Be A Design Group

BA Updates

2008-05-19T14:05:29Z

6-30-08 Like Colors! Former BADG author Drew Davies and his company (Oxide Design) are creating a book chock full of amazing t-shirt designs. Submit yours today!

5-19-08 Adrian has just launched Font Burner. It’s the easiest way to add great fonts to your website.

We Say Goodbye

2008-04-25T15:43:50Z

After 4+ years Be A Design Group would like to say thank you and good bye. We couldn’t have done it with out everyone’s input and support. We are putting BADG into cryogenic freeze, but unlike Walt Disney, there is the technology to reanimate us.

If you missed the retirement announcement, read here. We will make one more post on this site that we will update with news of our plans, announcements and updates. Look for something big from Adrian in the next month. He won’t even tell me what it is about.

Will They iTouch Designers?

2008-04-24T14:19:26Z

I wrote this over a year ago, but for some reason I never posted it. Since writing this, Creative Suite has been released for Intel Macs along with the Multi-Touch trackpad for the MacBooks.

As I work on my four year old G4 I can’t help but imagine that graphic designers are becoming useless to the likes of Apple and to a certain extent Adobe. I can think of very few software or hardware upgrades that were made in the last couple of years that have made our job significantly faster, better or easier. Sure we will be able to work faster when Adobe comes out with software that is ported for Intel machines, but do we really need anything much faster? When it seems that iTunes takes up about as much processor speed as Photoshop, I realize that it is not designers that are driving the technology anymore. So what industry is driving the market for faster computers? The obvious answer is video.

]]> I have to admit that I love new technology and software just as much or more than the next guy. But many times I agree with those nay-sayers that argue that we don’t need software beyond Photoshop 7 and InDesign CS. Unless you are in the market for more filters and better drop shadows, what have we really gained from the last several Adobe upgrades?

So what can these companies do to generate a little more need (as opposed to sheer want)? As you might have gathered from the above graphic, I am hoping for iPhone multi-touch technology in the next generation of iMacs. If Apple takes away the mouse and keyboard and truly connects the designer to their computer, then the designer demand will be unstoppable. Then we will all be closer to feeling what the early twentieth century typesetters felt when they physically locked up that type in the chase. I know Apple wouldn’t be the first to have touch screen computers, but as they have proven with the iPod, you don’t have to be the first … just the best. Wasn’t it Malcolm Gladwell that pointed out that the originators and extreme innovators usually fail? Sometimes the market isn’t ready and primed for a certain innovation. For example, the Newton.

Since Apple appears to have mastered the multi-touch technology, when will we see it in their computer line? Jobs did make a special effort to note that this technology was heavily patented. Is it time that Apple starts paying a little more attention to the loyal designer base and work with Adobe and others to deliver a truly innovative product? Here’s to “pinching” instead of (command) + (+) or grabbing that antiquated old magnifying glass.

Oxide Picture of the Week

2008-04-21T16:23:23Z

Drew Davies sent me this picture of a new business across the street from his own. Click to see the larger version and I dare you to find all of the things wrong with this photo.

Red Bull Cola Made Me Do It

2008-04-18T17:35:25Z

This is just what Red Bull wants me to do, but oh well. It appears that Red Bull is coming out with a new cola. It isn’t in stores yet, so we will just have to imagine what it is like from their website.

My criticism: Do we need more cola? I heard a stat that said you are twice as likely to get diabetes if you drink one soda every day. The idea of something from Red Bull being “not too sweet” seems a little funny as well.

On the up side, I like the idea of everything being natural. Cola without phosphoric acid and preservatives has to be a good thing, right? We will just have to wait until it comes to a convenience store near you. The real question … . Will it also be ridiculously expensive?

So I will join in the hype. Mainly I wanted to point out the cool pull tab (err … pop top). That and maybe they will send our in-house team a case for ourselves.

]]> Bennett Holzworth, Nebraska Book Company, 4700 S. 19 St., Lincoln, NE 68512

Best of BADG Business Cards

2008-04-18T15:14:25Z

The other day I received a letter in the mail informing me that I had something in the newly released Best of Business Card Design 8. It wasn’t until I got the book in the mail this week, that I found out which pieces made the cut. Kind of strange timing to get a two-page spread in a design book in the same month that you are shutting the featured website down (i.e. this site).

I was also pleased to find out that the business cards I did for my wife made it in.

Calling All Freelance Designers

2008-04-16T20:27:33Z

by Cathy Fishel

“Freelance Design in Practice,” to be published in Spring 2009 by RotoVision, will be a book for freelance graphic designers who are in it for the long run. I’d like to invite experienced, full-time freelance designers from anywhere in the world to contact me directly for possible interviews. Please contact me at cathy@fishel.com if you have advice, anecdotes and insights to share with peers. Design work will also be shown in the book.

Chapters will include succinct advice and real-life case studies on subjects including:

]]> -Evaluating your personal vision and making yourself stand out

-Establishing a business plan, workspace, accounting system, legal back-up, advertising and even your business name

-Setting fees, bidding, billing, dealing with non-payment, tax concerns, how to know if you’re making money, and trade-outs and pro-bono work

-Legal responsibilities, including contracts, insurance and liability

-Self-promotion of all types

-Finding the best clients and the best mix of clients, and turning them into repeat customers

-Managing workflow and maintaining your sanity

-Achieving a healthy life/work balance

-Periodic self-evaluations and other touchstones

-An entire chapter on solving common freelance frustrations

Logo Design Love

2008-04-06T17:54:56Z

Logo Design Love Awards is a competition that is going to recognize the best logos in the blogosphere. I was lucky enough to help with the judging, and I thought you guys would enjoy browsing through the logos as much as I did. There are ten categories of blogs and somewhere around 100 logos. Check it out, and cast your vote in the comments of their site.

Designer Care

2008-04-04T16:23:13Z

While we designers talk about new logos, bad kerning, bad business practices, etc., we seldom talk about being a decent and active human being. We tend to celebrate the abrasive celebrity designer that bucks the system and the over-worked people that neglect their family and friends. The design profession also needs to look at what is healthy for the average designer.

The first part of this post speaks of greed and consumsion. After meeting so many designers that are over-consumers it was great to hear some reason from the Stefan’s (Stefan Bucher and Stefan Sagmeister). These two fellows are proof that you can be a nice person and an amazing designer.

I recently went to go hear west coast Stefan (Mr. Bucher) speak at Concordia University and he said some great things that we all need to hear. At one point in his talk he made a quick little recommendation about the new sin of today … DEBT. He talked about staying out of debt so we can remain free to be creative. How can we be creative if we have no choice but to take any and every freelance project that comes our way? We need to be free to make decisions that aren’t completely based on our wallet.

My encounter with east coast Stefan (Mr. Sagmeister) was through his new book. I recommend that any and every designer should get the book, or at least look at Sagmeister’s recent work. It is a great reminder to be a good person (to yourself and others). One phrase in Sagmeister’s book is that “Money doesn’t make me happy”. I’m assuming that with all his success, he knows that from experience. We can all go through life without re-evaluating our priorities. Don’t hesitate to make some course corrections and make some changes in your life.

]]> This is the part where I speak to the perpetual workers out there. Those of us that always find some way to fill our time with design, even if we do leave at 5:00 from our day jobs. While doing design outstide of work is a good thing, it is also good to remember that there are more important things than perfect kerning, becoming a famous designer and getting into CA. Just remember that friends, your spouse, family, sleeping, adventure, church, road trips, hikes and reading are going to be more fulfilling and help you grow as a person.

Over the last eight years of working as a professional designer, I’ve also had the weird fortune of working normal hours at every job I have held. I can probably count my late, late nights working on actual agency work on two hands. I have to admit that a couple of my agency jobs weren’t rock star jobs and some of the work probably wasn’t up to the standards of the work-horse 80/week agencies. But … I did have a life, learned things outside of the agency walls and I’m not completely burned out on design. I now have a job where I work 40hrs/week and get to work on amazing projects with amazing people. These jobs do exist. I see my friends near and far (especially those in larger cities) being overworked and disastisfied. For some reason our profession finds it acceptable to sacrifice so much for fame and small fortunes. It is time we as designers, art directors and especially creative directors stand up and start managing a better office. If we don’t stand up for ourselves and our fellow designers, then no one will.

So as we at Be A Design Group say good bye, just keep in mind that although design is very important, we as designers are much more so.

The un-Creative Center!

2008-04-03T22:55:12Z

There is a post that I wanted to do for some time, but never had the time. While this might not be pertinent for every designer in the world, it is something that needs to be said for perspective design students in the mid-west and Nebraska. Here it goes.

Stay away from the Creative Center! There are plenty of good design schools in the state, but the Creative Center in Omaha is a horrible way to go. I have friends that went there and they would tell you the same thing. A good deal of professional designers in Nebraska will back me up on this. It is extremely expensive and you come out with some antiquated illustrations, some mediocre designs and a hefty debt. I know several successful designers that came from the Creative Center, but this is only because they learned things outside of school and are very talented and driven people.

]]> If you are going to go to school in Nebraska check out UNK or Concordia (yes that is my alma mater). If you are set on a two year school, check out Southeast Community or Metro Community College. I know there are other schools in Nebraska, but these are the ones that I have had direct experience with. Don’t hesitate to check Denver, Kansas City, Chicago and Minneapolis for their great design programs as well.

Modern Dog: 20 Years of Poster Art

2008-04-02T23:10:46Z

I haven’t had a chance to read this book yet, but I wanted to do a little video review before the final goodbye here at BADG. Even without reading the interviews, insight and captions, this is a great collection of Modern Dog’s work. Where would posters be without these people? The book appears to be as irreverent and fun as Robynne and Michael … and if Dr. Figus Upshaw endorses this book, how could it not be good?

Ecophenotypic Art Show

2008-04-02T21:21:06Z

What is a design blog without shameless self promotion. I had to get one more in here. Here is a very short video for my wife’s show with good friend Adam Nielsen. If you are in Nebraska this weekend, you should check it out. If there is a message for designers in this post, it would be … Get out and see more art (especially printmaking).

Enjoy the five seconds of artwork!

Five Uncommon Attributes of Good Designers

2008-03-31T04:35:23Z

As we approach the final post here at Be A Design Group I have been reflecting on how I have changed as a designer since my first post here four years ago. As I strive to be a better designer, the list of attributes that I try to emulate are things that on the surface don’t have much to do with design. Here are some characteristics that don’t normally get mentioned on most lists of designer skills…

]]> Curiosity
You know the kind of person who seems to know a little bit about everything? No, not that know-it-all who always wins at trivial pursuit. I am talking about the kind of person who can have a meaningful conversation with anyone from a surgeon to an olympic athlete to a trash collector. A curious person asks intelligent questions and can pull comparisons from diverse and relevant fields. Designers are always working with different people and it should be obvious how valuable it is to be genuinely curious about our clients and their lives.

Patience
Design is a frustrating business. I doubt there is a perfect client and teaching and explaining will always be a part of our job. Software will always have bugs and computers will crash. If you can master the art of being patient you will have an advantage over the designers who are always complaining about clients/bosses/software.

Kindness
An true act of kindness comes from sympathy. I am not saying that we should feel sorry for everybody, but if we can learn to sympathize with people’s situations then good things will happen. We all care about design, but if our insistence on good design overshadows what our clients or co-workers care about then we aren’t doing our job. An atmosphere of kindness will breed good design.

Humility
Being the best designer in the world is a tough burden to bear. The hardest part is continually convincing people how great you are. Sometimes it is hard to find the time to do an interview. If you don’t toot your own horn a little bit, your monograph might get lost in the shelves at Barnes and Noble. Perhaps the design celebrities can get away with this kind of arrogance, but the rest of us could benefit from a more humble stance.

Communication awareness
Don’t you just stand in awe of great communicators? I think there is a raw talent aspect to great communicators that most of us will never attain. For those of us without natural speaking ability, the best we can do is be aware of how we communicate - good and bad. Try to sense how people are reacting to what you are saying. As you listen to people’s response notice how their words affect you and respond (not react) in a manner that hopefully they can connect with. Do you speak with lectures when a brief response will do? Do you use marketing language that sounds like hot air? Are you agreeing, just to be agreeable? Do you know when to speak up and defend your work? By being sensitive of how you communicate you can only get better at communicating.

At the end of the day, designing a logo is relatively easy. Being a good person is the real challenge. I believe that it isn’t enough for a good designer to just do good work. A good designer must also be a good person. What are some virtues that you believe help make a better designer?

Learned from Fast Food

2008-03-28T15:07:35Z

by Kyle Heinemann

Many yeas ago, when I was 15 and working in fast food….if you would have told me “Pay Attention!” since I would be learning valuable life lessons, I would not have believed you (to put it mildly). That job was purely income. Not for socializing, not so I could eat the food, not to be popular, just money. Today, many years later, I can see where I learned customer service: back at Dairy Queen.

Customer Service, to me, is one of those areas of work that everyone says “well, duh” it’s important. To really excel at it, translates to a big payoff. You can learn to serve your customers/clients so well that a) at the end of a project, they get what they really wanted, but maybe not what they initially asked for, or b) so happy they will tell their friends and colleagues, or c) so happy they congratulate your manager—and your manager remembers to compensate you accordingly when it’s bonus/raise time (wink wink).

]]> In my high school job, I learned through repeat encounters, and at the guidance of the manager, to listen carefully to the customer and anticipate what they need. If I messed up on something, I would admit it, apologize, and offer them something in return…so they leave happy and return their business. Another thing I learned was to “repeat the order to ensure accuracy.” These are simple concepts. Yet, valuable to put into practice. Imagine going to an initial meeting, you listen to the client, go back to your desk, do some first drafts, only to present them at the next meeting and realize you and the client had a misunderstanding—you missed the mark. It happens.

It would be easy to let some lower-priority jobs slip, and focus on the priority jobs. Yet, it’s the communication about job status to that lower-priority client that shows them you still value their business. This is easy in theory, but can be hard to do on a regular basis in real life.

Now that I’m over 31, I feel somehow qualified to share this unsolicited “wisdom” with you. (And I’m nowhere near retirement!) The experiences I had over half my life ago have formed who I am today.

—

Farewell, BADG readers and authors. Thank you for the constant feeding of design “current events.”

An Open Letter to Would-Be Purchasers of Design Services

2008-03-26T14:00:00Z

by Drew Davies

On behalf of designers everywhere, I am writing you this letter with a very simple request. My message isn’t particularly novel — in fact, you may have heard something like it before. But, it’s become clear that it’s time to say it again as clearly as possible.

]]> In the course of owning and operating my own design firm, I regularly encounter persons and companies looking for design services. The most promising of the set send an RFP, ask us to sit down for an initial meeting, or ask us to make a presentation regarding our capabilities and qualifications. This is a fairly traditional practice, and in general, it works quite well. We certainly don’t engage in speculative creative work, but I am always happy to explain to someone what I believe to be the value in hiring my firm, and show them a range of our previous design projects.

Quite often, prospective clients like yourself request various documents and proposals, so you can learn about anything from our process to our experience, our price estimates to our ballpark timelines. Typically, the process of developing this paperwork is relatively time-consuming, but it’s something I enjoy doing. It’s always nice to be able to tell our story, and look forward to the possibility of working on an exciting new project.

Here’s where you come in. When you request a customized proposal or an in-person presentation, you have a responsibility. Quite frankly, it’s your ethical obligation as a human being. You owe the designer or firm from which you received this information a direct and timely response.

No 20-minute phone calls or five-page explanation e-mails required. Just a simple note to say “thank you for your time, we’ve decided to go a different direction.” It’s a basic professional courtesy that every person requesting a proposal from another should extend when they’ve selected a different option. But you’d be surprised at how frequently that response never arrives.

I don’t know if people simply assume that somehow designers — straddling the line between art and business — can’t handle rejection. Perhaps this problem is endemic to the complete range of service industries. Either way, let me make this clear: not only can we handle it, we appreciate it, and we expect it. Every designer wants and deserves to know where they stand in a potential business transaction.

You’d be surprised to know how many times I’ve made presentations, or sent proposals, only to receive complete silence in return. After half a dozen unanswered e-mails and voice mails over the following month, I can usually assume we didn’t get the work. Which is completely understandable; we can’t win them all. But not taking 30 seconds of your time to inform us of the decision is at best rude, at worst cowardly.

So, I’m making this simple request. When you ask a designer for a proposal, extend them the same courtesy you’d expect: let them know if they didn’t get the work. If they’re a professional like you, they’ll thank you for your candor, and you’ll both move on. And then you’ll be able to stop avoiding my phone calls.

Thank you kindly,

Drew Davies
Owner/Design Director, Oxide Design Co.