Current Reading list

This is such a great book small and easy to read with a great formula to follow.

Reading this I am blown away by the quality of this book. Learning the history of design is a great to learn what caused the certain trends and styles. The book is over 6 hundred pages full of design history. This is a pretty big book but i’m making my way through it.

I found out about this book from listening to a Jim Rohn audiobook. After reading the good bit that I have its beautifully written and its a short read. So that means you’ll learn about history very quickly. I definitely recommend getting a copy of this.

How to make typography

Developing typography is really pretty simple. The difficult part is the details of the letters and many other things. Depending upon what you plan to do with the typography will determine the type design. Then you will want to figure out what is the most important part of your typography.

For one you want to determine what type of typography you were going to be making. The different types are hand drawn typography and digital type to keep it simple. Which honestly hand drawn typography which is normally what the digital typography comes from. Which will depend upon whether or not its going to be used as a font.

The steps to take to make typography

Determine what the font will be used for
Determine whether or not this will be a hand drawn quote or font
Fix the details
Fix the details some more
Fix the details even more
Digitize (scan onto your computer) or outline with microns or fineliners to give it a finished look
Clean up everything and smooth out your typography
Go back over each little detail
Finish

Making typography is such a fun and relaxing thing. But you may or not understand the amount of detail that is involved with creating a font. Also hand lettering can be such a time consuming task. Which will utterly depend on you if you are wanting to make it look beautiful or just to finish it. So go and have fun with typography.

Lil Kim Steals Art work and Gives No Credit

So I came across a reddit thread about none other then little kim stealing someones art work and giving no credit for it. Someone like little Kim you would expect her to do the right thing being an artist. Because if someone got caught downloading her music they would be sued like no other.

I can only imagine how much more things like this happen to many artists across the world. The girl that produced this work her name is Samantha Ravndahl of Batalashbeauty. Her instagram is here and little kims is here and I wish the best for samantha in this case. The art is supposedly for a mixtape and that absolutely makes no difference. The artist should be paid.

So for example lets take this into consideration on how many people will listen to Kims song, People who know of Lil Kim, How many people follow her on twitter over 1 million people do. This utterly disgusts me that a musician would do such a thing and here’s a link to the full thread on reddit.

So remember this even if someone steals your artwork and gives you no credit people will eventually find out about it. Because now more people are going to know about Samantha Ravndahl and what she does. I am very interested in how this turns out in the coming weeks.

One thing I forgot to mention

Lil Kim took the photo and put her watermark over it which you can see on her instagram.

What are your thoughts about Lil kim doing such a thing?

If you have a vision follow it

Whenever we have a vision I know that it can be hard for some people to take action. Then a month or so later they still have not made any change. The same thing can be said for someone wanting to be a freelancer and never contacting clients. When honestly its easy and also easy not to do.

You may sit at work or in class and have ideas for products to create. The question I’m wondering is why have you not made them? Now this day in age its so easy to start a business or learn something you do not know quickly. There is also no problem that you are having that someone else has not had. Stop being a consumer and start being a producer.

There may be at times people that want you to do the normal thing. Which is getting a Job and then live a normal life. Not saying doing so is bad but you have to be honest with yourself. This is not for everyone to do because honestly not everyone could deal with what comes of this.

So from now on if you have a vision of something that you want to create stop wishful thinking and take action. Taking action simply starts with setting goals that will push you in the direction you want to go. You can do it if you believe.

Build the company that you wouldn’t sell – Zach Klein

I came across this video a couple of days ago and felt it would be a good thing to share with you all. Whenever we build something depending on the person there are different motives behind it. Some people on want to build a company or products to just make money. Then there’s others who build products and companies that help improve people’s lives.

When you are designing whether it be for a client or yourself stop and think what kind of impact is this going to have. Because whenever you put something out it does not matter what the excuses or problems were.

Doing Whatever It Takes

You may have been going through some hard times or dealing with someone who does not believe in your dreams. Whether it can be in designing or something you want to do. Well you have to make a pledge to yourself that you are going to do whatever it takes. Which means you have to do this daily.

There’s no time for playing (unless its to celebrate an achievement). I for one have started waking up at 4 a.m-4:30 am for the past couple of days to get more out of the day. When you wake up early the quietness is at first a different feeling. Then you can’t just wake up early and not have a plan for the day. Because its so easy to just wake up early for the hell of it.

After you start waking up early plan your day. Meaning you can either right a schedule or things to do for the day. Then after you finish them you can take a nap. I work a part time day Job and design at night or before going in so there is no excuse for someone else not being able to do the same. Making the transition from wage slave to working in a profession that I went to school depends really on me and my dedication.

So to bring this post to an end believe in yourself and do whatever it takes to achieve your dreams (nothing illegal). Because as we all know trying to cheat or take a shortcut will not really last for a long time or have the longevity as if you took the honest path.

Good design should never be used to

The designer is not always right. The researcher is not always wrong. Profit is not always the motive; market research, whatever its outcome, should never be used as a good excuse for bad design – in the same sense that good design should never be used to promote a bad product.

— Paul Rand

Happy with the New Design and a few new things

I am so happy that I was able to find a template that would allow me to have my site designed how I felt would be the strongest. Also to have a template that can stand the test of time. Because there would be no reason for me to change my site every couple of months.

Anyhow there is something else that I am going to start doing here. I am going to start selling posters that I make. Right now I have a society 6 But I am looking into other alternatives for selling my work. Also doing limited runs of each poster and other possible items. If you have any that you’d recommend please let me know. (Would big cartel be a good alternative?)

Doyald Young, Logotype Designer

Nothing can describe the beautifulness of this video along with the lovely typography and logo designs.

Learning While Learning

This is a principle that will help you see things in a more clearer perspective. For example you may have a thing that you want to learn or are learning. A good example is learning web design. While your learning web design you should practice what you are learning.

Putting into what you are learning will help you retain and see what you are learning. When you take the time to notice the little things in your process or steps you will be more appreciative. Honestly all of this depends upon you. You and me both have came across a person that claims to be able to do anything.

But honestly what are they good at. They tried to cheat the way learning a skill works. This is the same principle that I apply to skateboarding. You may be able to do an unlimited amount of tricks on your skateboard. But the real question is how often can you land those tricks.

So do not get frustrated with learning and continue to put into use what you learn.

Have a good Monday