I’ve been super busy lately and that, of course, is a good thing, but it’s left me little time to contribute much writing on design. Often while I’m working I will either listen to music, or podcasts and interviews. I came across this on Ted.com and definitely wanted to share it. If you do not know ted.com, it is a great forum for talks and discussions on many diverse topics, as the tagline says: ‘ideas worth spreading’. Enjoy and be funky…
Found this on Clients from Hell…
Check out the brand new look for funkykittyproductions website.
It’s always good to change things up. As I have been working on this redesign for my own site, I have been getting client requests for new looks as well. Kind of like a brand new suit, it feels good to have a new look that reflects your own growth as a person and as a business.
I have made one resolution for the coming year and that is to live fearlessly. I have also made that the theme of my personal poster series project for this year. A new image every month for the entire year.
Here is January’s working sketch to date. (I can already see my self-imposed deadlines are going to be a challenge to meet!!)
The title is ‘Lotus Fire Freedom’
These will be available on my website and blog, as well as eventually on display in and around Beacon at select locations. 25% of profits from any poster sales will be shared among 4 places very close to my heart. Ananda Ashram, CoSM Art Sanctuary (Chapel of Sacred Mirrors), Grameen America and American Forests. (All are registered 501 (c) 3 organizations)
Limited run digital or cold press giclée will be available by request. All prints on sustainable papers.
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Enjoy—
I like the sound of it, twenty ten. This year will lead up to my 5th year in business which I plan to celebrate in style in January 2011. So I have set some intentions for what I’d like to accomplish this coming year.
—First and foremost, I intend to live fearlessly.
If I can truly do this, I imagine the rest will follow…
Projects:
—A personal poster series, one each month for the entire year.
The theme loosely being fearlessness…I will make these available on my website and blog as well as on display in and around Beacon at select locations. 25% of profits from any poster sales will be shared among 4 places very close to my heart. Ananda Ashram, CoSM Art Sanctuary (Chapel of Sacred Mirrors), Grameen America and American Forests. (All are registered 501 (c) 3 organizations)
Limited run digital or cold press giclee will be available by request. All prints on sustainable papers.
CALL TO ACTION: How would living fearlessly look in your life? Share in the form of an image or in 11 words or less and I will include these submissions into one of the posters this year. (You will be notified when it comes out!)
—I intend to design at least one wine and/or beer label.
I love wine and am fascinated by the huge world of unique labels. I would love to leave my mark in the industry. I am researching, if you know anyone or have any ideas, please let me know!!
Projections:
—I intend for my work to take me to at least one exotic place this year
(ok, I’ll be ok with 2, yep, 3, sure, why not?) India? Argentina? Italy? Barcelona?
—I intend to break 6 figures this year!!!
Whew! That’s 5 pretty significant intentions. Time to get busy!!
Of course underlying all my personal intentions, are the bigger picture wishes for the health and healing of all living beings.
May this year bring us all closer to remembering who we truly are; perfect, beautiful and innocent.
Happy New Year!
What an incredible opportunity I had this weekend. I cannot remember the last time I did a self-portrait, and looking in the mirror can be a difficult thing to do, but once you get over that initial discomfort, you’re just looking at a face. It wasn’t so much that I even wanted to do a self-portrait, but more that I wanted a shift, personally and in my work. Read the rest of this entry »
I would absolutely LOVE to continue my education at SVA. But until my current student loans are paid off that’s not gonna happen!! I came across the MFA Designer as Author: Paul Rand Lecture Series video podcasts on iTunes and have now been attending classes regularly. OK, OK. I won’t get the degree or the official credits, but this is a fantastic series with Steven Heller at the helm.
The series travels through a diverse range of design history accompanied by the supporting visuals from the lectures. Heller covers the life and work of designers such as Ladislav Sutner, did you know he came up with the idea for the area code? Neither did I. Lucian Bernhard, known for several fonts, was also very much into interior design, and had been commissioned to do several interiors for the rich and famous in New York before beginning any of his design work there.
Other lectures cover What is a Logo?, Typology, Book Covers of the 20’s and 30’s, the 1960’s, Branding the Totalitarian State, The 1939 New York World’s Fair, Alex Steinweiss: Father of Record Cover Design and many more. It really is stellar and I am shocked and grateful it’s available at all, and for free!!
So head on over to iTunes, subscribe, learn and enjoy!!
WordPress has been awarded the Overall Best Open Source CMS Award in the 2009 Open Source CMS Awards.
No surprise to me. I have been working with WordPress for a couple of years now and have found it to be the best of it’s kind. There are many templates available as well as plenty of support, through the WordPress forums or out on the web. I have been able to customize code and design in order to offer clients websites that they can maintain, by far one of the biggest requests of designers today.
Much more than a blogging platform, a content management system with all the add-ons you can imagine. Widgets and plugins to extend functionality, easily. If you’re looking for it, chances are, it’s been thought of and addressed somewhere.
WordPress definitely wins my vote.
Most definitely not what the name implies. Jim Downer was one of my first design teachers as I trotted myself back to school in 2000 looking to redirect my creative energy in a new way. I still hold him as one of the most profound influences in my experience at school. His approach to teaching design, and life, have remained a close reference for me. He is generous, yet firm, thoughtful and inspiring, funny and profound. A rebel at heart and a giant among men. And thank **** he taught me how to be organized, both with my thinking and my desktop!!!
As you read this, I’m sure you’ll see what all the fuss is about. Read the rest of this entry »
