"Make/Think Sketchbook"

In her article "Make/Think Sketchbook" Carolyn Sewell displays her "notes" on an AIGA conference. Instead of writing out every little important word, Sewell sketched the facts that stuck out in her mind.  I do wonder, however, if she drew all of that at the conference or if she came back later and sketched everything. Nevertheless, the sketchbook of notes is awesome; I wish I could take notes like that.

Clothing

Design comes in all forms including clothing. Walking the streets one will more than likely see quite a few t-shirts with some sort of desing on them. Some of these designs or sayings are good while others are just corny. Many clothing companies even put their logo on the shirt and the consumer becomes a "walking billboard" for the company. In his article "Naming Names for Fun and Profit" Ralph Caplin explains how clothing became an avenue for design.

Creativity

Creativity comes natural to some people, but others have to work harder at being creative. However, even the most creative person sometimes hits a roadblock and cannot think of how to design. In this article, Boost Your Creativity, the author gives several ways one can get past the roadblock. His suggestions include changing your environment, asking why, not to be critical of your work, and more. They are easy practical ways to "boost your creativity."  

Billboards

Lately, I have seen some pretty cool billboards. These billboards are excellent marketing tools. The one that sticks out in my mind is a Chick-fil-a billboard I saw in Atlanta. It had cows hanging off the edge and it was really eye catching. There are many other billboards that are 3D and have some amazing graphic design. 

Trends

As I was looking at different graphic design techniques, I stumbled across this article about graphic design trends that are overused. The most overused trend was the use of sun rays. After reading about the different trends, I realized how much I had seen these styles different places. I think they are good techniques and I like the way they look, but there is a problem in the lack of originality. However, sometimes clients request these styles and the designer doesn't really have much choice in the matter.

Punctuation Logos

Logos are such interesting designs. They can be serious, playful, or funny. These logos use punctuation in their design. We use punctuation everyday and it is very creative and fun way to design logos.

 

Design in Print

Graphic design can take form in many ways in print. Restaurants need people to design menu. Other businesses need various things such as brochures, signs, invitations, and anything else they may need. What is really cool about print design is that you can use different textures to help convey the message. While some larger businesses may have a designer on staff, others use graphic design businesses such as Grant Design Collaborative to fill their design needs. Grant Design Collaborative has an impressive array of print design.

Burger King Keeping Up

Many restaurants, fast-food especially, are redesigning their buildings to appeal more to customers. Fast-food restaurants are improving their interior design in hopes of bringing in more customers. McDonald's was among the first fast-food restaurant to do this by introducing the McCafe. Burger King has recently come up with a plan to remodel its restaurants. The new Burger King will be more "futuristic" and "contemporary". In order for restaurants to maintain good business, it is vital that they also keep a contemporary design. The food might be the same, but the environment could attract more customers.

Drawing

I have always wanted to be a good at drawing. While I know I am not extremely talented in this area I would love to learn how to be better. I would love to see something and be able to draw it. Many graphic designers begin their work with sketches; therefore, drawing is essential for them. Thankfully, there are many ways for one to learn how to become a better drawer. One could take classes or there are many online resources as well. Check out this Designer Today article for tips on how to become a better drawer.

3ds Max Design

3ds Max Design is a software program that allows designers, architects, and engineers create a model of their idea on a computer before the project is actually started. This program can be used in interior design so the customer sees what the room will look like in the end. The images created with this software look like real photographs. It is amazing.