| David Brasgalla is an illustrator/designer who lives and works in Stockholm, Sweden. His work includes system icon design for many of the world's top computer operating systems, game graphics, music and sound effects, and also film concept art and matte paintings. Pixelhuset is a personal showcase for Dave's illustration and film work.
Apple's iPad: Rehumanize Yourself
[10.01.29] - I've had a few days to ponder the iPad, Apple's soon-to-be-released touchscreen device, and I've also been observing people's various reactions to the device, and the idea behind the device.
It seems to me that a lot of people are completely missing the underlying concept in order to focus on tech spec details - and that the reason that they are doing so is because the way they are thinking about computers is anchored in the past. Most of our current conceptions about computing were formed alongside the early generations of home computers, and the way that those devices solved problems.
For example: early solutions like 1988's Multi Finder started us down the path of having a lot of windows open at once. That's one way of solving the concept of "multi-tasking". Having taken that path, we just kept on with that approach until that particular solution became so inelegant and cluttered that remedies like Exposé had to be devised - and presented as features!
Other examples: there are mice being sold now with more than fifteen buttons on them. A mouse without at least five or six buttons and a scroll-wheel is often scoffed at. There are keyboards with ever-growing, dizzying arrays of specialized buttons.
How did we allow our interaction with computers to become so clunky? Does it truly need to be this way, or did it just happen because we kept moving in the directions we'd chosen without seriously questioning our choices?
Most importantly, do we feel too invested to consider changing?
Despite having a lukewarm reaction to the iPod Touch when I first heard and read about it, actually using the device was an impressive experience. I immediately realised two things: 1) the device changed my relationship with the computer, and 2) I liked the change.
To me, the most important thing about the iPod Touch/iPhone wasn't simply that it was a touchscreen, but that it was a screen that understood a language of physical motions made by the user. The human body had become the input device, the point of interaction with the system. The iPad takes that concept and expands on it, applying it to areas of computing we've traditionally relegated to our laptop and desktop units. It represents a re-evaluation of how we approach computing systems as physical users, as well as how those systems approach us. It humanizes the interaction that we'd relegated to blocks of plastic.
It's an early step, but it's a step in the right direction - and it's happening now.
Many peoples' reactions to the iPad seem to stem from the thoughts and conceptions that surround their existing computing devices. They measure the iPad against this or that feature that they consider to be currently essential to daily computing, without ever stepping back to assess their own preconceptions about how they use computing devices, or to consider how the software and hardware that they use is built on top of those very same preconceptions.
They measure the iPad against what they know, rather than what they can imagine.
I'm not interested in squabbling over technical specifications, I'm interested in having the experience of computing *evolve*. The iPad makes me think about where we're going with computing - not where we've been.
We're starting a new decade, a new time. I'm ready to consider new ideas - and I'm willing to discard old ones.
Mobile Painting: "Dust"
[10.01.27] - I'm trying to push further with this one, challenging my natural tendency to downplay colour and contrast. I had some fun doing different nebula effects, trying to replicate some of the colours and moods I've seen in photos. I also finally figured out a good way to do stars! Made with Brushes.
Mobile Painting: "Intersplit"
[10.01.27] - Continuing to riff on John Berkey, trying to be very loose with strokes and very bold with colour. Made with Brushes.
Mobile Painting: "At The Pearl Nebula"
[10.01.25] - Another Brushes painting - this time I was trying to emulate John Berkey's distinctive, painterly style. The idea was to work at developing more texture to the piece, trying out different brushes and strokes. I definitely learned some things, found some things, and I am going to keep concentrating on this direction. Hopefully, I also captured the "mid-60's cover of Analog" feeling I was trying for, as well...
Mobile Painting: "8"
[10.01.21] - I've really been having fun with Brushes, a wonderfully simple and fun app for the iPhone. I first experimented with it on Christmas Day during a break in the celebrations, and I'm getting better at it with each new painting. I love having a tiny color canvas and paint set at hand anywhere I happen to be. I did this particular sketch last weekend during a dinner conversation - just a strange little scene that emerged unexpectedly. Brushes numbered it "8" in my gallery, and that seems as good a name for it as any.
Born of Hope
[09.12.01] - Today is the online premiere of Kate Madison's new film, Born of Hope. Madison (pictured above on location) has spent the last three years creating this 60-minute, Lord of the Rings-inspired film, from a concept that began in 2003. The entire cast and crew gave their services for no financial gain. The subject matter and quality attracted people from around the world to join the team, even gaining support and interest from some of the original New Line Trilogy cast and crew members, including Richard Taylor and the Oscar® winning team at Weta Workshop, New Zealand.
Kate contacted me at the end of this past October, when the film was in the final post-production crunch, and asked if I could contribute a matte painting for the prologue sequence. The subject was Dol Guldur, the foreboding tower on the hill named Amon Lanc in southern Mirkwood forest. Sauron resided in this tower for some years, gathering the strength to declare himself openly. It was also located conveniently close to the Gladden Fields - the last known location of the One Ring! Sauron, known at the time as "The Necromancer", was driven from Dol Guldur during the events of The Hobbit, although it is a side event to the main story there and only related second-hand by Gandalf.
You can view the finished matte painting on the Illustrations page.
Best of luck to Kate and the entire cast and crew on today's premiere - you've all worked amazingly hard and I hope it's a complete success!
The Hunt For Gollum
[09.05.03] - This weekend marks the premiere of Chris Bouchard's new film, The Hunt For Gollum. Chris (pictured above on location) produced this 40-minute feature on a shoestring budget, utilising the help of over 150 people from around the globe who worked as cast and crew. Created with the permission of the Tolkien estate, The Hunt For Gollum is a not-for-profit fan film, but one that truly raises the bar on just how good small-budget independent projects can look.
For the past five months, I've been using my spare time to contribute to this film as a matte painter, which has been the realisation of a life-long interest in movie matte work. It's been a fantastic learning experience for me, and I want to specifically thank Chris and visual effects supervisor Adam Thomas for giving me the chance to be involved. Thanks are also in order to the compositors who did such stellar work putting together all the pieces. It's one thing to create these vistas, but seeing them actually come to life has been amazing!
I'd also like to thank my father, who told us The Hobbit as a bedtime story over the course of about a year, when my brothers and I were very small. These are for you, Dad...
I'll be downloading the film today, and I can't wait to see how all the hard work has paid off! In the meantime, I've added several of the mattes I did to my Portfolio section. Please take a look, and enjoy!
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