyboard and some good monitor speakers at a bare minimum. If you stick with it, I would suggest you buy yourself a drum machine/step sequencer. My personal recommendation is Native Instruments 'Maschine.'



EDIT: A word.

I know every single Green Day song by heart. I know they're not as popular anymore but I still love them.

If I win, I'd like this to be shipped to my friend, not me. It's a running joke we have.

There's a penguin on top of the telly

Sorry I probably didn't explain myself well. I do learn 2 musical instruments and I have no problems practicing fundamentals in them. With /r/artfundamentals it feels different. I can't bring myself to do the exercises. For some reason just thinking "alright let's fill 2 pages with lines" makes me discouraged. It would have been a bit better if I could do it with music but without it I'm more focused.

And about learning, for example in the elipses part, a lot fo things are written about elipses but honestly I don't understand what he means and what's the purpose of learning about it (of course it has a purpose but what is it?). Generally it feels like I'm doing it just so my lines and elipses could be a little better. Maybe that's what makes me discourages. Anyways it's hard for me to learn from /r/artfundamentals and I don't know why.

I've seen people recommend "How to draw". Also some people talked about this. And I just found this which is #1 best seller but I didn't see anyone talk about. Which one do you think is best?

Most piano teachers will give you this book to start:

http://www.amazon.com/Alfreds-Basic-Adult-Piano-Course/dp/0882846167

I spent a long time learning as a child, went back to teachers a couple of times as an adult to get a refresher. If you can get through book 1 and book 2 in the series, you can pretty much play any pop song, and holiday type song and it allows you to start to gauge tracks at an intermediate level. From there it's how much you want to practice.

1 hour a day every day for 2 years will do more for your ability than any number of lessons. Teachers are a guide, it's all about your willingness to work at a new skill. If you can't do an hour, do 30 minutes, or even 15. But daily practice is the key. If you can't commit to 15 minutes a day, you should consider what else you're prioritizing if you really want to learn to play.

Also, the whole 10,000 hours to mastery is especially true for any kind of music. an hour a day means 30 years to mastery. 8 hours a day means 5 years. This is why musicians typically get really good in high school - by around 6th grade most people are crossing over from hobby to passion, and then start committing real time to their passion before real world problems get in the way ( like work, marriage, kids, etc.).

I'm a big fan of peripheral accessories to hobbies - anyone who is seriously vested in a hobby will already know the best brands and products, and likely have opinions on them. It's dangerous territory to buy for the hobby if you aren't equally vested in it.

But what you can succeed at are items to make their life easier -- maybe an awesome carrying case for her art supplies or a set of frames to hang up her work or maybe a copy of The Graphic Artist Guild's Ethical Pricing Handbook for the aspiring freelance artist. (I own a copy of that book and it's really good, I recommend it to all creative freelancers.)

GREAT!

My favorite book is The Natural Way to Draw by Kimon Nicolaides. Extremely intelligent book on drawing. Great for an intellectual introvert. https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Way-Draw-Working-Study/dp/0395530075

If you like forums, take your choice, actually there are many forums at wetcanvas... it looks like there are two here, open critique or structured...http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/channels.php?s=&channel_id=12

Are you trying to work on reading music? If so, it's just like reading words. Remember when learning to read how you did it? Taking it slow, like first recognizing 26 letters and the sounds they make, then you sound out groups of them called words, then groups of words for sentences, etc. You get better the more you do it. There may be tips/tricks promising quick results, but even with them, you just have to do it over and over.

I would suggest adult beginner piano books.

Amazon Link

Example PDF

They don't go painfully slow like kids beginner books, and taking it from the beginning is nothing to be ashamed of. Having a solid foundation will make future skills more stable. Best wishes!

There's a small market for "parody" children's books, picture books that are really joke gift books for adults, like this one -- but really, kids are important, kids are the ones who enjoy these stories, and kids are a key audience for important mind-broadening messages that help start them on the journey to be critical thinkers. Even topics like death can be dealt with in some ways.

Imagine if one of your future stories were one that kids really liked, that was popular with kids -- that would be a huge benefit to selling a picture book, and also a way to spread a message to a broader audience than us adults on /r/atheism.

Here are some resources that have helped me.

First Time Director

Story

How to Win Friends & Influence People

Dov Simens 2 Day Film School


Dov Simens might come off as a horrible/ tacky salesmen but his 2 day course you can get on DVD is great, he breaks the process down better than I've seen elsewhere. Some stuff may be dated but it could get you started.

Take this approach to study.

Find a Director who's work you love, watch everything you can find of theirs. Watch all the behind the scenes you can find, then start copying them until you have learnt the rules and are able to recreate something almost as they would. Then with that experience start trying new things.

Also Gnomon Workshop and Digital Tutors are very helpful for the post side of things.

If he's going to be making his own films (and could be serious about making scripted films) opt for a nice tripod or lighting instead of a gimbal. They will have a much longer use-life. It's not the flashiest toy in the toolbag, but he'll appreciate it in the long term.

Fluid Head Tripod - https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1087198-REG

Lighting, I personally own three of these and use them on content for major broadcasts - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XSVP7J6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_C-2-BbJQFXBG7

Books on screenwriting and cinematography can be helpful, there's a book called "Save The Cat" that's a lot of people's quick-read favorite for script writing basics and outline. I also liked Robert Rodriguez's "Rebel Without A Crew" that's an enjoyable read, his story of what it took to make his movies. Pretty humbling.

Other smaller things that every filmmaker has in their toolkit would be lens cloths/ lens cleaning kit, bongo ties, extra batteries & charger for the camera, or a camera backpack can be handy.

• The Form of the Book by Jan Tschichold
  
• The Elements of Typographic Style by Robert Bringhurst
  
  These are mostly directed at classical book design, so they probably tend more conservative than you should do for a magazine, but these books actual spell out rules for what you should do (I'm a big believer in handcuffing yourself to rules for the purpose of understanding them, and then breaking them later), which is I think what you're asking for.
  
  My sorta summary/advice based heavily on what I read in the above books:
  
  Don't decorate; be confident. There's definitely an urge to add little horizontal rules above things or boxes around page elements. Tischichold especially points out how young designers can't help but put a thin box around the inside title page of books. He says it shows a lack of confidence. The solution is to have a justification for where you put things.
  
  Basically, if you have a baseline grid for the page, then you can place page elements on it and know that they will be harmonic with the overall page.
  
  Page numbers can honestly go anywhere as long as it's not the inside edge. Putting them there means the publication has to be completely open in order to use the page numbers, which is annoying.
  
  Don't put repeating information on pages. It's annoying to have the author's name or the book title at the top of every single page. Again, this is a demonstration of a lack of confidence. I believe the thinking is that if the pages are photocopied and distributed, then people will know where it came from. DRM annoys.
  
  Usually the font size for notes will be smaller than the main text, so keep aware of the leading difference between the two, especially if you put notes along the side. The leading shouldn't necessarily be equal, but it should be a multiple of the main content, so that every three or four lines the text aligns again.
  
  I hope none of that was totally irrelevant to your project :) Good luck!

check out A Pattern Language by Christopher Alexander. Great book for corralling up all the elements you'll want in a home. It's a collection of 'patterns' or elements that make Architecture work well for human life. A lot of great stuff that's often taken for granted, but very simple. And often cheap!

The nyTimes did a story on this fellow a while back- he's pioneered interior vertical garden walls. Very neat stuff.
http://www.verticalgardenpatrickblanc.com You might find some inspiration there.

good luck!

I was in a similar situation as you are, I played piano since I was young and when I took up guitar the fretboard was a bit daunting to me. It clicked for me when I imagined that each of the six strings was like its own separate piano so six dimensional if you will ;). Since each fret is a half step, its like the keys on a piano going up a half step. So the 'piano keys' on the lowest string start on E and go up by a half step, the next string is A so the 'piano keys' start on A, then go up and so on.

Once the set up of the fretboard made sense to me, it's all about memorization to know the exact locations of notes off hand. I think that this is going to be different for each person you need to figure out what makes sense to you. Memorize 'landmarks' such as each open string, the 12^th fret is an octave up, and the odd frets are good ones to start with memorizing.

I used this: http://www.guitarhabits.com/learn-the-guitar-fingerboard-thoroughly-in-16-days/ as well. I found it pretty helpful.

Also if you're looking for some books, http://www.amazon.com/Fretboard-Logic-SE-Reasoning-Arpeggios/dp/0962477060/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1313039330&sr=8-1 & http://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Fretboard-Workbook-Barrett-Tagliarino/dp/0634049011/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1313039376&sr=1-6 were both really good and helped me with understanding the fretboard and general mechanics of guitar.


Hope this helps! Good Luck!

Other posters have touched on the PSD file issue, so I'll address your other two questions.

I don't think it would be awkward to offer your services for branding, if you think you're up to the task of dealing with this client. You're definitely going to cost less than a branding agency (your client might be in for a rude awakening when she sees a price estimate), but when it comes to setting your own price, don't short change yourself. Consider how much time you've spent addressing questions and concerns about simple letterhead; for a logo that'll need to be multiplied by at least 10. Not even considering the actual work of designing a logo, you need to make sure you're compensated for the work it takes to educate your client and make sure she's happy. I regularly charge more to clients who I know will require a lot of communication and who need extra support through the design process.

For a good place to start, purchase a copy of the Graphic Artist's Guild Handbook of Pricing and Ethical Guidelines. It tells you the going rate for many different types of design projects (you'll likely be surprised to see how much a seasoned pro can charge), and features templates for all types of contracts. It's been an invaluable resource for me.

If you're trying to work towards a particular genre or styling of music I'd highly suggest hitting the books a bit. Experimenting in FL Studio will get you far, but after a certain point I found it helpful to read more about music theory and structure as it applies to the type of music you want to produce.

For example, recently I was struggling with a house remix I've been working on - because I don't usually make dance music. At someone else's recommendation I picked up this book and I've already learned so much that has helped me improve my music.

I'll also agree with another poster that picking a particular song (it helps if the song is in a genre you want to compose in, so you'll be able to keep your interest) and trying to recreate it is a great learning tool, but reading about how different types of music are typically constructed is also helpful.

1. I read Eating Animals, by Jonathan Saffron Foer and could not find a rational argument against veganism as the ethical choice given my access to alternatives to animal products. I was reading a whole lot of books on all sort of food-related topics, had no intention of going vegan or even vegetarian, but that was that. Went vegan the following day (July 4, 2011)
   
2. My spouse is working on decreasing animal product use. He kind of tapered - he was avoiding red meat, then lacto-ovo-veg, now he's closer to 80% vegan with occasional LOV meals. He also found meat substitutes he likes so he can do burgers, tacos, and other foods that are comfort food to him. I don't really have much practical advice, I guess, except that meat substitutes / analogues are a perfectly reasonable option if those flavors/textures are significant to you.
   
3. I'm boring. On a typical day I have oatmeal and coffee with soy milk for breakfast, some kind of grain plus frozen veggies and either beans of chopped up baked tofu for lunch (I make a big batch, portion it out, and freeze it ahead of time for the week), and tofu and some veggies for dinner. All boring, all easy, all tasty and inexpensive. For good recipes, I recommend checking out the post punk kitchen. Two of my favorite cookbooks are [http://smile.amazon.com/Mediterranean-Vegan-Kitchen-Donna-Klein/dp/1557883599/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415407055&sr=8-1&keywords=mediterranean+vegan](The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen) and The Oh She Glows Cookbook.

Glad you're trying it out and putting in the effort.

I don't want to sound like I'm encouraging quitting or anything but there's nothing wrong with realizing that something isn't for you. You may need to check out more things/adjust your expectations (of yourself and of the work) before making that decision.

Don't be frustrated just because you don't understand as much as you thought. If you want to and you're dedicated, you can become even more skilled and knowledgeable than anyone on that set. These things take time and effort, of course.

Lighting isn't the easiest thing to grasp and "3-point lighting" is really just a starting point; a general way that you might decide to use to light a scene and which can work any number of ways rather than being one particular setup/ratio. The Set Lighting Technician's Handbook is very informative, if you're really interested, but there's also plenty of guides online and I'd be happy to break down a few basics if you'd like.

It's a great book for just about any field - it helps teach the reader how to effectively tell a story, which in turn helps one appreciate stories more. I think Story by Robert McKee is also a great book on story-writing (screenplays, this case), and also a potentially valuable book for many more people than just aspiring writers. Incidentally, it's been recommended reading by several prominent comic book writers (such as Brian Michael Bendis).

The Non-Designers Design Book is pretty wonderful. It breaks down the basic rules and tenants of graphic design in a very easy-to-understand way, with lots of pictures and before/after.

I find that many designers become designers because they were artists when they were kids and wanted to continue making art for a living. This book is great for those people, too. It's sets some structure around making your design easy to look at and/or use. Without getting too complicated, it delves into the neuropsych-based rules that help us make clean and easy designs.

I've purchased that book as a gift more than any other, and make my company buy it for everyone who works in my department.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0133966151/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687622&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0321534042&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0ZA58Z7W2DV09C2C0C6Q

I'm 26 and started playing piano 2 months ago! I can't stress the impact a teacher has had on my learning!

I've been going through Alfreds Basic Adult Piano Course Music and Theory and have found it a great introduction.

This has also been supplemented with additional pieces from my tutor (I've just finished learning Motzart Minuet in F K2 and am nearly finished with Bach Minuet in G minor, BWV Anh. 115 ) which I though were challenging but fun pieces to learn :)

I guess I could have picked these books up and learnt myself, but I'd say my progress would have been a lot slower. I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have as I am in a similar situation?

Even ignoring your immediate and inappropriate insult, your post is full of emotional regurgitation of Big Agriculture propaganda and simple marketing campaigns.

You've been sold a commercial you reiterate without realizing it. America is not "Feeding The World™". Since your post was entirely lacking in facts and sources, I'll provide some:

• 86 percent of the value of U.S. agricultural exports last year went to 20 destinations with low numbers of hungry citizens and human development scores that are medium, high or very high, according to the U.N. Development Program.
  
  
• Only half of one percent of U.S. agricultural exports, calculated according to their value, went to a group of 19 countries that includes Haiti, Yemen and Ethiopia. These are nations with high or very high levels of undernourishment, measured by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization.
  
  So no, we are not the World's Breadbasket. Modern factory farming is not sustainable and constitutes at least 10% of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the US. The only purpose it serves is to stuff the coffers of Big Agri.
  
  Farm Subsidies are a big part of this. Initially meant as "a temporary solution to deal with an emergency", the majority of these (still active and growing) subsidies go to farmers corporations with net worths of $2 million. That's not to mention the > $130 million spent on lobbying last year from these same companies, companies which already own many local representatives from Agricultural meccas in the mid-west.
  
  Despite the hard data representing the U.S.'s contribution to combat global hunger, Monsanto claims that feeding the rest of the world is America's "moral imperative", and not only in the interest of their bank accounts and stock options.
  
  No aspect of factory farming is intended to be humane. The sole purpose is to be as cheap as legally possible, and where possible, change the laws. There's much more data and news articles regarding the scummy practices in local politics, in spraying feces-and-toxin coctails into the air because you can't legally keep it in pools (in some areas). I highly recommend you do some research and come to understand the true motivations of this industry.
  
  I could go on, but others have done it much better. If anyone's interested in a non-preachy and fact-oriented account of a fantastic author researching what would be best to feed his child, I highly recommend Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer.

> An understanding of design concepts is handy, but you don't need to be able to come up with the design yourself.

I think this line really sums it up best. You are likely to be tasked with creating some mock-ups, or adding a feature after the designer(s) have more or less moved on to the next project. In the case of the former, having some basic understanding of layout and design will help you create a usable product, even if it lacks polish.For the latter, being able to interpret the existing design, and extracting a few rules from it will let you deliver something pretty close to a finished product.

Working as a contractor or as part of a small team you sometimes have to wear multiple hats. I'm mostly a backend developer, but have (and still do) work on the front-end. There are a couple of books I have read and recommend for people in that situation. Neither will make you a full-blown designer, but do cover the essentials that anyone working on the front-end really should know.

Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach To Web Usability

The Non-Designer's Design Book

thanks for posting. I think you have a great attitude, and honestly, attitude counts for more than you think.

I'll not critique the website, but, knowing you're new to the fundamentals, try to share some more general thoughts.

1. do more. I think you're starting this already with some of your sketches for mini cooper. but always, always, do more. 50 iterations, 100 iterations. Keep pushing beyond the obvious, and use sketching as the tool to do that. I read an old design book, from the 70s, that said "only one solution is the symptom of an inflexible and untrained mind." /r/52weeksofdesign
   
   
2. Time to get up on the basics. That means the basics of drawing (if you so please). It's not a requirement as a designer (I'm a piss poor artist), but it definitely helps sometimes. http://www.amazon.com/Drawing-Right-Side-Brain-Definitive/dp/1585429201/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419898682&sr=8-1&keywords=right+hand+drawing
   
   What sketching is important for is flexing ideas and testing compositions before going to the computer.
   
   
3. Learn the basics of typography:
   http://www.amazon.com/Stealing-Graphic-Design-Communication-Courses/dp/0321934288/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1419898490&sr=1-1&keywords=stop+stealing+sheep
   
   http://www.amazon.com/Elements-Typographic-Style-Version-Anniversary/dp/0881792128/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1419898879&sr=1-1&keywords=robert+bringhurst
   
   http://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Type-2nd-revised-expanded/dp/1568989695/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1419898800&sr=1-2&keywords=typography
   
   
4. Grids
   http://www.amazon.com/Grid-Systems-Principles-Organizing-Design/dp/1568984650/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1419898762&sr=1-1&keywords=kimberly+elan
   
   http://www.amazon.com/Systems-Graphic-Systeme-Visuele-Gestaltung/dp/3721201450/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419898837&sr=8-1&keywords=grid+systems
   
   
5. Photography (if you like)
   http://www.amazon.com/Black-White-Photography-Manual-Revised/dp/0316373052/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1419898921&sr=8-2&keywords=black+and+white+photography
   
   and
   
   
6. remember that this is detail work. So things like spelling errors in this post, and on your website, should be resolved.
   
   Above and beyond the basics, I see your passion is impacting the world through design. So the question becomes HOW can graphic design impact the world, and does it at all? and what can you make or do directly? I think above all, a designer is an entrepreneur these days. Especially with that main driving passion.
   

I am building off of this comment tree so work with me :P

16 year old here, been playing piano for about a month and other instruments for almost 10 years. One thing I have found that has helped me learn basic theory (such as note reading and the likes) was musictheory.net. I'd say work with this for a bit, do the exercises and such when you feel you are ready.

As for books, the Alfred's Adult Piano Course:Book 1 has been a huge help because of the way they put the learning. They start with teaching notes, note values, then get into positions and starting music. Where mainly the left side of each open section of the book is the lesson and the right is the music that goes along with it. (BTW all 3 books are around $25)

Finally, I would say taking a look into Lypur's youtube piano course. He has crazy hair, a nice personality, and a general fun way to teach piano. He goes over complete basics in music theory too. So you don't have to know anything about music when watching his videos.

Good luck and have fun! Don't over stress yourself and keep on learning!

Edit: This is my personal opinion so please don't hate. I would say to try and stray away from the synthesia/guitar hero style youtube videos that you find online. Mainly because they do teach you how to play, but they don't teach you how to play piano. (sorta like "Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day, Teach a man to fish and he'll be eating for a lifetime")

If you're tempted to give it a go, then go for it. I'd advise you to think ahead, though. If you just write one book, you can expect it to swim and then drift downwards. I did originally think standalone before I started. My research quickly put that notiob to rest. I had to start with a series. I wrote my first three before even marketing which worked really well. (If you see my OP you can look at my stuff)

I highly recommend you read two books right now.
One is this (essential): https://www.amazon.com/Publish-Repeat-No-Luck-Required-Self-Publishing-Success-ebook/dp/B00H26IFJS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484083927&sr=8-1&keywords=write+publish+repeat

And here's the other one - it's technically for screenwriting, but the tips in there apply to books (essential for helping you write and think about your stories): https://www.amazon.com/Story-Substance-Structure-Principles-Screenwriting/dp/0060391685/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484083965&sr=8-1&keywords=mckee+story

Hope this helps! Am happy to help you along the way, hit me up on FaceBook if you like.

Here's some links of books I put on my wish list. Its a lot of stuff about grids, which is something you should learn.

Grid Systems in Graphic Design

Universal Principles of Design

The Grid: A Modular System for the Design and Production of Newpapers, Magazines, and Books

The Elements of Typographic Style (A dry read, but very valuable knowledge)

Thinking with Type

I learned most of my composition skills from Drawing and Painting classes. I've heard photography is a great way to learn composition too.

Aside from that use Lynda.com and learn your color theory. You should also learn stuff like using CMYK vs RGB. Common sizes for print material in your country.

If you go Freelance, use this book: Graphic Artist's Guild Handbook of Pricing and Ethical Guidelines

If you haven't discovered this site and you're feeling frustrated, just remember it could be worse: Clients From Hell

And just for fun: How a Web Design Goes Straight To Hell, Why You Don't Like Changes to Your Design

Here are two books that helped me exponentially:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0634049011?pc_redir=1413778480&robot_redir=1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/063406651X?pc_redir=1413771056&robot_redir=1

The first book helped me visualize the fretboard a lot faster, and also taught me how to form really complex chords using interval knowledge. The second book gets into some really advanced stuff like modal interchange, chord substitution, and playing with modes over extended and altered chords. I'd suggest you start with the first book as the second book ramps up really quickly and it's easy to get lost if you haven't figured out the basics yet. Oh, and there are tips on how to use the harmonic and melodic minor scales as well, which is super helpful if you want to get into jazz.

At the same time, I still use a lot of lessons from justinguitar.com because that guy is amazing at relating complex concepts to others in a simple and coherent manner.

Went to university. Got into it because my high school had a bunch of design-related classes, and I liked them, was good at them, found it relatively easy (as in it felt more fun than work). As a result of school, I don't have many resources to recommend, because I didn't need to rely on them to learn. We learned more by doing and getting feedback from instructors and such.

That aside, there are two type books I could suggest. The first is sometimes considered a "bible" and was probably the most recommended book in my program, but is more of a resource book, and that'd be The Elements of Typographic Style. Another is Stop Stealing Sheep and Find How Type Works which is much more accessible and probably a better starting point.

Overall, probably the biggest thing to start with is to understand that design is in the function, in the purpose and whether it communicates that effectively, and that the form follows. It doesn't really matter how nice a poster looks if it doesn't do what it was meant to accomplish. If you're wanting to make art, that's one thing, but design is different.

You want to learn not just how to physically create something, but understand why you make each choice, and understand why it works or not.

MONDAY

I highly recommend 1984 by George Orwell if you haven't read it. I know it's a classic, but many people still haven't read it. It's by far my favorite book of all time.

I would love Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time.

Thanks for the contest!

I just ordered my SO this awesome shirt and onesie combo, an epic coloring book, something to help if he's feeling overwhelmed, a book for bedtime, and a shirt to help bring out his inner nerd as a late father's day/early baby day present~ get your hubby something fun that matches his personality, there's plenty of awesome things on amazon for dads-to-be for every kind of dad out there. You just have to look :3

Neat question. The two obvious big names from Urban Planning are Robert Moses and Jane Jacobs. They epitomize Modernist planning and Post-Modern planning, respectively.

Robert Moses was one of the most important non-elected officials in the 20th Century, with the most popular account being Robert Caro's massive biography, The Power Broker. He was a fantastically smart legal wiz who came to power in the 1920s in New York and was the standard-bearer for sweeping top-down government approaches to development. He used his knowledge and authority to gain more and more power, creating some of the first modern highways in bridges all over New York City and state that helped influence the Interstate Highway Act and the urban car-centric model.

He can be viewed as quite a villain these days (think the unbridled power of Mr. Burns on the Simpsons), especially as academic planners now generally recognize the huge negative impacts that Modernist American planning had. There was massive economic and social displacement where things like the Cross Bronx Expressway ripped working-class immigrant neighborhoods in half, allowing commerce to escape urban centers and help create mid-century ghettoization. In short, the modernist approach can be seen as paternalistic at best and willfully concentrating power at the expense of the masses at worst. That said, depression-Era New York had huge problems (dilapidated housing and political corruption, to name two) that Moses' public works projects helped alleviate, and he was one of the country's most powerful advocates for public parks even in the face of massive growth and sprawl.

Moses sat on countless commissions and authorities for decades, his power only finally waning in the 1960s as the top-down modernist approach of (Post) World War II America faced its loudest criticisms with the related Civil Rights, Hippie, Environmentalist, Anti-Vietnam movements: Americans were finally scrutinizing the "Build Build Build Cars Cars Cars Roads Roads Roads" model that had driven cities for decades, which brings us to Jane Jacobs.

Jacobs (who got herself a Google Doodle last week for her 100th birthday), was a Greenwich Village liberal and fierce critic of the Moses-type technocratic planning. She was a community organizer who helped stop Moses as he tried to push through plans for highways in Midtown and Lower Manhattan. For those unfamiliar, these are two of the economic and social cores of New York City - she argued that roads are supposed to serve us, not destroy our important urban spaces.

If you ask a city planner what sole city planning book to read (myself included), the overwhelming favorite will be Jacobs' 1961 book The Death and Life of Great American Cities, the most important critique of modernist planning to date. Instead of sprawling highways and engineering projects, Jacobs saw the healthiest urban spaces as walkable, intimate, friendly and inviting and on a human-scale. She advocated for small city blocks, much wider sidewalks and mixed-use spaces instead of the classic Sim City "Residential/Commercial/Industrial" segregated zoning.

While there has since been plenty of critique of Jacobs' post-modern model, today's planning leans much closer to Jacobs' vision (at least in academic settings): Planners are more focused than ever on the post-modern walkability, mixed-use, high-density, equal-access, participatory planning model. Although this seems like a healthier place for planning than the Moses model of old, the academic ideals clash with the huge legacy of the Modernist planning approach (We can't just up and rebuild cities every time a theory changes, after all), along with the neoliberal financialization and privatization of so many of our spaces over the last few decades, so it's still as muddy as ever.

Anyway, that's a slight oversimplification of some of the history, but Moses and Jacobs were certainly the biggest avatars of the Modernist and Post-Modernist planning movements and have been as influential in the field of planning as anybody.

Haha, that's awesome and I think you're probably right.

I can definitely understand the hesitation. There are a lot of reasons that going vegan is hard that often get undervalued by people that have already done it and adapted to the lifestyle.

It's hard to imagine what you would eat if you gave up animal products. You probably have favorite foods you'd never be able to taste again. Food is such a big part of our culture, too, that it's scary to consider self-ostracizing yourself. You'd have to tell grandma you can't eat her special chicken soup from the old country anymore. You wouldn't be able to go in on the bulk buffalo wing buy at the next Super Bowl party.

Then there are concerns about nutrition. How do I get enough B12? Omega 3s? Protein? Is a vegan diet even healthy long-term? Will I be sacrificing athletic performance in the sport I care about?

And finally, it can sound exhausting to have to read every label, remember to take the cheese off every burrito order, plan every lunch outing at work so you'll have something to eat, and suffer all the other small inconveniences required of a vegan living in an omnivorous world.

Fortunately, dealing with all those concerns doesn't have to be done all at once. You can reduce your meat consumption and experiment with vegan food while still eating grandma's chicken soup whenever you visit her. Plus, it's better for your health, the environment, and the animals.

I recommend this book to people who are interested in investigating the issue: Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer.

That sounds like a huge project, which hopefully they're aware of. That said, it sounds like it could be quite lucrative, given the amount of work there is to do. My best suggestion would be to invest in the Graphic Artists Guild Handbook of Pricing and Ethical Guidelines; it'll give you the best idea as to what to charge, more so than anyone else on this subreddit will be able to.

If I were you I'd look into Justin Guitar for a solid base and to just get you playing songs. He's produces the best internet lessons I've seen and they're all free. He's an amazing teacher and is very entertaining in his lessons. Start with the beginner's course and work your way to intermediate and then into specific areas you want to learn.

I also enjoyed this book. It covers basic music theory and how to navigate the guitar.

I'm a comic book artist that went to school for it, still aspiring.

For understanding things like panel layout, pacing in comics, etc, check out Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics and Making Comics are pretty good for helping both artist and non-artist get what makes comics comics. Knowing how to create the visual comic, even if you can't draw, will help you direct your script.

Also, there is no official, streamlined way to write a comic script. Just make sure you put in all the necessary details while keeping things clear for the artist. Like if there's a bad guy with a secret weapon, make sure the artist knows that the moment he shows up so the artist can plan for it. And unless you're planning for a particular effect, don't make a guy do more than one thing in a panel.

You are not writing a story or a novel, you are writing a set of instructions for an artist and nobody will really see the script. I've seen scripts say things along the lines of, "The detective removes his hat, revealing a masculine, sexy face, like (insert actor here)".

It's also important to know about comic book panel layouts and whatnot because often it's acceptable for the writer to give the artist a drawing of a suggested layout.

Step 1. LOOK at the art.

It sounds like you're doing this, that's great! The artist probably spent 2–10 hours on that one page, I'm sure they'd like it if people did more than glance at it. You might find it useful if you pay attention to these things in particular: shapes, how lighting works (the shadows, shading, and highlights), line width, composition and layout, foreground/background and perspective, anatomy and proportions (which can be unrealistic and still look good), textures and effects.

Take a look at through the Escher Girls tumblr if you want to see what inaccurate anatomy can do to otherwise skilled artwork.

Step 2. Learn about what goes into artwork. For comics, manga, and other sequential art in particular, I HIGHLY recommend reading Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics. It is not a how-to-draw book. It's also well worth your time, and odds are good you can find it at your local library if you live in an native English-speaking country. The sequel, Making Comics, is also really good.

Step 3. Keep looking at the art for multiple series, over time eventually you'll start to notice what works and what doesn't, when rules are broken to good effect and when they really should've listened.

Sure thing! If you pick a couple up I'd recommend The Screenwriter's Bible as a good all-around book that covers pretty much everything and [Screenplay]
(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385339038/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0385339038&linkCode=as2&tag=qinema-20) if you're interested in structure. That being said, [Save the Cat!]
(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1932907009/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1932907009&linkCode=as2&tag=qinema-20) is an excellent book and might be worth getting instead as our Structure lesson will cover the essence of Syd Field's Screenplay book (at least I hope others will find it a good substitute!)

With good cinematography comes great lighting. When I first started in the film industry as Grip, I literally sat on the back of the truck between takes and read Harry Box's Set Lighting Technicians Handbook. Its invaluable information as far as lighting is concerned. The Grip Book by Mike Uva is another great handbook. Generally, if you walked into Barnes and Noble, all the other books on the shelf are worth a read. "Rebel without a Crew" And "Save the Cat" are some great reads.

On typography:

• The Elements of Typographic Style, the Bible of Typography.
  
• Thinking with Type, a nice overview of how type works.
  
• Detail in Typography, on the finer points of type.
  
  On grids:
  
  
• Raster Systeme, by the eminent expert of the Swiss School.
  
• Making and Breaking the Grid, a modern update on the timeless grid.
  
  On colour:
  
  
• The Art of Color, a classic on color.
  
• Interaction of Color, another classic text on color (theory).
  
  On usability:
  
  
• Don't Make Me Think, a classic on web usability.
  
• The Design of Everyday Things, a general usability Urtext.
  
• Understanding Comics, a great primer from an unlikely field.
  
  On information design:
  
  
• The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, the master at work.
  
  On inspiration:
  
  
• How to Think Like a Great Graphic Designer, inspiration from the field.
  
• How to Be a Graphic Designer without Losing Your Soul
  
  On theory:
  
  
• What is a designer, philosophical musings, existential questions.
  
• Graphic Design Theory: Readings from the Field, theoretical backgrounds on the craft.
  
  On history:
  
  
• Meggs' History of Graphic Design, a canonical classic.
  
• Graphic Design: A New History, an alternative narrative.
  
  Monographs:
  
  
• From Lascaux to Brooklyn, the inimitable Paul Rand.
  
• Saul Bass: A Life in Film & Design, the art of Saul Bass.
  
• Tibor Kalman, Perverse Optimist, the exceptional work of Mr Kalman.

Read him these two books, in this order.

1. http://www.amazon.com/Magic-Reality-Know-Whats-Really/dp/1439192812
   
   
2. http://www.amazon.com/Go-F-Sleep-Adam-Mansbach/dp/1617750255
   
   Seriously though, there's already a number of really good suggestions here, and the top three comments pretty much cover the best approach in my opinion.
   
   Additionally, In a few years, when he is ready, you might find it fun to teach him about Greek mythology, ancient Egyptian culture, Native American beliefs, etc. Ancient Egyptian civilization fascinated me as a kid and probably really helped open my eyes.

Read the pinned post:https://www.reddit.com/r/learntodraw/comments/adyijo/welcome_to_rlearntodraw_heres_the_sidebar_and/

The day 1, day 2 and day 3 links are down, you can find them in the first comment in this post: https://www.reddit.com/r/learntodraw/comments/c8wqwh/about_how_some_of_the_sidebar_links_are_down/

I'm not good yet, been drawing for only 6 months, but the best advice I can give is to not forget to have fun.

There is no point if you start doing lots of boring exercises if you end up getting bored and stop drawing, just focus on trying to do some drawing everyday, and have fun.

This is the book I started with: https://www.amazon.com/You-Can-Draw-30-Days/dp/0738212415/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=learn+to+draw+30+days&qid=1564793025&s=gateway&sr=8-1

It helped me a lot to stop getting nervous about getting nice drawings and to just have fun drawing.

Good luck!

Highsmith's Inside Paragraphs is a great introduction. It's 100 pages and it reads like a comic book. It is very short and incredibly specific: it is only about paragraphs. I make all my typography students read it, working from the idea that good typography starts with good text typography. In other words, if you can master text type, display type is easy.

Lupton's Thinking with Type is a good general beginning text. She has a lot of the info on her website.

I also find Speikermann's Stop Stealing Sheep quite good for an intro text.

Bringhurst's The Elements of Typographic Style is the classic text that is worth having in your library. Mine is fairly well-thumbed with plenty of post-it flags and lots of favorite passages underlined. It is a bit much for the beginner, but definitely worth having as a reference. You'll grow into this one, and likely never outgrow it. It is a reference book that reads like poetry.

Maybe she likes or would be interested in knitting? You could buy her some magazinines with knitting tutorials. Also does she know how to use computer and internet? If no maybe there are some courses nearby that could teach her. That would open a new world to her, she could try new things, watch tutorials, learn etc.

Does she have a pet? Maybe you could gift her one for christmas, if she's not allergic.

Also there's this book: http://www.amazon.com/You-Can-Draw-30-Days/dp/0738212415
Its not complicated and rather easy to follow, + it actually teaches you how to draw, atleast basics. So this could be a great wait for her to learn a new skill + drawing is like therapy, so that would help her too.

Personally, I don't think a full repeal to all of the residential zoning is the best practice. A full repeal would likely only increase land values
(here's a good explainer as to how that can happen). I do believe they need to be loosened significantly. At the rate this city is growing, it needs to have all of the tools necessary to help increase density and banning thing such as having both an ADU and DADU on single family lots and requiring their sizes to be such that they cannot accommodate families is a bad thing. Duplexes and triplexes also should be legal in single family zones. These allowances also should be paired with strategic rezones that allow for some sort of corner market/commerce zone within a 5-10 minute walkshed of every house in SFZs in order to make it reasonable for people in SFZs to live without a car in these now densified neighborhoods.


In regards to more reading: are you looking for more reading regarding Seattle zoning law exclusively or are you looking for reading recommendations that follow an urbanist bent? For Seattle specific stuff, The Urbanist and Seattle Transit Blog post a lot regarding land use in the city. If you are looking for books that talk about general city planning the gold standard is The Death and Life of Great American Cities. I personally really enjoyed Walkable City, Suburban Nation, and Happy City.

What a lovely idea! For me, it's been fun testing out materials and finding what I like to use. Depending on her media interests, here's what I'd recommend thinking about:

A Brush Pen (especially for cartooning on the go!):
http://www.amazon.com/Pentel-Pocket-Brush-Refills-GFKP3BPA/dp/B002LJRKN8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1448983878&sr=8-1&keywords=cartooning+brush

A Nice Brush:
http://www.amazon.com/Winsor-Newton-Kolinsky-Pointed-Brushes/dp/B0013E68TO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1448984196&sr=8-1&keywords=Windsor-Newton+Series+7+sable+%232

Some Ink:
http://www.amazon.com/Speedball-2-Ounce-India-Super-Black/dp/B0007ZJ8TM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1448983937&sr=8-3&keywords=ink+cartooning

A Brush Cleaner:
http://www.amazon.com/General-Pencil-Company-Masters-Preserver/dp/B0009RRT9Y/ref=pd_sim_201_12?ie=UTF8&dpID=512oIauSQjL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR149%2C160_&refRID=1J5XTFQ5TBWPSS5E39AV

An Ames Lettering Guide:
http://www.amazon.com/Alvin-Ames-Lettering-Guide-AL666/dp/B001DNAHRO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1448984324&sr=8-1&keywords=AMES+LETTERING+GUIDE

A copy of Making Comics by Scott McCloud (SO useful!):
http://www.amazon.com/Making-Comics-Storytelling-Secrets-Graphic/dp/0060780940/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1448984007&sr=8-13&keywords=cartooning

• The Elements of Typographic Style by Robert Bringhurst
  
  
• Stop Stealing Sheep & find our how type works 3rd Edition by Erik Spiekermann, this one is a super easy read but a great book.
  
  
• Thinking with Type by Ellen Lupton, I have the 2nd Edition
  
  
• Making and Breaking the Grid by Timothy Samara
  
  
• Typographic Design: Form and Communication by Rob Carter, Ben Day, Philip Meggs. I have the 4th edition but I think most are okay. This is a good general typography textbook.
  
  
• Shady Characters: The Secret Life of Punctuation, Symbols, and Other Typographical Marks by Keith Houston
  
  I can't give suggestions on hand-lettering books yet as the few I have read weren't good...so I'm trying to find better ones. But check out Louise Fili and Jessica Hische for inspiration and of course Paula Scher and Sagmeister.
  
  There are many other books so I welcome others to chime in and add their suggestions.

Interaction Design

• About Face 3 by Alan Cooper
  
• Designing Interactions by Bill Moggridge
  
• Designing Interfaces by Jenifer Tidwell
  
• Designing for the Digital Age by Kim Goodwin
  
• Making Things Talk: (2011) (2007) by Tom Igoe
  
  Interior Design
  
  
• The Decoration of Houses by Edith Wharton and Ogden, Jr. Codman
  
• Domino: The Book of Decorating by Deborah Needleman
  
• Design*Sponge at Home: A Guide to Inspiring Homes by Grace Bonney
  
• The Vintage/Modern Home by Katherine Sorrell
  
• The Fundamentals of Interior Design by Simon Dodsworth
  
  Landscape Architecture
  
  
• Landscape Architectural Graphic Standards by Leonard J. Hopper
  
• Landscape Design: A Cultural and Architectural History by Elizabeth Barlow Rogers
  
• Landscape Graphics by Grant W. Reid
  
• Cities for People by Jan Gehl
  
• Design with Nature by Ian L. McHarg
  
  Lighting Design
  
  
• Stage Lighting Design by Richard Pilbrow
  
• The Architecture of Natural Light by Henry Plummer
  
• Painting With Light by John Alton
  
• Made of Light by Anthony Tischhauser
  
• Color, Environment and Human Response by Frank H. Mahnke & Rudolf H. Mahnke
  
  Product Design
  
  
• Sketching: Drawing Techniques from Product Designers by Koos Eissen
  
• Design for the Real World by Victor Papanek
  
• The Craftsman by Richard Sennett
  
• Mythologies by Roland Barthes
  
• Cradle to Cradle. Remaking the Way We Make Things by William McDonough & Michael Braungart
  
  Product Design
  
  
• In the Bubble: Designing in a Complex World by John Thackara
  
• The Experience Economy by B. Joseph Pine II & James H. Gilmore
  
• Universal Methods of Design by Bruce Hanington & Bella Martin
  
• Cradle to Cradle. Remaking the Way We Make Things by William McDonough & Michael Braungart
  
• Mental Models by Indi Young
  
  Sound Design
  
  
• Sound Design: The Expressive Power of Music, Voice and Sound Effects in Cinema by David Sonnenschein
  
• Designing Sound by Andy Farnell
  
• Audio-Vision: Sound on Screen by Michel Chion
  
• The Sound Effects Bible by Ric Viers
  
• Sound Theory Sound Practice by Rick Altman
  
  Urban Design
  
  
• The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs
  * Cities for People by Jan Gehl
  
• A Pattern Language by Christopher Alexander
  
• The Geography of Nowhere by James Howard Kunstler
  
• The Image of the City by Kevin Lynch
  
  Web Design
  
  
• Don't Make Me Think by Steve Krug
  
• HTML & CSS: Design and Build Web Sites by Jon Duckett
  
• The Principles of Beautiful Web Design by Jason Beaird
  
• Responsive Web Design with HTML5 and CSS by Ben Frain
  
• Hardboiled Web Design by Andy Clarke
  

• The big name in the genre is Peter Singer's [Animal Liberation] (http://www.amazon.com/Animal-Liberation-Peter-Singer/dp/0060011572). Singer has had a number of titles to follow this original, and they are all worth reading in their own right.
  
  
• Another would be Michael Polan's [Omnivore's Dilema] (http://www.amazon.com/The-Omnivores-Dilemma-Natural-History/dp/0143038583/ref=pd_sim_14_4?ie=UTF8&dpID=51QJJGnAsaL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR103%2C160_&refRID=0JY11DAZ0RT4P0PPBND5). Though not specifically about veganism, it endorses the lifestyle enough to warrant a read.
  
  
• I personally liked [Animal Wise: The Thoughts and Emotions of our Fellow Creatures] (http://www.amazon.com/Animal-Wise-Thoughts-Emotions-Creatures-ebook/dp/B00985DZQ4/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1450016974&sr=1-1&keywords=animal+wise) by Virginia Morell.
  
  
  
• I haven't read it, but I've been suggested [Eating Animals] (http://www.amazon.com/Eating-Animals-Jonathan-Safran-Foer/dp/0316069884/ref=pd_sim_14_2?ie=UTF8&dpID=51flAsKFoAL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR104%2C160_&refRID=0JY11DAZ0RT4P0PPBND5) by Jonathan Safran Foer.
  
  There are a number of books on the topic of Evolution or Evolutionary Psychology that will provide a greater understanding of how connected and similar we really are.
  
  
  Hopefully this is something to start this thread off in a positive direction.

Guitar Fretboard Workbook is a great place to start if you want to build a strong theory foundation from scratch. I recommend it to every person in this sub that asks this type of question because it's such a useful resource. Good luck!

If you're looking for something he will learn from, not just a gimmicky "lolol I hate papyrus" gift, I'd strongly recommend The Elements of Typographic Style by Robert Bringhurst.

This book was recommended to me by one of my lecturers while I was in university. I didn't purchase it until I had graduated (mainly because I was broke at the time), but I really wish I had purchased it earlier. It is the pinnacle book for learning about typographic history and best practices. I cannot stress enough how much of an amazing resource this is for a young typographer. Even if you don't end up getting it for him, just let him know that it exists so he can pick it up at some point.

For every dollar spent on bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure you get a twenty dollar return. What that looks like is an uptick in vitality and health, less emergency rooms visits (as a result of increased cardio vascular health and the downstream impacts of being in the sun like combatting depression and increasing testosterone), less pollution and car accidents, and more people going at a slower rate actually taking in the surroundings, just to name a few positive benefits.

Funnily enough people going slower in the neighborhood (whether its urban downtown or suburbs) has an enormous impact psychologically, and that can be understood by anyone who always rides and decides to go for a walk, if that person then operates a motor vehicle less and chooses to commute via bicycle the impact is all the larger. Simply saying that you don't understand or see how it was worth it doesn't speak to the fiscal responsibility of the expenditure but the ignorance you have regarding the whole picture.

If you'd actually like to have a conversation about this I'd like for you to spend some time reading and watching a few videos.

The idea of cycling and pedestrian centric infrastructure and how it became so prevalent in modern planning.

Health and safety an abstract of a study with cycling. I'd link to dozens if I thought you'd actually read them but here is at least one that is relatively short and simple to understand.

Why prioritizing walking and cycling is important for the future of urban design and the health and wellbeing of society.

There are a great many resources if you're actually curious and wondering whether or not that strip of bike lane was worth it. If you're looking at it in terms of a single neighborhood or even just a city, that's a bit narrow, and you should maybe take that 10,000ft birds eye view of things.

I started DJing first then have recently been doing some production. Here's my recommendation in priority order:

1. Get decent headphones. Spend most of your budget on this.
   
   
2. Don't buy tutorials or sample packs. There is more free stuff out there than he will ever possibly need. If you're going to spend money on learning material, buy the Dance Music Manual (2nd Edition). http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Second-Techniques/dp/0240521072 It teaches you all of the foundations of EDM Production.
   
   
3. Pirate Ableton as you said. I use Reason but that's just because it's what I learned. Many many people use Ableton so there are more modern tutorials out there for it (in my experience) and there are a wealth of VSTs. If I had to start again I'd start with Ableton.
   
   
4. For DJ gear, stick with what he has and get some CDJs and a cheap 2 channel mixer when you have more money.
   
   Finally just a word of advice: stick with it, take your time and believe in yourself. Try to resist copying whatever is the most popular and make what you like the sound of. Find your sound and your DJing style. :)

Excellent. Thanks.

Here are the Amazon links for those books for anyone interested.

• The High Cost of Free Parking (Paper book only)
  
• Straphanger: Saving Our Cities and Ourselves from the Automobile (Kindle and paper book)
  
• The Death and Life of Great American Cities (Paper book only)
  
• Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time (Kindle and paper book)
  
• Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream (Kindle and paper book)
  
• The Ecotechnic Future: Envisioning a Post-Peak World (Kindle and paper book)
  
• $20 Per Gallon: How the Inevitable Rise in the Price of Gasoline Will Change Our Lives for the Better (Kindle and paper book)

I am not a designer. But I am getting better, a big part due to this book:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Non-Designers-Design-Book-Robin-Williams/dp/0133966151/ref=dp_ob_title_bk

Even though it is not aimed at online it is really really good at pointing out some of the very simple and immediately applicable things 'designers' do to make things look better.

e.g. one example if you want two complementary styles of text, make them very different - much bigger, or one much bolder, and a totally different font. Or another could be always making sure things align with something else, you have placed it there for a reason. It all seems very obvious in hindsight.

​

Also checkout https://refactoringui.com/ for a more modern web oriented approach it is pricey for the amount of content IMO but what is there is good stuff.

​

I think it helps with the prevalence of flat/simple sites even as a non designer you can make things look good by striving for simplicity and consistency

https://www.udemy.com/ux-web-design-master-course-strategy-design-development/ (non-affiliate)

It's a paid course, but you can get coupons almost all the time for 10-12 bucks. Everything he teaches is excellent.

​

https://amazon.com/Non-Designers-Design-Book-4th/dp/0133966151/ (non-affiliate)

Robin Williams The Non-Designers Design Book

2 solid choices. I am a designer with 0 artistic skill. These will both help you make better design choices. Joe's Udemy course above focuses extensively on UX and UI. He also teaches a Udemy course specifically on UX/UI, though I found a lot of duplicate content between the two. I'd recommend looking at both of them.

You can always pitch to Frederator. Here are some guidelines - http://cartoonhangover.com/gocartoons/

For aspiring animators, we recommend this tremendous post from Daniel Schier about getting into the business:

http://waveybrain.tumblr.com/post/8165951350/tips-for-the-aspiring-professional-animation-artist

I highly recommend buying and dissecting this book, Scott McCloud's Making Comics - http://www.amazon.com/Making-Comics-Storytelling-Secrets-Graphic/dp/0060780940/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464296435&sr=8-1&keywords=scott+mccloud+making+comics

And in this day age, you can (and are expected to) show that your ideas are potent by doing them, posting them, and sharing them. It isn't enough to have an awesome pitch bible. Make .gifs of the characters doing lines, upload regularly, share them with like-minded people. If they are good, people will share them and you can build your fan base. Pusheen or Homestuck are good examples of people going it alone at first without the hassle of people telling your that you are wrong.

Take this and this; that's all I needed to read, play and write music.

Paying for lessons is recommended, they are a shortcut.

My advice: You have to keep your motivation alive: Watch videos of other people playing pieces you would like to play, it's as important as brushing your teeth. You require ambition but also you must acknowledge the nature of the process of learning; you will invest time, emotions and money to get there, keep that in mind.

Enjoy your journey, music is a beautiful investment.

👍

I haven't used it myself, but this sub might be useful:
http://www.reddit.com/r/artbuddy

If you are used to University level critiques, I think they are hard to find outside of the actual University classes.

But, if you need deadlines and structure, THE NATURAL WAY TO DRAW is a great resource. I feel like it changed my life. http://www.amazon.com/The-Natural-Way-Draw-Working/dp/0395530075

Sup LazyJ507. It looks like nobody's really given you any tips yet, so I'll try, and see if this helps at all.

Work on drawing.
By that I mean draw from life. Often. Get a sketchbook and go out and draw a whole lot. Draw your family, your friends, your classmates, etc. Studying anatomy helps a lot! The real meat for drawing figures is in learning what things are SUPPOSED to look like. Try to find some life drawing classes.

Read a lot.
And by this I mean reading lots of comics. Read lots of comics and read lots of books about comics. See what you like and try to emulate--NOT COPY-- things that you think are awesome. I recommend checking out Scott McCloud's Making Comics and Understanding Comics. Also, check out Will Eisner's books: Comics And Sequential Art, Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative and Expressive Anatomy have helped me tons. It's awesome seeing professionals in the comics world give you tips and visuals that help you learn. Also, read novels, watch cartoons, watch movies, play video games. Find the aspects that you like about each and see how you can connect that to making comics. Comics are a pretty limitless medium.

As for this comic specifically, work on size, spacing, lettering, panel layouts, and black-and-white balance. And maybe comedic timing, but that's more in the writing area.

I can't really think of any more tips, but if you're wondering about anything else, go ahead and ask.

(i'm a sequential arts student a bluh bluh bluh)

As a person with no education beyond high school, take all that I say with a grain of salt. I'm a pretty successful web designer and front-end developer, having working with four startups and done a year of freelancing.

It is not uncommon to hear industry peers criticize the education system as it pertains to web design because often the practices you learn are no longer the standard or relevant. I've heard of many stories where designers exit college (with no working experience, obviously) and have an incredibly difficult time finding work for the reasons I listed above.

Education has never been brought up at any of the companies I've worked or those that I've consulted with. I believe the reason for this is that I have a body of work to show along with whatever reputation I've garnered on Dribbble, say.

All this being said, it is entirely possible for you to develop your skills on your own, such as I did, and find work. I'm happy to list all the reading materials that I own that helped me get where I am now. I'll list what I remember but I'll have to go check when I can get a second:

Hardboiled Web Design
HTML5 for Web Designers
CSS3 for Web Designers
The Elements of Content Strategy
Responsive Web Design
Designing for Emotion
Design is a Job
Mobile First
The Visual Display of Quantitative Information
The Elements of Typographic Style
Thinking with Type
The Icon Handbook
Don't Make Me Think

If you invest your money in those and actually read them, you will be well on your way. Feel free to ping me. Good luck!

Don't feel shocked but my kid loves the "Go the f_k to sleep book. Of course being 4 he cannot read it or comprehend the swears in it and I substitute appropriate words for the ones that are not suitable.

That being said, there is a kid friendly version of the book.

For those wondering we were given the book by a close friend of my wife when she found out my wife was pregnant. After however many books I have read to my kids, this is one of the most beautifully illustrated books I have yet to see.

I have compiled a reading list to be read in order just for this question.

I strongly believe that these books will make you better than 90% of designers out there.

Level One

Start with Thinking with Type it is a really good introduction to all things graphic design. It focuses a lot on typography and it is really basic. I

Next is Grid Systems: Principles of Organizing Type This book takes what you learned in Thinking with Type and allows you to develope it further in a grid based system. Its good, basic, and has exercises for you to do to play with composition.

Third on the list is Graphic Design: The New Basics It will take what you learned in Thinking with Type and Grid Systems and open them up a little. You learn about design elements other than just type like scale, rhythm and contrast. It really good, and has some projects to do.

Level 2

Now You can get into more "advanced" stuff. There are a lot of books that can go here, but Ill recommend some of my favorites. Its not as important to do this section in order.

Grid Systems in Graphic Design is the bible when it comes to grids. Its german and dry as fuck, but it is basically awesome. Its expensive, but worth every single penny.

Elements of Typographic Style Not alot about grids in here, but it tells you every insane crazy thing that typographers do when they massage text.

You can look at other designers work too. Heres a list of designers I like a lot:

Stefan Sagmeister

Paul Rand

Massimo Vignelli

James Victore

Paul Sahre

Wolfgang Weinhart

Paula Scher

Tibor Kalman

Most of these designers also have books out about their life and work.

Get a sketchbook and play around in it. Draw, collage, glue bubblegum wrappers in there. Just make it a diary of your visual life.

You could also get into Visual Theory here:
Norman Bryson has a book on still lifes that awesome
JWT Mitchell's What do pictures want is great

After this, its just a matter of making a lot of really bad shit and eventually its just a little less worse and maybe one day it might be good.

Ive got more, but that should keep you busy for a year or two.

All parts has a sale on second bodies right now for $60. Eyguitar music link has the other parts you will need ,they also have bodies, for pretty cheap. If you got your parts from those two sources it would be in the range your'e looking at.

I should mention that I've built a grand total of one guitar so I'm by no means an expert but I did spend a lot of time trying to source cheap parts.

As for assembly instructions I would check around the internet or maybe some of the other redditors can help out. I did find the guitar player repair guide really useful.

EY Guitar Shopping list

Strat Tele Gutiar String Tree Retainer Neck custom CR -- US$1.20

1Set,Big Size Strap End Pin,Chrome Finish, for Acoustic,Electric Guitar,Bass -- US$2.50

PACK12PCS* Strap Pin,End Pin Felt Washers,Vitage White -- US$0.80

PACK 6PCS,Telecaster Chrome String Mounting Through Ferrule -- US$3.00

New Chrome Neck Plate w/ Screw fit Fender Strat Tele -- US$3.00

pack15pcs,telecaster bridge mounting screw chrome -- US$1.50

10pcs,19mm Straight Pickup Height Springs,For Telecaster Neck or Bridge pickup adjusting,Chrome Finish -- US$1.00
Amercian Standard Tele pickguard 3 ply white -- US$6.19

Tele Jack plate Cup For your Tele body custom,Chrome,Metric Thread -- US$5.50

New,Natural Color in Satin Finish,Telecaster Neck 21 fret,Rosewood Fingerboard,10mm or 8.3mm, machine head mounting hole,White Dot,free shipping -- US$57.00

Tele Bridge Chrome 6 saddle String through body style_004 -- US$9.00

Chrome Grover 6 INLINE 305C6 Mid-Size Rotomatic Tuners -- US$20.00

3 Meters (9.8 Feet) Coated Hook Up Wires,22awg,style001 : Red -- US$1.70

3 Meters (9.8 Feet) Coated Hook Up Wires,22awg,style001 : White -- US$1.70

Artec Tele bridge alnico,TRA-44 --- US$10.00

Artec Tele neck Alnico Chrome,TFA-40C -- US$10.00

Eyguitar Total: $133.09

add the body from allparts.com $60

Approximate total shipping (I'm guessing here) $70

Grand Total: $263.09

Hope that helps.

Edit: Formatting & added Total

Edit 2: I just thought about it and you may also need to get screws attaching the neck & pickguard. You can get them from all parts.

Also, you'll probably need to use a drill press, people please correct me if I'm wrong, to add the holes for attaching the neck / pick guard.

I'm very inspired by Jane Jacobs, organic growth, and "density done right." I want to see more growth driven by the market, so long as those who are receiving the benefit are the ones paying the cost. The more choice, the better. I oppose Ward 11 communities having to subsidize growth on the outskirts of the city.

In Calgary, we see a focus on commuting people into a planned downtown core. Allowing more employment/education/housing options elsewhere enables a multitude of transportation options besides driving - if you so choose.

"Just doing it" is fair enough and is valuable, but also can only take one so far without understanding fundamentals as well.

What you don't want to be is someone with just a high software proficiency but relatively little understanding of what they're doing, or why. They essentially end up becoming an expert at mimicry. They can build whatever you want, but don't understand why what they're building works.

I've seen enough examples where it can simply delay advancement, such that someone self-taught with 5-10 years experience ends up with skills comparable to a graduate with 0-3 years of experience.

If the goal is to circumvent school, especially if the motivation is to save money, then the goal should also be to replicate the benefits of design education as much as possible without the expense.

> Books are nice but they aren't nearly the invaluable tool that "Just Doing It" is.

I assume you're just talking about instructional books, which relates to what I was saying above. To discredit the reading of a book such as The Elements of Typographic Style would be a shame. I imagine a book like that is required reading in any graphic design program.

Syd Field's the foundation of screenwriting is a Great, inexpensive book that will give you a good understanding of how to get started writing.

http://www.amazon.com/Screenplay-Foundations-Screenwriting-Syd-Field/dp/0385339038/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345838914&sr=8-1&keywords=field+screenwriting

The first step is to get your outline written, you need to know what your 3 act structure is before you sit down to write the screenplay. Your outline becomes your roadmap. Don't worry about "not being able to write good." I work in Hollywood and scripts are constantly given notes and are re-written every single day. It's part of the process, you just have to embrace it and go along for the ride. The biggest thing you can do is to get your idea down on paper (outline) and then write a rough draft that will let you see your idea as a completed though-out narrative. Then, if it really is a great idea, you can use that to attract other people to your project that will be able to give you different points of view / or a different take on the same idea. This is why they say Movie Making is a collaborative process. I haven't seen many movies where one guy/girl did everything.

Also, don't sell yourself short. Everyone fills a different role on a project. Maybe your role is the "idea guy" that gets it off the ground.

Keep making the videos you'd want to see. If others aren't that into it, fuck em, keep going. Have fun working so the process is its own reward, it will be very fulfilling. As you continue you'll get better and better and better.

Robert Rodriguez started with vhs tapes as a kid, editing from one vcr to another. He made tons of videos and credits his time doing so with a lot of what he learned and why he was able to become a professional. We learn by doing, so keep doing what you do. Check out his book if you're interested: Rebel without a Crew: How a 23-year-old Filmmaker with $7000 Became a Hollywood Player

Save your money.

Grab the grip and lighting book from Harry Box (yes it’s a terrible name). It’s the book we use on film sets, it’s an easy read and has some awful jokes in it too.

Watch every film you can, and the commentaries.

Watch thing in theaters, Hollywood theater, watch rare things at movie madness.

Get a subscription to American Cinematographers magazine. (Read old articles.)

Buy a camera. 6k blackmagic or canon 5D miv. Have an iPhone (works easily, and easy to edit on.)

Have fun. Be curious. Be a happy puppy, and treat everyone fairly. Punch up, never punch down.

If you want a job in the film business, know that you want to do it for free...for love, if you do it only for money...you will fail.

I upvoted you, but I want to add that I also used to make jokes to disassociate from the reality of what I was contributing to by eating meat, so one day several years ago I just stopped. It was a lot easier than I anticipated and the physical and emotional rewards of that decision have been pretty profound so I just wanted to encourage everyone who was disturbed by this picture (in the least preachy way I possibly can) to read the book "Eating Animals" and give this issue just a little more thought.

Dude. You need to get serious about what it really costs. I know you want to think it's $16k, but that's PER semester. link This is a private college, so it doesn't matter if you're in state or not.


So let's look at this realistically:

Tuition: $16,140

Fees: $675

Board: $2670

Housing: $2600

Books & Supplies: $1312

Total: $23,397


This is for ONE SEMESTER. The fees and tuition will continue to rise every year, and to get your bachelor's degree, you'll need 8 semesters, totaling at a minimum $187,180 for a degree in film that is only as good as your reel.


Unless you have a rich uncle that's willing to foot the bill, DO NOT GO TO THIS COLLEGE. Be a self starter. Read Robert Rodriguez's book, Rebel Without a Crew. Take whatever money you have and make a movie. If you have money left over, make another one. Submit to film festivals. Network. Get your name out there. You'll be much better off in the long run.

Some of my favorites. Some are good to skim through for ideas, some of them are more "sit down and read" books. Definitely not a comprehensive list, but all books that I enjoyed reading.

Graphic Style by Seymour Chwast and Steven Heller

Thinking with Type by Ellen Lupton

100 ideas that Changed Graphic Design by Steven Heller and Veronique Vienne

The Elements of Typographic Style by Robert Bringhurst

A Short History of the Printed Word by Warren Chappell and Robert Bringhurst

The Posters: 1,000 Posters from Toulouse-Lautrec to Sagmeister

Hatch Show Print: The History of a Great American Poster Shop by Jim Sherraden

I don't actually know why sorry. If I could find my copy of this I could maybe say:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0881792128

Best guess it has something to do with the arrangement of our eyes, but that's entirely my guess, and not a very educated one.

Good/quality design is making sure that as many aspects of a design as possible at least look intentional. In Modern/Swiss design (what most design today is based off of) this means keeping spacing/line-weights consistent, either the same, or from some sort of set/sequence. Keeping all of your horizontal lines, in the figure and the implied lines between, the same is very pleasing to the eye, and generally "looks better".

At the moment the thin slash through the middle is different enough from all the other white-spaces that it should maybe be a bit wider, though the designer should take care of that after dealing the the cross-bar on the A, just in case it's just that comparison that looks off.

Does that help?

In this exact order:

1. Start with Suburban Nation by Duany, Zyberk, and Speck. It's super easy to read, totally skimmable, and has a lot of great graphics and diagrams that help explain things. It's not the deepest book out there, but it's the best place to start.
   
   
2. After that, try Geography of Nowhere by Kunstler. The author can be cranky and there are no diagrams, but he does a nice job of explaining how suburbia happened, why it made sense at the time, and why it's not so great anymore. Basically it's a primer on the key issue facing city planning today.
   
   
3. After them, you'll be ready for The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jacobs. This is the bible of urbanism, the most important and influential book written about the form of cities since the invention of the car. But it's not as accessible as the first two, so I wouldn't start here.
   
   
4. Walkable City by Speck. This is the newest of the bunch, and provides the data to back up the claims from the previous 3.
   
   
5. Image of the City by Lynch. This one is a series of case studies that will teach you how to "read" how a city functions based on its form. The examples are all woefully obsolete, which is too bad, but still teaches you an important skill.