Thursday, November 5, 2009

The Education of a Logo

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


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.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Looking for Inspiration

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.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Why Handmade

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


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.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Hey There! I am not using Twitter.

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.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Why Are We Loyal to a Brand

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.

Friday, April 10, 2009

Is the End of Good Design Near?


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.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Now That's a Good Change


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.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

It's Time to Grow

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


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...


Thursday, March 5, 2009

The New Brand of Recovery


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.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Observe or Inspire

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.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

What's Kraft Up To?



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?

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Rebranding...Really?


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.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Taking Ownership



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.

Monday, January 5, 2009

It's Just a Little Gift.



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.