I got an interesting email over the weekend from a person visiting CreativePublic.com and they asked me what I thought about this quote, “The big problem is most contemporary design practiced today is not really graphic design, but graphic decoration. – Art Chantry”.
Well, I thought about this for a bit and I have to say I totally agree. Here was my reply back –
“My thoughts on this is that graphic design has become more of a cut and paste world using other peoples artwork and nothing these days seems original. From templates to cheep stock photography, just about anyone with a computer and Microsoft Word can slap images together. With that said, those that do that have no real talent in design, they just think they do. True design comes from inspiration and true design comes from talent. Just slapping images together is truly just decorating, similar to moving the furniture around in your home.”
Now I realize design consist of all types and art itself can come in many forms, but I have to agree with the quote and I really think design has become very cut and paste. I especially see this online with everyone using Web site and Word press templates and those cheap logo sites.
Now some folks probably disagree with me and some that do use these templates can make things look nice, but original artwork seems to becoming less and less visible, especially with all of these Web, logo and print template sites. Design seems to be targeting the cheap and easy with little thought on true design and what your client really needs to establish a good and unique brand.
I think the future for custom design in getting more rare. It would not surprise me if Walmart started selling print and Web site templates. Heck, they will probably sell stock photos and logos too for 50 cents (lets hope not).
Instead of using a regular sized postcard (or other standard mailing methods) to market your design business, did you know you can now create a (2d) dimensional piece to really stand out in the sea of mail clutter?
The creative possibilities are endless but consider:
- A unique shape that suggest your business name: ie; lemon design, flame graphics, etc.
- Try using die cuts, voids or holes to really make your piece pop.
- Use interesting graphical styles (Not just photographic) with your shape, ie; Roy Lichtenstein type dots, a 60′s retro look or a web 2.0 look.
- Consider using just type itself as a message and funky shape.
- Look at using alternative materials like paper, cardstock, cardboard, foam, rubber or plastic.
Often clients will also keep your unique promotion around as a keepsake and conversational piece. I have had a few of these sent to me that are very cool and would never think of tossing them out.
Most importantly, have fun with this, brainstorm with your creative colleagues and design team for a truly unique promotion.
Toastmasters International is a world leader in helping people become more competent and comfortable in speaking before an audience.
Now with over 250,000 members, 11,300 clubs in 90 countries Toastmasters provides a proven, effective program to practice and hone your communication and leadership skills.
I first came upon Toastmasters years ago and decided to attend a meeting. It was a wonderful and supportive group of people who were at all skills levels but dedicated to learning and improving their speaking skills.
The program consists of 10 self-paced speaking assignments – each one building upon the other. You learn skills relating to humor, eye contact, gestures, speech organization, vocal quality (including an ahhhhh and ummmmm counter that often accompany the spaces between words) and overall delivery.
Also, there is no instructor at toastmasters meetings. All speeches are evaluated by your group members. This group feedback is a major part of the learning process.
However, I am not saying this is easy. I remember quite clearly wanting to take every other exit on the road to where my first Toastmaster speech was being held.
But I went and I completed that first speech (after much perspiration!) and found the program extremely valuable and a lot of fun.
For approximately $54 a year it is by far one of the best (in my opinion, the best) communication programs available.
As designers and freelancers we are always verbally communicating with our clients (either in person or on the phone) – so I can think of no better skill to improve.
Check it out:
http://www.toastmasters.org/default.aspx
Toastmasters International is a world leader in helping people become more competent and comfortable in speaking before an audience.
Now with over 250,000 members, 11,300 clubs in 90 countries Toastmasters provides a proven, effective program to practice and hone your communication and leadership skills.
I first came upon Toastmasters years ago and decided to attend a meeting. It was a wonderful and supportive group of people who were at all skills levels but dedicated to learning and improving their speaking skills.
The program consists of 10 self-paced speaking assignments – each one building upon the other. You learn skills relating to humor, eye contact, gestures, speech organization, vocal quality (including an ahhhhh and ummmmm counter that often accompany the spaces between words) and overall delivery.
Also, there is no instructor at toastmasters meetings. All speeches are evaluated by your group members. This group feedback is a major part of the learning process. However, I am not saying this is easy. I remember quite clearly wanting to take every other exit on the road to where my first Toastmaster speech was being held. But I went and I completed that first speech (after much perspiration!) and found the program extremely valuable and a lot of fun.
For approximately $54 a year it is by far one of the best (in my opinion, the best) communication programs available.
As designers and freelancers we are always verbally communicating with our clients (either in person or on the phone) – so I can think of no better skill to improve.
The 2009 edition of Wolda, the Worldwide Logo Design Annual, is now open for entries.
Wolda is the high-profile award scheme that rewards the best logos and trademarks designed throughout the world, and the
only award scheme in the world endorsed by over 100 international design associations and schools (see www.wolda.org for
the full list of endorsers, entry fees, rules and prizes).
Wolda is the high-profile award scheme that rewards the best logos and trademarks designed throughout the world, and the only award scheme in the world endorsed by over 100 international design associations and schools.
I just read yesterday on CNN Money that Gourmet magazine closes its doors after being in business for 70 years. Now I do not subscribe to the magazine myself, but many do, but my point in posting this to show who all is effected by this closure. Not only are the employees effected such as the writers, designers and photographers, but also the printer, the paper company and mail houses too. So a closure of such a long standing business really hurts the economy all the way down the line.
Now there will probably not be a bailout for these folks, but you have to wonder about the state of magazines and newspapers these days with so many closing around the country. Of course many are moving online to save costs, but it still comes down to companies not advertising in these publications, that has been the major downfall for most of these magazines and newspapers. Basically, it goes to show that companies are having a hard time paying those high advertising rates to be in a printed publication. Inflation has driven costs up so high that magazines and newspapers have to charge high fees in order to cover the production costs involved in producing the publication.
Now that is not to say they will not have trouble selling online advertising too. Businesses all over are cutting back on advertising, including my own business. Folks are looking at cheaper alternatives now days to promote their business, for better or worse, it breaks down to how the economy has effected their business too.
I hate to see any business shut down and I wish all the staff and vendors of Gourmet magazine well and hope they all find jobs after this company closing.
For more details, checkout the CNN Money article — View Article
Here are a few magazine and white paper updates CreativePublic.com is offering for free:
Adobe Acrobat 9 Discovery Kit Download the Adobe Acrobat 9 Discovery Kit, and see how you can improve your productivity today.
How to Tame Digital Content – by Adobe
Although digital content can be efficient and dynamic, it also creates new challenges that often can’t be addressed by implementing an (ECM) Enterprise Content Management solution.
DV (Digital Video) Magazine
Information resource for professionals involved in digital video production, postproduction and delivery.
Church Production Magazine The Educational Magazine for Houses of Worship covering Audio, Video and Lighting technologies.
Sexy Web Design – by SitePoint.com
An easy-to-follow guide that reveals the secrets of how to build your own breathtaking web interfaces from scratch.
I am about to reach 40 and have been doing design work for just a little over 19 years now. It has been a long hard journey and continues to be that way with dealing with bad clients, tough economy and the idea that every idiot with a computer thinks they are a professional designer. Just irks me big time!
I find that on a daily basis, the industry in itself is just getting more template based, every site I seem to visit is a darn WordPress modified theme, but still looks like a template. Really, does every site out there need to look like a blog? I think a lot of this comes from the amateur wanna-be-designers, but even some professionals are going this direction. Maybe because clients are getting cheaper and don’t want to pay for custom work.
I recently had a call from a company that was upset that their site design was the same layout as their competitor and he wanted to do a redesign of his site. Of course I quoted him $3,500 for a 10 page site with Flash animation and he emails me back saying he only had $500 budget. What kinda crap is that? It is responses like this that just tick me off about how things are changing in our industry and how people do not value custom work, but they want custom design for a template price. Really, what the heck was this dude thinking, that I would be willing to settle for $10 an hour? I am positive he charges way more than that for his time!
Overall, I don’t mind templates if the client has a small budget or does not care that their corporate identity looks exactly the same as the dude next door. However, to standout from your competition and to get noticed for uniqueness, there is no substitute for custom design. I guess that is why so many small low budget business fail each year, they do not standout from their competition.
Well, that is my rant for the morning. Just so we are all clear, there is a place for templates, I use one for this blog, but it is a blog and not my entire site.
