Loklo Media 3D Animation Blog

Well, the question is more for you, really. I know I do – I’ve got hundreds of gigs of photos and movies that are backed up, both on an external drive and online.
What makes a good online backup solution? Well, cost has something to do with it, so does reputation. Ease of access to restore your files is also important. If your files are there but not accessible without jumping through hoops, then it’s not a great backup service. If the service doesn’t allow you to synchronize your computer, and adjust for changes, then it might not be for you.
Some backup services provide a mirror of your computer (you can select of course what needs backing up… would hate to backup a virus!), while others allow you to backup your data then delete it from your computer, more of an archival mindset.

Whatever it is you need, you probably need it.

Now, all that said, most people will be able to get by with a free limited 1 or 2gb service. If you’re an avid photographer and have lots of family photos, then you might need more. If you take digital videos, whether with your still cam or an actual video camera, then you’ll definitely need more.

Personally, for my home computer, I use Mozy (on a Mac – they have Windows stuff too). They have a free 2GB plan, but also offer bigger or unlimited plans. Typically, for any given month, the name of the month will get you a 10% discount via promo code. For instance, this month’s promo code is FEBRUARY. Here’s a link that’ll take you straight to the 2GB plan Page: http://bit.ly/mozy-free

Another thing to remember with Backups – they take a long time. Unless you’ve got a dedicated commercial really fast internet connection, assume that gigabytes of data might take days, weeks or more to fully backup!!

Think about it. You’re at a get together… you mention that you’re a digital artist of some sort – whether 3D, 2D, Web, or otherwise. People often times give me the “wow, that’s cool” reaction when I say I do 3D. Then I tell them I don’t do Pixar type stuff, but it’s still fun to know how all the technical mumbo jumbo works. (That’s one of my favorite quotes from “The Saint”).

Or maybe you’re an investor, or just a networker. Either way, you like finding yourself in these types of large groups, meeting new people.

Anyway, it won’t be long into a group like that before you meet someone who says “Do you have a card?”. Well… uh… no.. but I have a website/blog/online portfolio of sorts. And if you’re lucky you’re able to scratch the URL onto a piece of scrap paper, perhaps a receipt from your pocket or a napkin. Yay.

So you say to yourself… “self, I need a business card.” And you proceed to make something up, usually the first rendition (for me anyway) is quite nasty and not worthy of being shown. In the meantime, especially if you’re a freelancer of sorts, you think “I don’t have an official business name, or title or anything”. Who cares. Just put your name on the card with your skill: John Deadfoot – Illustrator/Animator/3D Specialist/Graphic Designer/Geek/Whatever. (I really like the geek option).

Then you go buy some perforated paper from the local office supply store. buzzzz! Wrong! Bad Idea. Don’t cheap out. This card is one of your first impressions to a potential client.

I made this mistake. Well, not with perforated paper, but I tried some inkjet photo paper. In handing my “fancy new card” to a guy I was talking to, he proceeded to destroy my card in the following 10 minutes or so while we were talking just by fiddling with it in his hands. I was shocked, and that night I tweaked my design and had a rush order of professionally printed cards on 100lb stock, double sided, color printed and delivered. I chose Vista Print, who I had heard good things of.

Vista Print allowed me to either choose one of their template designs, offer to pay one of their designers to do it for me, or upload my own. I chose the latter. They provided me with a PSD Photoshop template file, with margins, guides, etc for a full bleed. I finalized my design, made sure I was in CMYK color space, then uploaded it (front and back were two different images).

Needless to say I was extremely happy with the end product, the price, and the speed. What I wasn’t happy about was that I ordered 500, and while having still roughly 40% left, my phone number changed. Oh well.

Go check out what Vista Print has to offer – they even have lots of stuff for free.

A New (easy to miss) feature has been added to the Blog – Quote of the Day. On the right hand column, under the “Recent Posts” section, is a new, short, Motivational Quote of the Day. Check it out each day! For ease, I’ll include the script in this post, so that it shows up in this post also!

Well, my Wolf model isn’t ready yet, so as I said on Twitter, It’ll be a New Year’s giveaway. Don’t worry, I won’t keep pushing it off. I promise.
So this is my 100th post, and I wish you all a Very Merry Christmas (yes, I’m Christian). If you believe in other holidays, then may they be happy and merry and festive, and, er, whatever they need to be to be good.
Anyway, back to the family!

Tons of date ideas, 2 for 1 coupons, discounts, meals, shopping, desserts, rides, attractions, etc. You name it, there’s a coupon for it in this book. Get it while it’s still early in the year to use them up. It will pay for itself within one or two coupons, usually, and there are hundreds!
We’ve had this book in the house for the last 4 years or more – great everytime! We love it.

2010 Entertainment Book – via bit.ly