Blog

30Jun

I’ve been working on my illustration style lately…

In art, Daily grind, Illustration by Leslie Dean Brown / June 30, 2021 / Comments are closed

I haven’t updated this site in a while so I thought I’d upload some images of what I’ve been working on recently. I’ve really been trying hard to define my illustration style over the last few years (sometimes in thought only).

Last year I created a bunch of test artworks that I wasn’t really happy with (because they were a bit sloppy and not much thought went into them).

So over the last two weeks, I’ve been busy drawing and painting some new artworks. Artworks that I can be more proud of having created!

I’ve also agonised over all the pigments in my palette (perhaps too much).

24Jul

So you want to be a design ninja.

In animation, Daily grind, videos by Leslie Dean Brown / July 24, 2019 / Comments are closed

24Jul

Language-learning youtube channel introduction video.

In animation, Daily grind, videos by Leslie Dean Brown / July 24, 2019 / Comments are closed

Come and join me on a language learning adventure! On this channel I’ll share with you my tips about learning foreign languages as an adult.

I was a monolingual person until I was about 28 years old. That’s when my journey into languages began.

Other channels will tell you that you can learn a language in 3 months. Or four minutes. Or 2 weeks. Or whatever.

On this channel however, I won’t try to fool you like that. I won’t get your expectations up. I won’t give you false hope. Rather, I’ll tell you like it is.

Language learning is a very difficult process (for anyone) and it takes time to learn. It’s hard. I won’t lie. Even the ‘easy’ languages are hard.

But the truth is, language learning is not impossible. And that’s partly why I have started this channel. I intend to share some of my language study and motivation tips. Learn from my mistakes!

Perhaps you’re a mature-age language learner (like me). Or maybe you are studying language(s) at school or at university and you’re looking for some language study advice to help you improve.

Maybe you feel like you’ve plateaued or you don’t seem to be getting anywhere. Or maybe you’re someone who’s never studied a foreign language before. This channel is for you!

So if you are struggling with languages, come and drop by here from time to time. I’m happy to share the methods that I use to learn languages effectively and efficiently.

How about fluent in three years?

dai avanti! | venga vámonos! | nu davai zhe! | c’mon let’s go!

Sincerely,
leslie dean brown.

18Dec

Should you design your own logo?

In Daily grind by Leslie Dean Brown / December 18, 2018 / Comments are closed

So I recently read this article, “How to Design A Logo Without Being a Graphic Designer“. Uh oh.

I am of course biased but I no don’t think it is really great advice. It’s actually very bad advice. I do agree that a superb logo alone does not a successful business make.

There is a reason that large multinational corporations pay for design (because it drives profit).

I also agree that it’s certainly possible to start a business from 0, but why would you want to do that?

What I see is that people who go to fiverr/freelancer often don’t even recognise a good logo when it is staring them in the face! They’ll still get/choose a bad logo when someone else’s would have been more fitting/appropriate. I used to think that they would at least recognise something good when they see it, subconsciously like, just not know why they like it. Seems not to be the case.

Before I studied design, I was one of ‘them’. I started a few businesses with my own logos. And I think that was a mistake. Looking back, my initial logos were not good. But how would I know that? After a few years, I had to rebrand them. Yes it got the ball rolling. But I think it wasn’t ideal.

Nowadays I tend to think like this: if you want to start a new business without a graphic designer because you think they are “too expensive”, perhaps you can’t really afford to start a business yet? Sometimes I think it pays to wait a bit and launch at a later date.

It’s not ideal. And it could even cost you more later on. On second thoughts, it probably will. I have seen businesses who had invested $40k upfront on tooling etc (well okay, it’s not that much), for one single product, and I asked them what their budget for a logo/design was. The reply? “Zero. Because I can do it myself”.

That is just silly. To be investing that much, and still take the DIY approach. No it’s not millions. But where are they today? I had a look a few days ago. Nowhere. They have a good idea, a good product, a good business model — but the logo is horrible! So it makes them look amateurish. How are they to know?