You can't polish a turd

Well science may prove otherwise, but when it comes to design, a bad idea is a bad idea no matter how much you think you can photoshop it! I'm a big believer in building a strong foundation, so beneath every design is an idea. I don't like empty executions, they make me feel uncomfortable, and what would be the point? They say nothing! A weak idea covered with spirit fingers and glitter glue is still a weak idea. And a shiny turd is still just a turd underneath, no matter how distracting the sheen is, it's still from brown town!

Think before you think. Then think some more. Then design.
It's all about the ideas.

Art and the comic book format

Many a debate has been had about comic art relevancy and whether the creatives of the medium are indeed artists. I'm not here to debate it, I reckon if you say you made art then you might've actually made art! Whether it's good art remains in the eye of the critic! Many comic artists consider themselves to be illustrators rather than artists, but could it be that comic illustrations are just a more focused artistic medium? It's a style, with a particular output. How different is that to a portrait painter working on canvas with oil using pointillism?

I personally believe art to be any piece of crafted work that evokes an emotive response from the viewer. Regardless of the medium! As we move into a digital age we do need to consider new mediums for expression. That being said, this website had a drawing on it that made me laugh and is therefore art...

http://sexybatman.com/

A little late night coding...

I'll never understand why my inner geek kicks in late at night, but all the coding problems that I can't nut out during business hours seem so much simpler the later it gets. Why brain? Why?

I try so hard to stick to "normal hours" but coding always throws that routine out the window. It's a phenomenon I tell you! It's a problem solving phenomenon! And I'm pretty sure it's not just me! The inner geek works in mysterious ways, and so long as it works I'll try not to question it too much :)

the chinook

Ahhh that balmy breeze in the middle of winter that warms your cockles. You know the one... it rolls in right before the stormiest day. It makes funny clouds, it makes you forget to pack your mittens and all your animals act weird. (It's a positive ions thing.) Well we had one today and it was lovely! It wasn't a real chinook, that's a Rocky Mountain exclusive, but we had an Adelaide equivalent. Go you positive ions, go!!

Under promise and over deliver

If there's one piece of advice I can give to designers who are in the early stages of developing a relationship with a client it's to set up expectations for your client that are realistic! I abide by the laws of wiggle room, and I always under promise and over deliver!

If you think it will take you 3 days to finish a project then tell your client it will take 5 days. When you deliver it in 3 days they'll be impressed, and on the off-chance that you get sick, have a computer glitch or take an unexpected day off you will have created some wiggle room for yourself to ensure you still meet your deadline. Keeping your clients happy can be as simple as setting realistic expectations and then delivering up a slice of brilliance :)

self promo for creatives

You want your name out there right? You deserve some buzz and resonance, but how do you generate it? In some respects a good designer can fall into an "if I build it they will come" category. But what if times are tough and you have limited resources to invest?

Regardless of whether things are hectic or just crazy-busy, try to treat yourself as if you were a client. I don't like to let my brand to fall by the wayside. I think it's a bit like a garden and it needs tending in order to grow. If your studio is ever having a quiet patch then invest the time in creating clever and inexpensive promotional tools, update your website, do all the creative things you never have time to do when work is overflowing!

Always smile at strangers! Some of the cheapest promotion is good old fashioned networking. It's important to build connections and develop relationships with people, each one can play a part in your success.

Treat your clients like gold. The relationship you build with one client can be what leads you to meeting your next client. Make sure they are happy campers and they will talk about you to their colleagues and friends.

Maintain a focus on design. Good work is usually rewarded with more work!! So treating each project with due respect and making conscious design decisions can reap rewards for your business.

Build your online presence. Make sure you have a solid website and a profile on all the major sites like LinkedIn, the Loop, etc. Think business connections rather than pure social media! Facebook is still an option, but your actual presence on people's feeds as a business page is hit and miss, so organic reach is difficult, and paid efforts are even more questionable after the latest round of changes to the site's functionality.

Communicate like crazy! Tweeting, blogging, podcasting and public speaking are all great ways to lift your profile as an industry leader or field expert. It's all about the conversation, you just need to start it! Self promotion for creatives can be simple and cost effective, even free at times if you get clever about the way you do it! So what are you waiting for? Go smile at a stranger and blog about what happens next ;)

my latest art crush

I was in Tasmania earlier this year playing roller derby against the Convict City All Stars team, and had the good sense to take some time away from skating and derby-talk to go to see some amazing work at Mona! Thank goodness I did!!!!

My mind exploded at every turn, Mona has put together an exhibition of so much fabulous and thought provoking work and in such a jaw-dropping space!

There was one artist in particular who grabbed me, her name is Del Kathryn Barton, and well, let's just say I've become mildly obsessed with looking at her work!! You might even say I've developed an art crush on her!! Who wouldn't?

Check out some of her figures, I'm completely mesmerized...

   

think first, design later

At the end of every design process there is a human-type creature, who clicks on your client's website, or opens your client's packaging, or files their business card, and experiences your design. So how do we ensure that this experience is the one we want them to have?

Time and time again I hear designers discussing what their client wants out of their brief, almost as if it is their client who is the end user of their design. I'm all for ensuring my clients are happy, but I also know that they are not the end user of my designs!! They're kind of like a middle man, they connect you to their users, and because of their position within the design chain, they also have the power to completely change the direction of a project! This is not anything to be concerned about, providing you keep focused on who you are really designing for!! But how do you maintain your focus?

I like to create a response brief and refer to it throughout the design and development phases. This response brief takes on board the info provided by the client's brief and expands upon it to ensure that we have a complete understanding of the desired outcomes, for the client, their brand, their marketplace and their users. Without taking all these variables into account we are not doing our job properly! It's what I like to call the pre-design phase. The most crucial aspect of pre-design is interpretation and communication. A successful end design hinges upon getting this response right, and this high level strategic thinking is what separates good designers from mac monkeys!!

Next time you start a new project, aim to allocate some time in your budget to undertake a pre-design process. It will prevent you from becoming a mac-monkey which not only ensures a solid outcome for your client, but it can also help to focus your thinking as you create your concept designs. Happy thinking!!

finding inspiration

When inspiration hits I tend to take notice and make notes to refer to when I'm more awake! But what do I do when inspiration doesn't hit?! Well to start with I don't panic!!

 If there's one thing I've learned over the years it's not to sweat over ideas. They always come, sometimes later than I'd prefer, but they always come!! A technique I've been working with for a while now uses the sub-conscious mind. It's really effective and takes very little effort for a lot of reward!

It's as simple as this... 
Before you go to sleep you tell your brain that you would like problem X to be solved. While you get a good night's sleep your sub-conscious works on ideas and when you awake it is up to you to record them! I find they usually start to emerge right when I'm in the shower - doh! So I try to speak them out loud - I may sound like a weirdo but at least I don't forget the idea!!

designing in the rain

After a day of solid coding there's nothing more soothing than hearing the rain pelt down outside :)