Posted: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 - 4:18:02 PM

I am a huge college football fan. I have been since 1997-1998 when Houston Nutt took over my beloved Razorbacks. After his 10 year roller coaster ride that resulted in 4 win as well as 10 win seasons, I can say that is was during this time that I really came to love the Razorbacks. I am looking forward to seeing what Bobby Petrino can do with the Hogs and if he can get them back to the national prominence of the 60's and 70's. Only time will tell...

One thing that really interests me as a designer is whether or not Petrino will try to give the football uniforms a new look or if he will be forced to keep the current (and outdated) look of our block letter jerseys. I can remember thinking the same thing about Houston Nutt's 1st year as head coach. What keeps me somewhat optimistic about the uniform change is the fact that when Petrino coached at Louisville, the uni's that he chose were fresh and modern, but not over-the-top like your typical Arena League football team. Speaking of over-the-top, I would like to thank Oregon for providing what may well be the ugliest uniforms in football history. Worse than the World Football League even

Well, then the question remains... Do uniforms impact the players performance? I realize that a lot of you out there would say "no" and "who really cares?" But I would respectfully disagree. I really believe that uniforms can have a profound impact on the team's morale. In my opinion, the best example of this would be the 1997 Denver Broncos. In 1995, the Broncos were floundering in mediocrity with an 8-8 record and John Elway growing ever closer to retirement without a Super Bowl victory. In 1996, things changed and they went 13-3, proving that the team could keep up with the best of them. But it was 1997 when the Bronc's unveiled a new, sleeker, updated uniform and logo to build on the success of the previous year. They had replaced the old hand-drawn mustang flying out of the "D" with an aggressive looking horse charging across their helmets. The lighter blue had been replaced with a darker more menacing blue that complimented the orange really well. And lucky for them, the fans got behind it. That same year, the team won a Super Bowl for Elway. The Broncos also won the Super Bowl the following year and Elway retired shortly afterward.

Now, some would say that the Broncos would have won despite the fact that they changed uniforms, but even Warren Sapp mentioned that the new Tampa Bay uniforms had something to do with that team's turn around and subsequent Super Bowl win. Coincidence? I think not. I am a firm believer that a new look can energize a team, as well as a company. So if you are considering a logo change or a location change, think about what kind of positive impact that might have on your company before you throw it out the window. It might even help get you to the Super Bowl. 

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Posted: Wednesday, April 16, 2008 - 2:43:08 PM

I am a design junkie. I need it, crave it, and yearn for it. How do I know I have an addiction? Because it consumes my life. I see places that could use good design all day, every day. I can't go to the movies without noticing every little design flaw. Makes it tough to enjoy a good flick, y'know? I pass billboards that make me cringe all of the time. I notice that someone decided to paint their house candy blue with yellow trim, and it makes me want to write them up for some sort of "taste" violation and post it on their bright red door.

That's one reason I frequent design oriented sites that critique the work of others. They satisfy my need for design knowledge, what works and what doesn't. So, with that said, here are a list of sites that I frequent for design inspiration and also provides a fix for my desire to lambast bad design as I see it.

1. Favourite Website Awards ( www.thefwa.com )
   A tastefully done site that highlights a new site everyday. The only one that I have found that truly stays on the cutting edge of the web design world. Deals with everything from corporate powerhouses to personal websites. I spend way too much time on this site...


2. Brand New ( www.underconsideration.com/brandnew )
   This blog site deals mainly with brand identity and posts a before-and-after view of corporate giants that have decided to rebrand themselves. It also allows for comments and interaction with other brand lackeys. They also give you the dirt on upcoming logo changes that you may not have heard of, like the new Discovery Channel logo that has yet to be released.


3. Cool Homepages ( www.coolhomepages.com )
   This site has been a staple of mine for a number of years. Although not updated as frequently as FWA (and it doesn't help that they are constantly hawking services), this site still manages to inspire me when needed. I would say that its many design categories is its biggest asset.

I will post more of these as I deem them worthy to post. Its tough to find quality design sites. For now, drink in what these three have to offer. Maybe it will inspire you to repaint that candy blue house of yours...

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Posted: Thursday, March 20, 2008 - 11:46:22 AM

I have been designing logos for 16 years. I just realized that. My first officially used logo was during my senior year back in 1992 when I was asked to design a logo for something called "Arkansational" by the school librarian. I still have the t-shirt it was printed on. I think it still fits... Anyway, this was a time when access to computer aided design was still pretty much unheard of in Northwest Arkansas for a poor guy from a small town. So, that first logo was hand drawn, lettering and all. Remind me to post a pic of that on this blog sometime.

We have come a long way since then. I have been using Illustrator to design logos since '99 or so, and probably designed close to 75 digital insignias in that time frame. In the last 9 years, I have learned a few rules that I always follow when building a logo for a client:

1. Never build the logo in anything but a vector format. The basic definition of vector is that uses mathematical equations to create an image, while rasterized images use an array of pixels. You can learn more about vector images here. The reason I never build logos in anything but a vector format is because you can shrink or enlarge the image with no loss in quality.
2. The logo has to look good in Black and White. If you strip all of the color out of it, it still needs to look good and be legible. Its one of the first things I check when I complete the initial version of the logo.
3. Multiple color logos = multiple dollar print jobs. What I mean by that is if you decide you want your logo to have black, red, blue, and yellow in it, you have to remember that the printer will charge you for each of those colors separately. That is what they mean by one color, two color, 3 color, and 4 color print jobs. Now, there are printers that will run your prints on what is essentially a glorified color copier for a lot less money, and if you are satisfied with that, go for it. But for me, I want the quality and not necessarily a price cut.

That last point is what I want to focus on. Clients sometimes wonder why I present their logos to them in 2-3 color formats. Well, its an easy question to answer. I am trying to save them money on print costs, and still get the best possible quality. I have seen 2 color business cards that are really eye-catching, simply because they decided to try using a different type of paper. Very classy, but at the same time, cost effective.

So what about all of those 3 dimensional logos I have seen lately... Are they expensive? Yes, they are expensive to build and print. They simply take longer to produce as a vector image than a 2 dimensional / 2 color image. They look great, but they tend to be budget busters. 

These are just a few of the things I deal with in logo design. I have learned a lot over the last 9 years, and will keep learning as time and trends progress. But for now, I will keep grinding out logos that keep the clients and their pocketbooks looking good.

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Posted: Thursday, March 06, 2008 - 10:47:13 AM

I just got word through Google Alerts (if you aren't using it yet, then get on it) that Darren McFadden is going to be the cover-boy for EA's NCAA 09. Now this may not mean much to you, but I have been waiting for this since summer of 07, since the last edition of the highly popular game. Being from Arkansas, this was a dream come true for me. Its almost like we finally arrived. An Arkansas born and bred athlete breaking the bounds of football and into the ranks of pop-culture. Almost, and I repeat ALMOST makes up for being shunned for the Heisman... twice.

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Posted: Wednesday, February 06, 2008 - 3:46:36 PM

Competition. Its been a part of what I do ever since I got into web design. Its always good to know you've been selected over your web design peers... you know, the guys that really know what they are doing when it comes to interface development. Your ability out-shined the rest, and not because you were cheaper, but because they know you can do the job. Every once in a while, that happens and its a wonderful feeling to know you can compete.

But there are times when you know that you are competing against someone that simply costs less than you do. You know, the folks that are friends with someone in upper management. They designed them a decent tri-fold brochure back in '04 and now they are calling on them to design them a industry leading website. Sure, they can claim that they have designed websites before, but this project will only be their 3 endeavor. And the price is right... a flat rate of $100 for the entire thing. The best $100 website I ever looked at wasn't worth looking at again. 

While these kinds of transactions were pretty common in the first few years of the web's existence, one would hope that we are past it and that a person with years of experience would be more desirable than a person that "does it on the side". Yet here we are, still facing the prospect that someone with little to no experience gets the nod over your seasoned veteran. 

But is that all there is to it? Are there no consequences for making such a decision? 

Actually, there are consequences, and they can be painful to overcome. What generally happens is that the site doesn't turn out the way that was expected, and that can lead to an uncomfortable moment telling your friend that the design is not what you hoped it would be. Even after tweaking it a bit, the design never quite makes it to your expected level of quality. Not only that, but your competition's websites are more attractive and better built than your bargain basement site, and your customers know it. Like it or not, your website is generally your main point of contact with the modern consumer.

So how do you know you are getting a seasoned vet to design your site as opposed to a newbie? First of all, ask questions. Here are a few that you might want to ask:

1. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DESIGNING WEBSITES?

The reason this question is important is because experience is key in this field, and you want to know that your potential candidate can ask design questions and solve the design problems that you cannot.

2. DO YOU HAVE A LIST OF CURRENT WEBSITES THAT I CAN VIEW?

The reason I included "current" in this question is because this person might have worked on them 5 years ago and just recently decided to "get back into web design." Someone with a up-to-date list of sites will be up on the current design trends and design your site to be relevant 2-4 years down the road. Do you really want your new site to look like it was designed in 2003?

3. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME?

Sounds simple enough, but if they say "no", that should be throwing red flags up everywhere. An experienced designer has a list of things they will need from you before they get to work:

• "Can I get a copy of your logo in a vector format?"
• "Do you have any photography that you would like to use on the site?"
• "Do you have any examples of your latest print pieces that I could get copies of? I want to make sure that my design follows your existing branding."
• "Can you provide me 3 sites that you appreciate graphically or visit quite often?"

There are more questions, and each designer has their own, but for the most part a good designer will take the time to ask the questions that will make sure you get the best possible product in the end.

To sum it all up, get someone that knows what they are doing. Even a competent print designer may not be able to create an adequate web presence. Web and print are two entirely different worlds and obey different rules. And even though I know I am promoting my stiff competition at other companies here locally, find someone that designs websites professionally at an established web design firm. Someone that is fully immersed in it all week long. Only then can you truly expect something special that stands above the online crowd. 

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Posted: Thursday, January 10, 2008 - 2:33:44 PM

I am a huge fan of keyboard shortcuts, especially in Photoshop. So, with that in mind,  check this link for a comprehensive look at the best shortcuts out there. This article is meant for PC users, but still applies to Mac users as well (you know how to figure it out). I tend to like to customize my shortcuts, and there is mention of that in here as well. 

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Posted: Wednesday, January 09, 2008 - 2:11:49 PM

The more time I spend on the Web, the more I like it. You'd think one would get tired of it after surfing it for 10 years, but I seem to getting more interested than less. So much information, so little time. And having an iPhone over the past two months has only strengthened the idea that the internet is addictive, as now i can actually compare prices in Best Buy to what's on the web (see Logitech mouse @ $80 in Best Buy to $37 shipped on Amazon). Heck, I've even ordered items directly from my phone right in the store. Totally unheard of as little as 5 years ago. So now the focus is no longer on how much information we can gather in the "web collective", but how are we going to access that information. The progress we are making in user-interface (UI) design is astonishing as of late, beginning with the iPhone and moving into the Microsoft Surface (if you haven't seen this thing, you really must check out this video ). The technology used there is something that I can't wait to see in everyday life.

I have always envisioned UI design moving toward the control system dreamed up in the movie Minority Report. In it, The characters use gloves to control everything on a large screen in front of them. As the hands move and make gestures, the items on the screen are manipulated. To me, this type of interface design is a glimpse into the future... what technology will be capable of producing in 20-30 years. And it may even be healthier, as that type of interaction would require you to stand up a lot more and generate quite a bit of hand movement to get things done. Right now, I only seem to be generating a serious gut.

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Posted: Monday, December 17, 2007 - 10:26:27 AM

Well, this is my first-ever blog entry, and if this is any indication of what is to come, then it's going to be a struggle to find time to get this done. "Then why do it?" you may be asking... Well, I really like what a blog does. The information you receive from a good blog can be entertaining as well as educational. But it can also do so much more than that.

A couple of weekends ago, a good friend of mine was involved in a terrible motorcycle accident. He was rushed to a Conway hospital, and then brought to UAMS. His injuries were so great that there was a strong possibility of it killing him. If it weren't for the top-notch surgeons, nurses, and other staff members, things could have been a lot worse than they were. Of course, word got out very quickly to family and friends. People from all over the country were on pins and needles, waiting to hear about my friend's condition. What was the first reaction to this growing need? A stroke of brilliance in my opinion... the blog.

Through this wonderful medium, I am able to check in a couple of times a day to see how he is progressing. I can get up to date information about the surgery that was performed today, or any needs his family may have. I can read about the blood drive that was organized for him, or about how so many people have come through and provided food for family and friends in this time of need. All while allowing friends and family to put their thoughts and feelings on the blog in the form of comments.

The funny thing is, I never would have thought of using a blog to communicate this way. Phone and email would have been the first thing I would have thought of, but this may be the best thing for the situation. In the world of social networking, the blog has proved itself to be an extremely valuable tool. And after seeing it in action in a form other than sports and entertainment, I'm sure I can make time to keep a blog rolling. Its the least I can do.

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