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Communications Design Industry Discussion, Inspiration, & Tutorials

Aug 26, 2010

Business Lunch

By On 09:15
My home office is a mess, with stacks of design books and paintings in piles on my worktop. So when I meet potential clients I do it like we’re back in the 60’s or 70’s. I’m talking about three-martini lunches as they were called (mine are usually sans martini, however).  I usually suggest a restaurant in midtown or Charles Village. The choices that these two neighborhoods offer are varied, eclectic and delicious.  Yes midtown restaurants are exciting!

Here are my top choices for business lunch meetings (in no particular order):

Donnas of Charles Village – I go to Donna’s weekly, business or no business. The staff is okay with off-menu orders, everything is always perfectly prepared, and wines are tasty-licious.

City Café – a great wine selection. Most of the tables downstairs are small, but outside and 2nd-floor seating more than makes up for this. Keep clear of the desserts.

Dougherty’s Irish Pub – tasty pub food and a quiet atmosphere. There are also big tables to spread out your laptops, design samples, notebooks and contracts. They've also got the best coleslaw in town.

Owl Bar – they have the best calamari in town; the capers aioli make the dish. It’s a good place to share a pizza with a client over contracts and Chianti.

Picadeli’s on Read Street – upstairs seating with the best veggie burger and fries in town. You can also get take out and have you meeting in Monument Park by the fountain.

Minato – fabulous sushi and great wait staff.  This is more of a late lunch, early dinner meeting place.

One World Café – outdoor seating and delicious vegetarian fare. The wine selection is decent and moderately priced.

Honrable Mention:
Tapas Teatro - I’ve never actually had a business meeting here, but I love everything on their menu.

Bon apetit!

One Thing All Creative Folks Need

By On 08:31
I just had dinner with a friend, a well-rounded communications professional—who shall remain nameless.  We recently talked over our plans for the future over salads, salmon and Cotes du Rhone at Donnas of Charles Village.

My buddy is a writer - designer - communications kinda-gal with diverse and extensive experience in marketing and communications.  In order to get an idea of the type of work she does you need to ask her to review her portfolio; there’s no one place to find her design or writing samples online.

She’s in the market for a workplace change, but gave me the wrong answer when I asked about her Web presence.


Creative professionals NEED a website!

Using a simple free blog site like Google’s Blogger, Wordpress, of LiveJournal is a great way to get your design and writing samples online and also showcase current projects! These sites provide professional looking templates and quick formatting of images and motion graphics. The two hours it takes to set up a blog is worth it in the long run. You only need to include the link in your cover letter or resume to a potential employer.

Another option is to purchase your domain name and use one of the easy build tools to create your site. This option allows you to create a decent looking site without advanced knowledge of HTML or any Web coding. Register.com and GoDaddy.com are two names that immediately spring to my mind.

My favorite solution is for a creative type to mine their social network.  Fellow students would love the opportunity to work on a visually interesting Web site; it will add to their experience and could become a portfolio piece. Post a job for pro bono design work on a bulletin board on campus. 

For folks out of school, college friends, colleagues, and your BFF all have skills that may be useful to you. Ask them.  Start a conversation on LinkedIn, post a fB status update, find out about trading services; maybe someone can build your website in exchange for using your timeshare for a week in the summer. That is, if they’re not interested in money.

Like I said, creative professionals need a website. If you don’t have one yet, get started today.

Aug 22, 2010

An Online Portfolio

By On 16:07
It's time to update yours!

Having an online portfolio does a lot to boost your street cred among potential clients and employers. It’s also:

More Convenient than a Resume and it saves time in your job search. This tool gives potential employers and clients a preview of your skills and abilities. In addition to the pieces that you present, folks are impressed by the design of the portfolio site and the user experience.

Showcases Your Talents - Online portfolios instantly show off your work. To establish yourself in this industry, let your designs do the talking!

Makes you Readily Accessible to clients worldwide, instantly. This opens up opportunities to work anywhere. Potential clients from other regions are now able to access your portfolio and maybe even hire you! Plus your contact information / link helps get contacts in touch immediately.

Saves Time in the Application Process - Virtually all employers have embraced the concept of online portfolios. They expect to see your samples when you apply for a position in their company. Look at it from their perspective. Employers have to search dozens of resumes, choose the right candidates, schedule and conduct interviews. This is very time consuming and virtually impossible without design samples. Having an online portfolio saves employers time and they can see your design work instantly, enabling them to find the right fit for their company.

Aug 18, 2010

Designer Job Search: Supplemental

By On 12:07
Here are a couple other job search resources that I know of.  I've gotten feedback from former jobseekers that these are valuable resources:

Mid-Atlantic Employment Search:

Maryland - Maryland Workforce Exchange
Washington, DC - DCNetworks.org
Virginia - VAEmploy.com
Pennsylvania - Commonwealth Workforce Development


Happy Hunting!

Aug 2, 2010

Entrepreneurial Spirit: Shodekeh

By On 06:20
Friday, July 23rd was a particularly hot night; not just because of the 100+ degree temperatures. The Baltimore Symphony Opera brought the heat when conductor, Maryn Alsop, featured a local musician alongside her world-class orchestra.

The Musician: Shodekeh Dominic Talifero
The Instrument: His voice

I first met the beat boxer about ten years ago when he performed on one of the West-facing stages at the SoWeBohemian Arts and Music Festival. Of course, a decade ago he had an unfulfilling day job to pay the bills while he hustled to get face time on the stages across the region.

Today, Shodekeh works for himself. In the years between our first meeting and this most recent performance at the Meyerhoff , Shodekeh toiled tirelessly to push his music into ever growing arenas. His regular gig—of the last four years—is as the accompanying percussionist to a renowned ballet studio. He’s been on stage with KRS-1, numerous hip-hop elite, classical and world beat musicians, and emerging performance artists. He’s been interviewed on NPR and lends his voice—speaking and percussion—to promote the arts wherever he goes.

Check out part of the performance, https://vimeo.com/18653408



 At the Friday night concert, my jaw dropped when I heard the newest addition to his repertoire. Shodekeh does an uncanny rendition of a didgeridoo. The technique put me in mind of the throat singers of the Caucasus Mountains, but my ear was convinced that it was a five-foot long wooden pipe being blown into by an aboriginal Australian. I was literally gape-mouthed throughout the concert. Shodekeh has something that all would-be entrepreneurs need, confidence. This unwavering confidence in himself and his talents led him to get free of the nine-to-five shackles.

Another tool in his bag-of-tricks is his inexhaustible energy. Anyone who chooses to work for themselves knows that it means trading in the eight-hour daily routine for a 24/7, perpetual process of self promotion. It’s exhausting and rewarding. We recently had drinks at Tapas Teatro in Mt. Vernon. Shodekeh, not content to take a break, told me of his plan to take his classical-meets-contemporary performance to audiences nationwide. It’s an enormous undertaking. He knows that he can do it.

Frankly, so do I.


Jul 26, 2010

Worst Typeface - That’s easy. The second worst - that’s tough…

By On 15:03
Comic sans is number one!  That’s the truth according to every graphic designer I know.  I’m on that bandwagon, too. While we’re all in agreement, we can’t come to consensus on number two.

Recently a young designer that I respect and admire totally blasted Bleeding Cowboys on a popular social media site. She said it’s the “absolute worst.” Bleeding Cowboys is a distinctive typeface with limits to it usefulness, and it has been greatly over-utilized of late–to my knowledge--by young designers with limited access to, or knowledge of typefaces.  But is it really the worst??

Last Friday, I enjoyed an incredible night of music and performance at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. I say that in spite of the bitter slap in the face I received when I looked at their summer program—laid out with headers and subheads in Cracked. Ouch!

Some say Times New Roman is Terrible! Horrible! Awful! But I haven’t heard a sufficiently good reason except that it was the default typeface for Microsoft Office (and everybody knows that as professional designers and Apple adherents, we must loathe anything non-Apple).

People, everything African, Indian, and Middle-Eastern can not be represented by Papyrus. This is another typeface that non-(or unskilled)designers use as a go to when unable to rely on sound typography skills to create an effective use of space, hierarchy, movement, purpose.  

Bradley Hand and Dakota Hand. I personally believe that these two live in the same zip code as Comic Sans.

Finally, this name wouldn’t have come to mind except that I got a request to create a logo from this font. What self-respecting professional membership organization wants to be represented by Monotype Corsiva? You heard me! It's ridiculous, yet this offensive, improperly used, over-used abomination is what they chose to represent their decades old, professionally respected organization. I choose Monotype Corsiva too... as my number two worst font of all!




Jul 22, 2010

Internet Job Searches - The Keyword is the Key

By On 06:56
The prospect of looking for work is a scary one, but it’s a fact of life for many of us; either you’re dealing with a lay off, or you’re looking to cash in your education, or you simply long for a better work life.

The pickings are slim out there and with companies tightening their belts, creative departments are taking a huge hit.  Small to medium-sized firms now choose to make due with the few folks they have. 

So, how do you ensure that you’re not missing out on jobs when searching online???

Choose Relevant Keywords
You’re a graphic designer. You want a graphic design job. Think about where you want to work: the government, retail, hospitals or medical centers, fashion, colleges, etc.  Be precise and narrow down your industry. Then make a list of things associated with your industry. Let’s take hospitals as an example.

Associated terms: hospital, medical, non profit (all hospitals fit in this category), health care,  allied health, etc.
You are a ‘Graphic Designer”. So, that will, of course be a search term.  Maybe not. Many companies still use the term graphic artist, so think about simply using the word “graphic” or "graphics"
Associated terms: design, **UI or UX (Web design terms), multimedia, graphic art, in-house design, communications, marketing (yep!),  pre-press, creative, etc

Start out with one or two keywords. Then, as you continue with your search session, switch out your keywords and see what different options pop up.

Look at your results.  Are there terms in the posted jobs that are relevant to you? Add them to your list, and use them in the next keyword search.

Be Search Engine Savvy
There are tons of job search websites that can be helpful in your pursuits.  I’m partial to a site called SimplyHired.com (SH).  SH pulls jobs from dozens of different websites. In a recent search I found positions originating on dozens of different websites including job sites, company sites, and headhunter and consultant sites.

For me SH was the perfect one stop shop—it’s where I found my current job—but it’s not necessarily for everyone. Here’s a nice long list of search sites that have yielded good results for graphic designers I know in this region:

Happy hunting!


**User Interface, User Experience

Jul 19, 2010

Rant: Apple, iPhone, iMac, MacBook

By On 13:16

Apple has gotten its last dollar from me.  I’ve always been true to Apple. The desktop that I purchased last month was to be my fourth Apple computer and the first desktop I’ve EVER bought.  Unfortunately, the machine turned up with a crack in the screen.  After getting jerked around by the nads for weeks by the geniuses in their call center, I’ve had enough.

You see, in my attempt to re-order my exciting new machine, I was:
  • hung up upon 
  • transferred from department to department
  • deceived about a return mailing label that was never sent
  • and generally treated poorly by a company that has several thousands of my hard-earned dollars!!
The rude,  stupid,  customer care staff in the call center placed me on hold for no less than 30 of the 35-45 minutes I spent on each call with them, and I got an ulcer from internalizing my hatred and ire–lest I be hung up upon again. 
I just had my last contact with Apple, three minutes ago. I checked on the status of my refund and was kindly reassured that it was processed and cleared through my bank by Joan—likely the only competent customer care rep in their entire call center.  

I have one final phone call to make to ensure that I’m rid of Apple for good.  I’m calling AT&T and bidding their asses “adeiu”, too.

My heart aches for those struggling with the newest iPhone. Good luck getting any help on the phone.

Jul 3, 2010

Designer Freebies!

By On 07:48
I love love love free stuff. And , working for a nonprofit, I'm used to resorting to ad hoc methods and making do with not getting everything on my wish list to make my job easier.  When I do web searches for freebies and vector elements I always check for 'Creative Commons' before I download anything --there's never a need to risk a lawsuit for misusing  intellectual property.

Here's a list of my favorite sites that provide designer resources:


Jul 1, 2010

The Entrepreneurial Spirit: Belltown Pull Apart

By On 11:22

I was in downtown Seattle last week where I met the owner and proprietor of Belltown Pull Apart, a used bike shop on 4th Ave.
Eric started out working on Pedal cabs, the once ubiquitous three wheeled transports that worked the waterfront. His alleyfront shop specialized in fixing and fabricating the rides. Today he has the front and back of the building. In open hours, 5 or 6 bikes line up for sale along the sidewalk and the shop dogs amble fatly in and out of the open doorway.
Inside, sexy refurbished bikes hang from the walls and form neat rows for easy access on the floor. The guys who hang out in the store also work there, and there’s a refreshing feeling of realness. Eric and his cronies love bikes, and belong to the growing ranks of the self-employed.
When I went in last Saturday to pick up the cheetah print handlebar grips I ordered, Chicheron, the rotund Chihuahua was helping himself to somebody’s half sesame bagel smothered in cream cheese. The last I saw him he was being chased into the back of the shop with half a bagel gripped in his jaws. That morning I got a chance to talk to Eric about why he took the entrepreneurial plunge. His answer was simple, “I can’t work for other people… I’m a terrible employee.”
I feel you dude! Most of the folks I know who are ready to take the plunge are Eric. I've heard it before. Here’s the checklist:
  • Passion for the organization’s mission wanes.
  • The persistent feeling of being underappreciated weighs on you.
  • The commute—no matter how short—gets longer every day.
  • The work is unfulfilling.
  • At least 20 % of your work week is spent planning your escape route (i.e. looking for jobs, updating your resume, reading up on how to ship anthrax thru the mail, etc.)
  • Stress builds from Sunday night to Monday morning, and continues until Friday at 1pm .


My hat’s off to you Eric.  If I were a Seattle native, I’d make Belltown Pull Apart my second home.

    Jun 6, 2010

    I LOVE T-Shirts!

    By On 11:52
    One more stop motion piece. I created this for I love T-Shirts. Rebekah and Dan from Club Chuck starred and the music was lifted from DJ Medic (thanks).

    Two Art Scapes ago they met me on campus and let me pose them, shoot them, and eventually make one of them into a t-shirt monster. The music's a bit loud, but this is a fun little piece.

    Fresh Burrito

    By On 11:36
    Hey Hey. I totally forgot about this little gem.

    I created a 30 sec spicy Burrito ad for the Chipotle contest back in 07. I bought some produce, beans and a burrito and took between 100 and 200 still images then strung them together in Final Cut.


    ASIDE: Final Cut is the best program to edit any sort of video. From simple, silly things like this to artful and thoughtful documentaries like "The Tuskegee Airmen". If you're partial to imovie or flash for these projects give it a try you'll be impressed with the control and functionality.

    Anyway, I love stop motion. Enjoy!

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