 Greetings -- thanks for subscribing. I've met a bunch of designers in recent months -- through a conference and other various meetings and correspondence -- and want to tell you how encouraged I am. It's easy to get cynical about this business, but the folks I've met give me a sense that most are committed to and enthusiastic about the craft. If you and I haven't met -- I hope we someday will.
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...
Language resources for namingI love to discover new names for organizations, products, services, and domains. In a world where everyone is looking for a distinctive, descriptive, mind-catching name, it is not a process for those who are short on time and energy. Recently I invested a few hours tracking down some better tools. Here is the beginning of a list of resources that will, eventually, be added to the reference section of Jumpola.com. Here > My Jumpola.com links page...Here > Acronym Finder: A dictionary of acronyms, abbreviations, and initialisms...Here > Etymology Dictionary: Explanations of the original meanings of various words...Here > Glossarist: A searchable directory of glossaries and topical dictionaries...Here > Hutchinson Dictionary of Difficult Words: Difficult words and their definitions...Here > Naming Online: Generates names from words and varying formuli...Here > Nameboy: Generates domain names from terms entered...Here > NetLingo.com: Definitions of words from the online world...Here > OneLook meta Dictionary: Search 1000-plus dictionaries simultaneously...Here > Rhyming Dictionary: Add a word and choose from types of rhymes...Here > WordConstructor: Generates new or changes existing words...Here > WordNet: A database of nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs grouped as concepts...Here > WordSpy: Word lover's guide to new words...Discuss this topic here...
If you're a writer, designer, illustrator, photographer, editor, developer, or marketer, the obvious answer is yes. The proof is in the many new studios popping up to specialize in the development of content for the new generation of phones and tablets.
Electric Type, for example, bills itself as a digital book foundry. Here, they provide us with a taste of how some of the aforementioned players have collaborated to reinvent a storybook.
Here > A video tour of their first project: The Jungle Book...
Here > How it was made...
Here > About Electric Type...
Here > Illustrator Nigel Buchanan's portfolio...
Discuss this topic here...
A look at HTML5 from all directionsIn his "Thoughts on Flash" article of April 2010, Steve Jobs makes his argument for why Apple no longer supports Flash - that Adobe's Flash is proprietary and therefor a "closed" platform and that Apple wants an "open" one. Enter HTML5. As Jobs explains it, "...we strongly believe that all standards pertaining to the web should be open. Rather than use Flash, Apple has adopted HTML5, CSS and JavaScript - all open standards." "HTML5, the new web standard that has been adopted by Apple, Google and many others, lets web developers create advanced graphics, typography, animations and transitions without relying on third party browser plug-ins (like Flash). HTML5 is completely open and controlled by a standards committee, of which Apple is a member." That's a necessary preface to showing you the official HTML5 website. I point you to it because of the technology it represents AND for the design of it's logo and icons. Here > The logo and website design...Here > The technology...Here > Thoughts on Flash by Steve Jobs...Here > If you're ready to dig in, check out James Williamson's tutorial on Lynda.com: HTML5: Structure, Syntax, and Semantics (a few tidbits of which can be viewed for free)...Here > When will HTML5 be ready for primetime? This recent article by Stephen Shankland for CNET News ends with the following "...although the HTML5 standardization process is very drawn out, it's not charting some future ideas. More often, it's codifying the present, settling down practices already supported in browsers and used on the Web. So in many regards, HTML5 is already here"...Discuss this topic here...
Meet illustrator Diego PatiņoI was struck, in particular, by the first image I'll point you to - I love the movement and vibrancy of it. Not surprisingly, it was recently awarded American Illustration's silver award in the editorial illustration category. Here > Example 1 (click the image to see it full-size)...Here > Example 2...Here > Example 3...Here > His website...Discuss this topic here...
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
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