Self Portrait

I receive Allure magazine in the mail, although I don't remember ever subscribing to it. Anyway, I just recycled them for a long time, but lately I have made it a goal to read everything and anything to do with design. This includes fashion magazines, well because they speak about the current generation and it is important to be up on such things. So I was flipping through the latest Allure when I came across an article by Augusten Burroughs. I was immediately happy about the goal I set for myself. I would have never read the piece had I not committed myself.

The article is titled "Snap Judgment" and talks about the truth in self portrait photography. Burroughs expresses himself as an unsure man confused when it comes to his feelings. He has development an artistic method of discovering his emotions. Augusten takes photo after photo of himself to look at them and solidify what he is actually feeling.

He writes, "I blow past the shots with the fake smiles, raised eyebrows, or any other kind of bullshit pose. And there, among the rejects, will be one shot that captures in 40 megabytes what it is I am feeling but cannot name: terrified, lonely confused, excited, bored."

I loved this confession. Working with photography myself, I know the exact feeling when scrolling through thumbnails and I see "the one". When this technique is applied to something even greater, like the human condition, imagine the power.

Augusten also comments on how we, as human beings, do this self seeking on a daily basis even without lens and shutter:

When you check your hair or makeup in the mirror, is that all you do? Are you focused entirely and exclusively on disobedient strands, or the tiny tributaries of lipstick that have formed at the corners of your mouth and must be dabbed away? Or, if truth be told, do you also search your own eyes, your parted lips for meaning? Is it not oddly reassuring to see your own reflection? To know for a fact that you are, indeed, still real?

I really love Augusten Burroughs' work and I just wanted to share this piece. I thought we could all relate.

Fresh Portfolio

I stumbled upon this site recently. Although I am not crazy about the logo, colors or much else, I am liking the way the portfolio page is setup. I dig the way the designer took the websites and angled them in the box. Very refreshing.

http://geekgirlwebdesign.com/portfolio/

I'M COMIC SANS, A@#HOLE

(This is only for those with a sense of humor. If that is not you I apologize I normally do not repost this sort of thing.)

Listen up. I know the sh#t you've been saying behind my back. You think I'm stupid. You think I'm immature. You think I'm a malformed, pathetic excuse for a font. Well think again, nerdhole, because I'm Comic Sans, and I'm the best thing to happen to typography since Johannes f#$%ing Gutenberg.

You don't like that your coworker used me on that note about stealing her yogurt from the break room fridge? You don't like that I'm all over your sister-in-law's blog? You don't like that I'm on the sign for that new Thai place? You think I'm pedestrian and tacky? Guess the f#$k what, Picasso. We don't all have seventy-three weights of stick-up-my-ass Helvetica sitting on our seventeen-inch MacBook Pros. Sorry the entire world can't all be done in stark Eurotrash Swiss type. Sorry some people like to have fun. Sorry I'm standing in the way of your minimalist Bauhaus-esque fascist snoozefest. Maybe sometime you should take off your black turtleneck, stop compulsively adjusting your Tumblr theme, and lighten the f&*k up for once.

People love me. Why? Because I'm fun. I'm the life of the party. I bring levity to any situation. Need to soften the blow of a harsh message about restroom etiquette? SLAM. There I am. Need to spice up the directions to your graduation party? WHAM. There again. Need to convey your fun-loving, approachable nature on your business' website? SMACK. Like daffodils in motherf#$%ing spring.

When people need to kick back, have fun, and party, I will be there, unlike your pathetic fonts. While Gotham is at the science fair, I'm banging the prom queen behind the woodshop. While Avenir is practicing the clarinet, I'm shredding "Reign In Blood" on my double-necked Stratocaster. While Univers is refilling his allergy prescriptions, I'm racing my tricked-out, nitrous-laden Honda Civic against Tokyo gangsters who'll kill me if I don't cross the finish line first. I am a sans serif Superman and my only kryptonite is pretentious buzzkills like you.

It doesn't even matter what you think. You know why, jagoff? Cause I'm famous. I am on every major operating system since Microsoft f$%king Bob. I'm in your signs. I'm in your browsers. I'm in your instant messengers. I'm not just a font. I am a force of motherf$%king nature and I will not rest until every uptight armchair typographer cock-hat like you is surrounded by my lovable, comic-book inspired, sans-serif badassery.

Enough of this bulls@#t. I'm gonna go get hammered with Papyrus.

- BY MIKE LACHER

The Many Hats of the Designer

While being a Graphic Designer, I have been required to take on many different roles. I imagine many other designers have found themselves in similar situations.

For instance while being a designer I have had to play the IT person, feeling around aimlessly in the dark. This is one field I wish I knew. My tactics are much more hit or miss than applied strategies.

Another role I find myself in sometimes is web developer. Now, I love web design and consider myself a Web Designer, but when it comes to just hand coding, some serious architecture building, ruby and php I again find myself guessing. This field is so massive in itself, it takes a master to be able to do both design and development. Usually the two fields find themselves satisfied with friendly collaboration.

I have also been asked to design products. Product design consists of strong drawing skills with a touch of engineering.

I have also found myself behind the lens, whether it be moving or still. The most confusing part of this is that within these two fields there are many others. Such as prop designers, production artists and more.

Lastly, I find myself wearing the hat of the Illustrator or Flash Designer. I have a steady hand in both of these, because I need to in my field. However, my belief is that for the optimal solution to a project, an experienced Illustrator and Flash Designer should be consulted if animation or illustration is an integral part of the job.

Bottom line is we designers have to know a little bit (or a lot) of everything to be most useful to our client/employer. Although it would take a lifetime, if not more, to settle into all of these wonderful professions.

Tables to Divs

I have gotten so comfortable with using tables over the past few years, but I know I have got to keep up. My site currently is created with tables and styled with CSS, but I need to switch the tables over. In the coming months I plan to revamp my portfolio site, eliminating all tables and replacing them with lovely div containers :)

I Smell Spring!

Us poor Michigan folk. This past Winter has been gloomier than normal. We are in definite need of some sunshine. Every day the snow melts a little bit more. Soon the Diag will be moving with frisbee and picnics. I cannot wait!

2010 Job Outlook for Graphic Designers

Here is an optimistic article I read about the future of Graphic Design. The actual article can be found at artbistro.


Employment of graphic designers is expected grow about as fast as average. Keen competition for jobs is expected.

Individuals with a bachelor’s degree and knowledge of computer design software, particularly those with Web site design and animation experience will have the best opportunities.

How Employment Will Change

Employment of graphic designers is expected to grow 10 percent, about as fast as average for all occupations from 2006 to 2016, as demand for graphic design continues to increase from advertisers, publishers, and computer design firms. Some of this increase is expected to stem from the expansion of the video entertainment market, including television, movies, video, and made-for-Internet outlets.

Moreover, graphic designers with Web site design and animation experience will especially be needed as demand increases for design projects for interactive media—Web sites, video games, cellular telephones, personal digital assistants, and other technology.

Demand for graphic designers also will increase as advertising firms create print and Web marketing and promotional materials for a growing number of products and services.In recent years, some computer, printing, and publishing firms have outsourced basic layout and design work to design firms overseas.

This trend is expected to continue and may have a negative impact on employment growth for low-level, technical graphic design workers. However, most high-level graphic design jobs will remain in the U.S. Strategic design, the work of developing communication strategies for clients and firms to help them to gain competitive advantages in the market, requires close proximity to the consumer in order to identify and target their needs and interests.

Job Market for Designers

Graphic designers are expected to face keen competition for available positions. Many talented individuals are attracted to careers as graphic designers. Individuals with a bachelor’s degree and knowledge of computer design software, particularly those with Web site design and animation experience will have the best opportunities.Graphic designers with a broad liberal arts education and experience in marketing and business management will be best suited for positions developing communication strategies.

Earnings for Artists

Median annual earnings for wage and salary graphic designers were $39,900 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $30,600 and $53,310. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $24,120, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $69,730. May 2006 median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of graphic designers were:

Specialized design services $43,410
Advertising and related services 41,600
Newspaper, periodical, book, and directory publishers 34,290
Printing and related support activities 33,930
Newspaper publishers 31,540

According to the American Institute of Graphic Arts, median annual total cash compensation for entry-level designers was $35,000 in 2007. Staff-level graphic designers earned a median of $45,000. Senior designers, who may supervise junior staff or have some decision-making authority that reflects their knowledge of graphic design, earned a median of $62,000.

Solo designers who freelanced or worked under contract to another company reported median earnings of $60,000. Design directors, the creative heads of design firms or in-house corporate design departments, earned $98,600. Graphic designers with ownership or partnership interests in a firm or who were principals of the firm in some other capacity earned.