Coudal Partners has resurrected Layer Tennis (née Photoshop Tennis) and the first match is currently underway between illustrator Kevin Cornell and designer/programmer Shaun Inman with commentary by Daring Fireball’s John Gruber. You can also keep on on Twitter.
Quote, “Group intelligence is multiplicative when idiots are involved – combining a half-wit with another half-wit does not result in a full-witted person, it results in a quarter-witted person (1/2 x 1/2 = 1/4).” The design curve of how to ruin a web design.
The more time I spend on By Designers For Designers, the more I love the layout, especially the colors and event calendar implementation. Just grid-tastically delicious.
The Blankenships landed in Boston on July 4th, which was the most unintentionally patriotic thing I’ve ever done. Almost three months later, I am currently without gainful employment, but doing just fine with freelance work, exploring contract opportunities, going to interesting job interviews, and getting some fun feedback on my resume. Thus, Boston is currently a magical land filled with opportunity.
That being said, I wanted to try an experiment. Some of you know me know me, some of you have been reading this blog and following my work for years now, and some of you are just popping in or discovering this site. With that broad range of readers and thoughts and opinions, I want to ask you a simple question.
What do you think I should do for a living? What does my ideal job look like?
Antoine Dufour and Tommy Gauthier play Jerry’s Breakdown together, on one guitar. It’s silly and endearing, so it’s easy to forget that Dufour is basically amazing.
Interesting article (with actual research, imagine that) on Primary and Secondary actions in web forms and how to best differentiate for users. e.g. you fill in your details and hit submit (primary action) or cancel/reset (secondary action). Nerdy, but important.
Lovely new site for the 2008 Sundance Film Festival from Airbag Industries and Mr. Ryan Sims.
I am professionally defined by those with whom I do business…And I fervently believe that bigness achieved by acquiring dreary Clients is a losing proposition of the first order.
— Tom Peters, The Brand You 50
The Jacky Winter Group represents a ton of very talented Australian illustrators. I’m especially fond of Tin & Ed, but all the artists have unique styles worth checking out.
Life without a friend is death without a witness.
— Spanish Proverb
Stephen Hallgren coded up Grid Layouts to give web-developers a customizable grid that sits under their designs and turns on and off with a key command. It’s all Javascript and XHTML, and super easy to implement and use. Thank you, Stephen.
Videos for Creatives collects various videos of designers, etc. into a daily blog.
Quote, “Speed of communication begets speed of execution.” Interesting thoughts and rationales for open office plans in technology/web companies.
Graphic Designer Michael Bierut uncovers his portfolio from 1978 and gives us a peek at the contents. It should be noted that it got him a job at famed design firm Vignelli Associates the following year, and he’s never had to show his portfolio to get a job since.
1. The outpouring of gushy awesome encouragement, job offers, freelance requests, and contract work from friends, family, dotcomrades, and total strangers.The friends and family sort of have to – it’s in their contract, but everyone else, you’re just going above and beyond.
2. Davis Square in Somerville, MA
3. Hearing the theme from 70′s TV show S.W.A.T. on the radio while simultaneously watching four teenage Hassidic Jewish kids in full garb cross the street, hats in various stages of askewness, Kosher bagged lunched in hand.
4. Arranging your home book library by book spine color is visually amazing.
5. Getting this via IM: “just thought I’d let you know, some of your work from PNFF was used as an example for experimental typography gone right in my 200 level typography class.”
Free skull typeface. What are you still reading for? GO.
Psst, Abe Lincoln, somebody stamped a hideously out-of-place purple 5 on the back of your bill. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing says, “We wanted this redesigned bill to scream, ‘I am a five. I am a five.’ [and] eliminate any similarity or confusion on the part of the public between the $5 bill and the $100 bill.” I know I’m always handing out errant Benjamins by accident. I mean, the other 7 instances of the number 5 on old Abe just aren’t enough for me, because I’m an idiot.
Rabbit vs. Penguin in a dance-off. (via The Lantern Waste Co.)
The site is a beast to navigate, but Christian Robert-Tissot has some amazing large-scale typography-based work like this, this, this, and this. It’s worth dealing with the annoying navigation.
About The Author
I'm a graphic designer and sometimes writer living in Anderson, South Carolina. I serve as the Design Director for NewSpring Church. I love Jesus, my wife, Levi's Jeans, good Tex-Mex, and 8oz glass bottle Coca-Cola Classic. On good days I love them roughly in that order. Email me.