Free Abstract Cube Decoration for you to print out!
Written by Jacob Cass on Saturday, March 15, 2008 – 9:57 am
Here is a free graphic design abstract cube decoration that you can print out for decoration to remind you of Just Creative Design 
You can see above what the cube looks like when printed out and made up. Your size will be the mini one, it is approx 6×6x6 cm or 2.36 x 2.36 x 2.36 in. You can click on the picture below to download the template. You then print it (don’t forget to change print format to landscape), then cut it out, then sticky tape it together. It should take less than 3 minutes to complete. 
About The Cube This cube was part of a university project (view another uni project here) where we had to examine the use of common design symbols in an abstract context to help create a unified cohesive design which in the process will develop conceptual, critiquing and presentation skills. We had to work in black and white and choose use one typographic element (except letters) and then choose a single geometric shape. I chose the Helvetica Bold asterisk and the good old circle and you could use any amount of lines that you wished. After choosing these elements we had to design each side of the cube to different instructions. I won’t mention all the instructions here, but I’ll give you an example of one… 1. Using each element only once, incorporate type texture into the design. The context or meaning of the text is irrelevant. The emphasis on this design is to explore implied texture and tone. You can see my solution on the far bottom right of the 6 squares above (on the mount board). Anyway after we designed all 6 sides we had to construct the cube and also mount the designs on a board as you can see in the top picture. What are your thoughts? Please let me know if you print it out
Update:
Kod from Turkey has sent me his printed out and made up JCD cube which you can see below! Thanks! 
Mascot Design for NSW Fire Brigade
Written by Jacob Cass on Monday, March 10, 2008 – 7:34 pm
This is a post showing you some of my work from University and the thought process behind my designs. Just out of curiosity, what do you see first, GOOD or EVIL in the optical illusion above?
The Brief:
Design a promotional cartoon character (mascot) for the NSW Rural Fire Brigade that can be used in a wide range of promotional material from brochures, TV, clothing, fliers and the internet. The purpose of the promotional campaign is to minimise the occurrence of uncontrolled burning and fire devastation in residential and bushland areas and to educate the public in how to prevent bushfires. Think of a name for your mascot and design a suitable typeface for the name.
Submit two versions of your mascot, a Photoshop CMYK version and an Illustrator 3 colour PMS version.
Problem Redefined:
Create a mascot that will appeal to all NSW Residents, both adults and children and can be used across a variety of media. The mascot must make residents take action to prevent further bush fires.
Research:
This was my first ever illustration so I needed to do research more than ever. I researched mascot design, character design and my biggest downfall… drawing.
Brainstorming:
After a lot of research I brain stormed different ideas and had a lot of sketches however I kept coming back to the usual clichés. ie. a fire ball, a water man, a super hero, a fireman, etc and I wasn’t happy with these clichés as I wanted to do something original.
Solution:
I ended up taking a different spin on the project…. I made an evil character called ‘Match Man’, one that lights fires.
This evil character engages all of the target audience as it is not your usual friendly mascot and due to the evil nature of the mascot, it will make people take action to prevent further bush fires. People will want to help fight the ‘evil’ fires.
Illustrator 3 PMS Colour Version
Please take it easy on my illustration, it is my second illustration ever! The colours used were Pantone 192C, Pantone 107C and Pantone Black C.
Photoshop CMYK Version
As you can see I am a little more comfortable in Photoshop but the illustration still sucks, the background is a bit better.
What do you think? What can I Improve? Got any links? Let it rip, I am only in second year so what doesn’t kill me makes me stronger
How To Boost Your Creativity
Written by Jacob Cass on Thursday, December 27, 2007 – 12:37 pm 
I have previously written an article on how to be creative however, it didn’t tell you how to BOOST your creativity.
Following me? Below are some great ways of stimulating your brain to get great ideas fast courtesy of a good friend, Asgeir Hoem.
Change Your Environment
Decorate a wall with old product packages, put up king size posters of your favourite designers, rip out pages of a colour catalogue and pin them up, find music that inspires you, create interesting lighting by sticking distorted paper in front of the lamps and - if you own the place - redecorate in an inspiring manner. Alternatively, cover the walls with paper and let yourself go with paints and brushes. It is a fact that decorating a work environment with flowers increases the generation of new ideas by 15% (Roger Ulrich, Ph.D., Behavioural Scientist, Texas A&M University, 2004).
Why, Why, Why Technique
Ask ‘Why?’ several times until you explore undiscovered parts of the problem you’re working on. You’re creating an advertisement. Why are you creating an advertisement? Because they need one. Why do they need one? Because they’ve got this interesting product to show off. What makes the product interesting? It glows in the dark. Why does it glow in the dark? Because (…). Suddenly, you’ll find yourself with more information to spin around.
Use Different Mediums
Got process colours? Go mix them and paint something. Draw something. Take whatever ideas you’ve got, redraw them by hand, and see if they turn out different. If possible, cut it into pieces and put it together another way.
Write Your Own Brief
Write your own brief, and include as much information as possible. Try to define the problem clearly. If you’ve got one from a client, rewrite it in your own words.
Edward De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats
- White - State the facts and figures
- Red - State the emotions.
- Black -State the negatives. Use judgement and caution.
- Yellow -State the positives.
- Green -Ideas that come by seeing things in a new light. Suggest alternatives, proposals, provocations.
- Blue - Sum up what has been learnt. It controls the debate. To see it in action.
What if? Technique
If you’re stuck half-way in a design, let your mind wander. What if this was seen mirrored? What if these two switched positions? What if I inverted the whole thing? You could also go further by making stories and creating characters. What if this illustration could come over and give its opinion? Sounds too much like an acid trip for me, but some people have success with it. What if it was (put in whatever adjective you can think of)?
Use mind maps
Brainstorm, preferably with a partner, and draw a mind map. There is nothing that is as effective as mind mapping, as it has a tendency to grow and grow as you explore the topic. This can of course be combined with other techniques. Mindomo is a great web based app. Freemind is another good alternative, written in Java.
Don’t be critical
You can’t both be creative and critically judging at the same time. These are two difference processes that should take place in two different phases of the process. Write down everything, no matter how badly you’re trying to tell yourself it sucks. Get it down. There are no bad ideas, just bad decisions.
Criticism belongs later in the design process, when you’ve got so many ideas and concepts that you can begin being selective.
Osborn’s Checklist
Apply the following check list and see if it generates any new ideas or perspectives. Try to avoid being held back by assumptions of how things should be done.
Put to other uses? As it is? If modified?
Adapt? Is there anything else like this? What does this tell you? Is the past comparable?
Modify? Give it a new angle? Alter the colour, sound, odour, meaning, motion, and shape?
Magnify? Can anything be added, time, frequency, height, length, strength? Can it be duplicated, multiplied or exaggerated?
Minify? Can anything be taken away? Made smaller? Lowered? Shortened? Lightened? Omitted? Broken up?
Substitute? Different ingredients used? Other material? Other processes? Other place? Other approach? Other tone of voice? Someone else?
Rearrange? Swap components? Alter the pattern, sequence or layout? Change the pace or schedule? Transpose cause and effect?
Reverse? Opposites? Backwards? Reverse roles? Change shoes? Turn tables? Turn other cheek? Transpose ‘+/-‘?
Combine? Combine units, purposes, appeals or ideas? A blend, alloy, or an ensemble?
Force associations and connections
Pick a random word from a dictionary, a magazine, a website or wherever, and try to force connections between the word and the problem you’re solving. This should be combined with mind mapping and sketching.
For further creative techniques visit MyCoted.
What other methods do you use to get ideas fast?
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