Posted by Jess in Design, Opinions on May 7, 2012 - 1:10 pm
Even though I am a designer who works primarily in the digital realm, there is still something about a paper swatch book that makes my heart skip a beat or two. They are often little design gems. And the ones I always reach for first are from French Paper. I’ve always loved the unique, quirky and instantly recognizable design that makes it stand out from other swatch books in the pile. French’s go-to design company since 1986 has been Charles S. Anderson Design Co. As they state on their website, “design is a brand’s signature and its story,” and the visual brand that CSA Design has helped build over the last 25 years is a great example of that definition.
After I visited the French Paper plant (in Niles, MI if you were wondering) two years ago, I realized how powerful a cohesive brand can be. All of the collateral that French produces, from shipping cartons to “Shutter Shades”, could be recognized as part of the brand even without the logo attached.
French Paper's website was also designed by CSA.
Paper Shutter Shades anyone?
I actually got this poster during my tour; it looks awesome on my wall at home!
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Posted by Jess in Design, Fresh Meat on February 7, 2012 - 4:23 pm
Most of my design work is digital, especially as a designer in a digital agency, making the computer one of my most frequently used and important tools. But, during idea generation, building concepts or even making revisions, there are some other tools that I always reach for.
One of my most-reached for tools is a 6 inch ruler. As a guide for making straight lines, measuring, or even helping visualize how something will look, this is almost always out on my desk.
This next item might be pretty obvious as to why I use this. Whether it’s a pen, mechanical pencil or just an old fashioned yellow wood pencil, something to write with is pretty vital to drawing and writing ideas down.
I also keep a few permanent markers around, in different sizes and colors. Helpful for revisions, drawing or putting my name on my notebook so it doesn’t get misplaced too often. But, my main tool for making revisions is my purple highlighter. It’s bright and colorful enough to make sure that I don’t miss any revisions and I can cross them out as I finish them. Plus, it’s a more interesting color than a standard yellow one.
Lastly, scissors for making mockups, cutting out images and cutting off the fuzzy edge of notebook paper (that stuff drives me crazy).
And guess what? I also have the hex colors of all the objects too. Enjoy!
Ruler: #1C75BC
Pencil: #ECCC37
Small marker: #018E8A
Marker: #231F20
Highlighter: #A34E9B
Scissors: #315F9C, #243E86
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I’m part of the generation who has essentially grown up around computers. We have had an internet connection for so long that I don’t even remember not having one. But Wednesday, January 18th was a game changer for the World Wide Web. In protest of the SOPA and PIPA bills that Congress and the House of Representatives will vote on January 24th, Wikipedia turned off service for 24 hours. Google blacked out its logo. Hundreds of sites, big and small, protested the censorship these bills would bring to the internet. We even joined the blackout by adding black bars to our website.
The statistical results are pretty astounding (here’s a great infographic describing them). There also were some cool design concepts that websites employed during the blackout. Filmmaker Michael Moore blacked out his website and you could essentially use the mouse cursor as a flashlight to cast a circle of light over his message.
Wikipedia was one of my favorites; it reminds me of a post-apocalyptic area where everything has been destroyed. And while a censored internet isn’t exactly comparable to an apocalypse, I think these bills would be very devastating to the internet as we know it.
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Posted by Jess in Design, Opinions, Tools on January 5, 2012 - 9:46 pm
I must admit, even though Twitter has been a popular social media platform for quite a while now, I have never used it. At first, I just thought that it was silly to read people’s postings about what they had for breakfast. I never realized that it was more than that. Now I don’t use Twitter for a different reason: I’ve never understood how to. #whatintheworld does this mean?
However, I recently came across a really cool webpage by Jessica Hische, who calls herself an “avid internetter” and she is also an amazing letterer and illustrator. One of her side projects, Mom, This is How Twitter Works, explains the basics of how to use the social site in a really clear and uncomplicated way (plus, the fact that the text is entirely HTML, making it possible to view in any language, is pretty cool).
This makes me excited, because now that I know what I’m doing, there are lots of designers out there who maintain a pretty active Twitter account. Being able to keep up with Chermayeff and Geismar, Pentagram, AIGA, David Carson, and of course, Jessica Hische, all in one spot? Yes, please!
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Posted by Jess in Design, Fresh Meat on December 15, 2011 - 3:29 pm
Have you ever quickly written your name or drawn a picture with a sparkler? I used to all the time, especially around the 4th of July. However, this artist takes this idea to a whole new, sophisticated level.
Darius Twin’s latest series of light paintings are images of skeletal prehistoric animals, like dinosaurs and saber tooth tigers. He creates them on the streets of Southern California and the urban background makes for a very cool contrast to the neon-looking images. My favorite is his stegosaurus, but you can view all of his light paintings on Flickr.
He also made a short video explaining the process. It’s easy to understand, so you can even experiment with your own camera!
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