Sharing a topic of many of my recent, focused discussions (yes, offline discussions), it was a pleasant surprise to happen upon Dialogue. The premise, as the subtitle reveals, is covering the varying relationships that make up the interactions of contemporary design practice. The back cover teases with a promise of “in-depth analysis of key projects.”
~ Vol. 55 ~
Feast your eyes and your mouse on this edition of Quipsologies.
Not so long ago, on a lazy Friday evening I happened upon Brag!, a book that caught the corner of my eye and reeled me in. I can’t say much as to why, but somewhere between the title, the simple yet loud cover and my intrigue I was entangled for the rest of the weekend.
Are you bragging? Self-promoting? Hiding under a rug?
Is it wrong to brag?
Have more fun, get more action and go online in this edition of Recent Rebrandings.
As I mentioned previously, I’ve been taking a design class. Our most recent assignment calls for us to create a heraldic crest. Now, heraldry is something I’ve always avoided, partly because I associate it with genealogists—the amatuer kind, who are, imho, geeks—and partly because I associated it with mediaeval recreationists who are also ... geeks. And while I may be a geek of one sort, I'm not that sort.
~ Vol. 54 ~
The more the merrier in this edition of Quipsologies.
These days, Americans believe that nearly any task can be done through a “hurry up” state of affairs. The breadth of television programs, such as ABC’s Extreme Makeover Home Edition, have an entire house remodeled or built in under an hour. Other entertainment like Fox’s The Swan has promised physical transformation with the help of surgery, exercise, and diet. Of course, these shows and others operate during television’s compressed timescape, but one thing’s certain, people want results and they want them now. Chances are you’ve worked with clients that want things done on the fly, and when that happens, how do you cope with it? Do you give in, and if so, how do you manage the pressure—have you seen the work suffer? If you refuse to work under a “hurry up” offense, how do you communicate this to the client—or buy yourself more time?
Bring intro back here
I have been working in the design business for 23 years. I started working long before computers were commonplace; my first job mainly consisted of specking type for a cable television magazine. I graduated to drawing picture box frames with a rapidograph, and in an effort to save money on type, I handset paragraphs of copy with Letraset. It wasn’t easy, but I got a secret thrill looking at the finished text and imagining it could pass for professional typesetting. In 1985 I started freelancing. In order to make my rent, I also worked as the receptionist for a nutritionist during the day and as a cashier at the Integral Yoga health food store at night and on the weekends. It took years to make a real living via design, and by the time I was able to start my own business, I had designed a furniture catalog, created political posters for Gloria Steinem and Bella Abzug, and made business cards for my colleagues at Integral Yoga. I loved the variety of jobs, and while scrappy, I felt pride in actually making a living as a designer. 23 years have passed since I first started in this business, and in the last year or so I had begun to believe that I had experienced every possible type of client and every possible kind of client/designer partnership. Maybe it was hubris, maybe it was experience, maybe it was naiveté, but nevertheless, this is how I was feeling. Until last Friday. Last Friday I did something I never, ever, in my wildest imagination, ever thought I would do. Last Friday I yelled at a client.
~ Vol. 53 ~
Bubbly is a word that could be used to describe this edition of Quipsologies. Yet it is not.
