Notes DesignKnow How
Five questions to ask “design shy” clients
Posted October 24th, 2008 by notesdesignWhen I go to the car dealership I’m often intimidated talking to the mechanics. Not because of anything they do, but because I don’t know anything about cars. I know what it feels and sounds like when my car is running well, and I know when something is off, but I’m always hard pressed to [...]
Technorati Tags: Busy
Posted September 23rd, 2008 by notesdesignThe good news is that I’m too busy to post. The bad news is that I’m too busy to post. Here’s a quickie, and once I wrap up a couple of things I’ve been working on, I’ll hop back in the blogging saddle.
Many designers use Lorem Ipsum as dummy text in their layouts. Why?
It is [...]
Internet Explorer 5 and 6 on a Mac!
Posted September 2nd, 2008 by notesdesignIf you don’t know why the headline of this post necessitated an exclamation mark, it’s because Microsoft stopped making Internet Explorer for a Mac at version 5. They’re now up to version 7. Why do I care? Well, if I wasn’t a web designer, I wouldn’t. I love me some Firefox, and am completely happy [...]
5 tips on presenting your portfolio
Posted August 18th, 2008 by notesdesignAfter reading this great article by Lee Newham, via David Airey, I got to thinking about interviews for graphic design jobs. When I used to teach a college graphic design portfolio class, one of the things I had my students do each semester was present their portfolio to the class. Several times. If you’re headed [...]
Context is Everything
Posted August 13th, 2008 by notesdesignWhat does this say?
If you read that as Obama (as in Barack Obama, presumptive Democratic candidate for the US Presidency), you’re probably an American. If you haven’t heard of Obama (although now that he’s the “biggest celebrity in the world” I don’t know who you would be), I don’t think there’s any way you’d be [...]
Upgrade downgrade
Posted June 16th, 2008 by notesdesignI just totally messed up my computer, and I’m putting the blame squarely on Apple.
I use a MacBook Pro with Leopard 10.5.1 as my operating system. I bought this system in October 2007 after my previous Mac crashed and was unrecoverable (Ack! I still hate writing that). After hearing some mixed reviews of Leopard, I [...]
What is preflighting?
Posted June 12th, 2008 by notesdesignBy Mary Gay Marchese
Note: This is the third in my series of guest posts. Mary Gay Marchese is the public relations director of Markzware. Marchese writes press releases, feature articles, presentations and reports as she networks with numerous media contacts for the printing, publishing and graphic arts industries. Mary Gay can be reached at [...]
Watching TV is good for you
Posted June 9th, 2008 by notesdesignJust ask GDUSA magazine.
In their annual roundup of logo design trends I read the following:
Finally, it’s worth noting that there’s a reasonably reliable place to look every day for the very latest in logo design (in addition, to LogoLounge.com, that is): television promo graphics for any of the major “style” channels — Food Network, Discovery, [...]
Where do you get your clients?
Posted May 8th, 2008 by notesdesignWhen I talk to people who are thinking about setting up shop, graphic design and otherwise, this is the question I’m asked most often. My answer is three places:
Word of Mouth. As far as I’m concerned, this is the best way to get new clients. When someone has heard good things about you from a [...]
Good Ideas from FPO Magazine
Posted May 5th, 2008 by notesdesignLike many designers, I am a sucker for a good magazine. I read all sorts, but design magazines, when done well, really ring my bell. That’s why I was very excited to get a complimentary copy of FPO Magazine in the mail two days ago. And that’s their first good idea — the magazine really [...]
The importance of sticking to your design guns
Posted April 7th, 2008 by notesdesignOr why it’s great to have a client who appreciates you.
One of my projects that recently came to printed fruition is the children’s book I’m Lucy: A Day in the Life of a Young Bonobo. This self-published book was a real labor of love for all involved: writer, photographer, editor and backer. That can sometimes [...]
Daily Resources
Posted March 10th, 2008 by notesdesignThere are some web sites that I couldn’t live (or at least work) without. I visit them multiple times in a week and they make my life much, much easier. I’ll share.
identifont.com My secret is out: Every time someone calls or emails me asking for the name of a font he’s seen (and BJ, I [...]
