Learn. If you want to be good at something, truly and deeply good at it, you have to keep learning and re-learning.
I am reading back through various books on design that I read 10 years ago... and the things that I have forgotten. It is shocking. I makes me feel like a newbie; I am just as inspired and awed as I was when I first started. This is simply the greatest profession.
I am fairly sure that I hit every employment website this morning; and within two hours, I have applied for over 80 jobs. My cyber-search has been perfected.
I now need to prepare and begin a tradition job hunt. This means buying stamps and dusting off the fax machine; time to keep both the phone company and the Postal Service in business.
It is nearly 2:00p and I am about to fall asleep; so I've fetched some java. Now I just have to wait for it to kick in and maybe I can do something productive.
I hung out last night with a young graphic design. He's a great guy with about two years of academic experience, but has not entered the professional market as of yet. Two years of schooling and no professional experience... this bothers me the more I think about it. As a student in a profession, such as graphic design, software development, or any other large trade; I feel it is highly important that you seek employment in your field, even if it an unrelated position.
I have two friends: one, the gentleman I hung out with last night, Friend "A"; and two, a friend that I met while freelancing, Friend "B". Let me compare the two.
Friend "A" is a bright and talented artist. He is passionate about the design field. However, he works far removed from the graphic design industry. Everyone needs to have a job; mainly because everyone has bills. So I am glad that he is working; however, it is completely unrelated to graphic design.
Friend "B" is also bright and talented. Also, she is passionate about the design industry. And now the difference, she works at a print shop. She is not a graphic designer there, but she is working in the industry. Everyday she is surrounded by the vocabulary, and the issues of working with paper, ink, and customers. Daily, she has the opportunity to do something that is related to her goal of becoming a graphic designer.
Here are two people that have nearly the same "stuff" to work with. Which one is going to have more industry understanding... and naturally so? Which one has a resume spot that looks more appealing?
My advice, don't wait for the glamorous job of your professional until you graduate from school. Go work in your field now. The closer you can be to the people that are doing your desired career, the closer you will be to that career.
I have spent many an hour creating the new icon for Project Saturn. While it's definitely not my normal style, I am happy that I was able to match the common look and feel of Gnome/KDE applications. Normally, I would consider this to be the tragic over-use of gradients; since, the only thing that doesn't have a gradient is the black stroke.
While working on this project I ran into an application that I will be further investigating. It is called Inkscape, and SVG editor. I am a huge believer in SVG, and I feel it will replace PostScript, Illustrator and the dreaded EPS. If you try it out, please let me know what you think about it.
Technology changes way too fast, and way too often. Recently, I have been setting up a new blog... and discovered that Blogger has dropped support for several of the tags that use. They offer an alternative method, but that really doesn't work with the PHP that I have developed. I think I have found a way around, but it is just frustrating.
Two things:
1) Don't change something if it ain't broke.
2) If you do change, send me an email to let me know.
(Post stolen from here.)
This is a notice to the cellular masses.
In this day and age, society has advanced communication technologies greatly. There is no need to call someone and leave a message on their voicemail saying, "Hi, it's _______. Give me a call when you have a chance."
Before they even dial their voicemail, they know you called. They know when you called. They know how how many times you called. Unless they don't like you, owe you money or think you smell, most likely, they will call you back. When they do call you back it will be at their convenience. So you see the information contained in your message told them nothing they didn't already know and cost them 14 cents.
The age of answering machines seemed to create a need in people to leave useless messages; mainly because sitcoms and the like preached to us about how rude it was to leave a "hang-up". The good news is, "hang up"s are now a thing of the past. Little computer chips in our phones have become intelligent enough to not record the sound of someone hanging up the phone. Brilliant!
May I suggest that the user become as savvy as the technology. Let us no more record redundant information that someone must pay to retreive. Let us think of our fellow cellular users as people and tell them not who are, not that we called, but alas...WHY we called. And if you don't have a good reason for calling, yet feel compelled to leave a message, for heaven's sake BE FUNNY!
Here endeth the lesson.
Before I get started, I would like it noted that I am completely aware that I get a lot done. I have no miss conception about the volume of work that complete. It has become common practice that I design, layout, and progam two websites in an average weekend; and I know that is already above average productivity.
Now the thing that I have become aware of is that I could be doing a whole lot more; and more importantly, I could be doing my current volume of work with a lot less stress on myself. I have notebooks full of ideas that I have not even had the time to think about starting... from logos to businesses to software ideas. I don't want to die with those ideas still stuck in notebooks.
I have recently completed reading a book entitled, "Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-free Productivity". David Allen, the author, has laid-out a few theories and some systems for the following.
One, ensuring that no tasks is forgotting or siliently torturing you. All tasks and projects are captured in the same place - no matter how big or small.
Two, tasks, projects, and more importantly support materials are organized. When you need something, you will not have to think about were it is... you will know.
Three, clearly define action required to complete task. This forces a vague task, such as "clean house", into less daunting and specific tasks, like "clear table, do laundry".
Right now, I am sold on the concepts of the book; and I am going to give it a full effort for the next 3 months to test it out. If all goes well, I will be half as stressed and twice as productive; and who wouldn't want that.
My wife cooked the best pork that I have ever eaten tonight. The flavor and the texture was absolutely perfect. The only downside is that I ate so much that I feel a bit ill now. Happy, grinning and stuffed. Please note: that my wife's cooking is always great, so for me to be bragging about it means that it was several notches beyond great. All other pork may now be ruined for me.
Here is another good design blog.
And a font magazine.
Two more to add to the list:
- Designer's Toolbox
- Shauninman.com
I dedicate some time to locating some new and interesting websites. Below are my findings. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
Arts and Letters Daily: An interesting collection of news, articles, and the like.
Design Observer: Various writing about design and culture... and written by respected designers.
Airbag: A great blog by a great designer.
Absenter: Just good images.
Colr: The random way of choosing color.
Jason Santa Maria: More proof that designers have better blogs.
Bad Design Kills: Help prevent bad design from killing more people.
About Color: Damn ugly, but good content about color.
What Do I Know: The blog of a new media designer.
Brain Jar: Experiments in web programming.
McAndrew Kapps: A perfectly perfect website.
The first version of my portfolio website is officially completed. Anything from this point is an improvement or a correction.
Cellular: I liked the idea of the movie. I though the acting was pretty moderate; and the script could have been a lot more polished. There were points were I found myself yelling at the screen, because it was just a bit too absurd at times. All-in-all, I would say it is worth the rental... but grab a back-up move just in case you can't handle it.
Shall We Dance: I am shocked to be saying it, but this was a great movie. The story was so beautiful. I am dying to see the Japanese original. This movie is a must rent.
A logo a day keeps the doctor away? Maybe not, but it sure is good for the creative soul. Identity design is my favorite and most likely my best design skill, so when ever I get the chance to design a logo for someone of something... I usually just at the opportunity.
This weeks logo will soon appear here and here... and here.
I have never seen it rain this much or this hard in Southern California. It is simple amazing. Wow.
I had a perfectly good Friday. It was relaxed and peaceful. Nothing I "had" to do. Just perfect.
As I prepare to add the remaining content to my portfolio site, it has dawned on me that I may have too many samples in my portfolio. I need to write 27 brief descriptions, one for each piece.
Oh, how thrilling is my life.
A great link from the Veer blog: typographer's porn... or maybe just a little font fetish (warning: kill the speakers).
I just finished reading "Geometry of Design". It is a great book that should be read by all artist, architects... and yes, graphic designers.
The book is about common geometry and layouts that the human eye finds naturally pleasing. And how this geometry is present in nature and in mathematics. It explains a system for "validating" you designs... which could come in handy at a point where you find yourself stuck.
Life doesn't quit; it just keeps beating at you until you die. A phone call interrupted my beer buzz... and now I am in a funk. I need to get my guitar... I have some blues swelling up inside.
Dos Equis in hand. Time to relax.
Happy Valentine's Day to my wonderful, little wife. I love you so much, hun.
Had a great time last night. Went out to the The Block to see Hitch with some friends... both old and new. And afterwards, we all wandered over to Tu Tu Tango for some... snacks... and dessert.
I think Hitch was great. It had a few cheesy parts, but it stayed funny so those could be easily ignored. I was very impressed with how clean the movie was; it could have easy gotten quite perverse and it took the higher ground each time. I suggesting watching this flick... maybe not in the theater, but it would be a "must rent" flick.
Per usual, both The Block and Tu Tu Tango were fantastic places to go. I only wish I had the energy to party a little harder. I think it might be time to resume my five 0'clock espresso habit from time to time.
It is always good to fix different sets of friends together. It gives everyone an opportunity to meet someone new and maybe make a new friend in the process. I was thinking about it; and I have actually made some very good friends from meeting friends of friends (which is not the sequel to Friends, the show).
Well, back to the web mines. I am heading into day 3 of creating my portfolio website. It is starting to feel a little vain and I think I am getting sick myself.
Oh, the joys of writing cross-browser and valid CSS and HTML. Woo.
Here is a blog that I have come to enjoy.
I am a design junkie. When I see a logo, a t-shirt, a CD, a napkin, a book, or an "anything"; I think about the design, the designer, the effort, and the process that went into making that "anything". And I am not alone, there is a whole mass of people just like me.
We are the ones that live in the details and create the things that you recognize; we made Coca-cola, Nike, and Starbucks icons of your life... and yet, somewhere deep inside we hate it all.
I guess that is the nature of an addiction.
I never knew that Veer had a blog... should be pretty good. I mean, it is Veer... so come on.
Just completed, what I think will be, the final version of my personal mark. Increased the logo inside the black box. Round the edges of the logo, so no more harsh edges.
I ended up having to draw the logo at 60 inches by 60 inches to get the precision that I was looking for. I am very particular not just about how artwork looks; but also, about how it is constructed. There are to be no extra points and not mis-aligned edges. Artwork need to have full quality.
I went to the Post Office at 6:30 this morning... and it is shocking how many people were there already. I can think of a lot better things to do than hangout at the Post Office that early in the morning. For one, sleep is better than standing in the cold and waiting for some door to open.
People, try sleeping.
I woke up an hour early this morning to fit in some much needed C# practice.
I have been keeping so busy with other things that my C# has really dropped to the backside of my list... so I got my butt up and made an effort this morning.
I have joined the new sport of software pitching. I am currently trying to clean up my software ideas and concepts into something that may interest some people. This involves digging through notes, trying to read your own handwriting, and maybe some good conversations.
I spent a good part of today digging through my notebooks... about 15 of them. It dawned on me today that I just might have too many ideas, if such a thing is possible.
My intent is to start a software company with all of the ideas that I have been jotting down of the past two years. While working for a software company, my eyes were really opened to what could be done with software... so I have been writing down every need or missing link that I have seen. With the list that I am looking at, I think my software company will be off to a good start.
Ong and I went to see Sideways today; and I have to say that it is a great film. It is deserving of all the recognition that it is getting.
It is truly what independent film making should be about. I found it very inspiring that way.
We went out tonight with some friends from Australia to Downtown Disney. We had a great dinner at the Rainforest Cafe. We sat outside on the balcony, which I never knew was there. It is a great place to sit... that is after you climb a million stairs to get there (up and down).
Afterwards we went and grabbed some coffee while waiting for our movie to begin. The coffeeshop in Downtown Disney is very average. I would expect a lot more from Disney. My advice would be to skip the coffeeshop all together... maybe grab coffee at a restaurant.
We saw "The Wedding Date"; and I was pleasantly surprised that I like it. I was left very unimpressed by the previews, and expected it to be a bad wedding-type movie. All-in-all, it was funny and entertaining... not an Oscar winner, but a great "date" movie.
It is National Logo Week or something. I have designed at least 6 logos this week... and should have out'd a few more by the end of the weekend.
Logos are near the top of my list of favorite things to design. I still stand by my opinion that every human on earth should have a logo... it should be just like having a name.
Applied for fall 2005 at California State University Fullerton. The long journey towards my Master of Fine Arts degree will begin in the fall, if all goes as planned.
Applied to FAFSA. While I have never qualified for money from the government, I feel that it never hurts to try.
Got my security badge at Toshiba. I am now free to enter and exit the building at will... instead of having to be escorted in and out each day. This will save about 30 minutes of my life each day.
Kicked off the logo for my new concept company. I have had his idea brewing in the back of my head for quite sometime; it is good to get it out and in the open.
Dare I say it... the count down to Valentine's Day has begun.