As a last class post, I thought it fitting to focus on the best and worst identities (redesigns included) of 2009. Many of these we have looked at in class or featured via this blog or last semester's blog (http://blog.lib.umn.edu/atank/3352s09/), and all are great case studies in design and where its headed as we look forward to the next decade. So as you graduate or look forward to the last semester of school, take a trip down memory lane and see what you've already learned...
Somehow this commercial manages to be better designed than 90% of the commercials we are subjected to today. If these were the norm, maybe I wouldn't use my DVR as much. Also, I had that Sesame Street record.
Just sweet. Have some fun, check it out... and ladies, kick those guys' butts once and for all! Good luck!
AOL redesigns its logo by completing abandoning all of its existing identity elements (color, symbol, capitalization) and adding a few new ones (interchangeable background, capital letter, period?). Does it work? More importantly, did it need to be done? Considering the massive staff layoff of the company and serious decline in relevance since 1996, I'd consider it a worthless step to reinvigorating the company.
I sent out a link to the beta of a site I was building for a client. Since it was powered by a CMS, the pages still used dummy content. I got a kick out of the email I got back:
“We love the site, but one thing: maybe our computer is broken, but everything seems to be getting translated into Latin. It just says ‘Lorem ipsum something something’. Maybe something is broken with the site or else do we need to change a setting?”
A great collection of client-designer conversations. Just a little motivation for you to get through these last couple semesters and into the 'real world.' Enjoy! :)
For those of you making 'booklets'– this is a useful and inspiring collection that showcases different sizes, materials, binding methods as well as unique and eye-catching layouts. Remember: there's more than one way to bind a book– and it should be as relevant as the rest of your design.
From the creators of photoshop to the man who brought you I (heart) NY, these profiles are inspiring, informative, and a reminder of where we came from. Unfortunately, no women made this manly list… let's change that for the next wave, shall we ladies? :)
What you need to succeed as a designer is just as much (if not more) about the skills you possess as the values that are instilled in your work ethic. While you're in school, you need to s l o w down and focus INTENSELY on your work, despite all the other things than are demanding your attention. If you want to be considered a designer, you need to do more than talk the talk– you need to invent a whole new style of walking.
For instance,
For more help, please refer to: How to become a perfectionist
What the [Design] Industry Really Expects from Graduates (via AIGA)
20 Tips for Designers to Beat the Recession
