May 14
Learning
The older I get the more I realize how little I know. It's a fact of both my life and my profession. That said, I think what makes me a decent designer is that I'm always willing to learn and, for the most part, unconcerned with making studied mistakes.
Today I want to point you to a couple of articles on Core77 by Don Norman, one of the founders of the Nielsen Norman group. They discuss the growing complexity of the design professions and a warning that we need to improve design education.
But here's the takeaway: don't wait around for the ship of education to make its slow turn. To be a great designer you're going to have to know something about design and science. Norman points to the fact that there is plenty of misinformation about our trade — lots of it being propagated by design schools.
Why Design Education Must Change...
Design Education: Brilliance Without Substance...
About Don Norman...
Norman is an author of Living with Complexity...
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May 11
Graphics Tech
If you're interested in user interface design, here's a rather extraordinary portfolio. Jason Wilson has participated in a few projects you might recognize.
For Apple...
For Adobe...
For Facebook...
About Wilson...
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May 9
Basic design
It doesn't happen often, but occasionally I see something that surprises my mind — such experiences are, to me, creative sustenance. I hope these images by photographer and artist Murat Germen have the effect on you that they did on me. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Murat Germen's Muta-Morphosis...
Asif Naqvi's Living Design offers a less complete but easier to access showing of Germen's work...
An earlier post about Living Design...
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May 7
Learning
Imagine you are Gerardus Mercator, the cartographer who produced the world map in 1569 that forever changed the world of navigation. The map was the Nova et Aucta Orbis Terrae Descriptio ad Usum Navigantium Emendata: the "new and augmented description of Earth corrected for the use of sailors".
Now take a few minutes to watch the video below. It is a composite of a series of time lapse sequences of photographs taken by the crew of International Space Station expeditions in 2011.
A composite view of the Earth from NASA images edited by Michael König...
Next, take a look at Mercator's map.
Gerardus Mercator's 16th century map...
My point is this: The video reveals the amazing details of the terrain Mercator was attempting to map. By comparison, his map was, in large part, inaccurate.
It got me thinking about how much I think I know and how potentially inaccurate and uninformed my efforts could be. I mention it because I think it's occasionally necessary to step back and acknowledge the limitations of our experience and knowledge. And to make a renewed effort to dig deeper and do better.
Mercator's work, of course, was genius. Maybe your's is too. But let's not forget that we all have much to learn, and even more important, that we don't know what we don't know.
An indepth, fascinating Wikipedia article on the Mercator 1569 world map...
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May 5
Print Design
As the United States Secret Service says, "The law sharply restricts photographs or other printed reproductions of paper currency, checks, bonds, revenue stamps and securities of the United States and foreign governments."
Yet, occasionally, I see advertisers using photographs and illustrations of currency in a size and proportion that is a violation of the law. These links point to the seriousness of the issue.
Official guidelines from the United States Secret Service...
A cautionary story about how an innocent promo went wrong...
An interesting aside: The design changes made to United States Currency in the last decade...
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Apr 25
Graphics Tech
If you design websites you're always looking for the next best technological solution and ideas for matching your client's needs with available products and services.
The BuiltWith Search and Trends tools offer a good way to gather data about who's using what and what the trends are. BuiltWith analyzes a specific website and returns information about the technology that drives it. BuiltWith Trends, among other things, tracks the number of websites using each technology within specific groups — widgets, email hosts, payment providers, and so on.
Both of those are free. For a subscription, you can sign on for an even more powerful set of tools for finding and refining similar types of data.
If you're responsible for recommending online products and services, BuiltWith will surely become part of your toolset.
An example: What are the top content management Systems?...
And another: Which e-commerce platforms grew the fastest last month?...
Analyze a specific website using the BuiltWith search tool...
There are also free BuiltWith browser extensions that make it easy to analyze pages as you move around the web...
For Chrome
For Firefox
For Safari
The advanced tools...
And a website optimizer...
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Apr 23
Web Design
Today my friend Grahame Berney points us to a website that just went live. It is, "A new website about Queen Victoria's life, using material from the Royal Archives, has been launched by Buckingham Palace, as an educational and public resource to mark the Diamond Jubilee."
I thought you'd want to take a look.
Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee Scrapbook...
And while you're in the neighborhood:
The official website of The British Monarchy...
The official website of The Queen's Diamond Jubilee...
The Royal Collection...
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Apr 18
Learning
Years ago I was a member of the Microsoft Small Business Council, a group of six or eight authors and business owners chosen to put a face on Microsoft's small business efforts. For the announcement Microsoft flew us all to Redmond where we met its marketing team and got a look inside the headquarters.
Since then, I've always been interested in the culture of the big software and hardware companies. So I couldn't help myself when I saw this link from applegazette.com offering a look inside Apple headquarters.
I've been through Cupertino and the surrounding valley several times but I've never visited the Apple headquarters. Suffice it to say, what I have seen is fascinating — it's an intellectual, technological theme park. If you've never been, be sure to put it on your list of places to visit.
Inside Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California...
A bird's eye view of the Apple Campus...
The Apple organization chart from the May 23, 2011 issue of Fortune....
Sadly we won't see another image like this...
Haha... the Microsoft Small Business Council...
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Apr 13
Photography
In the early 1900s, Russian chemist and photographer Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii conducted a photographic survey of the Russian Empire. Between 1909 and 1915 he captured images from eleven regions of, what is otherwise, a thinly documented area of the world. What makes the images so unique is that he photographed them using an elaborate system that allowed him to reproduce the final images in color.
What I find instructive is how eerie they seem. Though they were taken 100 years ago, these vivid, high resolution photographs of people and places look as if they were taken on a movie set last week. Eerie, perhaps, because I'm just not used to seeing images from this long ago in natural color and my brain has a hard time finding them believable.
It's somewhat analogous to how the filtering effects applied to Instagram images inflence our perception of photographs folks are taking today. In that case, the effects remove the images from reality. (In case you're interested, here's a look at some new filters Facebook plans to offer now that they have acquired Instagram.)
Thanks to Russel Lacy for pointing us to it.
Example 1...
Example 2...
Example 3...
The complete gallery via the Library of Congress...
There are several venues that have edited and compiled some of the more interesting images in various forms. This is one of those compilations...
How it was done...
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Apr 11
Copywriting
The series Mad Men, set in 1960s New York, is a fictional portrayal of, as the producers describe it, "the ruthlessly competitive men and women of Madison Avenue advertising, an ego-driven world where key players make an art of the sell".
I don't claim that advertising is now or has ever been a business for the faint of heart — but the true story is a lot more complicated than the AMC series portrays. To illustrate, I tracked down some video clips of three iconic copywriters: David Ogilvy, Leo Burnett, and Bill Bernbach. Though I don't find that any of them had particularly warm and fuzzy personalities, I think it's instructive to see how they present themselves and explain their respective businesses.
David Ogilvy...
Leo Burnett...
Bill Bernbach...
Their agencies today...
Ogilvy & Mather...
Leo Burnett...
DDB Worldwide Communications Group...
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Apr 9
Basic design
Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York is a book by Karla and James Murray, two photographers who have made a hobby of capturing the design of the one-of-a-kind storefronts that make New York City and the surrounding boroughs so distinctive.
When you think of it, a storefront is much like a page design: the store name is the headline, the store tag line is a subhead, the windows and doors are shaped like text boxes, and the myriad of logos and other imagery used as signage act as illustrations.
I find these photographs are a good reminder of the importance of distinguishing your client's brand from everyone else's. By that I mean, when you drive by a 7-Eleven or a Target or a Panera, you have a fairly good idea of what you're going to find inside.
As the world is homogenized there's a movement to homogenize design along with it. To create liquid layouts and non-specific designs that readapt themselves to the devices they are shown on. I want my client's website to work on a tablet, a smartphone, and a desktop, but to relegate the layout to a canned application surrenders a lot of what makes your branding unique.
There's a place for elasticity, but don't make the mistake of allowing your client's information to be interpreted as nothing more than data. Their "storefront", their unique design, creates some mystery and says and shows what they're about in ways others do not.
Example 1...
Example 2...
Example 3...
The author's website...
A video about the process...
The book...
Here's an example of a liquid layout...
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Apr 4
Typography
Back in January, typeface designer Matthew Butterick sent a letter to film director Brad Bird chastising him about his use of the Verdana typeface for the subtitles of the film, Mission Impossible. Bird's response came in the form of a tweet and was dismissive: "...If you direct a big film on a tight budget & schedule, chances are fonts won't ever be your most pressing problem."
I can't think of an example that better illustrates the chasm between those who specify and apply typefaces without giving it a thought and those who find significance in the many ways typefaces, properly used, are used to clarify the communication of information and make it easier to read and digest.
Matthew Butterick, who is also a lawyer, is the author of Typography For Lawyers, Essential Tools For Polished & Persuasive Documents. Though it is clearly written for lawyers, most of the book is applicable to non-lawyers as well. As he states in its introduction, "If you ignore typography, you are ignoring an opportunity to improve both your writing and your advocacy."
Though much of the book is presented online we are told that about two-thirds, including many visual examples, specific technical instructions for specific word processing programs, and other segments are only available in the for purchase versions.
Though I do not adhere to every nuance, I certainly recommend you take a look. Matthew Butterick's book offers a valuable, compelling example of typographic mastery.
Thanks to Jeff Fisher for pointing us to it.
Typography For Lawyers, the Introduction...
Some excellent ideas on font substitution...
Before and after documents...
The front door to Butterick's website...
Sample pages (7) from the book (630KB PDF)...
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Mar 30
Graphics Tech
Are you a search expert? You should be. Search engines are a critical tool for a designer in 2012. They are the gateway between you and the vastness of digital space. If you're not using Google and other resources at an expert level you're conceding one of your most powerful design tools.
I realize it might seem as if I'm stating the obvious but I hear plenty of designers (and other professionals) who seem to ask questions that could easily be answered with an informed search. If that's the case, you can imagine all the other information goodness they're missing out on.
Searches can be as complex as you want them to be. To me the key has always been about putting yourself in the place of the person who produced the information you're looking for. It's about word order and "operators" and context.
If you're wondering if you know what you need to, take a look at this gem of a webinar from Stephan Spencer, author of Google Power Search published by O'Reilly.
The blurb about the webinar, Become an Expert Google Searcher in an Hour, explains it like this, "Do you use Google every day? Mastering Google's powerful search refinement operators and lesser known features could, over a year's time, save you days scouring over irrelevant results. Even more enticing is the promise of elusive nuggets of market research and competitive intelligence out there waiting to be discovered -- IF you know how to wield Google."
Stephan Spencer and Become an Expert Google Searcher in an Hour...
Spencer is an author of Google Power Search...
Spencer is also the author of The Art of SEO: Mastering Search Engine Optimization (Theory in Practice) also published by O'Reilly...
An archive of Spencer's articles...
Here's the big list of Google Search features...
A consolidated list of advanced operators for web search...
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Mar 26
Books
When you're designing information, you've got to articulate the message, gather the facts, and present it in a way that enhances the understanding and appreciation of it.
Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking by Nathan Myhrvold, Chris Young, Maxime Bilet is a mind-bending six-volume, profusely illustrated set of books that reveals science-inspired techniques for preparing food. It has been touted by some in the culinary world as a work destined to reinvent cooking.
I point you to it because I think it is an extraordinary example of information design.
In his spare time, author Dr. Nathan Myhrvold is the CEO of, what is arguably, the most famous invention capital system on the planet: Intellectual Ventures
As its website defines it, "We build, buy, and collaborate to create inventions. We supply those inventions to innovative companies through a variety of licensing and partnering programs. We believe an active market for invention and ideas will energize technological progress, potentially changing the world for the better."
You may also recognize his name as being the former chief strategist and chief technology officer of Microsoft...
An introduction by Nathan Myhrvold...
An illustrated PDF: The Story of This Book (5MB PDF)...
Nathan Myhrvold talks about the use of cutaway photography...
A recipe...
The Modernist Cuisine website...
The Cooking Lab...
Dr. Nathan Myhrvold is the CEO of Intellectual Ventures.
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Mar 21
Ideas 101
Yes even graphic design is, at its core, as much science as it is art. Those who see design as a pursuit of style miss the point. Design is about solving problems, communicating ideas, moving people to take specific actions, immersing audiences into new experiences, and so much more.
If you want a sense of what a broad, important discipline design is, take a few moments to explore these links. They are both inspirational and challenging. Lots of us flounder around in an attempt to find our place in the wonderfully rich profession of design. I have no doubt there is a place for anyone with a passion for the creative process and an open mind.
Let's start with Paola Antonell, senior curator in the Department of Architecture and Design for the Museum of Modern Art. A few years ago, at the first 5D Conference she talked about design and science...
The 5D Conferences are about "immersive design" for narrative media (film, TV, and so on) and the construction of imaginary worlds. This is the conference website...
Organizations like OBLONG, think big — that's what great designers (and scientists) do. Instead of narrowing one's focus, their mission is to "fundamentally change how humans use computers". Design is a scientific discipline...
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Mar 7
Photography
If you're a connoisseur of photography, you'll want to check out The Lively Morgue — a collection of images from the vast photography morgue of The New York Times.
To put that in context, they tell us, "If we posted 10 new archival pictures every weekday on Tumblr, just from our print collection, we wouldn't have the whole thing online until the year 3935."
The Lively Morgue (located on Tumblr)...
The curators also go to the trouble of scanning the back of each print to share the actual production notes and captions...
An explanation of the back story notations can be found at the bottom of the About section of The Lively Morgue website...
Another excellent morgue: The New York Journal American Photographic Morgue at the Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas at Austin...
The LENS has previously presented small collections of images from its morgue. Here's one on the transport of animals titled, "Landing in New York, on All Fours"...
If you're a particular nerd, you might enjoy reading about the derivation of newspaper morgues in this somewhat obscure publication from 1925 titled, "Special Libraries" provided by the Special Libraries Association. http://www.sla.org/
It explains, in part, "Miss Florence Woodworth of the New York State Library is authority for the statement that the first newspaper morgue was begun in Chicago in 1869. In the chapter on 'Pamphlets and Minor Material' in the A.L.A. Handbook of Library Economy published in 1917, she writes: 'From the days of the first scrapbook, appreciation of the value of clippings seems steadily to have grown. Newspaper men early saw the worth of an up-to-date file of information not to be had from books, and the first 'morgue' was begun in Chicago in 1869.'"
Special Libraries, Vol. 16, No. 10, December 1925 (1.8MB PDF)...
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Mar 5
Learning
I don't think Seth Godin gets enough credit — and he gets LOTS of credit. He is among the most recognized marketers on the planet (Ad Age ranks his blog as fifth on it's Power150). The more I read of what he writes the more I want to know — and that's the best a writer can hope for.
The reason I think he doesn't get enough credit is that he's pegged as a "marketing expert" and, while that label was once true, these days it's a pejorative. After years of reading his thoughts, I get a much broader impression. He's more about seeking the big picture — about trying to figure the best ways of directing the technological renaissance we find ourselves a part of to better ends.
Today I'll go a little off course and ask you to take a look at his latest e-book, Stop Stealing Dreams (what is school for?), a manifesto about the state of education and what we can do about it. You may or may not agree with his conclusions, but the fact that he's devoting his resources to point us to it (it's all free), to my way of thinking, makes it deserving of my attention.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on the book and Godin.
Seth's Squidoo page about the book..
Stop Stealing Dreams in print form (983KB PDF)...
While we're on the subject — another just-launched educational effort: "The Raspberry Pi is an ultra-low-cost credit-card sized Linux computer for teaching computer programming to children. It was developed by the Raspberry Pi Foundation, which is a UK registered charity (Registration Number 1129409). The foundation exists to promote the study of computer science and related topics, especially at school level, and to put the fun back into learning computing. We expect this computer to have many other applications both in the developed and the developing world." Versions will sell for $25 and $35.
Raspberry Pi...
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Feb 27
Illustration
Tutorials are useful but watching a professional illustrator use the tools to produce a real project, front-to-back, is infinitely more valuable.
Dan Kuhlken and Nathan Goldman of DKNG Studios have been kind enough to reveal their process for creating a series of eight posters (to date) using Adobe Illustrator.
Watch closely and you see how difficult "simple" is.
Example 1: Portlandia "Mixology" poster...
Portlandia poster process...
Example 2: Phish (Blossom Music Center) poster...
The Phish poster process...
Example 3: The Black Keys poster...
The Black Keys poster process...
The DNKG website...
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Feb 24
Packaging
I point you to Structural Graphics because I think they are "jolt thinkers". Jolt thinking is the opposite of formula thinking. It challenges you to examine your mission, strategy, and execution of a project. How? By answering three basic questions. What is the purpose? Why is it done the way it's done? And how can I do it most effectively?
Structural Graphics defines its staff as, "Experts at providing sensory-stimulating, emotionally engaging print materials". They dream up and produce all types of paper structures for use as everything from countertop displays and promotional packaging to presentation aids and brochure-substitutes. Looking at their track record and client list, it appears they are a leader in the field.
You might use them as a source, but more than that, next time you sit staring at a blank sheet of paper, these examples might get you thinking less about two-dimensions and more about potential.
A catalog of design ideas (exclusive)...
A listing of product ideas by category...
Once a week they publish a solution of the week via YouTube...
Structural Graphics' YouTube channel...
More about "jolt thinking"...
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Feb 12
Ideas 101
Startup Weekend is a weekend-long, 54-hour, hands-on experience for designers, developers, and aspiring entrepreneurs — a forum for sharing ideas, forming teams, developing products, and launching startups.
The organization's web FAQ says that all business ideas are eligible but that approximately 95% of all ideas are mobile- or web-focused, and given the short time-frame, it is recommended that even non-tech ideas focus on tech-related deliverables such as mobile apps and websites.
The program, started in 2007, now operates as a 501(c)3 non-profit and is funded, in large part, by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the world's largest foundation devoted to entrepreneurship.
Thanks to my friend Owen Zanzal for pointing us to this very interesting resource. If you're in or around Virginia, there will be a Startup Weekend event held in Charlottesville March 23-25 and I am told they are in need of more designers.
It could be your chance to come out and get something started.
First, a brief introduction...
The Startup Weekend website...
An article about the program from TechCrunch...
Startup Weekend's page of Resources for transforming an idea into a reality (quickly)...
The Startup Weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia takes place March 23-25...
The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation's website...
WillItBeYou.com is a website launched by the Kauffman Foundation to promote entrepreneurship...
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Feb 6
Web Design
Would it be useful to you, as a designer, to be a fly on the wall of Facebook headquarters and to hear what the leadership believes are its strengths and vulnerabilities? Wouldn't it be educational to know all about the current platform and hear about the products and services Mark Zuckerberg and his team are planning for the future?
This is a close as we may get — absolutely fascinating stuff: The Facebook Form S-1 Registration Statement as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Thanks to my friend Bruce Schneider for pointing us to it.
The Facebook Form S-1 Registration Statement...
"Risk Factors" talks about the potential risks and uncertainties of the business model...
The "Business" section tells, in detail, how the Facebook platform works, what products and technologies it includes, how it currently fits into the social networking landscape, and reveals where its leadership wants to take it...
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Feb 3
Graphics Tech
If not, you might be surprised to know that many folks believe he, his colleagues, and the institution of Stanford University in Santa Clara Valley, California created the very seedbed of the Technological Renaissance known as Silicon Valley.
Is renaissance too big a word to describe it? Not when you consider the fact that this one small part of the planet produced (in large part) the transistor, microprocessors, personal computers, genetic engineering, and the protocols which would become the standard for Internet communication between computers.
And much, much more.
I point you to this because, until I spent some time reading about it, I did not fully appreciate the magnitude of the what happened here in the last 50 years.
A capsule history of Stanford and The Rise of Silicon Valley...
From the Santa Clara Valley Historical Association, a list of achievements...
An interview with Frederick Emmons Terman...
Another Silicon Valley father, William Bradford Shockley Jr....
A goldmine of interesting insights...
Interviews with and about the inventors...
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Jan 25
Illustration
Mitch Blunt offers an example of how an illustrator's style can evolve throughout their career. Between the last example and the first three, he found a whole new way of expressing his ideas. And with it, a list of clients such as Wired, Google, and The Atlantic.
Thanks to my son Rob Green for pointing us to it.
Example 1 from 2011...
Example 2 from 2011...
Example 3 from 2011 ...
Example 4 from 2009...
Blunt's Tumblr page...
An interview with Mitch Blunt...
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Jan 23
Illustration
Two reasons to watch this video. First and foremost, I really like the way it tells the story of its subject. The juxtaposition of a person with type and illustrations is effective and the scene us use to build the story drew me in and made me want to sick around for the outcome.
The second reason to watch the video is to learn about Hyper Island, a school of sorts for students and a continuing education source for working creatives.
It sounds as if, one important aspect of the experience is to get you up to speed on the digital world -- as one attendee, Kathy Hepinstall a former Creative Director at Martin Agency, put it: "It used to be charming for a creative in advertising to be a technophobe. Not so anymore so climb out of the tar pit, Dino".
I don't know enough about it to know just how relevant it all is, but the testimonials by attendees reads like a who's who of advertising agencies so there must be something cooking.
Hyper Island On a Wall...
About Hyper Island...
Programs...
Master classes...
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Jan 10
Learning
Will you do me a favor? I'd like to use the occasion of the new year to ask you two questions about your walk as a creative. First...
How are you doing?
Are you busy, motivated, optimistic, learning new things? In other words, what is your state of mind about the state of your craft (graphic design, marketing, illustration, photography, writing — whichever part of the creative field you represent)?
What is the most challenging part of your job at this point in your career?
Maybe it's something that has always been a challenge or maybe it's a distinct change in the landscape. Tell us where the roadblock is, or if you've already found the path around it, what the solution was.
Why these questions? Because it will be interesting to know if there are any common threads that run among us. And it might be encouraging to others to hear about the issues colleagues are dealing with — positive and negative.
There are no rules — just share what moves you and we'll see what happens. If you would prefer not to share your answers publicly, address them to me at chuckgreen@ideabook.com and I will report on them in general. Thanks in advance.
Jan 9
Illustration
How do you make a better map? Ask cartographer David Imus. Mapmaking is not only about measurements and data, a great map is a feat of graphic design.
David Imus recently won the Cartography and Geographic Information Society's (CaGIS) annual Map Design Competition, Best of Show designation for his acclaimed new map: The Essential Geography of the United States of America.
Seth Stevenson takes a look the making of the map and explains what makes it significant in a piece he wrote for Slate.com.
Many thanks to Wendy Hersh for pointing us to it.
The Essential Geography of the United States of America...
An insightful piece about the map by Seth Stevenson for Slate.com...
The Imus Geographics website...
The Cartography and Geographic Information Society's (CaGIS) website...
About David Imus...
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Jan 2
Basic design
The Walker Art Center in Minneapolis and the Smithsonian Institution's Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, in New York have co-organized an international exhibition titled Graphic Design: Now in Production — what is being called, "an ambitious look at the broad-ranging field of graphic design".
As the exhibit's website describes it, the exhibit "explores how graphic design has broadened its reach dramatically over the past decade, expanding from a specialized profession to a widely deployed tool." The work featured, "explores design-driven magazines, newspapers, books, and posters as well as branding programs for corporations, subcultures, and nations".
Whether or not you are able to visit the exhibit, I encourage you to order a copy of the exhibit catalogue, a 225-page book that includes hundreds of examples plus twenty-some opinion pieces on the recent history and current state of graphic design by the exhibit's curatorial team and others.
The irony is graphic design, as Ellen Lupton puts it, is "about doing something in the world" or pragmatics — and the very nature of such an exhibit is to look at the work and describe it (for the most part) outside the context for which it takes action. It will fascinating to see how well the exhibit is able to bridge that divide.
I'm anxious to see it — here are the venues:
Walker Art Center, Minneapolis through January 22, 2012
Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, New York, May 16, 2012
Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, California, September 30, 2012
Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston, Texas, July 19, 2013
Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art, Winston-Salem, NC, Oct 24, 2013
A quick overview...
The exhibit web page...
About the exhibit catalogue...
Purchase the exhibit catalogue...
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Jan 2
Marketing PR
I have run into a couple of colleagues lately who, after they were interviewed for a position, did not hear back from the potential employer (no less hear back from them in a timely manner). I believe the folks who told me, but I find such treatment unimaginable.
If you're guilty of this offense, give me a moment (I can tell you the truth because I'm not in the market).
What I want to say is this: No matter who you interview, if someone has gone to the trouble of coming to shake your hand and tell you about themselves with the understanding that you might hire them, you are REQUIRED by any measurement of human decency to contact them in a timely manner and to give them a status of the process.
Maybe you're still considering them, maybe you've decided not to hire anyone, maybe you hired someone else, or maybe you haven't made a decision in the days since you spoke with them — the point is you OWE that person a thank you and an update — in writing or by phone. Period.
It doesn't matter if you're the CEO of a publicly traded corporation or the manager of a small business, you need to build a timely, meaningful response into your hiring process. If you delegate the responsibility to others and you're not clear if and how they follow up, you are equally at fault if it's not getting done. (It is not surprising that many of the most powerful people I've dealt in my career are also some of the most cognizant of other people's feelings — that's one reason they got to where they are.)
Disagree? I'd love to hear your thoughts. I just hate to think that anyone who has the wherewithal to hire someone else needs to be reminded to "do as you would be done by".
Dec 12
Basic design
Graphic design is, in many cases, the re-expression existing ideas. In most cases, re-casting a visual metaphor you've encountered or using a combination of typefaces that seem to work well together would seem to be acceptable practice. But when does inspiration become imitation?
Jessica Hische tackled the subject recently and I'm using her thoughts as the catalyst for a continued discussion on the subject.
Jessica Hische on Inspiration vs. Imitation...
Visual plagiarism: when does inspiration become imitation ?...
Bob Caruthers offers some examples of "Similarities"...
One of my earlier posts about copyright infringement...
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Dec 5
Illustration
Let's talk a little bit about film production design and art direction. I live in Richmond, Virginia where Steven Spielberg is currently filming his latest motion picture, Lincoln. We walked around the Virginia State Capitol this afternoon and took a look at how Spielberg's production company is transforming it into an 1860's White House.
It got me thinking about my days writing and directing industrial videotapes — how-to videos and small productions on budgets, most of which, wouldn't equal the cost of one days lunch for the cast and crew of a major film. But it reminded me of the importance of art direction in film, how much hard work it is, and how satisfying the results can be.
As described by Media Match (an online database of over TV and film professionals), the Production Designer is responsible for the entire art department and helps the director achieve the film's visual requirements. The Art Director facilitates the production designer's creative vision for all the locations and sets.
If you've ever wondered why films cost what they do, take a look around this one location and at the extent to which the producers have gone to make it believable. (Please excuse the quality of the images, I was documenting, not composing.)
First, a quick panorama of the scene that I stitched together (you may have to click on it twice to see it full-sized)...
The shot below shows what is actually the back side of the Virginia State Capital. The columns and roof are a facade build for the picture to simulate the White House in Washington DC at that time...
The paved drive that surrounds the Capital has been covered with a thin layer of mulch...
Something in the shot we don't want the camera to see? Put some trees in front of it...
Need to hide a trash receptacle? Camouflage it with a pile of supplies...
What separates one film from another? One thing is the level of detail. Check out the coloring of the tents, the fabric on the chairs, and the labeling on the ammunition...
The Governor's Mansion is just outside your view beyond the portico....
On the periphery there are other props being readied...
and remnants of production everywhere...
This is the full job description for a Production Designer...
And a job description for an Art Director...
The Production Designer for Lincoln is Rick Carter whose credits include Jurassic Park, Forrest Gump, and Avatar...
The Art Director for Lincoln is Curt Beech who Art Directed Star Trek and The Social Network...
Veteran Production Designer Jim Bissell talks about judging the Best Art Direction Oscar...
A look at Daniel Day-Lewis as Lincoln...
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Dec 2
Learning
In June of 2010 Dominic Flask launched Design Is History — part of his graduate thesis from Fort Hays State University in Kansas. He explains, "I created this site as a teaching tool for young designers just beginning to explore graphic design and as a reference tool for all designers. It provides brief overviews of a wide range of topics combining to form a history of the evolution of graphic design."
If you know someone who's interested in a design career, send them this link and they'll get a good feel for what design is all about. Need to regain your own perspective about our profession? There isn't a better place to start. (Watch for the many worthwhile links and resources.)
1920s: Herbert Bayer...
1960s: Herb Lubalin...
1980s: Paula Scher..
Topics: Interactive Design...
Dominic Flask's Design Is History...
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Nov 14
Learning
In the recent past I was approached by a web startup to help with the design of a product user interface. To make a long story short, they wanted me to compete with several other designers to produce a design and, if they liked mine best, I'd get the job. All they needed to see, they explained, was one page.
Just one design of the grid size and column widths...
One definition of the primary functions — what needs to be said and show...
One definition of the terminology — how to say it and show it...
One set of innovations — elements that distinguish their UI from others...
One treatment for the logo and tag line...
One design of the menu and button styles...
One design of the illustration and photography styles...
One wet of choices for the aesthetics such as typefaces and colors...
One page that I figured, properly researched and designed, would take a minimum of 30 hours to produce.
My point is this approach is bad business for everyone involved. Among the risks of spec work, the AIGA writes, "Clients risk compromised quality. Little time, energy and thought can go into speculative work, which precludes the most important element of most design projects — the research, thoughtful consideration of alternatives, and development and testing of prototype designs."
Needless to say I declined the offer (too bad, it looked like an interesting project). But all is not lost, it leads me to today's post — the debate about whether or not you and I should do spec work. Yes, I understand many of us pitch accounts but this is different. This is comparable to producing a finished TV spot to get a job doing a TV spot.
Here's the anti-spec argument...
And the AIGA's position on it...
And a rather agnostic, but useful view from a talented photographer and designer, Nick Campbell (warning: the video contains some strong language)...
Nick's website...
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Nov 11
Photography
On July 11, 2011 a website called Historypin was launched by a non-profit organization known as We Are What We Do.
As they describe it, "Historypin is a way for millions of people to come together, from across different generations, cultures and places, to share small glimpses of the past and to build up the huge story of human history."
"Everyone has history to share:," they say, "whether its sitting in yellowed albums in the attic, collected in piles of crackly tapes, conserved in the 1000s of archives all over the world or passed down in memories and old stories. Each of these pieces of history finds a home on Historypin, where everyone has the chance to see it, add to it, learn from it, debate it and use it to build up a more complete understanding of the world."
Thanks to Jim Green for pointing us to Historypin.
An overview of the project...
The map...
"Tour" content...
The Historypin blog and one of the first posts...
The Historypin home page...
The We Are What We Do website...
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Nov 9
Graphics Tech
There are plenty of theories about where interaction design is headed — the trick is to separate hyperbole from true vision. Why should you care? Because, as designer and engineer Bret Victor puts it, we shouldn't, "...just extrapolate yesterday's technology and then cram people into it."
"Technology doesn't just happen." Victor says, "It doesn't emerge spontaneously, like mold on cheese. Revolutionary technology comes out of long research, and research is performed and funded by inspired people."
He knows what he's talking about. Among his many accomplishments Victor, "...designed the initial user interface concepts for iPad, iPod Nano, and half a dozen experimental hardware platforms. Initiated, designed, and prototyped over seventy concept projects, including radically reinvented interfaces for video editing, animation, drawing, learning, collaboration, mail, photos, and much more. Invented features for Mac OS X Lion. Worked with designers and engineers from all parts of Apple. (And) Routinely presented to top-level management."
If you're anything like me you'll find his insights and predictions fascinating. Thanks to my friend Monique Larsen for pointing us to it.
A brief rant on the future of interaction design...
Victor's information graphics bio...
Thinking about user interfaces in very different ways...
Magic Ink: a revolutionary approach to UI...
Victor's website: WorryDream.com...
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Nov 2
Typography
I'm sure you know Grace Bonney and Design*Sponge — it's a one-of-a-kind source of creative inspiration for both do-it-yourselfers and serious designers. Grace has that very unusual talent for being able to gather disparate elements and combine them in ways that make them seem as if they have always belonged together.
This time she's done it with people — three of her favorite "local" type-centric designers (local to New York City). As she says, "I packed up my camera and hopped on the subway to meet with some of my favorites..."
Jesse Ragan..
Louise Fili...
Jessica Hische...
A compilation of the interviews...
Design Sponge: Best of Fonts in Homes...
About Grace Bonney and Design*Sponge...
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Oct 31
Web Design
That's a quote from a member of the development team for Muse, a new web design and publishing product Adobe is creating for professional graphic designers (now in public beta).
I haven't used it so I have no opinion about its value, but if you aren't familiar with it, you need to be. Why? Because the barriers to design are going to continue to fall away. To make a living at graphic design we're going to need to be independent thinkers and doers.
I believe that, as the tools become easier to use and proliferate, more and more people with want to design. And that, as the field expands, good design will be more widely recognized, better understood, and the best of it will be more highly valued.
But being a good designer will be more difficult too — it will no longer be enough to simply make our designs look good, we're going to have to know how to make them work well.
In other words, more than ever, we'll need examine and understand the entire picture:
1. What is my client trying accomplish?
2. How can I optimize the content and design to facilitate that goal?
3. What combination of devices, technologies, and messages will we use to draw our audience into the conversation?
4. How will my client keep their marketing fluid?
Yes it's all moving quickly and it can get a bit overwhelming, but don't be discouraged, if you love it, you can find your place in it.
The Adobe Muse website (made using Muse)...
A series of videos that explain the product...
Some anti-Muse sentiment...
Another recent post about fundamental changes in the world of graphic design...
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Oct 17
Learning
Dale J. Stephens says, "A college degree is not a prerequisite for life," — it's a heck of a provocative, counter-culture statement.
Stephens is a twenty-something writer who started a movement in the form of a website: "UnCollege.org". His manifesto includes two primary points: First, that life and education can (and should) be mutually inclusive, and second, that you need to take responsibility for your own education.
I'm not saying we should close the colleges. I'm not suggesting that some career paths don't require a formal education. I'm saying Dale Stephens has some important things to say to students about their education. A message that I believe applies particularly well to the field of design. His manifesto also includes an important reminder for established designers: That learning should be a lifelong pursuit.
Many thanks to Bonnie Larner who pointed us to this important idea.
The UnCollege Manifesto (be sure to download the 1.5MB PDF — it's well worth it)...
The resources listed here provide a snapshot of the web as a learning institution...
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Oct 14
Print Design
Technology can be a little overwhelming sometimes. We're moving so fast, it's difficult to know which ideas to adopt and when to adopt them. Just when you settle on a content management system, for example, someone invents a new system that makes the one you just adopted looking kinda lame.
But it's inevitable. Hardware and software companies are like sharks, unless they keep moving forward, they drown — so they relentlessly invent and re-invent devices and tools in the hope that they'll maintain and grow their audience.
The good news is the creative options are ever expanding, the downside is it's almost a full time job separating the necessary and valuable from the gingerbread and hype. I love Adobe, in my lifetime they have played a major role in transforming my profession from a craft to a way of life.
I know it has become the industry way — but the Broadway show stuff makes me uneasy. I'm beginning to feel less like a partner and more like a member of the audience. Honestly, given the forces at work, I don't know that it is a problem that can be resolved, I just feel compelled to point to the obviousness of it.
You be the judge: Adobe's next big thing -- the creative cloud.
Adobe Chief Technology Officer Kevin Lynch's keynote presentation at MAX 2011...
The expressive web...
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Oct 12
Marketing PR
Do you know the terms "custom content," "content publishing," and "content marketing"? They all center around the idea of producing editorial-like content to promote brands in print and online.
A simple example is a magazine sponsored by a mobile device manufacturer that points to ways of using mobile devices to conduct business.
Following are some examples and resources (tip of the iceberg).
The Custom Content Council (CCC): A professional organization that represents custom publishers...
An issue of a magazine that highlights what is happening in the custom content and media industry — Content Magazine (published by the CCC)...
The Content Marketing Institute and 10 Must-Have Templates for Content Marketers...
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Oct 10
Ideas 101
So if you could explore any subject you wanted, what would it be? And if you could book any expert in the world to speak to you on that subject, who would they be?
When the folks at Facebook decide to bring someone in to talk to them about creativity, I make note of it. Here is Dr. Robert M. Bilder, Chief of Medical Psychology, Neuropsychology at UCLA and one of the directors of The Tennenbaum Center for the Biology of Creativity.
Robert Bilder on Creative Brains in the Post-Facebook Era...
The Tennenbaum Center for the Biology of Creativity...
Facebook Live is Facebook's official channel for broadcasting live events and communicating information from its headquarters in Palo Alto, California....
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Oct 5
Web Design
Much of the time the principles large companies use to develop and market their products does not translate well to small- and medium-sized concerns. The web is different. All websites have one significant thing in common — they all pursue a one-to-one relationship with the reader.
So it stands to reason that there is some value in understanding how successful websites make that connection. And there is no website that has more experience at it than Google. Here are their design principles.
Ten principles that contribute to a Googley user experience...
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Oct 3
Copywriting
Last week, on his Facebook page, Bob Bly (the copywriter's copywriter), pointed to a service that is developing technology that, "...Generates news stories, industry reports, headlines and more — at scale and without human authoring or editing." As they characterize it, they are working to "turn data into stories."
It's one more step in the struggle between art and science. Faster than we could ever hope of adapting to it, science marches forward attempting (with a fair amount of success) to automate all manner of human interaction, thought, and effort.
I wonder if the media will cover this or if the story will be written by its new competitor?
Narrative Science...
An article on the idea and the organization...
This all folds into Seth Godin's seismic column last week, The forever recession (and the coming revolution...
As implemented in the WSJ...
My reply to Bob Bly's post on Facebook: Ironic — I'm working on an application that reads data-generated text and converts it to clean drinking water. Here is his website...
And just for fun, Bob Newhart's wonderful bit, An Infinite Number Of Monkeys...
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Sep 26
Packaging
If you're enamored with Dieline.com, you'll love Boxvox.com. How do I explain the difference? Let me put it this way, I've come to think of Dieline.com as a fashion show and Boxvox.com as a sewing machine. Randy Ludacer's blog looks at the fabric of packaging: the current state of packaging, the history of packaging, the technical side of packaging, and all threads in between.
Chained Polyhedral Portion Packs...
Package as a metaphore...
Geografia's Polyhedral Planet...
Edge matching puzzles...
Randy, who is also a musician, even writes songs about packaging (bottom of the page)...
But don't miss Dieline.com either...
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Sep 23
Basic design
In October, Fast Company publishes its annual look at "Masters of Design" and "The United States of Design". I say "kinda" because we all recognize that the state of design changes hourly. A design in development this afternoon will likely sway our thinking shortly.
But it's fun to see who the design establishment — the educators, editors, pundets, curators, and organization heads — recognize as the current leaders in the field (I fear it will be another generation before the effusion about 3M and Post-It Notes finally dies down).
It's well worth a look.
The United States of Design...
Fast Company's 50 most influential designers in America...
A few examples of those cited...
Ji Lee, Facebook's creative director...
Scott Wilson...
Ben Fry...
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Sep 21
Typography
"You have to convince the client you have as much at stake as he does." Those are the words of the late designer and calligrapher Raphael Boguslav (1929-2010). You'll see many familiar brands in his portfolio. There's lots to see and learn from this old school icon.
Logos...
Lettering...
Calligraphy...
A video profile from the 1980s...
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Sep 16
Ideas 101
Attention, in particular, managers. Here's a rare interview with one of the co-founders of Adobe, John Warnock where he discusses innovation and the manager's role in it.
On the future of computing, Warnock tell those students contemplating a career in computer science, "...There is so much more room to innovate now than there was when I was growing up with computers — and there's so many more inventions to make, and there's so much more to conceive of and build because of the capabilities of the machines, that the opportunity now is greater than ever — and the returns are greater than ever..."
No business lasts forever (except PostScript)...
An official Warnock bio...
And on Wikipedia..
From The Wharton School: Warnock on the Competitive Advantages of Aesthetics and the 'Right' Technology...
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Sep 12
Photography
Last week I spent two days art directing a photography shoot inside a steel foundry and manufacturing plant. It reminded me of how interesting the job of a photographer (and designer) can be.
In fact, some of the most interesting folks I have met in my life are professional photographers. The reason is becuase, to do the job, you've got to be confident, outgoing, opinionated, technically skilled, and able to react quickly to the inevitable changes many projects present. That combination of traits makes for an eclectic, complex, personality.
Today I want to point you to a site dedicated to photographers and the nitty gritty of their business: APhotoEditor.com. The site is published by Rob Haggart, the former Director of Photography for Men's Journal and Outside Magazine, and features topics such as business practices, legal issues, marketing for photographers, and so on.
You'll have to visit it to get a feel for what distinguishes it from other photography resource sites — suffice it to say, I think the point of view is particularly intriguing.
Real World Estimates - Bribes And Kickbacks...
Reference to discussion about how photography is used to exaggerate...
"The Daily Edit" is Heidi Volpe's column which points to great editorial content...
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Aug 1
Learning
Line By Line is a 12-part New York Times series on learning the basics of drawing, presented by the artist and author James McMullan. As McMullan explains it, "During the 12-week period of this column, I will be working on posters for Lincoln Center Theater as well as on a children's book, and I will share with you sketches from those processes if they seem to illuminate an aspect of drawing being discussed."
My friend Jessica Jones pointed me to the series and shared this critical insight...
"For those of us who are not artists/designers, it is actually quite comforting to see the many, many iterations that get discarded, but also disconcerting to see the nimbleness of the artist's move from one approach to several quite-different approaches.
"I've just thought about what it reminds me of: long ago, when I was doing linguistics (the course was, 'The Theory and Practice of Writing,' a terrible title for a vivid and wonderful course), I came across research on the differences between fluid writers and plodding writers (or 'good' vs 'bad' writers). And it had to do with this 'nimbleness.' Both the fluid and plodding writers will produce, say, a draft or drafts of an essay/poem/novel/article. The plodding writer will go back and tweak a word here, a phrase there, move this paragraph from here to there. But the fluid writer will step back, scrap the lot, and rewrite from scratch.
"In A. Scott Berg's wonderful biography of Max Perkins, the famous but reserved Scribners editor of Hemingway, Wolfe, Fitzgerald inter alia, Berg writes of Perkins' editorial process. Perkins would, say, receive hundreds and hundreds of pages from Wolfe, read them thoroughly, and then write to Wolf something like, 'There's a character who emerges in Chapter 2. I suspect that this character is the real voice of your book.' And Wolfe would dash off and rewrite, to much better effect, the whole caboodle. So the 'fluid' writers don't tweak; they rework, rethink, take a different approach.
"I am better at this 'reworking' with my own (infrequent) writing, but in my wee forays into design,' I know I am definitely a plodding tweaker. I don't do what a journalist teacher once said: 'Don't agonize over your lead paragraph; write SEVEN different lead paragraphs, and go with the one that most energizes you.'"
Someone who understands the processes that well cannot, in my opinion, claim status as a "non-artist/designer." Jessica points to one of the most critical talents a designer can possess — the ability to explore at will. A good designer (or writer) develops an ability to dig into a topic deep enough to find the treasure but no so deep that they can't climb back out of the hole.
The first in the series: Getting Back to the Phantom Skill...
James McMullan's Line By Line — all twelve parts...
James McMullan's website...
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Jul 1
Basic design
As the story goes, Adobe was founded in 1982 and named for the Adobe Creek that ran behind John Warnock's house in Los Altos, California. Who could have predicted what Adobe would become — the company that started as the home of the PostScript page description language, ended up precipitating the desktop publishing revolution and today has 9000-plus employees and revenues of $3.8 billion.
But the magic, to me, is what Adobe has done for my profession. It has helped to grow seemingly creative disciplines -- graphic design, photo editing, illustration, animation, and so on -- into scientific collaborations and pursuits of the highest order.
Adobe invests 20% of its revenues in research and development. But, as they explain it, "The company's commitment to innovation... goes far beyond dollars spent. With a wide range of initiatives that provide resources, tools, and support to stimulate innovative practices at every level of the company's activities, Adobe has ensured that innovation remains an essential element of its long-term strategy."
For a guy who once used a T-square and press type, the stuff going on in places like the Adobe Advance Technology Labs is science fiction made real.
Cosaliency and image triage...
Video Tapestries...
Articulated puppet building...
PatchMatch...
About Innovation at Adobe...
Adobe Advanced Technology Labs home page (Above are just a few of the many developments Abobe has pursued on its own and in collaboration with other organizations. Be sure to explore the many headings under "Technologies" in the right column and meet the some of the players.)...
The Adobe Creek
Haha... press type
Hahahaha... the olden days...
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Jun 24
Graphics Tech
In his "Thoughts on Flash" article of April 2010, Steve Jobs makes his argument for why Apple no longer supports Flash — that Adobe's Flash is proprietary and therefor a "closed" platform and that Apple wants an "open" one.
Enter HTML5. As Jobs explains it, "...we strongly believe that all standards pertaining to the web should be open. Rather than use Flash, Apple has adopted HTML5, CSS and JavaScript - all open standards."
"HTML5, the new web standard that has been adopted by Apple, Google and many others, lets web developers create advanced graphics, typography, animations and transitions without relying on third party browser plug-ins (like Flash). HTML5 is completely open and controlled by a standards committee, of which Apple is a member."
That's a necessary preface to showing you the official HTML5 website. I point you to it because of the technology it represents AND for the design of it's logo and icons.
The logo and website design...
The technology...
Thoughts on Flash by Steve Jobs...
If you're ready to dig in, check out James Williamson's tutorial on Lynda.com: HTML5: Structure, Syntax, and Semantics (a few tidbits of which can be viewed for free)...
When will HTML5 be ready for primetime? This recent article by Stephen Shankland for CNET News ends with the following "...although the HTML5 standardization process is very drawn out, it's not charting some future ideas. More often, it's codifying the present, settling down practices already supported in browsers and used on the Web. So in many regards, HTML5 is already here"...
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Jun 22
Illustration
If you're a writer, designer, illustrator, photographer, editor, developer, or marketer, the obvious answer is yes. The proof is in the many new studios popping up to specialize in the development of content for the new generation of phones and tablets.
Electric Type, for example, bills itself as a digital book foundry. Here, they provide us with a taste of how some of the aforementioned players have collaborated to reinvent a storybook.
A video tour of their first project: The Jungle Book...
How it was made...
About Electric Type...
Illustrator Nigel Buchanan's portfolio...
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Jun 15
Typography
Type is magic. The characters of our alphabet are so ingrained, our brains are able to intuitively translate certain mixes of characters into an infinite array of feelings, impressions, and understanding. There is much speculation about how a typeface influences the message it conveys, but it think it's safe to assume that it can be significant.
So it's no wonder organizations would commission Ray Cruz to design a unique typeface. He has developed many you will recognize — for Pella Windows, Xerox, United States Postal Service, New York Life, and Este Lauder — exclusive typefaces that add an additional layer of distinction to the brands they represent.
Why a custom typeface? The most obvious advantage is, of course, that a custom design distinguishes an organization's collateral, signage, website, and other branding materials from all others. It can be designed to reflect the particular preferences of the organization's creative team and conform to branding standards.
But there are also financial and logistical reasons for a custom design. Some organizations, for example, commission typefaces to avoid the fees and distribution restrictions associated with a typical retail font license.
Logistically, an organization might commission a typeface that is optimized for use with a specific language and/or to include a set of special characters that addresses the needs of a particular industry or profession.
Cruz, formerly the Type Director at Young & Rubicam Advertising, has his own firm devoted to designing custom typefaces, logos, and book covers. He also, luckily, has designed many retail typefaces for type foundries such as Agfa/Monotype, Garage Fonts, Bitstream, and P22.
Cruz's website...
His portfolio of typefaces (1.9MB PDF)...
Some of his retail typefaces on myfonts.com...
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Recognize this custom typeface for Xerox?
May 25
Graphics Tech
I'm just back from the aforementioned conference and I thought I'd sit down and share some impressions. My hope is that, if you don't normally attend these events (I don't either), that you might be interested in the goings-on...
First impression: It's a global thing.
Roughly 400 folks attended the conference from 33 states and 11 countries — I believe it was a sell-out. I heard mention of Australia, Hong Kong, Serbia, Belgium, United Kingdom, Guatemala, and others. I know that kind of diverse participation is no great revelation to people who move in design and software circles frequently, but to someone who doesn't, I am particularly aware of the privilege it is to be a part of this type of international event.
It's a community.
Equally as interesting is the sense of community I felt. Designers, geeks, authors, and designer-geek-authors have much in common. Many of us are most comfortable in designing our world and staying within its bounds — so it's particularly exciting to be with other folks who spend so much of their lives on the same layer. I love my wife, but she couldn't care less about which device and software I use to calibrate my HP ZR30w monitor (thank goodness). Occasionally, it's a good idea to sit with people whose brains are trying to solve similar problems and attain similar outcomes.
There is no single voice.
For some reason I had the expectation that I would hear one side of things. Yes, that sounds silly in hindsight, but that's what I was thinking. The reality of it reminds me that there are as many workflows, approaches, and opinions about design and production as there are people doing it. For example, I sat in a session with the InDesign development team who all seemed to think that it should be the printer's responsibility to produce final production PDFs from native InDesign files. That was followed by the "Long Live Ink" roundtable with Design Tools Monthly editor Jay Nelson and prepress troubleshooter and Adobe Certified Instructor James Wamser both of whom seemed to think the opposite — that most jobs are best prepared for printing by the user (using the printer's guidelines).
E-publishing is in its big-bang stage.
There are MANY ways to create and view e-publications and MANY devices and platforms on which to view them. That's about all anyone agrees on. Which software and software settings to use (including InDesign's EPUB export) will be dictated by the device you're preparing your publication for, the complexity of the document, the intended distribution channel, and so on. As conference organizer David Blatner pointed out, you can't, for example, produce PDFs to sell through Apple — not because you can't produce them, not because the iPad can't read them, but because Apple doesn't yet allow you to distribute them through iBooks.
There are also significant design considerations to be tackled. When you convert page layouts for different devices and orientations, you'll need to design different layouts for each setting or create simplified, "elastic" layouts that adapt to multiple uses. I heard someone refer to that conversion as changing your layout into a Microsoft Word document.
Software developers and designers alike are in the very early stages of figuring out how to recast information in ways that are compatible with the new devices yet as aesthetically pleasing as print and conventional web page design. I think even the folks at Adobe would agree that (for now), that InDesign's EPUB export is not for creating e-versions of complex layouts.
Chris Kitchener, Senior Product Manager for Adobe InDesign, "Meet my extended family," 2011 InDesignSecretsLive Print and ePublishing Conference (doctored image)
The best early tools are expensive.
It's not surprising that the tools that allow the most control over page layout and effects are being developed for the upper echelon of the publishing trade. James Fritz, another respected author and trainer, discussed some of the many platforms used to create digital versions of magazines — Adobe Digital Publishing Suite, WoodWing's Digital Magazine Tools, Mag+, and others — and the fact that the new pricing models require both upfront fees (most in the thousands of dollars) for the initial content management systems and ongoing monthly or per-piece publication fees. (The good news is that by the time you read this [a couple of hours after I write it] everything will have changed.)
Much of what I learned was from the audience.
I went because of the featured speakers but I learned lots from the audience too. Questions, suggestions, and comments from audience members were every bit a useful as those from the assembled experts. For example, in one session, Eddy Hagen, the managing director of VIGC in Belgium offered some excellent insights on the production of PDFs and pointed us to his own Flemish Innovation Centre for Graphical Communication and the Ghent PDF Workgroup. There we're lots of high-powered users and experts in the audience.
Technology is a moving target.
No revelation here, but it is impressive when a presenter changes her slides in the hours just preceding her presentation because of some new tidbit of information. From his view inside Adobe, the Lead Product Manager for Adobe InDesign, Chris Kitchener, explained the perplexing process of gathering suggestions for new features, fixing bugs, and working with engineers to update a program as complex as InDesign. It's easy to forget the divergent pressures applied by users, reviewers, stockholders, partners, marketers, and so on to influence the decisions about which features or fixes to produce when and why.
BTW, the Adobe team was particularly impressed by and thankful for this blog post which explains that InDesign is a database and why, for example, files are not backward compatible.
There is a modicum of tension between Adobe and its community.
One of the most intriguing revelations of the experience was the respectful tension there is between the product producers and their users. All of it was friendly and in good humor, but it's obviously, a real issue. Adobe wants everyone to like its products and users are great at pointing to flaws. None less than Michael Ninness, now the VP of Content for Lynda.com, formally the Senior Product Manager for InDesign, rose to ask the current Senior Product Manager when certain features (such as charting) would be added to InDesign. It was all good-natured (especially when Ninness pointed out that he, himself, hadn't added the feature when he could have), it is a complicated dance.
There are few better venues for meeting the people you want to meet.
I had the pleasure of meeting, face-to-face, some of the many people I communicate with online and introducing myself to others I would not have otherwise had the opportunity to meet.
First and foremost I got to meet and speak with one of the conference organizers, David Blatner. My only complaint about the entire conference is we didn't hear more from David. He is a smart, personable guy who knew as much or more about InDesign (from a user standpoint) as anyone in attendance.
If you don't know Blatner, he's the editorial director of InDesign Magazine, wrote Real World InDesign (and 14 other books), teaches courses on InDesign at Lynda.com, and co-hosts InDesignSecrets.com with Anne-Marie Concepción.
Their combined experience with InDesign, the InDesign community, and Adobe corporate made David and Anne-Marie uniquely qualified to pull together this wide and deep gathering of designers, technicians, and developers.
If you don't know Anne-Marie Concepción, she too teaches courses on InDesign at Lynda.com, does the InDesignSecrets.com thing, plus rules her own creative empire at Seneca Design & Training.
This was also an opportunity to sit with Jay Nelson and Lesa Snider. Jay is the affable publisher of Design Tools Monthly, the only industry publication I read cover to cover, every issue. It was a real treat to spend some time comparing notes with someone else who is as interested as I am in finding and sharing the the best of design and publishing ideas. Lesa is a writer for Macworld, author of numerous books, chief evangelist for iStockphoto.com, and host of graphicreporter.com
I also had the good fortune to have one-to-one discussions with conference speakers Gabriel Powell, InDesign and Photoshop author and Senior Solutions for Typifi Systems, Ron Bilodeau, the Production and Design Specialist at O'Rielly (who once worked for the beautifully designed Cooks Illustrated), Chris Kitchener, Lead Product Manager of Adobe InDesign, Nigel French, the author of InDesign Type (who spoke about designing with a grid), and Cari Jansen, a technical writer and print and publishing consultant who spoke about the challenges of this new medium.
And I gathered some great insights from Keith Gilbert, a brilliant tech- and design-savvy guy who spoke about XML and data publishing and who showed me an impressive project he had just finished. It's a beautifully designed iPad-based catalog/brochure his client's sales force will use at an upcoming trade show.
All that and, of course, all of the good stuff I learned (I just downloaded a 344-page PDF of conference slides that Anne-Marie Concepción made available to those who attended.)
Finally, most happily, I got to meet a few folks who subscribe to my newsletter at ideabook.com and who read my blog at PagePlane.com. Thank you all for introducing yourselves. (If I didn't get your business card please send me an email so we can stay in touch.)
So... where's the 2012 conference?
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Mar 30
Graphics Tech
The burning desire of the search engine heart is to understand "intent". It wants to understand what the user is really after.
Enter Quora. As they explain it, "Quora is a continually improving collection of questions and answers created, edited, and organized by everyone who uses it. The most important thing is to have each question page become the best possible resource for someone who wants to know about the question."
"Anyone can add questions and answers to Quora. They can also categorize questions by adding topics to them, summarize answers on a question page, and edit any question or summary. Duplicate questions and topics are unified so that the content on the site keeps getting better instead of getting fragmented. Users can follow questions, topics and people, which creates a stream of relevant questions and answers for each user. The site is closely monitored and maintained by its users so the quality of questions and answers stays high."
I've only been using Quora for a short time so I can't vouch for the quality of the information, but what I've seen is promising. I have used it enough to know that if you're interested in staying abreast of fast-moving technology, Quara should be on your radar.
Want to see it work? Sign in and ask, "What is Facebook's architecture?" You'll see the many options for discovering answers and leads to other related topics.
Quora questions and answers search...
Some analysis coming from BBH Labs...
More discussion of Quora on TechCrunch...
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Mar 4
Learning
Sal Khan has produced 2100 10 to 20 minute video instructive lessons on subjects as varied as Inductive Reasoning and the French Revolution. Khan narrates the lessons himself in an interested, enthusiastic tone, and like any good teacher, has a talent for breaking complex concepts into understandable, easily digestible explanations and examples.
Khan's idea is to provide teachers and students with free access to his lessons and to monitor and improve the lessons as they are used. His theory is that relieving teachers of the need to prepare and present lectures will free them up to spend time working with students on a one-to-one basis.
I point you to this because I don't think there is anything more important in professional development than to have a sense for where our world is headed. If you were a graphic designer before the advent of desktop publishing, you know how dramatically the new tools changed our profession. I'm guessing the fundamental changes we are witnessing in how people learn and share information will make the changes we experienced in the first twenty-five years of the technological revolution pale in comparison.
These times are exciting, frightening, unpredictable, and present virtually unlimited opportunities.
The Khan Academy...
The idea...
Bill Gates talks about Sal Khan...
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Feb 21
Ideas 101
The reason I am pointing you to James Geary's TED Talk on the subject of metaphors is because it reminds me of how important it is that our designs don't simply replay the same old, tired messages. (As I was writing this, my first thought was to use the phrase, "break new ground" — it doesn't get much worse than that.)
Geary mentions a George Orwell essay in which he offers six rules for improving the writer's use of the English language including: "Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print."
That's quite a challenge. Doubt me? Try writing a few paragraphs without a "well worn" metaphor. Imagine too if we, as designers, were to rewrite that rule in graphic designese — something like, "Never use a marketing approach, page layout, or color scheme which you are used to seeing in print."
James Geary, Metaphorically Speaking...
George Orwell's 1946 essay, "Politics and the English Language"...
Geary's 7 Strange Places to Meet a Metaphor...
Roger von Oech breaks my tired, old lightbulb...
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Feb 2
Ideas 101
Kickstarter is a web platform for funding creative projects. You articulate and propose your idea — investors buy in... or don't.
Thanks to my son Jeff for pointing me to a new project proposal from Frank Chimero (a designer I've pointed you to in the past). Within just two days, funding of his project is almost twice what he was asking. Interesting project, interesting platform.
Frank Chimero's The Shape of Design...
More projects from the design category...
My previous post about Frank Chimero's work...
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Jan 24
Ideas 101
Before I can design something — a website, a logo, a brochure, whatever — I've got to understand what needs to happen. What my client's purpose and motive is, and the action they want their audience to take.
Once I understand what I am being asked to accomplish, I can design with purpose. I'm not a decorator, I'm a designer — my job is to determine the combination of elements — the images, typefaces, and user interface — necessary to communicate messages in a way that makes them interesting and accessible.
Teaching that process is what John McWade is so expert at. Through the pages of Before & After Magazine, he has been teaching what others don't, in ways that others can't, since the days when the first version of Aldus PageMaker was in beta testing. He parses, deconstructs, and studies a design problem, then packages a solution in a form that is easy to understand, digest, and reproduce.
I've written for B&A and I can testify that there's nothing easy about making things simple. I have pointed you to John in the past, but there is some new news worth sharing: John McWade has begun a series of wonderful short stories about design — video snippets that once again have me thinking about what is possible.
One in the series, How to design without graphics...
The beginnings of the new collection...
Plus, for the first time, the entire Before & After collection goes digital...
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Jan 21
Learning
Among his credits John Hunt counts the not small distinction of being the Worldwide Creative Director of TBWA. I image most would agree that having achieved such a position qualifies you as a bit of an idea expert.
Perhaps most interesting is his declaration (I couldn't agree more) that anyone can have an idea, that better ideas do not necessarily come from those in more senior positions.
John Hunt on ideas...
If this speaks to you, you can select more parts of the talk in the right column...
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Dec 20
Learning
My old friend Martin Bounds points us to Big Think: "a global forum connecting people and ideas." Design is not the only focus, but the site does include many design-oriented interviews with people whose names you will recognize. In all, superb, personal insights well worth your time.
Here's a taste...
George Lois on his design epiphany (among other topics)...
Paola Antonelli, MoMA Curator for Architecture and Design on exhibit design (among other topics)...
Khoi Vinh on the differences between print and web development (among other topics)...
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Nov 15
Basic design
Emily Oberman and Bonnie Siegler are the founders of Number Seventeen — a multi disciplinary design studio with a stellar reputation and a wide, deep, impressive portfolio of work. Today though, allow me to point you to their comic series — a quirky collection of design-centric insights and anecdotes.
How to stay friends with a graphic designer (1.2MB PDF)...
How to be a good designer (263KB PDF)..
Worst. Meetings. Ever. (138KB PDF)...
Now THAT's a portfolio...
The Number Seventeen home page...
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Nov 5
Learning
As I've said (ad nauseum), I believe Lynda.com is the most useful, economical source of computer software training there is. What I haven't alerted you to is their Creative Inspirations series — a collection of one hour (roughly) documentaries featuring creative individuals and their firms.
This month, they rolled-out a new take on their existing story approach — an explanation of which you will find below (the second link from the bottom).
But before you dive in, be sure to take a look at the current collection. Though viewing most of the footage requires a subscription, the underlined links are available for free. That way you will quickly figure out that $25 for a month of access to Lynda's huge collection of work is a true bargain.
(I love the Workspace clips (most of which are free) — it's always fun to see the spaces other designers have created for themselves.)
The current lineup of interviews...
A fully accessible episode: Creative Inspirations: New Deal Studios, Visual Effects...
About the new approach...
The Lynda.com story...
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Oct 15
Learning
I doubt many would argue that Kevin Kelly is among the most interesting folks on the planet. I think of him as a "designer of understanding." If you do a little digging you'll see just how deep and grounded a man he is.
His long awaited book, What Technology Wants was released this week and if you subscribe to the importance many designers put on the concept of intellectual stimulation and lifelong learning, you'll want a copy. More on this later.
Kevin Kelly's What Technology Wants...
KK's bio...
A few of Kelly's blogs--Street Use...
The Technium...
Cool Tools...
Kelly's wonderful story of religious conversion from This American Life...
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Oct 13
Learning
I'm a long-time fan of designer Von Glitschka so, when he was scheduled to speak nearby, both my sons (Jeff and Rob — also designers) gave me a heads up. Last night we sat in on his presentation sponsored by the Richmond AIGA.
The message I came away with is this: Being talented is hard work. By that I mean Glitschka is clearly gifted — he's one of those designers whose work looks near-effortless. His ideas are clever and the execution of his layouts and illustrations are crisp and tight.
But I think the tendency is to look at "talent" (his and that of others) as some sort of magic sixth-sense, something that is bestowed on a few, not something that can be learned or earned. Glitschka's message reveals something quite different.
He tells, for example, about the two-foot stack of notebooks he keeps that catalog his doodles of the last twenty years. And he talks at length about the importance of learning about marketing, about the many tools and techniques he uses to spark ideas, and the importance of growing intellectually through reading, travel, and study.
He must have referred to at least five people he interviewed to prepare his presentation and did not even mention the time or energy it must have taken to write, design, and produce the 250-plus slides he uses in this one presentation.
To me, he is proof of the fact that "talent" takes hard work, that "simple" is complex, and that great design requires great dedication. If you think, "I don't have what it takes" — you're wrong. Being a solid designer takes passion, practice, tenacity, commitment, leadership, and lots of study. If you are willing to pursue it, you'll find a place and an audience that values what you do. If you want to write that off as talent, so be it.
Here is a page that details Von's Creating 5five Alarm Concepts ...
Glitschka's entire presentation — script, slides, and diagrams (80MB PDF)...
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Oct 8
Learning
Imagine that you are a person who wants for little. You are loved, you have well defined beliefs, you are secure, have good health, and virtually every physical comfort you can dream of. You are also confident that if you place a call to just about any other person on the planet, they are going to take your call.
Then what?
Such is the happy dilemma (it would seem) of Bill Gates. Now that he a has left his full-time gig at Microsoft, he is spending his time learning. Wouldn't you love to have his kind to access? Aren't you curious about what such a person would find so compelling that they would devote there time to learning about it?
You can.
It is called Gates Notes...
I think it's worth noting too that this is the web site design chosen by a guy who could have anyone in the world design it and could include any functionality possible. To me it is clean, a little technoid, rather simple.
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Oct 1
Typography
If you are as hopelessly addicted to letterforms you're already well aware of this typographic primer authored by educator and historian Ellen Lupton. What's new is this new, online version of the book.
Ellen Lupton's Thinking With Type..
Type Families (190KB PDF)..
It even includes some teaching tools for educators...
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Sep 27
Marketing PR
I was talking to a fellow designer the other day and we were discussing the horrendous state of marketing in certain quarters—where unscrupulous marketers put forth products and services that are clearly meant to do nothing more than part people from their money. It's an old problem, the tactics of which, I hope and believe will become less and less viable in the years to come.
Though their approaches are very different, I want to point to two men who really do seem to have a finger on the pulse of that change—Seth Godin and Tim Girvin. They are both passionate advocates of honesty, clarity, and style.
The "honesty" part insists on worth and value. I doubt either of these guys would even consider selling a product they did not believe in. That would be antithetical to their nature.
The "clarity" component is what they are about. Though they are both great teachers (and prolific bloggers) their passion seems to be that of students. You simply can't understand and articulate foundational ideas if, from time to time, you don't shut up long enough to listen.
And "style" is their mantra. They both preach that the story you tell and how you tell it is what distinguishes you from everyone else. I can't help but think, as the world amalgamates, that greater and greater value is going to be placed on the positive things that make each person, place, and thing unique.
I'm not telling you anything you don't already know. But these gentlemen will.
Seth Godin..
Tim Girvin...
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Sep 8
Learning
When I think of graphic design I don't normally think of heraldry. (Heraldry, as one definition puts it, is the "the art or science of blazoning or describing in proper terms coats of arms.")
It sounds like a rather archaic subject but when you take a closer look you see how strong the ties are between the many forms of heraldry and the design of logos and other symbolic imagery today.
What I will share here are a few of the many interesting resources stumbled across as I researched the connection.
An illustrated atlas of French and English heraldic terms...
Many listings lead to a detailed illustration and explanation..
About the origins of heraldry...
Here is an interesting interview with Charles V. Mugno, director, Heraldic Services and Support Division at the Institute of Heraldry...
The activities of the Institute of Hearaldry include "the research, design, development, standardization, quality control, and other services relating to official symbolic items--seals, decorations, medals, insignia, badges, flags, and other items awarded to or authorized for official wear or display by government personnel and agencies..."
The symbolic significance of one seemingly simple graphic element, the fleur de lis...
A few examples of how heraldry is used in fashion design...
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Sep 3
Learning
If you lived near Mainz, Germany in the 1450s, you may have heard of the machine Johannes Gutenberg was working on. I doubt Gutenberg had an inkling of how profoundly his printing press would effect mankind.
Today we are witnessing a similar phenomenon. Just down the proverbial road, great innovation is taking place. Yet we are so inundated with advancements, I think we tend to miss the advancements that move into our line of sight in a more subtle way.
Inkling (below) is one of the many new ideas born out of the development of the iPad. It proposes a new way of producing and navigating textbooks. I have no idea if it will be one of the ideas that catches on, but it's exciting to watch it sprout.
Which leads me to a point I continually remind myself of--don't miss this opportunity. All of these new technologies, devices, and ideas are new to ALL of us. I, you, we can contribute to their advancement. We have an opportunity, like none of those before us, to change the world for good. Pretty exciting.
Inkling for the iPad...
A press release about another quiet step...
A little perspective...
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Aug 25
Learning
Cabell Harris is a designer who understands the big picture. By that I mean, he understands the intricacies of making real things happen through design. That requires a keen understanding of many disciplines--marketing, development, branding, copywriting, layout, typography, imagery, production, and publicity--and how they interplay.
Need a model for a rock-solid communications designer? This is how it's done.
Harris' company is Work...
Most of the objects on the page are clickable and lead to interesting tidbits such as this...
Here is the Work Photostream on Flickr...
And their blog...
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Aug 9
Learning
I'm guessing most graphic designers have been asked, at one time or another, to design a trade show exhibit--a banner, a "booth," or an entire exhibit space. Crafting a message and design for a large-scale application presents a variety of interesting challenges. Before I show you the state of the art (the next post), here's a brief history of exhibit designs provided by exhibitoronline.com.
The International Business Machines exhibit at the 1925 National Hotel Exposition...
A pitchman from a 1954 exhibit...
PC Expo--1982...
The Trade Show History index...
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Jul 9
Learning
The design universe is expanding beyond my wildest expectations. While you might think the expansion would top out--it seems, instead, to be gaining speed. The exploration of design ideas has captured the collective imagination.
Chris Coyier is capturing snippets of past and present design thinking through QuotesonDesign.com.
A few, random examples:
"I think that the lack of drama in my life has produced a platform for me to be fundamentally adventurous in my thinking." Milton Glaser
"Good ideas turn into good designs fairly quickly. If you catch yourself fiddling too much with colors, borders, and treatments to bring a design together, chances are the problem lies somewhere deeper." Ryan Singer
"The difference between regulated architects and unregulated designer is, unlike buildings, letterheads don't fall down and kill people..." Brian Webb
Quotes on Design...
The curator of Quotes on Design is Chris Coyier, a banjo player (and the creator of...)
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Jul 7
Marketing PR
I was thinking the other day, how important it is that our client doesn't center their entire marketing strategy around their competitor's marketing model. Just because a competitor, for example, does some radio advertising doesn't mean radio advertising makes any sense for our client. The same applies to print materials, a web presence, social marketing, premiums, and everything else in the realm of marketing.
I say that because I think it is easy to lose sight of the fact that every organization is unique. That an organization's particular mix of products, services, expertise, experience, style, location, pricing, and so on, distinguishes if from any other organization on the planet.
Follow the leader marketing and mirror-the-competition tactics ignore that all-important fact. The best marketing approach (we all know) is one that is invented for one specific organization and its unique circumstances. Ideally, it even includes some elements that competitors are not using at all.
Our job as communication designer's is to discover and deliver unique solutions. Sure, there are smart, conventional approaches that work for most of the organizations you apply them to, but we shouldn't recommend and produce materials because that's the way we've always done it. I'm guessing "That's the way we've always done it," has killed as many businesses as any other single reason.
Do you want more clients and more work satisfaction? Use your talents and experience to devise a better approach. Dig into the market, find out what people are doing in other areas and see what might apply. Invent something new! I find clients are almost always open to dealing with the reality of the market and will experiment with you if you are able to make a compelling case for your idea.
A designer who has a wonderful sense of style and the technical expertise to create a compelling layout should maintain a pretty consistent work load. A designer who is an inventor and problem-solver will have to turn clients away.
Tell your client this: Every organization is unique—the sooner we identify your organization's unique advantages, the sooner we can begin telling the world about them.
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Jul 2
Learning
I want to point you to an article that addresses the subject of problem-solving from an unexpected angle. (It is the first in a series on broader philosophical issues but I believe you'll see the connection.) I point you to it because, to me, it speaks to the core set of skills a designer must develop: an ability to delve into unfamiliar areas of interest and to understand them from multiple angles—from the perspective of the market, the client, the prospect, and the customer.
The thrust of this article is this: There are things we know we know. There are things we know we don't know. And there are things we don't know that we don't know. The author got me wondering just how much I don't know--unknowns to me certainly, but also unknowns to everyone. I like it because it gives me a sense that, if I apply myself, I can attain a much higher level of understanding about the subjects I apply myself to.
To that end, Cornell professor David Dunning, the gentleman who originated much of the research referred to said this, "I often urge my student advisees, to find out who the smart professors are, and to get themselves in front of those professors so they can see what smart looks like." That is advice I will take to heart.
Thanks to my friend Ashton Hardy for pointing us to it.
The Anosognosic's Dilemma: Something's Wrong but You'll Never Know What It Is (Part 1)...
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Jun 14
Print Design
I was looking for a simple, comprehensive list of current desktop publishing software and could not find one. Here's mine. If I'm missing something, please comment here and I'll add it.
A note to the purists: Don't freak on me--this is merely a reference list, I'm not making any judgement of quality or suitability for any purpose.
Adobe FrameMaker...
Adobe InDesign...
Adobe PageMaker...
Apple iWork Pages...
Broderbund Print Shop...
Corel Ventura...
InPage...
iStudio Publisher...
Laidout...
Microsoft Office Publisher...
PageFocus Pro...
PageStream...
QuarkXPress...
Ragtime...
Scribus...
Serif PagePlus X4...
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Jun 2
Books
I'm pointing to Mark Boulton's Five Simple Steps publishing venture for two reasons. First, because I suspect you'll find his book, A Practical Guide to Designing for the Web, interesting and useful. And second because I think the the publishing model is worth noting.
I've written for three publishers: Random House, Rockport, and PeachPit—but I have also published my own books through my company Logic Arts. So I am interested to see how other folks re-work the conventional publishing models. Five Simple Steps employs Seth Godin's model of giving away a free online version of the book and charging for a download or hard copy.
I'm interested in other models if you are interested in sharing what you've found.
The online version of A Practical Guide to Designing for the Web...
Or you can download a sample (542KB PDF)...
Or buy a download or hardcopy...
A look behind the scenes. Looks like other titles are in the works...
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May 31
Ideas 101
I got this question from another designer recently: "My client requested a logo design. She filled in my design brief questionnaire, I presented a few concepts, and we went through three rounds of concepts, variations, and tweaking. They were not sure of any of the designs and finally backed off. Though I did get an advance, it did not come close to covering the time I invested in the project. How do you handle this type of situation?"
Whether you charge a few hundred dollars or a few hundred-thousand dollars, the great conundrum of logo design is this: If you can't provide the client with a mark that they are excited about and invested in you haven't done your job. It is that simple.
Designing a logo is a responsibility that should not be taken lightly. Remember, we're asking the client to build their organization on a framework that we provide—to adopt our ideas, our style, our palette, and to identify themselves with that brand for years, even decades to come. If we ask for that type of commitment from them, it seems entirely reasonable (to me) for them to be excited and energized by what we design.
That type of commitment does not come cheap. You cannot learn what needs to be learned and do what needs to be done in a few hours. I have no idea how many hours my friend budgeted to create the logo, but my advice to him is this: Charge what is necessary to deliver a compelling solution or turn the job down—you owe that to your client and your client owes that to you.
Logo design requires a commitment from both sides to see it through to its end. That means you need to charge enough to do the research necessary to understand the client's industry, their competition, and to clearly understand where they fall within that landscape—enough to create a design that not only speaks to those issues but that aligns with the aesthetic and intellectual sensibilities of the people within the organization who will be living with it. That's a lot of people to satisfy, but that's why logo design is not for the faint of heart.
How do you avoid my friend's problem? By making everything crystal clear up front. Some designers prefer a formal contract, some a letter of agreement, others just a few paragraphs in an e-mail before the job begins—whatever you choose, choose something. If you wait until you are in the heat of the project to address difficulties, you're going to get bruised.
Here are a few examples of such agreements.
The Graphic Artist Guild's Contract Monitor—about reading and writing contracts...
The AIGA's Standard Form of Agreement for Design Services...
Of course you can't beat seeing what a real working document looks like...
You might also be interested in my Design Constitution...
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May 19
Web Design
Pattern Tap is an invention of Matthew Smith at Squared Eye. It is (loosely) similar to other pattern libraries (Yahoo has a notable one) in that it presents the what, how, and why of user interface. The value is, instead of searching through a thousand sites for interesting and innovative UI ideas, you can discover designs someone else has found to be particularly notable.
I think you will find that Matthew Smith know of what he speaks. His company site, Squared Eye, is nice to look at AND easy to use—I have long admired it.
Pattern Tap...
The Pattern Tap Twitter page...
Matthew Smith's Squared Eye...
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Apr 23
Ideas 101
A recent article in the New York Times points to a simple list that is making a rather profound difference in the world of medicine. "...A year after surgical teams at eight hospitals adopted a 19-item checklist, the average patient death rate fell more than 40 percent..."
A list is certainly the most rudimentary type of design structure, but it's easy to forget how important such "first principles" are. The information contained in the checklist at the center of this story is not new or unknown, it is that the way the information is organized and presented makes it accessible in a new and important way.
Stephen Sondheim says that, "Art, in itself, is an attempt to bring order out of chaos." Here is proof of the power of order.
The New York Times article on surgical lists...
The World Health Organization's Surgical Safety Checklist (450KB PDF)....
The World Health Organization's Surgical Safety Checklist page (take a look at the Implementation Manual)...
A wonderful discussion of lists on Edward Tufte's site...
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Feb 10
Basic design
What I like so much about Fred Showker is that he sees the graphic design industry from more than one angle--he's is a working designer, an experienced teacher and presenter, a bit of a technoid, and the creative mind behind one of the top marketing and design resources on the Web--the Graphic Design & Publishing Center.
Not only does he stay curious about what's next, he has amassed a huge archive of insightful articles and tutorials on design, photography, typography, marketing, and the business of graphic design.
He recently did a major reorganization and re-launch of the site so, if you haven't already, I urge you to take a look.
The Design & Publishing Center...
Example 1: Visual Proofreading: 10 Rules...
Example 2: Designing Spaces...
Example 3: Throw Your Press Release in the Trash...
Fred's bio...
I've been a subscriber to his newsletter, DT&G NEWS, for years...
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Nov 4
Illustration
The Center for Cartoon Studies (CCS) offers a two-year course of study that centers on the creation and dissemination of comics, graphic novels and other manifestations of the visual narrative. It's curriculum of art, graphic design, and literature reflect the wide array of skills needed to create comics and graphic novels. CCS emphasizes self-publishing and prepares its students to publish, market, and disseminate their work.
The Center for Cartoon Studies (CCS)...
Download a free copy of CCS's How To Brochure (3.63MB PDF)...
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Sep 11
Ideas 101
I got a question this week that led me to believe that the writer did not fully embrace that fact. They asked, "Is creating a direct mail piece more effective than using something like Google Adwords?
My answer: I would have no way of knowing unless I knew your marketing DNA--what you're selling, who your prospects are, the options for reaching them, what your offer is, who you're competing against, what the current market conditions are, and so on.
My point is success is circumstantial. You should run in the opposite direct of anyone who offers generic yet "foolproof" advice, formulas, or solutions that do not acknowledge the importance of understanding and addressing the many inherent differences in each situation.
Its the old problem of the client who spends 95 percent of their budget on the phone directory ad space and five percent on the message. Whether you're creating a brochure, a web site, a direct mail piece, a radio spot, or whatever else, you need to understand the brand.
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Sep 4
Marketing PR
We all know that sound research can help us avoid many of the mistakes typically necessary to arrive at good solutions to common graphic design and marketing problems.
One source of such research is the Software Usability Research Laboratory (SURL) at Wichita State University. This group specializes in software/website user interface design, usability testing, and research in human-computer interaction.
I'd like to hear of other sources of graphic design and marketing research--all types. Do you have a source to recommend? A favorite study? A particular statistic that had a significant effect on your work?
SURL...
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Aug 3
Ideas 101
True passion is rare.
Much creative energy and expertise is expended moving value from one hand to the other. That's not a criticism--commerce makes lots of good things possible--I am a card carrying member of the commerce thing. But I can't help but take special notice when I encounter expressions of interest and involvement that appear at least, to have grown out of a pure devotion to its subject.
I see that in a new publication--UPPERCASE magazine (2009). A magazine? Are you kidding?! Who starts a magazine in the year of Twitter? People with passion do--their names are Janine Vangool and Deidre Martin and they've enlisted the help of an eclectic collection of talented contributors--designers, illustrators, photographers, typographers, writers, and others.
The purpose of UPPERCASE is to take a look at the creative process from all angles: profiling creatives, peeking into work environments, pointing to examples of styles and palettes, uncovering interesting ephemera--they even devote a section of the magazine to brief profiles of five or six of their subscribers--an approach that (to me) demonstrates something important about their thinking.
Enough with the accolades--at this point you probably think these are relatives of mine--they aren't, I have no connection with them whatsoever. But I can tell you the first thing I did after closing the last page was to go online and subscribe. I figure that when you find a passion you share, you should support it.
UPPERCASE Magazine: Issue 2 preview...
The magazine is just part of the mix, their web includes lots of interesting material...
Their blog...
You can buy the current issue or subscribe here...
Once you've seen it, I'd love to hear your comments below...
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Jul 31
Basic design
Everyone involved with designing web sites and creating illustrations needs to understand copyright and fair use. Even if you think you have a good grasp of the subject, you need to periodically refresh your view because it is ever-changing.
Here is a great, new-to-me source of excellent information by (what I assume are) legal experts.
I also include a link to The Center for Internet and Society (CIS)--a public interest technology law and policy program at Stanford Law School--that "brings together scholars, academics, legislators, students, programmers, security researchers, and scientists to study the interaction of new technologies and the law."
Stanford Copyright & Fair Use website Overview and Resources section...
An interview with Attorney Richard Stim, author of Getting Permission How to License & Clear Copyrighted Materials Online & Off...
The Center for Internet and Society (CIS)...
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Jul 20
Learning
Dick Sheaff is, among other things, is a collector of ephemera [i-fem-er-uh]--materials that were designed to be disposed of after they served their purpose: advertisements, pamphlets, posters, programs, labels, and so on. Sheaff is now sharing some of the best of his collection online. It is wonderful, inspirational stuff--a must see.
Sheaff is also a designer of postage stamps. Search Arago (a resource of the Smithsonian's National Postage Museum) and you will find Sheaff listed as the designer of over 100 stamps.
Sheaff's Gaslight Style Ephemera...
Sheaff's Artistic Printing Ephemera...
Sheaff's front page...
Sheaff's work on Arago, a resource of the Smithsonian's National Postage Museum...
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Jul 17
Learning
I was reading one of Tim Girvin's blog posts this evening (the well-respected calligrapher, writer, and designer) in which he mentions that his mentor was Lloyd J. Reynolds. That made me curious--who was Lloyd Reynolds?
A little detective work turned up this progression: In 1896 William Richard Lethaby (1857-1931) founded the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London, England. In 1899 Lethaby encouraged a colleague, Edward Johnston (1872-1944), to start a class on illumination. One of his students was Alfred J. Fairbank (1896-1982) who later referred to himself as a "disciple" of Johnston. Fairbank was Reynolds' (1902-1978) mentor. And, as I explained, Girvin (1953- ) now names Reynolds as his mentor.
Why should you care? Because I think it is a good reminder of the importance of sharing what we know. This simple progression--Lethaby, Johnston, Fairbank, Reynolds, and Girvin--demonstrates a clear, distinct path of ideas and encouragement that was passed from teacher to student. Read their history and look at their work and you will see how profoundly one influenced the next.
About Lethaby...
About Johnston...
About Fairbank...
About Reynolds...
About Girvin...
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Jul 15
Basic design
Historic Stock Market is an international online-market for historical shares, old stocks, bonds, and financial documents. Their collection includes at least 20,000 old stock and bond certificates, many of which include elaborate illustrations, ornate typography, and/or highly complex borders and patterns. This is one place to remember when you need some graphic design inspiration.
Look at the meticulously crafted filigree on this 1920s British certificate...
and this French certificate from the 1890s...
If you're interested in exploring further...
Another excellent source: George H. LaBarre Galleries...
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Jun 19
Learning
Occasionally I find a shortcut for simplifying a process and I kick myself thinking, "Why didn't I take the time to figure this out before?"
If you know Google well, GoogleGuide.com will seem elementary--but if you use Google for nothing more than simple word or phrase searches you will find this information quite useful.
The Google Guide for Experienced Users...
A cheat sheet for making informed searches...
Another easy way to get the most from Google: Advanced Search...
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Jun 1
Learning
If you are interested in technology, you have likely already heard about the three new tools announced in the last week--WolframAlpha, Wave, and Bing. I've included the links to each--each is a very interesting story--but my point is more about the environment in which those technologies are made possible than the technologies themselves.
It's not rocket surgery. Advances such as these are the result of the rapid expansion of knowledge made possible by the World Wide Web--historically speaking, a newborn that was just delivered moments ago. It stands to reason that as more people have access to knowledge, there will be more innovation. My point is: it seems we have begun to move in fast-forward.
What does this mean to graphic designers? I suspect that if you are talented at the craft and/or art of communicating ideas you are about to become very popular and quite valuable. Why? Because I believe that a talent for successfully instigating, facilitating, and improving communication is going to be in high demand. That the ability to break through the clutter and to identify and promote worth will be highly prized.
Stand by.
WolframAlpha: A computational knowledge engine...
Bing: Microsoft's "decision engine"...
Wave: Google's new model for communication and collaboration...
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May 27
Learning
Density Design began as a part of a Master Degree Course in Communication Design at Politecnico di Milano in Italy. As they explain it, "Using complexity as a keyword to understand reality, combining it with a continuous research for information aesthetics and representation, DensityDesign explores the emergent relationships among communication design, information visualization and complex systems."
To me it is yet another example of the fast-forward progression of design discovery.
An example of a Density Design visualization--specifically, The Federlegno-Arredo System - Federlegno Environmental Report 2008...
A quick way to review much of the work--DensityDesign's photostream on Flickr...
DensityDesign's site...
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Apr 22
Learning
What strikes me about this collection of interviews is not only how different the disciplines of illustration, communication design, and fine art are (they are all represented here), but how differently each person sees himself and his craft. (I particularly like what Michael Lebowitz has to say about the fundamental changes we are in the midst of.)
Passion is the genesis of genius...
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Apr 20
Learning
I don't know where or when it began, but there is a terrible misconception lurking out there that creativity has something to do with youth. While younger people might seem to be more creative (perhaps because they are less encumbered by established rules)--I can't imagine any thinking person would actually try to claim that ground.
If you need proof, you have only to examine the 65-year career of one of the world's most talented and prolific designers--Milton Glaser. Now in his 80th year he seems (to me) every bit as bold and interesting as he did during his days at Pushpin Studios in the 1950s and 60s. He was an innovator then and he is an innovator now.
What gets me on this rant is when I talk to a designer--sometimes as young as 40 or 50--who seems to think their creativity is somehow used up. Ridiculous. To me, what they have misplaced is their appreciation of the craft--the privilege of participating in the exploration of new ideas and projects--and the joy of helping others to communicate them.
Whether you're designing a brochure for an industrial manufacturer or a web site for a leading edge start up, it is entirely up to you whether your work is drudgery or grace.
A sampling of Glaser's work...
Some of his iconic posters...
As Glaser explains it, "The possibility for learning never disappears..."
I laughed out loud when I found a press release dated April 21, 2009 extolling Glaser's his latest project--he remains "on the case..."
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Feb 16
Learning
This morning the AIGA pointed me to another in a long line of high-profile copyright infringement cases, this time, regarding the infringement of a photograph used to illustrate the now famous Obama campaign poster.
If you don't know what "fair use" means and what your responsibilities are when it comes to copyright, you need to learn. As the saying goes, ignorance is no defense. It can cost you—big time—hundreds of thousands of dollars and your reputation.
The new twist is this: As I understand it, Shepard Fairey is actually defending his right to appropriate the image.
Here is a good resource page from Harvard's Law School..
And here is the current case I am referring to...
Here is Shepard Fairey's web site...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Becoming a Graphic Designer
Feb 9
Learning
John McWade is one heck of a design detective. He arrives at the scene, assesses the situation, studies the details, and unravels his theory about how the deed was done. Here is his latest—a clear, studied look at the new Pepsi logo.
Does Pepsi's new logo work?...
An earlier post where he asked for other opinions...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Before & After: Page Design...
Jan 28
Learning
I have tried all types of systems for taking notes, recording research, and brainstorming ideas--and I always revert to paper and pencil.
So I was happy to see this great post by a designer's designer, Pentagram heavyweight Michael Bierut.
Michael Bierut in 26 Years, 85 Notebooks...
More about his process...
Bierut's medalist profile on the AIGA's site...
In the Ideabook Design Store: The Color Harmony Guide...
Jan 12
Learning
Arts & Letters Daily is a ready source of stories, reviews, essays, and commentaries—one more interesting pond to fish for ideas and inspiration.
Arts & Letters Daily...
In the Ideabook Design Store: FontHead Typefaces...
Jan 5
Learning
David C. Baker poses that (in most cases) a designer's primary motivations are control and influence. Here is a two-page snippet that could save you a lifetime of flailing around, attempting to align your purpose with your profession.
How hard can this be, you ask? (1MB PDF)...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Before & After: Graphics For Business...
Oct 1
Learning
These examples from the portfolio of Portuguese designer Goncalo Cabral reminded me of the how important it is to fully understand the context in which our designs will be used. It is not only is it important to grasp the literal environment in which the material will be used, it is also important to understand the underlying potential such as the pervasive mindset (if there is one) of the people who will be applying the design on a day-to-day basis. Or the current state of design in, in this case, the airline industry.
I don't pretend to know how deeply Mr. Cabal dug into the context on these projects, but I'm guessing it was well below the surface.
Goncalo Cabral—design in context...
An experimental postage stamp collection—a project where context is down right critical...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Moleskine Notebooks...
Sep 24
Learning
Language is critical to design—what we do not show must be said. And there are many readers in the audience who will simply write us off if our messages include errors in grammar, spelling, and the misuse of words and phrases.
Are you a sufferer? Here is a great little document that "fleshes out" some of the phrases that some "couldn't care less about" but that others are "champing at the bit" to have used properly.
BTW, the solution to this problem is to have all copy edited and proofread by an expert. I use John Fakorede—an expert writer and designer whom I recommend without reservation (see the link below).
A good starter list of misused words and phrases from justsell.com...
BTW justsell.com has some other excellent sales performance resources for writers and designers...
You can contact one of my favorite proofreaders and editors, John Fakorede, through Studio Anino here...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Getting It Printed...
Sep 22
Learning
My son Jeff Green, a design student at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), recently introduced me to the work of Hugh Dubberly. I should know of him, he is a well respected designer and teacher who worked for Apple Computer in the 80s and 90s where he contributed in no small part to its innovative approach to product development. These days he is the principal of The Dubberly Design Office (DDO), a firm that specializes in interface design, usability testing, brand development, and so on.
What caught my eye when visiting his site was the selection of "concept maps." As they put it, "We create concept maps, a type of model, to explore and learn about complex information spaces. By showing everything—the forest and the trees—in a single view, concept maps help people create mental models and clarify thoughts."
I'm just getting started with it. I'd love to hear you thoughts about the model. (Click "Comments" below.) Thanks Jeff!
A Model of Innovation PDF (44KB)...
A guide to the map...
More concept maps...
New in the Ideabook Design Store: Creative Advertising...
Sep 8
Learning
Yeoh Guan Hong has a great talent for seeing. Take a moment, first, to read a few posts on his blog and then to watch how his simple, gentle insights influence his work. To me, it is a good reminder of how much of what we see day-to-day is reflected in the design we produce. I can't help but think that developing my abilities to explain what I see and record what I think will sharpen my design skills.
Yeoh Guan Hong's blog...
And his portfolio...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Templates for InDesign, QuarkXpress, or PageMaker...
Aug 18
Learning
Spend fifteen minutes skimming this article from Computer Arts and I guarantee you will come away with at least one significant insight on the design process--probably three or four. To me, there is nothing more valuable than stepping back from the wall and watching another climber navigate the same challenge.
50 ways to become a better designer...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Art Parts Clip Art...
Aug 13
Learning
Ree Drummond is a mother, wife, photographer, designer, and writer--a real Renaissance woman. She is also part pioneer. If you have not heard her story or enjoyed her clear, smart insights on photography and Photoshop (and those of her contributors), you're in for a treat.
The photography and Photoshop area of The Pioneer Woman...
The cover...
In the Ideabook Design Store: FontHead Typefaces...
Aug 8
Learning
I came across another valuable resource today (a new collection of images from the National Archives on Flickr) and couldn't help but pause to reflect on the exciting potential of our world. It was around this time 100 years ago that the first stable aircraft flights and radio broadcasts were taking place. It would be another twenty years before rudimentary television and roughly forty before the first practical computers. Simple infections took people's lives and average life expectancy in the United States was under 50.
Today, less than one hundred years later, a child with access to the World Wide Web can tap much of the cumulative knowledge of mankind. Can you imagine where such awareness could lead?
The 100-year-old web page...
Imagine the potential of children who grow up with access to records of the past such as the Library of Congress' Prints & Photographs archive...
And access to graduate level university teaching...
And to much of the great literature of the age...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Getting It Printed...
Jun 23
Learning
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...
May 26
Learning
Grant Barrett's Double-Tongued Dictionary is a wonderfully rich source of slang, jargon, and new words. His purpose is to “log words which show at least some sort of acceptance before their status as 'new' words is recognized.” I particularly like the sense of story so many of these terms and expressions conjure.
Grant Barrett's The Double-Tongued Dictionary...
Barrett also co-hosts A Way with Words with Martha Barnette...
In the Ideabook Design Store: FontHead Typefaces...
Apr 23
Learning
I have two very talented sons in design school—in the last few years their education has been the catalyst of many interesting conversations. As they unfold the intricacies of the business of communications design and ask questions, I must think through and articulate theories and practices I have long taken for granted.
This month on ideabook.com I want to share one of the more controversial issues with you—regarding the concept of self-expression. Even if you don't think this is something you would normally take the time to read, please take a few minutes to read it through and to share your thoughts about it with me.
Commercial graphic design is not self-expression...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Brenner Pricing Tables...
Mar 28
Learning
If you are a friend of this page, you know I don't spend a lot of time waxing philosophical. But a recent experience brought this to mind and, if you will indulge me this once, I'd like to share it with you.
Victor Kryston, Dill Cole, and The Eucalyptus Tree Studio...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Getting It Printed...
Feb 15
Learning
Elif Ayiter is a graphic designer, artist, and design instructor, living and working in Istanbul, Turkey. Her site offers a labyrinth of first class instructional material. One section, The History of Visual Communications, she explains, is loosely based on Phil Meggs' much acclaimed A History of Graphic Design. (I attended Virginia Commonwealth University in the Communication Arts Department when Meggs was teaching there.) Not only is the information worth seeing, her many forms of presentation are equally as interesting.
The History of Visual Communications...
There is much to see on Ayiter's site...
A little about Meggs who passed away in 2002...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Before & After: Page Design...
Feb 13
Learning
This site (for a planned community in Florida) is a lesson in movement. Watch the flips, slides, drawers, reveals, rotations, and so on. You could argue that it is motion for the sake of motion but I think viewing it in whole, it is successful vehicle for establishing a unique identity.
Lake Nona and Nonalogy...
In the Ideabook Design Store: The Desktop Publisher's Idea Book...
Jan 25
Learning
I just got a birth announcement that I am eager to share. Will Sherwood, principle of The Sherwood Group, has kicked off a blog in the last few days titled “Success Secrets of the Graphic Design Superstars.” If that doesn't get your attention (got mine), the list of designers he interviews will. Interviews with Petrula Vrontikis, Luba Lukova, and Andrea Cutler are posted now and upcoming are interviews with others such as Milton Glaser, Ivan Chermayeff, Bill Cahan, Noreen Morioka, Dave Mason, Rick Valicenti, Mike Salisbury, Woody Pirtle, Stan Richards, Chip Kidd, Kim Baer, Mirko Ilic, Jennifer Morla, Margo Chase, Steve Wedeen, and so on.
What is so enticing to me is that the questions are being posed by a designer who knows what he's talking about. We're going to get a different type of information than we would from someone who is simply an interested interviewer. Don't miss it.
Success Secrets of the Graphic Design Superstars...
Will's design credentials...
Jan 9
Learning
Rouxbe.com is a site that will teach you some of the finer points of cooking. It uses video tutorials to walk you through each step of a recipe showing you specifics about details such as the consistency of chopping necessary and so on. I think it is a particularly strong instructional model—simple to use and easy to navigate.
Rouxbe.com...
Oct 29
Learning
There is no better place to get a sense of the Japanese design aesthetic than PingMag —an online design magazine based in Tokyo. They say, “Defining the term design as broadly as we can, PingMag writes about ideas and inspiration coming from both world class designers, and from the little store on the corner.”
PingMag.com...
Sep 26
Learning
I am always interested in knowing what other designers and marketers are reading and thinking. It helps me to stay on course in my effort to add to the ever-growing fabric of ideas. At this writing I am interested, not in your current favorites but, in the dog-eared books you return to time after time.
What do you think? Click here to take the survey...
Aug 29
Learning
Do you know a print buyer? Some are independent, most work for large agencies or businesses. They make their living policing the theme park between client and printer. They submit jobs for bids, negotiate prices, schedule jobs, troubleshoot technical issues, scrutinize quality, and keep everyone on track and in the know.
Most print buyers are high functioning folks. In addition to keeping up on rapid technological changes, the best buyers have superior management and people skills. If you don't know one, allow me to introduce you to one of the best: Margie Dana. She publishes a weekly column that reveals some “inside baseball” on the print buyer world. If you ever buy printing, you will find her insights valuable.
A sample article on Common File Problems...
Her article archive...
Dana's Boston Print Buyers web...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Brenner Pricing Tables...
Aug 27
Learning
Reading Steven Heller's resume makes you wonder if he ever sleeps. Thirty-plus years as an art director at the New York Times, author, co-author, and/or editor of over 100 books, teacher, artist, reviewer, large animal veterinarian (made that last one up). Seriously though, Heller's site is a depository or wonderful insights, interviews, and writings by a designer who has done it all (or at least a lot of it).
Heller’s resume...
Podcasts of Steven Heller’s lectures from the School of Visual Arts...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Graphic Artists Guild Handbook: Pricing & Ethical Guidelines...
Aug 13
Learning
I suspect that one reason, perhaps the main reason, you are here is because you are interested in seeing what other people are doing. One significant part of being a designer is keeping track of where your audience is heading. Design*sponge is one interesting spot for following trends. Brooklyn-based writer Grace Bonney uses it to focus home and product design but I think lots of what she covers is applicable to our universe.
Grace Bonney's design*sponge...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Searching for just the right InDesign template?
May 2
Learning
I just looked over the most recent issue of @issue:. It is a 40-page, brochure-quality journal published by the Corporate Design Foundation, sponsored by Sappi Fine Papers, and designed by Pentagram under the direction of Kit Hinrichs. As they describe it: "Through real-life case studies and tangible examples, @issue: examines design from a business point of view, and provides useful information on how companies can make design an integral part of their overall business strategy."
@issue: Journal...
Apply for a free subscription...
Mar 23
Learning
Ever wish you could be a fly on the wall when emerging technologies are pitched to venture capitalists and corporate developers? You can. DEMO marries great ideas with the folks who can make them happen. Their site is interesting on two levels: to see how the pitches are made and how complex concepts are communicated—and to get a taste of technology in the works.
DEMO.com...
Jan 24
Learning
They call this conference the “essential hands-on instructional gathering where top art directors, designers, illustrators, and photographers come together to learn about the hottest creativity tools and techniques using Adobe products as well as the latest technology from Apple Computer.” Past instructors include some Adobe heavyweights—Russell Preston Brown, Adobe's Senior Creative Director, Julieanne Kost, Digital Imaging Evangelist, and Adam Pratt, Application Engineer.
The ADIM Conference...
Oct 25
Learning
I'm a big fan of lynda.com and its $25 per month tutorial subscription service. Who wouldn't be—you get access to hundreds of high quality, self-paced QuickTime program tutorials for learning the basic to advanced features and workflows of programs such as Illustrator, Photoshop, Dreamweaver, and InDesign. AND over 150 hours of material is available free to try.
www.lynda.com
