SO DONE...

Okay, so I feel like I've had Caddyshack close to done but I have not procrastinated during the break. My initial plan was to have Caddyshack printed and built this weekend, but between me not being pleased with all of these low-res images and household duties abound, that kind of fell through.

Today, I take the day off from work to get Caddyshack done and off my plate....HAHAHAHA, yeah right. I slept in until 8:30 (that's sleeping in right?) and then by 9:00 I'm working on the Caddyshack pieces in hopes of printing one final time at the lab. Fast-forward to the UB lab...it's 1:00. I print. Images SUCK. I go onto Istock.com and after 2 hours of heming and hawing over which images best suit my layouts, and changing the font colors about 30 times, I print again. Images don't suck as bad, but still not to my liking. It's 3:30...I go home and tweak some things and go to Kinko's. It's 6:30...Printing again. I get home and realize some things are out of place. DAMMIT. I tweak further and go back to Kinko's (it's 8:30). Sitting at the Kinko's computer and realize I didn't save the right file to my flash drive. Back home. Back to Kinko's (9:10). Print again (Okay, I lost count). Still not overly pleased but at this point it's as good as it's gonna get. For my sanity and the safety of those around me, I'm done...save for printing one final thing tomorrow...this golf green still looks like stucco when printed and I'm giving it one final try.

Oh yeah...totally forgot my DVD label debacle over the last two days as well. I purchased the Avery DVD labels, downloaded the software, printed a label which wasn't exactly to my liking (the letters were too close to the edge). I got to print again and teh Avery program crashes. Now, every time I browse for the jpg and upload to the Avery program, the image is smooshed and un-adjustable. I installed the Avery software again and tried and retried to print this damn thing and it's not working. EXPLETIVE!!

One day I'll look back and laugh at this. All I know is, this bourbon sure tastes good.

Here is a little taste on my progress...

bring your daughter to work day

I was wondering if you guys mind if i bring a guest to class on Thursday. He is my assistant at Coppin and is interested in the program at UB, so i wanted him to see what we do and how our ideas are generated. I try to share with him what ever i learn in all my classes. But i thought an in-person experience can hold him off until he signs up. (. . . Ok, Ok, so i don't have a daughter . . .)

The Visual Dictionary

A dictionary is a reference book containing an alphabetical list of words with information about them, but what about a Visual Dictionary? This site is a collection of visual words in the real world; Photographs of signage, graffiti, advertising, tattoos, you name it, and they are trying to catalogue it. The project started in February 2006, and have over 7500 images of over 4000 words.

They are accepting entries, as the Dictionary should continue growing forever, If you found a nice visual word, sign up and contribute images.

Andrea's Story: A Happy Ending?

Designer: "For school, I've designed things around your business."

(potential) Client: "Oh really? I'd like to see your work."

Designer: "Sure! I'll bring it in next weekend"

...a week later...

Designer: "I've brought a sample. Do you have a moment to view it?"

(potential) Client: "No, how about you send a pdf to my email"

Designer: "Ok."

...later that night...

Designer's thoughts: I'm elated that he's interested in viewing my work! But, what if he steals my idea? Even if I showed samples in person, I'd be hesitant to let him keep it. Even still, I strongly doubt keeping it under lock and key is right either. Should I have him sign something first? This has become a messy situation. Perhaps I should have talked about signing a 'I won't steal your stuff' agreements when we first spoke? ...but who wants a casual conversation to turn into signing below the fine print? Wait! I've got a brilliant idea! I will...

...add "Copyright © Andrea Rainey 2009" in tiny, unobtrusive, but still legible type at the bottom of the page—just as I would do if I created a professional website to showcase my student work. Chances are, this potential client is asking in good faith to see my sample and doesn't mean any harm, and this could be a good opportunity for me. Stilll, gotta look out for number 1. Adding some fine print might give me a legal leg to stand on in case the client does try something shady. At the very least, it communicates the message that I consider my work to be my intellectual property.

Andrea, I don't actually know whether this would give you any legal recourse if you did have problems. It was the first thing that came to mind, though. I will check with my employer's copyright & permissions person and see if she has any additional advice to offer.

saving work in small files

Hey Everyone,

Any tricks to exporting docs to jpg small enough to place on the blog here? I've made some updates to Caddyshack I'd like to put out here, but not successful yet on saving to a jpg that's smaller than 20 jpg.

Thanks, and everyone have Safe and Happy Thanksgiving.
CB

Hot off the presses, get yours today!

Urban Dumpster...

By Robert Gillespie

Book Preview

Story Time! What's your ending??

Designer: "For school, I've designed things around your business"

(potential) Client: "Oh really? I'd like to see your work."

Designer: "Sure! I'll bring it in next weekend"

...a week later...

Designer: "I've brought a sample. Do you have a moment to view it?"

(potential) Client: "No, how about you send a pdf to my email"

Designer: "Ok."

...later that night...

Designer's thoughts: I'm elated that he's interested in viewing my work! But, what if he steals my idea? Even if I showed samples in person, I'd be hesitant to let him keep it. Even still, I strongly doubt keeping it under lock and key is right either. Should I have him sign something first? This has become a messy situation. Perhaps I should have talked about signing a 'I won't steal your stuff' agreements when we first spoke? ...but who wants a casual conversation to turn into signing below the fine print? Wait! I've got a brilliant idea! I will.........

Finish this story with your own happy ending. Or it can end in tragedy to prove your point if you're the shakespeare type. (I'm trying an interactive post today. Have fun!)

National Lampoon Yearbook

Find it and buy it. P.J. O'Rourke's masterpiece. Stuff like this is never ending inspiration for projects. Mariana could get some ideas for the traper-keeper in these pages. I'll bring mine in next time. Happy T-day!

Book

A book I recommend everyone getting is called Lettering & Type. It is a great reference and a collection of very interesting facts and a bit of history about both lettering and type design. I just finished reading it last week. You may keep it on your desk next to your dictionary, thesaurus, Thinking with Type (by Ellen Lupton) & your writers reference.

Uppercase Inspiration

I was checking out Uppercase Magazine's blog today and found this: http://uppercasemagazine.tumblr.com/archive, the digital scrapbook for Uppercase. Thought it was pretty cool and really goes to show you that you can find inspiration in anything, as long as you keep your eyes open.

Have a happy Thanksgiving!

K, I'm back.

Fuck it, I like blogging here & you guys made me feel like I should continue. So, I will.

ugh! I am totally guilty of being a delinquent poster. My apologies. I think it's just that time in the semester as well as the nearness of pumpkin pie.

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone has any advice on showing a portfolio during an interview. I was planning on showing everything on a lap top, but they would also like to see writing samples... I don't know how great it's going to be to read even a short article on a monitor.

Any suggestions?

Project 2 & 3

It feels great to have project 1 finished, one down, two more to go. I agree, it has been a very tough week, and I have jury duty to look forward to tomorrow. In the meantime, I have been trying to crank out project 2 and bogged down in lots of photoshopping. Like Bob, I decided to create many of my own illustrations for project two. I can't wait to hear everyone's opinion about them tonight.

Here is an interesting web site about magazine and newspaper styled web designs that could help with the web component of project 2.

See you tonight!

Illustration in web design: 30 examples

I was looking in the internet how to do my second project, the web presence more creative and I found this examples. If you are looking for some website’s design ideas maybe integrating some illustrations can work.

The following websites are good examples of great illustration in web design.

I'm done

I'm not posting any longer. This blog is a ghost town.
Later.

Brushes

I found this site today, and it appears the Brush King rules.

poster thoughts

Hey Gang,
I'm back to an old unexplored idea for my posters and I'm now convinced it will work. unfortunately I haven't been able to develop it enough to show a great deal of it in class, but I'll have enough to show the direction. I'm having OLIVER STONE in very large obese letters, turned on it's side so it reads up the poster. In each letter will be an image which contributes to the overall theme. When you look at the poster as presented, OLIVER STONE takes up the full page top to bottom, but only takes up about 3/4 of the page when reading left to right due to the letter-height. This should give me enough free space to have the additional text and logo (movie title, theme, AFI logo)in that free space. This addt'l text would NOT be turned on it's side. Anyway, still working some things out. At the very least I hope to have enough to show the outlines of what I'm doing and discuss the direction.

Looking fwd to showing Caddyshack.
CB

Fried and pissed

Worked on Caddyshack the majority of tonight...it's now 12:28 and I have to get up at 5:15. I go to copy the files to my flashdrive and it's telling me I don't have enough free space. Funny, because I have plenty of space. I delete additional files from the flashdrive and it's still not freeing up any space. Is this flashdrive corrupt or what the hell is going on here??

project response

Great post Bobby! I really needed that crit the other night for projects 2 and 3, but now I'm back to square 1.5 with project 3 again. I've brainstormed some and done some thumbnails, but I don't feel I've come up with the "it" solution yet. I scribbled out a typographical solution, but I'm not sure that avoids being to obvious, and still holds true to the common theme. My issue all along has been to find an object from each movie that symbolizes the theme. I'm kind of "ehh" on using images from the movies and I want to avoid using a collage because that got me into trouble in my first rough. I still would like to illustrate this myself, but I need to look at some books or something to spark some innovative thought.

As far as project 2, alot of tweaking necessary, but I think I can get that accomplished by the due date.

Project 1 will go into the portfolio...actually, more to the point it will be in the group of projects for review when I take Portfolio class next semester. If I had to put a portfolio together tomorrow it would go in by default until I could revise some older projects and get them up to speed. I am pleased with the colors, and overall satisfied with the layouts.

Project 3 & Project 2 & Project 1

I've decided that I am going to learn some new techniques in Ps to create my movie poster. It has been a while since I messed with some tutorials, I'm looking forward to learning new stuff.

I am also going to shoot my own photography and create all the illustrations I use myself. Since we are creating a custom typeface, might as well go total DIY on this.

By the way, feels good to be 1/3 the the way done with these assignments, right? I'm finishing project 2 this week as originally planned. I feel like the extra time is an invitation to procrastinate which could mean the last project isn't a winner for me. I want it to be, I want some posters in my portfolio that aren't political, the few I have in the rotation are very political. These should be cool & fun. Thankfully I have been working on 1 & 2 all along. Good luck to you guys.

Also, does everyone feel like the project 1 they turned in was portfolio quality? Why or why not? I think some of mine could be in my portfolio, not permanent, but alternative pieces that I would use depending on the interview. I like what I have done, it meets all of my requirements for the client: minimize cost, create a clear, distinguishable mark, easy to reproduce, appropriate, minimizes waste and up-front investments, creates a very distinct identity, etc. I also think the stamp and sticker ideas make a very unusual and successful solution to re-branding BBW. Thanks everyone for helping me discover that. What about you?

Wanna trade?

I bought brand new DVD cases for this project, it came as a ten pack, but I don't need that many. So, I would like to share them with you if you would like one. If interested, let me know and I'll bring one for you, but you must trade me for it. I don't want money. So bring something that you think is worth trading for one of these. (FYI I think I paid like 20 bucks for all of them).

Christmas List

Great topic, I love the holidays. My ultimate wish list includes:

• Final Cut Pro (been doing a lot of editing this semester)
• 80GB Portable Hardrive
• This Means This, This Means That: A User's Guide to Semiotics
• 30" HD cinema display monitor, I love big monitors

Christmas List - hold on now

While I respect your opinion and agree on the cheesy XMas commercials and whitebread families, some of us (okay, ME) love the holidays. Maybe it's the way I was raised, or maybe because I've got kids and can see their eyes light up on Xmas morning, or whatever, but these XMas traditions/things still make me warm inside:
-the specialty food my family makes...the wife's macaroons or my mom's cheese danish bread on Xmas morning.
-houses lit up with XMas lights on cold snowy nights
-A roaring fire in the fireplace and curled up with a loved one while watching A Christmas Carol starring Allistaire Simm (B&W - the best version, hands down)
-Old christmas music (Bing Crosby, etc)...and I'll concede their are some good "current" songs by Harry Connick Jr., Sarah McLachlan & Bare Naked Ladies, etc
-Cutting down a XMas tree and bringing it home.
-Church on XMas Eve.
...I could go on but you get the point. This is one area I'm a huge traditionalist....and yes, I have to be amongst the dysfunctional family during the holidays and eat and drink until my heart's content too.

My list for this Xmas includes all the books we've discussed in class. Once I actually get a job designing, I'll ask for some more technical gifts.

This Means This, This Means That: A User's Guide to Semiotics
Sagmeister: Made You Look
Fingerprint: The Art of Using Handmade Elements in Graphic Design (hardcover)
Meggs' History of Graphic Design
U&lc: Influencing Design & Typography
The Designer's Guide to Global Color Combinations
The Designer's Guide to Color Combinations
Stylepedia: A Guide to Graphic Design Mannerisms, Quirks, and Conceits
Things I have learned in my life so far
Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
Graphic Design School, Third Edition
Graphic Design Essentials: Skills, Software and Creative Solutions
Graphic Design Basics

My Christmas List

Thanks for starting this topic, Bob. I love it. Somethings I am asking Santa for:

Typographic Design: Form and Communication
by Rob Carter, Ben Day, Philip B. Meggs

Objectified
directed by Gary Hustwit

McSweeney's Subscription

2010 By The Numbers
A Typographic Wall Calendar by Post Typography

How To Be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul
by Adrian Shaughnessy

Oh! and Canon Vixia video camera.

Apparently I'm under the impression I was very very good this year. I hope that's the case!

The Designers Xmas List

I am inspired to write this by a Tweet I read this morning.

The holidays are quickly upon us again. Horribly annoying Walmart commercials flood TV programming with generic white-bread families smiling maniacally while engaged in all-American activities. I hate that shit. We all know the holidays usually are pretty crappy, sans a few fleeting moments of alcohol induced euphoria and the roller coaster ride of gift giving. Blah, I'll have another bloody-mary and when is my next ten-thousand-calorie meal ready, mom?

But, there is one part of this season that I truly do enjoy—the christmas list. I love thinking of all the shit I didn't buy myself already, gauging how much I want, researching which is the best and dolling out my demands upon my loving loved ones. There is something empowering and sinister about this process/tradition. So I am starting to think of mine now, which isn't odd for me, I add stuff to me Amazon Q all year to remind me what I want people to buy for ME. (I bought myself a new MBP last year with CS4, so that isn't on my list, besides, no one would buy that for me anyway).

Here is my expanded designer Xmas list, 2009:

1. Wacom Medium Tablet (seriously, I'm not sure how I never splurged for one yet, but this might be the only thing I want this year).

2. Meggs' History of Graphic Design

3. Emigre No. 70 the Look Back Issue: Selections from Emigre Magazine 1-69. Celebrating 25 Years of Graphic Design - Rudy Vanderlans

4. Subscription to PSDTUTS+ (badass tutorials and stuff for adv Ps madness!)

5. Livescribe 1GB Pulse Smartpen (APA-00001)

6. Iron Fists: Branding the 20th-Century Totalitarian State - Steven Heller

7. Ray Gun: Out of Control - Marvin Scott Jarrett

8. Tres Logos - Robert Klanten

9. Canon 430EX Speedlite Flash for Canon Pro1, Pro 90, G Series and all EOS SLR Cameras - Canon Cameras US

10. Necronomicon I & II (this has been on my list for about ten years)

I'll be happy if I get any two off this list, feel free to buy me any of these, trust me you will feel great that you did.

What is your designer Xmas list for 2009? I'd love to see what you guys think is the hot item for your home studio.

screenprint

Does anyone know how to do a screenprint of a web page on the MAC? The alt/printscreen option is only available on PC's...at least the keys are.

The Nabokov Collection

John Gall is the art director for Vintage and Anchor Books. He redesign Vladimir Nabokov's book covers which I think is a really new and clever way of showing book covers and maybe a fresh idea for our poster project.

"Nabokov was a passionate butterfly collector, a theme that has cropped up on some of his past covers. My idea was also a play on this concept. Each cover consists of a photograph of a specimen box, the kind used by collectors like Nabokov to display insects. Each box would be filled with paper, ephemera, and insect pins, selected to somehow evoke the book's content. And to make it more interesting for readers — and less daunting for me — I thought it would be fun to ask a group of talented designers to help create the boxes.
Here's who I asked: Chip Kidd, Carol Carson, Jason Fulford and Tamara Shopsin, Megan Wilson and Duncan Hannah, Rodrigo Corral, Martin Venezky, Charles Wilkin, Helen Yentus and Jason Booher, Peter Mendelsund, Sam Potts, Dave Eggers, Paul Sahre, Stephen Doyle, Carin Goldberg, Michael Bierut, Barbara de Wilde, and Marian Bantjes. The results are shown here. I hope you enjoy them." by John Gall

Living Classrooms Letterhead

I spent the weekend working on letterheads for Living Classrooms but can't seem to find a layout that I am really sold on. Here are my top four. Right now I am leaning towards "a." Any thoughts would be much appreciated! Thanks.

Here is the envelope and business card design.

ahp getting close

I stripped down ahp to its bare essentials. I was wondering about whether the envelope works. I feel its unique and enforces the organization mission, as well as maintains the consistency. Any thoughts?

questions

Good Evening everyone,

For mounting a dark blue, or navy blue against black, would you recommend popping it with foam core? If so, would the foam core be mounted on the Letraset with spray-mount as well?

I had planned to have this done over the weekend, but Kinko's printed two exact blues in different shades, so now I get to play that game...

Thanks,
Chris

Just thought I would post a picture of that steampunk computer while it's fresh in my mind.

Private Journals - Ken Carbone

How many of us have those personal little books that designers and artist have and that look like little treasures that they always carried with them? I always try to start one but I have never finished one. They always look colorful and filled with sketches and images, ideas, collages, words and pictures.

Here in this link, Ken Carbone and his private journals Ken Carbone from Carbone Smolan, a design and branding agency in New York show how he's continued keeping a journal for some 15 years, but those books are not just personal diaries they are really inspiration for his design practice. The side benefit, he says, is that the habit has now trained him to pay closer attention to his environment--to slow down enough to really see what's around him.

I will start working on one, but this time I fill it to the end!

DVD Covers

Hey, completely forgot to post these after class, but these are two different attempts at Photoshopping the cover. Any thoughts on which is working better is appreciated!

Thanks.

Great Book

Hey Gang,
I was in Barnes & Noble the other day and saw this great book in hardcover called Fingerprint: The Art of Using Handmade Elements in Graphic Design . It's right up my alley in terms of the revelation I had recently and is only $23.10 on Amazon. I instantly added that to my Christmas wish-list. I probably would have bought it on the spot, but Barnes & Noble's book was kinf of beat-up and they were asking $35.00 for it.

Make It Better

Here is a link to an article featured in Monday's New York Times about the development of environmentally-friendly materials such as soy-based polyurethane and formaldehyde-free adhesives. The author profiles Stella, a children's bath toy that is made of Renuva, a soy-based polyurethane. Stella is an example of a designer using a environmentally-friendly material to improve product design. Simple Shoes is another company who is re-inventing their products, they just introduced a collection of biodegradable footwear. I know that price is usually a big concern, but something to think while designing your next project.