Sunday, March 30, 2014

Bank Expressions

Bank
Just a general rule of thumb, banks WILL try to charge you hidden fees and will not tell you (ie: getting a cashier's check and later finding out that your bank has put a $12/month charge on your account because you "decided to go paperless" or, a.k.a., used their teller).


(http://thecondoshowroom.com/blog/i-want-to-buy-a-condo-but-im-afraid-of-the-hidden-costs).


Keep an eye on your account. Check it at least a couple times a week, even if you have an accountant, always know what you have in your account and what is being charged to it.

If you can't get your money back from the bank, keep fighting until you get to their supervisor. If they're a jerk and say "we told you about this in your opening paperwork (when you signed up 3 YEARS ago), be sure to be prepared for this beforehand and find the lovely loopholes and fine print that is there for us, their prey.



(http://thefluffysheep.tumblr.com/post/30852884258/the-loopholes-of-all-loopholes).


I'm usually pretty good about this, but every once in a while I get a little too comfortable. Lesson learned for both myself and you guys.

Also, if you can avoid Bank of America, PLEASE DO. They are the KING of hidden fees and have screwed over myself and countless others many times.
 
(https://occupyreno.wordpress.com/2012/03/ ).


Just a heads up.



Expressions 

I was just thinking about this the other day. Why do people online use GIFs?

It was so simple and I can't believe I didn't realize this til today.

Because they're EXPRESSIVE. 
 photo giphy_zps9af31508.gif


  







 
 (http://giphy.com/gifs/qQI16x8tgp7nW).


My fiancé uses them all the time for his online goings-ons, and he finds the BEST expressions that communicate quickly and effectively. So I started using them and was instantly hooked, which got me thinking.

SO many times I have had to hunt far and wide for great ideas of expressions to draw. Why not search GIFs? Below I'll list a few different feelings and put some GIFs below that express those feelings PERFECTLY. This is what visual storytellers STRIVE for... perfect communication!

     

  Not Amused

 photo giphy-1_zpsdf10a1a3.gif












(http://giphy.com/gifs/eY1GeofQUbuFO).


  Seriously?

Joan Halloway says Na-ah photo giphy-2_zps6466061b.gif














(http://giphy.com/gifs/75RQ0mkhDv5HG).


    Look at All the Fucks I Give

But take note, just because a GIF SAYS that it's a certain expression, doesn't mean the expression would necessarily read on it's own. Sometimes the GIF makes fun of something out of context, like this:

 photo giphy-5_zps9c12d810.gif

(http://giphy.com/gifs/7XazwfEJSvni).

Just so you know, I found that GIF tagged under this very expression. So be careful. The expression needs to come across with or without the words. The expression needs to READ in their face and body language.

In visual stories, many times, artists and creators lean too much on words (ie:comics and word balloons) or symbols (ie:anime and exclamation points above people's heads when panicked and/or alerted) or anything else they can as a crutch. But since the stories are VISUAL, they need to be able to be read VISUALLY.  I mean, REALLY read... WITHOUT crutches.

The characters need to PUSH the stories, not the other way around. You can have a great plot, but that plot with those events shouldn't be the only reason characters exist. So breathe life into your characters.

Take Liz Lemon below...

 photo giphy-3_zpsc9e13314.gif

(http://giphy.com/gifs/VXeQXlfKjacXC).

Notice how her head tips up, her face scrunches around the mouth area, her eyes widen, she has that "What are you lookin' at?" look, and the hunched shoulders and raised hands to go with it that really shout, "Look at all the fucks I give!" This is what you're looking for.

*Remember, the top goal of the visual storyteller is "Does it READ well?" The clearer, the better!     




So use GIFs in your references, artists. You may be...  photo giphy-6_zpsbb90f599.gif (http://giphy.com/gifs/9JtL6oA3LsmsM).


P.S.--If you guys want to know how to upload GIFs to blogspot, I learned how from this blogpost: http://fuschiabysd.blogspot.com/2012/11/nerdy-chick-how-to-upload-gif-to-blogger.html

Night all!