Chuck Green's Design Likes
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In the United States summer is officially over and students are heading back to school. It reminds me how important it is to embrace the student mentality. Can you imagine how torturous it would be to believe there was nothing left to learn? A good designer heads back to school every morning.

What's for lunch? 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...
 
Meet designer and letterer Jude Landry

I think of "lettering" as the design of a specific group of characters for a specific purpose. (Are you a letterer? I'd like to hear your definition.)

In any case, if you don't already know him, meet Jude Landry. His work reminds me of how often I look at the sum of the parts of a design without considering what it took to get there. Imagine, for example, the work it required to create and puzzle together the examples below.

Good design often looks simple. It is anything but.

Here > Example 1...

Here > Example 2...

Here > Example 3...

Here > Example 4...

Here > Discuss this topic here... 
 
 
A study of tombstone typography

Designer Tom Davie shares an interesting photographic study of 18th and 19th Century tombstone typography.

Here > Tom Davie's tombstone typography...

Here > The full collection is on Flickr...

Here > While you're there check out his portfolio, I like this logo for Venue Gurus, it's very different...

Here > Discuss this topic here...

 
Signage that turns heads

I'm a lover of signage so when I came across Dan Sawatzky's Imagination Corporation I was truly enthralled.

Sawatzky and his crew use their creative skills, craftsmanship, and engineering expertise to produce signs and environments. They design, sculpt, build, and paint -- plus they are experts at using CNC routers (a computer numerical controlled cutting tool) to produce some of their work from CAD/CAM drawings.

There's just enough here to get you exploring - and lots more to see beyond that.

Here > Example 1...

Here > Example 2...

Here > Example 3...

Here > Dan Sawatzky's Blog...

Here > And the Imagination Corporation website...

Here > Discuss this topic here...


The icon icons

The illustration/design team of Elsa Chaves and Tyler Lang are fast becoming icon icons. Their studio, Always With Honor, counts among its clients The New York Times, TED, Toyota, Audubon, and others. They have a gift for condensing ideas into descriptive, hard-edged shapes.

Here > Icons for TED Conversations...

Here > Icons for F8 - in the form of a world map...

Here > Icons for Toyota...

Here > Illustrations for Audubon...

Here > The AWH website...

Here > Discuss this topic here...


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

Nice... generate QR codes in vector formats -- makes sizing large and small easier...
Here > http://qrcode.littleidiot.be/

I don't know these folks but they make some excellent points about the future of direct mail...
The case for direct mail...
Here > http://tinyurl.com/3fa86el

Way too much marketing is done under the assumption that the prospective customer is not as smart as the seller. It's a tired old strategy that, thankfully, is on its way out.

Did you know? Under the law, claims in advertisements must be truthful, can't be deceptive or unfair, and must be evidence-based...
Here > http://tinyurl.com/44vwbo3

This is pretty amazing... 2D Photography Rube Goldberg (via Rob Green).
Here > http://tinyurl.com/5vrpyqm

The book and book italic weights of this typeface are free but I also sprung for Mr. Jones Sr...
Here > http://tinyurl.com/3w4nuzv

Here's a reminder of the investment in time and resources it once required to author and publish a book (1947). (via studiotwentysix2.com)
Here > http://tinyurl.com/y8tkhl9

An interesting slab serif designed by Jonathan Barnbrook at Virus Fonts...   
Here > http://new.myfonts.com/fonts/virusfonts/regime-ot/?refby=ideabook


Idea: A letterhead wrapper

This design got me thinking. Though it appears the designer had the back of the sheet printed with a white on black pattern, I was thinking it might be kind of cool to add a second, decorative or informational sheet to a standard stationery package.

Maybe it's a rich, deep color embossed with a pattern of logos. Or maybe it's a color sheet with a collage of photographs of your product or plant. In either case, it's a sheet that folds around your letter - kind of like stationery wrapping paper. What do you think?

Here > This handsome letterhead was created by Felix von der Weppen...

Here > Discuss this topic here...


A colorful, elaborate animated header

I'm pointing you to Brainfood.com becuase I want you to see their elaborate header and the animation associated with each menu category.

Here > Click "Work," "Services," and so on to see the animations...

Here > 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
 

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