Chuck Green's Design Likes 
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Below you'll find a link to the transcript of Steve Jobs' 2005 address at Stanford University in which he tells about how he was influenced by typography and how he influenced it.

 

Design is powerful stuff isn't it? It provides a special sense of order that effects people on both an intellectual and emotional level. Don't let anyone tell you it's not important to be a designer.

 

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...
  

All about graphic design for mobile devices

Mobile devices, mobile searches, and mobile commerce are not big, they're huge. How do we design for mobile devices? If you're not up on it, it's time to start the climb.

One source for mobile design insights is Luke Wroblewski, among his many credits he was the co-founder of Bagcheck, Chief Design Architect (VP) at Yahoo! Inc., and co-founder of the Interaction Design Association (IxDA).

I happened on his work through an interesting new training piece on Lynda.com titled, Web Form Design Best Practices (see the link below).

Here > Why Separate Mobile & Desktop Web Pages?...

Here > Mobile QR Code Usage...

Here > On Lynda.com, Web Form Design Best Practices (the listings in blue can be viewed without a subscription)...

Here > Luke's writings...

Here > And a new book: Mobile First...

Here > Can Mobile Search Be as Big for Google as Desktop Search?...

Discuss this topic here... 

Augmented reality and the limitless extensions of design and imagery

Once again I've missed the cruise ship in the sink - meaning I'm so often focused on seeing the small thing, I miss the big thing.

Luckily I'm surrounded by people who challenge my thinking. In this case, my friend Lee Garvey pointed me to the term "augmented reality". (I can hear all you AR freaks moaning, wondering how did this guy get so old being this stupid? I agree.) I've seen augmented reality applications, I just didn't know that's what I was looking at.

For the rest of us, Adobe defines augmented reality as, "...a field of computer science that involves combining the physical world and an interactive, three-dimensional virtual world." You've doubtlessly seen examples like the changing yard lines that are projected on a football field or the caption balloon that points to a particular car on a racetrack and shows you some stats on its driver.

But that, as they say, is the tip of the iceberg. I didn't realize how many folks are already using this technology and hadn't considered how big a role it will play in the design world in the future.

Imagine the countless opportunities this will afford graphic designers. For example, to create a live, mobile brochure that pops up when a passerby points their device at your client's business. And the endless extensions of imagery that will be applied to all manner of applications.

If you thought there were limits to the potential for your work as a designer, a dose of augmented reality will make you think differently.

Here > An overview...

Here > Examples from GigantiCo...

Here > Examples from hidden...

Discuss this topic here... 
 
 
Meet illustrator Chris Buzelli

Chris Buzelli has the unusual distinction of illustrating in oil paint. It gives his subjects a vibrant look yet a soft sense that (I imagine) would be difficult to achieve any other way. Amazing.

Here > Example 1...

Here > Example 2...

Here > Example 3...

Here > Don't miss his blog at Drawger. As shown here, he sometimes shows the process of creating a piece...

Here > A Buzelli profile from Communication Arts...

Discuss this topic here...
 
Critical idea information for graphic designers and marketers

I like this animated presentation for two reasons: First, the information is fascinating. The author cites statistics that point to radical changes in world markets in the future. Second, I like the look, feel, and sound of it. I flows nicely and uses type to emphasize the soundtrack.

If you don't already know Fredrik H�r�n, he is an author and speaker on the subject of creativity (his book like mine is an "idea book").

Here > How is your idea perception?...

Here > About Fredrik H�r�n (the other Idea Book author)...

Here > H�r�n's Idea Book Facebook page...

Discuss this topic here...


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

Top-of-the-stack: Just My Type: A Book About Fonts
Here > http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=271623546205424

Edwin Tofslie's Apple Evolution Poster 2011
Here > http://www.tofslie.com/hey/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/evolution_apple_20111.jpg

Get a free issue of the ever-interesting, must-have newsletter for designers: Design Tools Monthly
Here > http://www.design-tools.com/html/free-sample.htm

Here's the "Form structure" segment of a new training piece titled "Web Form Design Best Practices" from Lynda.com. Good stuff.
Here > http://www.lynda.com/home/Player.aspx?lpk4=91878&playChapter=False

Wow -- flattered by these kind words from Tom White -- one of my all-time favorite lettering illustrators and designers...
Here > http://9surfstudios.blogspot.com/2011/10/pageplane-chuck-green.html

"The people who are crazy enough who think they can change the world are the ones who do." Think Different.
Here > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oAB83Z1ydE

Nice article about the typography of Apple...
Here > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typography_of_Apple_Inc.

In this this Stanford University speech, Steve Jobs tells about how he was influenced by typography and how he influenced it... "None of this (calligraphy) had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But ten years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me. And we designed it all into the Mac. It was the first computer with beautiful typography."
Here > http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903596904576520690515394766.html?KEYWORDS=steve+jobs+typography

 
If you appreciate the nuance of web design...

If you love the nuance of design you'll love (like me) this behind the scenes look at the subtle changes recently made to the Google Maps user interface.

Here > Refocused Design Evolution...

Here > The first post on the design changes is here...

Here > If you like to keep up with new developments at Google, bookmark this page which aggregates new postings from various Google sources...

Discuss this topic here...

 
"In five or ten years, I don't think very many people will be coding to design websites..."

That's a quote from a member of the development team for Muse, a new web design and publishing product Adobe is creating for professional graphic designers (now in public beta).

I haven't used it so I have no opinion about its value, but if you aren't familiar with it, you need to be. Why? Because the barriers to design are going to continue to fall away. To make a living at graphic design we're going to need to be independent thinkers and doers.

I believe that, as the tools become easier to use and proliferate, more and more people with want to design. And that, as the field expands, good design will be more widely recognized, better understood, and the best of it will be more highly valued.

But being a good designer will be more difficult too - it will no longer be enough to simply make our designs look good, we're going to have to know how to make them work well.

In other words, more than ever, we'll need examine and understand the entire picture:

1. What is my client trying accomplish?

2. How can I optimize the content and design to facilitate that goal?

3. What combination of devices, technologies, and messages will we use to draw our audience into the conversation?

4. How will my client keep their marketing fluid?

Yes it's all moving quickly and it can get a bit overwhelming, but don't be discouraged, if you love it, you can find your place in it.

Here > The Adobe Muse website (made using Muse)...

Here > A series of videos that explain the product...

Here > Some anti-Muse sentiment...

Here > Another recent post about fundamental changes in the world of graphic design...

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/graphic_design_referenced.html

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

 
About this newsletter 

 

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