Be Aware 21
Just in case you wanted to know the top five results for 21 on Google … I will share. Century 21, forever21, 21 Grams, United Nations: Agenda 21 and Circular No. A-21. How is that for random? Now we will move on to some actual content for our twenty-first Be Aware.
Clinton Carlson: Design Quotes
At the risk of triggering a few more heated discussions about the nature of design, I’ve selected a quote from a recent article from Gui Bonsiepe, an information designer and design educator hailing from Brazil and Argentina. The article, Design and Democracy, can be found in the Spring 2006 issue of Design Issues.
“More and more, design has moved away from the idea of ‘intelligent problem solving’ (James Dyson) and drawn nearer to the ephemeral, fashionable and quickly obsolete, to formal aesthetic play, to the ’boutiquization’ of the unviverse of products for everyday life. For this reason, design today often is identified with expensive, exquisite, not particularly practical, funny and formally pushed, colorful objects. The hypertrophy of fashion asepects is accompanied and increased by the media with their voracious appetite for novelties. Design thus has become a media event…”
The article is worth a read and can be downloaded at www.mitpressjournals.org/toc/desi/22/2
Paul Berkbigler: Design Education
As the weeks begin to assume the somewhat more relaxed pace of the summer months, and an educator’s thoughts start to turn towards curricular revisions and additions, it’s nice to have resources on hand to browse for topics and possible lesson plans.
Having just spent a bit more time exploring Linotype’s site, I was very impressed with the amount of consolidated typographic history and information that they provide in addition to their type library. They’ve set up the Font Lounge with several features and topics related to all things typographic. Just something to thumb through as you look towards summer courses or those coming up again in the fall months.
Nate Voss: Fun With Design
Why Isn’t Graphic Design More Fun?
Seriously. Everything in design today is taken very seriously. Design is a legitimate business, you know, and we must have people take us seriously as a whole. We have serious discussions about serious issues facing designers and the serious public, ranging from sustainabilty to spec work to the broader communications goals of the global economy. Boooooooooooooring! We need to lighten up. I’m changing my tune on Be Aware to chronicle the fun things still happening in the world of design. I’ll find what I can, but feel free to send me examples at podcast@beadesigngroup.com (links only, please!). For starters, here’s two of my favorite places to go every day:
Daniel Schutzsmith: Design Business
CREATIVE BUSINESS CONSULTANTS
Lately I have been noticing that many studio owners are turning to a consultant to help them tackle their business needs and formulate efficient processes they can follow for the long haul. If you are having trouble along the way yourself, then these fine folks below would be more than willing to help you get on the right track.
Emily Ruth Cohen
Business consulting, writing and staff management strategies for small to mid-size graphic design and communications companies.
ReCourses
A management consulting firm that works exclusively with small service providers in the communications industry, including: Public Relations Firms, Advertising Agencies, Interactive Companies, and Design Studios.
Design Management Resources, Inc.
A public relations and marketing services firm that will DO those marketing projects that so many principals don’t get around to.
Robb High Associates
Specializing in helping agencies set-up a business development process that works for them, according to their own needs and preferences.
Shel Perkins & Associates
Shel Perkins & Associates, helmed by author Shel Perkins, works with design firms and agencies in both traditional and new media to improve performance and successfully navigate change.
Bennett Holzworth: Letterpress
I thought about sharing a portion of my week at Hatch Show Print for my part of this Be Aware, but I will save that for a full fledged post (I’m still trying to figure out how to distill it into one post). However, on the trip down to Nashville, we stopped at a place that is almost as fascinating as Hatch … Hammerpress in Kansas City. Their posters are a completely different take on the letterpress poster. The intricate detail and ornamentation on the posters at first, made me think they were printed with plates from digital files… but apparently they are all meticulously hand set. Check out the site.
One other bit of letterpress news I picked up while at Hammerpress, was that Ready Made did an article featuring two letterpress and two silkscreen shops. Hammepress and Yee-Haw were representing letterpress. It was the April/May issue (the new issue is already out), but you might still be able to find one on newsstands.
Kyle Heinemann: InDesign Tip
Rotate Content–My latest gem discovered at lynda.com training. Just when I thought I had the Rotate and Scale tools figured out, I realized I had missed something! InDesign CS2 gives you the option to rotate or scale any frame/container without rotating/scaling what’s inside. Try it out by double-clicking the Rotate tool or the Scale tool in the Tools palette. Then un-check the box next to Rotate Content (or Scale Content). That’s it. I went back to InDesign CS, and wasn’t able to double click the tool for any options, so this must have been added in CS2.
