Monthly Journal:#
Travel Diary of the Dragon Boat Festival
At the end of the month, to use up nearly 20 days of annual leave accumulated at work and to avoid boredom at home, I took a solo trip to Xi'an for three days during the Dragon Boat Festival. Xi'an is located in the Guanzhong Plain and has been the capital chosen by various dynasties since ancient times. The area is filled with countless ancient buildings and historical sites, especially concentrated in places where every few steps reveals a scenic spot or a piece of history. I think only Xi'an could allow me to visit the locations shown in the following pictures in just two and a half days.
The historical and cultural richness left me in awe of the profound and complete legacy of the Chinese nation throughout time. This feeling was especially strong while listening to the explanations at the Shaanxi History Museum and the Terracotta Army, to the point where I was moved to tears. The Xi'an Incident Memorial Museum also gave me a clearer understanding and interest in modern Chinese history. Zhang Xueliang is a regrettable figure; I watched his oral history documentary on the high-speed train back to Beijing, where a humorous old man from Northeast China narrated the history of the Republic of China and the Anti-Japanese War, creating an illusion of time being compressed and experiencing it firsthand.
Another deep impression I have of Xi'an is the well-preserved ancient city wall and urban streetscape, which can be so seamlessly integrated into a modern city. The base of the wall can be a morning market, a park, a bar, or a restaurant. Inside the city wall, there is the bustling Muslim Quarter, as well as places of faith like the Great Mosque and Guangren Temple; outside the wall, there are modern constructions like the Tang Paradise or ancient sites like the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and the Terracotta Army. In my view, the city wall is a symbol that people from outside believe Xi'an residents can be proud of.
Finally, the food in Xi'an. During my three days there, I mostly ate noodles: roujiamo, biangbiang noodles, hand-pulled noodles, lamb paomo... My experience of eating noodles aligns with what my friend, Brother Zhu, who is half a Xi'an local, said: "Noodles outside rely on toppings, while Shaanxi noodles rely on the noodles themselves."
AI's Help for Designers
This month, due to work and a related course I enrolled in, I gained a deeper understanding of the current AI workflow. It is evident that AI tools are gradually being implemented and can provide substantial help in actual work. This is inseparable from the development of AI tools and the exploration and summarization by designers in the industry. However, since the tools are still in a phase of diverse options, some workflows may be suitable for high-resolution image enhancement, while others may be better for creative output. There still isn't a single tool like Photoshop that can solve most problems. I believe there will be in the future; until then, understanding relevant knowledge is crucial to bridge the information gap. How to use tools to achieve creative goals also reflects a designer's value. Below is a specific case from an online user and some assignments I produced in my class this month:
Revisiting Childhood Games
After returning to Beijing, while browsing blogs, I came across a homemade Delta skin and remembered that today is Children's Day. Delta is also a mobile emulator software that allows playing childhood games like GBA and NDS. Wanting to relive those memories, I found this tutorial, installed the necessary files, changed the skin, and played Pokémon.
Monthly Record#
1. Efficiency Tools#
Information Collection: Design Fragments
I discovered a remarkable full-stack designer who has organized resources collected since starting a newsletter. The website is cleverly designed, and here is his design approach, which is worth learning from.
Apple App: The Great Collector
Used to organize and display valuable items worth recording, it has an online exhibition hall feel and can use AI to automatically analyze the stories behind the collections.
Image Inspiration: Ghibli Movie Screenshots
Official high-definition screenshots of all Ghibli Studio movies, which can be used as computer wallpapers and for reference on actions or atmospheres.
App Sharing: Awesome Mac
A collection of tools deemed fun and useful by a seasoned Mac user, providing categories and access channels; you can "shop" if needed.
Windows Efficiency Tool: SmartSystemMenu
A window menu enhancement tool that adds rich customization options, looking quite practical.
Computer with Secondary Screen Tool: Deskreen
Turns any external device into an auxiliary screen for your computer, initially allowing the device to access the web.
Image to Line Art Tool: lineart
I tried this online tool; it's convenient and produces good results, suitable for line art needs.
2. Literary Gains#
John Perry Barlow's Life Maxims
John Perry Barlow
Some reflections written by JPB on his 60th birthday, some of which are quite touching: (1) No matter what, be patient. (2) Expand your perception of possibilities. (3) Care about what is right, not who is right. (4) The number of praises should at least equal the number of criticisms. (5) Live memorably.
Reading Duan Yongping: Doing the Right Thing
Li Xiang
I recently bought the newly published "The Great Way" by Duan Yongping. This book not only discusses investment but also contains the principles and techniques of doing things. If you don't know what the right thing is, you certainly know what the wrong thing is. Therefore, Duan Yongping says that doing the right thing can be understood as not doing the wrong thing. It can also be understood as correcting oneself immediately upon realizing a mistake, "no matter how great the cost, it is the smallest cost."
The 80-Hour Myth (Why We Are Addicted to Being Busy)
Dan Koe
Writer Dan Koe, in his latest letter, transforms his frustration into a lesson: doing less but doing it better is more powerful than exhausting oneself to numbness. After all, this is your life's work, not a race. "Take Charles Darwin as an example. You know, he wrote 19 books in his lifetime, discovered the theory of evolution, and changed the world as we know it, while he only worked 4-5 hours a day, then engaged in a lot of walking, reading, and other leisure activities that stimulated his thinking, leading to various ideas that ultimately allowed him to accomplish such great tasks. The difference between you and him is that this was his life's work."
What Future Does Technology Hold
lightory
British science fiction writer Douglas Adams wisely proposed three laws of technology:
- Any technology that existed at the time of my birth is part of the ordinary order of the world.
- Any technology that was born between the ages of 15 and 35 is a revolutionary product that will change the world.
- Any technology that was born after the age of 35 is against the laws of nature and will be punished by heaven.
3. Design Related#
Barcode Generator
An open-source website for generating barcodes and QR codes, which can be used for design materials.
Material SoSo
A copyright-free material intelligent search engine, providing an additional option for finding images.
Fonts Ninja
Displays detailed parameters and filters for English fonts, providing purchasing channels.
From No One Caring to Continuous Orders, You Just Need an AIDA Distance
A tool model for product marketing conversion, a classic strategy for improving user experience.
Free SVG Icons
A free and open-source SVG icon resource library.
4. Other Interesting Things#
- The Creativity of Constraints For creative individuals, certain constraints can generate creativity; another similar concept article discusses the same principle.
- Carrot Workshop simulates handwriting using AI to generate personal handwriting images or custom handwritten fonts.
- F1 at 75 To celebrate the 75th anniversary of F1, BBC has selected images and texts to summarize the history of the sport.
Thank you for reading. Feel free to subscribe, and I recommend using follow to read my rss. Also, thank you for likes and comments that give me encouragement.
WeChat: guonlin
Email: [email protected]