The BEATing Lunatik

This is gonna be a looooong blog so prepare for some reading. That's if you can be bothered... :P

When asked about how it feels to be starting a full-time job after freelancing for such a long period, I can't help but think of Wayne's World when Garth says

"Well it's like a new pair of underwear. At first, it's constrictive, but then, it becomes a part of you..."

Well that's exactly how it feels. I recently became Graphic Designer at BEATS Magazine. Within the first two weeks I already became comfortable with the office, but I wasn't really doing much as there was nothing to prepare, no one to tell me how to do it and so on. I was working on revamping the mag and giving it a makeover but I soon found out that this was gonna be alot harder than I expected... 

The workload tripled in the space of two days. Stories were thrown at me left right and centre and I was royally f*cked. Due to various factors [being new to the job, Mac issues, Output problems and editing delays] the magazine won't actually be out until the end of the week. Hell I even missed the goddam AND Halloween party and I was only across the road from it!

I actually slept at the office for over a week.. which wasn't too bad cause my gym was just across the road so showers were available hehe.

I realised that I had so many plans for BEATS as I had been researching alot into magazine layouts and formats. Among them my favourites were GQ. Esquire, Playboy and Gourmet. As much as I love my graphics magazines (IDN, Juxtapoz, CA), I cannot really use that style here. Then again I learned that I am very limted to what a can do due to a number of factors like having too much text, the layout of half & quarter page ads, the graphics I can and cannot use, etc. 

The good thing is that this job has forced me to learn something new. Unlike JUICE magazine I have rules and restrictions here in terms of layout, graphics and formats. At JUICE, anything could go and that's what I loved about it. BEATS has actually made me look at magazines in a different way. I really wanted to blow people away with this issue, which I think is alot tighter than previous issues of BEATS but still needs work and will receive the treatment in due time. I was really happy with the front cover, even if it is of someone who, in my eyes, is a bit of a sap. My target was and still is to make BEATS look fcking sht hot. It ain't there yet, and we'll see how it goes... but yea. HK Mag and Time Out better watch there asses.

Anyway ever since I got back from the UK I haven't stopped working.. but I need to start drawing again. It sucks that graphic designing is taking so much of my time, but then again at least I have a few breathing days now just to catchup on freelancing. I really wanna do an image for the G4 galleri in December so I gotta get crackin' on that too.Last week's Decadance was the last one.. as much as I loved that gig it was hard to maintain the detail at the same time as my new job plus the other freelancing I have going on. To be honest right now I don't feel like doing anything for a few days as I'm just burnt out from the last week or so. Some sleep is needed, and a visit to the gym is long overdue.I wanted to take this opportunity to give a big shout out to my bro-in-law PAT for getting the new job, and my wonderful sister for being her, my nephews KJE & Logan for being the coolest nephews in the world and my little bros'. Miss you guys so much.

Anyway I'm leaving you with a sneak peek at next weeks delayed issue of BEATS... so be there to pick it up and let me know what you guys thinkGoddam Rain huh? whatagay. hehe.

Until next time true believers...

PEACE.