Extracurricular Activities

When the day is through, and I have made my twelfth edit to a homepage, or tweaked a logo until it no longer resembles my original vision... I am often too tired to do what I love most—make stuff. While designing websites and brochures is great (and I feel lucky to be able to do it), it is much more satisfying to create something a bit more tangible. For me, this can be a lot of things—a handmade book, a painting, a cake. I just like to create. And feel a bit unfulfilled when I am unable to do so. I think that the same is true for a lot of designers. Almost every designer I know has several creative outlets beyond the 9-to-5, but I'm sure we'd all like a little more time (or inspiration) to get off of the computer. I have definitely taken a hiatus from my earlier artistic endeavors, and for good reason—I have started my own business, while chasing around my two-year-old. But that is really no excuse. It's time to start back up! Watch out, it's on!

My current obsession is printmaking. It's simple, striking, and allows you to create multiple images... unlike painting, which is great, but if I'm going to spend that much time making something, I prefer having several finished products to keep and share. Have I made anything yet? No. But I'm getting there. I ordered some supplies (hurry up, Utrecht!), checked out a few books at the library for inspiration, and am carving out a day to "work" in the next few weeks. It's a start. And I hope the results are fabulous... stay tuned!

This pillow is my inspiration—I purchased it from the lovely 1girl1boy at Crafty Bastards in DC last summer. It's on my bed and it serves as a constant reminder that I need to start printing again!

Red Flag!

Just a warning, I'm about to get all business-like. I mentioned in my last post that I have been planning a design blog forever (YEARS!), but what finally made me start was an issue I encountered with a recent project, one that ended not-so-well. Long story short, the client will be finishing up the project with another designer. These things happen. It ended amicably. And we'll all be happier in the long run.

This brings me back to the issue at hand: trust your instincts before beginning a project AND make your voice heard. You are the expert. That is what you're getting paid for—not just a pretty website or brochure. Lesson learned? I sure hope so, as I really don't want to experience this again. I've been designing for long enough, I should know the red flags. Perhaps writing them down will help me to pay attention to them in the future...

1. Client questions the value of design/designers.
If I have to justify my hourly rate, or give a convincing argument as to why a client should hire me over having a family member do the design, it's probably not a project I'd like to take. It's great to have the chance to educate potential clients on the value of hiring a designer, but it doesn't always go over well... and I usually end up billing less in the long run to somehow relieve their skepticism.

2. Client doesn't know what he/she wants, but will know it when he/she sees it.
This is a tricky one. At first glance, it seems to be a designer's dream—complete design freedom. But that isn't what we're talking about. Not at all. If a client says, "I'm not creative. Make me something pretty. I know what I like when I see it," it's code for, "I know exactly what I want, but I'm testing you to see if you know what I want." Ok, maybe a little harsh. But it's not entirely untrue. Clients know what they like. They dress themselves, don't they?

3. Disorganization or disregard for professional practices.
This is a large category. For some clients, it means having too much on their plates and not having the time to devote to really making a project work. For others, it can be not writing anything down on paper (contracts, timelines, etc)—a BIG mistake. I prefer to keep things as casual as possible, but if a client doesn't take a project seriously, then no one else will—including me.

There are definitely more. But why bore you with more text? If a project/client doesn't feel right, ask yourself why. And if you have the luxury of passing up the opportunity... DO! You can thank yourself later.

Because I Can

Ok, you say. Another blog about design? Reluctantly, yes. I know there are a lot of them out there. I read many daily. But this is something I have wanted to do for a REALLY long time. It's been over three years since I started my personal blog, and there are many posts I never published simply because they seemed a little off-topic. Now is the time to separate the business from the personal, to put some ideas out there, and hopefully start a dialogue between people that may not otherwise interact.

In all of my research (reading blogs WAY too much), I have rarely come across a source that has both really interesting articles AND pretty pictures. Most either highlight great things going on in the design world (I use this term broadly), or write articles about current trends, the ins and outs of business, or other things I don't possibly have time to read about (but wish I did). So why not mix it up? I'm not promising anything groundbreaking, but maybe you'll find something here worth commenting on, or sharing with a friend.

Stay tuned!