Ellen Marcus

Category: designer

  • Fishing Fish

    I needed blue paint.  So, I got myself some French Ultramarine Blue while thinking, ‘the French know their oil paints, why wouldn’t I need this product?’

    Unfortunately, it wasn’t a vibrant enough blue for my needs.  On the other hand, because I wasn’t relying as much on the vibrancy of the color, it did force me to work a little harder with those highlights and shadows.

    Off the subject, blogger has released “Dynamic Views” for your blogspot.  It has some great advantages and potential for the visual artist.  If you are like me (trying out new templates and still looking for the “Dynamic Views” feedback button) look no further!  A kindly employee from the google team posted this nifty forum: http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/blogger/thread?tid=19e461250d0a91c1&hl=en

  • Normal Foot VS the Abnormal Shoe

    Nike skape

    I’ve heard such great things about this shoe. Then, I tried a pair at the store. The rumors are all true. Nike comes in sizes narrow and extra-narrow. My feet are not that narrow, and word on the street dictates that a lot of people won’t buy these shoes for the same reason: TOO NARROW. There was adequate room in the (poorly designed) toe-compartment, but, it hugged my metatarsal phalangeal joints just a little too much for comfort. Also, the landing surface was too narrow and I could easily imagine a future problem developing just under my exposed arch (not a matter of arch support, but of feeling the uncomfortable edge from where the shoe base ends completely). I understand that the idea of Nike Free is to simulate the barefoot experience. In many instances (such is the case with weaker arches) the entire plantar surface of the foot will touch the ground during mid-stance.
    One final point I’d like to make about the poor design of this shoe is the heel. The heel is raised like most other gym shoes…that’s not natural! If only the Nike company would widen the shoe, create a more realistic-shaped toe-box, provide a full plantar surface, lower that unnaturally high heel, AND make their products in the USA (or verify that overseas manufacturers are not 10 year-old slaves)…*sigh*…if only…
    Case, point and example?…look here: http://politicalleft.blog-city.com/nike_sweat_shops__child_labor.htm
    PS: Off the subject of shoes, my typical blog statement for this entry is to include the words: “I know I haven’t posted in a while, but…” I’ve been away from my oil paints for a week or so and got busy posting an online series called “Good Foot, Bad Shoe“. It’s just another blog of mine that, like this one, began as a collection of something other than what I use it for now. The post you see here is an example from that other blog. If you have interest in seeing it, just contact me and I can give you the link…thanks for reading.