December 10th, 2011 Comments Off
It’s not every day that a graphic designer makes a cameo on a hit series on a major television network. But for one surreal day this past summer, Ty Mattson of Mattson Creative swapped his designer tools for a gun, flashlight, notebook, and badge to appear as a detective on Showtime’s hit series Dexter.
Read my full article on HOW MAGAZINE.
image courtesy Ty Mattson
October 23rd, 2011 Comments Off
If aliens from outer space came to Earth seeking to understand graphic design culture, they would no doubt discover an overabundance of well-worn earphones and speakers next to some very cool, creative work. In fact, from design studios to home offices everywhere, the “I-must-work-to-music” freak obsession is quite simply the industry norm. For HOW Magazine’s September/October 2011 issue, I interviewed some rockin’ designers to see how music inspires.
Download and read the HOW Magazine Article.
August 23rd, 2011 § 1
Album art and CD packaging may be a dying breed (thanks to the rise of MP3s), but awesome music-inspired design projects are coming through the speakers loud and clear. In the September 2011 creativity column for HOW Magazine, I speak with some insanely talented folks who are finding ever more creative ways to infiltrate their love for sound into the mix. From ultra-inspired posters and self-promo pieces to interactive paper invites and videos, we’ve tapped some killer creatives to share how music has helped make their designs sing.
Read my full article on HOW Magazine. And check out Kelli Anderson’s paper record player invite below:
May 26th, 2011 Comments Off
I recently spoke with an extremely talented graphic designer who was struggling with a book cover design. She confided, “I’m starting to feel like I suck as a designer because I can’t figure out a solution to this problem.”
“Oh, thank god!” I exclaimed.
She was a bit baffled (and slightly ticked off) at my response until I explained that I literally thought I was the only graphic designer who felt this way. Hours after hours of trying this idea and that idea and still not coming up with a feasible solution feels…well – pretty darn crappy. But now that the, “yeah, I’m not alone!” party is over, the question remains: how exactly do we get rid of this negative self-talk? For help on this matter, I went to the top – the very top: Chip Kidd, Paula Scher, Stefan Sagmeister, and Robynne Raye – to be precise.
Read my full article below or buy the awesome May 2011 HOW MAGAZINE.
April 10th, 2011 Comments Off
Downing tequlia shots, ogling over Mila Kunis, and wanting to be the next Mark Zukerberg – just a few of the things on the mind of a twenty-something guy. But the bygone days of the industrial revolution? Probably not on his top-ten list. Yet, for twenty-somethings Paul Wilkes and Scott Hill, the über talented founders of Oklahoma City-based design firm Foundry Collective, both their philosophy and design style are uniquely rooted in the memory of their forefathers – Midwest hardworking Americans who earned their keep toiling in oil fields, farms, and factories during the industrial revolution.
Read my full article on HOW MAGAZINE.
Image Courtesy FOUNDRY COLLECTIVE
Image Courtesy FOUNDRY COLLECTIVE
August 10th, 2010 Comments Off
I recently helped kick-off a new monthly online series for HOW Magazine which highlights an outstanding design firm or freelance design business creating amazing work. In my article, I profile the stellar Seattle-based graphic design studio, Turnstyle. We discuss their philosophy, work and brazen use of the S-word: the S-word, of course, referring to “style.” Geez, what’d you think we were going to say??
Read the article: HOW Design – Designer Spotlight: Turnstyle
image courtesy HOW Magazine
July 16th, 2010 § 2
Look in the mirror and say hello to the nightmare of all clients—Yourself. Why is it so hard for graphic designers to design for ourselves? In my latest article for HOW Magazine, I offer tips for taming the fire-breathing client within yourself while working on your brand’s website and other promotional materials. Read the full article HERE.
