Logos and Websites and Photos, Oh My.

The quick and dirty of what's been happening is that I have been super busy being creative. Above is a painting I did based on some of the virtual photography I had mentioned in my last post. I hadn't painted in about 15 years and broke out the oil paints one day and braved it. I've also been writing again (obviously not in here). I've missed both creative outlets and I'm not entirely sure why I stopped other than life getting in the way. Life must stop that STAT.

I also have projects. Sweet, glorious, money paying projects. I don't mean the dreaded "Urban Legend" projects, either. You fellow designers know what I'm talking about. The ones you keep hearing mention of, but you can't ever find anyone with any solid proof that they actually exist? Nay, I mean contracts signed, deposits being paid, firing up the Adobe software as we speak type projects. The kind that make our swatches panels sing and our Selection Tools weep. The kind that make Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, and Dreamweaver collide in ways that make clouds part and angels sing. Ok, that might have been a bit over the top, but you get the gist...I'm excited. Even if they are small projects, I heart them!

I was in the habit of posting what I've been reading on my blog because for the longest while it was all design related books and blogs; however, I just finished reading The Power by Rhonda Byrne a few weeks ago. She was responsible for The Secret that I'm sure most people have been unable to avoid hearing about. The Secret, The Power, Law of Attraction...all the same subject matter, but this book sort of just brings it all together in a much more comprehensible manner. I'm by no means a new age kind of girl (so much so that I couldn't find the book in the bookstore because it was in the New Age section and I've never set foot in it) so some of the reading is a little out there for me, but I have always believed that people who are chronically negative bring even more negativity to their lives. I'm not talking about someone going through a bad stretch and not dealing with it especially well. I'm talking about the people that spend 95% of their lives all woes me and bringing everyone down with them. The Debbie Downers of every situation. So, conversely, people that are consistently positive bring more positivity to their lives. When my accountant suggests these books and tells me stories about how they've worked for her (she may or may not have also given me discounts on getting my taxes done if I promised to read them)...I read them. What I know is that my sister and I have put some of these principles to work in the past and had crazy things happen (call them coincidence, I don't care). What I know is that I have started to get legit projects. What I know is that the absolute worst thing that could happen if you were to read it (and subsequently practice it) is that you throw a few less pity parties and are far less "Woes me." about everything. That's Win/Win right there.

Virtual Design

After graduation I stumbled across something that, for the sake of time and sanity, we'll call a big giant virtual chat room. Instead of only being represented by text on a screen like, say, Yahoo...you are also represented by an avatar that you create. I'm not a gamer by any stretch of the imagination so you will have to make sense of all that on your own. What I know is that people spend a lot of time and money making their avatars look as realistic as possible (not realistically "them" because everyone is flawless, just realistically human).

Here is where I come in...there are businesses that want logos and character/avatars/whatevers that want photos to put in their profiles or whatever they intend to do with them. I have no desire to explain all the silliness that is this new way of designing so I will just show some things I've done in the way of virtual photography and then leave you to wrap your heads around it.

Master of my domain

I've had a lot of web domains in my short time as a web designer. Either because I didn't know what my business name should be or I just thought it would be a funny one to add to the repertoire. Most have long ago expired, but now I've added another one to the mix.

www.designinspiredlife.com

I haven't done much with it and I'm not entirely sure what I will do with it, but the possibilities are endless doncha know. It was the result of a wicked 10th anniversary sale with the host I use and allows me enough bells and whistles to start experimenting with Wordpress.

In other news...

My Pixel Dust site has a slideshow...finally. It still needs some fine tuning, but voila.

A custom + handmade jewelry designer asked me to do a logo for her and requested that I somehow incorporate the cherry blossom illustration I did for the wedding invitation project. Since it was only a school project and not for a client I happily agreed. This is the version she chose. I will be making some simple hang tags for her pieces as well as business cards and doing her website + photography.

Watch out Donald Draper!

Yesterday, before frantically running into a meeting, I shot off an email to someone that had posted an ad looking for a girl like me + a bit of advertising savvy. The ad had humor, for which I am Queen, and was far from the average ordinary snoozefest one typically finds when looking for a job. I was intrigued. I couldn't resist. I didn't have time. What the hell, we'll be quick and to the point and we will forgo the traditional professional jargon most cover letters are drowning in (and for which I've gotten no replies). "Good afternoon, I would love a chance to talk about how awesome I am..." and so it began. It was short, sassy (I know, shocking), and to the point. I had a response within the hour.

The email was long(ish) as it explained the potential position and was actually quite interesting. It was the very beginning, though, that had me gobsmacked (a word I personally feel more people should incorporate into their day-to-day conversations). He basically explained that he usually doesn't give recent grads a shot in hell (albeit much more eloquently put), but that there was something about me and the bits of work he saw that made him wonder if I might be something special. I emailed back complimenting his obvious good taste and agreed to meet for coffee. We exchanged a few more emails and during this bout of witty repartee he informed me that I don't write like a designer...I write like a creative director and he was intrigued. He said that he would meet me at my "oh-so-hip coop studio" at a time of my choosing. At my what? Hmmm, it seems that someone was doing research on me while I was doing research on them. Well played, Sir. Well played.

Today we met. It was...fabulous. This might sound strange considering I'm not actually getting the job, but it really was great. You see, I didn't expect to get the job. I don't have the advertising experience it would take for this super crazy action packed 10 weeks. What I did get was so much more valuable. I got someone in the industry, that doesn't know me, telling me I'm talented. I love all of you friends, family and instructors that have suggested it, but this is different. And while I do believe I'm pretty darn good at this stuff, this seems to be the sort of validation I'd been craving.

A lot was said in that hour(ish) long meeting. We exchanged histories that seemed oddly parallel and talked of what I wanted in this crazy industry. He told me that I should go back to school for advertising. He said there are a lot of great designers that can't write copy and a lot of great copywriters that can't design, but that it's rare to find someone good at both. He said I could go a really long way...that I could be an Art Director. Say what? He told me that he didn't think he'd use me for this particular job just because of the intensity of it all, but that he would certainly be sending work my way. He complimented me...a lot. He gave me advice. He gave me things to think about. I thought it might be inappropriate to hug him so I opted for an exchanging of business cards and a handshake.

Hmmm...go back to school for advertising you say...

Taken Under Consideration

Around the time of graduation I submitted my Lexi rebranding project to Brand New Classroom on Under Consideration's website. A classmate had done the same thing and I wanted to give it a shot myself. It's a scary thing. First you have to get them to say it's ok and that they like your stuff enough to show the masses. Then you submit everything you have on it from sketches to photos of the end result. Then you wait.

Finally your turn arrives and you end up vulnerable and exposed as your baby sits out there in cyber space to be critiqued by anyone feeling the urge. They also grade it. I didn't know mine was up yet until I got an email from someone telling me that they don't usually do this, but...they wanted to take the time to tell me how much they enjoyed my work. Really? You like me? You really like me?

I jumped online to take a look and began to read the comments. It takes thick skin to survive in this industry. Not everyone is going to love your work. Heck, you might even be considered mediocre. But there will be some that love your work. People that giggle at something you've done or are actually moved by a piece. There will be people that see something of yours and just have to show someone else, who will show someone else, who will contact you and want you do do work for them. Those are the moments that make this crazy career worth it. Combine that with the satisfaction and the rush of simply doing something you love and you can easily tell the nine people that gave you an F on Brand New Classroom to BEEP the BEEP BEEP.

Here's my overall grade...

And here is a link to my entry.

Call off the bloodhounds

I know I've been missing, but not without good cause. I have been eyebrow deep in all things portfolio (as well as other school related whatchamacallits). I just finished putting together my portfolio. Tomorrow is the last look critique in class and then I have one more week until the portfolio show on campus. I'm not going to give everything away, but...she's pretty gorgeous. These are two of the photos featured within her pages.

Snappy new digs

I've always been pretty resourceful when finding places to do my work. The beauty of being a designer is that most of the time it doesn't really matter where I am or what my circumstances are just so long as I have my laptop. Just give me a power outlet and I'm happy...toss in WiFi and I'm downright ecstatic.

One place I can no longer effectively function is my bedroom. When I moved a couple years ago and lost space for a home office, my bedroom became my studio. As I've acquired more and more things (books, magazines, art supplies, light table, new printer) it's gotten to the point where it was either find a backup plan or start sleeping on the couch.

I was introduced to TENpod a couple months ago and have been enamored ever since. They are a creative services coop comprised of independently owned and operated businesses. They are architects and writers, engineers and designers, photographers and craftspeople. They have two locations and as of last week, I am a member of The Burnside Rocket location. They provide a workspace for each of us (sans a chair) and we share other office goodness like a conference room, kitchen, layout tables, and copier/fax/scanner/printer/robot. I'm told there are opportunities to collaborate on projects which I'm super stoked about (note to self: must network).

I have come to really enjoy the collaborative atmosphere that school has provided. Being in an environment where everyone "gets it" is amazing. Having that second set of eyes is invaluable. I'm still slowly moving in, but when I'm settled I will take a few photos and show you the snappy new digs. Now, let's have a meeting and test out that conference room!