Freelance Tip - Get Square

Every once in a while a game changer comes along to make life easier. In our age of technology you would think it would happen more often. The break through to make our business and lives more convenient is Square. 

Square is a free app and card reader that allows you to accept credit card payments from clients. With one simple secure swipe you can charge the payment due and it will be deposited into your account. The small fee of 2.75% that Square charges for use is well worth the easy and speed. There is no charge if you don't use the service, only when you do, thus no month fees. Now everyone can accept plastic like the big boys. I have used it myself several times and found it to work flawlessly. 

So forget the net 30, get your payments on the spot for your design work and if a friend happens to owe you $20, tell them you accept all major credit cards. 

Be Square and sign up their site at squareup.com.

World Famous Bush Man

Today's Friday Funny is the World Famous Bush Man from San Francisco. If you have never experienced this gentleman at the Fisherman's Wharf area, put it on you list for a future visit. After doing this since the 1980's, it maybe the longest running performance art going. Enjoy and have a great weekend.

Lego Via 1970s

Visit the British Lego Catalogues website to view catalogues from 1971-1976.  Lego have long been a source of inspiration and discovery for children worldwide and these catalogue scans give an interesting perspective on 70s layout.

9-11 Remembering

(photos: FDNY)

Please view a wonderful tribute by the FDNY to honor the 343 Firefighters that died trying to save many. Let us never forget those that gave all on this day in 2001. 

The Dieline Forum: LA 2012

The Dieline has a great one day experience coming up on October 12th in Los Angeles, The Dieline Forum.  The day will be filled with the experience and knowledge from leaders in the world of package design.  The day's line up includes seven speakers and a networking happy hour at the end of the day.

Join expert package design innovators at this inspiring, information-packed one-day event addressing the specific challenges and opportunities unique to packaging designers, and graphic designers who want to expand their skills into packaging. You'll discover new ways to do great work on a tight budget, reinvent your brand, create meaningful design, and delve into the mind of the consumer. You'll mingle, share ideas, network, and make valuable connections with attendees and Forum speakers.

If you register by Friday, September 31 you can receive "early bird" pricing. To learn more visit The Dieline Form site to register and learn more about the great line up of speaker.  I hope to see you there.

Remembering Neil Armstrong

To ride among the stars and walk on the moon have been experienced by few and Neil Armstrong was the first to complete that mission.  Neil Armstrong, along with the entire Apollo 11 crew, showed the world what can be accomplished by taking a small step.  Neil Armstrong had the courage to bravely believe in the future of man and demonstrate for all what we can accomplish when we work together as a nation.

Neil Armstrong 1930-2012

Play Where's The London Olympic Logo

Much talk was made when London showcased the logo for the 2012 games.  Much of the talk was not extremely positive, myself included, on the outcome of a £400,000 branding system.  Well now that the games are well underway we get to see the logo use in action, well sort of.  It seems the use of the logo has been downplayed at the games.  Fast Company has an interesting article about its use and not.  So with the few remaining days of TV coverage, it time to play where is the logo and see how often you see it.

Olympic Posters

The Creative Bloq has a survey of the 10 best Olympic poster designs. The blog post has an excellent background on each poster. I hope you are enjoying the events. I seem to not be able to stop watching.

"Push To Add Drama"

Push play to enjoy drama.

Milton Glaser Designed Carpets

We all know of Milton Glaser's extreme talent and variety of work over the years.  Now a new line of custom limited edition hand-woven carpets (code for I know they are expensive) are available from Lapchi with Milton's designs on them.  I know these carpets would become the showcase of any home. Learn more about this beautiful series of carpets from the Lapchi site.  

Colorado Wildfire T-Shirts Help Victims

Over the last month, Colorado has been devastated by a series of wildfires destroying forest and homes alike.  A group of graphic designers have gotten together to help by selling t-shirts were all proceeds go to assist wildfire relief agencies.  Another great example of design helping out in a time of need. Show your support and help out by visiting Wild Fire Tees.

Flag Day

Today we celebrate Flag Day. The Continental Congress passed an official resolution on June 14, 1777, “that the flag of the United States be 13 stripes alternate red and white; that the Union be 13 stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.”

 On of my favorite flags from U.S. history comes from Ft. McHenry during the War of 1812. This flag went on to be the inspiration for Francis Scott Key to write the poem that became "The Star-Spangled Banner." I send many school trips growing up visiting Ft. McHenry and it inspired my love of history. To see this most famous flag in person, take a visit to the Smithsonian.

Time Management For Creatives

Do you struggle with the hours in the day to get your projects completed? Are you seeking out those double shot expressos to get you moving? If you are like most of us, the answer would be yes. We don't seem to have enough time to get things done to the creative level we want. To help you with this problem that we all face, is this video by Tony Schwartz recorded at the 99 Percent Conference. Schwartz points out several ways for us to utilize our internal energies to be more productive and creative. One of the key points is getting sleep. He tells us that 97% of us actually need 7-8 hours at a minimum to be at our peaks. Schwartz also speaks of turning off the distractions that invade our lives during those periods where we need to concentrate. The idea of "multi-tasking" during these concentration periods is false. In fact he points out that by succumbing to these distraction, we actually add upwards of 25% more time to completing the task at hand each time we are distracted. I am interesting in learn more of Tony Schwartz's theories and will pass them along in the future.

I hope some of these ideas in the video will allow you to work more efficiently and at a higher level of concentration, thus giving you additional time to refresh. Let me know your thoughts.


 

Logo Analyzes By A Five Year Old

I found this over at the Brand New site_

Cincinnati, Ohio-based identity designer Adam Ladd asked his 5-year-old daughter her impressions on some popular logos — my favorite is her response to the Republican Party logo. This is both adorable and some of the best and most authentic field research out there.

This will show you the power of a logos from a 5 yr old and hopefully will brighten your Friday up.

Julius Shulman

Think of modern design and the photos of Julius Shulman will cycle through like a Kodak Carousel. Shulman's work help define modern design and architecture and life in California and elsewhere. The NY Times had a recent article on Shulman and visiting some of the famous homes he photographed in the LA area. You may also be interested in learning more of Julius Shulman through a film that was created just prior to his death in 2009, Visual Acoustics, The Modernism of Julius Shulman by Eric Bricker. It is a wonderful film that narrates modern design and a life full of beautiful images. Visual Acoustics will not disappoint and shows a wonderful creative who had an impact on a generation of architecture through his eye and the lens.

Tequila Packaging

With Cinco de Mayo coming up this weekend, The Dieline has a round up of Tequila Packaging to get you in the mood.

Holocaust Remembrance Day

(Poster from Israel to Remember the Holocaust, 2012)

For two minutes in Israel today sirens wailed to remember the 6 million Jews that died in the Holocaust. All life comes to a stop to remember and pray that "we never forget."  Learn more by visiting the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial and Museum site.

Wayfinding - a video

Navigation with way-finding graphics from Ubelly on Vimeo.

Enjoy this interesting video on wayfinding from Tony Howard, the Managing Director of the London based Transport Design Consultancy.

Titanic Images

Several images from the Library of Congress on the Titanic.

Titanic Stamps

The Edmonton Journal has a great collection of stamps to commemorative the sinking of the Titanic a hundred years ago today, April 15, 1912. Take a look and see how the world is remembering this event.