Dive into the archives.
- Pro Bono and Free Services: Is It Possible To Give Too Much?
Last Thursday I was taking part in a weekly discussion among designers called DCTH (Design Community Twitter Hours) and this question came up: When do you draw the line between pro-bono & just helping for free? A very interesting discussion followed and it got me thinking about my own experience with offering my design services pro bono or for free. In this post I want to share some of those experiences with you and how they have influenced my business approach as well as the impact this has had when I began applying it to my social media interaction.
- True Art
Those works created from solitude & from pure & authentic creative impulses – where the worries of competition, acclaim & social promotion do not interfere – are, because of these very facts, more precious than the productions of professionals. After a certain familiarity with these flourishings of an exalted feverishness, lived so fully & so intensely by their authors, we cannot avoid the feeling that in relation to these works, cultural art in its entirety appears to be the game of a futile society, a fallacious parade. (Jean Dubuffet)
- Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Radical Color Theory Redesign
I possess an unusual characteristic I want to share with you: I am color blind.
Not in the literal sense of the term, which would make it extremely difficult to be a designer, but from an early age my life experiences have developed in me an almost inability to identify people based upon the color of their skin.
Even more remarkable may be the basis for this writing: because of my own experience, I truly believe it is possible for all of humanity to shake off generations of racial stereotypes, prejudices, and perceived ethnicity-based differences to instead inhabit and embrace the amazing dream of a most amazing man whose birthday we recognized in America yesterday: Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Is “Good Design” In The Eye Of The Beholder?
I’ve seen quite a few articles and blog posts recently discussing “good design” and “bad design”. It got me thinking about the concept, along with the various categorizations and judgments we who operate under the title “designer” place so easily on the work of others. Is not the determination of whether or not an object of design is deserving of the title “good” a subjective one, formed by preferences and/or opinions? Or is there, in fact, a set of standards or guidelines written in stone somewhere that all design can and should adhere to?
- Don’t Let Your Bad Attitude Or Ethics Ruin It For The Rest Of Us!
The other night my wife and I went to our eldest daughter’s high school basketball game to cheer her on. We took our regular spot up at the top of the bleachers so we could lean back against the wall rather than slouching on the hard wood for the entire game. As we settled in, we noticed a few parents from the other team had the same idea and were setting up camp about 15 feet away. We commenced with the standard smile and nod acknowledgements and then turned our attention to the beginning of the contest. What transpired over the next hour inspired a range of emotions, from anger to frustration to disappointment. And I’m not talking about what happened on the court.
- 15 MORE Designers You’ve Never Seen On A List Before
There seems to be an endless supply of “undiscovered” and “undocumented” designers. You know the ones. All those talented people who are lesser known for whatever reason. Maybe networking is not their thing. Or they don’t do social media (yet). Or they’re just too busy working to try and promote themselves enough to be noticed by the design blog roundup writers. Whatever it is, it is most often not because of a lack of talent! Somehow most of the same designers end up on those lists, so being one of the “unknowns” myself, I am using my little corner of the internet to promote my fellow designers.
So here today I give you 15 more designers that, until now, you’ve never seen on a list before. Check out their websites. Follow them on Twitter. Connect with them on their other social networks. And let’s continue to encourage the growth of the design community.
- DESIGNERS: Submit Yourself and Nominate Others To Be Featured Here!
If you’ve been following this blog recently you have been witness to a few new features that I have initiated in an effort to introduce and promote lesser known members of the design community. Yesterday I launched a new feature titled “Behind The Avatar” in which we will get to know different people who are designers and developers (and maybe other pursuits as well) a little more personally. In previous posts I have shared with you 24 Designers You’ve Never Seen On A List Before, 43 Twitter Backgrounds You’ve Never Seen On A List Before, and 27 More Designers You’ve Never Seen On A List Before. I explained my reasons for doing this in detail in this post: DESIGNERS: Why I Promote and Support You Rather Than Compete Against You.
Today I want to remind you how you can get involved. Whether you are a designer or developer yourself and are interested in a little self-promotion, or you know someone who you think deserves some recognition for the work they do and/or the type of person they are, all you have to do is leave your information in the comments below to be considered. Here’s a little more info…
- DESIGNERS: Why I Promote and Support You Rather Than Compete Against You
In case you haven’t stopped by this blog lately, my last few posts here have been focused on promoting new, upcoming and/or lesser-known designers. It has been a wonderful experience getting to meet and interact with other designers that I’ve never known or heard of before, and the satisfaction of creating a forum to raise awareness of their work – and even their existence – has been priceless. It has truly been a joy and it has inspired me to continue finding ways to contribute to the expansion of the design community however I can.
Along the way, however, the inevitable question has come up: am I endangering my own freelance design business by promoting other designers who compete for the same clients? So after thinking about this I thought it would be an interesting post and possible discussion with others in the creative community. So here is what I’ve found.
- 27 More Designers You’ve Never Seen On A List Before
Last week I introduced my readers to the first 24 designers who responded to my request. Since that post another 27 designers have submitted their info and I am pleased to share them with you below. Be sure to click on their image to view their work, and click on their Twitter username so you can follow and get to know them.
- 43 Twitter Backgrounds You’ve Never Seen On A List Before
Two days ago I asked people to submit their Twitter backgrounds that have never been included on those lists design blogs put out. It is a little pet peeve of mine that the various lists tend to feature the same 100-200 Twitter background designs and claim that they are the best out of the millions of possibilities. I find it hard to believe that those lists could be so exhaustive as to have gone through every single Twitter background to determine the best. Besides, isn’t beauty in the eye of the beholder and judgment of design subjective?
So I thought it would be a good idea to offer an opportunity for those who have designed backgrounds but are maybe less known or new to Twitter so they have not yet occupied one of those lists.
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