“On an average day consumers are exposed to six thousand advertisements and, each year, to more than twenty-five thousand new products,” according to Scott M. Davis in his book Brand Asset Management.

We often refer to this onslaught of media and marketing as “the clutter” and we say that good design “cuts through” this clutter, making it easier for people to chose the stuff that they take into their own little system.

As a graphic designer, I (and you other designers out there) have the task of cutting through the clutter. If not, I/we are merely adding to the clutter. One way that this process makes sense to me is to compare it to a filter. Filters work by taking a mass of matter and removing parts that are undesirable. A water filter, for example takes water that is full of, well, clutter, and as the water passes through, the unwanted gunk is kept back sending out only the clean, usable water. One notable dimension of any filtration process is that more goes in the in than goes out the out.

Graphic designers work as a sort of visual filter. We, like everyone else out there, take in thousands and thousands of visual messages each day. But! Graphic designers and other visual communicators are also sending out messages, hopefully relevant ones; the kind that cut through and stand out.

When I begin a project (an identity design project, for example), I begin by learning all I can about the company, the consumer, the product and so on. I take note of what in the mass of clutter is relevant to the project—what colors, ideas and concepts, competition, symbols, icons, et cetera relate and in turn communicate. This is where the filtration system comes into play. In order for my design solution to be effective, I have to start with more visual stuff than I ultimately send out and the stuff that I send out must be absolutely relevant.

The quality of any design solution is dependent upon not only the amount of ‘visual stuff’ that the designer takes in, but the ability of that designer to see in a truly unique way and an ability to somehow store that information in an accessible and “searchable” manner. Basically, in order to be innovative in the way we designers send messages, we need to spend enough time innovating how we receive messages. Doing so will make us very effective visual filters.

At this point, I don’t plan on elaborating on how we can innovate our methods of receiving messages, but I will argue that the really good designers seem to have a knack at such a thing.

If you have any thoughts on how we can innovate our reception of visual messages, please share your thoughts in the comments below.

Thank you!

More info about this project can be found here and here. Thanks!

When I reached the day of reckoning on this project, I pulled all the data obtain on my questionnaire and it totaled 100 people exactly. People from all over the world. That seemed perfect. My hope to get a handful of photos, poems, songs, and other ‘expression’ about hope and or fear was hardly realized and so I canned my plans for that aspect of the design. Funny thing happened though . . .

I decided to go and look at the ‘harvest’ of responses again, to see if anyone else had participated, and I was a bit blown away. Well over 1500 have posted their hope and fears. There are also a whole lot of photos, poems, mp3s, and other art! So, when I say that I am done, I am not really done. I have all this awesome data and most of it is not included in the piece I just finished designing and installing. So what now?

Well, I think I will have to write (and design, of course) a book. And I will! When? I am not sure, but I will. Right now things are really busy for me, trying to finish up my BFA program at BYU-Idaho and working freelance and being a Dad to my adorable Nina. But I will do it! I am already starting.

Anyhow, the process of this was really something. I didn’t track how many hours of work went into the project, but it was a lot of hours. Last weekend, I printed everything out, mounted it to foam core and cut it all out. It took about 50 hours to complete just that task. Then I hung it all in the library, using nails and gaffers tape.

While the project is done, it is not done. Stand by.

I needed a typeface for a print project I am working on and had a hard time finding just the right thing. So I went handmade. Rather than start something from scratch, I took some inspiration from the fantastic form of H&F-J‘s Archer bold.

I am really enjoying the aesthetic of this face. I am not sure of the legal issues of distributing my take on someone else’s typeface. Since I’ve licensed it, I know I can use it, but I would like to make it available for free. More on how I use it to come.

I have been busy at work and somewhat separated from my portfolio and blog. I have some things to add, I just need to buckle down and do it.

So lately, I’ve been taking some really great classes. Information design and 3D graphic design to name a few. These are really keeping me flat out and I am really enjoying it. One of the projects I am working on in my Info Design class is a research/design project which I am calling OnePostcard (read on!).

The project is all about the influence of postcards in our lives. I will be trying to learn about how important postcards are to our society and the individual.

So far my findings are that people don’t send postcards very often, however, they love getting them in the mail! So why don’t we send postcards? I haven’t quite figured out yet. The finished design piece will display my findings and include a number of postcards that can be used to make a number of people’s days better for a mere few cents each (just adhere a stamp and write a few words, drop it in the mail, and bam… happiness in your friend’s mailbox).

Anyhow.. the project is turning out to be really fun. ou can participate by going to www.onepostcard.com.

I will post the project when all is done!

I made this accordion-fold portfolio a while ago and got some good response. This binding worked perfect for a portfolio and could be the right choice in a number of applications. I’ve had a few people ask me how I made it. I’ll do my best to explain it. If you aren’t looking to build a portfolio, per say, this might be a good primer and it is an excellent way to improve your craftsmanship.

What you’ll need:

1. Sketching tools (paper, pencil, yada yada)
2. Neatly designed and printed portfolio files
3. Black core matte board
4. Black book cloth or cover-weight paper (for the bindings; I used paper but in hindsight would much rather use book cloth)
5. 3M Super 77 (or another quality spray adhesive, though I don’t think another quality spray adhesive exists, and always use this stuff in a well ventilated space)
6. Book binding glue
7. A cheap paintbrush
8. Sharp exacto knife (and a few spare blades)
9. Metal ruler

Getting started: make a plan

Your planning for this type of project is essential. If you skip this step, you are going to make a mistake (trust me). Pick your format. In this case, I am going to use something simple, like a 42×42 pica square. In the end, it will be 48×42 picas, you’ll see why in a minute. Now take your paper and cut a strip that you can fold accordion style into a mini version; this will be your road map. On each “page” put a note or a sketch that will help you know exactly what goes where. Tip: you will probably want to do some sketching before hand and you may need to make a few minis before you get the pagination just right.

Designing your pages

I used Adobe InDesign. You can use Illustrator, though I wouldn’t recommend it. Set up your document size as 42×42 picas and give yourself 3 picas of bleed on all four sides. (Note: you will probably want to uncheck facing pages in the InDesign “new document” dialog.) Set up your grid and design away. Keep your “road map” handy and let it be your guide. Try to make sure the bleed goes all the way to the edge of the document bleed area, this will make trimming much easier. Print your pages (with crop marks!) and set them aside. Tip: when choosing paper, keep in mind that what you’ve printed out will not get folded and will be spray mounted to matte board, so an uncoated cover is a pretty safe bet.

Mounting

Using the Super 77, spray mount the first half of your pages to the black matte board (basically, all the “front” sides when the accordion book is expanded). Using your exacto and ruler, cut out each ‘page’ that is fixed to a board. (Tip: this may seem tough with your knife, but just be sure you have a fresh blade. Use even pressure and expect three or four slices before you’ve cut through the entire matte board. DO NOT try to cut your matte board in one, monster power slice, you may loose a finger!)

Now, for the back sides, cut out the unmounted pages in the same way. If you’re having trouble cutting the paper with one slice, you definitely need a new blade! Using your mini road map as your guide (check, double check and triple check for each one), spray mount the remaining pages to the appropriate boards. Be super careful here! Spray, line up two corners and stick it on, pushing out any bubbles.

Next you are going to cut the top and bottom bleeds off with your exacto. Leave the sides as they will be a place for the binding to adhere to. This will leave you with a stack of boards, designs mounted, that measure 48 picas wide and 42 picas tall.

Binding

Cut out the book cloth or black paper into strips that are about 7 picas wide and 48 picas tall (you want a little extra to hang off the top and bottom, we’ll remove it later). You will need two strips for each fold. You will also need two end finishers, probably only about 6p6 wide by 48 picas tall.

Take your book binding glue and carefully brush it onto the back of one strip. You will want to cover the entire 3-pica bleed on each joining end. This will leave a space of one pica between each board, allowing the book fold. Keep everything square. Your attention to this detail will make a big difference, especially if you have a lot of pages. It is easiest if you lay out all the boards and glue the binding strips to one side, let it dry, flip it and glue the other side. Glue the end strips, wrapping the strips around the outside edge of your first and last board.

Finishing

Take each “tab” off each binding with your exacto. Fold it, unfold it, refold it and so on. It may take a little breaking in. It is often a good idea to place your folded book below a nice heavy stack of books.

This piece will last a long time, even longer if you used book cloth for the binding. There a many applications for this binding. Get creative and don’t limit yourself with these instructions; make it your own. You will find that people will want to hold it and turn the pages, forcing them to admire the content of your fancy new accordion bound presentation.

I have been ‘designing graphics’ now for the past eight-or-so years, and professionally since 2005. I’ve worked in a variety of circumstances from in-house at a startup leading the creative team, to freelancing and heading up a handful of projects for a handful of clients at one time. Each method has its strengths and weaknesses and it would be foolish to say that one is better than the other for a company or a creative team. It comes down to preference and ultimately, the needs of everyone involved.

Companies all over the world hire a workforce of designers, copywriters and other creatives to make an in-house marketing or creative department. By hiring and then having the creatives on hand, the company can quickly and easily get things done in the realm of brand management, new product creation, visual communication and so on. This resource, however, may come at a cost if the company in question doesn’t have a constant need. Keeping these creatives on payroll with twiddling thumbs half the time can really eat up what could otherwise be a healthy bonus for everyone else. Still, if this company has a qualified and efficient marketing or creative director, he or she can keep his or her army of right-brained warriors in the trenches of creation rather than in the barracks of blogs, Facebook and font identification games (I’ve been there. It’s ridden with guilt.).

Another thing to consider with the in-house model is how limber the creative army is. My experience with working on an endless que of projects with the same big idea, the same brand, the same color scheme and one overall message to communicate is that my creative mind develops a little ‘flab’, if you will. Sometimes it can get plain boring. Not to say that there isn’t value in a team that does one thing really well.

Many companies either have a little less need or a little more gusto and insist on hiring firms and freelancers from the outside to provide a gamut of design needs. The really successful companies generally have a person on the inside (someone with experience in the creative side of business) to keep this exchange of creative product buzzing nicely. At any rate, the product that buzzes into play for these companies is often the award-winning, conversion-earning, president-and-CEO-pleasing stuff. It’s no secret that hiring out can often give a company and brand the punch it craves.

Many people fear this type of relationship, especially noting that in-housers take home a lower hourly rate than the firm or freelancer does. One thing that many decision makers fail to realize is that being an outside contractor is competitive and we (I happen to be one of these freelancers) often have incentives to make our workflows efficient, our rates reasonable and in the end, our clients happy. And while some projects may fetch a hefty price tag out-of-house, my experience is that most can save a company some money and a long-term commitment.

One of the reasons I love to do freelance is because it keeps the quiver sharp. While designing a website for a homebuilder, I may be crafting a logo for a pharmaceutical and designing a poster for a band and building a package for a sporting goods manufacturer. Almost any designer will tell you that the best way to keep things fresh is to step away from a project for a time. Stepping in and out of projects proves to keep me feeling like my work is objective and versatile—in the end fitting the client just right.

It may be tough for any company to make a choice between in-house and out-sourced design. Companies who value their brand and want to ensure that their collateral says the right things first seek a little consulting. Talk to other businesses in your market/industry about their designers. When hiring a designer or firm, be sure to request a design audit and strategy. Listen closely and hire a candidate that understands your needs and can deliver a product that has something more than just “hey, that looks neato!”

Everyday, I wake up and go to work, open my email and my task management software and begin whittling away at the projects in the que. I love my work and am constantly striving to improve the quality of my work and my own capacity to create. One technique that helps me keep my creative mind limber is to turn off the que and do something for myself.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the challenge that comes with doing any freelance project. The process defining and solving the problem in a creative and effective way is what keeps me going. But I feel that it is very important to break away from the needs of clients and work on my own problems, in a sense.

Recently, I took it upon myself to create a valentines gift for my wife. Knowing that she has been wanting me to get a little more exercise—for my own good, and for hers, I suppose—I set out to create a set of workout coupons. The concept was simple: about four books of coupons for running, pushups, sit-ups, etc., now to solving the problem. It was relaxing to skip the formal ‘client review’ stages, seeing that I was the client this time. Work moved quickly and I truly enjoyed crafting the coupons, the book covers and the box that they all sat in, striving to make this the kind of project I would be proud to show.

These types of projects really can be a sort of “designer’s therapy.” While it may be hard to find opportunities to do some self-made projects, some easy excuses include gifts for others, self branding and promotion (websites, business cards, thank you cards and so on), or some kind of propaganda.

Unfortunately, these types of projects don’t usually pay the bills (self promotion obviously can turn into profits), but keeping the quiver sharp really does have it’s paybacks. And hey, it feels pretty good to make something cool and keep it for yourself.

These days, all my creative energy is funneled toward one very specific vein of creativity: visual. As a graphic designer, I am always looking (and paying close attention) at art, design, textures, type, color, patterns, advertisements, opening credits and nearly everything visual. But this isn’t the end of my creative observation, nor is graphic design the end of my creative expression.

I’ve said it before, there is a lot of value in doing one thing and doing it well. Still, doing that one thing may start to suffer if it really is the only thing you do. As a creative professional—even one with a specialty—it is essential to allow one’s self to absorb more than that one thing to which one specializes in (whew!). I guess what I am trying to say is that creative energy (if you will) flows from so many places; it would be foolish to aimlessly create without letting that influence seep in.

Graphic design and visual art is not where my “creative career” began. In fact, I was always a terrible artist as a child (not that it ever stopped me). I began as a musician. I learned to play the drums when I was a kid and later the guitar. I played in bands, performed and wrote music, made recordings and was always working to polish those skills. In order to improve as a songwriter and musician, I, with my friends, would listen to music with a picky ear, looking for masters of their art. And to this day, music is a big part of my daily life; although I listen much, much more than I write or play anymore.

In high school I took film studies and video production classes and developed a love for film. I never became a great film maker, though I wanted to for a long time, but to this day I consider myself a great film watcher.

Now days, I spend most of my time making visual art and graphic design. I take the occasional photo, make a short every once and a while and even pull out the guitar and sing some of my old ‘hits’. I feel good about that. I feel that I have sort of ‘fallen’ into my place as an artist. Yet I cannot ignore the influence that other mediums of art have played in my selection of this focus, nor do I avoid absorbing the context that comes from an eclectic collection of creative hobbies.

All art is better understood when placed in context. It makes sense, then that art is better created when created in context. As we take in good art from a variety of veins—good books, good music, good films, good painting, etc.—we as artists can put our art into the context of our culture, something that can make all the difference in the realm of graphic design.

As I got to know the students in one of my foundations art classes, I wondered if those with obviously shallow tastes in entertainment would make it to the upper division courses. Just as I supposed, most of the less culturally aware found it hard to stick with it. Not to say that I am “Mister Culture”, but I do try to be selective and I feel that it has helped me succeed.