“I work without seeing what I’m creating. Programming is like writing words.”

– Artist and web designer, Kazumasa Teshigawara aka “qubibi”

If qubibi’s words rings true for you, you might want to dive a bit deeper into his story. qubibi’s inspiration spurs from his observations around his home city Tokyo, Japan. He uses the city’s energy to craft his designs, emphasizing in animation. When asked how he turns an idea into art, he reveals, “I begin by writing and then I imagine music. After that, I start using digital tools like Photoshop without making any sketches, I just work directly on the computer and see how it evolves… In my case I can’t create art without Creative Cloud.” Check out his recent redesign of the Creative Cloud logo and more background on his work in the video below:

The Creative Cloud provides designers like qubibi with built-in shortcuts for everything from debugging to simple animations so they can spend less time on tedious tasks and focus on what makes web design fun, creativity. qubibi uses Creative Cloud to access his work from any computer at any time and benefits from sharing his work with fellow designers on Behance. Find out more about Creative Cloud and the future for web designers like you.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more web design news, tutorials, inspiration and more.

Last week Adobe Illustrator’s sweepstakes on Facebook ended and now we finally have all 1,000 winners of the limited edition Dylan Roscover Venus poster. See below if your name is listed and if it is, you should be getting an email from Adobe asking for your address so we can ship your poster. Thanks to all of you who participated!

Inspiration is everywhere here at Adobe MAX! Here’s a quick recap of our events from yesterday.

Day Two Keynote: Community Inspires Creativity

David Wadhwahi, our SVP of Digital Media, opened up our day two keynote, then handed it off to creative luminaries to share their stories. We heard about breaking the brief from Paula Scher, were inspired by embracing limitations from Paul Hansen, and experienced the making-of-details from innovative creatives such as Erik Johansson and Rob Legato. Check out the playback available here for the next 24 hours.

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Sneak Peeks

There were a number of special guests at the MAX sneaks. First up, Rainn Wilson, actor and co-creator of SoulPancake, who opened up the night to talk about creativity, what it meant to him and how it was the catalyst for how SoulPancake came to be.

Then we got an early look at amazing technologies that might become product features in the future. Host Ben Forta shared the stage with Rainn and celebrity guest, actress/comedian Mary Lynn Rajskub, as we walked through exciting developments from the our engineering teams. Everything from the future of drawing, as inspired by Project Mighty, to experimenting with light in photos and videos, to audio layers to remove unwanted background noise were all shown at MAX. Check out some of the sneak peeks below.

Sneak: Playing with Light

Sneak: Perspective Warp

Sneak: Audio Layers

Stay tuned for more as we wrap up our final day at Adobe MAX 2013!

And…we’re off! Adobe MAX is buzzing today as we kicked things off with our day one keynote session, “A Creative Evolution.” We announced a slew of news today, including all-new updates to our Creative Cloud apps – Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, Edge Tools & Services, and more! If you missed the keynote, watch the playback available here until tomorrow morning’s day two keynote at 10 a.m. PT or catch the community-curated version captured in Storify by MAX attendee, @GayaneAdourian.

Even more exciting, we shared an early look at a number of new explorations:

• Project Mighty – A Creative Cloud pen
• Project Napolean – Complementary to Mighty, Napolean is a digital ruler designed to bring back some of the feeling of drawing with analog tools like the t-square and triangle
• Project Context – Reimagines the editorial room for publishers

For more on MAX, join the conversation on #AdobeMAX on Twitter and Instagram and/or follow @AdobeMAX.

Watch the overview below and get all of the details from our experience design team in “Adobe XD explores the analog future.”

Adobe Creative Cloud for teams allows you and your team to get the entire collection of latest and greatest CS6 tools, along with lots of team-specific features that make working together easier than ever. So the question is; is it right for you? This series helps Adobe customers, such as creative directors and IT professionals, understand if Creative Cloud for teams is a good fit…

• Size Doesn’t Matter – Design agency? Growing startup? Regardless of your workgroup situation, Creative Cloud for teams fits.

• Cloud collaboration + latest creative tools = staying ahead of the curve – Creative Cloud for teams makes it happen. That’s right –you and your team receive the latest updates as soon as they’re available.

• Changing needs = changing team –  With Creative Cloud for teams, adding and removing licenses for team members is a walk in the park.

• HELP! – Creative Cloud for teams provides you with help when you need it. Enjoy two deep-dive expert support instances (per seat per year).

Interested in hearing how Creative Cloud for teams is benefiting Scott Kelby’s own Kelby Media Group? Check out this video to see how Creative Cloud for teams allows them to reach millions of people all over the world through websites, podcasts, online training, magazines, and more:

Got questions? Let us know in the comments below or visit us on Adobe.com. Be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook for more information about Creative Cloud for teams.

Twisted, dark and awesome. Three words that describe the work of the creative team and visual artists that make up McFarland & Pecci. Still relatively new Creative Cloud members, these fellas have wasted no time utilizing the broad range of tools and programs to create one-of-a-kind work. A documentary film for well-known “metal core” band, Killswitch Engage? They’ve done it. High concept cover art for the Boston Phoenix? Sure. See what we mean about twisted, dark and awesome?

We engaged in a lightning round Q&A session with them to get more details on why Creative Cloud works for them. The diverse amount of products offered, the seamless syncing, constant updates, and bug fixes are just a few reasons why this duo takes creativity to a whole new level.

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Adobe: Describe a project you are currently working on or have completed with Creative Cloud.

McFarland & Pecci: We signed up for Creative Cloud a few months ago and jumped right into a few projects with Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Photoshop. McFarland & Pecci is a creative team of directors and visual artists. We create everything from high concept photo shoots to feature films and documentaries. The past few months have kept us busy in post-production on the new Killswitch Engage documentary called “New Awakening”, the new music video for CZARFACE featuring Inspectah Deck from Wu-Tang, one of the final high concept covers for the Boston Phoenix, and an upcoming ”double secret” comic book film.

What was your inspiration behind the project?

We love to tell stories, and we tend to be drawn to darker subject matter and artists that are obsessed with their craft.  The film on Killswitch Engage was a fun project that allowed us to focus on the guys as a family unit and we kept our gear tight and our crew small. The CZARFACE video is deeply rooted in our love for Grindhouse flicks and Shaw Brothers films, and the ‘End of the World’ photo shoot was completely influenced by the epic magic of Michael Bay!

How has the Creative Cloud changed your creative workflow?

We switched to Premiere Pro to simplify our workflow. Plain and simple. We shot CZARFACE with the RED EPIC in 5K with Hawk anamorphic lenses.  The piece required a lot of compositing in After Effects and color grading. The fact that I could bring the raw files right into my timeline and directly export to After Effects made our lives so much easier. A competitor’s program has really dropped the ball when it comes to professional editing these days so we were looking for a smart move. Just the time saved by not having to transcode footage from the RED and/or DSLRs was enough of a reason to make the jump to Premiere Pro.

What tools specific to Creative Cloud enable you to work more efficiently?

As mentioned earlier, all the new benefits of Premier Pro were our big draw in the video side of things, but the new version of Photoshop and its retouching tools and amazing smart layers really helped us composite these giant “End of the World” files. We have always been Adobe fans in one way or another, but having it all in one spot really helps us.  The cloud helps us keep both systems identical in our edit bays, and the constant updates have fixed a lot of software bugs already.

Describe your style of work in three words

Really F$#Kin Awesome!

Fill in the blank: I couldn’t create without _________.

Our twisted minds and the tools that can keep up with them.

What advice would you give to an individual who is considering Creative Cloud?

If you are a video editor, make the jump to Premier Pro.  Just do it. Creative Cloud is the smart choice; you sign up and download everything you need. It even runs on two systems. Makes having a post house a lot easier.

Dig their work? Check out Mcfarland & Pecci on Facebook, visit our website to see more films – www.mcfarlandandpecci.com – or follow directors @MikePecci and @Ian_McFarland on Twitter for behind the scenes content and tutorials.

We’re getting very excited for Adobe MAX! One of the many highlights of the week will be hearing multiple-Grammy winning band The Black Keys play live at our MAX Bash. To commemorate the occasion, artist Brian Yap has designed a special poster for the Bash. If you’re going to be at MAX, you can win a copy!

Here’s how:

Between April 22 (that’s today!) and April 28, send a Tweet with the hashtag #AdobeMAX and the reason why you’re the biggest fan of The Black Keys.

We’ll select winners at random from all those submitted, and you’ll be able to pick up your poster (signed by Brian Yap) at MAX. For full details, check out our MAX Tweetaway Sweepstakes Official Rules.

Let your inner fandom shine out and share The Black Keys love!

If you haven’t register for MAX yet, use promo code MXSM13 to save $300. We’ll see you at MAX!

Stephen Gates, Vice President and Creative Director for Global Brand Design at Starwood Hotels & Resorts will be joining us at Adobe MAX this year to share design and development secrets behind building Starwood’s mobile roadmap. Prior to MAX, he sat down with our Adobe Edge Inspect team to discuss how the tool has been helping his team come up with new ways to best show off their nine hotel brands. They’ve managed to accelerate their production and gain buy-in from a dispersed global team of designers, developers, strategists and stakeholders. Pretty impressive, right? Learn more about their success and get to know Stephen in our Adobe Edge Inspect Team Blog Q&A.

Want to hear more from Stephen Gates? Attend Adobe MAX and hear him talk about the “Secrets to Creating a Successful Mobile Roadmap, Apps, and Mobile Websites.” Don’t forget to enter promo code MXSM13 when you register to receive $300 off.

“You can expect a spirited, ferocious delivery of our “Tall Tales” speaking fiasco! With, some surprises….” says Aaron Draplin of Draplin Design Co. on what to expect at his Adobe MAX session this year in our Twitter Chat with him. During the Twitter Chat, many had their burning design questions answered by Aaron, while others were just excited to connect with the brilliant creative. We want to give a big thanks to those who participated – especially Aaron! Check out a quick sample of the Twitter conversation using the #AdobeMAX hashtag below.

Watch our video to learn more about Aaron Draplin’s love for junking and estate sales, and read Part II of our Q&A with him below.

Be sure to come see Aaron Draplin speak at MAX this year in his session, “Tall Tales from A Large Man”. Visit MAX.Adobe.com and don’t forget to use promo code MXSM13 when you register and save $300.

Here’s Part II from our Q&A with the “Large Man” himself:

Adobe: When you were first starting out, what’s the biggest mistake you can remember making? 

Aaron Draplin: Thinking I’d need some big degree to make it. Complete bullshit. As much as I loved going to art school and learning as much as I did, I’m pretty sure I could’ve made it on my own. I caved in to the pressure system. I thought I’d get called out for teaching myself or something. And sure, school was awesome, but man, I paid a lot for those couple of years.

How (and at what times) does a typical day start and end for you?

I’m usually out of bed by 9:00am, getting down to the shop and getting going by 10:00. And hell, I hate going to get lunch, cuz you lose an hour. I’ll work until 7:00 or 8:00pm (sometimes later), then I head home for supper, and will get the late shift going around 9:00pm—until 1:00am. I end my day by going to sleep, which is a pretty common theme.

Things you love? Or things you hate? Which influence your work more?

Things I love definitely influence the way I work, and the outcome. And I know it’s not cool to hate stuff, but hell, I’ve got some bad blood with some stuff and am not afraid to say it, and, let it fuel me to make better things. My buddy Ryno in Minneapolis made a list, and inspired by his vitriol, I did too. Here are some spirited links: Things I Love and Things I Hate.

about how to make things better, instead of selfishly tearing them down. I loved that part of school. Thank you Santiago and Kali.

If you could choose just one artist (use that term as loosely as you wish) to “surround” yourself with, who would it be? Why?

I would’ve loved to work for Saul Bass. He’s my favorite graphic designer.

Since most people will never have the opportunity to participate creatively with the Obama administration, can you tell us (in more words than “awesome”) how you felt when you learned you were getting THAT assignment?

When the Mode Project from Chicago first called me, I thought I was in trouble or something. I mean, a call like that is going to be really, really good or really, really scary. When they offered the chance to work on a logo to help the new Obama administration, I instantly accepted, cleaned off my plate and got down to it. When they call you up to the big leagues, you produce. For your country. Seriously, my heart was filled with patriotism. The chance to help out in the slightest way was a big deal to me. I freaked out a bit, then got down to work with Chris Glass from Cincinnati and we made some logos for America. Will forever be proud of that one.

And, now that you’ve completed that one… what’s your (next) “dream” project? 

I’m scheming up some kind of road trip for the fall, but have to keep my lips sealed about the details. But when I really think about it, I dream about getting enough loot in the bank to where I can slow down my pace, go explore the earth a bit more and mellow everything out some. I’ve been running pretty hot these last bunch of years, so I daydream about downshifting things in a creative way. No real specific plan comes to mind, hence why I continue to charge as hard as I do. Oh well. If I could pick something out of the air…I sure would love to design a record for the Flaming Lips. Break me off a little piece, George

Fearless and wildly creative design duo Hjalti Karlsson and Jan Wilker—also known as karlssonwilker—are an independent and internationally-recognized creative force. When we met them, we were so charmed that we immediately wanted to introduce them to you, so we asked them to speak at Adobe MAX this year! Karlsson and Wilker’s topic, “Creativity, Technology, and karlssonwilker” speaks to their commitment, passion and creativity, as well as the equal importance they place on technology and play in their work.

Attend MAX. Attend their session. You’ll leave inspired. In the meantime, enjoy this candid Q&A (and their reinterpretation of the MAX logo) from these imaginative designers.

Adobe: You and Hjalti founded karlssonwilker in 2000, after working for Stefan Sagmeister, what was his advice to you when you told him you were opening your own studio?

karlssonwilker: There was no particular parting advice, although we surely asked him for advise many times, and still do from time to time. Back then it felt like a very natural transition. Stefan went on his sabbatical and so the two of us started, or were forced to start, our own “thing.” I remember the two of us showing Stefan the office space we were thinking about renting, and him saying it’s a great deal and that we should definitely take it. (We still are in the same space today.) The biggest thing, for me personally, was that he showed us—and everyone else—that a studio small in size could make hugely influential and relevant work, something quite uncommon back then. 

As if opening a new studio during a recession wasn’t enough, you decided to write a book (tellmewhy: The First 24 Months of a New York Design Company) about those first two years in business. Why did you take that on at that time?

One part was frustration about our unpreparedness regarding the business side of our new enterprise. The other was the need we felt, at the time, for more honesty in the arena of shiny design monographs. The simple story of the humble beginnings of a studio should be told, not the idealized and romanticized look back on 20 years of a successful design career, where everyone seemed to be born a genius. That’s what we did and to this day we still get emails from around the world thanking us for doing this candid book and helping designers around the world not feel they are alone in being ill-prepared to properly run a studio right from the start. And of course Princeton Architectural Press deserves huge credit of course for working on it with us, as does Clare Jacobson for writing it so fantastically. 

Your book offers a not-always-glamorous view of owning a design studio; do you think it’s important for students and young designers to know that the path to success is not always rosy?

Yes, of course. Its important to make clear that failing is part of the “fun” and an important part of the learning. Somehow this book led by example: if Hjalti and I can do it, anyone can. And that seemed to be empowering to many. 

If tomorrow, you could no longer be a designer, what would you choose to do?

I would be a shoemaker.  Hjalti would run a little store, or be “in real estate.”

Has Adobe’s Creative Cloud changed/altered your work and your process?

Adobe products have always had a huge influence on us and there are many examples in our work. One of our design approaches is rooted in play and experimentation; very early on we used Illustrator’s tools and filters to explore dense vector drawings, by spending lots of time with it to see where it would lead us (projects like Hattler, Skirl and, later, Mini/BMW). Also, the MAX key art we created for this year’s conference comes from formal experimentation with three or four different programs. 

What do you most hope to be able to say about your work and your partnership 20 years from now?

Jan: That we constantly evolved, enjoyed life, and produced relevant work that inspired some to push harder. 

Hjalti: That I’m still very proud of the work we did, that Jan and I are still on speaking terms and, who knows, that the company is still going strong in 20 years, with the two of us working two days a week and an army of people doing all the work.

You and Hjalti have both been design judges… Do you feel that the work submitted to design competitions encapsulates what’s going on in the industry at the time?

For me, that’s a clear no. It might have been that way many years ago, but nowadays competitions are indicators of who wants to appeal to the commercial mainstream. The design world is more colorful now, and only a small fraction wants or needs to be represented in design annuals. We ourselves stopped sending things in about eight years ago. 

For your eleventh anniversary party you created a poster acknowledging all of the karlsssonwilker interns you’ve had over the years. How many were mentioned? And how many have been inspired, by working with you, to open their own studios?

We mentioned every single one of them—almost 40 interns have come through our little studio. About fifteen of them started their own studios more or less right after their time with us (I’m not sure that we inspired them to do that, I think they already came to us with that plan in mind).

Talent? Passion? Or education? Which is most important? Why?

Passion. For sure. A genuine interest in what you do is really all that matters. 

We just saw your version of the new MAX logo on the MAX website. Was executing a logo redesign easier or harder than beginning from scratch?

We didn’t see it as logo redesign, but as a demonstration of “creativity,” with the MAX logo incorporated into it. 

Be sure to come see karlssonwilker at Adobe MAX this year! Register at MAX.Adobe.com with promo code MXSM13 and save $300!