Happy Passover

May you have a good and happy Passover week.

Random Photo #31 - Photographer

Photo of photographer Kevin McCarty who is moving on to become the Chair of the Photo program at the Art Institute of California - Hollywood campus. All my best to Kevin in his new position.

Winter 2010 Portfolio Show

This week marked the end of another quarter at the Art Institute of California - Orange County, where I teach graphic design. With this end came the Winter 2010 Portfolio Show for those students that are graduating. These students have worked and tweaked their projects over the last few months for this presentation to the public. The books look great and now the next step in their education starts. Remember to be passionate and persistent as you start working. I wish you all the best of luck in their careers.

Random Photo #30 - Parking

Parking structure wayfinding - LACMA

Typeface - The Film

First there was a film about Helvetica, now we have a film about Wood Type and Printing called Typeface. Typeface revolves around the Hamilton Wood Type and Printing Museum located in Two Rivers, Wisconsin. Hamilton Printing was in full operation until the mid 80s and now the type and presses are being preserved and used to train a new generation on letterpress operations. The trailer above give a great preview of the film. The Hamilton Museum has over 1.5 million wooden letterforms that can viewed and used during classes. The film explores this craft of letterpress that is being lost to time, its history and how today's designers are trying to preserve this skill. The film is being shown around the world in limited releases so be sure to check the Typeface site for dates. I am looking forward to seeing this film when it shows in the LA area or its DVD release, whatever comes first.

To learn more about the Hamilton Wood Type and Printing Museum, you can go directly to their website and you can support this effort by visiting their Etsy shop.

Random Photo #29 - Farmer's Market LA

The Farmer's Market in Los Angeles is always good for a meal and fresh items. Don't miss Thee’s Continental Bakery for the best cheesecake.

MOMA Acquires @ Symbol

Believe it or not, the symbol we all use everyday, @ is now part of the MOMA (Museum of Modern Art, NYC) collection of the Department of Architecture and Design. Why and how, well MOMA described the addition to its collection as follows:

The acquisition of @ takes one more step. It relies on the assumption that physical possession of an object as a requirement for an acquisition is no longer necessary, and therefore it sets curators free to tag the world and acknowledge things that “cannot be had”—because they are too big (buildings, Boeing 747’s, satellites), or because they are in the air and belong to everybody and to no one, like the @—as art objects befitting MoMA’s collection. The same criteria of quality, relevance, and overall excellence shared by all objects in MoMA’s collection also apply to these entities.

On the MOMA website, Inside/Out, you can read further about this inclusion and the history of the @ symbol which is interesting. Now get @ it.

Random Photo #28 - I Love LA

An homage to Milton, LA style

Random Photo #27 - Recession #2

A grocery store that got hit by the recession.

Fresh Work - Lorenzo Geiger

I would like to feature the work of Lorenzo Geiger out of Bern Switzerland. A modern "swiss" influence unquestionably shows in Lorenzo's great work. A brief background from Lorenzo-

Lorenzo Geiger (1982), freelance graphic designer from Bern, the most beautiful capital of Switzerland. Independent and nevertheless networked: for clients in the cultural field, as well as principals from other industries. Core competency: conception, creation and realization of solutions in visual communication: development of multidisciplinary projects involving web design and printed matter with a range from corporate identities, editorial design, record covers and knowledge visualization as well as the design of typefaces.

Studied at the Bern University of the Arts, periods abroad and influential internships at Philippe Apeloig (Paris) and Fons Hickmann (Berlin). Graduated as Designer FH in February 2007 with the graduation project mapping: ch - an invitation to travel on twelve maps through an imaginary statistical landscape of Switzerland.

Last worked at cosmic Werbeagentur BSW Bern for renowned clients such as Armin Strom, Schneider Electric and Ypsomed. Several works are featured in various international publications, such as: Die Gestalten Verlag Berlin, Rockport Publishers, Print Magazine, Computer Arts, novum - World of Graphic Design and many more.

Design brings additional benefit. Design creates identity. Design matters.

Some of Lorenzo's new work can be seen in the just published book Basic Logos where I also have work showcased.

Check out the complete portfolio of Lorenzo Geiger at this link.

Random Photo #26 - Palm

One of the joys of living in California are the palm trees.

Health Care

As designers, many of us work for small firms or are independent, and as such our health care plans are most likely not that strong if we even have a plan. In Congress is the debate over reforming health care. Now is our time to let Congress know our thoughts for or against reform. I believe that now is the time for reform to our current ways of providing health care in this country. I would love to see a universal plan that is based on several of the industrialize countries around the world, but it seems that is too far are reach at the current time. So we will have to take small steps to make health care more even or fair to all with the reform that is going through Congress.

Currently, if you have a health plan, I know you have seen your rates climb over the past several years. Insurance rates are growing well ahead of your raises in pay or inflation or the cost of living. One thing is for certain, your rates will continue to rise if we do not come up with a solution. I know that those on the right say let the current system will work its self out, a laissez-faire attitude, but I am not sure this can work. With the way it has been working over the last ten years of insurance companies, lobbyists and Congress, I believe us, the hard working citizens, have not had their best interest looked after. Fair and reasonable health care should be available to all citizens.

As a designer, a reasonable health care plan may allow you to branch out on your own without the worries of high premiums while you get your business going. Reasonable health care plans will allow you to expand your staffing without the worries of high premiums. Reasonable health care plans will allow you know that your employees are covered when in need. Reasonable health care to all will allow us all to continue to grow as a nation, to develop new ideas, to live better lives without worries like going bankrupt do to a major illness when your insurance has been cancelled due to a job loss. Let us start the reform process and start working towards a better country. Get involved, Please contact Congress and let them know our option.

From President Obama:

We are closer than ever to historic health insurance reform – reform that will extend coverage to more than 30 million Americans, provide security and stability to those who have health insurance, and shift power from insurance companies to consumers.

Both the House and Senate versions of health insurance reform rest upon the following building blocks:

• Insurance reforms to protect consumers from insurance company worst-practices – like denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions, capping total coverage, and dropping or watering down coverage when you get sick and need it most.
• Consumer protections that will restrict how much of your premium dollars insurance companies can spend on marketing, profits, and salaries.
• Creation of a health exchange to increase consumer choice and guarantee coverage.
• Affordable health options, with subsidies for working families and a hardship waiver.
• Tax credits to help small businesses afford coverage.
• Making preventive care completely free – with no co-payments or deductibles
• Lowering the cost of health care for our seniors.
• Improving the quality and extending the life of Medicare.
• Ensuring that reform is not only fully paid for, but actually significantly reduces the federal deficit.

Happy St. Patrick's Day 2010 - Part II

Thinking of Ireland today got me think of traveling to the land of green hills, whiskey, smiling faces and beer. I found these wonderful poster designs from days past promoting Irish travel for inspiration. Now to find the time for a trip across the Atlantic to discover and explore this beautiful isle.

Happy St. Patrick's Day 2010

I wish you a Happy St. Patrick's Day. Today, we all are a little Irish no matter our background. Enjoy my favorite Irish song, Danny Boy, and a pint of your favorite today.

Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling

From glen to glen, and down the mountain side

The summer's gone, and all the roses falling

'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide.

But come ye back when summer's in the meadow

Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow

'Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow

Oh Danny boy, oh Danny boy, I love you so.

But when ye come, and all the flowers are dying

If I am dead, as dead I well may be

You'll come and find the place where I am lying

And kneel and say an "Ave" there for me.

And I shall hear, tho' soft you tread above me

And all my grave will warmer, sweeter be

For ye shall bend and tell me that you love me

And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me.

Random Photo #25 - Tee Time

I shot this photo at the golf course by my home. I don't golf but I know how to drive your cart if you like.

Random Photo #24 - Child's Play

Do you remember the days when this was exciting?

Spring Forward - Change Your Batteries

Remember tonight when you move your clocks forward for daylight saving time to also change the batteries in your smoke detectors. Your best chance to survive a house fire is to be alerted by your smoke detector. Change your clocks, change your batteries!!

Random Photo #23 - Reaching for the Sky

Architecture reaching for the sky.

Fresh Work - Brian Banton

I stumbled upon this fine work from a Canadian design, Brian Banton, that I wanted to pass along. Brian is finishing up his Master's at York University. I particularly like the Milton quote done in cookies and the mix for what composes design posters. Go to this link to see more of Brian's work, it is fresh and graphically very interesting.

Random Photo #22 - CPA

Remember that the tax time deadline is about a month away. I paid a visit to my CPA, Ken Blake, recently. Ken is a great accountant and makes the process go smoothly. If you need a good CPA in the Brea, CA area, look him up.

Random Photo #21 - CCTV

I saw this wonderful illustration of a CCTV camera while on a recent trip to San Diego.

SIgn of the Times - Slate Magazine

Slate Magazine has been doing a great six part series of articles this week on the topic of wayfinding, maps and signage. They have had articles that discuss "The Secret Language of Signs" to "The Big Red Word vs. the Little Green Man, The international war over exit signs". The articles are very informative and will learn about who actually came up with those little green man running signs. Check out the complete list from the week and the first article is available at this link to Slate Magazine.

Random Photo #20 - Play Ball

Spring training is in progress. Soon, this stadium, San Diego Padres Petco Stadium, will be full of fans watching the sport of summer, baseball.

Random Photo #19 - Recession

A sign that the recession is still with us. A car dealership that closed with the land now for sale.

PhotoShop Photo Effects

I have been a lover of PhotoShop since the early days and am always looking for a few good tutorials to help push my images. I found this great collection and links over at hongkiat.com with 41 PhotoShop Photo Effects. So if you are looking for a few new ways of teaching an old dog new tricks, go check out these tutorials.

Random Photo #18 - Red Carpet

My Red Carpet in Los Angeles the evening of the Academy Awards.

Random Photo #17 - Dig It

Digging a hole.

Random Photo #16 - Medivac

Los Angeles County Fire Helicopter 14 transporting a patient from a vehicle accident in La Habra Heights, CA.

Random Photo #15 - Savings?

I saw this sign at my local supermarket. Am I saving, is it on sales, should I use my "preferred card"? Call me confused.

Getting Creative- #12 Be An Explorer

As a designer it is easy to get caught in a rut at times. You feel like you are doing the same type of projects over and over for a client. You may feel like you are not expanding and growing. This is a normal occurrence over time in the profession.

I would like to propose that you challenge yourself to be more of an explorer. Try working a design in a new way. Explore the design world with new materials, sustainable materials and design, a new set of colors, vintage images, a new family of fonts, new blogs and articles, or books. This exploration will lead you to new ways of thinking and coming up with creative solutions. Branch out, if we did not explore we would still be using the same techniques from fifty years ago. Bring fresh breath to your work - think different, research different, design different, explore!

World Cup Logos

With the Winter Olympics over now, the next great world sporting event will be the World Cup this summer in South Africa. The World Cup which is held every four years like the Olympics and travels the world. Each Cup has been supported by a unique logo. Above we can see this years for the 2010 matches. Below are several examples of World Cup logos from the past. David Airey over at his great blog Logo Design Love has accumulated all the World Cup logos from the past that is worth a view. Enjoy the matches this summer, it should be exciting as it always has been in years past.