Another Y-Conference is said and done, and I have to say it was FANTASTIC! I learned a lot and met a bunch of great folks (I added everyone I met to this Salon list, so feel free to post and participate!)
Some highlights: Lots of great speakers and inspiration. I feel now like I have some more focus and direction for what I want to do with visual communication/graphic design and feel recharged enough to carry it out. The after-party at Airport Lounge was stellar. Thanks to Sarrah, Chris, Eva, Aaron, Bryan, Megg and everyone else who were there to celebrate. Loved seeing the planes fly overhead!
So how do we keep this energy level up? Well, I suggest posting anything you’re designing that you want help with, any job you need or have heard of or whatever your thoughts are about Y-Conference or design in general. Aaron, I want to see all your pics, so post a link when they’re up, kay? 🙂
I will start off by posting a beta version of my business card. It’s in dire need of an update, so let me know what you think. (I’m posting the old one too so you can compare.) I will brace for impact but hope to learn from any insights anyone else has that I can’t see yet. 🙂
Here’s the biz cards for you to critique:
[Sorry, these designs are so old I deleted the links. Yuk.] 29/2/09
(Try to ignore the white border the blog software added to my biz card samples.)
Nathaniel, I definitely like your new business card better! I noticed that your title changed from “Creative Director” to “Senior Designer” – any reason?
I already asked you these questions, but I thought I’d post them up here to see if anyone had any different answers/insights.
1. How do you place an image inside text in InDesign? I know there is a way to do it because an Adobe Instructor showed us how to do it at the AIGA Minnesota Design Camp last fall, but I can’t remember what he said for the life of me…
2. How do you merge two text boxes in InDesign so that the final text box is in the shape of the two text boxes combined?
3. When you upload photos off a digital camera, they come in as a .jpg – so if I make changes to the .jpg in Photoshop (ie. making the photo lighter), what should I save the file as once I’ve made the change…another .jpg or .tif or .eps?
Thanks everyone in advance!!!
mala,
thanks for the comment! I tried senior designer because I’ve gotten one or two “ew, you chose Creative Director for your card?” He he.
Maybe I won’t bow to the peer pressure. 🙂
Ok, now you’re really getting the better of my curiosity! How come “Creative Director” is ew? Why did people say that? I must be missing something…
🙂
Nathaniel,
(we met at the Y)
Business card feedback
Like the bold color and the touch the texture.
I’ve never seen anyone put the AIGA logo on their bus. card? What has the response been on that?
I think you could do a little more with the type. A good phrase I’ve picked up (and tried to avoid) is “throw away type.” We are selling what we can do with words- show them. Just an idea.
Where do you get your cards printed? Or do you print them yourself?
I remember saying that you are into web. We had a quick conversation where I divulged myself- letting you onto my secret that my web knowledge is ZERO.
Any interest in helping a fellow San Diegan designer pick up DreamWeaver? I want to learn the basics. Essentially get my portfolio on the web. For that matter, can anyone help a girl out?
katie
Katie, good to hear from you! Here’s my answers to your questions:
The AIGA logo: Well, clients could care less–they just want me to do their work. But fellow AIGA’ers always say that they never thought of putting it on their cards. I do because it lends an air of credibility and that extends to all the professional tenets that AIGA stands for. I then benefit from all the work we put in year after year (and our yearly membership fee!)
I am a “Preferred Vendor” with Kinkos (I’ve worked with them for 2 years, and one of their Major Account Managers is a good business partner of mine) so Kinkos prints them. I’m thinking of just doing them myself now so they can change with my whim and I won’t buy 1000 and have the remaining 800 be obsolete when I move. 🙂
I do web design, yes. To get started you should first look at the “source” code of sites that you like. Just go to VIEW/PAGE SOURCE in your browser. HTML is the underlying code you should probably know something about–then using Dreamweaver is that much easier. I recommend getting dreamweaver and saving your favorite pages out (as .html files) and then opening those files in Dreamweaver to see how they are built.
The great thing about Dreamweaver is that it’s a very WYSIWYG program. It’s like designing your site in Quark or InDesign–you can drag and drop images, etc. I recommend learning how to use tables so you can organize your information quickly. And use CSS (Style Sheets) so you can change the font and appearance of all your pages at once very quickly.
If you get the program I can definitely do what I can to help you, and there’s some great sites out there on basic web design.
http://web.oreilly.com/news/dreamweaver2_0701.html
http://www.macromedia.com/devnet/mx/dreamweaver/design.html
Everyone’s free to help Katie F.! Keep us posted on your website progress, etc.
Mala,
He he. I think people think I’m a bit haughty when I say I’m a Creative Director. It’s that age old dilemma of what to call yourself when you do everything, as when you’re a freelance designer.
So I call myself a Creative Director since I do both. 🙂
This is Aaron. Hello to all! Mr. Flick…how are you dude? It was great to meet everyone at the Y Conference in San Diego. I have to tell you all – I really miss the weather and the overall attitude of the city. I would have responded much sooner but was so slammed when I returned back to work – oh my! It was well worth it. This past weekend was bad – real bad – food poisining! Lets just say that I visited the porcelain god more than I could ever wish. Disgusting. Sorry – I had to explain my silence. I’m much better now.
Creative Director vs Senior Designer – that is the question? With all your experience You can totally Justify the “Creative Director” title. I wouldn’t be afraid of that if you can back it up. I’m just now understanding all the details
involved in a creative/art director position. I really think it takes a few years before you can wear that hat.
Lets get to business. The Card – I think the new size is nice. I always enjoy a business card that breaks the standard size.Can you email me your card in a hi res format so I can examine in closer detail? I hesitate to comment without a better look.
I will have a link soon with all the photos I shot in San Diego. I agree with Nathaniel that the Closing Party was off the hook. Did that sound Ghetto?
Have a great day!
Aaron
Wassup?! Sorry to hear you got so sick–food poisoning sucks! It was so great meeting you, and hopefully the winds will blow you in a westerly direction someday soon… 🙂
Yeah, I’ll go with Creative Director. My goal has always been to offer more than just design but project direction–to save the client time and not just be a drain on funds. Of course this is a tight-rope walk when the client wants you to do a lot for not a lot of cabbage (funds).
I will send you a pdf of the biz card, my brutha.
The party WAS off the hook and I can’t wait to see your pics.
In the meantime, here’s my family pics:
http://www.flikworld.com/photoindex.htm
Very cool blog you got! I just added you to my bookmarks!
I have a great article resource you might want to check out.
Great blog, I was looking for webdesigner related info and found you. 🙂
Colleen
Affordable Web Design