Jun 30
June 2008
BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: the most recent post was number 400 (yes I realize, relative to events such as upgraded your favorite software, this is not even on the radar).
It is a great encouragement to discover so much great work by so many talented folks. I hope my seemingly endless blather about it all has been of some interest and encouragment to you. As always, you are invited comment on the posts (click comment at the bottom of the post) and to introduce yourself via email (click Contact Chuck at the top right).
500 here we come. Chuck
NEW in the Ideabook Design Store: Becoming a Graphic Designer
Jun 27
June 2008
A logo, more often than not, is the culmination of a complex process of discovery, interpretation, experimentation, and refinement. The problem, from the design student’s perspective, is we often see the result but are rarely privy to the course of action that produced it.
Macnab has set out to reveal that process. She theorizes that the most successful designs are rooted in natural patterns such as spirals and branching. The book presents those patterns and seeks to define the underlying meaning behind them.
What most interested me were the many logo design case studies. In addition to the author’s own studied insights are discussions by design heavyweights such as Woody Pirtle and Tim Girvin in which they explain some of the underlying meaning of their work.
In the end, the quality of a logo is dependant on how clearly it’s verbal and visual elements define the purpose and style of the entity it represents. But those who want to grow flowers know that the key to learning is in understanding the mysteries of working the soil. For that, Decoding Design is well worth a look.
The Decoding Design site...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Moleskine Notebooks...
Jun 25
June 2008
Even feature-rich software packages, such as standard-bearers InDesign, QuarkXPress, Photoshop, Illustrator, and so on, can be made better. Though manufacturers are always adding bells and whistles there are often third-party companies that fill industry-specific needs, provide features for automating cumbersome tasks, or invent enhancements to specific workflows. The PowerXChange is one of several companies that specializes in promoting and selling plug-ins.
Here, for example, is The PowerXChange's Adobe Acrobat plug-in page...
Adobe has a Partner Portal that lists some of many available add-ons...
In the Ideabook Design Store: FontHead Typefaces...
Jun 23
June 2008
I think one of the great joys of my life has been the slow, steady revelation that there is so much yet to learn. It feeds a sense of potential that (to me) is exhilarating. I am regularly (seemingly more than ever) running into people and ideas I had not yet encountered.
Here is another: an insightful, interesting how-to book titled Getting Real. It is the business, design, programming, and marketing philosophies of 37signals—a developer of web-based software used by over one million people. It is rare that folks are willing to share what truly makes them successful. I suggest you read it before they change their minds.
Here's books's home page...
And here's a free online version...
New in the Ideabook Design Store: Creative Advertising...
Jun 20
June 2008
I'd like to hear about your reaction to this. Typically, I am not a big fan of forced Flash. By that I mean being forced to watch a Flash movie intro without first choosing to do so. But this I don't mind. And, honestly, I simply would not have learned as much about this business if they had not jumped in and told me. What is your first reaction? (I have no connection with these folks other than they sent me a link.)
Take the Widen tour...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Getting It Printed...
Jun 18
June 2008
Curious about what other designers make? Here are the results of the annual salary survey commissioned by the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA). Don't miss the calculator, it allows you to search by the type and size of organization, the client base, and the location.
The AIGA/Aquent Survey of Design Salaries...
The Salary Calculator...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Becoming a Graphic Designer: A Guide to Careers in Design, 3rd Edition...
Jun 16
June 2008
I happened across the web of The French Laundry recently, one of 14 restaurants awarded the Mobil Five-Star Award in 2007. As I was browsing through it, it struck me how analogous graphic design is to dining. Both disciplines use a basic set of ingredients to prepare a product using a fairly well-defined set of tools.
So what distinguishes fast food design from five-star design?
1. The quality of the ingredients
2. Attention to detail
3. An understanding of consumer expectations
4. A balance between price and perceived value
5. The level of designer's training and experience
The French Laundry...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Before & After: Graphics For Business...
Jun 13
June 2008
Don't like the world as it is? Quit blubbering and make your own. That's what Ross MacDonald does. Some paint, a few printing presses, and an active imagination make his world one step outside the hopscotch of reality. Ross MacDonald is a renowned illustrator, an gifted cartoonist, a talented letterpress printer, a successful children's book illustrator, and (perhaps most interesting) an accomplished movie prop engineer.
His movie props portfolio...
And the whole bigtop...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Before & After: Page Design...
Jun 11
June 2008
This New York Times virtual tour of the Metropolitan Museum's new Greek and Roman Galleries is an excellent lesson in basic marketing. The idea is you give some significant portion of your product or service away to encourage a sale. Here, the museum invites us to virtually visit the space in the hope that experience will lead us to visit in person. I must admit, what immediately came to mind when I viewed the first scene was, "That's a place I would like to visit."
It's not rocket surgery, but it leads me to consider if there are parts and portions of products and services my client's might offer to their prospects.
NYT look at the MET Greek and Roman Galleries...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Templates for InDesign, QuarkXPress, or PageMaker...
Jun 9
June 2008
There are many, many folks who join us here but who do not chime in—now is the time. I showed you my favorite web site, now tell me yours. Think hard, of all the web sites you have visited, which one struck the most profound chord with you? You think it is exquisitely designed, it has some emotional meaning for you, or it led you to some pivotal thought—whatever the reason. Show me where it is and tell me why you chose it.
I'll even add a small incentive—my favorite of your favorites wins a copy of The Business Side of Creativity by Cameron Foote.
To add your site and explanation, post a comment by clicking “>>Comment” below or click the red box here and e-mail it to me.
What is the URL ? Why did you choose it?...
In the Ideabook Design Store: The Desktop Publisher's Idea Book...
Jun 6
June 2008
I have seen many thousands of web sites in the initial years of the World Wide Web—to date this is my favorite. Not because of the design (its plain), not because of the navigational structure (because of the use of frames the links are difficult to share), and certainly not because of the information (I vehemently disagree with much of what is set forth).
This is my favorite site because it is a crystal-clear example a foundational principle: that design is opinion. Yes or no. Left or right. Light or dark. The calling of a designer is to determine the source and meaning of truth and to use that knowledge to improve communication and perfect systems. If you're good at it some significant number of folks will agree with you. If you're not, you dig deeper.
Here, unabashed and in depth, is one designer's opinion and his expression of it.
Rearrangement of tables in the laundry room...
Plan for USA regional designations...
How to think...
The whole experience...
NEW in the Ideabook Design Store: Tintbook CMYK Process Color Selector...
Jun 4
June 2008
HistoryShots is a unique venture. As they explain it, “We started HistoryShots in 2003 in order to create a new type of information art that merged our interest in history, information graphics, and big picture ideas. Our inspirations come from many diverse people and graphical works, but in particular the works of Charles Joseph Minard and Edward Tufte of Yale University stand out.” Have a look.
Genealogy of Pop/Rock Music...
HistoryShots...
If you are interested, Tufte's resource page references Minard's work...
NEW in the Ideabook Design Store: Tintbook CMYK Process Color Selector...
Jun 2
June 2008
What is your favorite holiday? Christmas? Thanksgiving? Halloween? As if we don't have enough reasons to take the day off—Corbis (the photography and footage supplier) is celebrating World Pinhole Camera Day with the release of a series of do-it-yourself camera designs. You download a PDF of the design, print the parts, cut them out, and build your own pinhole camera.
The site...
One of the camera designs (1.4MB PDF)...
If you're really into it, leave time at the end of the day (after the gift exchange and festive pinhole camera dinner) to check out the world's largest pinhole camera...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Task Force Clip Art...