I am a creative.

If you have never heard the term, it sounds weird to say, "I am a creative." Probably everyone is creative in some sense, but I mean a creative in the advertising student sense. Each new class, we go around and introduce ourselves. What follows: "Hi, I'm Alina, and I'm a creative." Then you expect the class to say, "Hi Alina," like we are in some sort of program for addiction. Truth is, it is some sort of addiction. I find myself running through potential lines in my head while waiting tables, jotting thoughts down next to food orders. (This is not a good way to stay focused on a busy night at work, but it happens!) I feel like I live, breathe, and sleep advertising. Ads are literally everywhere. My family is probably tired of me yelling at the television when an ad totally misses the mark. Ex: "It's not just Alrighta, It's Ore Ida" AHHH! Not to mention the rest of the commercial is horrible, but I find myself constantly thinking in an advertising state of mind. Whether I'm critiquing, complimenting, or seeing something that I want to incorporate into my own work, advertising is always on my mind. But we aren't just inspired by other ads. Ads are inspired by life. Meaning, anything you see or hear could potentially come out in your next ad. Remembering everything that inspires you is difficult, so this blog will serve as one way for me to remember and share my inspirations. As said in a video we watched in class, remarkable work is something worth making a remark about. And that is our goal.

I was reading a recent copy of C.A. and found this profile of Shaw Nielsen, an illustrator that I really liked. I am always drawn to ads with illustrations or with any handmade aspects to them. Nielsen doesn't just do illustrations for ads, of course, but also for books, articles, and just personal use. This is an illustration he did for the Denver Zoo for a children's event called Zoomily. The kids in the illustration are all dressed up as their favorite animals. I like illustrations that aren't particularly realistic, but still give off the feeling you would get from the actual situation. For example, the trees in this image are circles with different patterns sitting on a striped post, but the fun, carefree feeling of a day at the zoo is definitely portrayed. I think Nielsen doesn't only attract children with this picture, but hits a nostalgic note with an older crowd, making this a successful illustration for an ad.