Who Are We (Part:18)...

When giants are mentioned, most people tend to think of huge illiterate men hobbling around with massive clubs. That or the baseball team out of New York. This week however, my weekly entry into my Who Are We posts is a giant of another kind. His work is known through out the world and he is sought out for work, advice, and inspiration by some of the greatest people on earth. When I mention his name you will undoubtedly say "Of course.. it was only a matter of time till he was mentioned" or "Who?" If it is the latter of the two, you may want to do a little research of your own. This guy is "designer royalty."

Who is this giant in the design/marketing community? None other than Pat Fallon of Fallon Worldwide. He founded Fallon in 1981 and has seen success in every dimension of the word. Known internationally for their ability to deliver results without breaking the bank could be the key to their success. It could also be that Fallon employs some of the best talent out there and has clients that place complete faith in the work they produce. With clients like Sony, Purina, Time, and NYSE it's hard not to gain international recognition. Fallon has experienced such success that they have reached a level where they can be selective with their cliental. They aren't exclusive because they feel like it. Pat Fallon creates a very personal relationship with each of his clients and that just isn't possible with hundreds of clients.

Pat Fallon released a book a couple years ago named "Juicing the Orange." It was recommended to me by Greg Ness of Sundog (a former professor of mine whose agency has a great blog worth checking out as well). I'm currently reading this book and so far I can't seem to put it down. It's a book that delivers invaluable advice and opinions on the creative marketplace. The insight that Fallon's book provides makes it a must read for any designer of all ages and experience levels.

Check out Pat Fallon and his book "Juicing the Orange." Let me know what you think. As always, if you have anyone you think belongs in my weekly posts of Who Are We, let me know and I'll check them out. You could see them up here soon.

Who Are We (Part:17)...

I started this week off by looking through some of my past Who Are We posts. I checked out their sites and looked through a lot of their blogs. I found myself browsing through Carole Guevin's blog NetDiver (I have recently become a huge NetDiver Junkie) and stumbled upon a designer by the name of Jesse Kaczmarek. His worked looked interesting and jumped out at me from a quick glance. I dove deeper and soon realized that this was not just some lesser known designer. He has done work for clients that would make an average sized design agency drool yet he remains a one-man shop out in New York. Clients like BMW, GE, HBO, Motorola, Pepsi, Porsche, Red Stripe, Sony, Target, and Virgin Mobile don't just come knocking if you're a mediocre designer. They want the best and only hire the best.

Jesse Kaczmarek's designs seem to be geared towards a very simplistic approach while still maintaining a high level of viewer interest. He is able to convey an elegance with a simple treatment of color and direction. Even within a small color palette, Jesse creates vivid, eye catching work that is classy and sophisticated. It is no wonder why these big name clients have gone with him for some of their design work. I am not the first to realize that Jesse is a great designer hidden within the millions living in New York. Google search him and you'll get pages after pages of people praising the incredible work he has created.

Check him out and let me know what you think. I'm always looking for people to add to my Who Are We posts so if you have someone you think belongs up here, let me know. I'll look into them and you could seen them up here soon.

Who Are We (Part:16)...

There are some designers that are well known. There are even some designers with a Wikipedia page. In most cases that I have found, those that have a Wikipedia page have at most a couple paragraphs about their life and their contributions to the design community. This weeks addition to my Who Are We posts trumps that because not only is his work amazing and known all over the world but his Wikipedia page is the longest of any designer I have stumbled across. It's crazy to think but you can almost judge the importance of an individual by the length of their Wikipedia page, but that is for another post.

Neville Brody is a graphic designer, typographer, and art director. He has been in the industry longer than I have been alive. This is a great accomplishment because of all the changes our field has undergone in the past 20 years. Yet he still remains current and an exceptional designer. If you are into the music scene and are thinking about gearing your graphic design career in that direction, this is a man you must know and worship. He has done record covers for multiple artist including, James Brown, The Covenant, Level 42, and many others. His accomplishments don't stop there. He has been an influential component in experimental typography through many different mediums. The kicker, that sets this man apart from most other designers, is that he wrote a book. Big deal you might say because there is a flood of graphic design books out there. His book is different. It is the world's best selling graphic design book with over 120,000 books sold. Not too shabby Neville. In case you are curious about this book it's "The Graphic Language of Neville Brody" by Jon Wozencroft. I haven't read it yet but I just bought it off of Amazon and should be waist deep in it by the end of next week.

Take a look into this man, I promise you will not be disappointed. His work is outstanding and inspirational. Let me know what you think of this man. As always I would love to hear from everyone out there. If you have any suggestions for next weeks Who Are We post let me know. I will look into them and you could see them up here sometime soon.

Who Are We (Part:15)...

I know I missed my usual deadline for my weekly post Who Are We and again I'm sorry (I don't mean for this to be a reoccurring theme!). This time however I had a reason for not posting on Monday. I wanted to start April off with a great addition to my blog. I wanted to add something different and take my blog someplace it had never been. I've explored the western European states, ventured into Russia, and of course, tackled the United States. It seems odd that I have yet to find someone from my neighbor to the north. But no longer because this week I am taking you to the great country of Canada to highlight a designer who is more than deserving of a place in my Who Are We posts.

This remarkable woman's name is Carole Guevin and she currently resides in Montreal, Quebec. Her job title is listed as Chief Imagineer at PixelTable. I'm assuming that this is along the lines of CEO or Lead Art Director because of her success story that I read while researching her. She is taking a company that had been purchased from a conglomerate and reworking it, head to toe, while still remaining connected with the existing clients. She understands that a smooth transition is the key to achieving this daunting task.

But how does all this tie into the graphic design community? Well, besides the fact that she is indeed an excellent designer (which you can see for yourself at her companies website: PixelTable), she is also into blogging. Yes, you're right, last week I also mentioned designer who is a "blogger". Just like Debbie Millman, Carole Guevin is known for both her graphic design accomplishments and her creative blog. Her blog, NetDiver, has been named by leading leading professionals as one of the 42 Design/Tech Magazines To Read and was part of the 100 Websites You Should Know and Use lecture given by Julius Wiedemann. NetDiver offers interesting reads, current design community news, and great designs in general. It's a great place to go when you are in need of some inspiration or you just have a few minutes to spare in-between projects. Check it out when you have some spare time, I promise you won't be disappointed.

Let me know what you think of this weeks addition to my weekly Who Are We posts. As always, I am constantly in search of great designers to research and add to my blog. If you have someone in mind, send me an email or just simply comment. I will look into them and who knows, you could see them up here some time soon.

Who Are We (Part:14)...

It's that time of the week again. I've had a little time this weekend to look around for great designers and I think I've stumbled upon an amazing woman who has contributed a great deal to our profession. Debbie Millman is that woman and this week's addition to my weekly post Who Are We. She is a Managing Partner and President of the Design Division at Sterling Brands, one of the leading brand identity firms in the country. This probably means that she is no longer getting her hands dirty in Illustrator or Photoshop like so many of us designer pawns but she has put in the time and her involvement in the graphic design community speaks for it's self.

She has invested over 25 years in the design community and now heads up a brand identity firm with clients like AOL, Burger King, Citigroup, Miller, NBA, Sony, and Valvoline. This is all very impressive but I think the reason why I'm glad to be highlighting Debbie Millman is because of her blog. Yes Debbie blogs just like yours truly. To be honest with you, Debbie's blog is much better than mine. She is so well respected by designers around the globe that she is fortunate enough to be able to sit down with other designers and conduct an actual interview. These sessions are called Design Matters and she does this live every Friday from 3-4 pm (eastern). She has interviewed nearly everyone that I have highlighted. I only offer an overview of who these people are, and then you have to go out and research more yourself. Debbie gives you the opportunity to hear what these designer greats are thinking. She can ask the questions that everyone wants to know, dig deeper and further into the graphic design elite, and expose some of their tricks and secrets.

Some of her comments out side of the interviews are a great read as well. They are reflections on the design/marketing/advertising world and everything else. I haven't had a lot of time to really dive deep into her blog but from what I have seen, I'm extremely interested and impressed. Let me know what you think. I'm always looking for feedback on my choices for Who Are We. If you have any suggestions on who I should highlight next, I'd love to hear them. You never know, you could see them up here sometime soon.

Who Are We (Part:13)...

The past few weeks I have been talking about designers from either the distant past or my relative geographical proximity so this week I feel as though I should expand on my boundaries a little. In order to do this I am heading across the pond to a island called the United Kingdom, more specifically London. A friend introduced me to this designer over the weekend (we were at a bar enjoying a cocktail at an Irish bar ... Happy St. Patty's day) and so I checked him out and decided I would like to feature him this week. So without further ado, this weeks designer for my weekly Who Are We posts is a man by the name of Kam Tang.

Tang is not unlike most designers out there that like to think of themselves and a combination of artist and designer. A student of both the old and new ways of creating graphic images, Tang is able to appreciate the intricacies of well thought out simple graphic or a elaborate flowing image. With educational training in Illustration from the Royal College of Art, his understanding of design is nothing to be overlooked. His client list is impressive enough to make some large design agencies blush and yet this man is doing it all as a free-lance artist. Just to give you a feel for who Tang has done work for, here is a list of some of his clients. I think you might have heard of a couple: The Guardian, Wired, Arena, Wallpaper, Adidas, Nike, Sony, Gnarles Barkley and the Royal Mail. Not so bad in my book. If your interested in who this designer is you can check out his Wikipedia site. His website is worth checking out but unfortunately there is only a limited amount of art (google images has much more of his work).

Let me know what you think of this weeks addition to the Who Are We family. As always, if you have a designer in mind that you think I should look into, leave a message and I'll check them out. You could see them up here sometime soon.

Who Are We (Part:12)...

I'm a few days late with my Who Are We post and I'm terribly sorry about being tardy. It's been a busy week with very little time to sit down and find a graphic designer that I think you should know about. You need not worry though because I have stumbled upon a designer during my reading that I think not too many people have heard of. Maybe you have heard of him but you don't think of him as a designer. This designer is different from the rest in a unique way. He was born in 1860, back before computers were even a distant thought. He is proof that our profession has been around for a while.

Alphonse Mucha was an artist in the purest sense. Lived the stereotypical life of an artist. He was drawing before he could walk. Born in the Czech Republic in a time where artist were creating masterpieces. This influx of art from the masters into mainstream society gave Mucha only one choice, he must move to Paris. He moved there in 1887 and from there his career took off (in a very loose sense). He had moments of success followed by periods of little work. During this time Mucha was called upon to create a poster for Sarah Bernhardt's play, Gismonda. His design was something completely new and sparked a little movement called "ART NOUVEAU." I'm sure you've heard of the movement but most people don't associate Mucha with graphic design but more with painting. Back then they were more one in the same rather than being separate. From here his fame spread and Mucha had finally made it. He paired up with a man by the name of Champenois and started doing postcards and other things.

He is a very good artist and designer. I'm not sure I can say that he started the graphic design profession but being able to say that you helped start a movement isn't a bad thing to have on your resume. If your looking for a designs to give you a traditional feel then I would have to recommend Alphonse Mucha.

A thing to keep in mind as your looking for inspiration among the design community. You can never know where you are going if you don't know where you've been. I hope you like my selection for this week's Who Are We post. Let me know your thoughts and if you have anyone I should look into, please don't hesitate to send me an email. I promise I'll look into them and you might see them up here on my blog.

Who Are We (Part:11)...

So last week I brought you a young man who is doing amazing work with helping mankind in mind. The week before I spoke about David Carson. He could possibly be the most well known graphic designer in the world. He lives in London. For this week however I would like to highlight America's take on designer royalty. This designer comes from, where else, New York city. Actually he was born in Pennsylvania but has since moved east to the big apple. Who is this man who USA Today calls the "closest thing to a graphic design rock-star?"

His name is Chip Kidd.

He is mostly known for his unique approach to book covers and his ridiculous pace at which he cranks them out. He is so good at what he does that some authors, like Oliver Sacks, require their contracts have clauses in them stating that Chip Kidd must design their book cover. A following like that doesn't come easy. Besides having the lure to attract such a loyal following, his list of authors is just as impressive.

There are a couple of websites that you should check out if your interested in Chip Kidd. First is his website. It has a blog that has some interesting quotes and links to some of his other pages and projects. The other site I will be posting on later in more depth later but you should check it out now. It's called ilovedesign.com and it's from Quark. They're starting to change things up a little bit and I think this site offers a unique mingling of the design community and a social networking concept. There are interview clips with Chip Kidd and a couple other great designers. It is defiantly worth the time to check it out and see what they have to say.

As always, I am interested in what you think about this weeks addition to Who Are We? If you have any suggestions for me, please don't hesitate to let me know. I will look into them and you might see them up here in the future.

Who Are We (Part:10)...

This week I would like to do something just a little different for my weekly post of Who Are We. Instead of focusing on a designer that has already made it and has accomplished the unimaginable. I would like to bring to the forefront an up-and-coming designer (according to STEP Magazine) who has the potential to shock and awe us with his future.

His name is Randy J. Hunt and he is changing the shape of our profession. No longer is it just OK to be a good designer. Now it takes a thirst to be so much more, to do things not only better but different and with on a bigger scale. Randy has done just that. He has started CitizenScholar, SuperCorp, The Amazing Project and many other things. Not to bad for a man young enough to be the son of most of the people I have mentioned in my weekly posts.

You should check out Randy J. Hunt's website and look at what he is doing and what he has started. Many of his works and projects are geared towards helping those that are less fortunate. A worthy cause in my book. Let me know what you think of this designer entrepreneur. As Always, if you have any suggestions for next week or any week for that matter, don't hesitate to comment or send me your thoughts. I'll check them out and you might see them up here on my blog.

Who Are We (Part:9)...

Every week I try to spotlight a designer I think you should know about. It has always helped me with my designs to see what others are doing and to try to understand the design community. Knowing where we are heading is the best way to stay fresh in the market. So it surprised me this week when I was introduced (figuratively) to man who is deemed "the most famous graphic designer on the planet" - Creative Review Mag. I feel ashamed that I have gone this long and not mentioned David Carson as a designer that you must know.

Why can people honestly say that this man has revolutionized the design community and is most likely the biggest player in our field. He has more honors than I could even start to mention, clients that every designer drools over, and his designs are truly innovative. He even has a Wikipedia page (you know you've made it when you have your own Wikipedia page with more than just a little blurb). Traveling to speak to thousands of students and fellow designers is just another aspect to this great designer. There is so much to say about David Carson that I'm going to refer you to just one of the many websites that highlight this man's amazing career. Also keep an eye out, soon I'll link you to an interview with David Carson that I think you will find interesting and helpful.

As always, I am open for suggestion. Let me know what you think of this weeks candidate and if you have anyone you think belongs amongst the greats.

Who Are We? (part:8) ...

This weeks subject for my weekly posts "Who Are We?" comes as a suggestion from a fellow designer that I have had the luck of knowing. We were sitting down over a couple drinks and I had mentioned my weekly posts and asked if maybe he had anyone he would recommend to me. He told me that his favorite designer is a man by the name of Charles Spencer Anderson.

I had never really heard of this designer before my friend had suggested him but I went exploring and to my surprise he is somewhat of a giant flying below the radar of a lot of people. He doesn't have his own Wikipedia page describing in detail his life and his accomplishments like some of the other designers I have mentioned in the past but his list of clients is enough to make your jaw drop. That list looks a little like this: French Paper, Nike, Target, Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma, Coca-Cola, Levi's, Sony, Nissan, Paramount Picture, New York Times, Japanese Monster, Turner Classic Movies. These are only a few of the many that this amazing clients this designer has had the opportunity to work with.

You need to check out Charles Spencer Anderson and all the incredible work that this man has produced. I will promise you that you will not leave disappointed. Thank you to my designer friend who suggested Charles Spencer Anderson to me and as always, I am open to suggestions from you, my readers. Let me know your comments, suggestions, and designers you think belong among the ranks of those that have made it into my weekly posts of "Who Are We?"

Who Are We (Part:7)...

This week's post has come a little late and as I mentioned in the post proceeding this one. I am truly sorry. As mentioned, this weeks post would be worth the wait for I am not bringing you someone from out of the unknown but rather a "Designer" who is possibly the most famous of all. Most in the artistic community would consider never looking at one of his pieces a sin. Who, you might ask, is the designer I have chosen to spotlight for my weekly Who Are We posts? None other than Andrew Warhol.

What can I say about Andy Worhal that you don't know already. His career began in the fifties when he moved to New York. "Whimsical" drawings of shoes are what got him noticed and eventually led him to the doorsteps of RCA Records. There he was hired as a free-lance artist to produce the record covers for the artist on the label. He might have been an excellent designer but his art is what put him down in the history books.

Not many people can put on their resume that they helped start an artistic movement. I would have to think that something like that would be a golden ticket for a job any where. You don't just start a movement if you're mediocre, you have to be good. Really good. Andy Warhol was an innovator that designers and artists alike still mimic his approach to design and art. From cans of tomato soup and shoes to iconic figures like Marylyn Monroe, this designer could do it all.

I think that it is appropriate to include Andy Warhol as a member of the design community for a few reasons. First, he started his career in graphic design/communication arts and then transformed into a pure fine artist. Secondly, I think that any designer is an artist. You do not have to use traditional mediums to be consider a "true" artist. Finally, Andy Warhol has done more for the design/marketing/advertising community than anyone else I can think of. If you can think of someone who tops Andy Warhol or someone you think I should highlight, just leave me a comment and I'll check them out.

Who Are We? (part:6) ...

This weeks designer needs no real introduction. He is by far the biggest name I have chosen to highlight since I began this dive into the graphic design history. I would have to think that at some point in every designers education this man would be brought to the forefront and honored for his contribution to our field.

Alan Fletcher is a graphic design god of his generation. He is from the earlier tradition of graphic design where computers where just a vision of the future and everything was created by hand. Those of us today who are either about to graduate or our careers are just starting to blossom probably have no real understanding for how this approach to design really took place. I am part of that group. From what I understand though, it was not easy and extremely time consuming.

Alan Fletcher's honors and positions are too many to list which should explain why when he died in 2006, The Daily Telegraph described him as "the most highly regarded graphic designer of his generation, and probably one of the most prolific". If you want to see just a few of his great accomplishments, check out his page on Wikipedia. One work of art that I would highly recommend to any graphic designer, or artist for that matter, is the book that he published in 2001 called "The art of looking sideways". It took him 18 years to complete this book and it is obvious that this was his life. There is an interview about the book on YouTube if you want to know more.

I am going to leave you with a quote from his book about design that I have always liked. "Who ever said pleasure wasn't functional?" - Charles Eames

Check back this week. I have some great post coming, I just need to do a little more reflecting on them before I can post them.

Who Are We? (part:5) ...

It is that time of the week again. This is the fifth installment of our weekly dive into the graphic design community. This weeks subject is a pretty big player in the New York scene and it is my guess that if you live within 100 miles of the big apple, you have almost had to have heard of him.

Michael Bierut is a partner of Pentagram, a design firm in New York City. His influence on the design community is obvious through his hundreds of awards and his commitment to leading multiple associations in a direction of betterment. He is a teacher, a writer, a public speaker, but first and foremost a designer. He has held positions as the president of the AIGA chapter in New York and now is president emeritus of AIGA National. He works with the Yale School of Arts as a senior critic in graphic design and has a weekly broadcast on Public Radio International called "Studio 360." All this only begins to brush the surface of what Michael Bierut has done for the Graphic Design community. To learn more about Michael Bierut check out Pentagram. There is a lot of really great work on their site and a great little bio that offers a more in-depth look at who he is.

As always, let me know what you think of this weeks player and if you have any suggestions as to who next weeks spotlight might be. I'm always looking for new people to research and talk about.

Who Are We (Part:4)...

Ok. I know I promised that every Monday I would post about someone in the Graphic Design community that I thought was worth knowing. I APOLOGIZE for faulting on my promise. It has been a difficult week (and it is only Tuesday!) but this week's highlighted designer is worth the wait.

Anyone out there who has had any formal training in graphic design has almost had to have had a little bit of history in the subject. You most likely have heard of Milton Glaser. Now to those of you from the Big Apple. This guy is like a hero. His designs not only re-ignited the worlds affair with New York but his " I 'heart' New York" campaign revitalized New York City, basically bringing it out of the modern dark ages and giving those that lived there a certain sense of self pride. Not many people can say that about their work.

Milton Glaser didn't stop there. He has since gone on to accomplish what most of us in the design community can only dream of. So if you are interested in Milton Glaser, check him out. He is truly an inspiration and a design role model. As always, I would like to hear from you as well. Let me know what you think about Milton Glaser or if you have any other people you would recommend that I check out.

Who Are We (Part:3)...

For the New Years, I thought I would highlight one of my role models in the graphic design community. He is known throughout the world for his role in developing the modern thought of graphic design and more than holds his own in the business world. He has been recognized by AIGA for his numerous achievements, his commitment to bettering the community that our profession revolves around, and obviously his incredible skills.

I hate to keep you in suspense but I thought it appropriate to outline this weeks Who Are We?? candidate before clueing you in on who this remarkable person is. Joe Duffy of Duffy & Partners is possibly one of the most influential players in the marketing and design field. If you haven't heard of him, well... you haven't done your research. His vision in branding is superior to all others and is most likely the reason for the success of his firm. Any design student from the midwest knows about Joe Duffy and every other student should. He is sought out all over the world for the almost guaranteed success of any branding project he is involved in. His designs speak for themselves but the clients speak even louder. To have clients like Pepsi, Bahamas, and Fresco in your rol-a-dex could only mean you are better than the rest.

If you don't believe me, than check out Joe Duffy yourself. If you never have heard of him, look up his firm's website, I swear you will not be disappointed. Let me know what you think. Well, until next time and keep an eye out, I plan to keep to my new years resolution!

Who Are We? (part:2) ...

Well it is time for our second installment of Who Are We. Just in case this is your first visit, this is a once a week post about a designer you should know. Last week I blogged about Peter Jaworowski. Probably a lesser-known designer from Warsaw, Poland who has a great eye for design and work that blew me away. If you haven't had the chance to see his work yet, you should really check it out.

This week I want to speak about a better-known designer that comes from the United States. Her name is Margo Chase and she currently works in L.A. She is the founder of the Chase Design Group. Her story is not a typical one that you hear about when you think of graphic designers and actually is a great inspiration to most aspiring designers out there. Her biography is on Wikipedia if you would like to know more and I would highly recommend reading it.

Margo Chase and the design group that she founded have not had huge corporations like Peter but her list of clients still is outstanding. With her location obviously working in her favor, most of the clients stem from the entertainment industry. Clients like Madonna and Cher have had her do identities for them and Networks like USA and the WB have also used her talents in creating memorable logos for the network as a whole or individual show also.

Her design approach as I see it is a simple elegance that is not only impactful but also clean crisp and well thought out. I have been using her work as inspiration from the onset of my own career and I still am deeply impressed with the quality and clarity she displays in all of her work. Not only does she focus on the basic graphical elements in all of her designs but she takes it one step further by reinventing typography to fulfill the overall design needs.

She is truly a worthy role model in the design community and I think she is a great person to highlight in this weeks edition of Who Are We. I would like to know your thoughts and comments so please do write.

Who Are We? (part:1) ...

Lately I have been scouring the internet searching for new and innovative ideas in the graphic design community. The best way to do this is to search out graphic designers themselves and see what it is they are up to. In the midst of my quest I happened upon a group of blogs who feature graphic designers, artist, photographers, etc. and I thought that my blog could also benefit from this idea. In case you hadn't noticed, I try to share my experiences, my reflections, and my knowledge with you the reader for you benefit.

So from this week on I plan to acknowledge one graphic designer that I think you should know. Sometimes you will have already hear of them, other times maybe not but the more you know about your career and the people involved in it, the better off you will be.

To start off this experiement, I would like to highlight Peter Jaworowski. Peter is currently residing in Warsaw, Poland where he holds a position at Ars Thanea. His designs will amaze you with their beauty, their creativity, and impact. When I stumbled upon his website I was taken back by the powerful elements in use in almost everyone of his designs. His list of awards and recognitions is impressive just as is his list of clients. It is not hard to understand why he has been so fortunate in dealing with big name clients like Sony, Oakley, and Nike. I think Peter is a great person to start this segment with. His work is a great place to look for inspiration when you are trying to create digital beauty. Let me know your thoughts on Peter Jaworowski.