Next time someone tells me art direction is a glamorous job--I'll tell them about the five hours I spent the other day crawling around on a warehouse floor composing shots of industrial tile. Don't get me wrong, I love it, but art direction is not all choosing props and tweaking the composition...

Be well, 
Chuck


How the world perceives you as a graphic designer

This short, by Ellen Mercer and Lucy Streule, presents the Cinematic Portrayal of Graphic Designers in Film & Television.

FYI I'm a Graphic Designer...
Here > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frBO8PkEQPA

Did you notice the nominee title sequences at this year's Oscars?

I'm sure millions of folks who watched the Oscars last week paid no special attention to the graphic design of the title sequences used to introduce nominees. In a case like the Academy Awards, with so much visual imagery, graphic design is like the soundtrack of a movie-you might not notice it, but without it, you'd certainly sense that something about the experience was missing.

But I'm guessing most of the folks reading this, couldn't help but notice the 2015 title sequences, created under the guiding hand of Henry Hobson-they were stellar.

Thanks for Chris Miller for pointing us to them.

This year's Best Picture Oscar Nomination Title Sequences by Henry Hobson...
Here > https://vimeo.com/120316233

2015 Production Design Nomination Title Sequence...
Here > https://vimeo.com/38705523

Partial of the original screenplay frames...
Here > https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B-gJ1rhCAAAIo70.jpg:large

Hobson's bio from IMDb.com...
Here > http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3918746/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Also from his portfolio: The Walking Dead title sequence...
Here > https://vimeo.com/25427990

Hobson's website (and portfolio)..
Here > http://www.henryhobson.co.uk/

An interview with Slate...
Here > http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2015/02/23/henry_hobson_interview_meet_the_man_behind_the_oscars_beautiful_animated.html

Looking for an interesting, fresh typeface?

I wish copywriters would be more thoughtful in their use of the term, "you deserve."

According to some advertisers, their prospects "deserve" certain products and services for reasons no greater than one's ability to draw breath. It's sycophantic.

I used Photoshop before it had colors...

Just kidding-it has always had color. But, believe it or not, it once did not have layers or history. And I recall, with some degree of pain, how long it took me to simply grasp the concepts involved in making the transition from analog to digital in the late 80s and early 90s.

This month we celebrate the 25th anniversary of Photoshop-along with programs like PageMaker, among the most world-changing software applications yet invented. Desktop publishing certainly, completely redefined graphic design, typography, printing, and photography.

To celebrate, let's take a look back...

A history of the Photoshop icon...
Here > http://blogs.adobe.com/photoshopdotcom/files/2015/02/Adobe_PS25Anniv_Icons.jpeg

The Photoshop toolbar (via PetaPixel)...
Here > http://petapixel.com/assets/uploads/2015/02/toolbarchanges.jpg

The Photoshop splash screen...
Here > http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/photoshop/ig/20-Years-of-Photoshop/Before-Photoshop.htm#step-heading

An interesting thread from Reddit-Thomas Knoll (who co-founded Photoshop with his brother John), discusses Photoshop and how it has affected his life over the last 25 years...
Here > http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/2wh6fx/hi_everyone_im_thomas_knoll_and_25_years_ago_this/

From Adobe, a post on the anniversary from the Photoshop blog...
Here > http://blogs.adobe.com/photoshopdotcom/2015/02/celebrating-25-years-of-photoshop.html

About Photoshop in architecture (via ArchDaily.com)...
Here > http://www.archdaily.com/601337/happy-25th-birthday-photoshop-architecture-wouldn-t-be-the-same-without-you-2/

An in depth tribute by Lynda.com...
Here > http://www.lynda.com/25ps/in-retrospect/

From the Computer History Museum: Adobe Photoshop Source Code...
Here > http://www.computerhistory.org/atchm/adobe-photoshop-source-code/

Google is going to start...

(Resume) including Tweets in search results...
Here > http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-05/twitter-said-to-reach-deal-for-tweets-in-google-search-results

If you've been in business for 25 years, you're probably doing something right...

If you appreciate good insights into business and marketing, you'll appreciate The Distance-an online magazine established and sponsored by 37signals (makers of Basecamp).

This is not a promotion for Basecamp. As a matter of fact, the companies profiled are not 37signal customers.

Here, in part, is how Jason Fried, the co-founder of 37signals, introduced "The Distance" in an article from the July/August issue of Inc. Magazine.

"I recently decided to actively seek out private companies that have been in business at least 25 years and see what we could learn from them. We're going to share their stories on a new website we launched (funded by Basecamp) called The Distance. Some of the companies we'll be writing about have been around for 100 years or more. Some are still run by the original founder. Some are run by a longtime employee or a third-generation family member. We have no plan for selling ads or making a lot of money from The Distance, only gathering wisdom."

Just to get you started, here are three companies that have gone "The Distance"...

The Hollymatic Corporation makes hamburger patty presses...
Here > https://thedistance.com/hollymatic/

(The Hollymatic website)...
Here > http://hollymatic.com/

The Horween Leather Company is a tannery...
Here > https://thedistance.com/horween/

(The Horween Leather Company website)...
Here > http://horween.com/

Thermal Bags by Ingrid makes (and invented) insulated pizza bags...
Here > https://thedistance.com/thermal-bags-by-ingrid/

(The Thermal Bags by Ingrid company website)...
Here > http://thermalbags.com/

Jason Fried, the co-founder of 37signals (makers of Basecamp), introduced "The Distance" in the July/August issue of Inc...
Here > http://www.inc.com/magazine/201407/jason-fried/the-challenge-in-business-is-staying-in-business.html

BTW, I am a long time user of Basecamp...
Here > http://www.pageplane.com/graphics_tech/basecamp_a_collaboration_engin.html

How to commit to a creative life

From his new book on creativity, How to Fly a Horse, Kevin Ashton discusses how great creativity requires a moment when you commit to the craft.

How to commit to a creative life by Kevin Ashton...
Here > http://www.howtoflyahorse.com/how-to-commit-to-a-creative-life/

Ashton on the Internet of Things...
Here > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkELZ_JHYlE

Buy How to Fly a Horse: The Secret History of Creation, Invention, and Discovery...
Here > http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385538596/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0385538596&linkCode=as2&tag=ideabookcomju-20&linkId=F5Y44TYBAMVHMRRR

From the files... 

Stumbled on this image I sent to Daniel Will-Harris (some time back) in response to his rather complex origami mailing.
Here > https://scontent-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10959889_951004924932505_3370415433249919426_n.jpg?oh=4cbf8040cd246b0865de1ebff4dee871&oe=558E9FB2
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. I am an affiliate of Lynda.com and MyFonts.com -- that means, if you purchase something from them, I get a small commission. Comments? Suggestions? Write me at chuckgreen@ideabook.com -- Chuck Green