Chuck Green's Design Likes
Greetings -- thanks for subscribing.

I have been asked questions about the necessity of a formal design education on many occasions (and again recently) -- I'm hoping some of you talented, seasoned designers will help me provide a worthy answer. (See "Experienced designers: How much design education is enough?" under Recent Tweets.)

Be well, 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...
 
An interesting design idea for your next web design: "cinemagraphs"

Here's a recent, graceful adaptation of GIF animation produced in a collaboration between photographer Jami Beck and designer Kevin Burg. They take still images and add subtle movement in a discreet area of the image. The result is a still image with isolated movement - a very nice effect. (Be sure you wait for them to load fully so you don't miss the effect.)

Thanks to Daniel Will-Harris for pointing us to it.

Here > Example 1...

Here > Example 2...

Here > Example 3...

Here > Photographer Jamie Beck's blog...

Here > Designer Kevin Burg's portfolio...

Here > A brief interview with Beck and Burg on Turnstyle...

Discuss this topic here... 
 

Meet "eating designer" Marije Vogelzang

I find this interesting. I think it's safe to generalize that, in 2011, more people than ever before have the time and resources to spend on design appreciation. So it does not surprise me that all-things-food have captured so much attention.

Which brings me to Marije Vogelzang, dutch artist who bills herself as an "eating designer." It is interesting, yes, but what intrigues me more is how much more important design is becoming to our lives. With less time necessary for basic tasks, the focus changes. It is a good time to be a designer.

Here > An example of Marije Vogelzang's "eating design"...

Here > An interview...

Here > Vogelzang's restaurant, PROEF...

Here > Vogelzang's book, Eat Love...

Discuss this topic here...

 
Meet illustrator Tavis Coburn

Travis Coburn pegs his style as inspired by 1940s comic book art, the Russian avant-garde movement and printed materials from the 1950s and 60s. His gritty technique and unusual subjects are well worth a look.

Here > Example 1...

Here > Example 2...

Here > Example 3...

Here > Coburn's portfolio... 

Here > Tavis Coburn on Facebook...

Discuss this topic here...


IDEO's wonderful Method Cards

This collection of 51 cards represents the many ways a design teams can understand the people they are designing for. They're used to make a number of different methods accessible to all members of a design team, to explain how and when the methods are best used, and to demonstrate how they have been applied to real design projects. New in the design store...

Here > http://www.ideabook.com/ideo_method_cards.html


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

Here is where it's headed -- we've been speculating about it for years: Subscription software...
Here > http://tinyurl.com/3qnzjh8

Cool illustrated floor mats...
Here > http://tinyurl.com/6zfseot

Love the ways Stylo uses the Modern 216 typeface...
Here > http://tinyurl.com/5syw2hh

"If you're not prepared to be wrong, you'll never come up with anything original." Ken Robinson... Thanks Ken, I needed that.

More on unique fold techniques... Daniel Will-Harris points us to Issey Miyake and his Reality Lab team who are clothing made from the equivalent of various three-dimensional shapes ...
Here > http://tinyurl.com/5syw2hh

Brilliant illustration of storytelling by Kurt Vonnegut (via Von Glitschka)
Here > http://tinyurl.com/3zwcx2v

Experienced designers: How much design education is enough?
Here > http://tinyurl.com/6laxpb9


Facebook Studio: A give-and-take dialogue between Facebook and the creative advertising world?

In Facebook's own words, "Facebook Studio is a place to celebrate marketers who are creating and innovating on Facebook. It is a community where you can share your work, get recognized for your creativity, be inspired by your peers, and browse a collection of work that represents some of the best marketing on Facebook."

Ad Age reports, "Facebook executives say this move is a first step in a give-and-take dialogue between Facebook and the creative advertising world. Until now, Facebook has been mostly hands-off with agencies, letting them navigate the frequently changing Facebook waters without a compass."

Whatever it is, it's interesting. Assuming Facebook can maintain the enormous community it has been the recipient of in recent years - it is a platform that creatives must reckon with. Here is a spot for sanctioned conversation.

Here > Facebook Studio...

Here > An announcement from Ad Age...

Here > The Learning Lab...

Discuss this topic here...


One all-beef website

Wow. There really isn't much that can't be programmed these days. A post on the New York Times' Bits blog pointed me to the McWorld - home of a game and story portal for kids.

It really is an impressive production. Lots of colorful, interesting illustrations, innovative interfaces, and, one thing I have not seen (or heard) before, audio rollovers (you roll over a button and a voice tells you what the button does).

My only (long standing) complaint has to do with the fact that Flash is used which means I can't point you to individual pages.

Here > McWorld...

Here > The developers, Creata...

Here > The NYTs Bits blog...

Discuss this topic here...
 

From the Ideabook.com Design Store

IDEO Method Cards
Here > http://www.ideabook.com/ideo_method_cards.html

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 chuckgreen@ideabook.com 


Chuck Green