in a recent scouring on the interweb, I came across a beautiful design site that features student and professional designers. Th goal of this search is actually to try to develop some assignment models for  an intro to graphic design course that I'm developing. For most designers, the develop a typeface project is ubiquitous one that spans graphic design education through the ages.


For this project, students were given a foreign language newspaper and asked to redesign it, with an emphasis on the audience and on typorgaphy. Here, Joren shows not only the finished product but all steps in his process. Follow this link to view the full project:

Hey design studio folks, what's your motto?

You Can't Get No is a 2-color letterpress poster by I am still alive and features the studio's motto.

My first instinct was to make myself one of these for my cash and cards. My second instinct was to share this beautiful minimalist design with you. Nothing Fancy, minimalist wallets, are created from a single piece of leather by London-based designer Chieh Ting Huang. Check them out:

If typography is high art, then letterpress is the best of paint, brushes, and canvas. Moxie Press & Co., the brainchild of Maryland designer Chris Undi, does it so well. This one-man shop offers design services, illustration, and printing. Not only is Chris a fantastic designer/pressman, he's also a good friend. Check out more of his work and see Moxie Press on Facebook:

Today is the perfect day to get started on yours. OR to update your existing online presence with recent work!

My buddy, Barbara*, works in marketing and does a lot of media writing. This year she gave a riveting AIGA talk about interviewing with a portfolio when not in the creative arts field. Today, a great article on Idealist.org loudly seconded her sentiment. It's good enough to share.

According to Barb and Idealist every professional should arrive at an interview with a portfolio in-hand; "we do more than just our job description" and a portfolio book is an excellent way to show it. A professional portfolio--or leave behind--gives the potential employer a great idea of our skills, abilities and range. It's also pretty impressive!

How Does it Look? This simplest presentation of your leave-behind is a spiral-bound book separated by tabs. These can be printed and bound, in quantity, at retail copy shops or by yourself if you have a spiral binder at hand). Be sure to select  a heavy weight paper and substantial cover stock. Spiral-bound books are not the only option. This publication can also be a highly polished design piece that profiles your creative skill as well. If you choose to go in this direction consider hiring a graphic design student, freelancer, or recent grad to help layout / design a polished look.

Here are a few examples of print portfolio books:

What Does it Contain? Your portfolio is a great supplement to the interview conversation. As you speak about your projects, accomplishments, or accolades, refer to the samples that you have in-hand. Here are Barbara's suggestions for basic content for this book:

• Your resume or Curriculum Vitae
• Listed technical skills, software, and hardware
• Printed samples of your work or projects on which you've worked--with descriptions of the project, your role on the project, and other pertinent information
• Writing Samples - if you have relevant, well-written pieces; include 2-3 samples of technical writing, public relations, media or editorial writing
• Kudos and accolades on your work or performance from colleagues or employers

Why Not Go Digital? If making a print portfolio is outside of your means and expertise, create an online portfolio. There are several free sites that offer open formats for you to showcase a variety of projects. An online portfolio gives potential employers a look at your scope of skill, and also makes you look very web-savvy; this is more important across all industries. In addition to portfolio sites like: Behance, CarbonMade, Jobrary.com there are several blog format sites that allow for maximum flexibility; like Blogger, Wordpress, or Tumblr.



*her name isn't really Barbara.

I'm in Love. . . with this website!

Coming from a non-profit, graphic design background, I am well-versed in the economical online image search. Some time last year I found this site and have visited often when looking for the right hi-res photo for various projects.

Check out and bookmark Photos-Public-Domain!

For winter holiday / christmas/ new years / seasonal images go directly to Holidays and Seasons.

As a current student, your professional experience is limited. While you’ve taken several diverse courses, participated in student groups, and completed several freelance pieces, you don’t feel that marketable. But you are!

Which Type is the Right Type?
When updating your resume for an internship consider your audience. Is the industry a creative one? Is it receptive to out-of-the-box design concepts? Is it conservative or built on tested ideals? Will your design, paper size, typography, or color palette cause your application to be discarded? The different format options will help to highlight your talents.

• Functional Resume Format - Many job search sites and guides claim that functional resumes are the way-to-go when you have limited experience. I disagree. When I see this  resume type show up in a group, I know immediately that the applicant has something to hide; be that limited experience, or gaps in professional history. To be safe, don't use this format.
• Chronological Resume Format - Use a format that can grow as your experience grows. Use a format that is easily scannable and recognizable by the people who matter. This is the most widely used formats in the USA, and recognizable across different industries.
• Infographic Resume  Format- When applying for an internship with a graphic design firm or creative company, it’s important to demonstrate what sets you apart from the other applicants. A well-designed infographic resume is a great tool for this.
  
  This format allows you to showcase your graphic design skills, illustrate the principles of effective design, and convey your experience and interests on a single page. To be clear, this is a suitable format for jobs and internships in creative fields, but will not work in the non-profit sector, or corporate, or educational settings

I've gotten a few requests for an easy tutorial on increasing blur in portraits. Here's a super easy how-to using a selection and a filter. For this sample, I used a low-res portrait of myself snatched from a social site.

The old saying was that everyone has at least one book inside 'em. Undoubtedly, I've got one in me that may make the world a slightly better place. While my globe-trotting, brushes with mortality, and trying tales of punk bands and band aids would curl even the straightest hairs, I'm certain that book one should be a guide for us creative types--a short guide.

Postcard serise by: http://iwonak.com/tag/postcards/

Simply put, a leave behind a physical object that you leave behind after an interview. This media helps the interviewer or potential client to remember you. The object can range from the mundane (business card)—to the functional (printed portfolio)—to the elaborate (folding portfolio poster with DVD insert).

To Create a Good Leave Behind:

1. Keep your brand consistent. Any logos, typography, graphic elements in use on your resume or website should be represented here.
2. Stay true to you. It should reflect they type and style of work that you produce.
3. Make it easy to handle. Origami Folding cranes are relaxing to make and beautiful to behold, but impractical for job-seekers. So , keep it simple