This week on the Daily Heller: design is everywhere

I don't have much to post this week, and not lot of TOO interesting things in the Daily Heller. But, this post just goes to show what design is everywhere, even in the most practical (or not so practical) items. The Best Made Company specializes handcrafted axes. Head over to their site...you can order one! Check out some of the names! Hehe!

The "last" week of blogs

I know this is our last week of blogging for advanced design, but I hope we all continue to keep these up and keep in touch with all things design.
This week in design is an exciting one...yes...it's finally here...Vox Unleashed!! I have had so much fun working on this special issue and with some fun, talented girls!! We all had some WONDERFUL ideas. We let ourselves get a little crazy, but there was room to pull back. I think the final product has turned out beautifully! I had the opportunity to design the photo essay for this issue with some adorable photos. I've posted the first page! I've also posted the cover that Chelsea did. It turned out great and it matches the look and feel we were trying to go for with the whole issue.
I also designed a photo essay for the Missourian to May 7th. This is always a challenge for me. I have trouble finding the right sizes, arrangements and combinations of the photos to keep the photographer's story in tact. Take a look a it tomorrow and let me know what you think. I'll post a photo of the pages as soon as I can get them.

I would also like to comment on how well everyone did yesterday with the Meredith presentations. I know that everyone has been working VERY hard, and it was awesome to see the final product. I know some of the designers (including me) and publishers were nervous to get up in front of everyone and speak. Everyone did such a great job, and It was nice to see the Meredith editors so receptive to all of our ideas.
The celebration afterwards made the whole process worthwhile. Everyone had such a great time together. I'm so thankful for each and every one of my fellow designers! We all come from different backgrounds and all have different styles, but we have developed relationships that will last us a lifetime. We been through so much together this semester (and throughout our college career) and we have become a family. I'm just sad that just as we're all getting so close, it's time to say goodbye. I love you all and I can't wait for more celebrating in the days to come!

This week on the Daily Heller: for all you sickies out ther

This isn't too design-centric, but I just thought it was appropriate in light of the recent news. I think we're all getting a little tired of seeing everything out there about the swine flu, but I thought these old posters were kind of interesting for this situation. Steven Heller makes a good point. "Without minimizing the real worry of this recent outbreak, it's helpful to remember that these things have happened in the past," as these posters represent. Influenza....tuberculosis....bird flu...etc.

The countdown begins....

This week…I finally had a published cover!! This was another interesting round of cover designs for group one for Vox. We again had a photo cover…and….we had to wait and see what type of photos we were dealing with. In the mean time, we were given the opportunity to design a concept cover in addition to “The art of the encore,” photo cover. I’ve posted both of those first draft covers. I’ll post the final cover after tomorrow!
I also got my website to a point where I think it is ready to be sent out to people. There are still some things I would like to work on/perfect like figuring out where to put my captions/descriptions of my work, and I also think I want to create rollovers for my thumbnails instead of having to click on them. Even though my site isn’t very complex, I was so proud of myself. At first, I hated Dreamweaver and Flash, and I still have my frustrations, but I’m getting better at it. And now that I’m getting better, It makes it so much more fun to do web design!
I have also been working on the May 7th issue of Vox. As most of you know, it has been decided to blow up the entire Vox Pets Unleashed issue for three other designers and I to design. It has been really fun! We’ve all been meeting for almost a month now coming up with ideas. There have been some pretty silly ones (like wanting to put pet butts somewhere in the issue…don’t ask…), but I think we needed to go there to get where we are now. We’ve been finishing up our template for the designers to have this Sunday, and I’m super excited to hear what they all think of it and to see what they do with it. It’s going to be so cool to see an ENTIRE PRINTED ISSUE that we got to design. I can’t wait!
I also designed a cover for the publishers’ prospectus for Mix Magazine. Check it out!

Among professionals - Vox redesign and the SSND contest

We are all so lucky to be surrounded by some really creative and talented people, and we get opportunities to witness new designs and talk about them and learn from them.
One of those opportunities is the Vox magazine redesign. The magazine is due for a face lift, and I think what Meredith Purcell has come up with is great step in the right direction. It has been cool to see the creative process of this redesign and to see how much work really goes into a redesign. And what’s even better is that we designers will get a chance to work in the redesigned Vox. I’m sure there are a lot of us looking forward to get out of the same old boxy Vox!!
Another great opportunity to witness great design this week was the SSND contest. (link to it) I was able to help out at the judging and it was really interesting to see what those outside out little j-school bubble have to say about our designs, and student designs from across the country. Congrats to everyone who won!

This week on the daily Heller: for all the design fans!!

It's novelty week this week on the Daily Heller, and there was one post that caught my eye for all of us!! Graphic design heroes t-shirts!!! "Loving interpretations and tributes to the professionals." Visit Skreened.com to see what other novelty items you can get printed on-demand! Who would you put on your tee?

work...work....work!!

This weekend was a busy and VERY productive weekend, as I suppose it was for everyone else. Our Meredith projects are all coming to a close, and I think we are all ready to see the final products. I’ve posted my “final” pages from Mix magazine. It’s possible they’ll go through another edit in the next couple of days, but at this point, it’s pretty much ready for the printer. I’m so excited to see the ACTUAL magazine. Not on the computer, not on pages printed from a color printer in a computer lab…but the whole magazine printed on pretty paper!! Check out Aimee's blog too and see it as a flip book!!
I also got a TON of work done on my website this week. After a few minor freak outs and a couple re-dos, I’m finally at a point where I can comfortably work in Dreamweaver!
Now it’s crunch time right? I’ve been finding harder and harder to keep motivated, but just a few more weeks!!

Weekly response: interviewing art directors

This week, we finished up talking about our interviews with various art directors. Even though it was challenging for a lot of us to get a hold of someone who was willing to talk to us, I think this was a really great assignment for all of us in the advanced design class. I think we all learned a lot from the advice we heard from art directors from all different types of mediums. I really enjoyed the answers I got back from Michael at Ad Trends in Kansas City. I thought it was interesting to hear from someone not working at a magazine, and hear about how their daily experiences are alike and different.
Check out the interview.

1. Name and current job position title.

Michael Montague, Art Director / Internet Marketing, Ad Trends Advertising, Inc.

2. Educational background.

BA Communication Theory & Human Relations, Park University. Also studied Marketing and Computer Science at MU.

3. A little background information on your company/publication.

Ad Trends Advertising, Inc. is a full-service marketing company. We get to know our clients and their business and develop custom marketing solutions. We offer marketing services like promotional products, promotional apparel, business printing, design services, and custom web design to help our clients achieve consistent and steady growth. More info @ www.adtrendsinc.com

4. What is a typical day like for you?

I manage an Art Department of 3 people, do all of the Internet Marketing for our clients, and review all artwork before production. We have about 500 art clients, and about 60 websites.

5. What are some other creative jobs you have had in the past? Could you describe them?

I started designing websites for Kudoku Internet Services in Kansas City working on several very large websites as the web designer, then moved to radio for 5 years where I was on-air and the Promotions and Website Coordinator for 6 Cumulus Radio Stations and the Chiefs Radio Network. At Cumulus, I learned Illustrator for print design, and vector art for billboards and large format printing. I created all the t-shirts, print layouts, proposals, signs and websites as the only Graphic Designer for the Kansas City market before leaving for Ad Trends Advertising, Inc.

6. What led you to your current position?

I was highly under paid at the radio stations for the amount and difficulty of the artwork and websites I was doing, so I move here for a significant raise and promotion. I also really enjoy being known as a professional Graphic Artist, instead of the guy who can do graphic and web design.

7. What was your “dream job” when you were first starting out?
I was always talented with computers and I learned to do websites at a very early time and age, but I did not like being stuck behind a computer all day. It took me awhile to figure out that the marketing side of things is what I really enjoyed. Working here at Ad Trends Advertising, Inc., I get to interact with customers, come up with creative ideas, and execute the promotions or designs that I create, and I really like the balance it has provided. When I was a child, I always wanted to be on the radio, but that turned out to be not as fun or fulfilling as I hoped. However, it did lead me to this job and career.

8. What inspired you to become a graphic designer (if you design) or, what inspired you to work in a creative field?

Like I said, I have always had the talent and ability, it wasn’t until I found that it would pay well, be fun, and offer enough variety of work that I really began to see it as something I would like to do.

9. What is your favorite font and why?

We have an Animals font here, that do to some malfunction only displays Beavers no matter what key you hit. I laugh every time I scroll past it. I use Arial the most though, it is simple to read, easy to stretch and modify, and everyone has it…

10. What is your favorite color to design with and why?

I like blues. They are positive, professional and look good to my eye. Other colors are too bland or hard to read on a variety of colors or backgrounds.

11. What do you wish you had known when you were just starting out?

I think that I could have saved myself a lot of stress by realizing that the artwork in not mine. What I mean is… when you do this as a job. Someone else is paying for your work. That means they make the calls and they decide what it ultimately looks like. Sometimes you have to make ugly or just plain bad designs. If you want to be an artist and sell your stuff after it is done, you will probably starve, so get used to doing your best but surrendering control to someone else.

12. What was the job market like when you were first starting out?

I didn’t go straight into graphic or web design, but I have never had a hard time finding work. There has always been someone looking for my skills. I think in any career, you have to be good at what you do. If you are terrible, it will be hard to find work. If you are talent, people are more than willing to hire you and compensate you for your work.

13. Is this the career path you always thought you’d take?

No, but I always knew that I could if I wanted too. I tried not to be a computer nerd for a long time, but in the end, it was the best fit.

14. If you have one, what is your creative process? For example: I get an assignment/project, then I brainstorm, then I sketch, then I go to the computer, put my headphones on and design for hours on end.

Ha ha, designing for hours on end won’t get you much money. I get the project and make sure I know all the job requirements first. How much time, space, colors, money and such do I get to use. Then I try to come up with a concept that maximizes those parameters. So if I know I only get a 4”x6” area and two colors, how can I best use those to catch an eye, and get the message across? Then I just start fitting the copy and images in the layout until I like what I have. I do like to kick some tunes while I work though…

15. What other sort of processes do you have in your current position? For example: daily assignments, special projects, production schedules, etc?

I keep my email and inbox clean out. If something takes 5 minutes or less to do or respond to, then I do it right away. Everything else gets moved to a To-Do list that is prioritized by importance and time. Stay organized and responding to emails in a timely fashion will get you far…

16. How do you keep up with the current design trends, technologies, etc?

I subscribe to a few newsletters, read online, and keep an eye out for cool things that I can use. Usually the jobs themselves will keep you on your toes and current. I only get new software when it is necessary though. That will get expensive if you buy every update.

17. What software are you and your company/publication currently working with? How many times has the software changed while at your current position? How do you handle learning new software?

We use Adobe Products: Illustrator, Photoshop and Dreamweaver mostly. We also have Quark, and Indesign, but we don’t do a lot of multiple page layouts… Whenever there is a new program or update, I usually just switch and figure it out as I go.

18. How is the current state of the economy affecting your company/publication?

We have been doing very well, and in fact we just added a new web design position and increase the pay for the other two. I actually think more businesses are moving to the web and/or trying to market more to keep their business afloat. We are seeing a lot more electronic marketing though to save time and costs.

19. Do you have any advice for those of us graduating and entering the job market in May?

Be available at any time, willing to do anything, and like I said earlier, realize that you are getting paid to do the job. If you can be good, be fast, and be reliable, you can work in this industry for a long time.

20. What kinds of pressures are you under at your current position?

Mistakes in design, spelling, or layout that actually get printed can cost the company thousands of dollars, so proofing is vitally important. Keeping up with hundreds of clients and staying organized is tough. I think the key is just to keep moving on a pile of work and responding to everyone in a timely manner even if you don’t have their stuff done yet.

21. What is your favorite and least favorite part of your job?

I like hearing compliments when stuff looks awesome or makes a client money.

I hate making bad designs per client’s wishes and seeing mistakes get printed.

22. Is there anything else you think all of us should know?


Art, Graphic Design, and Web Design is a fun job and very fulfilling. I have seen my banners in other states, in People Magazine, on network television, and I think that is awesome. When a promotion or product turns out awesome, it can be around for decades. I like that I get to make tangible products, and see the results first hand.

It sounds cliché, but work hard, never stop learning, and be willing to do whatever it takes to be successful, and you will go as far as you want.

This week's work

I've been focusing on my resume, website and Mix magazine this week! I've recently decided to change my logo for my resume and website. Great timing huh!!! The week before the website is due! I lived the design of my first logo and I loved the colors. I wanted it to be a little bit girly, because this website is about ME and MY work. I wanted the site's design to reflect me. But, after working with it for a while, the more I thought it wasn't going to work. I worked with the color palette and the packaging of the logo to make things look a little more professional. Here's a little bit of what I've come up with. What does everyone think?

This week on the Daily Heller: business cards

OK! So we've all heard it: do all you can to make yourself stand out...market yourself...make a brand of yourself. I've been toying around with some ideas for a business card, but I've gotta tell you, I've never thought of this. I'm all for getting creative and unique to make yourself stand out, but I don't think I'd go this far. I'd rather not spend a whole lot of money on something someone just needs to keep track of my name and contact info. Visit the Daily Heller and check out the post from Monday, April 13, what this guy has to say about his AMAZING business card! Then, take a look at this clip from American Psycho.

My work this week

This week was another crazy week. I feel like I say that every week now. But, this week went by so fast and I was busy every second of it!! My Meredith group and I have been working very hard to get our designs done and ready for our publishers by Friday. I love my design group, we work well together and everyone has such great ideas! They’ve had to be very patient with me this week because I was also on to design the Missourian cover story for today (Thursday). Which means most of my attention was focused on getting that done up until midnight last night.
I had a lot of stuff printed this week:


1. The Missourian cover story: was really fun to work with. I was excited because I actually got to use a whole page to design the rest of the story. The story was VERRRRYYYY long, but it was a great story about a social scientist working with the Human Terrain Project. I encourage you all to pick up a paper to see it…or you can read it here. With the cover story, I also was in charge of the rest of the front page, and two more jump pages. I have to say, designing at a newspaper on deadline is not my favorite thing to do (PlanSystem hates me!!), but I’m glad I’m getting the experience.
2. I also had department pages run this week. This week was kind of tricky, I didn’t have final text by Sunday, so I had to just kind of guess about the page based on a ROUGH rough draft I got via e-mail.
Let me know what you think of everything!

Appreciating great design and photography

Do you know how to dance? If you say no…you’re lying! (Is that the correct form for those of you in editing???) We might look ridiculous, but I think EVERYONE knows how to dance. If not on the dance floor, I know we as designers know how to make our pages dance through our creativity! This week on the Daily Heller, he mentions an exhibition celebrating Dance Ink’s and 2wice’sv collaborations with dancers, choreographers,’ and photographers on the unique “stage” of the printed page.
I think these covers are really creative and interesting, and I love how the word “Ink” looks different on every cover. Take a look!

These Crazy Days

It seems like the last couple weeks just after spring break have hit us all really fast. I had a big “Holy crap,” moment this week about what’s going to happen after graduation. Other’s in my situation can probably relate to getting those same questions every day: What are you doing after graduation…What are you going to do this summer…Where are you going to be…Do you have a job yet….AAAGGGHHHH!!! It’s funny, I’ve known that graduation was coming in May this whole semester, but this week, it just sort of hit me like a bag of bricks. I’ve been freaking out about not only school (like I’m not going to get everything done in time!), but also about my future living situation, job situation, etc. I’m just waiting for that sigh of relief at the end of May. It seems like a day doesn't go by that I'm not stressing out about something!!
What are everyone’s thoughts on this? Any major freak-outs?

This week on the Daily Heller: Sappi Ideas that matter

I came across this post on the Daily Heller today. This is the 10th anniversary of Sappi's Ideas That Matter. Head over there and check it out. This initiative helps support designers in their ventures of social merit and help them contribute their talents to charitable activities. Sappi has awarded substantial grants to programs conceived and designed by designers that have made a big difference.

I think this is really awesome. It just goes to show that no matter what you do in life, you can help make a difference. Although they probably contribute more than just their creative talents, these designers are sitting a computers daily, just like you and me, but they're still making a huge effort to help others!

Websites

I'd like to comment on the presentations of the websites in class yesterday. I was impressed with everyone else's sites, and especially with the fact that they all look so different. Each was creative in its own way and they all matched the individual personalities. I feel like I kept writing that on everyone's critiques, but I feel like that's what really stood out. I think everyone is just diving in and teaching themselves...or continuing to learn...about web design their own way. Like we talked about when we did the logos...we each have our own processes.
I feel confident that everyone's sites (including mine) will turn out awesome in time! I just spent too much time over spring break on the little things, instead of pushing to get everything ON the site!! I can fix those things later!! Sometimes I start off doing things in a roundabout way...but I eventually get on the right track!

work...work...work...it never ends...

...but that's good right...I love designing. All this stress will just make me better...right...sometimes I'm not sure.
Anyway...there are two big things at the top of my to do list: Mix magazine and my website. As you all saw Tuesday, the site isn't in great shape. Its a VEEERRRYYY SSLLLOOOWWW learning process for me. I'm feeling a little like I did in information graphics a couple years ago when I was thrown into illustrator without ever using it before. But, that's the only way we're all going to learn...just leap in and it's either sink or swim. Most of you are already at the end of the pool though!! Here's a screen shot of what I'm up to. Most of you saw this already...I'm in the lab for a WHILE tonight working!








I've also posted two of my department pages from Mix magazine. This whole process working on the project for Meredith has been a challenge.Not only coming up with brilliant designs for the publishers' visions, but also to come up with it in 3 months!! I think we've all learned (maybe the hard way) that communication is key! I think or stuff for Mix magazine is coming together well though. We have some changes to make...and a LOT of things to add, but I think it is going to look amazing. Aimee is a great art director, and both Annie and Aimee have been wonderful to work with. Take a look at what I've been working on for the magazine and go ahead and pop over to Aimee and Annie's blogs to take a look at their stuff. We would love to have everyone else's input!!!

This week on the Daily Heller

     I thought this was the perfect thing to come across after what we talked about in class this week. As with the Bringhurst book, I think this type collection is a bit poetic! Only those who really appreciate typography as an art would appreciate a collection lime this one. I love it!! I think it's beautiful! Head over to the Daily Heller to read up on it...the guy is looking for a buyer!! Any takers?!

Missourian Cover Stories

     I know I blogged about the Missourian redesign a couple weeks ago, but I'd really like to know what everyone thinks (specifically about the cover stories) after seeing it for a couple weeks. We've been talking about it in our newspaper design critiques and I'd like to know what everyone else thinks. 

     The goal of the cover story on the daily Missourian is to get the story a few days ahead of time and really take time to come up with a conceptual design to tell the story...to have more than just a lead photo and some text. The goal is to be able to sit down and really brainstorm on what the best way is to tell the story...is it with photos...illustrations...typography...etc. All of us work with this every day. Content driven design!!

     How well do you all think the Missourian, and we the designers, are handling this?

My work this week

     Another week off at the Missourian...and another week to play catch up and to prepare for spring break. My design work this week consists of my covers I'm presenting tomorrow, and the redesigns of the Show Me Dharma Logos (which I'll post Friday). 

     Here are my covers for the April second issue of Vox. This was a tough cover to do.With the concept for the cover uncertain for a while, and the lack of options for a photo for the cover...it really came down to telling the story with the words....what they say and how they say it.

     The play being covered in the story and on the cover  is about a woman in the '20s, I believe, who works in an experimental greenhouse laboratory and who challenges conventional norms of femininity and sexuality. Long story short...I know. 

     With the first one, I wanted to show the

dominance of the woman, and a sort of role reversal by using the words..."breaking all the rules" . She looks in control...she's comforting him. 

     With the second one, I wanted to show a funnier tone. Although a lot of the things we talked about in the staff meeting were really good and fun, I didn't feel like that same tone comes across in the play.

 So, I tried to subtly bring that humor into it. I used a serious photo, but I brought the humor to the cover through the words. 

     The third one came after I read some criticisms of the play from when it first came out. I got a lot of trouble for the challenges it made and the topics it covered. I used a lot of those words over and over in a typographic cover. I also tried to make the

words overlap and run into each other so they'd be covered up by "The Verge," almost as if showing how it really didn't matter what those criticisms said...the play obviously still has an impact. 

     The last one came out of what I read about the opening scene of play. It opens on the greenhouse and plants everywhere bent in all sorts of crazy directions. There also seemed to be a lot of symbolism in the parallels between the plants and women. "Splitting away into new life," "Shocked out of something they were into something they were not," "Experimentation," "Explosion of plant life into new life forms," etc. 

Fun with Logos and my response to sharing our process

This assignment had a lot of work and a fast turn-around, but I had a lot of fun creating the logos. Maybe there's just something about this week and FAST deadlines. I didn't procrastinate as much with this assignment as I thought I would. I don't usually procrastinate when it comes to design...I look forward to it...I just have to prioritize around a million other things...as I'm sure most of you do!!!
As I mentioned in class, my design process was pretty typical for this assignment as it is with most of my design work. I get the assignment, let it soak for a few days, start researching, start sketching, and my final execution is started a couple days before the deadline. This semester, sometimes it's done the night before (or the hour before in the case of my VOX cover this week)!
I also enjoyed sharing my design process, and hearing about everyone else's design process. It was interesting to hear how our different personalities work into our process, and to hear how different and sometimes the same everyone was. I think it was also a good opportunity to get some tips on where/how to get inspiration, processes that might work better, etc.
Designing these logos was something different and a good change of pace from what I've been doing all semester. I enjoyed looking into the Show Me Dharma organization and everything about it. There was some really interesting stuff, and many compelling images to work with.
I know I'll get all of your critiques next Tuesday, but let me know what you think!!