Posted by Otto Robba in Webdesign on 05. Jun, 2010 | No Comments
Presenting to you the home for the usenet software Smoothnews. Smoothnews is an app developed under Smoothsofts, aiming to provide users with a great platform with which to use usenet while remaining familiar to all mac users. I was tasked with building the website and the app icon. The website had to, essentially, perform well [...]
I was part of the team developing the new website for the Nepaids (Aids Education and Prevention Center). Tasked with finding a visual identity that fit, making it highly accessible and working with a huge library of assets, it was not easy reaching the goal but it has been met.
New design, this time it got printed!! What is there not to like?? It is a Carnivore Plant Gone Vegetarian!!
I wanted something to write on my wall, something that was clear and stated a personal truth.
Design made for shirt.woot. Original theme was ‘Blue’. From this I derived the classic picture of the singing whale, in this case, singing the blues. Figers crossed, I like this design and I’d love to see it printed by them.
While walking around the street I managed to snap a few interesting photos, be it for the subject itself or for the ‘eye-candy’ quality found in some of them.
I was inspired and looking forward to practicing with inkpens, so I got a photo for reference and started sketching. Mainly a material and technique study.
I will be straightforward: I love comic books. That said, I have had this story laying around for a while and it is bugging me to get out. In order to practice and see what style would work for it, I started trying. This is one of the results.
A group of sketches and studies I did on the subject of, well, hands 
. Used mostly mine for the poses, although some I drew from photographs that were provided in art classes last year. Yes, the title is a silly pun – forgive me!
A small group of sketches and studies I did based on photographic reference and the Drawing School book.
Creating a character involves a series of steps. You need to research and sketch a lot, from poses to small details. In here I show a bit of a couple of studies I did.
Design I made for a t-shirt contest at shirt.woot. Theme: ‘Birds’. Gotta love Snoopy and Dodos.
7 Designs I made for a t-shirt contest at shirt.woot. Theme: ‘Visual Pun’. They might be silly… correction, they are. Here is hoping they are funny.
A design I made for a t-shirt contest at shirt.woot. Theme is ‘National Park’.
I’m pretty sure the undead have a national park of sorts… Or not. But still!
A design I made for a t-shirt contest at shirt.woot. Theme is ‘Harvest’.
For centuries mankind has been fooled by aliens into thinking they steal our cattle for probing, science and other shenanigans. Lies.
They just want our milk-shake, it brings all the greys (and greens) to the cornfield.
Posted by Otto Robba in Poetry, Writings on 04. Dec, 2007 | No Comments
“If I could open my arms
And span the length of the isle of Manhattan,
I’d bring it to where you are
Making a lake of the East River and Hudson
If I could open my mouth
Wide enough for a marching band to march out
They would make your name sing
And bend through alleys and bounce off all the buildings.
I wish we could open our eyes
To see in all directions at the same time
Oh what a beautiful view
If you were never aware of what was around you
And it is true what you said
That I live like a hermit in my own head
But when the sun shines again
I’ll pull the curtains and blinds to let the light in.
Sorrow drips into your heart through a pinhole
Just like a faucet that leaks and there is comfort in the sound
But while you debate half empty or half full
It slowly rises, your love is gonna drown [4x]
Your love is gonna drown [4x]
Your love is gonna…”
–Death Cab for Cutie (Plans)
Posted by Otto Robba in Poesia, Writings on 04. Dec, 2007 | No Comments
Dirão que é errado
Dirão que deve-se fazer o esperado
Divergir é proibido
Pensar só dentro do permitido
.
Aos meus desejos são capazes de dar motivos
Para que eu não faça
Para que eu não seja
E como se estivesse escrito na pedra
Não falarás odeio-te
E como se fosse lei
Não falarás amo-te
E como se não bastasse
Não falarás
.
Atrelados a regimes sociais totalitários
Ficamos aqui, juntos e solitários
Esperando o badalar dos momentos certos
Não estamos despertos
Mentimos por omissão.
Posted by Otto Robba in Poetry on 03. Dec, 2007 | No Comments
I’ve got this headache that won’t go away
And despite what people say
I think I’ve found the reason behind it
.
In staying in the light so long
Sensitive eyes, used to the dark
I’m used to the old dance’n'song
And all the comfort that comes along
.
Sadness hurries up and takes over
Drop after drop, akin to an infiltration
And once my pond overflows
Sorrow hurries up and takes over
.
I’ve got to admit that I’ve been trying to quit
But whenever I try to go to the light
I get these headaches
And lose my sight
.
Aching and itching,
Disturbing and grieving
.
The doubts pour in
The cross becomes wood
The rose becomes a plant
And much like an infant
I fail to understand the world
Posted by Otto Robba in Poetry on 02. Dec, 2007 | No Comments
Here I am on the sidewalk
With a dime on my hand
I see people come and go
And nobody wonders
Why am I on the sidewalk
.
Giving change a chance
As I go about my worldly doings
I seek to rearrange
So I can keep on doing the dance
.
So here I am at the sidewalk
And at the flip of a coin
It all changes
At the flip of a coin
I’m a whole new person
At the flip of a coin
I’m still me
At the flip of a coin
I decided to be free
.
Tails or heads, I don’t know
Heads or tails, I don’t care
I don’t relly on chance
To pave my road
To save myself
To save the world
.
Yet here I am
On the sidewalk
Seeing the cars go
Seeing the people run
Seeing the world turn
Seeing my dime burn
.
Now I no longer have a coin to flip
Now I no longer have to flip a coin
I paved the road
I saved myself
I saved the world
Posted by Otto Robba in Poetry on 01. Dec, 2007 | No Comments
I left behind an entire world
I left the right places for the wrong ones
And still it was not a mistake
.
I left a solved world
For a giant puzzle masterpiece
Dazzling daydream of change
I’m not sure when it will end
.
I slept in parking lots
I sold all that I had
I visited places I would not dare
But I was right all along
.
Right in being wrong
Just as I am
Right when writing down this song
.
Went against a lot
Lost a lot and won so much more
And it all changed me
For I’m not an anachronic man
.
I’m just a boy at heart
Don’t dare to scatter my sand castles
The dunes you make
Are from ill-minded cattle
.
Don’t you dare to cut me out
I drive as I feel I must
And this should be enough.
.
But it never is.
Not for you or those people,
All the glory and beauty I see
Comes across as mere dreamscape fantasy
.
I assure you
I married my mind and my soul
I see a goal
I only lack your faith in me
.
Enough is enough,
And so here it stops
So I can keep on going
Until I cross the last bit of road
Mirrors staring