Blog
Are You an Industry Imposter?
No one wants to say “I was wrong” or “I don’t know how to do that” in a professional setting. No matter what industry you’re in, admiting your own shortcomings is really difficult and frustrating. We don’t want to present ourselves as anything less than perfect, especially to the people paying for our services. Why do so […]
Design in the DIY Era
Every time I turn around it seems there’s another site or app making it easy for just about anyone to do their own design work. This isn’t strictly a graphic design thing of course. Sites like Pinterest are filled with tutorials on how to DIY everything from simple crafts to major home improvements and renovations. The […]
A Glimpse Through Client Eyes
I recently had a rare glimpse of what it’s like to be on the other side of the designer/client relationship while working on a freelance project. I wish I could say I had a wonderful experience and everything went perfectly, but unfortunately that was not the case. Rather than going on and on about my […]
Stock Photo Clichés to Avoid at All Costs
You’ve been told not to use stock photography in place of more realistic imagery in your marketing a million times. You may have even gotten really defensive over it, because “stock photos are so clean, so perfect, so BLUE!” (seriously why are so many stock photos the exact same shade of blue?) You may have […]
Terrible Tales of Lost Design Files
It’s a great day! Your branding project is finished and you’ve given your graphic designer final approval. You’re excited about the results and will be able to grow your company in the coming years using your brand new aesthetic. But what do you do now? Hopefully your designer is putting together a brand package for […]
Why Visual Social Media is a Must
If you heard the word “social” ten years ago you probably imagined a group of people talking to each other. Today, you’re more likely to associate this word with social media. You’d be hard pressed to find a brand or an individual that didn’t have some sort of social media presence, whether it be Facebook, […]
Design Workspace Necessities
Odds are you’re reading this during the work day. Whether that means you’re in an office setting, your own home or another specialized environment, you’re probably surrounded by things that help you get your work done. If a doctor tried to work in a lawyer’s office, it would be difficult because the right tools and equipment wouldn’t […]
Recycling Good Designs
It’s an unfortunate truth of creative industries that some really good design work never sees the light of day. There are many reasons for this. Sometimes the project naturally takes a turn, causing the end result to be different than the initial plan, or maybe you have a “client from hell.” Other times, I’ve had […]
What’s Your Designer REALLY Up To?
Imagine this: you recently hired a designer to brand your new company. You have spent time talking with them about the business and discussing goals and important milestones, and now it’s officially time to kick off the project. It’s an exciting time, and you can’t wait to see results, but then they give you a […]
The Beauty of Black and White Business Cards
The combination of black and white is nothing new. It’s been a classic staple in fashion and interior design for ages, and has become even more popular over the past few years. It’s next to impossible to ignore the dramatic contrast this look creates. I’ve been really interested in black and white business cards lately. […]