The Reflex Blue Show, Season 3, Episode 10: David Berman Interview

July 28th, 2010 | by Donovan Beery
Posted In: The Reflex Blue Show

The sixth of the seven interviews we recorded from the 2010 HOW Conference in Denver was with David B. Berman.

One of the big happenings at the How Conference is the vendor area. It’s like a full tradeshow in that room. Not like a state fair with people selling pots and pans – sweet vendors like Neenah Paper right inside the door. French Paper always has some hot giveaways people line up for, but no booth gets the early crowd like Veer. I realized I was near their booth when the crowd got so packed I couldn’t see their booth. It was around this time that I met a guy named David Berman, and we started to chat. He asked about this podcast we did, and I told him to swing by our recording in a few minutes. He did. That was the HOW Day Two Recap.

Not putting the pieces together, Nate ended up at his presentation the next day and was blown away by the energy David has. We did what was needed to get him on the show, and time or schedules aside, we made it happen.

His book, Do Good Design: How Designers Can Change the World, is our topic. Check out a preview on Google Books to see a preview of this amazing book. We all live here. This is our profession. Change the world.

Download The Reflex Blue Show, Season 3 Episode 10 or, click here to subscribe to The Reflex Blue Show from the iTunes Music Store.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

└ Tags: , , , ,
1 Comment

The Reflex Blue Show, Season 3, Episode 9: Dyana Valentine Interview

July 16th, 2010 | by Donovan Beery
Posted In: The Reflex Blue Show

Dyana Valentine Interview

The fifth of the seven interviews we recorded from the 2010 HOW Conference in Denver was with Dyana Valentine.

We went to Denver a day before the actual HOW Conference began, and ended up spending the day at the Creative Freelancer Conference across the street. I have to mention that we showed up a few minutes early – any stereotypes of freelancers being late were instantly blown out of the water, as the room was already filled – and we had to look around for an empty seat. I look at the table, and in front of me is a large stack of business cards and 1″ buttons with a logo I recognized. A logo I remember seeing on the website of our favorite guest, Steve Gordon (see the work on his site here).

A quick introduction, an hour or two of speakers, and Dyana took the stage and walked the room through creating a perfect elevator pitch for their business. That’s it, we knew Dyana needed to be on the show, and even with a full slate of five interviews already scheduled, we fit in another (next week’s story will be like déjà-vu if you want to know how this math adds up to the seven mentioned in the first sentence).

Dyana talks about these perfect pitches, helping creatives make their business thrive, and her favorite Scrabble word. And we’ll be back next week with another interview. Enjoy.

Bonus: Dyana has her session worksheets posted online to use for your own business here.

Download The Reflex Blue Show, Season 3 Episode 9 or, click here to subscribe to The Reflex Blue Show from the iTunes Music Store.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

└ Tags: , , ,
4 Comments

The Best of Letterhead + Logo Design 12

July 8th, 2010 | by Guest Author
Posted In: Guest Authors

Best of Letterhead and Logo Design 12

Hello to all of our designer friends at 36 Point! I am excited to announce that Oxide Design Co. has been selected by Rockport Publishers to author Letterhead + Logo Design 12, the latest edition in their best-selling series. LL12 will contain the latest, most innovative, and exciting work in the field from well-known design leaders new design firms, and cutting-edge artists. Oxide will be responsible for collecting and cataloging entries, judging the design submissions, designing the complete book, and writing all of the text. The 240-page hardbound book will be available at booksellers worldwide in the fall of 2011.

For all you designers out there, we encourage you to submit your best logo and letterhead work from the last two years for possible inclusion in this edition. And be sure to tell all of your friends!

Deadline is 12 Aug 2010. Download the entry form here and enter today — it’s free!

Thank you kindly,

Drew Davies
Oxide Design Co.

1 Comment

The Reflex Blue Show, Season 3, Episode 8: Debbie Millman Interview

July 8th, 2010 | by Donovan Beery
Posted In: The Reflex Blue Show

The fourth of the seven interviews we recorded from the 2010 HOW Conference in Denver was with Debbie Millman.

Debbie was on our previous podcast (Be A Design Cast) twice (#25 and #44), stopped by during our 2009 HOW Recaps on The Reflex Blue Show (days two and three), but this is a guest that could carry her own show for a hundred episodes. Oh wait, she’s done that too.

Debbie speaks of her job as the President of AIGA, her current work at Sterling Brands, her newest book (Look Both Ways: Illustrated Essays on the Intersection of Life and Design), and how she makes popcorn.

Download The Reflex Blue Show, Season 3 Episode 8 or, click here to subscribe to The Reflex Blue Show from the iTunes Music Store.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

└ Tags: , , , , , ,
1 Comment

The Reflex Blue Show, Season 3, Episode 7: Russell Brown Interview

July 1st, 2010 | by Donovan Beery
Posted In: The Reflex Blue Show

The third of the seven interviews we recorded from the 2010 HOW Conference in Denver was with the first graphic designer hired by a company called Adobe.

Russell Brown, now the Senior Creative Director at Adobe, speaks a bit about the history of the company, the creation of Photoshop (he was one of four people listed in that first splash screen), CS5 and more.

He then answers the question presented to him from last week’s show. You know, “What is up with Flash?”

We’ll be back next week with Debbie Millman, see you then.

Download The Reflex Blue Show, Season 3 Episode 7 or, click here to subscribe to The Reflex Blue Show from the iTunes Music Store.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

└ Tags: , , , ,
2 Comments

1PT.Rule Comic: Twitterspiration

1PT.Rule Comic: Twitterspiration

June 28th, 2010 | by Nate Voss

Back for the first time in two weeks and …what? I drop the worst Panel One layout of all time? I apologize. I really don’t know what I was thinking. Marie has a head the size of a watermelon and it just doesn’t fit there.

I’ve been managing my Twitter space lately, relegating some friends to a more personal experience on Facebook, because let’s be honest: I don’t care where you are or what you are the mayor of, or what you think of what almost any celebrity or random twitter whore social media expert says. It’s been cathartic. I think of this process as cleaning up a messy desk that you just let get out of control. At one time you were sure you had a use for all of this crap on your desk, but now it has just become an unmanageable mess that saps the energy from you instead of delivering it to you. My newer, leaner Twitter follows make my life easier to live. If I don’t catch you there, though, there’s always Facebook, where I promise I’m totally not hiding your updates.

Now, if I may be done pissing into the wind, you may follow Conrad’s words of wisdom here.

1 Comment

The Reflex Blue Show, Season 3, Episode 6: Shel Perkins Interview

June 24th, 2010 | by Donovan Beery
Posted In: The Reflex Blue Show

The second of the seven interviews we recorded from the 2010 HOW Conference in Denver was with Shel Perkins of Shel Perkins & Associates.

Shel was speaking at the Creative Freelancer Conference, as he consults with creatives on all of the aspects of running a creative studio – but the talent itself. We speak of his involvement on the AIGA National Board, where he helped start up the AIGA Center for Practice Management.

We also spend time talking about his recently updated book, Talent Is Not Enough: Business Secrets For Designers. We always talk about the parts of running a design shop that don’t include the designing itself – and Shel is the one who knows best. It was a fun, and informative chat. Enjoy.

Download The Reflex Blue Show, Season 3 Episode 6 or, click here to subscribe to The Reflex Blue Show from the iTunes Music Store.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

└ Tags: , , , , ,
3 Comments

The Reflex Blue Show, Season 3, Episode 5: HOW Interview

June 16th, 2010 | by Donovan Beery
Posted In: The Reflex Blue Show

The Reflex Blue Show, Season 3, Episode 5: HOW Interview

The first of the seven interviews we recorded from the 2010 HOW Conference in Denver involves a panel from HOW itself.

We speak a bit about the design empire that is the HOW brand both online and off with three of the people who make the brand what it is: (pictured left to right) Bridgid McCarren (HOW art director), Amy Owen (HOW Books managing editor) and Jessica Kuhn (HOW associate/online editor).

We also chat about what HOW has coming up, and about the conference itself. Enjoy – and we’ll be back next week with Shel Perkins of Shel Perkins & Associates.

Download The Reflex Blue Show, Season 3 Episode 5 or, click here to subscribe to The Reflex Blue Show from the iTunes Music Store.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

└ Tags: , , , , ,
2 Comments

Tequila Slurpees and A Trek to the Denver Art Museum: How I Added Two New Matches To My Concept Matchbox

June 15th, 2010 | by Guest Author
Posted In: Guest Authors

By Steph Doyle
Images by Nicholas Nawroth & Kelly Parke

This year’s HOW design conference was a bit different for me than past design conferences, as I actually decided to experience some the host city’s cultural offerings. And I don’t mean from the inside of a restaurant or bar. Well, at least that was my intention.

On Monday, day 2 of the conference, the morning started out with an inspirational presentation given by my colleague and friend, Von Glitschka. The session was entitled, “Creating 5-Alarm Concepts” and used the metaphor of collecting matches. Not two things that are alike, but the sticks you use to start a fire. The matches are symbolic of the life experiences that we intentionally or accidently go through, and how we can translate those experiences into 5-alarm creative concepts for use in daily problem solving. Click the link above to download Von’s awesome presentation.

Tequila Slurpees

↓ Read the rest of this entry…

└ Tags: , , , , ,
2 Comments

1PT.Rule Comic: Zombiefication, It’s A Thing

1PT.Rule Comic: Zombiefication, It’s A Thing

June 14th, 2010 | by Nate Voss

Back from HOW in Denver, and the world is a different place to me. At some point I will properly recap my experience, which, due to our enhanced access as MEDIA (badges that got play, by the way) I am sure differs somewhat from the average conference goers’. Suffice it to say, it was life-changing, which I previously did not believe a professional conference would be capable of doing.

The other thing the HOW Conference excelled at was damn-near killing me. Seriously. Marines, after months of training, learn how to push their tired aside and operate in spite of it. I think I got some taste of that during the Denver Conference. Even Bryn Mooth, Queen of HOW and perpetual motion machine, was seen slightly dimmed by the fifth day. I say slightly because if you could bottle Byrn Mooth and sell it you could power Moscow for a month.

So when I returned to life normal here in Omaha, I found myself, as did many of my new Facebook and Twitter friends, both uncommonly motivated and completely destroyed. The comic wrote itself even before I had left Colorado, but it took me until today to create it. It’s Monday, and I got back late Wednesday. That’s how long it took me to recover, and I’m still a little weak in the knees.

Voss Out

└ Tags: ,
2 Comments