Why a manifesto? Because in a world where everyone’s a designer, designing isn’t enough anymore. Clients want to know what’s behind their projects and the people that do them. Some say technology is making our world smaller but it’s really just making it more anonymous. There are professionals from every field available online. You can […]
The Lighter Side
What it means to me to be a designer
There are a million ways to make a living. Why did I choose this one?
I‘m not a designer for money.
I run a design business for money, but that’s a different thing. The money has always come as an incidental, as an effect and not the cause. I design and often people want to give me money for it. That’s a healthy relationship and a good way to stay alive.
But I design because I love it. I design because when I don’t, odd things happen inside me and the world takes on a certain pallor.
WEEKLY TIPS ON BRANDING & DESIGN
Ways You Can Recognize the Client From Hell
First, as a disclaimer to any future clients (love you!) let me say that very few clients fit into the client from hell category. If you’re an average Joe or Jane who’s spent the majority of your life not getting slugged square in the face, you’re excluded by a mile. Welcome! That said, here are […]
WEEKLY TIPS ON BRANDING & DESIGN
Don’t Blame it on the Client, You’re the Professional
There are two things I’ve discovered that waste more time than anything in freelance work. Doing crappy work Starting before you know what the client really wants, leading to crappy work We all know what doing crappy work is so no need to elucidate here. It goes in the trash. As to starting a project […]
WEEKLY TIPS ON BRANDING & DESIGN
Design Tales from the Dark Side – The Client Who Wanted Cool
SEATTLE, October 2006 It was a dark and stormy night when the phone rang. I pulled the cigarette from my teeth and reached for the phone. Actually, no. I don’t smoke. And besides it was a perfectly mild mid-afternoon when my email inbox said “PING!” I opened the message, read it and dollar signs appeared […]