Follow Top Graphic Designers on Twitter to Boost Your Career

From North Onion, a sweet way to wake up on a Tuesday morning…

We strongly encourage you to follow the feeds and visit the blogs of these top-tier artists, but offer a word of warning: featured Twitterbugs have a knack for finding projects so compelling that a person could be distracted from actual work for several hours at a time. Proceed carefully….

Agreed. There are certainly a great number of designers on that list. Btw – if you do plan on following me, please go for @nospec over @thecatat7. The NO!SPEC Campaign is where I spend most of my time these days as there just isn’t enough time to do it all.

Thanks for the follow in advance. And a thanks goes to Rebecca Palmer for supporting the design industry.

Ho ho ho everyone…

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Some of you might know that I also run the NO!SPEC Campaign. For those who aren’t aware, the early campaign days are documented in the categories to the right.

The NO!SPEC Campaign was put together in a mammoth rush. Two overlapping teams were created to come up with design and copy, each team with an aim of working towards the final product. Doing it this way made it sort of a scattered experience at best, but it garnered results.

From the very beginning we knew that the site would eventually need a quieter redesign. That the IN YOUR FACE [insert expletive here] layout wasn’t meant to last forever. Also needed was a logical nav structure, as sometimes finding things was… whoooh…

But for years we were too shagged out busy with the campaign; less concerned with making pretty.

Every so often I’d get emails from designers offering to redo the site design. Jay and I would look at portfolios, check out code, and then get back to the campaign.

Several months back long-time buddy David Airey offered to do the redesign. I knew David’s portfolio and I was also aware of how he worked with clients. So I knew that we’d work well together too.

As Jay is the one responsible for everything under the NO!SPEC hood, I forwarded David’s offer. Jay blessed it with a yes.

David mentioned that the design brief was brief.
And indeed it was.

David: Brief?
Cat: Simple.
David: This?
Cat and Jay: Like.

As expected, the redesign went smoothly. No drama. No snafus. Although – and I just have to confess this part – late in the day (after most everything was done) I did start hankering after a third column to share @nospec twitter tweets. Heh. Don’t you just hate that from clients? But, without making a last minute request, I shelved the idea for afters.

If you read the comments in David’s post about the redesign you’ll see some grumbling (nothing huge, mind you). Also in the comments is an excellent point made by Jeff Fisher (LogoMotives).

I do think that many forget the NO!SPEC site is not just a resource for design students and those in the design profession. I often direct businesses, organizations, “contest” coordinators, educators, publications and others to the website for information about the topic of speculative work. I did so yesterday after receiving an invitation from GermanAviation.com to participate in a ‘competition’ [i.e. "contest"] for a new logo design. Who knows if they even bothered to visit the site for a little NO!SPEC education – but, if they did so, a very professional presence was there to be explored.

Looking at the bigger picture – communication industry + clients – is one of the main reasons I went with a calmer, more professional design this time.

All in all, I expected more of a negative reaction, but in a different direction. No matter. Eventually, everyone will get used to the cleaner design. And hey, I promise that we’ll do our best to muff everyone off with the next revamp… kidding ;-)

I’m all the way down here and there’s thanking yet to do.

The NO!SPEC Campaign started out with 20 tireless designers in the NO!SPEC committee. And they were brilliant. Some even worked through illnesses brought on from the late hours needed to put the project together. But people do have jobs and lives to get to, families to see, and all that.

So the way the NO!SPEC team shakes out today, there is a smaller, looser team comprised of Jay Wickham, David Airey, and Steve Douglas. [edit] I forgot to add myself. Between the four of us, we hold down the fort. You see, when I’m fed up with the spec cacca (it can get pretty depressing), it’s Steve and David who prop me up, giving me the support to continue on. And it’s Jay doing what needs to be done codewise, as well as fixing what I break (which is often).

Jeff Fisher, a member of the original NO!SPEC committee, continues to support the campaign on a regular basis. And btw, the original committee is not permanently out of the picture. They come in ever so often when I yelp for help.

Debbie Millman, who we all know and love, is another designer working on spec issues (I swear that lass never sleeps). And when I’m fussing up a storm, Deb sometimes sends soothing noises my way.

So a HUGE thank you from me goes to everyone involved. Everyone who has worked on the NO!SPEC Campaign in the past, all the way to the present, and even to those coming in later. Everyone who has written a post about spec issues, tweeted and retweeted those posts, whatever. It’s all important. And I thank you.

Enjoy…

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How to Succeed as a Creative Professional

Just this week my buddy Mark McGuinness sent over a fabulous free offer, his new course: The Creative Pathfinder.

You might remember Mark from his ebook, Time Management for Creative People. Kudos to Mark as a mention of his ebook made it to Mashable as well: 10 Essential Free E-Books for Web Designers.

If you are interested in his course, keep on reading…

FREE Course on How to Succeed as a Creative Professional

If you’d like to inject some inspiration and momentum into your creative career, feel free to enrol on my new course: The Creative Pathfinder.

It’s a 25-week programme designed to equip you with the creative and professional skills you need to succeed in your chosen career path – whether you’re an employee, freelancer or creative entrepreneur.

Things you’ll learn include:

• why following your heart makes sound business sense
• the four most powerful types of creative thinking
• how to handle a creative block – when you’re supposed to be the creative pro
• why opportunities just land in some people’s lap (and how you can be one of them)
• the most effective ways to make a living from your creativity
• why having a resume could handicap your career
• how to turn your website into a magnet for new business and career opportunities
• the weird and profitable properties of intellectual property
• how to sell without selling out
• what to do with all the money you earn
• why other people seem so weird – and what to do about it
• how to succeed in the face of overwhelming odds

Every week, you’ll receive a new lesson via e-mail, containing:

• An article explaining the what, why and how of the topic
• A practical worksheet for you to download and complete
• Links to additional resources (articles, books, e-books etc — most of which are free)

And it won’t cost you a penny. Sign-up on the enrolment page and you will receive the entire course of 25 lessons for free.

Since I launched The Creative Pathfinder on Lateral Action last week, over 1,200 students have signed up. It would be great if you could join us on the journey…

Mark McGuinness
Lateral Action | Wishful Thinking | twitter @markmcguinness

Enjoy…

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Design Currency

Mark Busse BA MGDC: Design Currency is not your father’s design conference.

Icograda Design Week in Vancouver 2010 is a pan-disciplinary conference featuring some of world’s foremost experts from various design disciplines. The theme of “design currency” is a challenge to all who attend, as the speakers intend to challenge paradigms and shatter assumptions about what design is.

This event will not merely be design stars on stage showing off their portfolios, but rather an exploration of craftsmanship, clarity, functionality, social contribution, sustainability, beauty and results, all with the intent to reshape our understanding of the value of design and its impact on communication, culture, and commerce.

Read more about what Mark has to say in his article: Icograda’s Design Week Vancouver 2010

Enjoy…

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Design Week Vancouver

Call for nominations for a “next generation” speaker

Hi all. Design Week Vancouver would like your help. They have a fabulous list of speakers arranged, but would like your opinion on just one more:

Let us know a person you’d like to nominate who is under 30 and would do a great job at representing the ‘next generation voice’. We can’t promise anything, but we’ll do our best to bring them to our stage in Vancouver.

Enjoy…

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The SET Foundation

Giving back…

Once upon a time there was a British guy who became a rare farang (non Asian) monk in Thailand.

His name was Peter Robinson, but he became known as Phra Farang.

After he left the order, Peter continued to give back to Thailand. And he did this by creating the SET Foundation (more about this later).

When I moved to Thailand, I too expected to do a lot of giving back. And I have.

But it was the SET Foundation that really caught my western fancy.

And as I mentioned on my Thai blog, Women Learn Thai (please don’t forget the ‘wink’), the SET Foundation has an amazing record:

Every Baht you give goes directly to help our students: SET has very low overheads and administration costs – no staff wages, no office rental costs, no staff vehicles and no fundraising expenses. In 2008, less than 3% of income was spent on administration.

500 Baht (US$15) will buy a pair of school shoes.

800 Baht (US$24) will buy spectacles – often badly needed by some students. 800 Baht will also pay a month’s rent in a shared student dormitory.

1,000 (US$30) Baht will pay for a school uniform or will cover the cost of books or tools for a year.

2,500 Baht (US$75) will pay for lunch at a school canteen for an entire semester.

2,500 Baht will also usually cover bus fares for a year (two semesters).

3,000 Baht (US$90) will support a student at high school for one semester or one semester for a college student studying for a Vocational Certificate.

5,000 Baht (US$150) is the typical value of a SET welfare grant for one semester for a college or university student. The grant will usually cover the cost of accommodation, food and bus fares.

If you are a Westerner – American, Brit, European, Canadian – then you might have noticed just how little it takes to contribute to an education.

And what is especially noticeable is how practically nothing is skimmed off the top. Yeah, there be a lot of skimming going on in the west…

Dunno about you, but I was impressed. Totally.

I’ve tossed in 5000 baht (US$150). And my buddy Talen of Thailand, Land of Smiles has tossed in 5000 baht too.

So, would anyone care to match our bahts, toss by toss?

But truthfully, even a half a toss, or a half of a half a toss, would do.

Enjoy…

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Faces of Design Awards 2010

Launch of a new design competition

This is fantastic news all. The Faces of Design Awards is a design competition that does not ask for spec work!

We are proud to announce a new interdisciplinary design competition, the Faces of Design Awards 2010. Our goal is to create career opportunities for talented designers worldwide, by increasing their international visibility.

The Faces of Design Awards are based on candidates’ existing portfolios, and culminate in the publication of a printed volume, showcasing the 25 most promising design talents, by design discipline (e.g. graphic design, fashion design, product design).

This collection of profiles will be distributed to over 1.000 key decision makers at more than 300 companies, including firms such as vitra, IKEA, the Richemont Group (including prestigious brands such as Montblanc, Cartier and Chloé), designers’ studios such as the Campanas’ and Bouroullecs’, design institutions, and the international design press.

Enjoy…

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Design Altruism Project Arguing With Success

When I moved away from paying work and into probono full-time, I didn’t realise that it would eat at my every available moment. But it has. And that’s my excuse for not keeping up with DWB.

This morning I woke up to an email from David Stairs of the Design Altruism Project. I scanned through, then got stuck into my day job.

Several hours later, Google Alerts jostled me to take another look at what David had cared enough to send.

And it was this look that brought me here. To DWB. To share with you…

Arguing With Success: My concern with the popularity of Facebook design groups and socially conscientious design blogs is that, rather than muster wider awareness, they will cause both a false sense of general accomplishment, and result in donor-fatigue.

The growth of a category of what are called “slacktivists,” people who use their interest in design/politics to justify joining online groups and building websites for remote non-profits, fails to address the world’s problems with feet-on-the-ground solutions.

At the end of the day isn’t it the person with the most mud on his or her shoes, not the one with the most conference speaking engagements, who is doing the important work?

Agree or not, you have to admit that it is certainly something to think about.

And now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go off and rustle up a few generous souls…

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Blogs, Mad about Design

I keep waiting for my copy of Blogs, Mad about Design to arrive to I can write a post about it on DWB.

Sigh. I must be the LAST person in the whole wide world who hasn’t received theirs yet!

But, no matter, I contacted Macarena at www.maomaopublications.com and she says it’s on the way. And if not, she’ll send me another.

Twitter, twitter, twitter…

In the meantime, I thought I’d share a designer’s new best friend: Twitter.

And better yet, NO!SPEC on twitter: nospec

If you are looking for other designers on twitter, there are a few posts going around. And as your google finger isn’t broken, I’ll only list a few:

• grain edit: 50+ Designers on Twitter: Our favorites to follow
• Digital Labz: 100 Web Designers to follow on Twitter
• Mashable: 85+ of the Best Twitterers Designers Should Follow
• Vandelay Design Blog: 50+ Designers to Follow on Twitter

And look, here’s a new one from PelFusion.com: Creative Twitter Backgrounds of 50 Designers

(scroll down and you’ll see thecatat7 – that’s the designer me :-)

Just for fun, you can even do a designers Twitter Search.

Or a nospec Twitter Search.

And since we are on a roll, how about a Crowdsourcing Twitter Search?

Uh. That last one was just FULL of butt-ugly nastiness, yeah?

Enjoy…

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Wolda 09

Wolda ’09 is open for entries

Hey all, this just came across my virtual desk…

Wolda ’09 is now collecting logos from all over the world designed both in 2008 and 2009 accepting submissions in two separate deadlines:

• June 30, 2009 for logos designed in 2008
• January 31, 2010 for logos designed in 2009

The core of excellence generated by this process is collated in a printed annual, printed on SAPPI acclaimed papers by Fontegrafica, winner of numerous worldwide awards.

Entry to Wolda includes a ’09 book copy for each participant completely free of charge, including shipping!

Enjoy…

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