Design with Direction

Design or Copy - which would you choose.

2010-05-14T09:31:00.000-07:00

So recently my business partner in our sister company Primal Creative and I had a recent discussion about what's the most important aspect of advertising/marketing. Is it the design or the copy that goes along with that? Check out the video above.

Of course most of you knowing me are probably guessing that I'm coming down on the design side - which I guess is pretty true. I do think design in a visual industry is the initial introduction to the viewer and for that reason alone becomes more important. That's where it stops for me. I think the copy needs to carry us through to really get your message across. Mainly though I want to emphasize that what's most important is concept. Without a real concept and a real plan it doesn't much matter if copy leads the way or design leads the way. My business partner, Rodney, argues that design can improve copy, but copy does little to improve design. True or not, it's a harsh statement for our current environment.

In today's world of 140 characters is design and concept going to trend to be more important or less? I hate to think we are going to be raising a bunch of rugrats that will have no aesthetic ability. Will this next generation suckle at the teet of technology only caring what their peers think and hollering at each other through cyberspace? Or will this next generation rebel and send the Millennial generation packing with their tweets and status updates?

Hmmm - I know we like to think that technology only improves the world, but think about the history of communication. Think how far we've come from drawing images on the walls of caves. At what point is just emanating information not considered communication. Let us all remember that communication is a 2 way street and frankly whether it's done with copy or design it makes little difference if no one wants to listen.

What to Doodle

2010-03-11T05:53:00.000-08:00

This last year I've been sitting on the board of the American Advertising Federation. Overall it's been a great experience and personally I have loved the stuff I've poured myself into, but there is one small thing I can't stand. What's that you ask - well it's the 2 hours that we meet every month to discuss the particulars. I know it's a necessary evil, but for me, a creative person, it's like driving a nail slowly into my skull. There is one thing that keeps me from going nuts and that's doodling. I know everyone probably thinks I'm ignoring the goings on and not paying any attention at all, but the reality is that couldn't be further from the truth. There have been many studies done that show doodlers, whether in a meeting or on the phone, are actually taking in more information then people that don't doodle.

If you aren't a doodler I know it's hard to believe, but what the studies show is I'm concentrating on what is being said and in a subconscious way by doodling my mind is occupying that other part of me that I guess doesn't really want to be there. The doodling uses a low functioning part of your brain - thus the high functioning part is left to listen and take in information. It's not like I'm texting or checking my email like so many other people I see - that takes concentration. The sad part playing with your phone doing a meeting has become acceptable. All I ask is the next time you see someone doodling don't just assume we are ignoring you - the truth is in today's world we may be the only ones truly listening.

What's in a Price

2010-01-13T12:03:00.000-08:00

I often talk with clients about pricing. Obviously, it's one of the most important things there is to do before starting a project. Yeah I have the clients that I've worked with for so long they know I'm fair in the way I charge and have no worries about my pricing. Lately though, I've been running across a lot of potential clients that want comprehensive pricing - I applaud that. I don't know if I would want to work with a client that doesn't want to at least know what a project would cost up front. But in the end I want to say don't just make a decision on pricing. I've got more then one client that went with the cheaper firm and after they paid them they hired me to do the job right.

Here's the thing - all prices aren't created equal. This applies to almost everything in life. Yeah you could go with the lowest price, but you have to ask yourself are you confident with that firms work, are you confident that they are going to turn your project around in a fair time frame and most importantly are they going to make those 7 rounds of changes expediently? I've heard of clients that end up waiting 4-5 days to get simple text revisions made.

I'm not the cheapest place to get design done, but I'm also not nearly as expensive as an ad agency. My overhead is low and my quality of work is stellar. I pride myself on responding to my clients and making sure the are getting the best product for their business. Maybe that's why I have many client relationships that are well over a decade old.
I love what I do, but I hate to see people pay a lot of money for really bad work. Next time you are looking to hire a design firm take a good look at their work, talk with the actual people you'll be dealing with and most importantly make sure they really want to build a relationship with you. Believe it or not there are a lot of firms that are just trying to pay this months bills and aren't thinking at all about the future.

The Education of a Logo

2009-11-05T07:12:00.000-08:00

Recently I've been doing a lot of logo work and I wanted to talk about how the whole process should work. Most people think a logo is a simple thing to produce. That it could be done in a few hours and really shouldn't cost that much money.

First the client really needs to define who/what they are. What is the logo for? How is it going to be used? What are your competitors logos like? Are your competitors logos really viable? What makes you unique? These are all questions that I ask when starting the process of developing a logo. Sometimes I have clients that come to me and say "I don't know what I want, but I want it to be red". Really? Why Red? "No real reason, just because it's my wife favorite color." This is not a good reason. Honestly most people don't care what your wife thinks.

Most people see the start of their identity as their logo and for the most part this is correct. The logo is what most people see first before they ever step foot in your business so it's one of the most important items in defining who you are. I've had clients come to me and say do what ever you want (of course this is always a bad sign - it's a sign of a client that has no idea who they really are or they just don't care). You can't really expect a designer to define you if you can't define yourself. Do the homework and get knee deep in it.

Once I have all the information I need from the client I start sketching and brainstorming and building ideas. The one thing I'm really trying to do is to define several different directions this logo could go. I prefer the elements of a logo to have meaning and I have to know that the finished piece is going to have appeal to the appropriate audience. All this back and fourth, beating ideas up and then bringing them back to life happens in the studio (luckily because some of the stuff belongs in the pasture with the cows). This is the part the clients don't get to see. They don't get to see the bad ideas that helps get us to the great ideas.

From here I pick the top few ideas and present them to the client. We have conversations about the font (serif or sans serif). We talk about colors and the overall impression that a logo will give. Hopefully after that is all said and done I'm on the way back to the computer to refine a couple of strong ideas. After the ideas are flushed out and the client is happy this is really where we start perfecting color. Too many people get hung up on color from the beginning and personally a lot of times I will only show a logo idea in black and white to star. I can't tell you how many times I've had clients not like a logo because of the color - they weren't even seeing the concept.

Once a logo is chosen and the colors are refined I create final art in several different formats. Depending on the client we will also produce usage guidelines that shows anyone that would be using this logo what's appropriate. So next time you think doing a logo is as simple as hiring your next door neighbor for $100 you might want to really consider if that's what's best for you and the future of your company. You might want to think of what the real value of your logo is.

How Design Has Changed Me

2009-11-05T06:33:00.001-08:00

This morning I was thinking about what I was like when I first started my own design studio. This was 15 years ago so it's been awhile. The main thing that I grabbed onto in my trip down memory lane was what I used to think being a graphic designer truly meant.

Back then I thought being a graphic designer meant making stuff look cool. That's it, if I couldn't make it look cool (at least to my standards) it was some lame client that just didn't know what was good for them. Over time I slowly matured, I slowly begin to realize that my job was to really figure out what my clients goal was, what they wanted to accomplish with this piece I was producing. Believe it or not for the first few years I was doing stuff that just looked cool. I know it's hard to imagine, but so much of my work was for night clubs and the music industry and the main goal reall was to just get someone's attention. I was doing my job, but it had truly little design merit.

In the past decade I've been truly looking at concept and function and for the most part everything I have done is cool in its own way. I learned that I really have to live in my clients industries and learn to define my client as a leader. It's their business, they know what they need, but it's my job to make sure it has a concept and that it is graphically pleasing and functional. I love what I do and I can't imagine having any other background then I have. The preconceptions and mistakes in my past have made me who I am today. I think my clients would agree that not every design studio is created equal.

Looking for Inspiration

2009-09-23T14:30:00.000-07:00

We all specialize. Whatever your job is you are constantly looking at other peoples work (most likely your competitors) that are in the same industry as your are. I know as a designer I use to saturate myself in work other design firms had produced. Lately though I've found great inspiration by looking completely outside what I do. Instead of looking at graphic design I find myself looking at fashion, interior design or even nature for inspiration. I look at furniture and examine the textures and qualities that make a piece amazing. Believe it or not I've found it very helpful in spurring me in a new direction for a project I'm working on.

By going outside your industry and examining well produced work and well crafted products you can become inspired. Let's face it, you most likely are doing something that someone else has already done in your industry anyway. Your goal should be to lead not to follow. Be original and exceed boundaries that have been set. In this new era of anything goes don't be afraid to push the envelope. If you have a great concept and you are communicating effectively it will be successful. Look beyond all that junk that you've collected on your desk.

I can honestly tell you that sitting in front of a computer screen is that last place you are going to come up with new and original ideas. Find that place where you are able to think creatively. For some people it's driving or sitting under a tree while eating lunch. I know for me it's in the shower (don't tell the environmentalists). I can stand there for hours and just zone out while the ideas pour out of me. Now if I can only work on that whole waterproof paper thing.

Why Handmade

2009-07-30T04:41:00.000-07:00

Photo snaked from Knack Studios

I was doing a little thinking last night and a conversation came up between my wife and I about why "handmade" or the "DIY" look has become such a big thing. You may not realize it, but everything from clothing and jewelry designs at Anthropologie to the new lines of furniture at Pottery Barn has the feel of reclaimed or "I did it myself" to it. Personally I think it's awesome because this comes from a real movement that has finally hit the main stream. It is the "DIY" movement that has created websites like Etsy and ArtFire with artists and craftsmen selling their own handmade and crafted wares.

In the graphic design industry it has prompted a complete revival of letterpress artists across the US. 5 years ago you would've been hard pressed (no pun intended) to find more then 5-6 decent letterpress operators across the states. Now almost every town has one. I dig it.

So here is the question. Why has this movement become so big? Especially when you think about all the people that love to be in constant contact by keeping their Iphone in front of them 24/7 and making sure they have all the lastest apps. Especially when you think how everyone sits in front of a computer all day. Hasn't technology just made our lives so wonderful? Isn't it great that you don't have to (if you don't want to) ever devote your attention to anything that is perceived as "real".

I think we can all learn something from the Buddhist's ability to "live in the moment". To appreciate our time with our loved ones and to devote our full attention to something other then these little bits of technology that control our lives. Maybe that's why this "DIY" movement is so important. Maybe everyone getting out there and using their hands to create something is the escape from this control of technology. Maybe we all need that time to think and meditate about our goals and aspirations in life. Who knew "handmade" could be so profound. The irony is once we make all this stuff what do we do with it? We sell it online.

Don't Ts Me

2009-07-30T04:22:00.000-07:00

So the other day I ran across this website for a random tshirt design generator. The name of the company is called Nonsek. They've created an online application that takes artwork provided by various designers and once you "enter the machine" you are able to randomly remix yourself a new tshirt design in a matter of seconds. It basically takes 3 images from a specific artist and randomly layers them on top of each other. They've broken it down by artists. Each artist has their own "channel" so you get to pick which artist you want. It's pretty cool.

The funny thing about this is the fact that it is completely random. This idea has almost become a formula for many graphic designers these days. 3-4 random images - some text and viola a pretty design. Don't get me wrong I love it for tshirts, but this also in a way proves what's wrong with a good portion of designers these days. What's wrong with America really. There is no effort to even try and create a concept. It's all just "me make things look pretty". Which is awesome - I think that's my next tshirt design (for myself anyway). But maybe all of us (you know who you are) could just try a little harder to make people think a little more. Or maybe I should ask all of my clients to keep their text to 140 characters so we can all become just a little less caring everyday.

Hey There! I am not using Twitter.

2009-05-28T10:26:00.000-07:00

If any of you know me you know that I don't "tweet" and I don't have a Facebook page, heck I barely take my cell phone out of my pocket. Don't get me wrong I love technology and what it has done for the design industry. I just don't get inspired by these things. What inspires me is people that create using their hands and good old elbow grease. Sometimes I just wonder:

Really photos of the birth? We didn't want to see them before Facebook why would I change my mind now?

Oh yeah, who wants to see all 70 photos of your kid? I think 2-3 would suffice. Try making a decision.

Actually putting pictures of your children online is just a little strange to me.

Why do I need to get poked? Can you imagine if you went around poking your friends all day?

Do blind dates really exist anymore?

Do I really want people that I haven't talked to for 20 years finding me? You know there is probably a reason I haven't talked to them in 20 years.

140 words? How was that decision made? I have friends that couldn't tell you what they had for breakfast in that short of time.

POKE

Why would I tell everyone? Uh excuse me can I read all you communications between you and your friends and your wife and your mother and your accountant?

Do you really want to know what I just did?

How many people do you know are really so interesting that you want to hear their every thought?

POKE

What's up with texting? It makes my thumbs tired and personally if I really want to talk to you I'll call.

Can teenagers communicate face to face anymore?

POKE Man that's annoying.

$100+ a month? and you are complaining about the price of gas?

Is "third wheel" now defined as a date without a cell phone?

Why IM over email? Just curious. Personally I love the smell of thermal fax paper...

Really, in the movies? (That statement would of had a whole different meaning 20 years ago). You paid $9 to see a computer animated film and you spent half your time texting your "friends".

Hw wil Ppl sp n the fture?

Seriously though, I do wonder how people set their priorities. My big concern is down the road how will individuals be able to cope? I'm fine being alone. I don't need someone I really barely know validating my feelings or who I am. How will people communicate? Kids that are raised texting will have very little ability to socialize in a person to person environment. Heck maybe they won't need to. They will at the very least have a hard time structuring a written sentence. Progress and change - continue I say and sooner or later I might turn my cell phone on (if I remember to take it with me) and call you about how I have 712,000 followers. Notice I said call. I guess at this point I'm just not that into it.

Why Are We Loyal to a Brand

2009-04-15T05:38:00.000-07:00

Recently, I've been writing a lot lately on here about different brand and package redesigns. And just this last week, I received news from Netflix that they were raising their prices for Blu-Ray subscribers. It wasn't just a $1 a month, it was $4 a month. That's almost a 20% increase in cost! So, as a loyal customer over the last seven years, I had to ask myself "why am I so loyal to Netflix?" I used to recommend them to all my friends and really did love the service, but everything has a value. So do I downgrade my service or cancel it all together? That I can't say yet. Regardless, they've lost any positive word of mouth marketing that they were getting from me and I guess actually I'm negatively campaigning against them. That said, how important is it that customers love a service or a company? Does it really increase business? I'm sure you would all agree it does. How many times have you been referred to a company or business and loved the outcome? If so who were they?

I want to say, I did communicate with Netflix and let them know my dissatisfaction with their decision. On their blog alone, there are 1100 posts and many groups have popped up on Facebook and Myspace expressing distaste in their decision. Here's the bad sign, Netflix has chosen to not respond. They've offered no further justification or breakdown of costs, only silence. I personally feel their action or inaction will have a long term effect on their business. These days, customers expect to be appreciated and not looked at as "just customers." Don't you agree?

So, I'm curious, why are we so loyal to certain brands? I know studies show customer service, product innovation, etc. But I want to know what brands you are loyal to and why. Click on post a comment at the bottom this post to join the discussion.

Is the End of Good Design Near?

2009-04-10T10:33:00.000-07:00

First let me say I never thought I would be saying this - "there's a downfall to producing good design". Go ahead read it again. It appears that by producing really well designed work for the same amount of money or less then what a company was previously spending to produce crap is a bad thing.

This is a fight that has slowly been developing over the last couple of years. By working with my clients and knowing what our overall budgets are upfront I am able to produce much better work then their previous firm. It's not that my design services are necessarily cheap, but I truly am concerned about my clients getting a useful end product. I would rather make sure we are spending some money on photography or illustration instead of using stock and keeping the rest for myself. I would rather see the project be printed on a paper that makes the project pop, then have to go to cheap coated stock. I'm willing to sacrifice a little on my end to make a project great.

So many people these days want the perception to be that it was cheap to produce, regardless of if it really is. If it's perceived as cheap then there will be no questions from the board, or their bosses or their stock holders. Too many times recently I've heard it looks too expensive. How do you fight that philosophy? I understand where my client is coming from - I understand that they have to answer to a higher power, but how does this make their company better? How does it help them to advance their initiative? Since when did being mediocre become something to aspire to? It's a sad day, not just for design, for all businesses. It's sad when as an individual you are looked down upon for being successful. It's even more sad when as a business you are shunned for wanting to lead the pack. My sweet America mediocrity appears to be our destiny.

I remember when looking at the bottom line meant something. When doing the best you could was expected. I remember when I wanted to get out of bed in the morning, because I was dying to do something great. I wish, I hope that as we walk down this road more people will appreciate what used to be. Don't get me wrong, I love my clients and I'll still fight for good ideas, but I hate this new social conscience that a select few in this country has chosen to project on all of us. Damn it, I want to be successful, I want to want to get out of bed in the morning, I want to lead the pack and most of all I want to produce good design.

Now That's a Good Change

2009-03-24T05:52:00.000-07:00

So, I've been talking a lot lately about all these brands that have been re-branding or re-packaging and going down the wrong road. In my weekly trips to the grocery store I notice a lot brands going under the knife and I wanted to talk about a re-design that I thought really works.

Several weeks ago Baked Lay's introduced a new flavor called Southwestern Ranch to launch their new package design. It's hard to believe that Baked Lays have been around for 15 years, but it is nice to see them move beyond their bright yellow packaging. The new design uses toned down colors as well as a nice new matte finish material for the package. It's also nice that BAKED has basically become a brand so they made it much larger on the package. This is also a great example of how you can take an existing logo and make some minor adjustments to it and adapt for the present day (something Tropicana should have thought about). You really have to examine the logo closely to realize the changes that were made.

Now here is the real kicker. Over the last several weeks Lay's have slowly been working the new look into their existing flavors. Oh, by the way, I purchased the new flavor because of the package and it is rather nice (a bit spicy, but I like). So I'm looking this last weekend and actually saw about 1/2 of the Baked Lay's flavors in there nice new wrapping and actually picked up the Sour Cream & Onion and put it into my cart. It wasn't until a minute later that I realized I don't even really care for Sour Cream & Onion - but the colors of the package was just so appealing I picked it up. Of course I put it back and insisted on only grabbing a flavor with the new look (I'm a package snob). Congrats Lay's on making our shopping experience more enjoyable. I'm just glad to see a successful re-design that isn't a step backwards.

It's Time to Grow

2009-03-19T08:16:00.000-07:00

Alright, most likely if you are reading this entry you've received the Popcorn Initiative spring mail out. So below find the directions on how to plant your wild flower seeds that you've received. I'm planting mine tomorrow. I'd love to see some photos of what you grow. Happy planting and happy spring.

It may sound obvious enough, but choosing the most advantageous site on your property is a very important determinant in the eventual success of your wildflower garden. The most important factors to consider in this regard are the amount of average daily sunlight, the relative quality of the soil, and the accessibility to a water source like a hose or a sprinkler.

Though many wildflowers do tolerate some filtered shade - and a few actually thrive in it - the vast majority are definitely sun-lovers and will likely demonstrate the strongest bloom where exposure is greatest (especially in the morning). Therefore, the general rule of thumb when considering the optimum planting site on your property is 'the more sun the better'. This naturally means that areas with little or no tree coverage and as little obstruction from any structure such as a house, garage, or barn are best.

Soil too is sometimes a consideration when planting wildflowers, but it's important to keep in mind that wildflowers will generally sprout in all but the most difficult conditions. This means that pampering your site with fertilizer or rich sod is not usually necessary. In fact, doing so can sometimes achieve the opposite result by inviting unwanted weeds and grasses. Only in the poorest of conditions, where the soil is literally sterile, is using an accelerant advisable.

Lastly, when choosing the best site for your seed installation, the availability of a steady watering source is helpful, but not usually necessary. In most regions and during most seasons, natural rainfall will be sufficient to provide the water necessary for a successful bloom. However, if you live in a particularly arid region, are planting during drier months, or are simply experiencing prolonged drought, it will definitely be to your advantage to water your site every other day or so for the first few weeks after planting until root growth is established.

Now all you need to do is clear the area of existing weeds or growth and to loosen the soil. You can do this simply with a rake, hoe or shovel. Work the soil as best you can, of course you'll get some weeds sprouting along with your flowers.

Next, you want to sow your seeds. Simply scatter the seeds evenly over the area or in the pot you wish to plant. This can be done by putting the seeds in your hand or just shaking out of the envelope. After you get your seeds sowed lightly compress your seeds into the soil. Don't push them down any further than 1/2 inch. You just want to protect them from the birds and winds. An easy way to do this is by pressing them in with your hands or feet - just keep the pressure light.

Now you are ready to watch them grow, I hope...

What an Exquisite Corpse

2009-03-19T07:54:00.000-07:00

No, I'm not talking about some dead guy here. I'm talking about a technique that exploites the mystique of accident. A kind of collective collage of words or images called the cadavre exquis (exquisite corpse). Based on an old parlor game, it was played by several people, each of whom would write a phrase on a sheet of paper, fold the paper to conceal part of it, and pass it on to the next player for his contribution. When done with art it works exactly the same way. The first artist illustrates a panel and hides 95% of the panel before giving it to the next artist. The artists have to continue the illustration from the 5% that they can see. A lot of times this creates amazing images that have great contrast in style and meaning.

I wanted to share a couple of artists that have taken the exquisite corpse idea to the next level. They passed the image back and forth 60 times to create an amazing 35 foot long piece. Check out all panels of the piece at their site http://www.jabcstudio.com.

A little thought for your spare time with a fellow creative. The best part is you can do a written corpse or an illustrated version. I've done it and it's a great deal of fun. Oh yeah, it doesn't have to be done on a computer. So go get your corpse on...

The New Brand of Recovery

2009-03-05T06:08:00.001-08:00

So this came to my attention a couple of days ago. We have a new logo to represent our current recovery "stimulus" package. The first thing I noticed was how bad it is. I instantly thought of the logo for the National Recovery Administration from the 1930's. Take a good look at both of them. From a design standpoint there is no challenge (especially when you add in the 75 year difference) the NRA logo wins hands down.

Of course we have the obvious stars, what's up with the 2 stars that are bastardized bleeding off the blue? The gears that represent work, haven't we come a little further in 75 years? And the tilted green ghost, oh wait I guess that's a plant representing "green" growth - I get it...

This stamp was created to mark every project of the "stimulus" package of 2009. I saw the question raised yesterday - how do we mark the pig odor research in Iowa - does each pig get the new stamp branded on them? And since the logo itself was a government project that I sure taxpayers payed too much for, shouldn't it have a stamp on itself? I have great concerns about where this idea of branding government money will take us as a nation.

Do a little research on the National Recovery Administration of the 1930's and you'll realize that the government used the symbol to try and halt free business. They tried to control prices and most importantly if you resisted to display the logo or wear the logo as a worker the administration actually campaigned for the public to boycott you.

We are all in this regardless of how much money each of us puts into the recovery, do we really need a clip art created logo to tell us that our government is working for us? Maybe every politician in DC should be wearing the new logo on their lapels. Maybe it would remind them they represent the public where they reside. I believe this logo will be short lived - even the NRA only lasted 2 years before being put out of business by the supreme court in 1935.

Observe or Inspire

2009-03-04T09:51:00.000-08:00

I wanted to do a brief post about a great site called Card Observer. The idea behind the site is to basically feature really well designed and produced business cards. The thing I love about sites like this is they really inspire everyone to want something better. The production techniques highlighted range from letterpress, die cutting, screen printing to special ink techniques.

Check it out and get inspired. It's one thing to observe and another to inspire and be inspired. Just in case you were looking for a particularly well done card check out the entry from 2.28.09. It's one of my favorites.

What's Kraft Up To?

2009-03-03T07:44:00.000-08:00

So on the heals of the Tropicana debacle I was shopping this last weekend and noticed another terrible mistake being made by a huge food manufacturer. This time it's Kraft. They recently had changed their corporate logo, which frankly I payed little attention to since it was really more of a corporate internal change at this point. You can see the trusty hexagon shape that's been around forever and the new flowery butterfly thing that they have now. I can't understand why they would move in this direction. It's not like there is any element of this new logo that can replace the current (before) Kraft logo that stills occupies all of their packaging.

Let me get back to what got me to this point. I was in the cheese section (this is where I spend a large amount of time in the store - cheese is awesome) looking for some shredded cheese and noticed this awful package (above). Kraft seems to think that it's now necessary to put pictures of big blocks of cheese on there shredded cheese packages. This is insane. Who needs to see what cheese looks like when "hello" it's right there in the see through package.

To me this packaging really starts to take on the look of a generic brand, too bad it's not priced that way. Honestly I can't say I really cared for the old blue Kraft Cheese packaging. I never purchased it - I was always drawn to the Sargento packaging. I guess if I'm going to pay $4 for cheese I don't want it to look generic. My personal fear is that all brands will start down this road. I would love to know what the thought is behind these changes. Maybe someday we will find out. What do you think?

Rebranding...Really?

2009-02-25T06:19:00.001-08:00

OK, so I've been seeing the new Pepsi logo floating around and had pretty much passed it off as crap, but the other day I saw something that really got me. It was a document that explained the process of the tweak that was made to the logo and why at this link. Take a read and see if you buy it. As a designer I have no doubt that people in the creative industry shovel BS, but this is beyond belief. If they spent as much time working on the rebrand as they did to justify it, Pepsi might have a new unique logo. Of course I really question Pepsi more for buying the whole load.

Anyway the thing that got me looking at this whole rebranding fiasco was when we were in the store 2 weeks ago and my wife was looking for her normal Tropicana OJ. After 30 seconds of examination, we realized that it was now branded to look like a generic (at least that was my opinion). A huge stockphotoish glass of OJ on the box with the name turned sideways (strangely like the new pepsi bottles). The amazing thing is this ended up being a topic of conversation between me and my wife for the next half hour (btw she's not a creative). We talked about how could they lose their custom logo type as well as the orange with the straw stuck into it representing freshness.

Yesterday I read how Tropicana spent $35 million on the rebrand and that it was a huge mistake. Obviously they had been getting a lot of feedback about how much their rebranding failed. So you guessed it, they are going back to their old packaging (bravo). Here is the kicker I find that Tropicana is owned by Pepsi Co and imagine to my surprise both brands were rebranded by the Arnell Group. Huh - somebody at Pepsi Co might be out of a job soon. Oh yeah and just to let you know Peter Arnell (of the Arnell Group) recently spoke at an event hosted by Pepsi Co and explained, "consumers needed to be able to visualize the juice inside the orange. ” Because us little consumers don't know what orange juice looks like.

Taking Ownership

2009-02-24T06:01:00.000-08:00

There are several things I love about winter, but the main thing is the rush of annual reports that start up. A lot of designers would tell you how much they hate annual reports, how constrained they are, how uncreative they allow you to be and most of all how little of a budget they have to produce an amazing piece. All of those things can be true, but I think with a little work designers can show their clients how a creative and engaging annual report can benefit them and hopefully in the process excite their client about the report as well.

Above is my latest completed report. It's for a metropolitan planning organization, which on the surface sounds pretty basic and dry, but in reality has a lot of interesting angles to concept an annual report around. I started working with this organization 6 years ago and since the beginning things have changed a lot. The organization has come to see how valuable of a PR piece a well produced report is to them. And personally I love working with this client on their report because for the last several years they have been taking ownership. Every year now they are thinking ahead and on the look out for ideas to make their report even better then before. They are excited about their own annual repor, what more can you ask for.

Maybe I'm different because I want the client to be involved in the process, I want them to think about paper and ask what they can do to make something work even better. I prefer to do work with my clients instead of do work for my clients. As a designer I always take ownership of the work I do (even though sometimes I would prefer not to), but having clients that are willing to take ownership makes the work I do that much more valuable.

It's Just a Little Gift.

2009-01-05T11:33:00.000-08:00

Every year since I started this crazy company I've been doing some sort of handmade ornament for my clients and vendors for Christmas. I know, it's not really politically correct, but I love Christmas ornaments and I think a large majority of other people do too.

This year I had been talking to a local pottery artist in Greenville and decided it would be great to work with her on this years ornament. Her name is Lily Stratton and her website is http://www.lilypottery.com/. I did a sketch and told her to add her own little touch - after all she is an artist. After a couple of little tweaks of color and minor design changes the final outcome is the porcelain bird above. It turned out amazing.

After I decided what I was producing for the ornament it was time to turn to the actual design of the card and package. Since the great illustrator Charley Harper died last year I wanted to do a tribute to him in his style - which really works great for letterpress. So the next step was to find the perfect person to do the letterpressing. Having worked with Porridge Papers in Lincoln Nebraska a couple of times I contacted them. After some plotting on how to best setup the file to letterpress correctly the job was sent to Nebraska to return as a beautiful set of cards. One card was then applied to a aluminum CD tin and the bird was inserted along with the Christmas card and some tissue. Overall it was a daunting project for a little gift for clients, but every year I hear how much these gems are loved.

Out of all the items I design and produce my Christmas ornaments are the ones that make it out of storage every year and back on to a beloved tree. I can only hope that they will be around long after I'm gone. To check out ornaments from past years check out my website under the misc. section of the portfolio section.

Green at What Cost?

2008-11-09T12:50:00.000-08:00

So a couple of weeks ago I was out enjoying the change of seasons and I happened across this amazing photo. It really highlights the interaction of man and nature. It got me to thinking about how much are we willing to pay to be "green". With the economy in a major downturn and the pending "change" coming to the world how much are we really willing to spend?

My personal opinion is that this commercialized push to be green will be relatively short lived. Most corporations have jumped on this band wagon as a way to get good PR, not necessarily because they want to change the world. The one thing it has done is drawn attention to every aspects of our lives. I don't know about you, but I'm not willing to cut the TP down to 3 sheets per use like some have suggested. I work hard for my money and I would like to spend it myself. The last thing I want the government to do is dictate to me what I can and can't buy. I'm not saying that I don't believe in being green - I just would prefer to not be told that I have to be green in every aspect of my life.

I'm not into organic, but I'm into buying local - you go figure the difference. I don't mind recycling, but I'm not going to start piling my garage with garbage. I conserve on gas by running to several places all at once, but I don't want to drive a car that looks like a golf cart. Now the real question - how much are you willing to pay to be green? Are you really willing to pay 10 times the amount you pay now for your electricity? Are you really willing to pay $4 a gallon for gas? Are you willing to pay $3 for 1 organically grown avocado? Why shouldn't the free economy be allowed to sort these things out. Maybe there are enough people out there that will be willing to pay extra for these things, but don't force it on us. Between taxes and the necessities of life I'm tapped already. Just like that photo above, nature seems to do a pretty good job recovering from our obsessions. Yeah, it's going to be a little scarred, but over time it will bounce back just fine. I think it's more important for us to be responsible than it is to be fanatical.

The Propaganda Revolution?

2008-09-26T10:47:00.000-07:00

So with the former Soviet Union starting to take shape again and the possibility of a "depression" as the pundits say, are we looking at a possible era of new propaganda? I'm not talking about the propaganda we get everyday by watching network television, I'm talking about the design propaganda that took us through the depression and WWII. There was amazing work produced back then at the expense of the governments of the USSR and the USA. Work that I think you would be hard pressed to matched on such a scale again. I think the real question is, does the world the way it is today have a place for such propaganda.

Personally I think as a whole that with the wide access to the internet and television that printed propaganda has little chance of a revolution. Sure the pieces could be produced, but to what success? Designers and collectors would love to get their hands on political and social propaganda posters. This is a problem - well designed, graphically interested posters would immediately disappear from their place of post, thus not allowing the message to get out. That's why I think the evolution of propaganda has already happened. Examine the current presidential election - messages, videos and stories being disseminated on the internet. Supposed news organizations with an initiative for a specific candidate. Regardless of the truth of any of the items they are around the world in seconds. A successful YouTube video today is 100 times more effective than a great propaganda poster of the 1930's. The whole thing that's sad about this is that those posters of the 1930's and 1940's will always be cherish and have a place in history. But how long will the modern day videos and internet stories be remembered and cherished? That's the problem with the internet - there's no tangible element to remind history that it existed. Print will never be perfect, but it will always be part of history.

As a designer I say we start producing propaganda to halt the evolution of propaganda - let's see how that would workout. Of course we may need a government agency created to oversee the PATEOP (Propaganda Against The Evolution Of Propaganda).

The Impact of Image

2008-09-08T13:15:00.000-07:00

Don't you just hate it when a client comes to you and presents a project that they want to produce and they explain to you that they only have enough budget for design and printing. They have nothing for photography or illustration. What's the point? It's kind of like building a house without a roof - it's got windows and has a foundation but it won't last long and needless to say is useless.

I can't express enough how important imagery is for any project. While there are lot of options utilizing stock these days they is still no substitute for shooting or illustrating for the actual project. I've heard many times, "Oh don't worry, Jane here is a photographer". Really, than why is Jane answering your phones. There is a reason that professional photographers get paid for what they do, simply put - it's not that easy. Sure I can come up with some brilliant ideas for a project and have an idea of how I envision a photo looking, but just because I have digital camera doesn't mean I can shoot photos.

The photos when shot properly will perfect the concept and in turn make the piece effective. Why spend the money at all if you aren't willing to get decent photography or illustration? Keep the money and throw a party, it might have a better result. Now when the budget for photography or illustration is considered the outcome can be outstanding. Regardless of what the project is imagery is going to make or break it. So next time you want to produce an amazing piece remember to add in the budget for photography and/or illustration. Your designer/agency will thank you, as will your boss for producing such an amazing piece.

A Job Worth Doing

2008-08-29T11:19:00.000-07:00

So today I was reminded of one simple rule of business - a job worth doing is worth doing right. While I always feel this way I have experienced many people that don't.

Today I had guys coming over to sod my yard and the guy who was really just a laborer said "the ground isn't prepared properly and I really hate to put nice sod on this uneven ground". Needless to say his instructions from his boss (the owner of the company) was that it was done and ready to be put down so just do it. This led to a discussion between me and his boss that basically went nowhere. After the owner left the laborer basically explained to me that the company has a new owner and how the new owner has no interest in doing something the best that it can be. He also told me he had very little interest in working under the new owner long term since the owner took no pride in doing the job right. Now remember this guy is just a laborer, just a guy who lays sod. So this laborer and his team decided among themselves that they are going to spend the several extra hours it will take to make the job just right. He had more interest in making me happy then the owner of the company. This guys pride in his job is so important to him that he's willing to go find a company that appreciates the good work he does. Who wouldn't love to have someone like that on their payroll. Needless to say at the end of the day the guys working in the yard, doing all of the hard work. They will be getting a big tip from me.

This really sparked that whole thought of a "a job worth doing is worth doing right". When did that change? When did so many people stop taking interest and pride in their jobs? If a guy laying sod can appreciate what he does so much that he's willing to go the extra mile to make it right, why can't all of us? I personally never take a client for granted. If I'm going to take on a job of course I want to do it to the best of my ability. By doing a great job I that client will refer me to other clients and hopefully I will have the opportunity to work with that same client in the future. It sucks to do work you hate, so if you hate it find a new job or a new client and do stuff you love. Even if you aren't making as much money you'll be much happier in the end. So the next time you take a job, first make sure it's worth doing and second make sure it's done right.

Signed, "Anonymous"

2008-08-21T05:40:00.000-07:00

This post has absolutely nothing to do with items that are graphic or creative, but I did think in a way it was brilliant and raised lots of questions. It's a website called Hello! You There! The whole point of the project is to allow people to be able to send constructive advice to a person or persons anonymously. Basically you go to the website and enter the Addressee and the advice you would like to send to them, then an actual letter is created and mailed post to the location provided. It doesn't quite stop there - the addressee can then respond on the Hello! You There! website to the addressers letter.

So, is this a social experiment? I personally think it is. The idea of what if you can tell anyone, anything without them knowing it was you is something that would intrigue almost any human. We all have that deep, dark pit inside of us that want to critique someone we know - but fear hurting their feelings and damaging relationships. Is this a solution to that? Who knows. I definitely see where people will use this to get all those little things off their chest, but obviously you can't be too specific or else it wouldn't be anonymous.

So could this go beyond, "You really need to wear deodorant"? Why not send positive comments anonymously? Wouldn't everyone love to hear something great about themselves from an anonymous person? People always love to be credited for praise and hate to be credited for critique. I guess it's human nature, but is it just another step away from the personal aspect of communications. In the new world of emails and texting do we really need to add another way to communicate that's completely impersonal? Isn't it kind of cowardly to critique someone anonymously? Longterm, aren't we just making it so that people can't speak direct and as individuals we can't cope with criticism? Do we really want the next generation to cry and have their feelings hurt every time they are criticized directly? Just like any other tool, I think it has everything to do with how you use it.

Picking the Right Client

2008-08-19T05:38:00.000-07:00

I recently had a potential client come to me with "concepts" that they spent some time gathering and producing comps for. They had supposedly given their ideas to the decision makers and they picked a direction. This is where they wanted me to come into the picture. My question was what exactly do you want me to do? The budget they had wasn't enough to actually produce concepts and go through the rough idea stage. They said that since I was a Senior Art Director they wanted me to come up with concepts and produce ideas to present to there bosses. This baffled me. They were insisting that since I was the Art Director the concepting really needed to be done by me. That statement was one I agree with. The designers and art directors should come up with the the concepts. The problem was they already lead the decision makers down a dead end road. A direction that had little impact and no thought to the future of where this company is taking it's marketing campaign. Needless to say I saw little reason to take this any further. If you insist on a creative doing concepts bring them in at the beginning of the project.

I wanted to address this point. From my standpoint I would be more willing to take a job with not quite enough budget as along as the client was open creatively to new ideas and the real future of their company. The last thing I want to do as a designer is come in produce a crappy campaign element and never see that client again. I personally want to build that relationship and trust to help their company reach it's full potential. A long term relationship benefits the client as much as it does the designer. If you have no interest in developing a relationship with your client then you need to get out of the business.

The reason that so many people are hesitant about handing over any creative control to an outside agency is because of the agencies out there that are only doing what the client wants for a paycheck. Those agencies aren't improving their marketplace, they aren't improving the future and vibrancy of their own industry. They are destroying it. I realize not every client is perfect and a few have a hard time looking outside the box, but at least try, at least educate them on why you think your decisions are better then theirs. Do your job. At some point you have to ask yourself is this good for me? Is this good for the client? Why proceed in a direction that a client wants to proceed if you know it's a waste of money? Why proceed with a client that won't let you do what you do?

I hate harping at these little facts, but I've seen it too often. After the dust settles and after the money has been spent these clients have essentially been ripped off, duped. They put their trust in an agency that had no interest in them. The client is responsible too, but there are a lot of people out there that talk a good game. If as a client you need to call a reference for a sound mind, do it. A good agency should have no problem giving you references to call. If they give you some crazy excuse, that just means they don't want you talking to their past clients and that's not a good sign. I know as a designer I love to find out what has happened with my clients creative partners in the past to get them to move on. It's not because I want to the hear the gossip (and usually it is) it's because I want to make sure that their decision to move on was a valid one. If it's some obscure reason like they moved to a different office, or the guys breath always smelled I would have hesitations about working with that client.

Do You Identify with Your Identity?

2008-08-15T10:38:00.001-07:00

So, I just wanted to bring up a little subject that I've been discussing with people a lot lately - Identity. I'm not talking about our identities as individuals, but the identities of our companies or the companies we work for.

Most people don't look past their graphic image (logo, promo pieces, etc.) when you mention identity. While all that plays an important part of your identity it's only 1 part. Overall your identity is defined by how others see you. How they form their impressions and opinions of your business. This includes every aspect of your business that comes into contact with the outside world. Sales people, representatives, your lobby, your trucks that make deliveries, your logo, your ads, etc. It also includes the company that your business keeps. What I mean is other businesses that you partner on projects with or vendors that produce items for you clients - in the end they are all representing your company. If your vendors or partner businesses have bad ethical practices you can bet that in the long run it will be a weakness for your company.

So what am I really getting at here? Start examining your company from an outsiders perspective. Think about what they are seeing. So often I go into a business that expects there clients to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars with them, yet they have an outdated interior, an outdated image, an outdated color palate for their logo and everything inside is a mess (and don't even get me started on websites). What in my right mind would make me consider hiring them to do a job. Do what you do when you wake up every morning and get ready to go to work, look in the mirror. Image is important, but it's not your whole identity. You can look pretty on the outside, but if you are shallow and callus you'll be spending your nights alone.

I've turned down many clients based on their unwillingness to examine their own identity before selling themselves. Putting a pile of pooh on a silver platter doesn't make it more enticing. Why do I turn down those clients - because by me choosing to work with them that becomes part of my identity. Personally I'd always like to improve my identity. It's a continuous process that never stops. So never stop thinking about what other's think of your business.

The Greatest Printer on Earth

2008-08-14T08:04:00.000-07:00

OK, the claim as the greatest printer on Earth was my doing, but I thought it was important to bring to everyones attention a little printer out of Nashville. It's a printer that opened it's doors early in 1879 and has producing amazing show and venue posters ever since. It's called Hatch Show Print. The printing process they use is letterpress utilizing hand carved wooden plates and letters. In it's early days the press produced handbills and vaudeville posters to promote engagements. Doing the early 1900's they also became famous for producing posters for the many minstrel shows (traveling tent shows) that traveled the South. Among them the famous Silas Green minstrel show. Doing the same time they were producing posters for many theaters throughout the south. By the late 1930's The Grand Ole Opry radio show had evoloved into a stage show in Nashville. Hatch started supplying posters for all of the Opry performers opening up the door to what was soon to be the printers claim to fame. Being so close to the Opry House through the 1950's allowed Hatch Show Print to highlight it's talent to the managers and promoters of country music. Naturally their jobs evolved into producing show posters for the Country Music stars as they toured. Many of these posters are still available for purchase on their Hatch Show Prints website. By the late 1970's Hatch was producing show posters for popular music as well as it's bread and butter industry at the time, professional wrestling. As time progressed through the 1980's the musicians started coming back to Hatch, recognizing it's historical importance as well as it's unique posters. Doing this time Jim Sherraden took over the shop as manager and started restriking some of Hatch Show Prints old images as postcards and posters. Sherraden was only manager for a year and a half before leaving to pursue his professional music career. In 1986 the Grand Ole Opry bought Hatch Show Print. Not knowing exactly how to utilize the shop, they hired Jim Sherraden as a consultant. Soon Sherraden was fully in-charge of Hatch Show Print once again. As the 1990's progressed, Sherraden saw the music industry recognizing the unusual talents of both him and the shop. Doing that time he designed or printed work for clients like the Georgia Satellites, Emmylou Harris and Fossil. Sherraden also started producing monoprints of his own using various old plates in the shops archives to create artwork. As a personal owner of one of these monoprints I can honestly say it's just a print it's as much as it's a true piece of art. So the next time you are in Nashville don't forget to stop by Hatch Show Print and say hi, and make sure you don't forget to purchase a poster or postcard. I think it's good to remember a giant in both the printing and design world. It's a look that's been ripped off a million times, why not actually produce it with the good old fashioned hand carved work of yesteryear. Let's keep this history alive.

Back to School - Folk School That is.

2008-08-13T06:21:00.000-07:00

I know some people feel they don't have any amount of creativity or craftiness in there blood, but I guarantee I've found a way for you to feel different about that. It's a place located deep in the mountains of Western North Carolina called John C. Campbell Folk School. This is a place where you can get away from the real world and escape to the world of yesterday. The idea behind this school is to teach people in 5 days a craft or art that has been around for centuries. OK, maybe not all of the subjects they teach have been around for centuries, but most have. The subjects that you can choose from is unlimited. If you like to bake, make glass beads, screen print, wood turn, blacksmith or make pottery that's all there among many, many others to choose from.

I had the pleasure of spending a week there last August and it was a great experience. It was really a retreat as much as a learning experience. You have the ability to work from 8am to midnight if you so desire. The opportunity to produce something great is very much available. Depending on the package you choose you have the option of staying on campus and having them prepare all of your meals for you or you can stay and eat off campus. While the lodgings are basic you don't really spend that much time in them - really only sleeping. The rest of the time is spent working on projects, socializing with other students, taking a walk around the large campus or visiting the artist's studios down on the main street . Every morning they have someone come and tell stories about the history of the school and sing songs. A great way to start the day. In the evening there may be line dancing going on (which is great to just watch if you don't want to participate) or you may stumble on a Bluegrass group jamming in the main hall. There are also demonstrations going on in the different classes every night. That way you can learn something about a subject you thought you would never have interest in like glass bead making. At the end of the week all the classes get together in the main hall and display everything that the students produced - a gallery showing of sorts. Anyway you slice it, it's an experience that you won't get anywhere else. And you won't forget the rest of your life. So the next time you are looking for a vacation that's different consider the John C. Campbell Folk School. Sooner or later I'll be back there myself.

A Little Passion at Work?

2008-08-12T12:52:00.000-07:00

As the day wears on, I find myself staring at my screen waiting for something to jump out at me. Anything, something that will give me that creative energy that I'm currently lacking. This leads me to the question - what do you do to get back into the work mode? In the past I typically would do a little internet surfing to research a current project or I might get the sketch book out and sketch a little, but more and more I found the need to get away from my desk all together. To me I find a great deal of inspiration in nature (when it's nice outside) so these summer months become testing to me. Because of the heat I find myself not wanting to even step outside if I can avoid it. So what's my alternative - some sort of meditative state? Hah - if you know me at all you know that's not going to happen. I recently went back to painting and that's helped a lot. I hadn't "really" painted in 15+ years, but it was always a passion that I knew I would go back to. The thing is regardless of how good or how bad the painting is I feel really energized and ready to accomplish even more on a professional level. I guess my point is, that passion allows me to escape and not really even use my brain and in turn it has really made me a more productive person. I know not everyone can pursue their passion in the middle of work day (can you imaging the entire office emptying out to go surfing), but try and find a passion or just something fun that you can do at work like writing, blogging, origami or maybe marbles with you cell mate, I mean cubicle mate. What ever it is have fun and take a little time to breathe. I guarantee in the end you'll be much more productive at your job and you'll like coming to work much more. Let us know what you do at work to break up your day.

Why Must We Colour Inside the Lines?

2008-08-11T04:51:00.000-07:00

There was a website brought to my attention last week by one of my clients. As a designer I love to have a variety of resources available to me and I think overall this is a great resource. It's a site called Colour Lovers and it's all about color or (colour, sorry I'm going to lean back to my American ways) and color combinations. The thing that is interesting about this site is that it really is a social site based around color. On the site are several different areas that you can participate - forums, color trends, create your own color palettes and patterns just to name a few. From a strictly professional standpoint it's not a perfect site, but the thing that's great about it is that it gets you thinking in different ways then you might normally. And just like anything else you will get a lot more out of it if you participate. The best part is it's completely "FREE" to become a member. Maybe we should all learn how to Colour again.

The Branding of Politics

2008-08-08T05:46:00.000-07:00

First thing I want to say is this is not a political discussion. The last thing I want this particular post to be about is party priorities and who's the best candidate. The reason I'm writing this post is to talk about the image from a design standpoint that Obama has been able to create. Because I don't want this to turn into a political ad I will not put Obama's imagery on this blog - but if you haven't seen any of it (which I would have a hard time believing) do a little research on the web.

Obama's team has assembled such a great collection of graphic imagery to represent their candidate that it's hard to even believe that it's politics. The approach has been more of a brand instead of a political candidate. A couple of the popular designs are even propaganda like in their conception. Is this changing politics? Of course it is. By approaching the candidate as a brand instead of a person with ideals you take the actual thought process out of the "selection" process. Look at brands like Apple and Nike as a couple of examples. The younger generations identify with these brands regardless of the reality of the company itself. Ipods are successful because of their ad campaigns and a couple unique product developments 8 years ago. Is their product sooo much better than any new products - not really, but their brand is. (FYI - I'm a huge Apple fan). So as the younger generations make their decisions based more and more on image, brand for political candidates becomes that much more important. I wish that this wasn't the case. I wish that every single voter in this country made their decision based on "their" beliefs for this country instead of party affiliations or who someone else tells them to vote for. And I really hate that fact that any individual will support or back a candidate because of their brand without even doing the research to find out what the candidate is all about. In this modern day of clothing labels and brand names plastered all over America's youth it's not hard to wonder why we find it necessary to put candidates t-shirts on 9 year olds. Is there a point where we've gone to far? Are candidates going to start partnering with applesauce companies to make sure their brand gets developed for the future? Where do we draw the line? So bravo to the democrats for a great brand. To the republications, where is your brand development. It's obvious that regardless of how good or crappy your "product" is a great brand can still be sold to anyone. Is it going to be the case in the future that any empty suit with a great brand will win elections in America? Let's hope not. Let's hope that politics will get back to the fundamentals of what voters want for their future, for their country and for their wellbeing.

An Example of a Great Client

2008-08-07T10:07:00.000-07:00

The post before this I talked about educating the client. On that subject I would like to share an example of what I am talking about. I started working with this client in 2001 and one our first orders of business was producing their annual report. They had done annual reports before this one, but they were kept simple. This particular annual report was the companies 100 year anniversary so they wanted to produce something extra special. That was the first time we worked closely on such a large project.

I worked with the client every step of the way, explaining the printing processes and finishing techniques to achieve what they were looking for. I also made sure the client was involved in the paper selection for the piece as well as being on the 18 hour press run for proofing. I can't say for sure that was the first time the client was on a press proof, but I know he gained a great deal of knowledge and understanding from being involved in that whole process. Since then we've produced many pieces together including 7 more amazing annual reports. Each year the client grew more interested in the materials and concepts - to the point of even bringing very good ideas to the table. Personally I love it when the client feel creative enough to get involved. While every idea a client brings to the table isn't the right one, it's important to be able to explain why it isn't right and work on a way to have a great concept.

I can honestly say that the little bit of time that I've spent over the years educating this client on the process has come back to me 10 times in the ability to be more creative and in-turn produce much better work for them. The results have obviously be seen by the client or else we wouldn't still be working together. Respect the client and maybe then they will respect the process. Above are some photos of the work we've produced together. More are located at my site.

The Client as a Creative?

2008-08-06T07:36:00.000-07:00

Since this blog is in one way or another about design I figured this would be a good subject. As always I welcome your input on this subject.

Everyday I hear colleagues talking about what the client doesn't know and what the client doesn't get. I know you hear this over and over, but educate the client. It takes time, effort and lots of energy, but long term you could have a client that you love to work with. Explain to the client why one idea is better then another, show the client examples of printing techniques or ,if the planets align, take the client with you to the print run. Let them see the whole process so they can better understand time lines and budget constraints.

I know, it's painful to try to walk someone through every process and yeah your client may not get it on the first try, but take baby steps. Work every project to be that much further from the previous. If as designers and creative directors we aren't always pushing for our clients to be better, then what's the point. From my personal experience you'll most likely develop a great relationship with your client as well as a trust that can't be bought with any amount of money. And who knows you clients just might become more creative. I even dare say they might be able to make your ideas even better (after all it's their business/industry). I guarantee that the time you spend helping them understand what you do will be well worth it in the long run and just imagine how much better you'll understand what they do.

The Magic of the Web?

2008-08-06T07:03:00.000-07:00

So the economy is changing and the whole world is soon going to explode from global warming... I've been thinking lately about how this whole negative attitude that is happening on almost a global scale is affecting business and how people perceive their own business. I've had more calls then ever recently from people looking to update or just get a web presence. People have this magic notion that by putting their business on the web it's going to get them more business. I'm not saying that the web doesn't serve a usefulness - it does. I personally use the web to research and find out what information I can about a business that I'm already interested in - restaurants, vacation spots, bands, etc. I realize that I'm just me and that everyone uses the web differently, but unless you have all the parts of your "marketing" system in place the web will do very little to bring you unique business.

So my question is this - if the news wasn't negative and everyone wasn't complaining about $4 gas would I still be getting these calls or would people just chalk it up to a personal slump? It seems that as individuals we have a hard time analyzing ourselves and our business'. Once it becomes an industry or several then we actually sit down and analyze. Once the tv pundits bring it to our attention then we really start to worry. Can't we think for ourselves anymore? Don't get me wrong, I know our economy has changed, probably for the better when you think long term. Why is it that as a society we have a problem thinking proactive instead of reactive. Why not fix the holes in your "marketing" system when things are good? Personally I think that the problem is we only focus on the present in the good times. I present this 1 idea to you - next time things are good, next time things are great - think about the time in the past (maybe right now) when things weren't so great and use your experience coping through those bad times to avoid it in the future.

Is the web magic? No way! The web doesn't make your business better then it is, it doesn't make your food taste better, it doesn't make your customer service better. The one thing that it may do is drive potential customers to call or visit. What happens at that point is still up to you. Having a web presence is still very important for almost any business. Let those potential customers get introduced to you and understand your business a little bit better before they go out to pursue relationship with you and your business.

And remember be Proactive.

Folk Art or not?

2008-08-05T09:21:00.000-07:00

So having had an interest in art since I was a wee boy, I find myself purchasing a wide variety of it. At least I define it as art. Some may think some of the pieces are more graphic than artistic. The one genre of art I find myself drawn to now more then ever before is American folk art. I do agree that there are some folk artists that have a truly rudimentary feel, almost child like. I guess if you consider the actual the rough definition of folk art is art produced by the common man to reflect their culture and surroundings. Regardless, the evolution that American folk art has had is beautiful. I personally wanted to bring one of my (and my wife's) new favorite artists to your attention. His name is Kent Ambler and his woodcut block prints and acrylic paintings are all great. If you are interested in checking out some different American Folk artists check out the American Folk Gallery. The "Birds is Like Chickens" was my personal purchase. While his block prints are simple they are very unique and graphic. His paintings are all focused around everyday objects (and animals). The off use of color and subject matter make his work very attractive.

The Beginning of the End

2008-08-04T07:05:00.000-07:00

Well this is it - my first proverbial blog post. I've never been a huge fan of blogs in general, but I do love the aspect of blogs for informative and research purposes. So I find myself at a crossroad, what to focus on. I think I'll focus my efforts on good design and design resources since that's where my passion (and career) has led me. Like art, design is in a way in the eye of the beholder. The one thing that I think we can all agree on is that design is meant to grab attention and to be seen, but there is a certain aspect that is about problem solving for a certain audience. As you will be able to tell through my exploits on this blog - I'm the furthest thing from a writer. My grammar is not that great and my punctuation is even worse so take it all in stride.

Thanks