A Designer's Perspective: Art vs. Craft

During last week's lecture, Dr. Matanle introduced the concept of Intention vs. Accident as it applies to creativity. He further applied that concept to the idea of Art vs. Craft. He described the "Craftsman" as the one who knows in advance what the final outcome of a creative work will be, while the "artist" has no knowledge of how the final product will turn out.

The idea that there are two "camps" of the creative mind has never occurred to me, and I really don't agree with the strict separation of art and craft. Personally, I very much like to know the general idea of where I'm going with my design and writing--to picture in my mind's eye what I want to produce and the direction I want to take the work. That being said, I also understand that my work will almost never look exactly like it does in my mind. This leaves things open for that "happy accident" to occur, but still keeps that loose "bounding box" around what I'm creating. Finding this balance is necessary to be a working design professional. You must be able to allow your creativity to flow, but also know where you've got to end up. Without that structure, you can very well end up with a beautiful piece of work, but one that doesn't contain the message you initially intended to send.

In the article that Dr. Matanle read from, British philosopher R.G. Collingwood argued that "we pay craftsmen to paint houses or repair clocks because of the dependability of learned techniques. These people know what they are doing. But in the sense of using skill to produce a preconceived result, creative artists strictly speaking never know what they are doing."

But aren't design skills (including software skills, elements of style, principles of art and design, etc.) a learned technique? Is a graphic designer, therefore, any less of an artist because they've been trained to use the Adobe Creative Suite or a graphic tablet? Does that diminish the writing of one who is trained in proper grammar and the guidelines Associated Press Style? I think not.

I feel that each of us has a little bit of the artist and craftsmen (or craftswoman, as the case may be) within us and that finding the right balance for the right project is where the true challenge begins.

A Designer's Perspective: Branding & Brand Management

Branding. It's a term that is bandied around quite frequently these days, especially in the world of social media and viral marketing. It's something that has been on my radar for quite a while, as I've been working to "brand" myself and my freelance work to a broader audience. That alone is the reasons I found last week's lecture so useful.

I'm always interested in how others have used branding to help: create successful corporate identities; launch new products; and build successful careers. One thing I've never considered was actually what went into MANAGING those brands. That's were Dennis Pitta's portion of the lecture came in. Dennis pointed out the importance of not only creating a viable brand (which he explained was not limited to goods, but included ideas, services, and people as well), but nurturing that brand through what he called "Brand Equity," a.k.a. value.

The two parts that make up this value were awareness and preference. The goal being to make your brand be the first thing that comes to a consumer's mind (the awareness part), as well as the first thing that comes to that consumer's heart (the preference part). Another important aspect of brand management that Dennis pointed out was a simple as choosing a name.

Although I would think this was a common-sense activity, I actually found myself looking back at a few of the brands I have worked on and realized that I could have used some of the simple, sage advise that Dennis imparted on us. He pointed out five guidelines for choosing brand names. A good brand name should:

• suggest product quality,
• suggest product benefits,
• be easy to pronounce, recognize and remember,
• be distinctive, and
• lack poor foreign language connotations (if at all possible).

Quite simple in concept, but I'm sure more difficult in execution. The second part of the lecture feature designer Bob Shelley taking us through his process for creating a brand identity. He pointed out his approach-which consisted of investigation/research of the brand, pencil sketching and finally bringing the concept to the computer- and his philosophy-which included such pearls of wisdom as "Don't get hung up on one approach," "Be Diverse," and "Design with Depth."

Although he brought a tremendous amount of information to the presentation, the examples he used to demonstrate really helped to put everything from the lecture into perspective and helped to see the potential of good branding.

A Designer's Perspective: A Life Less Conventional

Last week' s presentation by Chris Guillebeau was one of the most inspiring and affirming experiences of my adult life. The idea of living an unconventional lifestyle has always appealed to me and for as long as I can remember, I've always felt the desire to do something different with my life. One of my favorite quotes of all time is one that I read on a banner hanging in a bar in Fells Point. It read, "I would rather die of thirst, than drink from the cup of mediocrity." That quote sums up everything that Chris was talking about and is something that I try to live my life by.

Chris opened his presentation by asking the group, "How do we live a remarkable life in a conventional world?" A simple enough question, but one that is harder to answer than I would have thought. A small part of me is satisfied with going to a 9-5 job, working in field that has something to do to with my education and collecting a paycheck every two weeks--typical of most people I know--but the rest of me knows that that will never be enough. I can't say that I feel like I'm destined for greatness or any such nonsense like that, but I do want to make my own way in the world. To pursue a career path that is a little less ordinary has been a goal of mine for years, but Chris really got me thinking when he asked, "What do you really want out of the life and what can you offer the world that no one else can?"

The biggest thing I want out of life is to do something that I love everyday. I've said for a long time now that if can do something in comics everyday of my life (whether that's reading a comics, writing a scene, lettering a page, etc.), I would die a happy man, and that if could make a living doing it, I would die a VERY happy man. Now, obviously there are more things that I want out of life, but the rest is a little more mundane. I truly believe that you can't love what you do until you are doing what you love.

As far as what I can offer the world that no one else can; it's my unique perspective. Each one of us sees that world through different eyes and has a individual vision of the life we want. I know that I bring something special to the table and that quality will set me apart from the crowd and this is what propels me to full embrace a life of non-conformity!

A Designer's Perspective: Social Media Muscle

Last week, I was fortunate enough to hear Dr. Sean Carton, principle of IDfive (www.idfive.com) present Social Media, Memes and the Joy of Creating Social Content, in which he discussed the importance of social media as it pertains to the ever-changing landscape of advertising. One of the reason's I feel so fortunate is because social media is such a big part of my new position at the Fuel Fund of Maryland. One of my biggest responsibilities involves increasing awareness of the Fuel Fund through media services such as Facebook and Twitter.

The second reason that I feel as fortunate as I do involves my own shameless self-promotion. It's no big secret that my ultimate career goal is to be able to support myself working full-time in the comic industry. Aside from being one of the more difficult industries to break into (anything in the entertainment industry is, for that matter), there are more and more talented creators developing their own projects and marketing is the key to their success. With a flood of work hitting the internet everyday, being able to stand out in the crowd in essential. That being said, social media offers two-way communication between creator and consumer to help the creator put out the best possible product and help the consumer get the most out the money they are spending. The information I gleaned from Dr. Carton's presentation is only going to help me propel my own career through new media outlets.

Some of the most important information Dr. Carton mentioned during his presentation was the seven trends that are changing everything when it comes to marketing. They are:

1. The consumer is in control.
2. The move from atoms to bits (tangible information to digital information).
3. The move from "real time" to "my time."
4. The end of centralization.
5. The future is always on.
6. The end of the desktop.
7. The global conversation.

These concepts are what is shaping the "brave new world" in which we are living and have lent to the birth of mobile, gorilla and viral marketing, among others. In addition, Dr. Carton shared with us insights into the creation of memes, which are units of cultural information, evolution or diffusion. He presented two very different theories on there creation. The first was by Malcolm Gladwell called the "Tipping Point" theory, which relies on the concept that a few influential, 'hubs" in network can accelerate transmission and acceptance of an idea.

The second by Duncan Watts, called the "One-to-One" theory, that operates on the assumption that:

• Memes take hold because culture is ready to receive them,
• Six degrees of separation is true, but the connectors are not important,
• People influence those around them, and
• Anybody is just as likely to influence a trend.

I think that both of these theories are accurate and in use within different context. Influence can and does come in many forms.

Finally, I really found Dr. Carton's four "laws" to be very insightful. They were:

Carton's Law #1 - What works best online is what works ONLY online.
Carton's Law #2 - Technology changes quickly, people change slowly.
Carton's Law #3 - Brands are collaborations.
Carton's Law #4 - People don't interact with technology, they interact with other people.

Marshal McLuhan said that "the medium is the message" and never before has that statement held more true. Social media is the technology that facilitates conversation and conversation is key when is comes to marketing. If your product can't speak to a consumer, it might as well be SPAM.

A Designer's Perspective: Copyright Law

Having found myself recently needing to refer to copyright law in some of my own freelance dealings, I found last week's lecture to be very informative and reaffirming that I was in the right in protecting myself from exploitation. Mr. Astrachan not only refreshed my memory on certain areas of copyright law, but was able to shed light into the areas I have felt a little less confident about.

To me, the most important piece of information that Mr. Astrachan provided was a clearer picture on what the requirements are to be protected under copyright law. His definitions for "Originality," "Authorship" and "Fixation" were all concise and easy to understand. In addition, he provided us with valuable information on damages due to copyright infringement.

I never realized how important copyright registration was until Mr, Astrachan pointed out that statutory damages (which can be up to $150,000 per piece of infringed work) can only be collected if a copyright is registered with the copyright office. Well worth the time and money involved, considering the possible payoff if your work is exploited.

I also found the portions on copyright marking and Fair Use to be very informative, as they have come up frequently in regards to work done within the Pub Design program. I found the criteria for fair use to be very interesting, as I would never have even considered the amount of the copyrighted work used to be of consequence. But, given the example Mr. Astrachan gave in class involving the filming of Mr. Zucchini's cannon act, I realize that it truly is of vital importance, especially if the use takes the "heart and soul" of the work.

A Designer's Perspective: The CityLit Project

After taking a few days to absorb our first presentation in class, I found that I was very impressed with Gregg Wilhelm's lecture on New Technologies in Book Publishing, as well as the work he is doing through the CityLit Project.

Reading has always been a part of my daily routine, beginning from the time I was a child. Early on, a life-long relationship with the written word was instilled in me by my parents and I've continued to nurture that relationship throughout the years. I am always amazed at the fantastic worlds that would unfold within my mind's eye every time I picked up a story and usually can't wait to turn the next page and see what awaits me. But, what has amazed me even more is how few of my friends ever shared in the same passion for literature that I've always had.

Unfortunately, it seems to be a growing trend in our technology-driven society that affects not only publishers, but educators as well. From comic book companies looking to attract young, new readers, to teachers looking to enlighten the future through glimpses of the past, the act of reading has seemed to have been replaced with viral videos on the internet.

Although I am all about the occasional visit to YouTube or working on professional development on sites like Lynda.com, reading is a fundamental skill that must continue to be instilled within the youth of our society. That is where CityLit has stepped in. Beginning with their mission statement, which reads:

"CityLit Project elevates enthusiasm for literature, builds and connects a community of avid readers and writers and opens opportunities for young people and diverse audiences to embrace the literary arts. CityLit has established a family of programs that serve different audiences toward instilling and sustaining a life-long love of literature."

and continuing with their work through CityLit Press and Apprentice House, the organization has take the charge of "Nurturing the Culture of Literature" and truly done some amazing work.

In addition to discussing the work being done by the CityLit Project, Gregg also provided valuable information about new technologies in book publishing. From age-old concepts such as "content is king" to the digital on-demand printing process, Gregg shed some light onto an area of publishing that I have always been interested in exploring. I felt that this was a great way to start the semester and a very informative lecture to kick-off Perspectives in Communication Design.

A Designer's Eye: Typography - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Although it's been a few months, I'm ready to jump back into the saddle and start contributing to the blog-o-sphere again! So, without further ado, here we go...

Over the course of this last semester, while taking a Typography class in school, I came across some interesting example of good, bad and mediocre typographic solutions to design problems. Some of them could have been spectacular with a few small tweaks, while some were just terrible.

Here are few of the ones that really stood out:

The above example is one of the less-than-successful examples I found. Aside from the obvious use of random colors and typefaces, the choice of all centered text within the center white text block is hard on the eye and doesn't align in any meaningful manner. Although I believe the choice of colors and typefaces was done purposefully, it still looks random and unrefined.


These next two examples I found to be very interesting. Both make use of horizontal lines to break the letters within the design, but each one seems unfinished.

In the first example, I fail to see why the designer chose to use a lowercase "e" in the logo while every other letter is capitalized. This very easily would have worked (and been more successful) with a italicized capital "E". Aside from that, I really like the path that the horizontal line creates, leading not only the eye, but the bike that is a part of the logo, throughout the piece.

In the second example, I like the way the idea of a horizontal line breaking the word "Fraction" through the middle, but feel like the line is poorly placed. If the line was widened to the size of the crossbar in the "F", I feel that this would be a more successful solution. The letters would still be recognizable, because the is no other letter in the alphabet that looks like a capital "F", and the design wouldn't look so awkward. I would have also rearranged the type so that each line fit on a piece of the stacked fruit. The lone "A" looks out of place with the longer and larger lines of text...

Finally, this example if one of the most successful that I found. The use of lower case letters throughout, the justified text and the select use of color to draw attention and connect to the theme were all excellent choices. The use of color was not overbearing, nor was is inappropriate. It was an all-around well designed piece of typography.

From the Box Office: Sherlock Holmes

Robert Downey, Jr. continues to impress me with the phoenix-like resurrection of his career, adding another stellar performance to his resume with Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes. Playing the title role of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's enigmatic detective only goes to cement his standing among the Hollywood elite and A-list actors.

From the opening scene through the closing credits, Downey, Jr. creates a believable real-world adaption of England's most famous sleuth. In addition, Jude Law's portrayal of Dr. Watson plays perfectly off the eccentric nature of Downey's Holmes. The on-screen chemistry the actors bring to these characters is the best I've seen since Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson in Wedding Crashers.

Upon first glance at the trailer, I was less than impressed with the story, but after hearing several good things, I decided to give it a go. And let me just say, the trailer did not do justice to the film at all. The story was excellent and the set up for a sequel was flawless. The special effects and backdrop of 19th century London were believable, while the science behind the story was grounded in reality.

In addition, the fact that Holmes Kept referring to a short red-headed character as "the Ginger Midget" during the whole film kept me laughing throughout. I definitely recommend Sherlock Holmes to anyone who is a fan of genre films and am personally looking forward to the announcement of a sequel.

Into the Blogosphere: TheDieline.com

As I was perusing the internet today, looking for something interesting to blog about, I stumbled across this blog dedicated to package design. The site includes not only studies of existing package designs and marketing strategies, but also conceptual redesigns of existing products. Since we just got our grades back for Project 5, I thought that I'd share the link for a little inspiration for revisions...

Here's the link:

http://www.thedieline.com/

A Designer's Eye: Free Icons!

Upon checking out Smashing Magazine's blog yesterday, I came across an article called "50 Beautiful Free Icons Sets for Your Next Design." Since I had just posted about icons last week in my blog and created some related ones for Project 6, I found the article to be chock full of great free resources and thought I'd share the link with everyone. The article also has some great free vector artwork as well. I highly recommend checking it out. Here's the link:

http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/12/14/50-beautiful-free-icon-sets-for-your-next-design/