Try These On For Size...

In my last post, I said that I've had a few posts sitting, waiting to be published. Well wait no longer. I've been reading books when ever I have some quite free time (which is becoming less and less for some unfortunate reason) and I'd like to fill you in on what those books are. I know that this posts probably isn't the most thrilling and profound post you will ever see gracing this blog but these books have really helped me in the past few months and I thought you might want to check them out.

So... Book number one in no particular order:
The Visual Display of Quantitative Data - Edward R. Tufte.
Now I already know what you are thinking and yes it is a little "heady" but if you are ever in a position that requires you to understand and create a graph or diagram, this book will help you immensely. It's not the easiest read I've ever sat down with but to this date, it has been the most helpful. Tufte discusses the designers responsibilities to the audience when creating graphs, charts, and diagrams and how to be the most efficient while doing so. I can't recommend this book enough.

Book number two:
Trek, David Carson recent work - published by Ginko Press.
The last book that I suggested was completely informative and purposefully very intelligent. This book shouldn't cause you to walk away with a slight headache and more questions then when you started out. Instead this book offers you short glimpses into the mind and approach of one of the most renown graphic designers in the world (David Carson if you didn't grab that from the title of the book). A great read, terribly interesting and overall, I really liked it. I don't know if it needs to be part of the collection but it sure as hell doesn't make it look bad.

Book number three:
The Graphic Design Business Book - Tad Crawford.
So this book's title pretty much says it all. Yes this book is for all you designers out there who want to have your own business or already do. Basically this book hits on all the finer points of running and owning you own business. The best part about being a designer is that if you are doing any freelance work, whether it is your full time gig or if you moon light to make the rent, you are your own business. This book can be very helpful for any designer out there who is doing more than just showing up for their nine to five and then going home. With chapters like establishing your business plan, negotiating contracts, and taxes; this book becomes your go to source for all graphic designer business practices.

I have a few books that I'm reading right now and I can't comment on the quite yet because I haven't finished them. Two of them are by the same guy that wrote A Visual Display of Quantitative Information (Edward R. Tufte). They are called Envisioning Information and Visual Explanations. I don't think a designers library can be considered complete without these three books gracing the shelves. The other book that I'm reading along side the other two is Understanding Design by Kees Dorst. I haven't made it too deep into this book yet so I can't comment on it as well as I would like but it basically is a book of reflections on being a designer. I'm guessing if you are reading this blog to see what my reflections are about design, you might really like this book as well.

Well that is it for now. Six books should keep any designer busy reading for a couple months so I'll make another post then about more books I'm reading (I'm obviously going to make other post in the meantime but if this is the only reason you stopped by, well now you have a better idea of when to come back). Keep checking back, with the school year rapidly coming to a close and the design community will shortly be inundated by young fresh talent (basically you my readers) I will be writing a post on how and where to find jobs. Until then, Adios

I'm ashamed..

I didn't want to start the new year on a bad note but I feel I owe you, my loyal readers, an apology. I've been MIA lately and for that I am extremely sorry. I haven't posted since early november and I don't even have a good excuse. I've been busy but that doesn't mean that I didn't have a half hour here or there where I could have sat down and posted something. I have a couple really good posts in the works but I need to sit on them a little more and make sure that they are complete.

I was also hoping that my first post for the new year would be an update for all of you to let you know that my new website is up and running. Hoping is the key word in that last sentence. I have run into a few obstacles and it doesn't look like I will be able to get my new site up for a couple more weeks. I will definitely let you know when that happens and keep you posted on the progress I'm making.

Well, that is it for now. Like I said, I'm really sorry to have abandoned you for such a long time. I promise not to do that to you all again. Let's make a deal. You check back once a week or so and I'll make sure to make a post once a week (maybe even a couple if I'm feeling devious). Thanks for a great 2008 and I'm looking forward to 2009!

The Impossible Client...

To everybody out there, I am sure you have worked with a very difficult client. I will bet that each of you could tell me, in a heart beat, the name of your client and the project you worked on that made them go down in your personal history as the toughest to satisfy. It might have been that they were constantly changing their mind or maybe it is that they had no clue about what it is exactly they wanted. Maybe they expected the world and never understood that it came at a price (that they were unwilling to pay). Whatever the case may be, we have all gone through that torture at one point or another.

This may be true but I think there is one client many of you might have over looked. Someone for whom you have done countless work, who is the hardest client of all to please, and they pay next to nothing for your services. I am referring to the person staring back at you in the mirror.

As you might be aware, I am currently in a personal re-branding phase and it has been made painfully clear that you are your hardest client. If you think of this in a logical perspective, this doesn't make a lot of sense. Who else knows you better than yourself? That is the ultimate goal when doing work for someone. Truly understanding who this person is, their likes and dislikes, and what they are trying to convey to those interested in them. The difficulty comes when you are trying to interpret how other people are going to view you. You have to remove yourself from yourself (this is as difficult to explain as it is to actually accomplish) and try to complete work with an unbiased opinion. It can also be difficult for those of us who are closet perfectionist to decide when enough is enough or when to push it further.

You can get around these problems pertaining to creating work for yourself by asking a friend or colleague to assist. If they are gracious enough, they might be willing to do it for free if in return you do the same for them. Defiantly a fair trade because more than likely they struggle with the same difficulties. This doesn't mean that it won't be any easier but you do avoid the problem of designing in a vacuum. Having someone's opinion can be an invaluable advantage when trying to re-brand yourself.

The benefits that can come from doing work for yourself or working with colleagues on your own material can very easily out weight the negatives. Be aware of the questions you are asking yourself, take note on how you respond, and if you would want your client to respond differently. Try asking yourself different questions to see if you can learn more from different methods of questioning. When doing work for yourself, you have the greatest opportunity to experiment on workflow, interviews, and creativity. Don't set to many limits and let yourself explore the usually unimaginable.

Update from Yours Truly...

You may have noticed I've been blogging a little more recently. This is occurring for a few reasons and I'd like to take some time and let you know why. First and foremost, I haven't blogged in a while which means that I have a lot of posts building up in me and I need to get them out before they escape my memory. Secondly, I am making a conscious move to increase my virtual presence and identity. One of the best ways I know how to do that is by blogging. The more posts I have out there, the more I appeal to the masses and touch on subjects they want to read about... hopefully. Lastly, I am currently in a rework phase on my personal website and I've been thinking that I might incorporate a blog into it as well. My personal website blog will not only contain posts from Shades of Gray but other posts as well that you won't find here. You'll have to check it out when it is complete. Right now I'm hopping to have my website up and running by Nov. 13th ... I'll keep you posted on that. I want both my blogs to run parallel to each other with each one touching on certain subjects while leaving certain topics for one or the other. I'm really excited to see how pairing these two blogs together will work.

Since I don't have anything profound to leave you with, I think I'm going to take this opportunity to end this blog with a couple quotes. They are some of my favorites so I hope you enjoy. Both are from Stephen Leacock.

Advertising may be described as the science of arresting human intelligence long enough to get money from it.

It may be those who do most, dream most.

I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.

The "Yes" Man No More...

As a young designer, I left college with the mentality that I should always say that you (my client) are right and yes I can do that for you. I guess I felt that if I said no, that my clients would have their "feelings" hurt or that I would develop the stigma of the designer who couldn't measure up. After having dealt with clients that are either well informed or completely unaware, my stance on being the "Yes Man" has changed. Some people understand design like they understand rocket science. They know it exists but are completely oblivious to the amount of work and thought that goes into some of the simplest creations. It is a completely foreign language that they simply cannot understand. Designers understand the complexities that are inherent when it comes to developing good design from scratch, but "Joe the Plumber" doesn't (sorry... but I had to use this terminology. I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to be like the Pres. candidates!).

I am not saying that you should say No to everyone that comes knocking at your door asking for design. Really, I think you should say that you can work with them no matter what but you need to set certain rules and criteria when it comes to working with people that are uninformed. Expressing your concerns upfront with your client can be the foundation to an open communication and trust. That is usually what it boils down to with people that are uninformed. They need to know that they can trust you to accomplish exactly what they are expecting from you.

This is all great but I haven't really given you a real life example for you to see exactly what I mean.

Let's say you have been doing work for a client for the past three months. The work has been pretty steady and they have worshiped you for the hard work and the excellent designs you have provided them over and over again. You're two days away from the deadline to complete all the elements for their campaign. You agreed to a definite list of deliverables and the deadline is absolute. Now your client wants to add four more pieces of collateral and three more pages to their website. What do you say?

First I think you need to sit down with them and really discuss what it is they are asking for. Make them completely aware of the amount of working they are now asking you to do. Bring your planner so that you know what you have already planned for the next couple days. Ask yourself "is this even close to being feasible" and "how much more work do you want to do for this client?" Obviously you need to let them know that the cost of your services is going to increase because of the amount of work has also increased (In most cases, they are already expecting this but it is best to communicate everything that will be affected by this last minute addition... always best to cover yourself just incase). If you can't possibly complete everything by the drop dead date of a couple days out (which is the probable outcome of your conversation), you need to start cutting desired work or pushing them past the deadline. Create a list of everything you have remaining to complete and say, "what do you want to cut from the list of deliverables" or "what is least important to you?" They need to know that these last minute additions have consequences. Be sure you get them to sign off on a final decision ... again just to cover yourself.

Most of you probably understand why this is important. Like I said earlier, you need to have an open line of communication at all times with your clients. They will appreciate it and communicating with them will make your life ten times less stressful. All this is to ensure that your client doesn't take advantage of you and your work ethic. This is a lesson that they teach you back in elementary school and one that can be used throughout your life. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie is a great book (a children's book but it carries a great lesson within). It speaks exactly to the point I am trying to make but puts it in the simplest of terms. Basically what the book is saying is that if you give in once, the person asking for the favor is bound to think you will give in again and then start to take advantage of you. You should check it out (If someone asks why you are checking out a childrens book, you can blame it on me). Your clients need to know that at some point you can no longer be the "Yes Man".

Check these out...

Lately, many of my post have been about what I've experienced in the past year and a half of working. I know that these insights can be very helpful for many of you who are just now entering the design profession or thinking about pursuing a career in design. Most schools that I know of don't offer a course on the abstract working life and therefore I hope these post have been helpful. It is my hope that you can take from these post what you need to be better prepared for what is inevitably going to come to you. Still, what I've come to realize is that there is so much more out there to supplement what I've been saying since the inception of this blog. So today I'd like to take some time and mention a few of the other sources that have exposed me to valuable information. I'm not saying you have to read or watch any of the following to become successful but it is never a bad thing to be informed about what is out there. So with out further adieu, my list of external sources:

Helvetica (the movie) - Yes, I know what you are thinking. They made a movie/documentary about a font. Not just any font mind you, but possibly the most successful font ever. It is worth checking out to hear what some of the greats say about typesetting and font creation. It is interesting, informative, and unique which makes it a near absolute must (at least in my mind). I'll warn you. If you are feeling slightly sleeping, I would not pop this movie in the DVD player in hopes that it will keep you awake. This is not the action packed documentary like Super Size me but I'm still highly recommending it to all designers out there.

The Art of Looking Sideways - I've blogged about this book before but I really like this book and think every designer should read it at some point of their life (sooner rather than later). Written by Alan Fletcher, this book offers intellectual insight into the mind of a great designer. It covers his inner thought on life, design, art, communication, and so much more. He kept notes most of his life and this book is out come of that. Phaidon says this about it, "An irresistible visual and verbal feast for everyone who enjoys the creative interplay of word and image." Can you think of a better book for designers?

Breaking into Graphic Design - This book really helped me prepare for the interviews that most of you will experience in the coming months. Michael Jefferson is a designer just like you and I. He is young and had many hardships in getting a job. He kept notes on what he felt he did right or wrong and then went back and interviewed those that interviewed him. It is really interesting to hear what some of the top agencies are looking for and how they think you should interact with those who are going to be hiring you.

How Magazine - This magazine is a really useful tool for designers of all ages. There are columns that offer advice to those looking for jobs or are in need of direction for their small design shops. Along with all this, I've found that this publication can be a great place to look for creative inspiration. If you are a little hesitant about subscribing to How Magazine, don't worry. There is a website that offers nearly the same amount of help, advice, and info.

AIGA - I'm am almost sure that most of you out there are already more than aware of this organization. Still, believe it or not, there are some people out there who are unaware of this seemingly invaluable group and this is my chance to inform them. This international organization is the largest grouping of creative professionals. It is a great way to get involved with the design community and develop an excellent network of creative friends. Through AIGA, you have access to endless contacts, great design inspiration, and competitions that can boost you to international stardom (that might be a stretch but not entirely unlikely).

I know there are other pieces of literature and movies out there that I am sure are more than helpful. I thought it best however not to drown you in words all at once. What I am thinking is that every now and then I'll drop post like this that will point you in their direction. So keep a keen eye open for more post like this. I promise that the above and the more to come will help you in some manner. You will never know unless you check them out.

The Economy and a Designer...

The economy is in shambles. It's kind of scary to hear that all the "experts" are saying this is an international crisis. It is no longer just an American problem but the entire global community is facing a financially uncertain couple years. I have no doubt that we all will come out of this with bumps and bruises on our nest eggs but I don't think we (the general public) will be missing any arms or legs. That being said, everyone seems to be cutting cost where ever they can. Some are driving less, cooking meals at home instead of eating out, shopping at Walmart, and reconsidering their everyday expenses. For many business owners this is a very bad trend that could possibly lead to many of them going out of business. However, as a young designer, I am not so worried. I might even go as far as to say I'm secretly smiling.

I was once told that a smart business practice is to spend more advertising money when the economy is on the down and out. Why you might ask? Honestly, I'm not entirely sure but I've been hearing that more and more. Spend more money now to gain a competitive advantage. It goes against the typical thought process of save your money for a rainy day. However, when you sit down and think things through a little bit, it starts to make sense. All of the competition is sitting back waiting for things to get better while you are out there gaining recognition and impressions on your customers. Still, how does this effect a designer. More importantly how does this affect young freelance designers that are just entering the design community. Here is the silver lining in all of this mess that is constantly swirling around us.

As young designers, we are cheap, fresh, and hungry for work. Like I said, businesses are trying to cut cost where ever possible. One place where they can cut cost is by using young freelancers with little overhead costs compared to the large design agencies that are more expensive. This means that there is a lot of freelance work out there. Even more, there are a lot of freelance jobs out there that would normally go to agencies but are now on the open market for all to bid on. What better way to beef up your portfolio than to get a bunch of work from a variety different businesses. It can also be nice because typically, younger designers are not making millions of dollars. Freelance work can pad your wallet and help with paying the bills.

So where does someone find freelance work? Good question. Most of my work has been through my network of friends and co-workers but there are also web sites out there for freelance creative professionals such as ourselves. A few that I know of are: Craigslist, Elance, and iFreelance. I am sure there are more and if anyone knows of any please share for the rest of us to check them out.

I guess what I'm trying to say to those young designers out there is just to sit back, breath deep, and realize that this economic fall out isn't such a bad thing. Take advantage of all the work out there, get your name noticed and who knows, you could make it big.

The World of Freelance...

It wasn't too long ago that I graduated from college. I gave myself about 30 seconds to catch my breath and then I busted out of the cocoon of the college environment and crashed into the real working world. Literally, the next day, I had someone asking me if I was interested in competing for a freelance job. It was then that I realized no one had ever explained anything to me about freelancing. I was slightly overwhelmed. Instead of dragging my heals, I accepted the challenge and landed my first job.

It is hard for me to believe that my school is the only one who doesn't offer freelance 101. Although there were plenty of business courses to take, I took none. I thought my time would be better spent learning how to communicate and understand people. So, today I'm going to offer up a few suggestions that I have learned either the hard way or by observation and discussion.

1. Get Everything in Writing - There is nothing more powerful than something in writing that proves your point. You don't need it to be a physical piece of paper, emails and txt's work just fine too (just be sure to save them ... don't delete them. DUH!). This way if the unthinkable happens and your client refuses to pay, you have documents that will hold up in court.

2. NETWORK - I can't press this more. Knowing people and being visible is the only way you are going to achieve any kind of success. If you are freelancing right now, you probably already know this but some people think work is just going to fall on your laps. It won't. There are plenty of groups and organizations out there that are solely meant to facilitate freelancers. Find them and love them.

3. Rehearse - You will never know what a client is going to say but you can pretend to have the interview with them. It is better to walk in somewhat prepared then not at all. Have your rate prepared, a tentative timeline for completion, the file formats that you are going to provide, and questions about the project you need to have answered. If it helps, get a friend to act like your potential clients so that you can practice in front of people.

4. Look Professional - I know we are all designers and we like to march to our own drum but don't show up in jean with holes in the butt and bed head. Look like you care.

5. Use Good Interviewing Techniques - the simplest of things can sometimes make the biggest impact. Keeping eye contact, taking notes, moving your head slightly and keeping you posture somewhat erect are all good practices. People feel like you are really listening (you really should be listening too).

6. Keep Track of Expenses - It is amazing what you can write off in your taxes if you are a freelancer. Everything from pens to possibly even your car can all be business expenses. Be careful not to go overboard and expense everything you own. The government doesn't appreciate that too much and I'm almost positive it isn't legal.

7. Invoice - A lot of professionals would like invoices for their own records. Provide one just in case. It makes you look a little more professional.

8. Confidence - If you can project confidence and knowledge about the project, your client will be reassured he or she has made the right choice in you. Speak with a professional tone, use good interviewing techniques, and be relaxed are great ways to show this. Make sure that your client leaves trusting you will accomplish what they want. It makes the whole process go much more smoothly.

These are just a few of the things I've realized since entering the professional world. I know there are countless other lessons to be learned and when I experience them, I'll be sure to pass them on to you. If you have anything you think needs to be added, please let me know and I'll append my list. I'd like to get a really long list so your input would be greatly appreciated.

Walk or Talk...

So here is the typical cliche... do you talk the talk or walk the walk? In the context that I'm thinking, neither is better then the other. I'm referring to your personality, your passion, and your drive. I think that all of us (not just designers and such but everyone out there) are one or the other.

The question now is how did I stumble upon this revelation. To be completely honest, I didn't. I was talking with a friend after getting home from the cantina and he made me aware of the two types of people. We were talking about how people socialize (network) in any given situation. There are people that can spark a conversation with anyone and make them aware of who they are and what they are all about. Others let their work speak for themselves.

Let's start with those that are the social butterflies (the talk the talk type). They are the kind of people that you place in the middle of a room with complete strangers and when they leave, not only are they friends with everyone but they have hook-ups (not the Martha Stewart kind... legal) for everything you can imagine. You need to get your shoes fixed or your art sold, they know someone who wants to help them out. Everyone could use to have this personal trait but as designers, this is invaluable. I've said it before but your network is the life blood of you career. The more people you know, inevitably the better off you are going to be. People are always looking for design and talking to their friends about it. Your friends are always going to recommend their friends over someone they have just heard of.

For those that don't necessarily fall into that category (which I'm not sure I do), you fall into the walk the walk group. These people are not the most outspoken in the crowd but when it comes to their work, they live, breath, and sleep it. They believe in what they are doing so much that they think their actions speak louder than their words. This category of people relies on their work to grab attention and bring in business. Not a bad way to do things but you need to have patience and time because recognition doesn't happen overnight.

It was interesting to hear what he had to say. My friend is definitely the talk the talk kind of guy and the more I think about it, i would classify myself as the walk the walk type. Both categories are completely capable of networking and being successful. They simply go about it differently. I'm curious what you think about this. Where do you fit in? Let me know what your thoughts are or if you think things are not that simple.

The Elusive Muse...

Like many of you, my loyal readers, I am an artist. I'm an artist in the strictest of terms and in the loosest. Graphic design is a passion, a hobby, and a life style but so is the fine art world. As with any one involved in the world of art, we draw inspiration from the world around us. Sometimes we passively observe the happenings that surround us and let it guide us as we create and other times we actively search out that defining moment that opens the flood gates of ideas and creativity. Whether you search or wait to be discovered by inspiration, everyone has their own methods of breaking through the barrier.

Personally, I have two separate paths I take when searching out inspiration. The first path I take is just that; literally I leave where ever I am at and go for a walk. I have no destination in mind except that I will inevitably end my walk back where I started. It is easier for me to dive back into my work with what I observed still fresh in my mind. I try not to put a time constraint on my roaming because I'm never really sure if I have taken in all that I can. Still, sometimes the deadlines are pressing and I must gather my thoughts sooner than I may wish so that I can deliver on time. The other path (this time more figuratively), is a pretty common practice amongst the designer community. Music has a way of opening a can of creativity. I've talked to countless designers and others that interact with creative people and in almost all cases they say that music has a guaranteed presence in any setting. Maybe this is the case because music is an art in itself and that fuels the fire for most of us. I can't say one way or another but for some odd reason, now that I've been thinking about it, I think they did a study on it sometime. I'll look into it and report back later on what I find.

Anyway, no matter if you fall into the common or the uncommon, everyone has their muse. We constantly seek out external elements to spur our imaginations in hopes of uncovering something even more elusive to most, originality. The lucky few of us stumble upon it with very little work while others search their entire lives. Unfortunately, originality and creativity goes hand in hand. You can have creativity without originality but not very often can you have the opposite. You're muse is there to help you along the path and push you closer to your inevitable goal. Finding the elusive muse to do that can be the hardest part.

As always, I'd like to hear your thoughts and more specifically, I would like to hear what you do ignite creativity and originality. Shoot me an email or leave a comment and I'll try to get back to you.