STEPHANIE ORMA :: travel, arts, & design writer » how magazine http://ormadesign.com/blog Writings on arts, design, travel, san francisco and other creative musings... Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:48:15 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 HOW Magazine Article: Designer’s Self-Promo Lands him TV Cameo http://ormadesign.com/blog/2011/12/designer%e2%80%99s-self-promo-lands-him-tv-cameo/ http://ormadesign.com/blog/2011/12/designer%e2%80%99s-self-promo-lands-him-tv-cameo/#comments Sat, 10 Dec 2011 02:02:20 +0000 steph http://ormadesign.com/blog/?p=1192 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

]]> http://ormadesign.com/blog/2011/12/designer%e2%80%99s-self-promo-lands-him-tv-cameo/feed/ 0 HOW Magazine Article: Designing to Your Own Beat http://ormadesign.com/blog/2011/10/how-magazine-article-designing-to-your-own-beat/ http://ormadesign.com/blog/2011/10/how-magazine-article-designing-to-your-own-beat/#comments Sun, 23 Oct 2011 23:26:09 +0000 steph http://ormadesign.com/blog/?p=1166 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.

]]> http://ormadesign.com/blog/2011/10/how-magazine-article-designing-to-your-own-beat/feed/ 0 HOW Magazine Article: The Rhythm of Design http://ormadesign.com/blog/2011/08/how-magazine-article-the-rhythm-of-design/ http://ormadesign.com/blog/2011/08/how-magazine-article-the-rhythm-of-design/#comments Tue, 23 Aug 2011 20:09:22 +0000 steph http://ormadesign.com/blog/?p=923 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:

]]> http://ormadesign.com/blog/2011/08/how-magazine-article-the-rhythm-of-design/feed/ 1 HOW Magazine interview with designers Chip Kidd, Paula Scher, Stefan Sagmeister, and Robynne Raye http://ormadesign.com/blog/2011/05/how-magazine-interview-with-designers-chip-kidd-paula-scher-stefan-sagmeister-and-robynne-raye/ http://ormadesign.com/blog/2011/05/how-magazine-interview-with-designers-chip-kidd-paula-scher-stefan-sagmeister-and-robynne-raye/#comments Thu, 26 May 2011 03:34:33 +0000 steph http://ormadesign.com/blog/?p=763 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.



]]> http://ormadesign.com/blog/2011/05/how-magazine-interview-with-designers-chip-kidd-paula-scher-stefan-sagmeister-and-robynne-raye/feed/ 0 Hardest Workin’ Graphic Designers in the Midwest: Foundry Collective http://ormadesign.com/blog/2011/04/workin-hard-in-the-midwest-foundry-collective/ http://ormadesign.com/blog/2011/04/workin-hard-in-the-midwest-foundry-collective/#comments Sun, 10 Apr 2011 03:06:39 +0000 steph http://ormadesign.com/blog/?p=672 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


]]> http://ormadesign.com/blog/2011/04/workin-hard-in-the-midwest-foundry-collective/feed/ 0 The S-word + Graphic Design http://ormadesign.com/blog/2010/08/the-s-word-graphic-design/ http://ormadesign.com/blog/2010/08/the-s-word-graphic-design/#comments Tue, 10 Aug 2010 03:24:33 +0000 steph http://ormadesign.com/blog/?p=300 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

]]> http://ormadesign.com/blog/2010/08/the-s-word-graphic-design/feed/ 0 Design Writing: The Nightmare Client—YOU (or rather…me!) http://ormadesign.com/blog/2010/07/design-writing-the-nightmare-client%e2%80%94you-or-rather-me/ http://ormadesign.com/blog/2010/07/design-writing-the-nightmare-client%e2%80%94you-or-rather-me/#comments Fri, 16 Jul 2010 07:39:29 +0000 steph http://ormadesign.com/blog/?p=252 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.

]]> http://ormadesign.com/blog/2010/07/design-writing-the-nightmare-client%e2%80%94you-or-rather-me/feed/ 2 Feature Article in National Design Magazine! http://ormadesign.com/blog/2010/01/feature-article-in-national-design-magazine-by-stephanie-orma/ http://ormadesign.com/blog/2010/01/feature-article-in-national-design-magazine-by-stephanie-orma/#comments Sat, 23 Jan 2010 00:28:33 +0000 steph http://ormadesign.com/blog/?p=131 The February 2010 issue of HOW magazine is currently on newstands and in bookstores all across the country. The article I wrote, “Turn Downtime into Playtime” features the awesome work by design firms Flywheel Design, Brand Engine, and graphic designer France Liddell.

DOWNLOAD & READ STEPHANIE ORMA’S ARTICLE (the PDF is 8.9mb so download time is a little slow – but SO worth it!)

]]> http://ormadesign.com/blog/2010/01/feature-article-in-national-design-magazine-by-stephanie-orma/feed/ 0 Are design competitions worth the hefty entrance fees? The lure of the graphic design jackpot http://ormadesign.com/blog/2010/01/are-design-competitions-worth-the-hefty-entrance-fees-the-lure-of-the-graphic-design-jackpot/ http://ormadesign.com/blog/2010/01/are-design-competitions-worth-the-hefty-entrance-fees-the-lure-of-the-graphic-design-jackpot/#comments Wed, 13 Jan 2010 20:27:45 +0000 steph http://ormadesign.com/blog/?p=78 It’s that time of year again – call for entries. Try as we might to escape it, reminders are everywhere: in our mailbox, our e-mail, advertised on our favorite design sites. And all the big players are pushing hard for our attention: Communication Arts, HOW Magazine, and CMYK, to name just a few. Frankly, I personally found the lure too enticing too resist. Last week, I caved in and shelled out nearly $200 on design competition entrance fees. I was even contemplating entering another, when I was suddenly stricken with a bad case of “graphic designer’s entrance fee remorse.” $200 is a lot of money – especially if you don’t win. So with the economy still on shaky ground and clients few and far between, one has to ask: are design competitions the best place to spend our precious marketing dollars?

You have to admit, the idea of your work featured in one of the best design annuals in the country – if not the world, is pretty darn alluring. These are the same books and magazines that were “required reading” when we first entered graphic design school. The ones we spent hours upon hours pouring through (and for that matter, still do), in awe of the incredible talent gracing the pages. And now is the very real chance that our work could appear side by side with the best in the industry. Sounds pretty darn exciting to me!

Sure there are some designers out there who say they don’t care about winning awards or having their work featured in annuals. These are probably the same designers who’ve received tons of accolades in the past…the handful of “famous” designers we all know by name. But as a newbie to design competitions, I’ll be the first to admit that receiving recognition for all your sweat and tears sounds nothing short of being paid the highest industry compliment. Not to mention, priceless PR.

On the other hand, placing too much importance on competitions can be dangerous. If you think about it, winning boils down to a very small jury of people saying they like your work. Congratulations. You are now worthy. And if you seriously need validation from other people to tell you your work is good, well than, therapy might just be the best place for those marketing dollars.

Of course, there’s the most common design competition scenario, “I entered, but I lost.” If your work fails to make the cut, yes, you’re in the hole a good chunk of money. But you also took a chance and invested in yourself. And that definitely counts for something. After all, if you never put yourself in a position for good things to happen, they never will.

I’ll never forget when I was 17 years old and had the opportunity to enter a statewide flute playing competition. I’d been seriously playing the flute since I was about 12. But for whatever reason (nerves, shyness, fear of failure, etc.) I never went through with the competition. Who knows what would have happened…maybe nothing, maybe something great. The point is, I’ll never know. And life is just too short to be filled with a series of regrets for what might have been.

So are design competitions worth their hefty entrance fees? To quote the legendary Clint Eastwood, “…you’ve got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?” Me? I’m a gambling girl. I’ve entered my best work and all I can do now is hope I’ve got a winning hand. Come on graphic design jackpot!
(originally appeared in SF Examiner  5/14/09)

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