NOW FOR ONLY 3 EASY PAYMENTS of $29.99!

Have you ever had a client give you a teeny tiny, one inch, blurry low resolution logo?! Wouldn't Make My Logo Bigger Cream be such an enormous help?! Got a website?!?! Make My Logo Bigger cream works online too! But wait...There's MORE. Now for a limited time only you can get White Space Eliminator as an added bonus!

You must go the website immediately and watch the infomercial. Keep handy for design emergencies!••••

Fred & Sharon

Let's have a laugh, shall we? Good creatives should be able to appreciate GREAT creative. Very necessary: Who Needs Lily Allen under "New Videos".••••

I wish I had thought of that.

Atypyk is a fantastic product design company, based out of Paris. The creators of this fantastic fun are Ivan Duval and Jean Sebastien Ideas. After perusing this website you will be convinced that the French really do have a sense of humor. Personal favorites below:Left: Money Confetti Right:Magician Hat Tissue BoxLeft: The Clumsy Coster Right: Python Type Left: A Cherry on Top Right: Brand Puzzle. (I absolutely love this. Drill brand identities into their heads while they're young!)••••

We/Me Campaign Logo

By now I'm sure everyone has seen the new We/Me promotional campaign developed by Al Gore and team in connection with the Alliance for Climate Protection. Designer Brian Collins created this effective and powerful logo to lead the campaign and to help spread awareness to the growing "green" movement. The logo sums up the ultimate initiative that each person must work individually to help the climate crisis; however, WE must work together in order to make a difference. Click here for an insightful article from the New York Times describing the effectiveness of the logo. ••••

Delicious Letterpress

Beautiful letterpress by Craig Ward. ••••

"My computer could totally do that..."

Plant yourself in front of a Jackson Pollock painting at your local Art Museum, and stand still for 10 minutes. Fact: within that short span of time, there will be at at least one museum-goer who sidles up alongside you and remarks audibly, "My two year old could paint that!" And as much as that sometimes aggravates me, I still get a big kick out of jacksonpollock.org, a fun website by Miltos Mancias that lets you (or your small child) make your very own, mess-free, virtual drip painting. Splatter away... ••••

Susan Burghart

Love these illustrations by artist Susan Burghart. They are a classical combination of watercolor, photomontage, and pen with a hip art nouveau feel. Check out her website too...susanburghart.com

The Designer's Prayer

••••

Notice anything different?

Well, you should. The Crew members held a summit and came up with an identity. These four dots symbolize us as individuals, as well as our sum; Crew. We hope you like our new logo, we sure do. P.S: Look forward to rotating header artwork! ••••

Gifts for Every Occasion. Seriously.

Check out this fun website: www.violet.com. The witty categories and extensive collections make it easy to find a gift for just about anyone. Shop for Her under minimalist, Type A, or Hedonist; shop for Him under Ctrl+Alt, Domesticated, or Owns Everything; or Shop for a Couple under Nesters or Reliably Hip. This is definitely a targeted and unique shopping experience! As someone that works on a retail E-Commerce website it's refreshing to see a new take on online merchandising. They've obviously taken the time to consider the emotions and traits of the recipients and the gift givers. So next time your girlfriend gets dumped, leave the ice cream and Sex and the City DVD's at home; instead, shop under Dumped and find the perfect gift to cheer her broken heart. ••••

Calling all FILTHY RICH artists!

I have been known to spend a lot of money on handbags, but really this is just ridiculous! For a measly $1300.00 you too can design your own handbag! And no, it won't be manufactured as real fabric. Think more along the lines of a $1300 coloring book. Fendi has just come out with their latest innovation, the Fendi Artist Baquette. For $1300 (yes, I realize I keep harping on the price, but I feel that it is necessary) you get a white canvas clutch, 10 pantone markers and artist license to personalize your new purchase. Warning: Once personalized, item cannot be returned.

Just a thought, it might be cheaper to go buy a $2 canvas tote bag at a drugstore and a sharpie marker. But hey, I'm just trying to pay rent here... ••••

An Interview with Blythe Russo

CrewDesign is pleased to bring you an interview with Blythe Russo, a Graphic Designer and Illustrator from Waltham, Massachusetts. Blythe is a good friend and a coworker of mine, whose work in the field of publishing and beyond never ceases to impress me. Enjoy reading more about Blythe, and when you're finished, you can view more of her work on her website: www.blythedesign.net

1. Who or what inspires you?
I find inspiration walking around Boston and taking photographs; flipping through design magazines; visiting galleries and museums; shopping in thrift stores and collecting vintage house wares; collaging and scrap booking; enjoying the amazing work that House Industries produces; getting turned on to new music; checking out cover designs on older albums, as well as book covers from the 50s/60s; studying decaying or distressed textures and surfaces; del.icio.us bookmarks; images posted on Ffffound and Drawn. I’m mostly a shut-in, and get a lot of joy spending time at home with my boyfriend. His constant support and dedication to his songwriting and recording keeps me focused, and our goofball cats are the source material for an animated project that’s in the works.
2. Do you have a favorite designer/artist?
Neville Brody – I’m very drawn to his design sensibility. He’s a British designer and typographer who started his career designing magazines and record covers in the early 80s. His layouts and typefaces have always been very radical and experimental. The Macromedia logo is probably his most recognizable work. I love the angles and shapes he creates with the placement of his type – lots of layered elements and bold colors.

3. What frustrates you most about design (or your biggest pet peeve)?
People with unrealistic expectations. I often look for freelance jobs on Web sites like craigslist to help build my portfolio. It’s difficult to not only find a decent job and client, but to get them to accept a reasonable quote. I learned early on not to low ball myself or get taken advantage of by people who ask for excess design changes they don’t want to pay for. I remember quoting a low $500 for a full identity package design and Web site creation a few years ago, only to hear back “Ohhh, wow … that’s MUCH higher than I anticipated. I’ve got several other designers who gave me lower prices. I will get back to you…” Total headache. The problem is that too many young professionals under price themselves, creating lower paying entry level positions which leads to a more competitive industry, but only in the negative sense of the word. Out of desperation, many designers end up devaluing the design process itself. Some clients think they shouldn’t just get professional services for under $100, but also feel that they can be overly demanding because they’re paying.

4. What is your favorite website to visit daily? Why do you like it?
I discovered The Consumerist about a year ago and visit several times a day. It’s a consumer affairs blog that posts reader-submitted tips and complaints about companies and corporations. I can stay informed, avoid scams, share my experiences, and occasionally find shopping deals and discounts. After reading that a customer found a metal machine bolt in their package of Perdue chicken breast, it boggles my mind why people choose to buy their produce at Wal-Mart. Yeck.
5. If you could design or redesign anything, what would it be?
The streets of Boston – traveling in town makes me crazy mad sometimes. The roads are all a giant mess of one-way loops, the Mass turnpike’s city exits get backed up for miles, and the commuter subway has the most inefficient, outdated system imaginable. I appreciate the colonial history of the city, but the street layout causes so much traffic everyday. It would be ideal to have Tokyo’s lightning fast on-time train systems combined with Chicago’s easy exit highways.

Also, I really like supermarket shopping – I think it would be interesting to redesign the layout and interior of one to see how it affects shoppers’ behavior.

6. What's the strangest request you've received from a client?
I’ve had a few bad experiences with clients that either ask for too many adjustments, or have no idea what they want from the beginning. The most annoying experience I had was with this woman who found me through craigslist. We signed a contract and I agreed to redesign a logo for her husband’s wedding photography business. She went on and on about how amazingly creative his vision was ... however the only proof of his supposed design brilliance was a desperately ugly black & white 8-ball (made up of two circles) with his initials in the middle. Again, this wasn’t for a pool-hall, it was a wedding photography business. Not a promising start.

Anyway, the visionary’s wife was disappointed with my initial designs, claiming that they “look like every other wedding logo out there – he wants something that stands out!” She even had the nerve to suggest that my work “couldn’t possibly have taken me as long as I had billed her for.” The fonts I used were “very typical and boring,” and my mock-ups were not far off from her husband’s existing logo. On top of that, it turned out that the logo redesign was to be a surprise birthday gift for her husband The Genius… so my instructions were based on what she thought he’d like!

I agreed to call her husband to discuss his ‘vision.’ I remember the night I had planned to, I got in from work late and decided to shoot him an email explaining so and that I’d be able to chat tomorrow. He wrote back, “Hehe … party girl!” Gross – I don’t even know this man! Amazingly, he was just as vague and directionless as his wife. He was sure to mention how accomplished he was in Photoshop, and how impressed he was by his own lame 8-ball. I agreed that it was ‘unique’ and served a purpose (certainly not a positive purpose), but he couldn’t seem to grasp that an 8-ball had nothing to do with weddings. Instead, he agreed with his wife - my logos were too cliché and ordinary. And goody for me, he had designed more 8-ball logo variations that night, which he proposed I modify free of charge since his wife had already paid for my first round of ‘unusable’ mock-ups. It was obvious that no matter what I designed, this guy would be unhappy if it was too similar to his logo, and disappointed if it was too different. To avoid further hassle, I emailed his wife to say that I would not be able to help. Luckily we had a contract, and she paid the kill fee built into it. Always have a contract!

Unfortunately this guy has repeatedly sent me friend requests on Facebook and his mini-feeds fill up my home page. I’m sure he’ll find this post at some point, but for the sake of comedy and to top off a lengthy story, I have to post this image. Douche chills.
7. Favorite font?
Futura – and any sleek/thin font like Avant Garde

8. Do you have any advice for people just entering the profession?
Purchase this book: Pricing & Ethical Guidelines. Published by the Graphic Artists Guild, this is an essential reference book for people in the design and illustration field. It definitely helped me start my freelancing business. I love that it has standard invoice, contract and legal letter templates in the back that anyone can use with their clients. Most importantly, never sell yourself short - don’t underestimate the value and quality of your services. And always use contracts, no matter what the job is!
9. If you were to change professions, what would you choose to do?
A musician. I love to sing and want to get back into playing guitar.

10. Tell us three things about yourself that no one else knows.
I’m pretty open and share everything with my partner. I’ve wracked my brain and anything personal I’m keeping to myself. Sorry Crew!
Oh wait … I heart 8-balls.

[If you, or someone you know, would like to be a featured artist on CrewDesign, email us at thecrewdesign@gmail.com] ••••

Cover Controversy

Holy scandal! TIME magazine is in hot water over this issue's cover design. For only the second time in the magazine's history, TIME abandoned its usual red border for a green hue to support the cause of global warming. But the Photoshopped image on the cover may have spawned more negative publicity for the magazine than positive change, as Iwo Jima Vets are up in arms over what they feel was a "sacrilegious" re appropriation of the iconic WWII photo by Joe Rosenthal.

Says one Iwo Jima Vet, Donald Mates, "It's an absolute disgrace. Whoever did it is going to hell. That's a mortal sin. God forbid he runs into a Marine that was an Iwo Jima survivor." Harsh words, and a sticky situation!— was TIME disrespectful when it correlated WWII with the fight against global warming? Or is this an overreaction?

Read more and more and more and more and more and more. ••••

Annie Leibovitz: A Photographer's Life

I finally made it over to the Legion of Honor (the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco) to view the Annie Leibovitz exhibit, A Photographer's Life: 1990-2005. I have long been a fan of Annie Leibovitz' photography and the exhibit did an amazing job of representing her work and her life beyond the camera. Over 200 images showcase her award winning photographs of celebrities as well as a surprising collection of personal images from her childhood, and current family life. Her well-known celebrity portraits are strongly lit, staged, and often provocative. However, I was drawn to the photos from her personal life. Showing a vulnerable side, Leibovitz proved that she is human beyond all else. Pictures of her siblings growing up, her dying father, and the birth of her children were honest in their candid, raw appeal. Leibovitz said it best herself when she stated, “I don’t have two lives. This is one life, and the personal pictures and the assignment work are all part of it.”

Of course I recommend everyone make their way over to the exhibit at the Legion of Honor, but I realize geography might interfere for some of you. So check out the next best thing - her recently published book, A Photographer's Life: 1990-2005. ••••

Step Right Up and win a Commissioned Painting!

Absent-mindedly flipping through Vogue magazine, I came across an interesting ad campaign by Mastercard. A very small white envelope was attached to a blank page. It was sealed with a mock wax seal, and contained a small note card informing me that I had not won the price of a unique commissioned Julian Schnabel portrait. I hadn't won, but I was still very impressed with both the available prize and the (expensive) Marketing campaign.

As it turns out, Mastercard is giving away a few "priceless" awards: the portrait, a one-week, multi continent culinary experience with a chef, and an elaborate trip abroad. The cooking and the trip are pretty typical, but I love that a commissioned portrait is a prize. I don't think since the 18th century has a painting been such a noted prize, and I can't see why not.

By the way, Julian Schnabel is an American artist, born in Brooklyn in 1951, but now lives in Texas. He was first recognized as major painting force after his first solo show at the Mary Boone Gallery in 1979. In the 1980s, he had become a major figure in the Neo-expressionism movement. He is now famous for "plate paintings"—large-scale paintings set on broken ceramic plates. ••••

Fun with tape. And type.

And who says graphic designers only like small type? ••••

Clever Wine Labels

Cheers to never forgetting your wine! Check out this innovative wine label from Oxford Landing's South Australian Shiraz (image found www.thedieline.com). I, for one, judge wine by the label. I know, I know many wine connoisseurs would judge otherwise. But as a designer I don't really care about the "angular flavors, or the woody, complex, round finish." Pshh, show me some care put into the design of the label, and I'll appreciate the contents of the bottle. This packaging idea is genius. There is small a portion of the label that can be peeled off so that you are never left wondering, "what was the name of that wine we had last night?" ••••

Dear Photoshop,

You are my least favorite Adobe software.
Please make it easier, and that is a dare.

I struggle with clipping paths in and out each day.
Create a simple button to make the background go away.

Illustrator and Indesign are my friends, not foes.
You would be too, if you didn't cause me so many woes.

People say they love you; "we are experts," they declare!
Not me, I think, this really isn't fair.

I apologize for my griping, but it had to be said.
My deadline is approaching, time to put this project to bed! ••••

My profession...

Lucky us. ••••

Jamie Kripke

Current obsession: the photography of Jamie Kripke. I love the highly saturated colors, intentional compositions and fresh appeal. View the rest of his collection at www.jamiekripke.com. And don't forget to read his bio...glad to know he didn't follow the advice of his high school counselor - us artist types are so misunderstood ;) ••••

Happy Earth Day!

I love this enviornmental poster from 1980. In the spirit of the day, I thought I would share a few tips about how to be a green designer.

1. Use recycled materials: This is very simple to do. More and more printers now days have recycled paper as an option.

2. Use a minimum of material: Think about diminsions, required strength, and production techinque when you are designing something. You can reduce unneccessary paper waste by considering the smallest paper size for each product.

3. Printing and Proofing: When designing, do as much proofing on the computer screen as possible. When you need to print, print double sided. Email PDF proofs to clients, rather then sending a hard copy.

4. Increase a product's life: For example, make a product durable, reusable, or upgradable. Think about it this way...when you are designing a product, ask youself, "will someone throw this away or hang on to it?"

5. No emissions: When possible, produce items that operate free of emission.

Learn more at the AIGA Center for Sustainable Design ••••

Emotibles

Have you heard about Emotibles yet? Since reading an article in the NYTimes, I have seen these little guys everywhere. Emotibles.com describes them as emotion inspired characters that bring color and expression to otherwise colorless or expressionless things. The business originated as producing one of the first sets of charms for ipod ear buds. Emotibles have since gained a huge following following of young consumers who value self expression and good design. You can browse through hundreds of expressions on the website from "happy" and "thinking" to "alienated" and "befuddled."


Personally, I think they are cute, but I am specifically interested in the brand's unique marketing and growing popularity. Although they do eerily remind me of Pokemon characters. ••••

Found in Austin

Flash Slideshow

The key area of Austin that stands out to me as the most design oriented and artistically based is South Congress street, or SoCo as the locals call it. I have posted about specific sites on South Congress in the past, Hey Cupcake! and Uncommon Objects. This streets stands apart from your typical Texan streets, because of the array of colors, unique stores, galleries, and interesting people that share a fondness for the arts, quirkiness, and enjoyment of life. It is not uncommon to hear people refer to SoCo as "hipster" and "alternative," but I suppose any artsy area of a city holds that title. Being one of the only streets in Austin that you can leisurely walk down and window shop, it is no stranger to large crowds on the weekends. People come to peruse art from the street vendors, buy novelty candy at the Big Top, drink margaritas at Gueros, and then maybe have a whipper snapper at Hey Cupcake.

In these photos I wanted to capture those fun feelings of SoCo through the design, colors, and flair. ••••

The Design Conspiracy

Of course I'm always thinking of the future of CrewDesign. Which makes me think about the future of our headquarters. Here is an example of a unique work environment. The images above feature the front window of The Design Conspiracy, a UK design studio. The illustration work was created by Inky Mole (work and website that warrants a blog posting all on its own - I've bookmarked this for a later time). ••••

Desktop Wallpaper

Perhaps disproportionately, it depresses me to see someone take for granted that their only option for desktop wallpaper is the default already on their computer. If you are one of those people, it is high time you branch out and discover the wealth of choices out there— you are better than that generic blue backdrop! Personally, what I look for when choosing the wallpaper that will grace my screen is: a clean, bold, graphic composition, with a splash of color. Nothing too crazy or overstimulating— my screen is busy enough with all my software open— but occasionally a pattern will catch my eye. That being said, what follows are some of my favorite sources on the web.

The obvious choice, but possibly the best: Veer. If for some reason you did not know about the downloads they offer, visit their site and you are sure to find one you love. Although I always have to clone out the logo in the bottom left-hand corner— nothing personal!

For the type aficionado, there are a few options I enjoy at I Love Typography.

Flickr has a terrific pool for desktop wallpaper— I found the above designs posted today, but there are thousands for you to browse that meet the large file size requirements. Of course, you can always upload your own photos too.

A few other options:
Push Me Pull You Design
"Vintage" Advertisements
PixelGirl Presents
Kate Spade (click downloads once you get there)
Olschinsky
Metremade (terrific– using one of these patterns now)
Paul & Joe Beaute.
Kitsune Noir's Desktop Wallpaper Project

Know of any other favorites? Post a comment and share! ••••