Chuck Green's Design Likes
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Some principles transcend the perplexity of both design and life. Generally speaking, I believe simplicity, transparency, and truth make for better everything.

Sure, what you find here is about comparatively unimportant issues. But I'm always delighted to share connections with people, organizations, and ideas that ring true.

Thanks for your time and interest, Chuck 


Check out my Adobe InDesign Ideabook: 315 template files in 19 different categories
Everything from brochures, newsletters, and direct mail to packaging, calendars, and books (one CD works with both Mac and PC). Use two or three files and you'll pay for the entire book and disc...

 


Tour the studios of three top illustrators


If you have never visited an illustrator's studio, you should try finagling your way into a few. Many illustrators (and designers) surround themselves with interesting art, props from projects, and collections of objects.

For example, when Bill Nelson lived nearby he always had a fascinating collection of posters, sculptures, and illustrations in progress displayed in a way that reflected his style. (Imaging kicking around his basement and coming across one of these guys.)

Here are a few examples that I recently came across on Drawger.com.

Here > Studio tour: Rob Dunlavey...

Here > Studio tour: Matt Curtius...

Here > Studio tour: John Hendrix...

Here > Studio tour: Nancy Stahl...

Here > Studio tour: Particle 17...

Discuss this topic here...


 
I like TV spots that are proactive

Do these spots grab your attention? Yes. Do they show off the product? Certainly. Do they position the client, Sherwin-Williams as forward thinking and tech-smart? Yup. Don't know what more you could ask. McKinney and Buck did a terrific job.

Here > The Bees spot...

Here > The Color Chips spot...

Here > The Birdhouse print ad...

Here > McKinney...

Here > The product house was Buck...

Discuss this topic here...



Meet illustrator David Vogin

When I saw these, I thought you'd want to add David Vogin's name to your list of illustrators. I really like his beautifully crafted photo collages.

Here > Example 1...

Here > Example 2...

Here > Example 3...

Here > Vogin's Flickr Photostream...

Here > Vogin on Facebook...

Discuss this topic here...



Recent Tweets from http://twitter.com/ideabook
and posts from  http://www.facebook.com/ideabookfb

Okay, I associate the word "logistics" with UPS -- now what? http://tinyurl.com/4dz42pq

I point you to this more for the process than the subject -- the idea of illustrating audio with text... http://vimeo.com/20534171

Check out the new Turner Classic Movies website... http://tinyurl.com/637swas

Interesting: CMYK embroidery... http://tinyurl.com/3enhuah

Diego Rodriguez, a partner at IDEO, shares 21 principles of innovation... http://tinyurl.com/cpc57s

The more I learn the less I know.

A tribute to logotype designer Doyald Young from Lynda.com... http://tinyurl.com/4cv72d7

Interesting to see how Dan Saelinger lit these large outdoor scenes... http://dansaelinger.com/blog/?p=1031

If you've ever produced a big print project, you can probably identify with one side of this dilemma or the other... or perhaps both.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxTaBD87z7o



Historically accurate typography


Three Islands Press specializes in crafting historically accurate handwriting and typography in digital form.

For example, the Emily Austin font is patterned after the handwriting of Emily Austin (Bryan) Perry, an early colonist of Texas. As designer Brian Willson explains it, "In her travels, she wrote many letters home - letters that show a distinctively compact, legible hand. The challenge for me in designing the face: resisting the temptation to read and re-read her bossy directives and urgent appeals, all packed tightly together on a page."

I'm just guessing, but 3IP Type Foundry (formerly The Type Quarry) seems that it might be one of those companies that sees money as enabling the work versus money being the only focus. Nothing wrong with making money, but in most cases, passion produces a superior product.

Here > The handwriting of Emily Austin...

Here > Timothy Matlack and the American Scribe...

Here > Penned by Mirabeau B. Lamar...

Here > 3IP's Facebook page...

Discuss this topic here...
 


How to select a typeface

One of the panel discussion at the recent South by Southwest (SXSW, Inc.) Interactive Festival featured four typography experts discussing typeface selection. (SXSW is a set of film, interactive, and music festivals and conferences, the interactive component of which is attended by many in the design community.)

Generally my feeling is, when it comes to typography, that there are very few truths but many religions. But this is session is worth listening to. I especially appreciated Jason Santa Maria's insights.

Here's a breakdown of the recording:
Frank Chimero @ 2:45 minutes, slide 9
Tiffany Wardle @ 13:42 minutes slide 41
Jason Santa Maria @ 19:45 minutes slide 58
Stephen Coles @ 26:35 minutes slide 82

Here > Cure for the Common Font - A Web Designer's Introduction to Typeface Selection...

Here > Frank Chimero's upcoming book...

Here > Tiffany Wardle's website...

Here > Jason Santa Maria's website...

Here > Stephen Coles is the editor of Fonts In Use which I pointed you to earlier this year...

Discuss this topic here...



Quora: A continually improving collection of questions and answers


The burning desire of the search engine heart is to understand "intent". It wants to understand what the user is really after.

Enter Quora. As they explain it, "Quora is a continually improving collection of questions and answers created, edited, and organized by everyone who uses it. The most important thing is to have each question page become the best possible resource for someone who wants to know about the question."

"Anyone can add questions and answers to Quora. They can also categorize questions by adding topics to them, summarize answers on a question page, and edit any question or summary. Duplicate questions and topics are unified so that the content on the site keeps getting better instead of getting fragmented. Users can follow questions, topics and people, which creates a stream of relevant questions and answers for each user. The site is closely monitored and maintained by its users so the quality of questions and answers stays high."

I've only been using Quora for a short time so I can't vouch for the quality of the information, but what I've seen is promising. I have used it enough to know that if you're interested in staying abreast of fast-moving technology, Quara should be on your radar.

Want to see it work? Sign in and ask, "What is Facebook's architecture?" You'll see the many options for discovering answers and leads to other related topics.

Here > Quora questions and answers search...

Here > Some analysis coming from BBH Labs...

Here > More discussion of Quora on TechCrunch...

Discuss this topic here...



From the Ideabook.com Design Store

Tintbook CMYK Process Color Selector: A palette of 25,000 CMYK process colors in print...
Here > http://www.ideabook.com/store_tintbook.html

Color Harmony Guide: From French designer Dominique Trapp...
Here > http://www.ideabook.com/store_color_harmony.html

Communicating With Color: Based on Leatrice Eiseman's seminars on the psychology of color...
Here > http://www.ideabook.com/store_pantone_guide.html

The Copywriter's Handbook: Bob Bly's classic guide to copywriting...
Here > http://www.ideabook.com/store_copywriters_handbook.html

Graphic Design, Referenced: A Visual Guide to Graphic Design: One of my favorite design books...
Here > http://www.ideabook.com/store_copywriters_handbook.html

Getting it Printed: How to wrestle control of your printed work...
Here > http://www.ideabook.com/store_getting_it_printed.html

Design-It-Yourself: Graphic Workshop: How to design logos and newsletters...
Here > http://www.ideabook.com/store_graphic_workshop.html
 
 

About the briefing

I try to remain as objective as possible about the information I share here. Unless I tell you otherwise, I receive no compensation from the organizations and people mentioned except for occasional product samples. Comments? Suggestions? Write me at [email protected] 


Chuck Green