Desktop Wallpaper : December

*sniff*

The last month of 2009...I can't help but already start early on some new goals for the new year.

While I'm doing that, here are some more desktop wallpapers from Smashing Magazine. I'm a sucker for anything that's Christmas- or snow-themed so I chose the snowmen for my desktop.

Can you hear the sleigh bells in the calm silence of the snow?

The True Art of Fonts and Typography

Yesterday was my last Art of Fonts class at Emily Carr. To date it's been my favorite and I had a lot of fun exploring and experimenting. In my opinion the course was a little on the short side but luckily my teacher (Kara Pecknold) is teaching a full typography class starting in Spring 2010 so if you're interested, take a peek at Emily Carr's latest course offerings. You won't be disappointed!

Throughout the course we touched on many different subjects and were given some really fun projects to reinforce what we learned that day.

One of them was to create a typographic journal by collecting type/font samples to present on our last day. For this project I bought an ecojot journal with the words "ReThink" on the front as I wanted to use this opportunity to really 'rethink' the way I conceptualize and execute my ideas. I also decided to hand draw the fonts I found to reinforce this 'rethink' process and remove me from my every day technology.

Here is one of my samples.

For this one, I chose the Guitar Hero font designed by Michael Beruit because of the pure typographic genius behind it. After reading about the development and execution of the font, it is now one of my favorites of all time. The use of negative space, the integration, and composition of each letter brought together to form one unified piece, leaves me breathless each time I see it.

The before and after (below) will give you a better appreciation of the work that went into the re-design; this is the true art of typography.


In addition to our typographic journal we were to design and present a poster for a fictional event called "Design Culture Now". Since designers would be the target audience for this event, I knew the names would draw them in more-so than the event name so I wanted to make those a prominent part of the layout.

The designers speaking at the event were (and are) 'stars' of the design world; inspirational, revolutionary, and somewhat rebellious, breaking the rules at some point in time. With this in mind, I concluded that my poster could resemble a movie poster with towering type that commanded attention but it would also have to break the rules in someway to further communicate what these designers are about.

After many sketches and a lot of thought, this was the end result.

Now that I have a hightened awareness for fonts, typography, and the art involved in communicating with type, I now believe all good design begins and ends with GREAT typography. It is most definitely an art unto itself.

Maybe You Should Get Out More.

Has anyone been a couch potato lately? If so, you've probably seen this commercial created by DDB Toronto. My boyfriend actually told me about it and got me to watch it with him. When I finally figured out what was going on, boy...did it ever make me want to get out of the house! Especially since I knew what a Snuggie was.

(Did you know they have Snuggies for dogs now? Now that one REALLY made me laugh. Maybe the dogs should get out more too!)

The Future of Selling Design : Blair Enns

I had a fabulous change of scenery today attending a morning lecture put on by the GDC called "The Future of Selling Design" presented by Blair Enns.

Blair Enns is the founder of Win Without Pitching and a business development consultant to marketing communication agencies.

When Blair began his presentation, the first thing that I was impressed by was his public speaking skills. I've never been very strong in public speaking myself so watching him speak, motivated me to improve this skill.

Throughout his presentation Blair continued to impress by shifting my thinking. He made some great points about the future of design and how we, as designers, should stop selling something clients can get anywhere and start selling specialties relative to the demands. Sure we design wonderful things and have a certain flair for it but how can we remove ourselves from the "mushy middle" and separate ourselves from the "me too's" ?

Well, pick one.

Specialize (add value to your product/services and find your USP) or generalize (reduce production costs in order to compete). My creative mentor always told me to specialize, which I always agreed with. I never did like the concept of knowing how to do everything because it's just impossible.

To explain this theory, Blair used the analogy of pouring a bottle of beer into a casserole dish vs. a tall beer stein. With the casserole dish, you cover alot of area but the expertise is very shallow. With the beer stein, you're narrowing your focus and deepening your expertise, which in turn adds value to your business or service. That kind of expertise can't be bought for $99.

These concepts worked well in conjunction with a book I'm reading called "Green Graphic Design" by Brian Dougherty. Brian's book focuses more on a designers responsibility to the environment and being sustainable and innovative with our creative solutions but both are thinking from a marketing standpoint rather than a creative standpoint. Yea a brochure is good but what kind of value does it have? Why should people care? What's so different about this that can't have been found anywhere else?

Seemingly, there are boatloads of designers and not enough jobs to go around so each one of us has to specialize and offer something more than what can be bought online for next to nothing. This is how we, as designers, can put the value back in our work that clients are willing to pay for and not worry about reducing our cost to compete with the sheer number of designers that are out there. The truth is that the Walmart's of the world offering design templates or the Craigslist post offering a logo for $99 won't go away, so all we can do as designers is take the control back and differentiate ourselves from that.

I could go on for hours spewing ideas, thoughts, insights inspired by my morning but I won't. I will suggest, however, you visit Blair's website : Win Without Pitching. It's got some great articles for designers, firms, and businesses.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I am.

Desktop Wallpaper : November

Another month gone by...whew, what a fast one it's been.

Only one more until the end of the year. What goodies will the new year bring?

In the meantime, here are some goodies for your desktop.

A lot of them are themed around the up-coming Thanksgiving holiday but because I'm Canadian, that holiday is long-gone for me. So in keeping with my own status-quo I chose something fun and colourful instead.

Opportunities, Experiences, Awakenings

What is success?
What is failure?

More importantly, is there such thing as either?

I used to believe them both as black and white - you either succeeded at something or you didn't; Failure brought shame and success made you king/queen of the world. This way of thinking wasn't serving me any good and was a terrible way of looking at things. Why I made it so hard for myself, I don't know but if the past few years have taught me anything, it's that success isn't necessarily sweet and failure is never a bad thing therefore neither really exist. They are simply opportunities, experiences, awakenings...anything BUT success or failure.

My most recent awakening has had me contemplating the fate of my Creating Good Karma project. With my creative energies being drawn elsewhere and having learned so much since I started the project two years ago, it feels like an appropriate time to step away to re-evaluate, gain some perspective, and take the time to apply that new-found knowledge and skill. The site will be up and running until I figure out my next move so feel free to stop by. I'm not sure what will come of it in the following months and how it will evolve but I do know that I will find opportunity and continue to artistically express my passion for design and the creation of the greater good.

In the meantime, I encourage my followers, fans, and friends to step forward with any ideas, suggestions, contributions, or requests to help fan the flames of creativity. Until then, I look forward to this new chapter full of lots more great opportunities, experiences, and awakenings.

The Newest Member of GDC

I received an exciting call last week from the GDC congratulating me on my licentiate status. I am now a full-fledged member. I'm so excited to finally be a part of this great community of designers.

Desktop Wallpapers : October

I was super excited to fall upon the latest desktop wallpapers from Smashing Magazine.

There's quite a few Halloween themed ones this month, naturally, but I'm not one to be drawn to clichés so I was tempted to choose something out of the ordinary just in spite of that.

But, in the end, I chose one that was went beyond the Halloween theme and told a story, letting my imagination run wild. Looking at it, reminded me of critiques in art class: what's happening and why?

Monica Corduneanu, the artist, is out of Romania and has a fantastic portfolio of wildly fun illustrations. You can check her out here.

Enjoy!

With or Without You

On my commute home today I had an interesting conversation with some ladies about technology and the good ole days of rotary phones, snail mail, and plain old meet and greets. We also touched on how much closer families would be without Blackberries, how much more book-savvy young ones would be without computers, and we even went as far as imagining a society without it all; Simpler times where there was every opportunity for people to be or do what they wanted without a wall of technology to climb in order to get there. In some aspects I think it's tougher for people now to fulfill dreams with so much more to learn.

Are those not keeping up, getting left behind? Is that how it should be?

I wonder what would it be like to get back to the root of it all.

Maybe I'm just old fashioned but I remember the days of sitting down to dinner with family each night without tv to watch or a Blackberry in hand, going to the library with friends to write book reports instead of copying and pasting from Wikipedia, getting a job with little to no experience.

I think it's interesting to see where this technology is taking us and how we are all evolving with it and how we would evolve without it.

Are we better off? Or worse off?

Leave Behind Your Criteria

I've been so delinquent in my blog posts, I almost feel criminal. It's funny how that happens. You get so wrapped up in being 'active' at all times that it feels weird to step away. You wonder what it is you may be missing or what you're leaving behind.

But a leave-behind was exactly what I was aiming to do as I've been productive designing one - you know a 'leave-behind' portfolio?

When I first thought of designing one I had no rules, boundaries, or limitations. Creative freedom right? Errrr! Wrong! At least for this project so I thought it best to write out a quick creative brief on what I wanted to achieve with this leave-behind piece. I designed a mock-up last night and have a few more pieces that I might want to include in the final package.

Now that I have some ideas, maybe my reading audience would like to outline some criteria for me too, just as if you were my client, and I'll incorporate them into this project. Not only would it be interesting to see what everyone has to add but it would challenge me to come up with something really creative and fun. The criteria can be related to function or form.

Here's a quick description of a leave-behind portfolio:

A leave-behind as the name suggests, is a part or sampling of a portfolio that is left with a potential employer or exhibitor after a meeting or interview. Leave-behinds can be anything from brochures, self-promotional flyers, creative packages with key portfolio elements, or printed images. Some leave-behinds are more elaborate and interactive, depending on time and budget allowances, such as an interactive and custom designed and packaged CD or DVD or a nicely printed color brochure with pockets for accompanying CDs and business card.

Leave-behinds are typically used in advertising, design, photography and fine art, and is most often a single printed piece that depicts either a single piece from the portfolio or a collage of several portfolio pieces.

The goal of a leave-behind is to help the interviewer(s) remember the candidate and his/her work in the days follow the meeting and/or spark more interest from a potential employer or client one meets briefly in an elevator or at a party, for example. It also works in the same way a business card does, providing contact information to follow-up with.

As an alternative, a leave-behind is sometimes mailed to the potential client, employer, or interviewer(s) as opposed to physically leaving work with them.

So...give me one guideline for this leave-behind project based on what you see here.
Leave your comment below.

Desktop Wallpapers : September

I can't believe it's September already.

Man...did summer ever go fast!

And with a new month, comes new desktop wallpapers to keep your desktop looking alive.

The one I chose this month was reminiscent of my bookshelf with the inclusion of falling leaves and birds flying south. The colours of burnt oranges, deep yellows, and umber keep things warm on those cool breezy nights.

Speaking of which...time to close my window. It's a cold and rainy one out there.

Gratitude

Every morning on my way to work, I amuse myself with a read from the 24Hour paper.

Well actually I find news quite depressing on the best of days so I wouldn't really call it amusing but none-the-less there are some days when I come across a little nugget of joy that makes me smile, making it all worth it.

Today a reader had been having a rough start to her day and wanted to write in to this newspaper to publicly thank someone for his kind gesture of holding the bus that she was running to catch. I just loved her outpouring of appreciation and I wonder if he realized at the time, how much his gesture meant.

I've been in this situation many-o-times so I can completely relate how much it means to catch the bus you need to catch.

In fact on Friday my bus didn't show so I had to run to the commuter rail station from my house. I had 10mins before the next train came and I had a 12minute run ahead of me. Needless to say I ran REALLY REALLY fast.

After 10minutes of running, I was in sight of the station and I still had time - the train hadn't arrived yet. But just as fast as that thought popped into my head, the train pulls up and I still have a minute or two of running. I kept pushing, harder, faster and finally...I make it!

Thankfully the conductor had seen a few stragglers running and decided to hold the train for an extra minute. I really appreciated the gesture of him waiting. It really would have to sucked to run all that way and have to wait a 1/2 hour for the next one. Luckily it wasn't all for not and I made sure to leave a gratitude card on my chair when I left.

These stories really make me consider my own actions and how much a small gesture can affect others in such a big way. You could literally be making, or breaking, someone's day based on what you do, or don't do. That's why we gotta make 'every...one' count.

Be Creative to Be Creative

I read a great article a couple of days ago that outlined finding your creativity and being creative in order to find it. (Quite the catch-22)

I know at times my creativity goes A.W.O.L. and I'm left with a lot of empty space in my head. It's quite frustrating, especially when I'm in the mood to create but my right brain is not; it can be quite the battle. When that happens, I tend to completely shut off and step away hoping to gently coax my creativity back. (Is this just a "me" thing?)

I've told you about my Do Not Design days right? Well, sometimes it takes more than one for my creativity to appear again and when it does come back, the ideas are abundant (and usually show up at 2am or in a dream so gotta keep that bedside sketchbook handy).

This article not only got me thinking about stepping back more often, but made me ask myself what I could do to prevent such peaks and valleys.

My thought was not going into a creative coma, but to switch gears. Instead of being on the computer designing, surfing, playing, then vegging for days on end, maybe getting back to the roots of art class would be a better, more productive, option? (I know, I know...bad me for not doing that already.)

Now that I think of it, there were a lot of really great art projects that I had such a great time exploring. It would be a great switch from staring at a computer screen for hours on end at the very least.

Ooh remember the good old days of designing a page layout or designing type by hand?!
It's time to pull out the old sketchbook.

A Tourist In Your Own City

Every now-and-then I like to be a tourist in my own city.

Just today I was talking about the amount of times I've been to Victoria (a stones throw away from Vancouver), on holiday or on a field trip in my younger years, and for the most part, did the same things. Over the past few years, I had made it a point to do something different each time. One year my love and I really stepped out of the box and did a ghost walking tour and a whale watching tour on a zodiac. These things I would never think of doing unless I was far away but because I acted like I was far away, it was the most memorable trip there to date.

There's something about exploring things in your own city. Sometimes forgetting the expense or at least trying something new, really makes for a great experience. Just like if you were traveling to some far away land on some exotic vacation. There are no rules!

Yesterday I had the pleasure of venturing out on a lower mainland wine tour with West Coast Wine Education. Having gone on a Napa Valley wine tour a couple of years ago, I thought it would be fun to do one here.

I'm not much of a wine expert but I do appreciate a nice glass of wine occasionally and I love being a tourist. Not to mention I'm naturally very curious about everything so expanding my palette and my knowledge for wines was definitely a welcome opportunity.

We set out at a reasonable hour and headed over to a winery in New Westminster called Pacific Breeze (which you'd never expect to be there). What I liked most is that they are all about selling smaller amounts of wine at a higher quality. I liked that idea and something I strive for when it comes to my design.

The rest of the day we spent in Langley at a few more wineries (Township 7, Domaine de Chaberton, Vista D'Oro Farms <-my fave) sipping more wine, having lunch, and taking photos of the scenery. (I posted 3 of my faves in this posting. What do you think?)

Overall, it was a really fun day. Touring in a nice comfy shuttle bus with my mom, her friend, and 10 strangers made for a fantastic break from the ordinary. I highly recommend it!

There wasn't one particular part of the day that was better than another but if I had to choose a favorite it would be learning more about wine making and the methods taken to produce different flavours. (John was very knowledgable). And I have to admit, I also really enjoyed analyzing the wine labels and bottle designs *snicker*

At the end of the day, I didn't pack any wine home but I did snag a $7 box of really awesome crackers and a $8 small jar of Honey & Raspberries; What can I say, I'm a sucker for honey. The crackers barely fared the day but the honey will be savored nice and slow.

And little did I know, there are actually honey farm tours! Now THAT would be fun! I'll be sure to add that to my list of things to do. I wonder if there are any honey farms nearby I could hit up?

Apples to Apples

With the exception of the cauliflower, these food items are all green. (Anyone disagree?)

But, the question IS, do they all taste the same?

Well of course not. We wouldn't expect them to either because we're not comparing two of the same kind. So of course we're going to get different flavours, different shapes, varying shades of green, and different prices. Nothing is absolute here.

I think this metaphor is a good one to help clients (and designers) understand the variances in the graphic design industry. It's not as cut-and-dry as some may think. There are a variety of designers with different education, experience, professional accreditations, and even creative style. All of this will effect the end price for each project but remember that you get what you pay for.

Too many times I've seen Craigslist postings advertising a logo for $50. Those designers are either undercharging, hoping to land the job in-turn devaluing their work, or they just won't produce high-quality work that effectively communicates and the money spent, is now wasted. As a client, do you want to partake in either?

To further complicate that issue, Wallmart (of all places) is now offering stationery and marketing materials for small businesses through their very own print shop.

These two instances may give the impression that this profession is so easy anyone can do it, even Wallmart. But as I have said in previous postings, that's not the case and never will be.

Graphic designers can also use this as a metaphor for clients too. No ONE client has the same needs as another so having cookie-cutter pricing is also unrealistic and isn't the best business practice. By doing so, you may over-charge or you may under-charge and who wants to run a business doing either?

Like the plate of food, just because they're all green doesn't mean they're all created equal.

I Got Karma In My Pocket

For the past few days I've been making sure to keep my karmic freebies close at hand.

Monday I printed a set and left the house determined to find somewhere to plant one. At first, I didn't think I would have much of a chance to hand them out but as the days went by, I've been pleasantly surprised to see that I actually have more opportunities than I thought.

The bus drivers I encounter on a daily basis, the commuter train attendants, the waiter/waitress that waited on me and my man tonight at a restaurant, the baristas who make my misto to perfection each time...

Once I started handing them out I couldn't stop! I wanted to hand them out to everyone I came across! It not only made me feel great to recognize someone's efforts, but it gave me lots of ideas and inspiration for some more cards that will be added to my site soon.

I only have a few left, so I'm going to try to get out there to hand out some more.

Feel-Good Freebie

Lately I have been thinking about how to reinvent this karma project of mine to make it less like a "shop" and more like a community.

After roaming the internet for some-hours searching for inspiration I came across quite a few sites that sparked some excitement. There was a site in particular called Operation Nice that I was really taken in by. I felt I could really relate to the project and the people involved, even though I had never met them. There was a closeness there which made me think of what I could do with my project that gave people that same feeling of camaraderie and community. I was most inspired by the flower handouts that were accompanied by "Nice" tags. I felt that was a really great way of giving back and making people feel special.

That's when I thought of creating karma cards that could be downloaded and printed from anyone's computer on printable business cards. In this crazy world of super-evolving technology and depressing state of financial affairs, I thought this was a great way to get back to the roots of communication and personal connections.

This first set expresses gratitude towards someone who might give you great service; a waitress, a service clerk, a gas attendant. And because these cards are generic, they can be passed around from person to person.

They are free to download here.

And I would love to hear how you're using them. Or if you have a suggestion or idea for a future freebie, please email me.

Enjoy your karma!

Desktop Wallpapers : August

I just realized that I totally forgot to post wallpapers for July! Here they are in case you want one without the calendar.

Good thing I caught August before it whizzed by!

My favorite (and chosen) wallpaper this month is the memory design mainly for it's vintage colouring and the essence of world-travel.

What's your favorite?

Ready! Aim...Aim...Aim...Aim...Aim...Fire!

Have you ever heard of the phrase: Ready, Aim, Fire?
Of course you have! But I'm not talking about firearms here.

*Story time!*

For most of my creative career (all 5 years of full and part-time experience) I thought I had this ready, aim, fire theory down-pat. If I sought a new job, I went for it without a second thought. This pattern repeated for some years until I realized it wasn't working. The jobs I was landing weren't what I thought they were and I wasn't learning anything new. I was spinning in circles thinking there had to be something wrong with the system or (heaven-forbid) ME!


I went for a short business meeting with an extremely sweet lady who told me that I had the fire, but not the "ready, aim". I had only been sitting with her for less than an hour and she knew more about me than I did! She also reminded me of a book I once read which talked about the "Ready, Aim, Fire" concept.

After digesting her words, I realized that my impatience had got the better of me without even realizing it; I was firing at random hoping that I would hit my target but in the end, I hit everything BUT.

Lately I've been somewhat experimental in trying to see what would happen if I waited things out and let go of expectations. So far it's been really eye-opening to repel every instinctual thought and programmed response I have ever known. The reactions I get from others are even more positive and my results are far better than they have been in the past. Sure my impatience still nags at me, but it's becoming more like a whisper.

I like this new patient me...

The Eternal Optimist

I find the current state of television shows depressing, exploitative, and not entertaining at all. To name a few that really fit this profile: Toddler's and Tiara's, Paris Hilton: My New BFF, and every news channel there is.

What will networks think of next to get viewers to tune in? Is there any hope?

I sometimes wondered what would happen if a society was overwhelmed with positive media for a week instead of another murder, another kidnapping, more crooked politicians?

Would people watching or reading be less interested? Or would they be less depressed and become more helpful and hopeful?

A favorite actor of mine, Michael J. Fox, filmed a documentary on optimism that I couldn't have been happier to come across tonight. Alright so I'm like 2 months later than the rest of the world, but I'm not much of a tv-watcher to begin with so I'm surprised I came across it THIS soon *LOL* It's titled "The Adventures of An Incurable Optimist".

I was especially intrigued by his visit to Bhutan, a Buddhist society that values joy in everyday, mundane activities. In 2006, Business Week magazine rated Bhutan the happiest country in Asia and the eighth-happiest in the world, according to Wikipedia.

Sounds like a great place find some optimism. That's my kinda place!

But it wasn't just his visit to Bhutan or his interview with Lance Armstrong or his research into the genetic roots of optimism that got me; It was his journey, his experiences, his wisdom, his subtle humor about life, and ultimately his optimism that made me want more. It inspired me to become more optimistic myself and also be more accepting of who I am flaws, failures, and all.

Some that know me may tell you I can't get any more optimistic but like a true optimist I would say "There's always room for growth and improvement".

So thank you TLC, A&E, ABC, and every other network broadcast this special. We need more of these!

My gratitude also goes out to Mr. Michael J. Fox for filming this documentary. You are my new muse. Next book on my "to read" list: his book.

DAY 5 : Working with a Grid

Well it was my last class today and it was a bit sad to know I wouldn't be going back for another few months. Being at Emily Carr was an experience I couldn't possibly get tired of. Emily Carr is like my mother ship.

For the last class today we discussed page layout and working with a grid. This was something I never learned in my diploma course which is very strange but I learned it eventually through trial and error.

It's such a simple concept to keep things organized and give things structure it amazes me that it wasn't common sense to me way back when, but since it's not necessarily out in the open for all to see, a person may miss it if they're not taught properly. This is why I recommend going to a great art school.

All-in-all this course was a great starting point for communication design and gave a really nice mix of information. Even though it was an intensive, it sure didn't feel as overwhelming as I thought it was going to be. It was just enough of a challenge to keep me wanting more and I did learn a little more theory than I had going into the course.

Now I think I'll relax and await my next design challenge in September; more school and submitting my portfolio to the GDC to finally become an official member.

DAY 4 : Identity

In today's class we discussed logos, identity, and branding. What was really interesting was the fact I totally missed something in the FedEx logo that I should have really picked up on earlier. It's very subtle but it does exist for a reason; very tricky. Can anyone tell me what it is?

We then got into the creation of an identity and applying standards across letterhead, business cards, etc. Our assignment was to create a letterhead and a business card based on 3 logos that were given to us.

Class was let out early and I strolled through Granville Island before heading home.

Working on my assignment tonight I came across a temporary glitch; my computer chair literally split in two. I went to sit down and it just leaned over on itself and fell to the ground. I'm still laughing about it. It was just too funny. Being so involved in designing these identities and having a computer chair break on you. A true test to potential real-life pressures in the design field. LOL! Luckily I was able to steal my boyfriends chair for the night and get my project finished.

Since I've done a few identities, I'll be interested to see what everyone says about my stuff. I'm really hoping for lots of critique so that I can learn lots of new things.

Tomorrow is my last class and I'm a bit saddened it has to end so soon. Just when I was getting into the swing of things and having so much fun. But I plan to sign up to some more courses in the fall so this isn't the end by any means. It's just the beginning.

More to come...

DAY 3 : Typography

The topic of the day was typography. What a juicy topic!

Typography to me is like reading a mystery novel. You kinda have a sense of who dunnit and why but then as the story progresses, it reveals more details and throws more twists and turns in the plot, making you go "hmm!" or "aha!"

I know typography is an extremely complex area of design which was why I was excited to discuss it today. We delved into how and when to use certain typefaces, talked about how to make a page more readable, technical jargon, how to recognize a typeface by certain letters, and expressing feeling with type. It was a pretty fun day and our in class exercise was to name 10 typefaces that were given to us. I got 9 out of 10 :)

Our homework for the day was to write down a sentence that described ourselves and give it to our partner (and visa versa). Using that sentances context we needed to create a typographic representation of their name. So if they were artistic, they're name would have to be designed with an artistic typeface or designed to look somewhat artistic.

I'm really looking forward to the reveal tomorrow. I can't wait to see what everyone came up with. I'm also looking forward to seeing how well I did on mine.

DAY 2 : Composition

Today's class was another fun one. Working in groups yesterday really helped the class get a little more dynamic so the critique of our homework today was really fun. Some symbols were harder to express (and interpret) than others but it was a great exercise which further emphasized how something so simple can be so challenging to communicate. The teacher had to laugh at symbol I came up with for "keep plastic away from children". I thought drawing a plastic bag on a baby's head with a cross through the picture might have been a bit crude but it seemed to get the message across so I was happy about that.

Later we discussed composition in page layouts, comparing the different ways you can balance a page; by size, shape, colour, symmetry, or asymmetry, and looked at some really interesting examples.

We then put this to work on an in-class assignment placing black boxes on a piece of paper to describe a given verb, then critiqued each one. It's interesting how different people interpret or describe the same verb. Like our teacher says, if you give 10 designers the same design project, you'll get 10 different results.

That's the beauty of design; there is no right answer.
More to come...

DAY 1 : The Basics

It almost felt rebellious to wake up this morning and not go to work. *snicker*

It was a really nice change though, especially since I've waited so long to find an appropriate course (and school) to attend. I had also forgot how much fun it was to go to art school. If only I could get paid to do that :)

I left myself lots of time for travel, to find my classroom, and a nearby coffee shop to grab a warm drink. I was surprised that Granville Island had such an energy so early in the morning!

After wandering the island for a bit and taking in the sights, it was off to class.

We begin with introductions, a class overview, and quickly dive right into the good stuff, discussing effective communication design. Many examples of past and current advertising campaigns were used to really drive the message home.

Later in the morning, the process of conceptualizing, research, and technique were also points focused on and the afternoon was spent discussing symbols and communicating a message through icons and images only.

For our assignment we were paired in 3's and given 3 different symbols to design as a group. After we finished conceptualizing them, each of us had to finalize and mount one design each, for presentation and critique in class tomorrow. As simple as it sounds, it was definitely a challenge to make our symbols communicate the way we wanted.

I guess we'll see how well we did tomorrow when we have an actual audience to interpret them.

More to come...

One More Sleep

Sketchbook...check
Pencils...check
Creativity...check

Looks like I'm all ready to start my class tomorrow.

I'm a little nervous but I think more excited than anything. I'm really looking forward to learning, meeting new people, and going to a school I've always wanted to attend. Hopefully I can sleep tonight!

Stay tuned because I'll be blogging every day until the end of the week to give you the inside scoop.

The Brilliance and Creativity of Michael Jackson

I was shocked to hear the news of Michael Jackson's death.
Watching old videos on tv today, it reminded me of when I was young, mimicking Michael's every move from his Moonwalker movie. The talent and brilliance he was as an artist, amazing.

Smooth Criminal, my favorite music video.




Here's a dancing clip from his Black or White video.

Everyone Needs a Mentor/Coach

Whether you're a graphic designer, a singer, an athlete, a teacher, or a stay-at-home mom, I believe everyone needs a mentor or a coach.

Now when I say 'mentor', I don't mean someone to do the hard work for you or someone that tells you what to do and when. I mean someone who can help you find your own way to success. Someone that allows you to develop and hone the skills you were born with because a lot of the time we can't see what we're doing wrong until someone can observe us with knowledge and say 'what would happen if you did it this way?'

My recent experience has taught me that to become great at what you do and be successful at it, you need a little help; Someone to follow, to look up to, and to teach you the ins-and-outs of the industry. Then again, you can learn for yourself but why make things harder for yourself than it needs to be?

Up until last year, I never even thought I needed anyone to help me. I could do it all my own, that way no one can take credit for my success but me. (My wiser-self looks back now and says "ok, if you think so".)

Of course since I never thought I needed one I never sought one and things were quite the struggle for me. I couldn't see what I was doing wrong or right! I also thought that getting a mentor meant that it would be a failure of sorts but came to find out, it was the exact opposite.

Thankfully two of them found me through interesting circumstances and now I couldn't imagine going without them, knowing how much they can benefit my life and career. Not only do they act as a great support system and motivators, they are knowledgeable and are graciously passing on that knowledge so I can learn. What a gift!

Now to prove this mentor thing isn't just a load of crap, let's take a look at the evidence of all the "great ones" and their mentors.

50cent = Eminem
Tiger Woods = Earl Woods/Hank Haney
Britney Spears = Madonna
Wayne Gretzky = Walter Gretzky

... to name a few.

The bottom line is there are some things we just can't do on our own even though we would like to. Sometimes you have to swallow that pride so you can open up and learn what you need to learn in order to grow and be successful.

Mac vs. PC : More proof PC sucks

Last night I went to Best Buy to purchase "He's Just Not That Into You" coincidentally featuring the Mac guy :)

...ok I don't love Mac THAT much...

Walking around the store I took a peek at some other things and asked about the price for Leopard, thinking I would have to save for months to buy it so I better find out how much it's worth so I can start now.

Surprisingly, at $129 (compared to Windows' $259) I had to laugh at how affordable Apple makes it to upgrade. Needless to say, instead of walking out with a DVD, I ended up walking out with a brand new OS instead.

After I got home I spent an hour backing up all my important design files.

In the meanwhile, my boyfriend who has a PC on a desk right beside me had an unfortunate run-in with a virus that enabled all of his programs useless. He wasn't even able to burn a CD to backup his stuff before wiping it clean and his web browser was defaulting him to a suspicious location that looked like Google...but wasn't.

*Cue the scary music*

So he surrendered to the fact he had to do a clean sweep of his computer and start fresh. In the meanwhile I was ready to wipe my own hard disk clean for a fresh new OS. We pop our discs in and pretty much finished at the same time. The only difference was he had some more setting up to do.

Out comes the box full of discs, manuals, and help guides for the drivers he needed to get things properly setup. He currently had no sound, no driver for his modem, no internet connection, and his video card had some serious lag issues.

Over at the Mac, I'm installing Microsoft Office.

Back at the PC, discs are being strewn about since none of them really tell you...this disc is for your video card, this disc is for your sound, this disc connects you to the internet.

Over at the Mac, serenity and peace as the dinging sound of the installer tells me it's finished installing Microsoft Office.

Back at the PC, multiple restarts have commenced as each driver is installed.

Over at the Mac, backup files are being placed back on my hard drive while I surf the internet.

Back at the PC, the frustration continues...

In the time it took to backup, format my hard drive, install a fresh new OS, and getting 90% back up and running with all backup files saved back on my hard drive...the PC was still having drivers installed. Eek!

Hey Apple! This would be great story for your next commercial!

Desktop Wallpapers : June

This month Smashing Magazine has some pretty colourful desktop wallpapers for you.

My choice is the World Environment Day design. It reminds me of a dream I once had...

PressCheck : iPhone/iPod Touch Game

Here's a perfect game for print design nuts and all those press operators out there. Press Check, a game that focuses on the art of print plate alignment, challenging your speed and accuracy. You can also compete against virtual press operators worldwide with the international leaderboards.

Download to your iPhone or iPod Touch.

Thanks to GDC for the original posting and for FORMation Alliance for their creation.

Continuing Education

I've been out of school for almost 10 years now and never thought I'd ever go back. But with the advancement of technology and the general progression of graphic design, I was starting to feel like a "Classic Mac" in a world full of "Mac Pros". With that, I decided it was time to go in for some upgrades.

My first plan of action into a higher education was to see what was in demand. A graphic designer with web design experience seemed to be it so I signed up for a Flash course in January at BCIT.

Unfortunately it ended up getting canceled on me due to low registration so I had to figure out which path to pursue next.

Many established designers have told me that it's best to specialize in one area of design. Why? Well, it's really impossible to know everything the graphic design field has to offer and I agree. It's an overwhelming amount of knowledge that one person can't possibly grasp and be productive at. But if you're specialized, you're an expert and know everything there is to know about the subject matter.

This got me thinking whether web design was something I wanted to seriously pursue in my design career. My answer was, no. Print design is what I know best, and what I love to do, so why pursue something just for someone else's sake? Seemed silly to me so I went in search for some print design courses that would allow me to grow and offer me something I may not already have experienced in the design world.

After many days and many nights of research (and patience), I am now registered for the Communication Design Certificate at Emily Carr and couldn't be more ecstatic! Not only am I taking one or two courses to upgrade my skills, I'm starting on a whole new course of study that will earn me a certificate in communication design when I am finished.

The first course starts in a couple of months so I'll be blogging about my new adventures as a 28-year old student, right here once it starts. Stay tuned...

NO reSPECt

The GDC twittered today about a business magazine (of all things) holding a design contest for their 25th anniversary cover. Read all about it here.

Now me being an advocate for all things good and being a graphic designer trying to make it in this world, I got a little upset so I wrote them to let them know that spec work should not be supported and is an unethical business practice for many reasons.

As designers we spend years perfecting our craft, learning new technologies, and exercising our creative minds in order to find phenomenal solutions for our clients that effectively communicates a message. That’s takes a large amount of schooling, time, experience, not to mention talent and discipline. It’s not something everyone can do and by businesses supporting spec work, they are devaluing all of that.

By hiring an accredited professional graphic designer they are supporting design industry professionals and showing the world that graphic design is a great business investment and not something that can picked up off a store shelf.

If you're a business and want to learn more, please take a peek at these sites.

http://www.no-spec.com/
http://www.gdc.net/business/index/articles33.php

Desktop Wallpapers : May

Here are May's desktop calendar wallpapers.

I chose the astronaut wallpaper this month for my own desktop as I loved the use of colour and the feeling of 'space'.

Which one did you choose?

Justified West : Recap

My day at Justified West was really awesome. It was unfortunate that the speakers only had 1/2 hour to talk about their work as I was intrigued by many of their stories and presentations. Here's a quick recap of my day.

Marian Bantjes was the first speaker and I have to say was inspired by her whimsical, abstract, yet detailed approach to her typographic illustrations.

Tom Phinney explained how his work as a designer led him into typographic investigations in cases of forged documents, which I never would have thought of. Using proof of when certain fonts were released and on the common computer, how letterforms were shaped in 1980 compared to their current day counterparts, how certain technologies print differently when analyzed under a microscope...facinating stuff!

Richard Kegler presented a sneak peek into his film production on local typographer, Jim Rimmer. The rough-cut trailer was so interesting as it focused in on Jim's technique in using traditional techniques to design a new font for digital and metal release. I can't wait to see it.

Emily Luce spoke about how typography has played a role in preserving language, specifically that of the nuu chah nulth language.

Stephen Coles is a typographer and blog publisher who spoke about typefaces and the important of choosing one that is right for your project. He was quite right in saying that most people think their standard fonts are good enough. We all got a good chuckle...especially when Comic Sans popped up on the screen along with others like Arial, Times, and Monotype Corsiva.

Kevin Larson, a researcher on Microsoft's Advanced Reading Technologies team, talked about how written words are understood and read. He spoked about his research on eye fatigue, benefits on a highly typographic page layout, and the legibility of characters and words.

Zara Evens, senior designer at Punchcut, spoke about user interface on mobile technologies and the need for better typography for an enhanced user experience. I loved her for not liking MySpace or mobile backgrounds...yes! I'm not alone. Why do you think I don't have a MySpace page...

Peter Cocking, a book designer, presented many of his pieces to describe the role of type in book design. His humor was great and I loved that he was so experimental and curious with his designs.

Unfortunately, the day ran overtime and I had to scoot out of there right at 6 so I didn't get a chance to see the last speaker or stay for the typography films, but I thought what I did see was fantastic, although I think it could have definitely afforded to be a two-day conference. There were some great speakers, great topics, and great conversation.

I really hope to see more conferences like this happen in Vancouver as I truly enjoyed myself, was infinitely inspired, and I walked away with more knowledge than what I had going in.

Learning Styles

Over the past 5 years, I've really taken up a love for reading whether it be fiction, non-fiction, documentaries, or reference books.

I always read as a kid and a few books really stood out in my mind and has stuck with me to this very day. However there are some books that I have read, that didn't stick. Even though I am, or was, truly interested in the subject matter and had many AHA! moments during the read, I just didn't absorb it like the others.

This can be frustrating when you're trying to learn something new and make something stick in your mind only to have it flee as soon as a test rolls around or when it's time to put that knowledge to use. Where did that knowledge go?

This got me wondering what kind of learner I am. Maybe if I knew what kind of learner I was, it could help me absorb information in the future? So I searched on the internet for some tests and came across this one.

My scores were:
* Visual: 8
* Aural: 3
* Read/Write: 8
* Kinesthetic: 12

Woah! I always thought I was a visual learner. Turns out, I'm a kinesthetic learner.
Excellent. Now I can figure out how to maintain what I've learned or read rather than lose it after time passes.

What kind of learner are you?

Desktop Wallpapers : April

Here are April's desktop wallpapers.

This one my fave for being so fresh and breezy.

Doodlin' Well

For us creative's, doodling is like our coffee break...well atleast for me it is. When boredom comes knocking or when I'm caught up in too much thought, I enjoy turning to pen and paper to release some tension and keep my brain alert.

Little did I realize doodling had a higher meaning so I went searching for some answers. Here is what I found:

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Doodling allows the unconscious to render in symbolic expression. Symbols have universal as well as personal meaning. When you are stuck for an answer to a problem or looking for creative innovation, the technique of doodling will unleash the hidden symbolic powers of the unconscious mind.

Your subconscious mind is attempting to contact you all the time. It is usually blocked by habitual conscious thought patterns or emotions. It can also be drowned out by the mundane mental trivia that we repeatedly hash over. Learn to allow its conscious expression, preferably every day.

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The function of doodling, according to Andrade, who recently published a study on doodling in Applied Cognitive Psychology, is to provide just enough cognitive stimulation during an otherwise boring task to prevent the mind from taking the more radical step of totally opting out of the situation and running off into a fantasy world.

Andrade tested her theory by playing a lengthy and boring tape of a telephone message to a collection of people, only half of whom had been given a doodling task. After the tape ended she quizzed them on what they had retained and found that the doodlers remembered much more than the non-doodlers.

"They remembered about 29 percent more information from the tape than the people who were just listening to the tape," Andrade says.

In other words, doodling doesn't detract from concentration; it can help by diminishing the need to resort to daydreams.
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Well ain't that interesting! All this time I spent doodling in class while I should have been paying attention. Turns out I was paying attention 29% more than everyone else :)

My Earth Hour

Well I have to admit, that I'm a bit disappointed with this year's Earth Hour. For as much exposure as 'the hour' seemed to receive, I was expecting a little more from my city. Most people didn't bother shutting off and the lights still blared from most of the major shopping centres. Some people were good, but I had to laugh when I saw people watching tv with all the lights off.

For me, Earth Hour means more than just turning the lights off. I like to use the hour and completely unplug from the world; shut my phone off, turn off all form of communication or distraction, and find other ways to occupy my mind for that one hour per year.

This year was a bit more productive than last I have to say though.

Last year I think all I did was fold laundry by candlelight, drink tea, and stare out the window like a cat. But this year I not only folded laundry by candlelight and drank tea, I read a few chapters of a few books I'm reading at the moment, I read my tarot cards hoping that would bring me a bit of clarity to life's questions, and for the last 15minutes of the hour, I just sat there listening to silence.

If I had a family (or if my boyfriend hadn't been playing hockey tonight), I would bring out the board games or get back to the simple days of just talking. Life goes by so fast when there's work to do, or places to go, or people to text, we forget to take the time and really connect with the important things (and people) in our lives, including ourselves.

I think Earth Hour should be more than just once a year, it should be a way of life. Life's tasks can wait an hour, they're not going anywhere. And we all survived without life's technologies and 'to do lists' up to this point, so it won't kill us to not only shut off, but shut down and unplug from the world for a short amount of time...if only for ourselves.

Right or Left...which side are you on?

I got curious today about my brain and wondered which side I used more since sometimes I feel very right-brained and other times I feel very left-brained.

So to feed my curiosity I conducted an online creativity test to see how far "right" I was.

And so much for that!

Turns out I cut very close to being right down the middle but my dominant side is my right.

I investigated a little further to see what other tests I could take to prove me one way or the other.

Here is one test I found that was quite amusing.

Initially I saw her turning clockwise...however while I was reading the text and looking back at her, I saw her spinning counter-clockwise. I wonder if it was because I was using the other side of my brain to process information? The gratification of knowing I could see her spinning both ways didn't last long though. Shortly after a few seconds, she spun back. It was like one of those 3D art posters that were so popular back in the 90s and I was struggling to see what everyone else was seeing. "I can see it! I can see it!" Ugh...huh? Where?

That visual test proved once again, I can be right down the middle depending on what I'm doing.

Another test came while my boyfriend and I were discussing bands of the 90s and I could not remember the name of the GNR guitar player, who then played for Velvet Revolver not too long ago with the long curly hair that covered his eyes, his tall top hat, a cigarette hangin' outta one side, wearing a black leather jacket, tight black pants, and tall black boots while he lean back as he played his guitar. What the hell is his name?

My boyfriend just laughed while I figure this guys name out because little did I realize, the tests that proved me to be more right than left, was truly proving themselves as the minutes went by. I knew it started with an "S"...but what was it...Slip? Sleek? Slime? Slither? After 5 minutes (and more laughs from boyfriend who refused to help me out) I got it...SLASH!

This was one of the questions in ANOTHER test I did...do you remember faces or names? I'm personally terrible with names unless the person is very memorable in what they do or say, and this just proved it.

Ok so if I'm both sides, I guess that would explain why I see both sides of an argument or why I can sometimes be painfully indecisive.

So what about you? What side are you on?

Here are some other resources:
Right Brain/Left Brain Quiz
Hemisphere Dominance Test
Gigamaster Blog : Creativity : Right Brain vs. Left Brain

Justified West

I'm excited...I just signed up for Justified West happening in Vancouver on April 25th.

An all day event about typography featuring some key speakers: Marian Bantjes, Stephen Coles, Si Daniels, Zara Evens, Shelley Gruendler, Michael Hernan, Richard Kegler, Kevin Larson, Emily Luce, Thomas Phinney, Geraldine Wade, Jim Rimmer.

Should be a good day!

For more info, go here.

Do Not Design

Some of you might think I'm totally crazy, but I have to admit, just recently I started implementing 'Do Not Design' days in my life.

Why?

Well, since I'm so passionate about design I get wrapped up in great ideas, fun books, brillant concepts, and dreamy visions and tend to forget there's a whole world happening out there (and right in front of me).

I work full-time in an unrelated field, so I can only be creative in the evenings and on weekends. And since I only have a small window to design and be creative, I fill that time doing just that, while life passes by. Maybe I fear not being productive? Maybe I fear creativity will slip away if I don't stay on top of it?

But I have to say as much as I hate to tear myself away from unfinished work or exciting new ideas, it's quite interesting what that one day does. It's as if a portal opens and more ideas explode from my ever-busy brain.

I've also come to realize that being busy all the time, is no way to live my own life (personally) because I have no time for fun stuff, for mindless relaxation. I guess that's the workoholic in me that needs taming and this is the only way I know how to tame the creative beast. To set limits.

And this post further proves that I'm almost too crazy about design. Even on my "Do Not Design" day (which should be today)...I'm still creating, I'm still thinking, I'm still dreaming design.

I just can't seem to douse the fires that burn!

Design Edge

A few years ago, I came across a Canadian-based design magazine called "Design Edge". I'm sure some of you have heard of it, but for those who haven't here's a quick run down:

Design Edge Canada is print magazine that is published six times per year with the highest circulation to professional graphic designers of any publication in Canada. Regular departments include News on Design, Trendspotting, Case Study, Design for Print, Tool Tips, Newsmakers and New Releases. Each issue has a cover theme and cover feature that are outlined in our editorial calendar.

My favorite part about the magazine is that it's Canadian and it gives you lots of info on what's happening in our country's design scene, from east to west. I love it!

It's a fairly small publication at this point, at only 25 pages, but I think it's a good quality read for it being free. I highly suggest subscribing.

http://www.designedgecanada.com/

Desktop Calendars : March

New desktop wallpapers for March are available here.

Enjoy!

Change is in the Air

It hit me today that this recession (whether it's psychological or not) is no longer affecting select group of people in certain industries, its affecting all of us.

Last week a company I know very well, had some mass layoffs. This week a magazine I used to work for has stopped publication and is taking a hiatus. And I have to admit, the past month or two has not been banner months for my Creating Good Karma company either.

It's scary to think where things are going. But I'm trying to look at it in a more positive light.

I've always believed that everything has its purpose and I really believe that this is not the end of things, but the beginning of new chapters. The world is shifting and changing in ways we've never seen. What an exciting time to be alive! To experience that change, as its happening. To come through on the other side and say "wow, look at what I went through...and I'm still here."

Hardships, disappointments, and heartbreak are wonderful opportunities to learn, grow, and experience life in a different way. And I can bet, it will most likely turn out better than you think.

I realize that change is tough and not being able to make the mortgage payment is a stressful thing to deal with, however, I think there has to be a silver lining there, even if you can't see it right away.

I know that when I've come across hardships, I would almost drown in my own sorrow, wallowing for days...but a certain person turned that around for me and I'm starting to think in ways I never thought possible. And now I'm passing that wisdom on to you.

So whether you're in a good place or a bad place, what opportunities does this place in time allow you to do? Or be? Or experience? How can you use this "time" to your advantage?

Mmm I Love Colour

I took a lot of colour theory in my school days. It was, and is, one of my favourite subjects. Learning how certain colours harmonize or clash, how they can alter your mood or even remind you of something or someone.

Through one of my resource sites, I found a site for colour lovers everywhere. Learn about colours trends, patterns, palettes, and more!

And for some more insight on how to best utilize colours, visit this article from the Globe and Mail:

Blue boosts creativity, red makes you careful

"If you're having trouble focusing on a finicky task at work, you might consider changing the background colour on your computer screen instead of downing yet another cup of coffee."

Desktop Calendars : February

Here are some desktop calendars for February.

Ok, ok I'm a little late, but none-the-less, enjoy!

To Get You Thinking

When you think of "great thinkers", who do you think of?

Confucius? Einstein? Newton?

I came across an article the other day that was referencing "great thinkers" of history and I got to wonder what happened to "thinkers" in our current reality?

Throw yourself into the future for a moment...let's say 2125...and look back at this time on earth. Who would be in the history books of the twenty-first century? Who has really made true inventions, that weren't just recycled ideas? Who was famous for their philosophy and stature that would withhold and withstand 1000 or more years? Do you think our current architecture, beliefs, and/or history will last as long?

Back in the day when there was no such thing, people actually had to use their brains to get stuff done, to make things work, to make life more livable. Now that everything is pretty much done for us or is digitized, has it allowed our brains to become lazy? And what's scarier is how much more computers will become a part of our lives.

Let's say if technology was somehow wiped clean one day, would the ones that can't live without it, freeze up and not know what to do next, like a computer themselves?

Now that's a thought!

In any event, I think there needs to be a moment where we stop to use our brains instead of our technology.

Here's a few resources to really get you thinking:
Mind Hacks: Tips and Tools for Using your Brain

Brain-Wave Typing

Braingle : Brain Teasers

GDC Here I Come

After many years of hard work and diversifying my portfolio, I've finally applied to become a GDC member. I'm currently only an "Associate" since I have to still go through the portfolio review process, which only happens once every quarter.

Time to prepare!

Silent Wisdom Crossed My Path

I was walking home after work tonight, cutting through a mall parking lot, pondering life's questions, when I look ahead and see what appears to be a large bird, flying quite low, heading toward me.

I wondered what such a large bird was doing hanging out in a concrete jungle with so many people and so many crazy drivers.

Upon further inspection, I realized it was a spotted owl.

Since photography is one of my hobbies and nature is my other, you can imagine my disappointment, and surprise, to have such a rare opportunity and not have a camera. But instead of snapping photos, I just enjoyed the moment as it was, for as long as it was going to last.

I observed him from a distance and hoped no one would disturb him so he could reach his destination without harassment. He was beautiful. What a rare, but wonderful moment; A first for me to see an owl up close and personal.

When I got home later, I was curious to see what the symbolism behind seeing an owl meant and how I could apply that to my life. Here's what I found:

The owl is symbolic of silent wisdom. They remind us that not all wisdom needs to be spoken or put on display and in fact the greatest wisdom of all will come from the heart. It will be something that you did not learn in any text book, something that you have never been told, but at the same time you know how to do something completely and correctly. This is the wisdom of our soul.

Remarkable hunters, these birds are said to help us to connect with our 'hidden talents and knowledge that is otherwise not obvious to us'. Owl energy can offer us the ability to understand the signs and signals around us. Not all cultures regard this bird as a 'good omen', some regard them as 'harbingers of doom and symbols of death'.

Desktop Wallpapers : January

I was browsing on one of my favorite graphics resources tonight and found some fun desktop wallpapers for January 2009.

I think they come out with one each month so you can check back next month for more.

Check it out

Finding a Great Graphic Designer

A quality designer is like a good foundation to any house. Without it, the integrity of the house is compromised. So you can see why it's imperative to spend the time to find a good one.

In the article below I have outlined a few important points to help you find a quality graphic designer.

I have also given you some red flags to look for, so you can prevent potential headaches.
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Design Firms vs. Freelance
You may prefer to work with a design firm over a freelance designer (or visa-versa). However, you will need to look at how far your budget will go, in each case.

Design firms can offer more experience than some freelance individuals can, due to the team dynamic and the collaboration of ideas. They also have the experience of working with larger accounts and have the capacity to offer a broad range of outcomes. Downside: The cost to hire such a firm would be quite a bit more than what a freelancer would charge.

An experience freelancer, can deliver more personal service than some designer firms, offering a one-on-one relationship, reasonable pricing due to low overheads, and more flexibility when it comes to requests. Downside: You're reliant on one person for the completion of your project.

If you're unsure about a company or a freelancers reputation, you can always ask for references so that you know what you're getting into before committing to a contract.

Red Flag

Be watchful for freelancers who are inexperienced or who can't backup their work with testimonials of happy customers. Not all freelancers are created equal and the level of experience and professionalism is extremely variable.

Red Flag
Professional graphic designers (like myself) have spent quite a bit of time in school and in the real world, developing their talents into true art forms. We also spend time and quite a bit of money for our design programs in order to give our customers & clients the best possible outcome. Be aware of designers who offer you bargain prices or "spec" work as they devalue the potential of design and ultimately do a disservice to the client. For more info on this topic, click here.

Red Flag
Avoid design contests or websites that offer package deals or short turn-around times. Most designers require a few days, even a few weeks to create and develop ideas for your project. Participating in anything less, will most likely prove to be a waste of time and money.

What Suits Your Style
Any designs that are created for your business should reflect your company's style, professionalism, and/or product. We designers like to call this your "brand image". It speaks to your customers and it reflects the way you do business. Needless to say, your brand image is huge in the face of your customers.

Check out a designers/firms portfolio.

A graphic designers portfolio is a window into their creative mind. It will give you a good indication of who the designer is, what their specialties are, what their style is, and how well they understand the concept of marketing & brand image.

Make sure their style, suits your style.
Are you looking for designs that are fresh and clean? Or complex and artful?
Does the designer/firm have any pieces that reflect the style you're looking for?

Red Flag
Know the designers involvement in the pieces they are presenting. Just because its in their portfolio, doesn't necessarily mean they created the piece from scratch.

Getting What You Want & Need
While reviewing a portfolio you need to figure out if they are able to suit your needs.

If you're an organic food company looking for a fresh new logo and product labels, you most likely wouldn't want a designer/firm who specializes in website design for rock bands. You want one that specializes in print design.

Have they designed a logo and labels before? Is this experience reflected in their portfolio?

What's your deadline like and are they able to deliver on that deadline?
If in doubt, ask them!

Finally...
Make sure there is a contract involved. This protects you and the designer, and is simply a good business practice.

Be sure to read it and ask any questions you may have, before you sign it.
Review the payment options, the amount of revisions, the details of the project, what kind of costs you are responsible for, and what kind of permissions you have to use the designers work. All of these items will affect the final cost.
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Ok, so this is a lot of information to absorb but like building a house, your foundation is key to success. Hopefully this quick overview, gives you a bit more information than you had before.

The legwork you do will be worth the time and effort though. Trust me :)

If you have any other questions, you can contact me or post a comment.

Fusing Design with Purpose

The world of design is filled with many obstacles, many lessons, and many tests, especially if you live in a hyper-inflated market of designers like Vancouver.

I know because this career path has personally challenged me to the point of exhaustion, frustration, and full on tears. It has been a career that has truly kicked my ass!

Every where I turned I was trying to prove myself, not make the same mistakes twice, or beat out the opposition on what felt like the tightest deadlines I ever encountered. On top of which I had to be creative, meet the clients needs, AND stay on top of my game with the latest trends and technology...whew! Those are some tall orders.

Over time, however, I was able to meet those challenges head on and become a whiz at multi-tasking, improving my attention to detail, becoming more creative and meeting those increasingly tight deadlines. It's truly an art-form.

But there came a point where I felt the career path I had chosen was meaningless.

So I wondered...
Is this what design is really all about?

If it was, I wasn't sure I wanted it anymore. It felt it didn't jive with my true nature. What as I really doing? What was I really achieving? What was I really contributing?

Although I appreciated every bit of experience I got along the way, I felt I had more to give, more to contribute than just a pretty logo or a fancy brochure.

A designers thoughts, ideas, and concepts are their own and I wanted mine to be a part of the bigger picture...a movement...hey...even a better world.

So I set foot on a journey years ago to find a higher meaning. I came across yet many more obstacles and thought that I had exhausted all of my options.

Maybe it didn't exist? I thought.

Well, if it didn't exist, I was going to create it. That's when I started a project to help fulfill that need and combine all of my passions.

Something I never thought existed, now exists. What a crazy process its all been.

And even though the graphic design world is crazy, challenging, frustrating, and sometimes a tough pill to swallow...I never stopped pursuing it.

Fulfilling dreams, contributing to the greater good, creating a better world...that's what design is all about to me.