:: ( CRIT ) :: DESIGN BLOG ::

Your confidence is my respect

As I write my first post on this blog I am listening to Radiohead's new album "In Rainbows". On October 10th, 2007 at 2:29am U.S. time I received my link and I downloaded my 48.4Mb Zipped album from www.inrainbows.com with lots (LOTS) of excitement. It was the first time in my life I was paying whatever I wanted for a product that was for sale. I remember never being as excited as I was about listening to a recently purchased album. I imagined the rest of the fans listening to the first track "15 Step" on the album all at the same time. I don't feel like "lending" the album to a friend because they will miss the opportunity of feeling how I felt by purchasing it themselves at the price they decide.

The CW and The Feed

I’ve taken to watching television online. An increasingly busy schedule at school and various personal obligations mean that I am rarely, if ever, at home during designated primetime hours. Rather than plunking down a couple large for a DVR box, I’ve opted to download torrents of my favorite shows or track them down on their respective networks’ websites. It’s no muss with only a modicum of digital fuss.

Most of what I watch is quality stuff; strictly highbrow, critically acclaimed, narrative-driven stuff, OK? And I say that only because in order to tell this story, to tell it right, I have to admit a shameful secret. Here goes. On Thursday night…ahem…on Thursday night my wife Claire and I watch Gossip Girl on The CW. Life can’t be all Chelsea galleries, MoMA Design Store fetishizing and heady debates with classmates about typographic fluency. I need a little low culture with my advanced degree. And we only suffer through the show for Kristen Bell’s narration because we can’t have her on Veronica Mars. And, um, we watch because one of these days the network programmers are likely to slip and just run an unseen episode from a heretofore-unfilmed season of Gilmore Girls. Right? It could happen!

A Story of a Man and his Helmet

This past week, I got a chance to experience a little thing called a brand promise. I went to Gamestop on Tuesday at 12am to get my copy of Halo3. I have lived with this brand from 2001 to now. I would also like you to know that I hated the Halo brand when it came out. It represented everything I hated (i.e. Microsoft). I then had my PS2 stolen along with all the games, so I wanted to start fresh with a new system; I bought an xbox and Halo (one of my friends wanted me to buy it). I did, and the rest is history with its console selling power.

I always thought everything with a 3 at the end of it stinks (besides Mighty Ducks 3: D3, as the kids on the streets call it).

ceci n'est pas un sachet en plastique

Any day of the week I might duck into a bodega for some trivial item—a guilty-pleasure music magazine, a bottle of seltzer, even the rare banana or orange—and before I even put them on the counter, the items have been bagged for me. Most times, I try to politely refuse the bag- "oh, I can carry these" or "this toilet paper should fit into my backpack"; sometimes, I have to physically remove the items and hope that the check-out person won't throw away this suspect bag, adding to some enormous landfill. Because, that is the point, right? We don't really need bags for all the small, random items we purchase, whether we're on Madison Avenue or Avenue B. With this in mind, is there room to design multiple-use shopping bags and try to curb our consuming desire for more things to carry?

I beg you to be culturally literate.

Last semester during one of our first classes with Veronique Vienne, we discussed deconstructing texts as a means to uncovering sub-texts. At one point she said, “I beg you to be culturally literate.” Shortly after class, one of my classmates caught me procrastinating on the web and immediately called me out on it. I flippantly responded, “I’m developing my cultural literacy!” It quickly became a running joke having to do with anything not directly design related, and not directly relevant to our studies.

As cheeky as the response sounds, when I say it, I actually do mean it. It’s not that I’m completely serious about finding subtexts while watching a VH1 Celebreality show, nor completely happy-go-lucky about it either, but I’m somewhere in between with a slight lean towards the former because that’s just what interests me.

A Blog Worth Reading

I recently came upon a blog that I would like to recommend. Granted, you may think that you need another blog to read as much as you need a hole in your head, but this is different. The blog I am recommending is 2dinar.com. The focus of the site is to offer reflection on war, foreign affairs, and current events from the point of view of veterans. Forget any stereotype you may think of involving unintelligent jarheads, these guys are thoughtful, articulate, and understand far more then merely taking orders. Certainly worth your time to read if you crave another perspective as much as I do.

Open your eyes and dream.

Two semesters ago in Milton Glaser's class "Design and Intentions" the last assignment we were given was to envision where we see ourselves in 5 years time. I've given thought to similar questions before, but usually I was thinking so far into the future that it became easier to imagine. I found the 5 year timeframe to be very challenging, because it is so much closer to me and therefore that much more real. What I'm doing, the choices I'm making, the life I am choosing to live now, have much more of a direct affect on me... from what I can tell at least. And in the grand scheme of things... well, just what is my grand scheme of things???

The Humanizing of Machines - helpful or just plain annoying?

Anyone who lives in New York City probably has a tale about his or her experience with the L train. This train line in particular has undergone many, many service outages for the past few years in an effort to test new technologies to help the everyday rider. One of the most noticeable changes to come out of all this work is the set of displays to help riders know how long they must wait for the next train to arrive. Along with these displays, came the dreaded announcement: "Ladies and gentlemen, the next...Manhattan bound...L...train...will depart in approximately...five...minutes. The following...Manhattan bound...L...train...will depart in approximately...twelve...minutes."

Holy Hand Job, and More!

Mike Perry is living the designer dream. At twenty-five he has his own studio and just finished his first book, Hand Job: A Catalog of Type. The book is a collection of fifty-five typographers who are not only good at what they do, but believe in hand done type. 

During a busy afternoon at his studio, Mike graciously fielded some of the questions I asked him concerning his new book (He even let me take a sneak peak at the entire thing.) and what it feels like to have his own studio in Brooklyn. On my way out, he even gave me some goodies to take with me.

My First Wrestling Shirt

I finally did it this morning; I broke down and bought my first ever wrestling t-shirt. I have been a fan of wrestling, off and on, for about 20 years now. I used to wake up early on Saturdays and see my favorite wrestlers go at it on my small TV screen while eating my Coco Puffs. And in all that time I never once considered purchasing t-shirt; not a Hulk-a-manic shirt when I was eight nor a RVD shirt when I was 28.

Packing It Up.

Guest Editorial by Sarah Mead

When I was about 8 years old a new kid moved in at the end of my street. Everyone was so intrigued as the movers pulled electric guitars, amplifiers and engineering equipment off the truck. I was from the quiet suburbs and the closest I got to rock ‘n’ roll was bonfires and acoustic guitars. In my need to know it all I wasted no time in knocking on the front door and welcoming the lovely people inside to our neighborhood. They were great; open-minded hippies from Arrowhead, California who just happened to be in Neil Diamond’s band. Within a month my parents were on it as well. They became close friends with Linda and Rhiene Press and I became best friends with their daughter Daisy. Every day after school I would run over to Daisy’s house to emerge myself in the exotic world of rock ‘n’ roll parents. It was a thrill to hear obscure music and every now and then peak my head into a recording studio that looked like it came out of a photo from the infamous Electric Lady Studios in New York City.

At eight years old I thought I had seen it all, until one day while playing with Daisy she asked if I wanted to see her collection of Tiffany & Co. boxes. I said “sure,” not exactly knowing what she was talking about. We walked into her bedroom and as I stood back from the closet door she performed the magical reveal of what I remember to be well over 300 sea foam green boxes– all nicely stacked one on top of the other, based on size, and each still wrapped in a perfect white ribbon tied in a bow. I was baffled and jealous. I had one pair of modest gold hoops that my mother wrenched on to my ears so I wouldn’t lose them and I never saw the box. I wondered why any 10 year old needed that much Tiffany & Co. jewelry, and why would she save all the boxes.

Choices and Life

By Anonymous

Lately I've been thinking a lot about my choice to come to graduate school. I fell into the career of design with a self-taught background and felt the need to fill in the gaps with a design education. I wanted the experience of being a design student and being in the company of others who felt the same way.

When I got accepted to the college of my choice, there was no doubt in my mind I was going. I felt I was fulfilling my dream. I left the job, the house and the fiance (with plans to return home and get married after graduation). School started and I became immersed in the program. It was exciting, consuming, thought provoking and I loved and continue to love every minute of it.

Fundamentals of Good Design: Spelling

As visual communicators, we love ideas, concepts, beauty and of course, type. But nothing can undermine a designers credibility more than inaccuracy.

While reading a designer's blog recently, I came across the misspelling of the name of one of the most famous graphic designers ever. It wasn't just a simple error, it was a gross misspelling.  Honestly, it ticked me off. I began thinking about a designer's responsibility to get it right. Not just names in text but in all typographic communication.

I'm far from perfect. I won a spelling bee in the fourth grade and it's been downhill from there. I'd like to think I've made all of the mistakes I can in 15 years of design, but I'd be kidding myself. Recently a printer caught a typo in some very large text that I never even noticed (moral: be nice to your printers).

Designers must own the words, whether or not they wrote them, and apply the same high standards to text that is applied to design. The general public won't notice bad kerning, but they'll always remember a typo.

The first line of defense is to have someone else read all the text, even if it's only four words. A fresh pair of eyes, or three, will catch errors you glaze over.

A terrific editor once told me to read the text out loud to myself. A sentence or phrase may sound fine in your head, but can lack clarity when read out loud.

Use spell check, but don't rely on it. Spelling engines only check to see if a word is spelled correctly, not if it is used correctly. For example, If you meant to use "your" and type "you,"  as I did in the example above, spell check will not catch it. Of course, spell check can't verify the spelling of names so look them up online, at a minimum, or call the person and ask them.

In the end, the difference between a good designer and a bad designer can be just a few letters.

It’s a Sign! It’s a Bomb! No, It’s Just Guerilla Marketing

Last week, under the headlines of “Boston sign scare” and “A scary promotion,” news viewers around the country watched as two scruffy ‘guerilla marketers’ caught fire for an ad campaign gone terribly sour. Electronic signs featuring a cartoon character from Aqua Teen Hunger Force, a adult-oriented cartoon show, had been discreetly displayed outdoors in cities around the country, but some concerned citizens noticed wires and circuit boards behind these ads and suspected a terrorist threat. The accusations were quite severe: the two marketers, Peter Berdovsky and Sean Stevens, were charged with “placing a hoax device and disorderly conduct”, and faced the possibility of five years in jail. Sporting the now-traditional dirty clothes and dreadlocks of the urbane artist, the Aqua Teen Two (my coinage) greeted the press only with comments about their hair, simultaneously scoffing and absorbing the media frenzy buzzing about their stunt. Welcome to 21st century marketing, the war against anyone getting in on the joke.

Pillow Fight Club, Anyone?

Although one could certainly say that life has always been interesting simply because people always are, this is a particularly fascinating time to be a designer, a sociologist, a businessperson because of the new technologies available to people in the last ten or so years. The social networking component of the Web has given way to the cultural phenomenon of consumer generated media; YouVert is a blog that takes on this subject, its implications for marketing, and its relation to guerilla and viral branding in a way that's informative, subjective, and funny.

Link: http://www.youvert.com

Design Chicks Making Babies, or Don't Kill the Messenger

Conversation between Len Small and Tamara Gildengers Connolly.

Len: Almost two weeks ago, the 92nd Street Y hosted a presentation and panel called "The Art of the Book: Behind the Covers." Moderated by Michael Bierut, the three presenters, Milton Glaser, Chip Kidd, and Dave Eggers, talked about their book designs. Afterwards, the panel answered questions from the audience. One notecard read aloud asked "Why do you — all three of you — suppose there are so few female graphic designers — or at least so few female 'superstar' graphic designers? Is there a glass ceiling in graphic design?"

We're playing basketball/we love that basketball

This season the National Basketball Associated introduced a new ball, the first such change in over thirty-five years and only the second time in sixty seasons of play. Instead of leather, it's made, by Spalding, of a microfiber composite with "moisture management" for better grip, feel, and consistency, with less need of break-in.

The players hate it.

Speaking in Pictures

Guest Editorial by Maria Delaguardia

Aphasia is a language disorder that impairs people's ability to understand words and sentences. People with aphasia find it easier to understand visual icons and sound cues. An initiative called Lingraphica has been developing a vocabulary of icons for nouns, verbs, and other parts of speech; an icon-based ASL of sorts. At present they have developed over 5000 word icons and tested them for clarity and efficiency through user feedback. Their findings are being used to develop everything from daily planners to PDA interfaces. One recent project, called Visually Enhanced Recipe Application, applies the Lingraphica icon vocabulary to cooking recipes.

Photograph the Polls

It's November 7th, and if you haven't already hit the polls, remember to bring along your camera to document the location for the Polling Place Photo Project. The project is an experiment in "citizen journalism," as the site identifies, intended to create mass documentation of the voting experience, including facilities, organization, and voting methods.

Podcast: Designism Panel at the Art Directors Club

“To see the practice of design as having social meaning is not a new idea; it dates back to the advent of modernism. What’s different today is that the focus is about changing the face of society.”

— Milton Glaser

On September 21, 2006 at the Art Directors Club, Glaser, along with George Lois, Jessica Helfand, James Victore, and Kurt Andersen on a panel moderated by Steve Heller, addressed the issue of design for social change, which he has dubbed Designism. Also speaking were Tony Hendra and Brian Collins, who conceived the event. Listen to the audio here.

Train of Thought

To notice something by chance, merely by being aware, possesses a degree of honesty. Objects and situations that catch your attention do so under the circumstances of your own observational sensibility and with qualities that warrant attention. Design observation is, on the other hand, an exercise in constructed associations. Empty shower stalls become more spaces of brand-free solace. Dance parties become youth culture observation. A salad ordered at a counter becomes experience design. This is all well and good. In fact, it's fascinating, stimulating, and in my eyes quite necessary. Surprisingly, this practiced articulation hasn't prepared me to frame a simple series of events, which unfolded on a recent evening.

Articulating Design Process

Last weekend Michael Bierut posted a piece on Design Observer entitled "This is My Process," which discusses the difference between his actual design process, and the one he documents in client proposals. He states that the process outlined for a client frequently has nothing to do with the way a project actually goes, and then he theorizes what he would say to his clients if he were being truthful about his real process:

When I do a design project, I begin by listening carefully to you as you talk about your problem and read whatever background material I can find that relates to the issues you face. If you’re lucky, I have also accidentally acquired some firsthand experience with your situation. Somewhere along the way an idea for the design pops into my head from out of the blue. I can’t really explain that part; it’s like magic. Sometimes it even happens before you have a chance to tell me that much about your problem! Now, if it’s a good idea, I try to figure out some strategic justification for the solution so I can explain it to you without relying on good taste you may or may not have. Along the way, I may add some other ideas, either because you made me agree to do so at the outset, or because I’m not sure of the first idea. At any rate, in the earlier phases hopefully I will have gained your trust so that by this point you’re inclined to take my advice. I don’t have any clue how you’d go about proving that my advice is any good except that other people—at least the ones I’ve told you about—have taken my advice in the past and prospered. In other words, could you just sort of, you know...trust me?

While I agree with the essence of this explanation—that it can be difficult to articulate exactly how we as designers come up with ideas—I take issue with the claim that "it's like magic"...

For the Sake of the Name Sake

Julius and friends must say their good-byes.

Vanity Fair looks at the early and recent history of Paul Frank (designer) and Paul Frank Industries (design business). The two recently went separate ways and not without a breakup story and mudslinging better associated with some of Southern California's other residents. It's not the designer v. suit story you'd expect. It seems 130+ employees are rallying behind the current leadership sans their name sake.

Interview with Martin Kace

We wrote about the Ninth Floor Project last month but now you can read an interview with its founder, Martin Kace, former CEO of Joe Boxer and Phat Farm and President of Empax, a branding and design studio for non-profit organizations. Interview on Massive Change by CRIT's Randy J. Hunt.

Read the interview

Design Entrepreneurs

A few weeks ago Rob Walker wrote a feature for The New York Times Magazine on the "postmodern brand rebel," one who uses branding and the selling of his or her own designed goods as a means of self-expression and rebellion. For those who missed it, you can find it on Murketing, the author's website, along with links to feedback and reactions from others. He also has a series of interviews with "artists and entrepreneurs, finding ways to make a living from creative enterprises." Hey, isn't that many of us?

From Us, To You, From Every Angle

Here in our platform, supported by columns of concrete, 5 floors up in mid-town Manhattan, a magic show of sorts unfolds behind the scenes. IT infrustructure, software upgrades, and educated hardware advice pops out of top hats at just the right moment to bring the show to a close. In short, we rely on help from our magician-in-residence, Matt Tait.

Generous as he is, Matt also shares his knowledge outside of our studio. His recent adventure in establishing a system to support our podcasts is documented in his latest article, "Be Your Own Broadcaster" in PC Magazine.

Thanks again for all your help, Matt.

Design on the Street: Feel Anything?

My daily walk to work takes me past at least 10 phone booths, each with 3 panels of ad space (yes, public telephones are alive and well in NY). Of course I critique them, and rarely is there one I like. But this morning I ran across an ad that made me smile. It reminded me of the importance of evoking an emotional response through design. Of course, the cartoon network is the perfect client to do this for…

Designer as Social Entrepreneur

This is a great interview with graphic designer, Denis Simioni, who created a successful hair product line out of a native Honduran substance called "ojon". Mr. Simioni's company is projecting over $40 million dollars in sales this year, and enhancing the lives of indigenous people from Honduras in the process.

As I begin to delve more seriously into my thesis research, I find stories like this one relevant and inspiring. This is exactly the type of social entrepreneurship many of us will be trying to incorporate into our thesis work. Simioni has not only developed a viable business that increases the quality of life for those Hondurans who work in manufacturing for him, he has taken a true interest in transforming these communities for the better.

Word on the Street: Graffiti and Advertising?

New York is full of eye candy. Every day on the way to work I pass a brick wall; today it had a spray painted mural on it which was an ad for the Dodge car 'Caliber'. My initial response; shame on this corporation for using the sacred art of graffiti to sell cars!

Then I thought about it some more. The ad (I won't call it a 'piece') was done by Tats Cru, a reputable group of NY writers. Good for them for getting paid (I hope it was enough to make it worth it). A part of me still feels like using graffiti for commercial purposes is just wrong. For years graffiti was 'bad' and until recently it is finally being recognized as an art form.

Any thoughts on this Dodge campaign, or others like it? Does it successfully attract its target market? And, while on the topic of graffiti, the Brooklyn Museum show 'Graffiti' opens this Friday. Check it out.

La Force de l’art/Grand Palais

LA FORCE DE L’ART / GRAND PALAIS 2006
Until June 25, 2006
Posters, Books, Magazines, Video-clips, etc : Graphic Design
Catherine de Smet, Critic and Curator

This section of  "La Force de l'art" presents a selection of graphic designers who work in different fields, from cultural communication to the art direction of magazine, audiovisual and multimedia production. The intention is to promote the diversity of the discipline and to go beyond the opposition between cultural and commercial projects. The exhibition places emphasis on series or collections of design projects resulting from long-term collaboration between the studio and a client, because the client's commitment is primordial.

Artists
Paul Cox, Laurent Fétis & Élizabeth Arkhipoff, Michel Gondry, H5, Kuntzel + Deygas, Patrick Lebedeff, M/M (Paris), Michel Mallard, Philippe Millot, Pleix, Vier5.

Information
Open to the public May 10th to June 25th 2006, from noon to 8pm, every day (including public holidays) except Tuesday. Last entries at 7pm.
Grand Palais - Main entrance, Avenue Winston Churchill  75008 Paris
www.forcedelart.culture.fr

Fresh Dialogues 22: Making Magazines

Fresh Dialogue 22: Making Magazines

Wednesday 7 June 2006
Haft Auditorium, F.I.T.
27th Street, between Seventh & Eighth Aves.

6:30 to 7:00 p.m. Wine & snacks reception
7:00 to 8:30 p.m. Presentation

This year's Fresh Dialogue presents three young publishing gurus who are reinventing how magazines are made. They've thrown off the templates and formulas of traditional publishing in favor of new and innovative approaches to magazine making. Find out what inspired them to take matters into their own hands. Representing the next generation of publishing kingpins, we have: Tod Lippy, creator of the luscious biannual arts publication Esopus; Lisa Farjam, the force behind Middle-East culture magazine Bidoun; and master storyteller David Haskell, editor-in-chief of Topic magazine. And to moderate this evening of lively discussion will be magazine industry mover, shaker and supreme tastemaker, James Truman.

Click here for speaker bios and registration information.

Contesting Contests

Guest Editorial by Jeffrey Everett

For some reason, people think I am a bigger company than I actually am. And since I do the occasional concert poster, people think I am cooler than I am as well. Because of this, I get many requests from designers and students looking for a job or an internship. After looking around my overflowing 8 x 10 basement office I have to chuckle when sending the email back saying El Jefe Design is not currently looking, but "will keep the résumé in our files, thank you for your interest and want to purchase a poster?"

I do look over each résumé and website that gets to sent to me though. Like any half interested businessperson I like to scope out the competition and see who wants my job. One point I notice is the vast majority of cover letters that have "award-winning" somewhere in the description. This always piques my interest and since I am easily distracted, I visit the listed website and look up the awards. Most of the time, I have never heard of any of them. It is a special interest award, school specific award, a pay-to-display award, or an award where five people enter. In other words, résumé filler. As Milton Glaser once told me, "Anyone can win a design contest it seems."

Actionable Tools For Sustainable Graphic Design

Another Earth Day passed yesterday, a soggy one here in New York, and fully entrenched in the end of the semester madness, I do pause, momentarily and accept that something feels different. The first Earth Day I remember was in 1st grade. With eight dollars borrowed from my mother with the promise to pay her back, I bought the elementary school's t-shirt prominently featuring a student-drawn tree. You can guess where the cotton came from, that it's bright green dye was synthetic, and that I wore the shirt three times before hiding it under a handful of others that were, undoubtedly, much cooler. No pun intended; this is before cool meant net-zero climate impact.

I wish I had that shirt today. I wish it fit. But that's sentimentality speaking.

Designers Must Write

Guest editorial by Eric Karjaluoto

Early in my career, I was involved in a strange and completely unnecessary rivalry with one of my coworkers. She and I were like oil and water. After years of chilly interaction we actually managed to engage in something that had the semblance of a civil conversation. During this chat, she somewhat reluctantly noted that she held no drawing skills. To state it candidly, I was aghast. How could a professional not have a handle on what I perceived as the absolute basics?

To read the rest, visit ideasonideas.

I am not a businessman, I am a business, man. - Jay-Z (Part I)

Guest editorial by Jeffrey Everett

I started El Jefe Design roughly a year ago. It started out small and has stayed small for the most part. I work out of my house in a small office with a cat and put in roughly 60 hours a week. Over the course of a year I have learned a few things, some quite obvious and some that need to be experienced to appreciate.

1. It is never a good time to start a business. When I left my job rather abruptly a year ago, I at least had a few options. I already had other job offers coming in. Although I enjoyed working for a small firm in Pittsburgh, I realized that I may not be suited to an office setting. Having nine years of experience, a strong dislike of a corporate setting, and a need to listen to vast quantities of NPR and loud music, I found working in a office a bit stifling. Also, knowing I was making roughly a fourth of what I was billed at per hour and being sick of doing work with sleazy clients, made me decide to go out on my own.

I once read a fortune cookie that stated "Jump and the bridge will appear." Not really a "fortune" but still worthwhile advice. If you want to open your own business there is never a good time, unless you are given a billion dollars by a relative. There are a multitude of reasons to delay making the jump: no savings, not enough time, dependence on a paycheck, baby on the way, Republicans in the White House, etc... Much like asking out the cute cheerleader nothing will be gained without the risk. Sometimes you have to throw caution (and logic) to the wind even if it means her football-captain boyfriend will kick the crap out of you.

The Veil of 1s and 0s

The invention of the blog has created a space intended for everyone to have a voice on an infinite number of issues. Blogging has, without doubt, become an industry whose limits remain unknown and whose ventures speed quickly onward. It is a wonderful opportunity to elicit discussion with communities who have previously been inaccessible and engage in dialogues that we care about. Blogging is almost always unedited and we float–consequence free–in a strange mix of names, pseudonyms, identities and anonymity throughout these debates.

As the opportunity to communicate in this anonymous fashion has paved the way to new discussions, I cannot help but wonder what the value of anonymity is. Why hide behind the veil of a phony author name? How can this be viewed as anything but a cheap disguise? Using pseudonyms relieves the author of all consequence. The anonymous voice can articulate anything without ownership. It is the act of a coward to disguise ones self in an online voice.

When I started as an author on this blog, I made a deliberate decision to write with honesty and responsibility. All of my posts and comments only include thoughts that I would say to another individual, face to face. My author name is what is on my birth certificate. I would feel sick with shame if I did otherwise.

Live Strong

Last semester ended rather unusually. The final week of classes was canceled due to the New York City transit strike and I didn't get to see classmates and faculty before heading out of town. I also felt a little unfulfilled, for lack of a better word, as the result of my final project for my class, "Can Design Touch Someone's Heart?" My first two projects were successful in the sense that I got good reactions for both, but my third, a website of love poetry to touch the hearts of humankind, was one with which I struggled. There were ideas in it but not realized to the extent I had wanted; in its current state it didn't feel complete. Since my presentation of that final project the question of whether or not design can touch someone's heart has stayed with me like an intriguing film with an ambiguous ending you want to figure out, with every viewer coming away with different interpretations.

I went back to my course catalog and revisited the course description to refocus: "It is widely assumed that movies, literature and music get to our emotional core. At the same time, it seems to be more difficult for design to achieve the same effect. In this course, we will explore this possibility with three individual assignments."

Why is this? Why is it more difficult for design than art? Let's back up a bit: how does design differ from art? Going back even further, how do you define each? (I'm not going to get into that here; it's addressed elsewhere on CRIT.)

In terms of what has reached my own emotional core, I thought about examples of movies (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), literature (The Catcher in the Rye), and music (U2's "One"). And design? To my dismay, none really came to mind. My mind wandering, I started thinking about my other classes, and what I learned from them, and remembered something we talked about in my design history seminar about propaganda (originally not as loaded a term as it is today.) Someone brought up the now ubiquitous yellow "Live Strong" wristbands from the Lance Armstrong Foundation. I think I had found my design example.

Socks for the Holidays

This morning I passed out socks to the people waiting in the food van line in Tompkins Square Park. This was the tail end of my attempt to touch the homeless with design, part of Sagmeister's class 'Can You Touch Someone's Heart with Design?'. Our last project was to touch humanity. I wanted to do something relating to homelessness. My initial approach to the assignment was on a larger scale. But after researching homelessness in NY and the resources that are available, I changed the scope of the project and scaled it down to something I felt I could achieve on an individual level.

The Lifestyle of a Graphic Designer

Guest Editorial

A guest speaker at my art/design school informed my graphic design major that it is normal for professional designers to work 70+ hour work weeks consistently. I am deeply committed and passionate about art and design. However, I am extremely scared that after I graduate, I am heading toward a lifestyle that will leave no time for me to relax and enjoy other parts of life. I already live at my studio due to the large amount of work and can't see myself being able do this much past graduation. I feel very lopsided. I enjoy the work, but there are too many all nighters—I don't see my non-art school friends anymore!

My Design Process™

Whenever I look through a design annual I typically make note of whose work I am intrigued by so that when I get a chance I can look them up online to see more of their work and to learn more about their studio. I have noticed a growing trend over the past couple of years by designers and studios to make a big deal about their design or creative process. Some have even gone to such great lengths as to name their process and in some cases, even trademark it. While the work certainly reflects time well spent, I am not sure if it illustrates the need for a complex process.

I can understand the appeal that this may have to some big businesses; to the suits, it demystifies what we do as designers and in some ways makes design into more of a science and less magical. Point taken and understood. But, is the practice of design really a set, linear path the way many studios make it out to be? What's wrong with a little magic as far as how we get to an end solution, as long as the solution is clear and solves the challenge. Right?

Copy Goes Here & Entrepreneurism

Last night, quietly, Coudal Partners announced the launch of their first short film, Copy Goes Here, via e-mail newsletter. Then, a few hours later they made a slight update to their home page. (In the event that it changes soon, the entire content of the site was changed to repeating "copy goes here" text with an occasional link).

Originally I saw this post as a quick visual culture note, as I was humored by the cameo of Steve Heller's Paul Rand book in the film. But there is a lot more going on here, much of it in close proximity to the nature of our curriculum and the goals of the MFA Design program at SVA.

These Four (Or So) Walls

Every Tuesday evening in class, Stefan Sagmeister asks: "So, has anybody seen anything interesting lately?" At that moment, when I want so badly to remember something really awesome I saw, I have a sort of blurry vision of my F train commute, and the four (or so) walls of the inside of the MFA Design studio. I say to myself, “I know I saw a lot of great things last week. What were they again?”

Exhibition: CLEAR RX

The School of Visual Arts cordially invites you to the exhibition CLEAR RX: From Master's Thesis to Medicine Cabinet--How Deborah Adler designed a new prescription drug packaging system and Target made it a reality.

October 29-November 23, 2005

Reception Thursday, November 3, 5:30-8:00pm

Location Westside Gallery, 141 West 21 Street, New York, NY (212.592.2145; Gallery Hours: Monday-Thursday, 9am-8pm; Friday & Saturday, 9am-5pm)

MFA in Design

When I wrote my application essays for MFA Design programs, I stated that I wanted to gain more authority in my work than I had with only a BFA in Graphic Design. Intuitively, I felt getting an MFA was an experience that I wanted. I imagined going back to school would give me an opportunity to advance my current graphic design skills as well as develop proficiencies in other areas of design. Both of these objectives are being met, without question.

Many people asked why I would want to go back to design school after practicing as a graphic designer for several years. My parents had particular inquiries regarding the financial component. I told them that when I graduated, I would earn more money than I presently was and I would qualify for more senior level positions. While I didn't–and still don't–know if this was true, I really hoped it was. I also knew this statement would calm their nervousness about their daughter spending a tremendous amount on an advanced degree that is not a necessity as in medical or law professions.

Some friends from various MFA Design programs around the country are having trouble finding employment post-graduation. A common complaint is that people are being offered positions as if they are 'just out of school', implying that their skill level was equivalent to those with BFA degrees. I have also heard professional designers say that an MFA can be viewed as merely a two year sabbatical from the workforce and may make us less desirable candidates than people without an MFA. For example, a designer with six years of work experience may be more valuable to a company than a designer who spent four years working and two years earning their MFA. This being said, I must add that I have received support and encouragement from a variety of sources when deciding to pursue an advanced degree.

What are we expecting upon graduation? Why did we choose to go back to school versus continuing our participation in the workforce? I know this question may exclude those who have changed career paths to pursue design but, for those who haven't, what are you looking to accomplish with an MFA in Design? For those who have graduated, how has the degree and experience served you?

Do Looks Really Count?

Last year our class had an interesting discussion with Scott Stowell of Open Design regarding designers portfolios. The conversation stemmed from a discussion of self-promotion and after reading Jeffrey's recent post about wrestling with his own self promotion, I figured I would put this topic out there to see what kind of a response I would get. I am interested in finding out how designers show their work, specifically what is the physical vessel that you use to present your work in and do you think that looks and physical presentation count with regard to your portfolio?

Wrestling with Self-Promos

By Jeffrey Everett

Having started my own business, El Jefe Design, I relied on word of mouth and previous clients to keep me busy for the first few months. But I wanted to grow, not just business-wise but portfolio-wise. I wanted to start attracting clients that I could relate to more and show off what I could do, be it music clubs, book and magazine publishers, huge multi-million dollar film houses, rock and rollers looking for merchandise, anyone really. I also wanted clients I liked and who would appreciate what I do, who would collaborate with me for a final incredible end product. In truth, I want that college-ideal client that designers whisper about in the dark of night when no one is looking. I know they exist, I have had a few before, but I wanted more, damn it, and I would hunt them down.

Design in the Business Consciousness

We can thank the Harvard Business Review for writing that the MFA is the new MBA. We can thank Apple Computer for showing the business world the emotional power of design (and its profitability.) We can thank BusinessWeek for putting IDEO on its cover and Fast Company for publishing its "Masters of Design" issue. It seems the business world has been captivated with the design world for some time now. As designers, are you pleased that the business world's eyes are open to what the "creative class" does, or annoyed that design could be just the latest buzzword?

Graduate Design Student: Will Work for Free

When it comes to working during the summer, or even during the school year, as graduate students we are in a unique and precarious position as far as being able to balance the demands of our education, the needs of our careers as well as the need to contribute to our perpetually deflating financial situation.

Many of us have past professional experience backed by an undergraduate degree. At the same time, until we graduate, we have the official title of "full-time student" hanging over our heads. However, being enrolled in graduate school obviously denotes that we are driven to learn more and push ourselves, that we are committed to our careers, and that we were selected by our school over other applicants. I think it is fair to say that we have a little more to offer to potential employers than we had as undergraduate students.

At This Rate, I'm Going to Go Nuts

It's a very simple question, and probably the first thing a potential client asks you: "What's your rate?"

There's a book called "Starting Your Career as a Freelance Illustrator or Graphic Designer" by Michael Fleishman, which has a chapter on estimating a price for design. The author provides a formula, which goes something like this: (1) Figure out your monthly expenses; (2) Multiply your monthly operating costs by 12; (3) Add start-up costs; (4) Divide this figure by 52 to get the weekly cost of doing business; (5) Divide daily total by 5. (However, this only allows you to break even; there's another formula if you want to realize a certain profit.) I didn't find this very helpful to me personally.

I think when I first got started as a freelancer I asked a friend of mine for guidance. He gave me a figure, which I gave my client, who accepted. After the first project, it got easier (somewhat), as I could at least use past projects as a reference point for future projects. But then again, someone's last project may have been done a few years and a good economy ago...

So how do you come up with your rate? Do you use a formula? Do you just estimate based on your experience, the complexity of the project, the state of the economy?

Related questions: Do you ever work on a fixed, per project fee? How do you estimate that? Do you ever work on spec?

My First Job (from Hell)

By Jeffrey Everett

"All right. What we are looking for is something urban, grungy, and distressed that is fashionable, hip and with classical overtones to it and lots of clean, white space." - My Art Director

"Jeff... that's New York grunge; I'm looking for Washington, DC grunge." - My Creative Director

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I left The School of Visual Arts with my Master's Degree and an award-winning portfolio, a successfully launched thesis project, my Sagmeister accent down cold, and high hopes for the new job outside of DC. A design firm had seen some of my work somewhere and came calling.

Design Your Own Design Program

Design your ideal MFA curriculum. What is its core philosophy? What do you want to learn? What do you think incoming students should learn? What do you feel was lacking in your undergraduate design education? Feel free to discuss specific courses, "core" courses, length/duration of program, etc.