Archive for February, 2011

The personality of typography

By On February 23, 2011 In Advertising, Design With 3 Comments Permanent Link to The personality of typographyPermalink

Selecting the right typeface is one of the most critical parts of the design process. Andrew and I spent the weekend in Asheville with our families, and while I was working on a personal branding project, I vocally lamented the lack of an accessible and appropriate font for my design. I knew the exact one that I wanted, longed for, needed, but the purchase price for the typeface is more than a year’s worth of iPhone bills. My sister stepped in, asking if I needed that specific one or if another might do. She deals with the functionality of the body and I with the functionality of design, so I cut her some slack. But the short answer was no, another wouldn’t do, I needed that one because it was infused with the very characteristics I wanted to express in my layout: bold, but not in-your-face, modern but somehow classic, legible but interesting.

The conversation reminded me of why I love typography so very much. The personalities of individual fonts cannot be denied, and the magic that happens when the right font is paired with the right image, the right tune, and even the right hue…well, friends, this is my heaven.

I can’t think of a better reference for this than the breathtaking spots for EF Language Schools. The spots were featured on Fast Company Design’s site last week and I was blown away by the all-too-rare combination of beautiful footage, meaningful stories, lovely music and incredible typography. The campaign, from cinematographer Niklas Johansson, designer/typographer Albin Holmqvist and director Gustav Johansson, advertises EF, the language education schools across the world. More importantly, they advertise the rush, excitement and unpredictability that can come from learning a new language and being in a new place. And as you’ll see, the typography makes all the difference.

Enjoy these. Paris is my favorite (although Barcelona is a close second). What’s yours?

P.S. That last one is Beijing. Don’t you just want to hop on a flight and go explore the world?

You can check out all of these on Vimeo, too.

On progress and patience

By On February 15, 2011 In Agency, School With 2 Comments Permanent Link to On progress and patiencePermalink

I can’t exactly pinpoint what happened this morning, but something made me miss the working world more than ever today. Although I only spent a single year working for an advertising agency, I find myself thinking about those months and referencing those experiences many times each week. There have been a few key experiences that have directed me to graphic design and The Creative Circus. During my semester in Florence, I took a Renaissance Apprenticeship class and regained my love of fine art after a few years of the slightly-unfocused Duke liberal arts grind. During the summer I spent alone at RISD, I learned that graphic design was a legitimate career path and fell in love with the Adobe creative suite. During my year in advertising, I sat next to designers as they worked and I twitched a little bit, actually on the verge of bursting with questions and input and ideas. I spoke with art directors and copywriters and told them what I was really passionate about (hint: not Account Management, although it was a delightful group of people). And while all of them nodded, several of them pointed me in the right direction and encouraged me to reroute my career. It all adds up. I’m here, I love this, and I am convinced that this was the right move. I am going to be a graphic designer and that just feels very right.

But there are moments like this morning and right now when I feel stuck. While I certainly enjoy the projects I’m working on, it is hard for me to quantify progress. I am not contributing to anything other than myself. I get an assignment, I concept, I sketch and sketch, I make something, revise it, make it better, get it approved and move it to the growing pile of completed work in the extra closet. It feels so cyclical and selfish. And while my peers and I help each other grow as designers and art directors, we have our own agendas and goals. We aspire to be different kinds of designers, and while the common goal is to be good ones, it is hard to feel like we are all playing on the same team.

There were times during my advertising year when I wanted to close my PC (which was probably frozen), put my head on my desk and try not to scream, but being part of a unified team with a focused goal for a client or campaign is what I miss about work. Although I wasn’t concepting the campaign, laying out the print ads or creating the end card for a spot, it was so wonderfully rewarding to see a commercial on TV or find a print ad in an actual magazine or newspaper and know that I contributed to it being there. And know how it got there, the strategy behind the concept, the point size of the text and the last-minute rush to fix something that a normal reader would never notice anyway. It was easy to see progress and measure contribution. I miss that.

I will get over this moment of paralysis, I am sure of that. I have a lot to do, so I need to get past it kind of soon. I am eager to do something meaningful and worthwhile and useful, and I need to remind myself that I am in school to learn how to do just that. These two years are about preparing myself for a job where I can do that every day. I need to be patient and hard-working and focused on this experience and this time, not what I’ve already done or what I’ll do later. Changes and challenges and progress are all good things.

So on that note, I must get back to work. I have a hotel to rebrand.

Care Bear Alternatives

By On February 14, 2011 In Design, DIY, School With 1 Comment Permanent Link to Care Bear AlternativesPermalink

Happy Valentine’s Day, friends! I understand that some folks hate this day for a number of reasons. Maybe you dislike the idea of showering your someone with love on only one day of the year. A relationship is day in and day out! Or maybe the day is too prescriptive for you, with all that chocolate and ideal ideal cut diamonds. Or maybe you don’t have someone to snuggle with this year, in which case I’d encourage you to grab a margarita with some buddies and then bolt to the nearest computer to look at these pictures.

Valentine’s Day is many things for me. It is just another opportunity to hug my husband extra hard, cook a tasty meal, indulge in all sorts of teeth-rotting yummies and smile at everyone. Do you remember being little and selecting Valentine’s Day cards to give out to friends and secret crushes at school? You know, the kind that come in the cardboard box, have perforated seams and generally only come in extremely feminine or extraordinarily masculine themes? Power Rangers, sports stars, Care Bears, baby animals, Pokémon and the gender-neutral Tamagotchi? Because Valentine’s Day is a polarizing day indeed and such separation must be echoed in the graphics on our exchanged paper goods. I think I started to like boys in the fourth grade. That’s the first Valentine’s Day I remember being upset about not receiving a card from a boy I liked. But you know, it probably would’ve been emblazoned with Michael Jordan’s face. And his tongue would’ve been sticking out in true Jordan fashion as if to say “Ha, you sucker! I don’t like you like that but I’m going to give you this card anyway because my mom made me do it!” It was probably for the best, right? Right? I never did get over that whole loving-Carolina-boys thing. Definitely a trend in my crush history.

Anyway.

Part of our assignment for Typography II this week was to design a Valentine’s Day card. This is like asking a chocoholic to have a single Hershey’s nugget. You can’t just have one. It’s an addiction. And so I made several before tearing myself away so I could focus on other homework.

Cards
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Rumi
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Ampersand
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Hey
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Glasses
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So that’s how I spent my pre-Valentine’s Day Sunday. Such fun!

I hope you all have wonderful Valentine’s Day celebrations. I’m off to Whole Foods to pick up some ingredients for tonight’s meal. It’s not a cereal kind of night.

Stumble + Fall: Shades of Royal

By On February 11, 2011 In Stumble + Fall With No Comments Permanent Link to Stumble + Fall: Shades of RoyalPermalink

Given Duke’s victory over UNC on Wednesday evening, it only seems fitting to showcase shades of the deeper blue this week. P.S. Don’t be concerned over the notebooks I chose to feature. We are still married.

Royal
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1. playful printed wedge from kate spade; 2. husbands I had and liked + academics I met and liked notebooks from Archie Grand; 3. punchy chevron pillow from The Inglenook Decor; 4. enamel accent plate from Crate & Barrel; 5. fitted blazer from Madewell

A House Divided

By On February 9, 2011 In Home Life With 3 Comments Permanent Link to A House DividedPermalink

There have only been a few times in our nearly 8-year relationship when Andrew and I have truly, whole-heartedly disagreed about something. Not to say we don’t have little disagreements, like, for example, where to squeeze the tube of toothpaste or how necessary our new rug really was. However, without a question, our allegiances to our respective alma maters is the most controversial of differences.

I grew up in a family of Blue Devils. A particularly basketball-driven family of Blue Devils. My grandfather, Richard Crowder, played on Duke’s 1950-1952 teams, hitting the floor in all 93 games. He was also an Assistant Coach of the Duke freshman team a few years later while he attended the Divinity School. It started with him, I think. A number of additional family members attended for both undergraduate and graduate degrees, enough so that when I applied to Duke in 2004, the number of alumni listed on my application was well into the double-digit range. I grew up loving the school, Coach K, royal blue, Grant Hill, Chris Collins, Mike Dunleavy and his follow-through.

Kids
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On my Dad’s side of the family, six of the six kids who are of college age have gone to Duke. See above for the motley crew. You get the point, I know. So you’ll understand that marrying a graduate of Duke’s archenemy, The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, was a bold move. (I love you, Andrew.)

Graduation
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Of course we can put our differences aside for 363 days of the year, but there are two days in which our unwavering passions for our schools, and particularly their men’s basketball programs, must not be suppressed. Today is one of those days. For the past 7 years, we’ve played the let’s-just-not-talk-to-each-other-today game, the one that spares the supporter of the losing team a conversation with the winner’s advocate, who is likely on the way to the bar in celebration. It has worked well. We are married, after all. But today is different, as it is the first meeting of our teams since we became an official House Divided. Avoiding each other post-game is not as easy since we now share the same home and sleep under the same sheets.

This night will be an eventful and emotional one, I believe. The first of many in our married life. We will likely never watch a Duke/UNC game together, as that might land us in marriage counseling. I have the house tonight for solo-viewing pleasure since the game is taking place in Durham. When the teams play on UNC’s home court, however, I’ll cheer from another spot.

Wedding
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When we have human children, we will respect their allegiances. And of course, if they choose to attend a different University, that choice will be encouraged as well. However, for any children that will not be seeking higher education and whose loyalty is malleable, well, I will do my part to recruit more Blue Devils for the family.

Lucca

Art Spot: Julia Bereciartu

By On February 7, 2011 In Art Spot With No Comments Permanent Link to Art Spot: Julia BereciartuPermalink

Sometimes you discover something, like it but forget about it a few days later. Not so with these gorgeous illustrations. Julia Bereciartu’s portfolio has been in my bookmarks bar for nearly three years. I came across her work during my summer at RISD, also known as The Summer That Changed Everything or The Summer I Slept with Headphones so I Wouldn’t Overhear the Sexual Exploration in the Next Room. But I digress.

Julia is an exceptionally talented illustrator who rocks the freelance world from Madrid. If you browse her portfolio, you’ll find an assortment of mixed media collages, Polaroid photography and illustrated patterns, people and scenes. Her virtual Moleskine of “Watercolor Girls,” however, is my fav. It’s so charming and her character design is an inspiration to this design student. It really takes talent to infuse such a small space with so much personality. I want to write a story about each of these fantastic women! It’s hard to choose favorites since they are all so darling, but here are a few of mine:

Moleskine

Don’t you think that last one’s probably named Greta?

I also love the way Julia presented these in her portfolio. Showing the illustrations in their original home, a Moleskine watercolor notebook, adds to the appeal. A special touch that hasn’t gone unnoticed.

If you want more (and who wouldn’t?), you can visit Julia’s Etsy shop here. Thank you for letting me feature your work, Julia!

The Owl and The Orchard

By On February 5, 2011 In School With 3 Comments Permanent Link to The Owl and The OrchardPermalink

I realize I haven’t written a recap post on my Typography I class from Quarter numero uno. Part of me doesn’t want to haul all of my work out of the (newly organized and very neat) guest room closet slash craft storage area to reflect, and the other part of me wants to move onto bigger and better typographical solutions! I’ll get around to it though. I’ve learned a lot about typography in the past few months. I’ve always thought of myself as a lover of fonts, and a rather picky one at that. I turned down a party invitation because the host used Comic Sans. I know, I know, a COMIC SANS jab! Original! But seriously. That was most irresponsible of the host. Sorry, I shall not attend the fête. Side note: I thought I was a semi-font snob until I met classmate Eric Doctor, a friend who has a few words of greeking tattooed on his right shoulder blade in perfectly kerned Garamond. This is not a joke.

While we covered the very basics in Type I, I was really looking forward to a deep dive into the nitty gritty in the second helping of typography classes. Only time will tell if we’re fed such fuel, but I have enjoyed the first assignment of the quarter. I’d like to raise my hand again here and say that having so much creative freedom with projects still feels like a massive gift. Like your mom gave you $20 instead of $10 at the mall just to see what you’ll do with it. Will you be the responsible kiddo, making a sensible purchase before returning with the change because you know it’s what you should do? Or will you go blow all of it on candy and end up with the highest of sugar highs? And maybe cavities and premature belly flab?

Our assignment was this: make a poster for a band. Consider the band, the people, the sound. Make a name, a look and feel and a poster. I thought a lot about the direction for this and thought that going the angry, raging, head-thumpin’ route was going to make me the kid who went back to their mama with eight extra dollars. Just a little bit too expected. And also a complete mismatch from my personal taste in music, which is of the cute-boy-with-guitar-and-white-teeth variety. Dave Barnes, Matt Wertz, John Mayer and the like. You understand. So I didn’t really consider creating a jock rock band or a Fall Out Boy-type called Integer, and instead landed on a more folksy group. Kinda like The Weepies, whose music, might I add, is outrageously delicious. Meet Arches + Elliot. Band of three. There’s Elliot, of course. Also a petite brunette and a pretty sandy blonde whose name is most likely Grace. Grace, Elliot and…Miller. Yep, I think that’ll do it!

I also wanted to return to my roots, if you can call it that. We’re talking fine art. No Illustrator pen tool or fancy fancy. I’ve actually never done a complete watercolor painting (I’ve always used too much water and made a mess), but I felt strongly that a watercolor look would best suit my band. It was definitely an experiment, but now I’m having a moment with the medium and I want to make a million watercolor things. Stationery and recipe cards and notepads! And a Christmas card! In January!

Watercolor

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I wanted to publicize a concert for the band’s new album I named The Owl and The Orchard. I know I should have an elaborate story for why I chose this name, but here’s the thing: I just really wanted to paint an owl. And I liked thinking about Mr. Owl and his solo life in an exotic orchard of branches whose fruit hangs low to the ground. And of course I needed a venue, so I figured The Orange Peel in my real hometown would fit the bill.

Since it is a typography course, that was an important part of the composition. I briefly played around with existing typefaces before realizing that they just wouldn’t do. It only seemed appropriate to use hand-painted type for this project, and hey! Lucky me! My in-laws gifted me a book on hand-drawn typography for Christmas! It’s called Hand Job. Yes, in-laws and yes, Hand Job. I KNOW! My brothers-in-law will never let me live it down. I got to work on my hand-painted type, drafting a bunch of different versions before settling on a rather simple and somewhat inconsistent sans serif.

Options

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Which also kind of look like playing cards if you arrange them the right way…which got me thinking about designing a deck of cards. Later, later.

Cards

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And there she blows. Arches + Elliot, The Owl and The Orchard. What a fun project.

Final