Kreative Kore

One Expensive Apple Mac Pro

Jason — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 04:24:24 +0000

So you want an Apple Mac Pro with all the available upgrades, additional software, and monitors? In that case be prepared to burn a hole in your wallet. A brand new Mac Pro with everything will cost you $22,464.95 big ones. At least they offer free shipping. Lets take a look at what you get:

Specifications
* Two 2.93GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon
* 32GB (8×4GB)
* Mac Pro RAID Card
* 1TB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3Gb/s
* 1TB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3Gb/s
* 1TB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3Gb/s
* 1TB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3Gb/s
* 4x NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 512MB
* Two 18x SuperDrives
* Apple Cinema HD Display (30″ flat panel)
* Apple Cinema HD Display (30″ flat panel)
* Apple Wireless Mighty Mouse
* Apple Wireless Keyboard (English) and User’s Guide
* AirPort Extreme Wi-Fi Card with 802.11n
* Quad-channel 4Gb Fibre Channel PCI Express card
* iWork ‘09 preinstalled
* Final Cut Express preinstalled
* Aperture preinstalled
* Logic Express preinstalled
* FileMaker Pro 10 preinstalled
* Mac OS X Server (Unlimited-Client)
* Xsan 2
* Apple Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter
* Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter
* Apple Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter
* 1-year subscription
* 1-year One to One membership
* AppleCare Protection Plan for Mac Pro (w/or w/o Display) - Auto-enroll

15 Old School Graffiti Fonts

Jason — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:51:31 +0000

Designing an urban style flyer? Trying to layout a crazy tattoo? Need some old school style backgrounds for your website? Look no further here are 15 of the hottest graffiti fonts on the web all in one simple place to download.

01. Whoa!

02. Street Soul

03. One8seven

04. West Sideeeeee

05. Eastside Motel

06. Writers

07. Reticulum 3

08. Juice

09. Your Mum Rang

10. Subway Graph

11. Bopollux

12. Some’s Style

13. 08 Underground

14. 5 Cent

15. Turntablz BB

LaCie Hard Disk MAX: Design by Neil Poulton

Jason — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 03:25:08 +0000

How important is your data to you? If you are a graphic designer, an artist or a general computer user with critical data, you need to back-up your files. The downside to saving on hard drives is that eventually they will fail and your data may be lost forever. Personally, it is crucial that I never lose my data or more importantly, my clients data. To store my ever growing number of graphic files I’ve found a very easy, elegant and simple product: The LaCie Hard Disk MAX, Designed by Neil Poulton. This is a 2TB external drive that uses RAID technology. The beautiful outer cover encases two separate 1TB Hard Drives.

The LaCie HD MAX allows for RAID 0 (BIG) for high capacity or RAID 1 (SAFE) for extra security. In BIG mode the drive acts as a 2TB drive with both hard drives configured as one large storage space. In SAFE mode your maximum space available is 1TB; with your files being automatically mirrored to both drives. This way when one drive fails, and it will, you simply pull out the bad hard drive and swap it with a new one while your data rests safety on the other drive.

The only drawback is that this drive is USB only and does not include support for Firewire or RAID card connectivity. However, USB 2.0 transfer speed for most of my files is extremely fast at 480MB per second.

In addition to using a RAID system to back-up your files I suggest taking your paranoia even further. Your second line of defense is to copy your data to DVD and organize it so that you can find specific files quickly if disaster strikes. Lastly, and some consider this over-kill, I suggest storing a third back-up off-site. For example, if your main files are at work, simply store a copy at home or vice versa. This is important for designers but also families whom are gathering a significant amount of digital memories in the form of music, video and photos. Memories that can not be replaced if lost in a fire or other natural disaster.

130 Free Vector Arrows

Jason — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 02:02:52 +0000

As a designer I am constantly looking for and creating new arrows. With this pack that I gathered from various sources, I am able to adjust the vectors to suit many of my web and print projects. I’ve combined the three smaller packs into one to create a pack full of 130 useful arrows. The collection includes icon type, symbol type and creative arrows. Enjoy.

Sources: DesignWorkPlan, Chemist2Dio & GoSquared

Download: 130 Free Vector Arrows

Top 5 Graphic Design Blogs

Jason — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 04:35:47 +0000

There are hundreds if not thousands of graphic design blogs out there today. I can’t read all of them. So I’ve narrowed it down to five. These top five have posts that are typically updated on a daily basis and are great resources for freebies, tutorials, links, interviews and general industry news.

1. Smashing Magazine - With over 125,000 subscribers and growing, Smashing Magazine is one of the largest design blogs online. Simply, a must read.

2. I Love Typography - What can’t be said about typography. You either get it, or you don’t. Type design is elegant and beautiful. I love it. Do you?

3. Abduzeedo - At times I call this my inspirational blog because of all the daily inspirational posts. Everyday there is an inspirational post with artwork from designers around the world. Take a look at this blog in depth and you’ll read it everyday, without hesitation.

4. BittBox - I go here a lot to check for freebies, there are tons of them. Vectors, textures and stock images galore. Not to mention a nice design community and an overall simple blog to read and enjoy.

5. ColorBurned - A beautifully designed blog with loads of information. And if you ask nicely they will even let you write for them. A great way to start to get your own design knowledge out there.

5 Free Kreative Textures

Jason — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:59:49 +0000

These are some original textures I used on some professional projects of mine. They are free to download and use as you wish. All I ask is that you reference this site kreativekore.com on your website or in your professional work. Thank you and enjoy!

Download: Free Kreative Textures Pack 01

Anselm Kiefer

Jason — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 03:48:09 +0000

Born in Germany, just before the end of World War II, Anselm Kiefer is a painter and sculptor who uses his art as a way of recording German history. One of his paintings, Nigredo (1984) is part of the Modern and Contemporary Art Collection in the Philadelphia Museum of Art. I have spent many hours in front of this painting that measures an impressive 10 feet 10 inches x 18 feet 2-1/2 inches. The most interesting thing about this painting is how it was made. Kiefer stretched a photograph to the edges of the canvas then covered it in oil, acrylic, emulsion, shellac, straw and woodcuts. The devastated like landscape of Post World War II Germany is a typical theme for Kiefer. The title, Nigredo, refers to alchemy or the medieval science that sought to transmute earth into gold through a process of burning. For the most part, the landscape in Nigredo is barren, desolate and void of life. However, there is a hint at a rebirth. A rebirth of Germany. Kiefer’s work is vibrant, powerful and epic. There is also a rare documentary on the reclusive artist entitled “Operation Sealion” from 1991. It is a great look at Kiefer who rarely talks to media about his work.

Anselm Kiefer - “Nigredo”

Anselm Kiefer: Operation Sealion (1991)

Zero T - Cheap Shots

Jason — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:33:18 +0000

Zero T has quickly risen to the top of my drum & bass lists. Mainly because his production style is on point and at times very diverse. His 2008 release “Cheap Shots” on C.I.A. Records is scattered among other great releases by the likes of Q Project, Bungle, DJ Marky and the label’s founders Total Science. The tracks vary from ambient/airy drum & bass to downtempo. Track 5 for example “Gota Touch” featuring - Ell is a wonderful switch from the typical sounds currently out there, it reminds me a bit of Bahamidia or Lauren Hill. The CD features artists like Bailey, Alex Perez and a voice that echoes from my past, MC Conrad. When I first heard “Morning Sex” with MC Conrad it took me back to a few LTJ Bukem nights. My favorite track on the album is “Why Would You” that includes samples from “That Ain’t the Way You Make Love” by ZZ Hill, also sampled by MF Doom and many others, a classic soulful tune.

Zero T - “Why Would You”

ZZ Hill - “That Ain’t the Way You Make Love”

Zero T | Discography

Tracklisting
01. ”Cheap Intro”
02. ”Heartbreak Ridge”
03. ”Insideman” (ft. Beta 2 & Steo)
04. ”Reasonable Doubt”
05. ”Walk Away” (ft. Steo)
06. ”Gota Touch” (ft. Laura Pacheco)
07. ”Why Would You”
08. ”Rising Sun” (ft. Steo)
09. ”Robots” (ft. Bailey)
10. ”Go 4 Yours” (ft. Icicle & Steo)
11. ”Angel Heart”
12. ”Threads” (ft. Alix Perez)
13. ”1000 Dreams” (ft. Sense)
14. ”Morning Sex” (ft. Conrad)
15. ”Long Road” (ft. Steo)
16. ”Cheap Outro”

Jean Baudrillard

Jason — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 02:16:42 +0000

Jean Baudrillard (1929– 2007) was a French cultural theorist, sociologist, philosopher, political commentator, and photographer. He also is the author of one of my favorite books, Simulacra and Simulation. Originally published in 1985 it is a philosophical exploration of reality and hyperreality. I’ve read that some have claimed it is hard to read, specifically the English translation from French. However, I believe some have greater trouble following the ideas Baudrillard covers rather than the wording itself. The idea of hyperreality is by nature difficult to follow. One famous comparison has been with the movie, “The Matrix” where a simulated reality is created by machines. The movie exposes two realities, the true reality and a hyperreality that most believe to be true. The book even makes an appearance in the film. Baudrillard argues that reality, due to the current social condition, does not exist. He saw how our media-driven society creates a hyperreality in which everyone lives and thrives. Like much of philosophy, I take each reading with a grain of salt. However, it is great that such writings exist to spark our interest and wake us up from the commercialized world we live in.

Neo holds the book “Simulacra and Simulation”

Neo hollowed out the book in order to hide his computer files.

Morpheus tries to describe the matrix to Neo.

Morpheus: “The matrix is everywhere. It is all around us. Even now in this very room. You can see it when you look out your window or turn on your television. You can feel it when you go to work, when you go to church, when you pay your taxes. It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth.”
Neo: “What truth?”
Morpheus: “That you are a slave, Neo. Like everyone else you were born into bondage. Born into a prison that you cannot smell or taste or touch. A prison for your mind.”

Jean Baudrillard

Oh It’s Mallory

Jason — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 23:57:30 +0000

Mallory is beautiful. Mallory also has heterochromia, which makes her uniquely beautiful. In anatomy, heterochromia refers to a difference in coloration, usually of the iris but also of hair or skin. Her right eye is hazel and her left is dark brown, almost black. This is complete heterochromia as compared to partial heterochromia or sectoral heterochromia, where part of one iris is a different color from its remainder. Kate Bosworth is a famous actress who has partial heterochromia. Here is a list of other famous people known to have it as well.

Mallory

Kate Bosworth