The Tanoshiboy Chronicles: Design & Illustration Blog

7 Phrases Graphic Designers Hate to Hear

2012-02-14T14:57:00.000-08:00

Being a graphic designer has it's ups and downs, just like any career. You deal with some great people and some not so great people. You get people who respect what you do and others who think you're just pushing buttons. Even after 13 years of experience, I still get the occasional inquiry that makes me shake my head. Like today, I received an email with a logo request which started with the guy setting the price for the project, and ended with me rolling my eyes.

So I compiled a short list of the phrases we designers hate to hear. Below each phrase is what we would love to say in response, but most times bite our tongues.

Can you make the logo bigger? We need to make it pop so people can see it.
Sure, let's bypass the content on your website and stick a big fat logo up there so people can see how insecure you are.

That's expensive. Can you do it for half of that?

No problem, I didn't want to pay my mortgage this month anyway. I'll let my Wife know were moving into a cardboard box.

It's an easy one, so it shouldn't take you very long.

You're right, I'll get this done asap since there's no skill in what I do. I'll just call all my other clients and tell them to hit the bricks while I work on your project.

I don't know exactly what we need, but we need something cool.
You're really lucky I just learned to read minds. This won't be a problem at all.

Can I show this to my daughter? She has a great eye for this stuff.

Yeah, of course, because you don't hire a professional graphic designer with a decade of experience and NOT ask your daughter, the nutrition major, for her advice.

We don't have the copy yet, but we can get started on the design.

That's an amazing idea. I'll just imagine what the copy will look like and lay out the images and graphics in random sizes. If the copy is too much I’ll just remove random sentences and images until it all fits, and if you give me too little I’ll just fill the space with sentences of how awesome you are.

I can't afford to pay you now, but if we can do it for free this time, I will definitely spread the word. I got lots of connections.
Yes, no problem. My Wife and I got tired of eating so this works out great. It's worth the risk because your vast network will surely elevate me to fame and fortune. It's clear that even though you can't afford to invest in your own business, I should be taking any and all business advice from you. Now, can I wash your car?

Happy Designing,

Dennis (aka tanoshiboy)

What do you think of this list? Did I leave anything out? Are you guilty of some of these? Leave us a comment and let us know what you'd add or which is your most hated phrase. Share on Facebook and Twitter and use @salvatier! Thanks for reading.

What might be right for you, may not be right for some

2012-02-07T13:05:00.000-08:00

You might recognize my title if you watched sitcoms in the 80's. It felt appropriate to go with this part of the lyrics when thinking up a title for today's post. You'll see what I mean.

Two weeks ago, I wrote about DC Comics' new logo. Most people felt the peeling effect was not reminiscent of a comic page turning or successful in symbolizing the concept of revealing duality. But I found a new brand that takes that similar concept and makes it work beautifully. The UK's Discovery History.

As you can see, the peel effect is used in this brand to reveal the past in contrast with the present. I think DC Comics really wanted to create something that worked well in animation first, but Discovery History focused on a strong static brand first, and an animated version second. The brand and all elements for broadcast were created by Pete & Tom, a London based design studio.

Discovery History Ident - BERLIN WALL from Discovery UK Creative on Vimeo.

Discovery History Ident - ST PAULS from Discovery UK Creative on Vimeo.

What do you think? Do you agree the concept that DC Comics tried to convey could have worked if their approach was more like Discovery History? Let us know in the comments section and share this post using the social media icons. If tweeting, please use via @salvatier, so I can properly thank you!

Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic

2012-02-01T09:56:00.000-08:00

Back in December I did a week-long sketch challenge and dreamed up a pin up of one of my favorite DC Comic heroines, Zatanna, who's a stage magician, but also an actual mystic. The fun thing about her spells is that they're simply a command said backwards. "NRUT OT SSALG", for example.I wanted to go with a classic pin up feel but with a modern twist to it and after a few weeks I got around to fully illustrating it. I had an alternate version that was more elaborate, but in this case I really felt less was more.

January has been an incredibly busy month, so I'm happy when I make time to work on something fun and personal. I hope you enjoy and let me know what you think!

Dennis (aka tanoshiboy)

Should a Logo Be Heroic?

2012-01-23T08:00:00.000-08:00

Last week DC Comics, the comic book publisher best known for publishing Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, announced they were getting a whole new brand identity. And just to give you a little backstory -- DC Comics made a major reboot last September, with their entire line of comic books. After 75+ years of continuity, the publisher believed it was time to revamp their library of characters for today's audiences. That meant updated costumes, reworked origins and the tweaking of their universe's timeline. So it came at no surprise that a new logo was on the horizon.

DC's need was to create a brand that would better represent their goal to spread across all forms of media, not just comics. Understandable, since DC Entertainment was formed in 2009 to handle the development of projects starring their heroes and villains over many mediums. Here's a quick look at DC's brand history.

The New Logo

As you can see they're goal was to create a duality in their logo, much like the duality of their superheroes. Bruce Wayne is secretly Batman (I like to think it's the other way around) and Clark Kent is Superman; and their logo does reflect that feeling of revealing a mystery with the page-turn effect. On top of that they wanted a mark that could be versatile and be themed with the persona's of their characters.

“It was our goal to capture DC Entertainment in a dynamic and provocative identity. Our solution is a living expression which changes and adapts to the characters, story lines and the ways fans are consuming content,” said Nicolas Aparicio, the creative Director of Landor, the consulting agency who designed the new mark. “The new identity is built for the digital age, and can easily be animated and customized to take full advantage of the interactivity offered across all media platforms.” he went onto say. I get that and I see that in the mock ups and concepts provided in DC's release.

Conclusion

As a long time fan of DC Comics, my initial reaction was one of disgust when I first saw the new mark. Right off the bat (no pun intended) it made me feel like all the heroism and excitement had left the brand to be replaced by this new unexciting, bland, monstrosity that looked like a toilet seat cover was being peeled off. Now that I've had time to digest it, I don't feel as strongly as I did. I don't hate the new logo, but I don't exactly like it. The complaint from fans was that the logo didn't look like a comic book company, but if you look at Marvel, Image Comics or Dark Horse Comics, neither do theirs. My problem with the logo is that it had to be explained to me so that I could see what they meant by it. As a logo designer, I believe a mark's purpose should be apparent from the moment you first lay eyes on it. Like the Joker says, "If you have to explain the joke, there is no joke".

What are your thoughts at first sight? Does DC's explanation clear things up or you, or do you agree that if it has to be explained there's a problem? Do you disagree with me? Do you think this mark is right for the goal DC Entertainment has set out for? Please comment and tell us what you think. Please share and tweet this post using via @salvatier and thanks for reading.

Sushi & Gazpacho vs Insomnia

2012-01-20T00:38:00.000-08:00

Ever have those nights where you just feel wired and no matter what you do you can't quiet your dumb brain? That's my current state. I've been working almost non-stop since the new year began. I'm happy to be busy, so I'm not complaining, but it can drive you a little nuts and mess with your sleep.

So I went for a drive and felt like doing a little sketching when I returned. Some fun stuff came out of it and I felt like sharing. So enjoy a pen and ink sketch of my characters Sushi and Gazpacho and some of their "fans".

Sweet Dreams,

Dennis

Design Field Trip: Getty Center part 2

2012-01-19T11:37:00.000-08:00

I'm not going to write very much today and let the photos speak for themselves, but I wanted to thank everyone who checked out part 1 and commented. If I had one wish for 2012 is would be that this blog would hear more from the creative community. I would love to see comments from fellow illustrators and graphic designers and hear their opinions on not just what you see here, but in the creative world in general. This blog has always been a creative outlet for me, and I hoped it would serve other creatives as well, at least to get them thinking and maybe even considering things in our field in a different way. So chime in and join in the conversation or create one. And if you find yourself disagreeing with anything write here, please let me know. I welcome a friendly debate. Honest. :)

Enjoy the photos and if you have any questions or suggestions for this blog, please drop me a line.

Happy Creating,

Dennis

Design Field Trip: Getty Center part 1

2012-01-17T15:35:00.000-08:00

One of the things we do as creatives is sit behind our monitors a bit too much. It's really important to get out and see what the world holds in store in terms of inspiration. Living in Los Angeles, I have tons of inspiration around me (yes, I'm spoiled). So I decided to visit the J. Paul Getty Museum (part of the Getty Center), well known for its architecture, gardens, and beautiful views of Los Angeles. I brought a couple of friends with me and it was especially great for them to join me because they're still exploring Los Angeles and it's always a treat to visit familiar places and see it again through new eyes. The museum was designed by architect Richard Meier, with the Garden being designed by Robert Irwin. You can learn more about the Getty Center on their wiki page.

In this post you'll see pictures of the amazing architecture, the gardens and some sculpture work. Unfortunately the day was overcast so we didn't get the sunset we were hoping for, in part 2 you'll get to see pictures of the artwork inside the museum. I had so much fun breaking in my new Canon EOS Rebel T2i, so I hope you enjoy my shots. Come back Thursday for part 2!

Happy Designing,

Dennis

Have you ever felt burned out and take a field trip to recharge those batteries? Can you recommend some inspiring places to visit either in Los Angeles or in the U.S.? Do you have stories of amazing places you've seen in other continents? Please share in the comments section and share this post on facebook, twitter (via @salvatier) or any other social media sites. Thanks!

Your Design Needs a Facelift

2012-01-11T20:38:00.000-08:00

As a man coming into his mid-thirties, I've noticed white hairs and wrinkles slowly creeping in. Luckily, I have some pretty damn good genes (Thanks Dad!), and usually I get mistaken for 23, which can backfire when you run a design business. I actually had a guy once tell me "what the hell am I gonna learn from you, boy? You're practically fresh out of your daddy's balls". True story.

The reason I bring this up is because brands also age, and that goes for all design in general; from marketing collateral to websites. In recent years it's been very popular for companies to rethink their brands. Some companies go with a complete new direction, like Peru's department of tourism...

But the other thing that's happening is what I call "design facelifts". No one is a better example of that than Starbucks. They really brought the brand down to the most essential, and it got a huge bucket of win from Starbucks fans and designers.

So there you have it, you don't have to commit to complete redesign, but if you're feeling like your design could use some excitement, maybe it's time for a design facelift. But wait, there's more! I'm not only the Salvatier Studios' owner, but I'm also a client. Yes, even Salvatier Studios was feeling a little aged after two years of sporting the same look. It was time for something new, so instead of going through a whole redesign, I decided it was time for a design facelift. Check it out...

Feel free to check out the entire site and see what a design facelift can do. I have to say I'm really excited about 2012 and this design facelift was a perfect idea. Maybe it's time for you to touch up the grey!

Happy Designing,

Dennis

Do you think a design facelift is a viable way to reignite excitement in your design? Is there something else you'd suggest from a design perspective? Do you think you might as well go with a complete redesign? Let's here from the design community! Tell us in the comments section. And if this post has made you consider a design facelift or you have questions, please contact us. I'm giving away 25% off a design facelift to the first 5 people who tweet this post using "via @salvatier".

A Brand Doesn't Need To Be Eye-Catching

2012-01-03T10:22:00.000-08:00

If you've ever had a logo designed for your business (or perhaps you haven't), you'd know that it's one of the most important investments you're ever going to make. So when looking for the right person to do the job make sure he or she doesn't say "your logo needs to be eye catching". That's a bad sign they don't know what they're doing.

Lots of things are eye-catching. Here's a quick list...

1. A good looking woman giving away free beer at the car show
2. One of those guys waving a sign, listening to his iPod and dancing like a maniac
3. Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Men! (Thanks Family Guy)

And I'm sure you can think of a few more, but the point is even though these attract my attention, it doesn't mean I'm going to buy anything. The same goes for logo design.

What To Strive For

Your logo needs to be effective and memorable. Effectively telling a story and leaving a lasting impression that people will remember. Because the goal is to design a mark that will build a relationship with it's audience. That's why you buy Crest instead of Colgate or drink Starbucks instead of The Coffee Bean. There's an emotional tie there. A good logo designer works with this in mind.

Designs by Salvatier Studios

Conclusion

My favorite logo of the last year has been Starbucks' as a matter of fact. It encompasses everything I just explained and proves that less is more. So if you're thinking about investing in a logo (see the offer below), keep these words in mind, and please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Happy Designing,

Dennis

Do you disagree? Have you had any bad experiences with a logo designer or hate your logo? Please tell us about it in the comments section. And please use the social media icons to share. In your tweet use 'via @salvatier' so I can thank you. As a bonus, I'd like to offer readers of this post 15% off all of my branding packages from now until the end of January. Contact me for more info and mention this post or promo code TB2012.

Merry Christmas from Tanoshiboy!

2011-12-23T11:01:00.000-08:00

I want to thank you all, from the bottom of my heart, for all your support this year. I've grown so much in my design and (especially) illustration work, and this blog has a lot to do with it. Your words of encouragement have made a difference and I truly appreciate that. On some of my most frustrating days, and some terrible days, this blog was a source of good in my life.

I hope I have brought a little joy in your life this past year and maybe even taught you a little something via my experiences in this business for 13 years. I hope you all have the best holiday season. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Dennis (tanoshiboy)

What Does a Season's Greeting look like?

2011-12-21T16:01:00.000-08:00

I usually go out after the first of the year and buy myself a nice stack of holiday cards for my clients. But as I found myself in the store this past January, I changed my mind and decided to do a custom holiday card for 2011. With all the work that was unexpectedly coming into the studio, I quickly turned to curse my past self. I finished doing that at some point and started doodling one afternoon. When I stared down I saw Pandamonium (my surly panda) dressed as Santa and smoking a cigar. You've all seen Pandamonium before, recently in my illustration "Late Night Snack". I knew then that this had to be my holiday card. No way was I going to do the typical snowy background with silhouettes of reindeer and birds. That's just not me.

I had one final chance to have fun and be creative for my clients so I wanted to make sure they were reminded why they worked with my studio. I finished the illustration in a couple of days and went to moo.com (cause I love what they do) and placed my order. In just 9 days I received my cards, and out they went to my clients. I'm so glad I went with Moo, by the way. A pack of 50 comes out to about $60. They do quality work and I really wanted this card to stand out against the many my clients were sure to receive.

I wanted to end this post by thanking you all for a great year. This blog and the little community that exists here, continues to amaze me. It has really allowed me to continue being creative while providing quality design to my many clients. I don't know what I'd do without it and you. Happy Holidays to you and yours!

Happy Designing,

Dennis (tanoshiboy)

I don't have many left, but I would like to give out 2 cards to the first two comments on this post. Drop me an email at dsalvatier[at]gmail.com and leave me your mailing address. Feel free to keep it as a collectible, send it to a friend...however you wish!

But Wait There's More... Bonus Sketch!

2011-12-16T10:34:00.000-08:00

It was only supposed to be five sketches over 5 days, but I couldn't help drawing Zatanna. I've had a crush on her since I was a kid. It's the fish net stockings, I'm telling ya. Zatanna is an Illusionist, but also an actual magician. Her spells are cast when she says speaks backwards. She has strong ties to Batman who trained with her Father Zatarra when he left Gotham as an adolescent and was training as an escape artist. I kept the jacket off of her this time because I wanted to give her a slightly sexier look. Since DC rebooted their entire universe (practically) Zatanna's costume has changed. The biggest thing that changed is the fishnet stockings are gone. Ridiculous!

I hope you enjoyed the bonus sketch and all the other sketches this week. I had a lot of fun and have decided to do commissions of your favorite characters, so if you're interested please go to the Commissions tab on the home page for more info. Perfect gift for the comic geek in your life! Thanks for joining me this week!

If you'd like to win this sketch for $1, just leave the first comment, make sure you're subscribed to this blog and good luck!

*Must have paypal. Shipping is included.

5 Day Sketch Challenge: Day 5 Daredevil

2011-12-16T03:49:00.000-08:00

Daredevil is one of my favorite characters and his book has been really great since they went to a more swashbuckling feel. It was such a dark, crime book for so long we forgot how much fun DD really is. So I wanted to do a sketch where his new outlook on life was captured. What's not to like about Daredevil? He's a blind lawyer that relies on his heightened senses and radar sense to fight crime. That's just cool.

If you'd like to win this sketch for $1, just leave the first comment, make sure you're subscribed to this blog and good luck!

*Must have paypal. Shipping is included.

5 Day Sketch Challenge: Day 4 Rogue

2011-12-15T10:55:00.000-08:00

It was time for some girl power and who better than the X-men's Rogue? For those of you who aren't familiar with Rogue, she's one of the X-men and was featured in the last trilogy of movies starring Anna Paquin (HBO's True Blood). She's one of the strongest members of the X-men. She's able to take on another mutant's powers temporarily (and can knock out normal people), by making skin on skin contact for a moment. But she is cursed because she can never truly touch people for fear of killing them if she holds on too long. Some of you expressed that you don't like the bad guys, well Rogue started off as a villain and found redemption with the X-men, so there. I went with her current costume in the comics, but made some minor changes.

If you'd like to win this sketch for $1, just leave the first comment, make sure you're subscribed to this blog and good luck!

*Must have paypal. Shipping is included.

5 Day Sketch Challenge: Day 3 Venom

2011-12-14T10:18:00.000-08:00

It was time to do a villain so I picked one of my all time favorite villans...Venom! I grew up reading comics in the 90s so I was exposed to McFarlane's, Bagley's and Larsen's Venom. Erik Larsen's rendition was by far my favorite Venom. The mouth full of teeth and that long tongue, made him really creepy. Next time I do a sketch challenge I might focus on all villains. If not for them, the heroes would be sitting around bored out of their minds.

Juts like the last couple of days, if you'd like to win this sketch for $1, just leave the first comment and subscribe to this blog. Good luck!

*Must have paypal. Shipping is included.

5 Day Sketch Challenge: Day 2 Superman

2011-12-13T14:08:00.000-08:00

Today I sketched the one and only Superman. Everyone knows Superman, but some don't know that DC Comics recently rebooted 75+ years of continuity to freshen up the iconic characters and make them relevant in a 21st century world. They updated the costumes of most of the major DC icons, including Superman. I wanted to reflect some of those changes in this sketch, but some are missing, mostly the stupid armor lines. Why does Superman need armor when his skin deflects bullets? The biggest change was dropping the red shorts. I agree they had to go. The one thing you'll notice is I gave him more of the Fleischer look in his face. I just love that classic Superman. No ink today, but maybe tomorrow.

If you'd like to win this sketch for $1, just leave the first comment and subscribe to this blog. Good luck!

*Must have paypal. Shipping is included.

5 Day Sketch Challenge: Day 1 Spidey

2011-12-12T15:17:00.000-08:00

Today I start a 5 day challenge to do a sketch a day where I focus on Marvel or DC Comics characters. I put out the call for suggestions on my deviantArt journal a couple of weeks ago. The best part is that the sketches are only $1 and go to anyone who is willing to leave the first comment on this post (and if you're new to the blog, please follow the blog). If you don't win today, you can keep trying until Friday. This is my way of giving something back for all the support this past year.

I'll be back tomorrow with another sketch so stay tuned for that and a special announcement. Good luck!

*Must have paypal. Shipping is included.

Design Inspiration Should Be Shared

2011-12-06T09:37:00.000-08:00

Today I'm sharing some design inspiration and it comes from a Malaysian t-shirt designer named Chow Hon Lam. He started a project called FM365 where he does a design a day for an entire year. His designs are put up for vote, and the best designs get printed as t-shirts. What I like the best is how clever the designs are. The aesthetic is very clean and simple, but the story being told is what makes it. Here are 6 of my favorite designs. If you'd like to see more, visit www.flyingmouse365.com.

Enjoy!

What do you think? If you see any other work that should be shared, email me at dsalvatier [at] gmail.com. And special thanks go out to Laine Dakin for turning me onto this guy.

How John Cusack Helped Me Deal with Design Rejection

2011-11-29T13:29:00.000-08:00

I was watching "Say Anything" with John Cusack the other day. If you grew up in the 80's, or just loved movies about teen angst, you probably saw it. Everyone remembers the boombox scene...

That song playing in that awesome scene is Peter Gabriel's In Your Eyes. It's an extra special song because my wife and I had our first romantic moment in my pick up truck (9 years ago) while it was pouring outside, and the song playing on the radio was In Your Eyes. So why am I telling you all this? Well, it occurred to me that In Your Eyes was one of Gabriel's biggest hit songs, but you'd be surprised to hear that it's not. On Gabriel's greatest hits album from 2003, he provided a second disc titled Miss, and that's where you'll find In Your Eyes. Shocking, I know.

Creatives have to deal criticism daily, it's just part of the job, but the one thing that creatives have the hardest time with is rejection.You design or illustrate some great work that you're really proud of and you're absolutely sure it should be approved, but instead it gets rejected. That can make us crazy and even angry (don't do that), but that doesn't mean it's not great work. Here are 2 ways to capitalize from rejection.

Display Your Work

Just because it wasn't picked doesn't mean it shouldn't be proudly displayed in your book or online portfolio. The research, thought, skill and execution that went into your work is still intact, so show it off and make sure people know it was a rejected design. That will just make them want to see what wasn't rejected.

Create From Rejection
What was it about the design that didn't make the cut? Probably nothing that has to do with the design itself. It could be that your other design simply connected in a special way with your client. So be proud of your work. Create a e-book with all your rejected designs and throw it up on your website or leave it with new clients as a take away marketing piece. Or blog about it. :)

Conclusion

Peter Gabriel was still proud of his work and included it with his popular work. You should do the same, because it could lead to more work and even recognition. Want proof? In 2005, after 19 years of accumulated sales, the In Your Eyes brought Gabriel his first Gold Single, certified in the U.S. by the RIAA.

Happy Designing,

Dennis (aka tanoshiboy)

Do you struggle with design rejection? How do you deal with it? Have you ever turned a negative into a positive? What were the results? Share in the comment's section and retweet, share and G+ this post!

How I Reignited My Design Passion

2011-11-22T10:54:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving Day is just a few days away and as this year is quickly coming to an end there's much to reflect on. For example, this blog has grown tremendously thanks to the support of a handful of consistent supporters (you know who you are) and I want to thank you and all the readers of this blog. You have made it a pleasure to keep coming back and sharing about design, illustration and the occasional sketch and work-in-progress.

As a matter of fact, the sketch you see attached to this post is one I started work on last Friday after work. In a nutshell, it was a bad day. Much of the work at Salvatier Studios needs to be wrapped up before Christmas so you can imagine what it must be like. One particular client is becoming increasingly difficult and really took me to the limit. No matter who works on what here, I always deal with clients, and this person has a way of getting to me, but I always keep my cool. So the crazy cat sketch on the right is the result of that frustration. The following morning I worked on the sketch on the left, which stars my characters Artie and his Great Dane, Tornado. You can see I was in a much better mood. What I learned was how much I love to sketch. I know, crazy, right? I should be doing it everyday, but it can be difficult sometimes. This experience has reignited my passion for it and I'm going to keep doing it. So you'll probably see more sketches here, and the new year will bring a new direction for this blog. I think I've about exhausted the how-to posts and just want to share my passion for design and illustration.

So thank you all for your support, for the retweets, shares and pluses. You have made a difference in this designer's life.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Dennis (aka tanoshiboy)

Design Inspiration: Disney's Illustrated Donald Duck

2011-11-15T16:27:00.000-08:00

One thing I want to do more of in the new year (that's quickly approaching), is share design inspiration. Nuggets and tidbits of awesome work from past and present. But why wait? Let's get into this now.

I'm a huge Disney fan so I was lucky to find these great illustrations of Disney's Donald Duck. It has that classic 60's illustrated feel that many of us grew up with in one way or another. For me this work reminds me of preschool and middle school. These are the kinds of illustrations that originally inspired me to draw and create my own characters. Does anyone remember Golden Books: Little Golden Books?

They're very narrative and I think that's what I love about them the most. There doesn't need to be words to know what the story is. These were illustrated by Giovan Battista Carpi who is well known for illustrating many Disney Books and Scrooge McDuck comics. Donald is a little off model, especially where his bill and eyes are concerned but this is still masterful work. I'm envious!

Isn't this stuff fun?

Dennis (aka tanoshiboy)

If you'd like to see more Disney related design inspiration check out ImagineeringDisney.com. What do you think about these illustrations? Do you remember them from childhood? Are there any other sites that you would consider design or illustration inspiration? Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section.

Finding Life Balance: For Creatives

2011-11-09T19:37:00.000-08:00

The following post was written by my friend and fellow designer, Alysa Passage of Passage Hill Studio. You can learn more about Alysa and her work, at www.passagehillstudio.com

Many of us have been on a quest for the so-called balanced life, but when it comes right down to it…are we stressing ourselves out from the search? The ‘balanced life’ has often been described as maintaining a sense of wholeness and harmony in each area of life, simultaneously. This rendering of the idea of balance seems to set us up for the unattainable.

Our lives are comprised of many interwoven parts. If we’re trying to maintain prefect accord in each area of our life at the same time we’re conned into thinking that means we have flawless relationships with our clients, co-workers, friends, significant others, and children, etc. We have an idyllic job, free of conflict and disheartening challenges; are able to churn out incredible design work on a daily basis, and have a great social life, which feeds our soul. We volunteer for worthy causes and always return our library books on time. We run six miles before dawn each morning, and healthy foods are consumed at every meal. Our living spaces are pristine and clean; even our dirty laundry is somehow magically organized. This frantic push for a “balanced life” leaves us feeling dejected…because it’s nearly impossible to measure up to such a lofty standard.

I’ve found that the more uptight we are about our schedule and search for the balanced life, the more uptight we’ll be with interruptions of that schedule and balance. Assuredly, interruptions come! Life is full of unexpected moments. We can’t be all things to all people, and do all things all the time or we’ll end up living a frazzled existence.

It’s time to make a shift. It’s time to realize that there are different seasons to life, when portions of our lives increase in their priority. It’s time to embrace flexible balance. If you’re a young creative, pouring your energy into the start up of your new business, there will be times when you need to decline other opportunities in your life in order to focus on building your client base. If you’re an established designer who’s the proud parent of an infant, you might need to decrease the number of new clients you take on until the baby sleeps through the night. Some days we need to be okay with dirty dishes in the sink, if it means finishing up a website project by the deadline. If you’re saving money for a computer, you’ll make-do with those old running shoes until that the new computer is sitting on your desk. We need to be okay with the exchange of priorities on different days and in various seasons of our lives.

If we’re living within the context of flexible balance we’ll be more apt to appreciate disruptions, conflict, and challenges as an opportunity for the increase of patience and growth in our ability to adapt. We’ll be able to discern our most important focal point for our days, moment by moment, and for our lives, day by day. It’s crucial to find flexible balance that is compatible with your creative process and the normal ebb and flow of daily life.

Alysa Passage

How do you feel about this post? Do you agree. Do you disagree? Is a well balanced life one you strive for or do you feel that restricts you? Let us know in the comments section and please share, tweet and plus with the social media icons below the comments section.

Happy Halloween 2011

2011-10-31T08:28:00.000-07:00

Last year I created an illustration starring one of my Cyclopees looking nice and healthy, so this year I decided to give him the zombie treatment for Halloween. Wishing you a safe and fun Halloween!

Dennis (aka tanoshiboy)

Original Sketch:

Late Night Snack

2011-10-29T19:51:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid I was heavily influenced by animation. Some of my favorite cartoons were the Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry, Felix the Cat, and Popeye. And animators like Chuck Jones, Tex Avery and John Kricfalusi inspired the work I do today. So when I started to work on this illustration, I really wanted to make it look like a scene from a cartoon. The big guy is Pandamonium, a not-so-nice panda from Boston. On this particular night he's got a very specific craving... for tacos! But not just any tacos...

I think Jack-in-the-Box tacos were created by the devil himself. They're so bad. If you want proof, ask yourself if you (or anyone you know) ever had two tacos during the day. I bet you just said no. That being said, it doesn't make them any less delicious. And they're only a dollar! Further proof!

Anyhoo, the stragglers are a pack of Cyclopees and a couple of Izzis (I-ZEES), because you should never have food that's incredibly bad for you, by yourself.

Happy Illustrating,

Dennis (aka tanoshiboy)

P.S. Jack-in-the-Box corporation did not pay me a cent.

The Life of a Designer: The Horror Stories

2011-10-25T08:30:00.000-07:00

Halloween is just days away and since I've been in a horror kind of mood, what better way to commemorate all of this than by sharing some client horror stories! The following stories are true, only the names of clients and companies have been changed. Let's start with mine.

HORROR STORY 1

Client: So Dennis, I talked to my investor and lawyer and it seems that there is already a restaurant called the Mahi Mahi Grill. We need to axe the logo and start over asap.

Me: Didn't you assure me that the name was available before we began work on this logo?

Client: Look I say a lot of things, but it turns out there's more than one state in this country and in Massachusetts there is Mahi Mahi Grill. So let's just start over.

Me: Fine Bob, we can start over, just take care of the invoice for this logo and we can get it going.

Client: Wait, what? I'm not going to pay you for this logo. Were not going to use it! We'll pay you for the new one.

Me: Bob, work was completed on this logo regardless of the circumstances. Would you ever tell this to your dentist or mechanic?

Client: I wouldn't pay them for work I didn't use and I don't need this logo!

Me: Bob, am I being Punked here, because I can't believe you're not getting this.

Client: Whose a punk?!

Long story short, Bob got the concept of paying people for their work after his wife, who was in the other room, heard his yelling explained it to him. She actually got on the phone and apologized to me. We never worked again after the second logo.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HORROR STORY 2

This next horror story was submited by Illustrator Mandy Lau. There was a disgareement about the price of the illustrations she's set to do after submitting a sketch that the client loved. Turns out the client didn't see that Mandy had asked for her to read and sign the contract where the rate she agreed to was stated. This is where it picks up.

(At this point, I am very confused. I proceed to forward the client’s previous email where the client stated: "Hi Mandy: I want to work with you... yes! Let's proceed at your rate.”)

ME: As explained in my previous email, I mentioned I could not produce the illustrations for 1 peanut per. The best is 1 almond per, which you replied with agreement...

CLIENT: Mandy ...Please call me ...I also would like to apologize in one respect as I never actually reviewed your agreement/contract until today...My counter proposal is 2 peanuts...The reality is as you know this is Nutty Land and there are a million other designers/illustrators who are just as qualified... We do not wish to devalue what you are doing or creating ...Please tell me how we can make this work or else I have to outsource to students and alumni at Nutty Design Center, Nutty College of Design in Nutty Suburb or the tons of other top rated illustration programs in our city...

(The client had sent about 25 emails, each averaging about 600-1000 in word count, within the span of a few days.)

Around close to 7pm Nutty Time...

CLIENT:
[Email Subject Line: “Executive Team Awaiting Your Call”]
Mandy: Its after 6p.
We haven't heard from you.
My executive team is here in conference waiting to discuss the project w/ you.
My direct line is 1-800-NUTTY

(Client proceeds to send a series of unpleasant, attacking text messages throughout the night)

ME: Hi Client: Thank you for your interest, but I do not wish to pursue any business with your company.

CLIENT:
[Email Subject Line: “Get Wise”]
Dear Ms. Mandy:
The best thing that ever happened to our organization yesterday was "ending the relationship" with you...
1. You (insanely and comically) attempted to overcharge us...--- LMAO
2. You are narcissistic with the weird belief that you can not be "replaced"...

...FYI: We outsourced this exact design project online... we have been inundated with illustrators here in Nutty Land ...We are also over joyed to work with Americans who are incredibly talented , not difficult [the way you clearly are!] ...I hired three top freelancers today with Master's Degree's in Design who are working for 1 peanut per sketch or LESS (LMAO) and our entire executive team is in heaven!

Whooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Hoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo...

Thank you for "not working out" ... Thank you for being "arrogant" ... Thank you for not realizing how "obsolete" you truly are according to the big picture of branding!...I strongly recommend you see a psychiatrist and you stop trying to hustle people and charge them 2x (LMAO)...Get Wise!

Client
CEO | Executive Producer

(Client proceeded to CC me on all email correspondence to her team glorifying the success of her product launch and attached the final illustrations.)

Would you have done it differently? Do you have any horror stories to share? Did a client ever take you to the brink and make you snap or were you able to keep your composure? Tell us what happened and make sure to share this post on twitter (via @salvatier), facebook and Google+. Thanks for reading!

Moleskine Wants You to Design for Free

2011-10-21T10:36:00.000-07:00

If you consider yourself an artist, you have probably picked up a Moleskine sketch book at some point. I bring mine everywhere I go, and I love it, so it saddens me to find out this morning that Moleskine is crowdsourcing a new logo for their blog Moleskinerie. DesignBoom is facilitating the "contest" and Moleskine is ready to pay $7000 (€5000) to find their new mark. It's hard for me to understand how a notebook that is synonymous with the design community can so irresponsibly make this kind of decision, especially when they are a very successful and thriving company. Why do they even need a mark at this point?

AntiSpec who reported the story, has some conservative figures on how many hours would be spent on this project alone. Let's just say it's probably double what they're speculating. Crowdsourcing is not the answer, and designers that are looking for an easy way into fame and fortune are only hurting the industry they love. If you're reading this and plan on participating in this farce (or any other crowdsourcing), please think twice. Think about the damage you're doing to your community. There is no getting around hard work, like I've said before. You are only devaluing what we do and enforcing to others that it's nothing but pushing buttons on our keyboards.

Dennis (aka tanoshiboy)

What do you think about this decision by Moleskine? Will you boycott the products? Take a few moments to tweet this post via @salvatier and share on facebook using the social media buttons below the comment's section. This is really important, and the only way to bring awareness to it is by sharing it with the world. It's time to act. And if you know more information on why Moleskine is doing this please share in the comment's section.

Sometimes You Just Have To Be Creative

2011-10-19T22:51:00.000-07:00

It's been a few weeks of non-stop work and planning, and I have to say it takes a toll on creativity. I could feel the burn out coming. That moment in a creative's life where you experience a block, much like writers do. It's a terrible thing and can last as long as it needs to, so I decided to take a break and just have some fun making something for myself.

I found this old sketch lying around that I shared on this blog back when it was simply a sketch blog. I felt inspired to create something from it and what you see here is the result. Ironically, I sketched it almost around the same time two years ago. I scanned the sketch and fully illustrated it in Adobe Illustrator CS4 using a Wacom tablet and some brushes.

I hope you enjoy the new Princess Callidora.

Happy Creating,

Dennis (aka tanoshiboy)

A Clown Girl, a Cat Burglar and a Vigilante

2011-10-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

I recently participated in an Artwalk event here in Southern California by showcasing some of my work and it was a success. The theme was Comic Books, and it gave me the chance to work on some of my favorite DC Comics characters. I hope to have some actual pictures of these 1/2 inch gator-board posters (21"x29" actual size) to share real soon. I showed 6 pieces total, but this is just 3 of them which many lovingly referred to as the Gotham Girls. My approach throughout these pieces was to give them a very animated and somewhat muted feel, but the main theme was that of using negative space. That's the space around and between the subject(s) of an image. I had such an awesome time doing these and will be doing more as time allows.

Here's a little description of each of these ladies if you're not familiar...

Harley Quinn: Known as the Joker's female sidekick and lover, she was once a very accomplished psychiatrist who ended up in Arkham Asylum by volunteering to psycho-analyze the Joker. She ends up falling in love with him instead and breaks him out of the Arkham.

Batgirl: The Daughter of Police Commissioner Gordon. Barbara Gordon was inspired by Batman and Robin's mission and started crime fighting herself. She had a short career as Batgirl, after the Joker paralyzed her by shooting her through the spine, but she was redefined when she became the computer hacker known as the Oracle. She would feed intel, not only to Batman, but to all the heroes she was in contact with. She recently returned to her role as Batgirl.

Catwoman: Do I need to explain who she is? Selina Kyle is a pop culture icon after all. She was originally a villainous, who made Batman's life very complicated, but in recent years she's become more of an independent, anti-hero. She always looks out for number one no matter what, and loves to torture Batman any chance she gets. She is not a woman you can mess with.

Happy Illustrating,

Dennis (aka tanoshiboy)

Feel free to share this on facebook, Google+ or on twitter with handle @salvatier. Thanks!

10 Musts for a Thriving Design Business

2011-10-11T10:34:00.000-07:00

Originally written as a guest post for Owen Jones Design.

So you’ve decided to join the design army by starting your own design services. You’ve got the computer, the Wacom tablet, the home office and, of course, the talent. Now what?

Well, it’s not going to be simple. 9 out of 10 small businesses fail in their first year. What the following list will do is tell you what I’ve learned in the last 10 years of being a creative services provider. Some things have been left out, but that’s to emphasize how important these 10 are.

10. You Are More Than a Designer

You’re great at what you do and anyone who is calling is talking to you for that reason. First and foremost stop thinking of yourself as just a designer. You run a business now and to be taken seriously you have to find your own work and service the clients that you already have. You are now a salesperson and a customer service rep until you get bigger, so you can’t afford to turn down work that you feel is beneath you and tell off those that don’t see your vision. Always state what you do, how you do it and what the client can expect; exude knowledge in what you do and close the sale. And when things go wrong, listen to the client and find the best way to serve them. Then design.

9. Brand Yourself

Yes, you may be providing logo and branding services, but first brand yourself with an attractive and effective logo. Many use their own names or a clever name. Whatever it might be, design something special and if you feel to close to it, hire a fellow designer to assist you. Invest in your own business cards and don’t print on glossy stock…please. Remember, you make the first impression when meeting someone new, but your cards (and brand) help them remember it.

8. Don’t Forget the Website

Some will argue with me on this subject. Some designers feel a web presence other than a Behance portfolio or any number of free portfolio sites will do. Invest in a nice and clean website that gets the point across on what you do. Make sure to put time and effort into the About Me/Us page. This is quickly replacing the resume. Don’t tell your life story. People aren’t looking to date you; they just need to like you, which leads into the next point.

7. You Are Not a Freelancer

If you want to be taken seriously, never use the word “freelance”. You are now a business owner and therefore a businessman or woman. Freelance has a negative connotation to it and varies on who you’re speaking to. Some people have told me it makes a person sound like they can’t hold a regular job or they’re bad with people. Regardless, stop using the word. A business associate is someone you keep. A freelancer is someone you can easily replace. Learn to value yourself, because no one else will until you do.

6. Go Out Into the World

There’s nothing better than waking up at 10am and sitting in your Pjs all day. But if you want to run a business, this will surely kill it. Most designers all fail at one thing…socializing with strangers. They don’t want to go somewhere they don’t recognize somebody and they certainly don’t want to talk to anyone when they get there. They’d rather blend in with the décor and fade into the wall. You must network if you want to strive. Talking to new people over a few drinks and some appetizers goes a long way. Each person you meet is one more circle that you have a chance of getting into to create business relationships. A word to the wise; when you get to the meeting or mixer, don’t start selling. Just listen and be pleasant. Then watch the seed grow.

5. You’re Not Good at Everything

Chances are you can’t do everything creatives are asked to do. Perhaps you’re not a web programmer or an illustrator. Find what your weaknesses are and accept them humbly and find someone who can fill that role when a client asks for that service. There will be a level of failure that you have to be prepared to deal with on a daily basis when running a design business. Don’t focus on the failure. Instead capitalize from it and do better.

4. Manage Everything

Remember when I mentioned that you’re not only a designer, but also a salesperson and customer service rep? Add the title of Project Manager to the list. Yes, there is freedom in working for yourself. You can come and go as you please, but managing your time and projects will surely make the difference. I know setting a routine and sticking to it sounds restrictive and not good for creativity, but it actually allows you to be more creative more of the time. If you set a time for emails, phone calls, design, and prospecting business, you will always be more efficient. You will also be able to schedule in time for yourself.

3. Take the Time

Nothing kills creativity more than working way too much. Getting burned out not only hurts you, but it hurts the client and therefore the work you do for them. Take time every week to do a happy hour with friends or family and try not to talk about work. Go for a run, hike, walk…whatever helps you to center yourself – do it. Make sure to schedule a couple of weeks off as well and take a vacation/holiday. Never neglect those that care the most about you, because you’ll regret it. In the end, this is just work, not our whole life.

2. Work On You

Working for yourself still means working for others, so you need to work on projects that you care about. It doesn’t matter what it is, but that you love it and are passionate about it. It will help you to stay on top of things and balance your life between all the many client projects you’re going to take on. I suggest using a site like meetup.com and finding others who share your same interests. The more the merrier.

1. They Won’t Care How Cool You Are

Yes, I am going to end this list in the most unexpected way you can imagine. When you consider yourself a business person you have to look the part. Don’t show up to appointments or meetings looking like you’re the coolest guy in the world. Dress appropriately. I don’t mean walk into the place looking like Mad Men’s Don Draper. Just wear a nice shirt with some nicer jeans and comb your hair. A casual jacket wouldn’t hurt you either, if you’re a guy. Women usually know how to do this better than men, but I say this because appearance is important when you’re a designer. When people invest their money in your services they’re actually investing in you. Give them peace of mind. And when you get back home feel free to relax and work in your underpants.

If you have any suggestions on any of these points or feel I left out important ones, feel free to talk about that in the comments section. And if you have any questions or need advice, feel free to reach me. And best of luck in your new endeavor!

Happy Designing,

Dennis Salvatier (aka tanoshiboy)

What do you think? Do you agree/disagree? What would you add? What have been your experiences? Leave your thoughts and opinions in the comments section and please use the social media icons to share.

Your Clients Can Kill You

2011-09-13T16:27:00.000-07:00

The title's a bit harsh, so let me explain. If you're an independent designer or illustrator (or an entrepreneur for that matter) it's important to get clients. The great work you do for them pays the bills, you get yourself some referral business and some solid testimonials. Then it starts all over again. Piece of cake!

But the problem with this tactic is that you''ll always have to go out and find more clients, which leads to burn out. Burn out is the leading case of creatives going crazy in North America alone.

Not really, but it sounded good, right? Seriously speaking, getting burned out is bad, and it will affect everything from your work to your relationships. The other, and more serious problem, is that although you'll have a great body of work to show for your efforts, you will never use your creativity for anything else. Essentially, you're trapping yourself within your business.

Here's a quick example...

Bo Don't Know Squat. Gretzky Does Though
Wayne Gretzky, famed hockey player and known as The Great One, said "Don't go where the puck is, go where the puck is going to be". In this digital age you have to find a way to make technology work for you. Assuming you have a solid brand, identity and you know what you're talking about, you also need to get the word out on what you offer. I didn't have a large advertising budget, so I thought about the quickest way to get the word out. A podcast. Yes, in this day and age podcasting is where the puck is going to be. So I found a podcast I loved and I sent them an illustrated poster of them. They loved it and that got me a weekly live read on their show and a chance to come on to talk about what I do. Twice. Now, I'm continuing to do work for them and have created a strong brand recognition through their listeners which has landed me 30% of my business this year. They get over a million downloads a month, by the way.

Conclusion
Building a clientele is not enough. You really need to build assets. This can be online properties such as blogs and websites where you are the authority on the subject of your choosing. With the proper promotion and content, you can stop the hustle and have the business come to you. Does Seth Godin ring a bell? You can also set up a etsy or bigcartel online store and sell things like prints, hand-made crafts or photographs that will allow you to stay creative and also create a passive income. These are just ideas, but things that people have found success in. The point is, don't kill yourself chasing the dragon to the point where you're buried under your own success and screaming for death. Work smarter, not harder, and find different ways to bring business to you while keeping your sanity and creativity in tact. It's not easy, but nothing worth doing ever is.

Happy Designing,

Dennis aka tanoshiboy

What do you think about this post? Have you experienced a burn out? What did you do? Or do you think I'm gone crazy? Let us know in the comments section and spread the word on facebook, twitter and google+. Thanks!

Flying Bumper Cars, Hungry Pandas and One-Eyed Birds

2011-08-30T17:38:00.001-07:00

I didn't feel much like blogging today, so I decided to share a new sketch instead (it's been awhile). It stars my favorite Panda -- Pandamonium. And there to tag along are the Cyclopees and a couple of Izzis. I'll be fully illustrating this soon, so keep your eyes open.

Happy Sketching,

Dennis (aka tanoshiboy)

How Do You Market a Monkey?

2011-08-08T22:08:00.001-07:00

I saw Rise of the Planet of the Apes over the weekend and I am not kidding when I say that I loved this movie and I think it's the best film of the year. See the trailer and you'll see what I mean. When I walked out of the theater I felt really inspired and pumped up. I had a sea of ideas swishing around my noggin and couldn't wait to get in front of my monitor.

Needless to say, the movie had a big opening, but are you aware that movies like this spend between 15 to 20 million dollars on marketing? Sometimes even more. It's pretty crazy when you think about it. These days major movie studios are trying to get a good buzz going before and after the opening of a movie. Viral campaigns are becoming more and more common though and they're cheaper alternatives. So I thought up a simple viral campaign that would peak curiosity with some eye-catching and though-provoking graphic posters. You can call this gorilla marketing (pun intended :P). I wasn't hired to design this campaign, but for those of you who haven't seen the movie yet... imagine seeing these posted up row after row on walls in Los Angeles, New York, Dallas, Miami, etc. What if you saw these near shopping centers, comic book stores or movie theaters? Think about huge venues like the San Diego Comic Con, the New York Comic Con and other events like these. Do you think this would get some buzz?

Let me know what you think and spread the word on twitter, facebook and Google+. Enjoy!

Happy Designing,

Dennis

UPDATE: I decided to play with some texture.

Warning: Step Way From the Logo

2011-08-04T11:30:00.000-07:00

Logo redesigns have been in the news and talked about in countless social media networks for some time now. Major companies and corporations are looking to completely redesign their logo, such as Jack in the Box, or in the case of Starbucks, they opted to streamline the original look. Back in 2010, The Gap suffered a very public embarrassment when they redesigned their logo to the disgust of the entire world. They added insult to injury when they asked the design community to submit their own designs as a crowdsourcing event. I still can't believe that one. You all know how I feel about crowdsourcing.

Which brings me to Rick Barrack, who is the CCO and one of the founding partners of CBX. With extensive experience in corporate identity and consumer brand identity design, he's the kind of man that you would want to listen to on the subject. He recently advised Twitter, who is turning 5 this year, to grow up as a brand. The following are his suggestions. More after the jump.

There's some solid work here, no doubt about that, but I think this is unnecessary. The Twitter brand has been established and the logo has become part of its culture. There are some logos that need to be reimagined and some that just need a little help from the surgeon, but in this case, this is a bad idea. What do you think? Leave your opinions in the comments section and don't forget to spread the word on twitter, facebook and google+.

Happy Designing,

Dennis

Compromise is King?

2011-08-03T10:17:00.000-07:00

Clients… Don’t we all just love them?!

Without clients, the role of a designer would be very limited. They are our lifeblood – the ones that pay our bills. But don’t they just make things so difficult sometimes!

One particular client experience gave me a huge insight into my profession and, as tough and uncomfortable experience it was, the lessons learnt are plain to see – for myself and anyone else in my position. As designers we like to think we know best. We think we’re untouchable: that our ideas are all solid gold and that anyone who thinks otherwise is wrong. If the client doesn’t like our ideas they are automatically classified as short sighted or accused of ignoring our ‘expertise’. We tend to sulk.

Ultimately I’m afraid that if we’re so desperate for complete creative control we should become fine artists rather than commercial graphic designers. The client will only pay you if you produce what they want (note: not necessarily ‘what they ask for’ – there’s a difference). There are a great number of fantastic clients out there – genuinely open-minded people who respect the professional guidance of their designer.

Believe me, these are not the norm – savour them when you get them.

If a client doesn’t go with my suggestion despite all my clear explanations as to why they should, that is up to them and my job is to do what they say. That might sound defeatist but it’s true – there really isn’t any point fighting it. I should make it clear however that in no way do I condone giving up on a job. Do what they want, just don’t drop your standards – do it well. Your only other choice is to politely and respectfully decline or cancel the project, offering to return any deposit already paid.

A client recently told me that my proposed ideas for their branding were off on tangents they didn’t want and that they didn’t understand why I didn’t just draw a picture exactly like they wanted. I felt like I’d been shot down in flames. I’d put in hours of research and produced (and shared) mood-boards that showed my thought process from the start. I had pages and pages of sketches that I’d condensed into three proposed creative logo designs and here was a client telling me I should have just “drawn a picture”! Needless to say, I was furious at the prospect of sacrificing concepts and ideas to simple aesthetics.

But once I had calmed down I knew I had done my part. I’d followed my process to the letter, used my experience and skills to effectively solve the brief. After a few more struggles, eventually I drew what they’d asked for but ensured that I did it to the best of my ability. I agonized over the detail and produced what I believe was a very good illustration! It wasn’t what I would have suggested, I expressed concerns and doubts over whether it was the most appropriate or suitable solution, but I knew that I’d not sacrificed my integrity. Looking back, would I have done the same amount of work in the first instance had I known what the response would be? I’d like to think that I would.

I still don’t fully subscribe to the well-known phrase “the customer is always right” but I do appreciate they will always have the final say. A motto I’m starting to have to get used to, however, is that “compromise is king”.

This guest post was written by Owen Jones, a fellow designer and friend from the UK. You can find out more about Owen and his work at www.owenjonesdesign.com.

Do you relate to this experience? Do you disagree and think if clients hire a professional they should allow them to do their job? Do you have a third view? Share with us in the comments section and make sure to like, tweet and google+ this post.

The "I Heart Design" Movement

2011-07-29T15:43:00.000-07:00

I might be getting ahead of myself with the title, but what I propose is that designers and illustrators (or any creatives for that matter) use the #iheartdesign hashtag by adding it to your tweets about your designs, illustrations or nuggets of wisdom from your own experiences or those of other creatives. It's not so much a movement, but a way to share with one another the things that inspire us and make us happy as creatives. And even if you're not a creative but appreciate the craft, feel free to participate.

So try it out and spread the word. Please tweet it, facebook it and google+ it. Look at the very bottom of this post for the social media buttons.

Happy Creating,

Dennis

My 7 Links: A Look at Past Chronicles

2011-07-26T15:10:00.000-07:00

The good people at Tripbase have been running a blogging experiment to unite bloggers (from all sectors) in a joint endeavor to share lessons learned and create a bank of long but not forgotten blog posts that deserve to see the light of day again. I was nominated by the lovely Sarah Wu, who I thank very much for thinking of me.

The Rules
1. Blogger is nominated to take part

2. Blogger publishes his/her 7 links on his/her blog – 1 link for each category.

3. Blogger nominates up to 5 more bloggers to take part.

So here are My 7 Links:

Your Most Beautiful:
With Great Power Comes...
I had received many emails that week where aspiring designers and illustrators were explaining to me just how hard it is to get into the business and how discouraged they are by their friends and family for choosing a creative occupation. At that moment I was staring at an illustration of Spider-man I had just completed, and the topic for the post just came to me. The responses I got, and still receive, are priceless.

Your Most Popular:
The Life of a Designer: "I have to pay you?"
No other post has made more people laugh or has gotten more widespread support like this one. The true story about a potential client who calls me to ask for design services only to laugh at my quote and tell me I'm crazy. It really resonated with people. It's me at my wittiest and a post I still love to read.

Your Most Controversial
Note to Creatives: Stop Being an Asshole
This post was never meant to be controversial and judging by the comments you would disagree, but it was the one post that flooded my inbox with email from designers who thought I crossed the line by giving power to the client. They didn't want leave their opinions as a comment for fear of the community backlash, but regardless I felt it was my duty to state what's right in the client/designer dynamic.

Your Most Helpful
What is Graphic Design... and Why Do You Need it?
This post cleared up what graphic design was for many people who still didn't understand what it was and how it could benefit their business. In it I state how design started, how it evolved, and why you need it. The great part was the comments of thanks came mostly from creatives who didn't know how to explain the importance of what they do to their clients. This post helped to give direction.

A Post Whose Success Surprised You
5 Steps to the Birth of a Logo
I thought explaining the ins and outs of logo design would be make for a great post, but I was surprised by the feedback I received. Many people didn't know the difference between the logo, the identity and the brand. The post explained and justified why good designers charge a pretty penny for professional branding services. It's more than just using a computer. It involves skill, planning, research and the right execution.

A Post You Feel Didn't Get the Attention It Deserved
3 Ways to be A Superhero
The post tells the story of how I met an incredibly stressful deadline for my client who named me her superhero. I explain who in design we can't just be great designers, we also must strive to establish relationships with out clients. It goes beyond customer service and ensures client loyalty. I had received some great comments on the previous post and even received the same on the one that followed this one, but for some reason this one was left behind.

The Post You Are Most Proud of
That's Why Pencils Have Erasers
This post tells of how I designed an illustration that I was initially proud of, but was still on the fence about, and how with the help of a fellow illustrator I was able to truly complete the illustration. It took 5 months, but he was absolutely right!

My 7 Nominationshttp://pascalcampion.blogspot.com/
http://keepupwiththeweb.com/
http://www.m4bmarketing.com/
http://bestbloggingtipsonline.com/
http://www.logobird.com/

The Power of No

2011-07-16T19:16:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, I went through the "Just Say No" drug campaign of the 1980's in school. We were taught how just saying no had power to it. Who knew this campaign would come to mind when I was first starting out in the design industry all those many years ago.

One of the most intimidating tasks of being a creative-for-hire was talking to the client about money. After some good and bad experiences, I learned to set my price, how to convey my knowledge about design, and how to take care of the client. Being prepared helped me to answer any question or be prepared for any emergency that might arise. Now those fears have been laid to rest, and saying no made the difference.

Why You Say Yes

Many young designers/illustrators dread talking to clients about money. You're afraid you'll charge too much and lose the client. The truth is you always charge way too little or the client senses the inexperience and low-balls you. You know the price is way too low, but to avoid sounding difficult, you take the price and start working at the client's behest. That's where the problems start.

Just Say No

The next time the client low-balls you, just say no. I know what you're thinking. "Just say no? I can't do that... they'll never want to work with me". Yeah, that's the idea. Tell them your price and explain what you're offering. One of three things will happen.

1. They'll respond with... "You're out of your mind" and hang up.

2. They'll say "We'll think about it" and never call back.

3. They'll understand and say "Ok, let's get started"

The first two will happen more often. What the power of no allows you to do is gain confidence in yourself and what you offer. It also helps the client to see just how much you value what you do. When they see the value they realize they're working with a professional not hiring a designer. If the client never calls back, that's okay. You saved yourself a headache. Most people and companies have an idea and no real desire to see it come to life. People who really value their idea understand their journey will require a degree of investment. Those are the people and companies that you want to work with.

Conclusion

After saying no a few times you'll find it easier and easier to deal with clients. You'll find that it will help you to choose better clients, and those that value what you do. That's good for both you and the client.

Happy Designing,

Dennis (aka tanoshiboy)

Want to add to this blog? Do you have questions or concerns on something I didn't tackle? Please, start a conversation in the comments section. I will answer any and all answers. If you disagree with me, please tell us why and explain what works for you.And please, share this post by using the social media icons below.

Crowdsourcing Won’t Help You

2011-06-20T20:17:00.000-07:00

I originally wrote this post for Duane Kinsey at Logobird. Surprisingly, many readers have yet to read it so I thought I'd share it here on the blog. This is a very touchy subject that designers are sometimes divided on, so I would like to hear from the design community. Share your thoughts, disagreements and success or non-success stories.

In the last few years crowdsourcing has become the single greatest enemy to design, more so when it comes to logo design. Let’s start off with an explanation about what crowdsourcing is.

This is when a company or an organization offers a fixed amount of money as a cash prize for a chosen design. They define this as a contest. The designers then submit their logo designs for review with the hopes of the potential cash prize. When a specific designer’s entry is chosen, that designer and only that designer, gets paid for their work; leaving the hundreds of other designers twiddling their thumbs.

From a layman’s point of view this contest might seem like a fair trade, but it’s not fair at all. Not to the company and not to the designer.

Why It’s Not Fair To The Company

The company is looking for a logo that will best define their brand and all that that will encompass. The problem is that the designers that participate in this method are usually creatives who have a careless engagement with the project. They know they’re working for free, so they skip what’s important about the process and churn out a piece of work they hope will win them instant fame. This careless engagement bypasses the craft of logo design and gives birth to mediocre work that is then declared the ‘winner”. The company is oblivious to the fact that their new logo lacks effectiveness and value. What is skipped in the process is the engagement between client and designer, and the design brief. Without those two elements you are essentially writing a biography without knowing anything about the subject.

Why It’s Not Fair To The Creative

You just won X amount of money and recognition throughout the web, but what you don’t know is that you’ve just had some discount sushi. What this means is that your choice seemed like a great idea at the time, but it will come back to hurt you. Why? Because you haven’t delivered good work and it’s now searchable on the web. When it’s found it will be recognized for what it is to those who see it. Disagree with me? Name one designer who has gone onto have a lucrative career due to crowdsourcing. There isn’t any. Designers who participate in crowdsourcing continue to crowdsource in hopes to make it big. Let me tell you right now, you cannot skip the starving-artist phase. It is a part of your growth process. You must go through the hurdles of being a young designer, finding your clients, serving them and doing great work every time. You must add value to your work and design as a whole (it’s all of our responsibility), and crowdsourcing cheapens what you and the rest of the design community does.

Conclusion

When a moth emerges from its cocoon it can spin silk, something that the more popular butterfly cannot do. They’re also faster, stronger, but struggle twice as much when breaking through their cocoons. Without that struggle they would be too weak to survive. The struggle is nature’s way of strengthening it. As designers, we’ll go through some rough times and take on less than exciting projects at the beginning of our careers. I promise you that no matter how small the project may be, it is incrementally moving you closer to where you want to be. Crowdsourcing is not the answer. It won’t strengthen you as a designer whether you win or lose. Embrace the struggle and become exceptional.

Happy Designing,

Dennis Salvatier (aka tanoshiboy)

Now, don't forget to comment. Tell us what you think or disagree on. Is there something that was missed? Have anything to add? Let us know.

Who Sets Your Worth?

2011-06-13T22:15:00.000-07:00

Howdy everyone! I’ve been getting some emails asking for help on a popular topic and I thought I’d answer it short and sweet.

“How do I price my work?"

A very important question that all of us creative types have to ask ourselves at some point. And the answer is -- it's totally up to you. You set your worth. You know your work better than anyone else and you know how long it takes to create the work. You also know how much experience you have. BUT... ask an older designer to evaluate your work and ask him or her what they charged at your age. Adjust for inflation and you got yourself a nice number to work with.

Will some clients think you’re nuttier than squirrel poop? Absolutely! Should you ignore them and hold out for clients who will value your work? Most definitely!

You might be wondering what happens when you don’t set your worth. That’s also an easy one to answer. Everyone sets your worth for you! They’ll tell you how much your worth based on their budget. Have you ever had a client promise you the world if you work with their budget or have they explained how awesome they are and how lucky you are to have the chance to work with them? Here’s a tip. When a client has to say that they’re awesome (or stress that they're well connected and will bring you referrals) they’re full of crap. Remember, they need you, so you need to set the standards.

Set your worth before someone sets it for you.

Happy Designing,

Dennis (aka tanoshiboy)

If you have any questions or comments, leave them in the comments section. If you’re a designer or illustrator, please leave some advice for our rookie counterparts. Come on, it's fun!

Do You Really Need A Logo?

2011-05-25T20:20:00.000-07:00

This goofy guy is going to say why a logo isn’t important. See you after the jump.

First of all let’s go over what a logo, branding and identity is.

Logo: Identifies a business in its simplest form via the use of a mark or icon.
Think of the Nike swoosh, McDonald's golden arches or the Apple icon.

Identity: The visual aspects that form part of the overall brand.
Examples would be your business card, letterhead, envelope and, of course, your website.

Brand: The perceived emotional corporate image as a whole.
Think about what Apple has instilled in it's consumers through their marketing and advertising efforts and that will give you a clue as to how consumers can have an emotional tie with a brand. Those long lines for the latest iPhone aren't for nothing.

The doofus is right. The logo isn’t important. What he didn't say is how it’s not important if all you rely on is the logo. If you have a logo design and think "Woo hoo! I'm on my way to international recognition". You’re wrong. The logo is just a part of your overall brand. It serves not to set you apart from your competition, like the Limey explains, but to create recognition; brand awareness. When you see the Nike or Apple logo, you know those brands because these companies had a marketing strategy, of which a logo was a part of. Now it’s ingrained into the international consciousness. Now imagine if they had tried to do that without a logo. Your over-priced NBA star would be endorsing Nike merchandise (on and off the court) without anyone knowing the brand. That doesn't benefit Nike at all.

A logo is entirely important when part of an overall branding strategy.

Also, don’t find a designer who is looking to benefit his or her delusions of grandeur. Find a business savvy designer or boutique design company that will work with a decent budget, brief your company and research what you and your competition do. You shouldn't be paying more than $1200, in my opinion.

Go out there, state how you’ll benefit a client’s business, but make sure you have a logo so they remember your benefits. And by the way, have you heard of this guy, anyway?

Designers, I want to hear what you think. Leave some comments, will ya? Don’t just read and move on. Engage and leave your opinions and knowledge in the comments section. Thanks, Julie!

Before The End Of The World

2011-05-20T22:38:00.001-07:00

Obviously, we have very little time left since the rapture is upon us tomorrow. So I wanted to share one last illustration before the end. It might look familiar to you since I shared the sketch it's based on back in April. It stars the Cyclopees (an anti-social bunch) and my newest creation, Nerd Bird. It's titled Room For One More.

I hope it brightens up the few moments you have left. Where lots of cotton tomorrow!

Dennis (aka Tanoshiboy)

See ya soon. Or will I? :P

Why You Shouldn't Call Yourself a Freelancer

2011-05-10T19:47:00.000-07:00

I've been on a consulting gig for the last few weeks. I've met some really talented designers and illustrators. Many of them have questions about being an independent creative and are curious about the DOs and DON'Ts of running a design business. The question I get asked the most is "What is the first thing I should do when opening a freelance business?"

It's really very simple. Stop calling yourself a freelancer. Let me explain by answering a couple of questions.

What is a Freelancer?
A freelancer, in this case, is a person who offers services in the area of design or creative services, as I like to call it. This could be web design, graphic design, illustration etc. These areas of creativity are very sought after skills these days and will continue to be. The design industry is highly competitive, so in order to stand out you need to think of yourself not as a freelancer but as a businessman or business owner. A freelancer is someone who offers services, gets paid and is called upon when needed. They usually work from a home office, wear t-shirts and flip flops and don't do much in terms of networking. They're usually looked upon as replaceable.

What is a Businessman?
A designer who refers to him or herself as a business owner is someone who offers the same services as the freelancer but offers one more thing that the freelancer doesn't. Value. This designer will focus on selling the value and not the product itself. This person explains the importance of design, dresses well when attending networking functions and conducts business not transactions. This designer also sets a value to their work and does not let the client dictate their worth. They turn down projects that pay too little due to the client not understanding the value (or is just plain cheap), even if it means having a dry week or month. These designers are irreplaceable, not only because of their design skills, but because of their knowledge.

Conclusion
Obviously, there is much more to opening a design business of your own, but if you don't begin with changing your own outlook, you will always be working for others and not working for yourself. Always set your value or everyone else will.

Have you changed the way you offer your services and see the benefits? Have you made the switch to being a businessman? Are you having trouble climbing the hurdles of running your business? Do you disagree with me? Tell us in the comment section.

Failure IS An Option

2011-04-26T21:54:00.000-07:00

Those in the design community know Scott Belsky. He and his team founded the Behance network, a community of creatives from all over the world who share their works through their portfolios. They also run the very popular the 99 Percent site. There you can find all kinds of articles, videos and resources on design, the nurturing of ideas, and most importantly how to make ideas happen.

Scott firmly believes that in order to make ideas happen, you have to take action first. His mantra is based on a quote by Thomas Edison.

“Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.”

I had the pleasure of hearing Scott speak at an Ideation event in Long Beach recently. He spoke on the topic of failure for a brief moment. He mentioned the Silicon Valley, and how many of the technological innovations that we’re enjoying today would not have been possible without the streak of failure that preceded it. In fact, Scott alluded to failure being a good thing.

For creatives and entrepreneurs this is one of the scariest things we face in our professional journey. In fact, for anyone who dreams and aspires to something bigger then themselves, failure is the monster that keeps them up at night. As creatives, we don't want to start a design business for fear of failing. What if no one calls? What if I can't handle the workload? What if I'm not good enough? Because of that uncertainty, most designers stay where they are in their “9 to 5”. The only thing more addictive than heroine is the weekly paycheck, after all. But Scott did say one phrase that resonated with me.

Capitalize On Your Failure

I don’t know about you, but I’ve failed plenty. What I've noticed is it's been stinging less and less every time it happens. You see, you can fight tooth and nail not to fail, but it's after failing that we do most of our growing. It’s after failing that we realize if we have what it takes to get up and try again. Capitalizing on your failure simply means you’re going to get back up, learn from your mistakes and take a more intelligent and informed approach. You may fall flat again, but if you have something special or are offering something unique, there will be an audience or a client for it. So stop wondering whether or not you should start that design business you’ve been dreaming about. Do some research, brand yourself and market yourself. And if you fail, it’s not the end; it’s just a chance to begin anew. If you capitalize on your failure, you’ll always be that much closer to succeeding and all those moments of failure will feel like a badge of honor.

Happy Designing,

Dennis (aka tanoshiboy)

Have you risen up from failure? Are you stuck in a bad place after a bout with failure? Tell us about it in the comments section. And if you liked this post, please share it on facebook and twitter!

One-Eyed Birds of a Feather Flock Together

2011-04-22T19:51:00.000-07:00

The Studio will be taking on a consulting gig for a few months, so it's going to get very busy. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to plan ahead my future blog posts. I'll be trying to post as much as possible, but we'll see how it goes.

Today's post is a fun one. I was looking in my moleskine the other day and found a sketch of this round bird with glasses. I never named him before but I uttered the words "nerd bird" and it stuck. I decided to introduce him to the very popular Cyclopees. Although they're very nosey and like to peek in on other people's business, they're not always welcoming when the roles are reversed.

Here is an early concept of a new illustration I'll be working on for the next couple of weeks. Stay tuned and see you soon!

Happy Easter,

Dennis aka tanoshiboy

Designing a Logo: Step 3 The Conclusion

2011-04-19T10:43:00.000-07:00

When I last posted, we were in the middle of picking a comp to finalize from the 4 that I originally presented. You can see them here. After much debate and consideration, Heather chose comp 4 as the logo she thought best suited her brand.

That's when we entered into the revision phase. This is where we use the 3 revisions cycles that we agreed upon to finalize the logo to its conclusion. Luckily, the initial concept was very close to what Heather was wanting so we were able to get to it fairly quickly. The main element that needed the most work was the eyes. The title of her name went from lower case to all caps and pink. Speaking of pink, I introduced a two-tone pink color motif to give the logo another element of design. For me it made all the difference. And from that point it was just a matter of making the eyes sexy, aloof and looking towards Heather's title like originally conceived in the 4th comp. Heather also went from "fashion and doll designer" to "fashion and doll design". Below is the progression.

Conclusion
Heather was a pleasure to work with. We had a little bump in the road in regards to communication, but that's something that every designer has to figure out while working with the client. Some want to do everything strictly by email or in person, but with Heather we did better when we spoke over the phone. She plans on creating new business cards and rebranding her websites with her new mark, so I'll keep an eye on her and see where her new brand goes. Lots of people had opinions on what direction she should have gone with (including me, naturally), but in the end I trusted Heather to pick her own brand. It doesn't always happen like this because most logos are marks for companies or products, but in this case it works. Something to keep in mind if you're thinking of a logo for yourself. Thanks for joining me through this process. I hope you enjoyed it and have learned something from it. I had a lot of fun and before I go I just want to say...

Trust The Process

Happy Designing,

Dennis (aka tanoshiboy)

Did you think this blog series was fun and interesting? Please share it on twitter or facebook. And if you have any questions about logo design or branding in general, please email me at dsalvatier [at] gmail.com

Illustration: What Dreams May Come

2011-04-12T17:35:00.000-07:00

I'm going to take a little break from the logo design series from last week while Heather and I finalize her logo. That post will go up this Friday. So stay tuned. In the meantime...

This illustration you see here is 2 years in the making. Funny how that happens, but I'm sure that it wouldn't look the way it looks now if I had completed started it then. It's titled, "Yuki's Dream". It invloves Yuki and her ability to tap into this world (by world I mean my so called mind) that isn't her own. There she meets some strange characters like Jimmy the Vampiric Lima Bean, Maynard the beer-swilling angry broccoli tree and Octo-puss. Witnessing the whole thing are a few Cyclopees (one-eyed birds) and a gang of Izzys (bunny ghosts). As you can see from the sketch, a few things changed and some things were added. One thing that changed was the story behind it. Originally, Yuki was part of this world, but I thought it would be best to make her a gate keeper of sorts, which says a lot of weird things about Yuki.

This was a really fun illustration to work on and one I'm pretty proud. In fact, I think I may be offering this illo as a limited edition print very soon. Enjoy!

Happy Illustrating,

Dennis (aka tanoshiboy)

Created entirely in Adobe Illustrator CS4 using nothing but the pen tool. The background is all vector as well created using some old paint splatters and ink drops turned into vectors. For a higher resolution version click here.

Designing a Logo: Step 2 The Prelim Phase

2011-04-08T12:02:00.000-07:00

Today were going over the next step in the process of logo design. The Prelim Phase. This is when I reveal my comps to the client. In this case it's Heather Fonseca, fashion and doll designer. I ended up showing her 4 comps because I was on the fence about it, but felt there might be something there. This has a chance of being a big mistake on my part, but this series of posts is all about keeping it real. ;)

So let's begin with a quick explanation of each comp, why I chose to go this route and later we'll read about what Heather and I discussed over the phone.

If you look back at the sketches of Step 1, you'll see this thumbnail. I was influenced by the Walt Disney logo. In case you didn't know, the logo is a stylized (rather than literal) version of Walt Disney's actual signature. I thought creating my own logotype for her logo could show the whimsical and stylish nature of Heather and her work. Whether the girl is based on Heather or her doll designs, it's up to the viewer to make up their mind. To me the face would make a great stand-alone mark as her brand develops (reminiscent of the new Starbucks logo).

Comp 2 is the simplest of the bunch. Not to say that simple was any easier to design than any of the other comps, I'm simply describing the aesthetic I'm going for. Keep in mind, that minimalist design can be more difficult to come to than something more elaborate. Think of it as a block of stone that your chipping away at slowly, so all that's left is the most essential. I went with a clean type treatment to contrast with the more personality driven mark of the 'HF'. This mark can also work as a signature on her blog posts or her comps when designing for her clients. It's a very practical and memorable icon that can serve her in multiple ways.

You can see the beginnings of this comp in the sketches as well. I had the most fun with this one because I wanted to take what I did in comp 1 and 2 and marry them. Not only is this whimsical, but it's also stylish and a bit sexy. Look at the expression on her face. She's confident and maybe a bit sassy. Good qualities to convey in your logo when someone is visiting her site or getting her business card without ever meeting Heather. Or even if they see this mark for the first time after meeting Heather, it will never be forgotten.

Like I said earlier, I was on the fence on this one. Usually I don't show this comp to a client, because if I'm not sure of it, then it shouldn't be considered. But because this logo will be representing a person as opposed to a company or product, I decided to take a chance. It has the qualities of the last 3 comps, but I'm still not sure of it.

The Recap
Before I get into this, let me just say that Heather has been a dream client. She trusts my judgment and let's me be the designer. This makes it a pleasure to work on her stuff and it reflects on the work.

Heather loved them all and was having a hard time making a decision, but when we spoke she revealed her favorites were comps 2 and 4. Mine were 1 and 3. Big difference. After explaining to her my reasoning, she told me how she felt about each comp. We decided comp 1 was off the table because it pegged her into a hole. I agreed with her thoughts on comp 2. It's clean and simple, plus it has an ambiguity that will allow Heather to be seen as a brand as opposed to just a doll designer or fashion designer. I'm still pulling for comp 3 because it has the same qualities as comp 2, but with a little more personality. Comp 4 is the one I regret showing her, because she loves it, but I've already cut the umbilical chord. She's taking the next few days to make a decision on which direction to go. Comp 2,3 or 4. If she goes with either 2 or 3, I'll be happy. I trust Heather's judgment as a creative professional.

Let me make a quick point about logos. In most cases "you are not your brand". This means that your preferences shouldn't be factors in creating your companies logo. It's about what is effective and works for the brand, not you. In this case, Heather is the brand, so the game changes. Join me next Tuesday when I reveal Heather's choice and we move into the revision phase and wrap this up.

Happy Designing,

Dennis (aka tanoshiboy)

If you're just joining us, please check out the post before where we started the logo design process. Comments are appreciated. Feel free to share on twitter and facebook.

Designing a Logo: Step 1

2011-04-05T16:21:00.000-07:00

Back in December of last year I wrote a post named 5 Steps to the Birth of a Logo. In it, I explained the steps to professional logo design. Also in 2010, I had the pleasure of meeting fellow artist, Heather Fonseca, thanks to this blog. Heather is a Fashion/Doll Designer who runs the blog, Heather's Design Blog, where she talks about her work in doll design and fashion in general. We've been talking about designing a new logo for her for some time, and the stars finally aligned. Below is some of her work to get you acquainted. You can see more here.
This is the first of a series of posts that will show the process of designing a logo. This has the potential of blowing up in my face, but we're going to roll with it and have some fun. :D

Objective
My goal is to design an effective mark that will best represent her as a doll designer, illustrator and fashion designer. I also have to make it feel fun and whimsical. Whimsical being the specific word Heather used, which is a great word to describe what she's looking for. Sometimes I get "make it look awesome", so this word helps me tons. (Thanks, Heather!)

Step 1
To get started we're going to skip step 1, which is the research stage. It doesn't mean I skipped it, it just means I'm not going to show that step because it's not the fun stuff. So we're going to start with the sketching stage. Here is where I lay down tons and tons of thumbnails and sketches, simply to get the ideas flowing and see some possibilities. The following is just a medley of the 5 pages I filled out with ideas.

Keep in mind that some of these may become an actual design comp, of which there will be a total of 3. From those three preliminary comps, Heather will make a decision on which one best represents her. From there we make revisions and finalize.

I'm going to put my sketchbook away and revisit this tomorrow morning. I do this to look at the work with fresh eyes. You never want to get married to a girl you just met, so you don't want to do that with your sketches as well. I'll look through these ideas and find the best 3 to develop. I hope you stick around and come back. If you have any questions along the way, please make them in the comments section.

Happy Designing,

Dennis Salvatier (aka tanoshiboy)

If you'd like to see more of my sketches just click here.

What's Old Is New Again

2011-03-29T16:01:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've shared some illustration work, so I thought I'd take a break from the discussion posts and share some work. Years ago I had a client named My Michelle, a sister company to the much larger Kellwood corporation. I was hired to create these girls to help promote their juniors line. They would go on all kinds of apparel and promotional items. It was an exciting gig for a kid who just got into the design world.

The buyer wanted the girls to be hip, cool and have attitude. The illustrations were a success and it led to more work, which was great! Well, it's more than 10 years later and I was looking at this old piece and saw so many mistakes and bad choices. No one's eye is more critical than a designer's own. So I went back and made some changes and improvements while still maintaining the essence of what was there before. The piece was originally sketched out and scanned, then redrawn using Adobe Illustrator. It was fun to go back and see how far I've come.

Enjoy the illo and let me know if you'd like to book Michelle for any weddings or bar mitzvahs. :)

Happy Illustrating,

Dennis (aka tanoshiboy)

Do you ever find yourself looking at old work of your own and laughing at your younger self? Do you go back and make changes or leave it as a testament to the greener you? Tell us about it.

03.31.11 By popular demand, I'm posting the original piece below. Enjoy.

Why Humor Works In Branding

2011-03-22T18:47:00.000-07:00

When it comes to branding there's many ways you can tackle finding the right identity for a product or company. Take Toyota's Sienna SE minivan. The model has been around for years, but in 2010 the car company decided to go in a different direction with their new and improved minivan. They injected humor into their new campaign by introducing the Sienna Family. The campaign consisted of print ads, a social media attack and a web series. Word spread faster than Charlie Sheen's dwindling fame. But the gem was the music video starring the Sienna family. Enjoy the Swagger Wagon below.

They kept modern families in mind and made them laugh and took away the badge of shame from the minivan. Needless to say, the campaign was a huge hit which translated into a 20% sales increase from the previous year. And although humor doesn't always work with all brands, this is an example that should make you think.

Happy Designing,

Dennis (aka tanoshiboy)

Do you have any other examples of where humor worked in a campaign or brand? Share some links and join the discussion.

Special thanks to Sarah Wu

Swagger Wagon from toyota sienna on Vimeo.

Winner of the Dribbble Invite Giveaway!

2011-03-18T12:06:00.000-07:00

It's been a long week! I had over 30 entries from designers all over the world. It was a pleasure to see your work and it was incredibly difficult to make a decision. At first I wasn't even sure if people cared about the giveaway. There were only about 5 entries the first day, but over the weekend I got overwhelmed with the amount of emails I received. My blackberry was blowing up! I based my decision, not just on aesthetic and basic layout, but creativity. And there was a lot of that, but after much consideration I had to go with...

Brandon James Scott from Toronto, Ontario.

As soon as I saw this beautiful, untitled piece, it put a smile on my face. It's fun, quirky and beautifully done. Check out the rest of his work and you'll see what I mean. He will be an awesome addition to the Dribbble community, so please welcome and congratulate this talented artist. And thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway. We have some talented people out there and it's just a matter of time until you join the halls of Dribbble.

Happy Designing,

Dennis (aka tanoshiboy)

Want to connect with Brandon?
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If you haven't already, subscribe to the blog and join in on all the design talk. Would love to have you!

Are Designers Trying To Benefit From The Events in Japan?

2011-03-15T11:00:00.001-07:00

Seeing as I've embraced the online design community in the last year and met some awesome people, there is a possibility that this post may rustle some feathers. Please keep in mind that this post is meant to start a dialogue and not judge anyone for any of their choices.

As you know, Japan was struck by an 8.9 earthquake that triggered a devastating tsunami that has rocked the country and its people. The morning after, I was glued to the coverage on Aljazeera English. The images and the sounds really frightened me; I'm guessing because I live in Southern California and we're prone to have earthquakes. Since I was a kid I've been hearing about "the Big One" and how Southern California would be utterly destroyed. Luckily, my Wife who is half Japanese no longer has any family in the country. That was a relief.

I went online to take my mind off of it. When I went on Dribbble, I saw tribute designs trickling in with slogans like "Pray for Japan" and "Japan Needs Your Help". My first reaction was that of pride in the community for lending their support, but it turned into confusion when I saw images of the rising sun cracked down the middle. Obviously, these designers we're not out to celebrate what had happened in Japan, but to lend support.

Many designers started giving away their artwork files and telling the community to do with them as they wish. Avatars were now displaying some of the artwork you see above on facebook and twitter. It's then that I noticed people in the Dribbble community asking if this was the right thing to do. One tweet in particular asked "Why are designers trying to benefit from a disaster?". Jacob Cass created the following image, which seems to be the most popular given his high stature in the design community.

One comment left on Jacob's website read.

"Jacob, I’m sorry, I can’t find any beauty, or grace in creating this icon, even with the best of intentions one might have, in the middle of all that’s lost, and will be lost in the coming decades with the spreading nuclear contamination.

I’m not yet ready to associate such a disaster with any form of artistic beauty.

As you know it very well, in the end this will work on your commercial benefit as you get more publicity and you’ll be proud that you did this. That sort of sickens me.

Would this contribute to the efforts of collecting aid? Maybe… But really? Do we really need to see this to extend a helping hand? I don’t think so.

Maybe I’m not seeing your intentions purely, as my vision is blurred with the tragedy."

Jacob very humbly responded back to assure that his intentions were absolutely pure and apologized for offending anyone. I knew writing this post that I might receive some criticism and statements that I too am trying to benefit from such a huge story to start up a debate and boost my readership. I'm here to say that I am simply stating the facts and I am in no way judging anyone. I simply want to hear what anyone reading this has to say on the matter. I also want to warn that if anyone posts anything hateful or rude towards anyone it will be deleted. Your thoughts and opinions are appreciated, but please be kind. Now, what do you think?

Dennis (aka tanoshiboy)

Want to help? Text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10 to the relief efforts via your cell phone bill.

Dribbble Invite Giveaway

2011-03-11T17:14:00.000-08:00

Back in November of 2010, I won myself a Dribbble invite courtesy of Sneh Roy of LBOI. Dribbble is an invite-only designer community. Invitations are scarce so naturally everyone wants one. I just received my first invite and I wanted to pay it forward and give it away to a talented designer. So what do you have to do? Pretty simple.

1. Subscribe to this blog or the RSS feed

2. Send me a small jpeg (or a link) of your best work and a link to your portfolio to dsalvatier[at]gmail[com]. This work can be anything, as long as it's great!

3. Come back here in a week and see if you've won!

Deadline is 03.15.11 PST

That's it! I'd ask you to spread the word, but I'm guessing you don't want the extra competition, but if you're reading this and you've already been drafted to Dribbble, spread this post in a tweet to your designer pals who'd be interested with...

“Dribbble Invite Giveaway. Come and get it! http://t.co/g0quekN courtesy of @salvatier”

Good luck!

Dennis (aka tanoshiboy)

Is Repurposing Old Designs Okay?

2011-03-08T20:44:00.001-08:00

After we'd met through our blogs, I decided I wanted Designer and Illustrator, Donny Gallagher to guest post. The stars finally aligned and we made it happen! Although the story is about a dead design having new life breathed into it, it also deals with the larger subject of repurposing old design work for a new client. Many think repurposing is unethical, but we'd like to hear your thoughts. Donny did an awesome job, in my opinion. Without further ado...

It’s always fun when new life gets pumped into a dying, or in this case, dead project. I think we can all agree on that. Originally set for a nature, recycling and restarting-themed poster design, this illustration started, stopped, died and was reborn.

Only a few sketches in, for one reason or another the original poster project fizzled. Digging my own sketches (I tend to do that at times), I pushed forward with a few late nights here and lunch hours with carrot and computer in hand and developed a finished illustration. By then, of course, it was nothing more than a personal piece I posted on my blog and moved on.

Sometimes when one project dies, an even larger one is born. Late in 2010, after seeing some of my work online, a musician contacted me about using the illustration, claiming it perfect for his album. He sent a copy of the unfinished album and what do you know? We were a match. The themes in the songs had the original concept in mind. The project, still in progress will allow me to use the illustration in a few different ways, which beats the hell out of its original purpose.

The original illustration is a mixture of linocut and digital techniques. The bears were hand drawn on linoleum and cut. I made a number of black ink pressings that were then scanned. I also cut textures in linoleum, which were also pressed and scanned. Using these scans and many Photoshop layers, the final illustration was created.

A square format of the illustration with additional type and design will be used for CD/album covers. The bears were redrawn digitally to be used (hopefully) for a screen-printed t-shirt. Depending on the budget — oh, those pesky budgets — the shirt may be printed by digital transfer. The same design will be used on tour stickers. Also, a yet-to-be-designed tour poster using the full illustration with added tour info will also be created and likely printed off-set on uncoated stock.

Have you ever had a dead project rise from the dead? What do you think about repurposing old designs for new clients? Is that fair to every client? Leave a comment and let us know. For more on Donny, go to http://design.clangboomsnap.com

Life of a Designer: Where Can Inspiration Come From?

2011-03-04T14:01:00.000-08:00

I've been getting emails and questions on deviantArt about how I come up with all the crazy characters you see here on the blog. My post on Lobster Jones got a great response and inspired readers to create their own characters (which fills me with joy), but the question I'd like to answer is... Where do you get the inspiration to design characters?

The answer, quite simply, is you look within. Who knows you better than you? Examine your strengths your weaknesses and even your insecurities. Nothing is off limits. For example, these four characters you see here are part of a story I've been developing for awhile now. Each of them is a side of my personality and here's how.

Thadeus (top left corner) was inspired by younger self. I always felt like I didn't fit in and that people didn't understand me. I felt like going to place where others could relate to me. Where my weirder traits came in handy. Luckily, I grew up but every now and then I still feel a little out of place in certain situations, but like Thadeus, we get by with our sense of humor and sarcasm.

Manchester (top left corner) is the leader; the guy that you count on to be there no matter the circumstances. My friends and family are very dear to me and like Manchester, we take our duties very seriously. Plus, my head is just as big as his. :)

Prudence on the other hand (bottom left corner) is a wild card. If she's in the right mood she can either be the fun center-of-attention or the worst trouble maker you're going to meet. She just doesn't want to grow up, there's just no fun in it.

And that leaves Ampersand, the ghost who is a little too cautious at times. His wackiness is only rivaled by his loyalty, but he's a pal for life.

So there you have it. A little window into what makes me me and how that gets infused into some of these characters. The real fun is when you find the bad guy inside and design some interesting and nasty villains. Hope you enjoyed!

Happy illustrating,

Dennis (aka tanoshiboy)

Do you ever look at yourself and find inspiration only to use it for a project or something unrelated to this post? We'd love to hear it!

Indiana Jones and the Creative Process: What Kind of Creative Are You?

2011-03-01T10:24:00.001-08:00

That's a pretty big question seeing as creatives come in many forms. You could be a musician, a writer, traditional painter or a graphic designer and illustrator like myself. But that's not what I'm talking about. Regardless of what specific creative you are, if you're providing a service with your creative skills, there's two kinds of creative you can be. But let me start with this statement and then break it down. (Harrison Ford will make sense, trust me.)

There's two kinds of designers. Those that get told by the client what to do and those that advise the client what not to do.

Creative #1: The Hired Hand

When things got tough on the farm and the work needed to get done yesterday, farmers would often hire a hand to help with the extra work. The hand would get paid at the end of the day and be on his way. Some creatives work this way as well. They get the rundown on what the client wants and the creative fills that want. This is usually followed by timeless revisions and headache-enducing phone calls. And sometimes comments like...

"We like high quality but as cheap as possible. Does that makes sense?"

"My cousin has Photoshop on his computer so he might do this for me at no cost. He said it’ll only take him about 20 minutes to put this together. So you're a bit expensive after all."

Creative #2: The Indiana Jones Creative

We've all seen the movies. Indy takes us to exotic places and expertly tells us what everything is, how it got there, and basically keeps us from killing ourselves through his adventure. For example, I didn't know people ate chilled monkey brains for dessert, but that's a whole other blog post. What you want to be is the kind of creative that guides the client through the jungle that is the creative process and keeps them from killing their own project. I've gotten requests like...

"I like that, but the logo needs to be bigger to get the maximum effect."

"My favorite colors are green, purple and yellow. So you have to somehow make that work, because I must have those colors."

"I'd like my website to look like facebook, but cooler. Can you do that?"

Yes, these were actual requests I've gotten in the past. That changed when I became an Indiana Jones designer. Now, I answer those kinds of requests (which I get very few of these days) with a hearty "No". I guide and advise. After all, this work represents me and I don't want it to look like the client's cousin got his hands on a crack copy of Photoshop and spent 20 minutes on it.

Conclusion

I hope this post didn't offend anyone. I know many designers that haven't gotten to the Indy level yet (Hell, it took me a few years), but they can and they will. They just need to see the value of what they have to offer and workout their confidence muscles. You see a change in the client's attitude towards you and the quality of clients you gain.

You're talented and you're a problem-solver, so remember that the client needs you to respectfully say...

"Do you want to kill your brand before it's even been born?"

"Yeah, we can do that. Or we can do it the right way and impress your customers."

It's tough love, but love nonetheless; for the work, for the well-being of the client and your sanity. :)

Happy Creating,

Dennis (aka tanoshiboy)

The Life of a Designer: "I Have To Pay You?"

2011-02-25T18:26:00.000-08:00

I'd like to share, every once in awhile, some of the daily events I go through when answering calls from clients. It'll be fun and a bit therapeutic for me. So please, supply some feedback on these tales and let me know if you'd like to read more.

I received a call today from a woman who was looking for branding. She and her husband (both real estate professionals) have started a new home building company and needed a logo. I assured her she came to the right place. After giving me a list of everything she needed, I gave her a quote of $2100 for her branding package. She immediately said, "What? Did you say 100 or 2100?". I cleared it up for her and her once friendly tone completely changed.

She stated, "Look, I'm all for paying people what they're worth. I understand that, but this is a little ridiculous. How long have you been doing this for?

Me: 12 years, ma'am. I'm 32 years old in case you're wondering.

Client: And did you go to school or something?

Me: I did indeed.

Client: And you feel comfortable charging this amount of money to your clients?

Me: I feel comfortable basing my prices on my skill and experience, yes. As a matter of fact, most of them understand that they're not paying for graphic design, but for my expertise on the subject of branding. Their logo is an identification of their business in its simplest form via the use of an icon and type and I work hard to design something effective, functional and attractive.

Client: Well, you came highly recommended, but I think I'm going to take care of this myself. I think your prices are outrageous. Do you have a family?

Me: I'm sorry to hear that, maam. And yes, I have a Wife. May I ask how you're going to take care of this yourself?

Client: My husband has the adobe programs on our computer, so I'm sure he and I can figure this out. I don't have the time to be shopping around for a designer. I need this done by next week and I'm not paying $2100 simply to press a few buttons.

Me: Maam, what I do has nothing to do with software. It's just a tool I use. I suggest you find yourself a low quality designer. We deal in high quality work here and design each project with the utmost care, because in the end the product is a mini-commercial of our work. You should find yourself a designer who is willing to work with your budget if you want to be taken seriously in your industry.

Client: No no no, I'll do this myself. I have the same tools here and can make one myself.

Me: No problem. And by the way, are you hiring?

Client: Hiring for what? Construction workers, home builders. I've always wanted to build a house from scratch.

Client: My husband handles that side of the business. Do you have experience?

Me: None whatsoever. I'd have no idea what I'm doing, but I have a whole garage full of tools I can bring with me.

Client hangs up. I laugh.

How I Lost a Potential Client Today

2011-02-22T21:16:00.000-08:00

I received a call this morning from a potential client who turned down my branding proposal. He felt it was out of his budget and wanted to pursue a package with a local competitor. His price was half, which is a great deal, but after looking at the competitors work, I quickly knew why. More on that later.

Branding is in the design spotlight these days. I've written in the past about how a logo is born, but today I want to talk about what makes a professional logo designer.

Where Is Your Logo Designer from?
Many "companies" out there offer logo design at $1 to start with unlimited revisions. Others offer a complete logo for $99. Sounds like a great deal, right? The truth is many of these companies work with a design partner in a developing country where they pay their "Top Logo Designers" cents a day to work on logo comps. These people have very little training, no experience and love to look at other people's work and copy. How can you avoid these design companies? Simply google logo design and you'll see them. SEO won't help you find the professional you're looking for.

My Local Designer Has Incredible Rates. I'd Be Stupid NOT To Hire Him.
You found a local designer with great rates, but why do they charge so very little for something that is so very important? Well, because it's not what they really do. Many are associated with a printer or a company who does discount web design and they thrown in your logo in the package. They have no interest in your brand or your target market, they simply want to turn out something as quickly as possible so they can get to putting it on all your printed materials and your website. A quick way to find out they're not a professional logo designer is by asking them what they're logo design process looks like. They won't be able to answer the question without a bunch of "umms" and "can you hold on a second?". This is who my potential client (at the beginning of the post) ended up with.

The Truth On Professional Logo Design
A professional will have a design process, will explain it in as much detail as you like, and show you evidence of it. They will begin with a small design brief on your company and do research on your competitors and offer a creative solution to match your target market. Logo design should run from $800-1000 (and beyond), depending on experience. A Pro will also ask you to trust them and will guide you through the creative process. They'll also understand that your brand isn't a composite of all your preferences. They'll advise you to emotionally cut yourself off from the project for the best work to show through. That means your favorite color or animal (I'm not kidding) won't make it into the logo design process.

Conclusion
It might take some work, but you can find a great logo designer by asking people whose logo you admire. Many times you have a designer in your network and don't even know it. It will be worth it in the end. This is an investment, and that's how you have to see it. Remember, if you don't brand yourself, your customers will do it for you.

I don't really feel I lost a client today. Unfortunately, he lost a chance at making an impact.

Have you found discount designers who let you down? Did you pay more than your original budget amount, but are glad you did? Tell us about it. And if you have any questions, please ask away.

Note to Creatives: Stop Being An A**hole

2011-02-15T15:20:00.000-08:00

Excuse the expletive, but I'm a little annoyed. I told myself a few weeks ago that if another designer came to me complaining about client/designer relationships I would do something harsh about it. I'm keeping my promise. I received an email from a young designer yesterday morning telling me about his bad experience with a client. He complained the client was "stupid", didn't "know what they were talking about", wanted him to design "crap" and he fired her; keeping his upfront fee. The client was leaving nasty voicemails, emails and threatening to sue. He needed my help in how to handle the situation with this "crazy *****".

Well, I'm not. I'm going to tell you why you got yourself into this problem in the first place and what you could have done to avoid it.

Know Your Roles
Yes, you're not just a graphic designer anymore. In fact, that's the last thing you are on the totem pole of being a freelance creative. First and foremost, you have to have the heart of a teacher. Many of your clients won't know anything about design, so you have to educate them from the beginning. Second, customer service has to be the go-to weapon in your arsenal. Even when the client is being unreasonable, you have to speak to them with respect and kindness. And putting on the teacher hat at the moment won't hurt either. You must be the Indiana Jones of design and guide the client through the jungle of the creative process.

Write Out The Deliverables
This means that you must provide a detailed document stating what your services will entail while working on their project, how many revisions will be included, and an ETA on comps and final design. It wouldn't hurt to return phone calls promptly and in a friendly manner.

You Are Not God's Gift To The World
You went to design school. You're great at what you do. You dress like a hipster and have the haircut to go with it. You are awesome and clients should be tearing your door down to work with you. Guess what? They're tired of your bad attitude, the fact that you design for yourself and not the client, and most of all they're tired of your ego. Be a humble, kind and helpful creative, and people will want to work with you. If they like you, they'll even refer you to their friends, family and colleagues. Stop being an ***hole, because in the end you give all of us a bad name.

There is one good thing about your crummy behavior. I get to swoop in and be the superhero. Good luck in small claims court.

Happy Designing,

Dennis aka tanoshiboy

Ever had a bad experience with a designer? Did it turn you off to working with one again? Do you want to add to my list of to-dos? Share your story and while you're at it, share this post on twitter, facebook and with whoever might benefit from it.

A Work In Progress on Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T08:49:00.001-08:00

I began this illustration affectionately titled "A Work In Progress" back in October and I wanted to share an update on it. It's coming along nicely, but I definitely have been inspired by my Wife to finish this piece. I don't normally get too personal on this blog, but it is a chronicle of my life, so...

I got some bad news over the weekend on some projects that were lined up for March. Turns out they have fallen through. As you can imagine, it was a little stressful and I'm hard at work this week on finding a solution, but what helped me to get up this morning was how my wife took the news. She was very supportive, loving and hopeful. That's what I needed and I'm very grateful for her on this day. As we all know, today is a day you normally make plans to go out for nice romantic dinner and shower your better half with flowers, chocolates and gifts, but my Wife is happy to come home and have a quite dinner with me. I'm a very lucky guy. Happy Valentine's Day! I hope you all have a great one!

Happy illustrating,

Dennis aka Tanoshiboy

Hello, Up There: An Illustration's Story

2011-02-11T08:54:00.000-08:00

I originally came up with the concept for this illustration back in May of last year. I was simply doodling and imagined a hairy monster being so tall that he stood above the clouds. My friend Scharisse from NY, especially loved it so I felt compelled to finish it when I found the original sketch again. I featured it a few weeks ago in my DeviantArt gallery. The feedback was tremendous so I thought I'd share it with you guys.

It just goes to show that great ideas might not be noticed by you at first, but it takes some dear friends to show you the potential. I hope you enjoy "Hello, Up There".

Happy Illustrating,

Dennis aka tanoshiboy

3 Reasons Why You Should Not Fight Your Client

2011-02-08T14:56:00.000-08:00

When a company comes to me for creative services you can believe that I am ready to answer any questions, fill in any holes and get you up to date on what can and needs to be done. I say "needs" because the creative process is a process with purpose. You must create with the purpose of designing something effective and functional. If you're out to create something that just "looks cool", you're doing it wrong. In this world there are two types of creatives. Those that design and those that advise and design. Those that design do just that, design and that's about it. Their concern is to make the client happy by doing countless revisions until it looks pretty to the client. There is no leadership or example of expertise. They simply take orders. And that's the opposite of what the advisor does. The advisor takes your idea and comes up with a purpose, a strategy. Designing for the sake of design is pointless without a plan.

But there comes a time that no matter how much you advise, the client does not want to listen. They simply want what they want and you are simply a tool. It's a shame really when you think about how much a great designer's expertise goes to waste. Why hire a professional in the first place if you're just going to tell him/her how to do their job? I've found myself in situations such as this and have 3 reasons why you shouldn't fight your client.

The Customer Is Always Right
Not exactly. When you're an independent designer you wear many hats. One of those hats is customer service rep. It's your job at this point in the design process to carry out what the client wants even though they're misguided. Why? Because if you keep fighting them they will take your advisement as defiance which will lead to you being stamped as difficult to work with. You will never get any leads through that particular clients network and depending on the client, the network could be a very valuable one.

I Need Money (That's What I Want)
Barret Strong made it very clear that sometimes you just need money, and if you're a young creative sometimes you have to go through some unpleasant experiences in order to become the creative you want to be. I've said so before, "Sometimes we need to be mediocre in order for us to grow and become better". Getting paid to do work that you're not proud of serves a purpose. It teaches you who you want to work with and how to deal with different personalities, which is invaluable. In the end, you get paid in experience and you don't have to display the work you're not proud of in your portfolio or website. Which brings me to...

Just Say No
You're being asked to create something that is beyond mediocre and paints you in a less than professional light. Well, you can say no. No matter what level of creative you are, you can simply change your mind. Let me explain. You might have already accepted half of your fee upfront and begun the preliminary designs or sketches, but the client is not happy and wants to go in a direction that you are advising them against. Call the client and respectfully terminate the contract and state that you do not feel this work will represent you in a professional manner and you would like to give them their money back . I would advise to give back the entire upfront fee, but if you think you are entitled to some of the fee, feel free to negotiate. I'd rather look like a professional than argue though. And that's what it comes down to, being a professional. Sure, you just cost yourself a paycheck, but you have insured your integrity and the client will respect you for it and tell others.

Happy Designing,

Dennis aka tanoshiboy

Do you have any other reasons to not fight your client? Have you been through a similar experience and have a horror story? Do you disagree with any of my logic? Let us know. Comments, shares and tweets are appreciated.

How To Lose A Good Friend Fast

2011-02-03T17:47:00.000-08:00

Many people are fortunate to know a designer/artist they can call on when there's a need for creative services. Sometimes they might be a colleague, but a lot of the time they're great and trusted friends. It sounds like a great idea to work with someone you've trusted for a long time, right? You've been friends for a long time, so you trust you wont be cheated. On the other hand, it would be great to help a friend and fill their design need and save them some money. I heard it a million times and I'm sure I'll hear it a million more. This is an example of how it plays out...

Potential Client (PC): Hello, I have a need for some branding materials and I wanted to get some information on your rates.

Designer (D): Sure, we offer a variety of packages I'm sure you'll be happy with. Is a logo design to be included in the package?

PC: Well, I'm working with a designer on my logo now. He's a actually a really good friend of mine.

D: And how is the logo coming along?

PC: Actually, I haven't heard back from him and we've done tons of revisions that I'm not really happy with. He's got a lot on his plate right now with some of his family coming into town for a couple of weeks, and I'm afraid I won't hear out of him until after they leave.

D: I see. I'm very sorry to hear that. May I ask how much he's charging you for his services?

PC: He's actually doing me a favor and...

What follows is a version of "He's doing it for free to help me" or "A third of what he usually charges". In the end, the tone in the emails become more serious and the voicemails become threatening. The end result? The friendship ends. But what ultimately causes this to happen? Simply put. Money. Or the lack there of.

For the Designer: Never, ever, ever take on a design project from a friend without setting some guidelines right at the beginning. For example, how many revisions will be included in the project or setting a deadline. They're coming to you as a professional, so you need to act accordingly. Just because you've swam in their pool doesn't mean you throw your work ethic out the window. You can't lag on the project because they're asking for way too many revisions or because you charged a third of your normal rate or nothing at all. You entered into an agreement. The mistake you made was you didn't put it in writing.

For the Client: Never ask your friend for a friendly discount. You're better off asking a complete stranger. But that's why you came to your friend in the first place, right? You wanted to save on the costs of design. You get what you pay for, and now you're realizing it's going to cost you more than you bargained for. You're leaving countless messages and have sent loads of emails and you've not heard one peep out of your buddy. He or she is dealing with clients and doesn't have time to go over your project. So what do you do now? Go and spread how awful he or she is on facebook and twitter? No.

It would be in the best interest of the client to call the designer and be completely respectful but honest about the situation. Offer them half of their fee for the work they've already done, and if you were getting the work for free, offer them an amount you feel comfortable paying. At this point, you're not salvaging the project. That's been buried and isn't coming back, so you need to focus on keeping the friendship. If you're the designer, let them know that in retrospect it was a bad idea and you want to offer them the work for free. If you did it for free, count your losses and find them a great designer they'll be happy with.

Conclusion

Avoid all this aggravation. Hire someone you heard great things about but don't have any emotional connection with. Make the investment in your project. From, the designer point-of-view, let your friend know you don't take on friends or family, but if they insist, tell them your rates (maybe add a little extra) and let them make the decision. Most times they'll go somewhere else, which leaves you with peace of mind. Don't let money come in the way of true friendship.

Happy Designing,

Dennis Salvatier aka Tanoshiboy

Do you have a horror story of your own? Did you lose a good friend? Were you able to salvage the friendship? Do you have advice that you didn't see here? Let us know.

3 Ways To Fight Fear

2011-02-01T10:59:00.000-08:00

Today's post comes from a new friend I've made recently, Alica Eisen. She is a Toronto based artist who has a background in Animation and Illustration. Her watercolor works caught my eye so I invited her to share with us some of what she's recently learned after a long hiatus from drawing. Comments and shares are appreciated. Enjoy!

Fear and the artist go hand in hand. What we do for a living demands us to put our heart and soul on display, and that is not an easy thing to do. I recently overcame my fear of taking a break from the animation industry and reacquainting myself with my first love: drawing. It took a lot of inner strength for me to do this and I learned a lot about myself in the process, this is what I want to share with you today. The three most important lessons I learned are:

DON'T LET FEAR STOP YOU FROM DOING WHAT YOU WANT TO DO

At first I was paralyzed with fear because I hadn't drawn in so long (nearly 2.5 years). I knew my skill level had dropped and this terrified me. After letting that fear stop me from doing anything for about a month I realized, if I had just sat down to draw once every day for that month I would have improved my skill level to back to where it should be. All of a sudden it seemed so stupid that I had wasted all of this time. I started to draw. Believe me the first month after that all of my drawings were HORRIBLE. But I stuck with it and I am proud to say that my skill level has surpassed what I ever thought I could do. In turn my confidence and sense of self-worth have shot through the roof (see bonus lesson) !

CREATE SOMETHING EVERYDAY

As artists we are creative people. I enjoy drawing, painting, performing improv, writing and animating. After working for an animation studio for the past 2.5 years I realized I had gotten too used to taking direction and I had lost touch with my own creative voice. I made a promise to create something new everyday, whether it was a painting or a piece of animation or some writing. I am on a journey to reconnect with my creative voice and everyday I see it show itself a little more.

NEVER APOLOGIZE FOR YOUR ART

This is a lesson again tied to fear. The fear that nobody will like your art and in turn you have to explain yourself so they don't think less of you. If you have gotten into the habit of sharing your art as well as an apology (i.e. - I don't really like how this turned out, I rushed when I drew this, I was so tired when I coloured this etc.) stop it now! It makes you look like an amateur and unprofessional. If you are really that unhappy with your art then FIX IT before you show it. If you are at a dead end then be honest and ask for help or suggestions. Never put yourself in a position where you feel you have to apologize for your art, and therefore never apologize for it again.

BONUS LESSON

Self confidence is an essential asset. The best way to build your confidence is to build your own sense of self-worth. Establish what it is that makes you happy, what traits you admire in other artists and goals you want to reach. Set a deadline and actively work towards it. Every time you accomplish what you set out to do you will be adding to your self-worth. Every time you don't complete something or let it drag on longer than it needs to you will feel bad about yourself and subtract from your self-worth. It's as simple as that.

I am still learning new things everyday. Becoming a better artist is a lifelong journey. If you would like to follow my own journey check out my blog where I update (almost daily) my struggles and victories: frecklesfun.blogspot.com

Happy Drawing,

Alicia Eisen

Whether you're a creative or not, list some of the ways you've fought fear and won. Or perhaps, you're still in its grips? Has this post made you reconsider facing those fears and moving forward with your passions? Let us know in the comments section.

That's Why Pencils Have Erasers

2011-01-25T23:49:00.000-08:00

Back in September of 2010, I completed and illustration I affectionately titled, "Lucy Loves Argyle". This illustration was supposed to tell a story in one single image, and in that respect, I think I did okay. At the time I was speaking to Pascal Campion, a fellow illustrator with amazing work, who I have mentioned here just a couple of blog posts ago. I showed it to him at the time and he said...

Hi Dennis!

Your image looks good.
I think you've been looking at it too long...your colors are great. I wouldn't change a thing there.

What I would work on some more though is the message you are trying to communicate. Right now, you are leaving it up to the viewer to find a story, and that's a very powerful tool for storytelling...suggestion....but It feels uncontrolled here. As if you didn't plan on doing that.

I'd say..leave this image as is...working too long on your images will kill them rather than make them better in a lot of ways.
Just do one, put it aside, do another, put it aside...and another, then another...
When you have 30 like that, then you can go back and look at them, and compare. You'll see then where your weaknesses are, and your strengths as well!

Well, wouldn't you know it, he was right. It's been almost 5 months and I realized what my weaknesses were. The story was not clear, the colors were off (even though Pascal said they were fine) and the characters were not strong enough in the scene. They were, in fact, fighting with the scenery. I've done quite a few illos since the original attempt at Lucy, and that helped me the most. I was now able to make the necessary improvements to finally finish this illustration and feel satisfied. I have to thank Michaele Razi, for giving me some final things to consider that made the difference. As an artist (and as a human being) we can't be tied down to being great right away. Sometimes we need to be mediocre in order for us to grow and become better. Every little thing we create or do is a step closer to who we want to be. It doesn't matter how many years of experience we have under our belt, we must never stop learning... about ourselves and from others.

I hope you enjoy the little story of Lucy and her friend Argyle.

Dennis (aka tanoshiboy)

5 Ways To Be Your Designer's #1 Client

2011-01-24T15:45:00.000-08:00

The biggest satisfaction for me as a designer is when I see the design strategy I created for a client flourish. It creates an unsaid "I told you so" moment for the client and reinforces for him or her that they made the right decision in hiring their designer. It solidifies a trust between designer and client. This leads to a different kind of working relationship; the kind that develops time and time again through every project and strategy and becomes something more. I have some of the best clients a designer could ever have. When I see their name in the caller ID, I look forward to speaking to them, but it doesn't happen overnight.

My goal in life as a professional creative is to design the very best work for my clients. What is a client's role? To be their designer's number one client. But how do you do that? The following is a list of 5 ways you can be the very best client to your designer and why it will help you.

Trust Your Designer
Don't start off a relationship by making your designer earn your trust, give it to them wholeheartedly. Not only will you see the value of that trust in your project, but you'll see it in your business overall, and that's the bottom line. Some of the decisions he or she will make may be different from your original request, but it's in your best interest to trust the designer to do their job just as you would your surgeon when you're about to go under the knife.

Your Resources Become Theirs
When the designer knows your ultimate goal and you involve them right at ground floor, they can help you figure out where to spend your money and tell you when to save it. When the trust factor is present, the designer will see your resources as theirs and will be invested in your outcome.

Your Referrals Ultimately Help You
When you go to the movies and enjoy the show, you want to tell everybody how great it was. When you do the same about your designer, you win. Why? Because when you refer your designer, you're saying you're proud of the work you've been doing and you want the designer to do the same for someone else. That keeps your designer busy and willing to go the extra mile for you when the time comes to work on another project. I often forward articles and business oportunities to my clients when I see that it could help them and always reward referrals with special discounts on future work. Furthermore, it's a great feeling when I refer my clients or when I introduce one client to another. Everybody wins.

Don't Make Them Ask You To Pay
The worst part of being a designer is being the accountant and when you pay late and receive a call from your designer, it's not a social call. Every designer has gone through the horror of being stiffed in a project. Whether the company goes under or the client skips town, it's a real drag to have to go through that. When you pay on time, not only are you respecting your designer's services, but you're keeping that feeling of dread away. Paying on time ensures getting your design comps on time and meeting your deadline.

Make Your Working Relationship a Friendship
That old saying "you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar" was never more true. When you're kind and respectful to your designer, they will return it. Phone calls will become lunches and lunches will become family BBQs. The best part of developing a friendship over time is as you invest in their success, they invest in yours. They'll take your call at 5:30pm or even take care of something for you while they're on vacation. The point is it wont always turn out this way, but it can be. It's a valuable relationship and one your business will thank you for.

Happy Designing,

Dennis (aka tanoshiboy)

Do you have a designer you work with that you'd never trade for anything in the world? Have you had a recent good experience?? Or from a creatives perspective, do you have an awesome client you value like no other? Please share any stories in the comments section and share.

Try Eating This Guy With Melted Butter...

2011-01-21T20:13:00.000-08:00

It's been such a long time since I've shared some sketches here on the blog. There was a time when this was a daily sketch blog. Many characters were born here, so it's fitting that January be the debut of an all-new character. Affectionately named Lobster Jones for now (he'll keep evolving), this guy was inspired by an awesome conversation I had with fellow illustrator, Michaele Razi. I found her blog a few weeks ago. Fast forward to last night when we had an amazing conversation about art, tv shows, books and just life in general as an artist. When we were done, I had to run to a life drawing class that I ended up missing because I was itching to draw. Lobster Jones was the result of a great talk with an inspiring artist. Do yourself a favor and follow her blog or check out her portfolio. You'll be glad you did.

And be on the look out for more sketches, because I enjoy the helpful posts I do here, but the sketches help me. :D

Happy drawing,

Dennis (aka tanoshiboy)

3 Reasons Why Less IS More

2011-01-19T08:00:00.000-08:00

In art school, one of my teachers always said "less is more". I didn't understand that. I always wanted to add more and more to any design. I figured that you should always strive to make things better. The truth is you make things better by taking away, not adding more. This goes for designers and for those thinking about design. Think about Apple. From their website, to their stores, to their packaging and their products, Apple decided that the best way to brand themselves was to keep a less-is-more approach to everything they do. Many have tried to emulate Apple, but Apple does it best because it's enveloped everything they do, not just parts of what they do. Here are 3 reasons why it's the best way to go.

1. It's More Attractive
It's that simple. Clean and sleek design is that much more attractive. It's got everything you need with none of the clutter, which is what many websites and designs (in general) suffer from. This approach is easier on the eyes and it's easier to navigate through which leads me to the next reason.

2. It Gets Your Message Across
Design is a language and in any given design it is giving a message about a product, a service or a person. With the less-is-more approach there is no guessing. The design clearly speaks the message to the audience and the first part of the job is done.

3. It Teaches You To Work With Less
Some might say that the less-is-more approach looks easy and that anyone can do it. My question to them is... "Have you ever chipped away at a block of stone?". Let me explain. Think of any design idea as a block of stone. Now in that block of stone is your design and you have to chip away at the stone until the true essence, the absolute most important information is left. This takes time and a great sense of design to be able to do. It's not easy, in fact, in can be down right frustrating. But with practice it comes more naturally and the solution is found with less chips and more chops to reveal the best.

And this goes for illustration as well. Some of the best work I've ever seen works with the less-is-more approach. Take a look at Pascal Campion's work below. I had the pleasure of meeting Pascal last year and he gave me some tips on how to focus more on the emotion rather than linger on the illustration itself. Beautiful, right?Conclusion
As you can see the less-is-more approach works. Don't think that adding more clutter to your website, logo or illustration will help it look better. Think of the block of stone and try to chip away at it until the most beautiful essence of your design is revealed. And pass on this information to your friends and family. Let it be known that less is more.

Happy Designing,

Dennis (aka tanoshiboy)

Do you have any great examples (design or illustration) of the less-is-more approach? Share links and examples here in the comments section so we can all see. Or do you still think this is a lazy approach to design? We want to hear that argument too. :)

Inspiration Comes in the Middle of the Night

2011-01-13T01:29:00.000-08:00

I was in a meeting that turned into a Beatles discussion. We all picked our favorite songs, but one questions was "which one means the most to you?". I picked Golden Slumbers (or the medley, as it's also known) because it has a great message at the very end. "The love you take is equal to the love you make..."

A great message, in my opinion. As I was getting in my truck to go home, a Beatles song is on the radio. To my surprise it was "Blackbird". If you've never heard it or it's been awhile, watch the video below.

It's a short and sweet song, not to be denied. So when I

got home I felt inspired and created an image representing the song. Why do these things come to me so late at night when I should be sleeping? I don't know, but I love it and can't deny it when it comes.

Have you ever been inspired late at night when the house is quite and everyone is asleep? Were any good ideas born on those nights that led to some gre

at ventures?

01.15.2010 I've never done this before, but I went back to the drawing board, so to speak, and did an alternate version of Blackbird. I actually like this one better, because it's really what I was feeling when I first designed it in the first place. I suppose I didn't execute as I originally wanted to. I guess that's why pencils have erasers. Would like to get some votes on which you like best.

What’s A Tweet Really Say About Your Brand?

2011-01-11T22:51:00.000-08:00

Today's post is by my first guest blogger of 2011, Amara Poolswasdi (@amaravp), a fellow designer who specializes in visual design, and business development, and someone I met through twitter just two days ago. Enjoy.

If you’ve ever felt alone and isolated at work, you’re in luck. There is a pretty large and tight-knit community already buzzing away on Twitter. Because we pretty much sit at our desks all day, it only made sense that a real-time community would be built around social media. We are, after all, wired to the computer 24-7!

Twitter can be pretty overwhelming sometimes, even for the veteran user. With thoughts, emotions, and news flying at the speed of tweet, it can be difficult to keep up or even make a dent in the overall Twittersphere.

Pack your identity into a tweet by being:

Witty: People on Twitter are pretty educated — Almost 75% of users have attended or graduated college. Whether it’s a good pun or a clever statement, craft your statement in such a way that it reflects how smart you are.
Informative: The community consumes information at a voracious rate. If you find an interesting study, informative article, or some pearls of wisdom, share it. Information strengthens the community.
Unique: Don’t go on a retweeting frenzy or link to articles all of the time. Let your true voice and personality shine through. You have a unique point of view. It’s valuable, so share it!
Engaging: Talk to other people, pay some compliments, and get to know someone. Even a small acknowledgment tweet — i.e. “Good job!” — does a long way. Just make sure it’s genuine.
Succinct: Try to keep it under 140 characters. Better yet keep it under 100 or 120 so that people can retweet your genius statement.

And, for the love of Goethe, don’t tweet in text-speak. It’s terribly annoying and turns off the entire community. If you want to be taken seriously, learn to say it in grammatically-correct English in under 140 characters. There’s nothing worse on Twitter than having great content and a great message but terrible execution.

How do you try to cut through the clutter?

Amara Poolswasdi

Want to chat about cuting through the clutter? Join us at 6pm PST today (01.12.11) on VOKLE!

What Is Graphic Design... And Why Do You Need It?

2011-01-04T23:15:00.000-08:00

The phrase "Graphic Design" was phrased by a man named William Addison Dwiggins. He was a typographer and illustrator, to say the least, and coined the term in 1922. But the truth is Graphic Design has been around for a pretty long time, in fact, communicating through the visual medium can be tracked back to Rome's Trajan's Column, the Illuminated Manuscripts of the Middle Ages and even Paleolithic Cave Paintings.

The AIGA says that Graphic Design "is a creative process that combines art and technology to communicate ideas. The designer works with a variety of communication tools in order to convey a message from a client to a particular audience. The main tools are image and typography"

Now that we know what it is, let's see what it can do.

What's Your Message?
Imagine you're selling something; be it a product, a service, or an idea. Now imagine only trying to communicate it verbally one person at a time or yelling it through a loudspeaker. Depending on the complexity of your idea, product etc., it could be pretty difficult to get your message across. And that's what it comes down to. You have a message and you want to effectively communicate it to as many people as possible. How do you do that effectively? With Graphic Design. Through Graphic Design you can communicate your message in a visually stimulating, functional and memorable way using images, words and typefaces. Great and effective design is the product of creativity, knowledge and information.

The key word being "effective". Now let's see what Graphic Design has done.

Design Saves The Day
Did you know that without graphic design the Volkswagen brand would not be around today, in the U.S. at least? Some may disagree with me, but back in the 60's there was still a stigma on anything German after the war. Regardless, the Volkswagen Beetle was shipped off to the U.S. and it needed a campaign that would intrigue people to purchase the vehicle. William Bernbach (of Doyle Dane Bernbach) created the Volkswagen ad campaign that featured headlines like "Lemon" and "Think Small" to cleverly describe the car. Portraying the vehicle in a "negative" manner actually did quite the opposite. The car is now one of the classic cars of the 20th century and is still seen today all due to effective design. The campaign itself is highly regarded as one of the best and most recognizable of the 20th century.

A more recent example happened in 2001 with the launch of Apple's iPod. The brand was already known for thinking outside the box and advertising to creative minds and those who are always waiting for the next big thing. The company who had been using the "Think Different" slogan up to that point decided it was time for a tweak. Thus the iPod people were born. The campaign was seen in magazines, buses, billboards and television spots everywhere. It effectively and cleverly used silhouettes and bright colored backgrounds to emphasize the fun and excitement of owning an iPod and cornered the market in the portable media player market and subsequently started a craze for Apple products that will never cease, it seems. You never hear MP3 player anymore... you hear iPod.

Why Do You Need It?
That's the big question, right? Why invest in design to promote your products and services? The real question is "Why wouldn't you?". The most common answer I get is "I can't afford it", which leads to asking your 15 year old nephew with a crack copy of Photoshop to design you a flyer, which leads to you effectively digging a grave for your brand and your business. When you lack the materials that would otherwise present your business in a favorable and professional way, you lose more than money, you lose brand image.

Everyone Can Afford Good Design
For example, what is more important to you? How many brochures you hand out or how many clients or new orders you get? You could mail 10,000 badly designed brochures and get zero orders. Or you could send a thousand with a clear and interesting design and win a dozen orders. The difference is design. So unless your budget is zero, you can definitely afford good design. See it as an investment, not an extra cost…

Graphic Design can only be done by a select few, and even then only 50% of them are trained and know how to do it well. Isn't it time to invest in someone who can effectively take your ideas and visualize them in a memorable way to your clients? Design is a language you don't speak, so find someone who does. Or let your nephew do it.

A new year is on its way and it's time for a change. If you're still on the fence about design, I have only one thing to say, "Just Do It".

Dennis Salvatier

Do you have any success stories on what design has done for you? Did you see a change in how you were perceived by your clients after having a campaign designed? Do you still think design is a crock? If you're a designer or any kind of creative, show this to someone who doubts.

3 Things That Made a Difference In 2010

2010-12-30T14:59:00.000-08:00

As the year comes to a close I've reflected on what made this crazy year so special. Let's face it, things all over the world are pretty bad, and whether you're a designer, illustrator, marketing specialist or car salesman, you felt the pinch again this year.

But even with all the setbacks and economic down turn, there are many things that made a difference this year. I came up with my top 3, (although I had many more) and I'll rely on you to add to the list.

3. LinkedIn - I had my account open for almost a year before I really started using it at the beginning of this year. Joining blogger, networking and creative groups has been a huge plus, not just because I've had the pleasure of meeting some great people, but also because I've learned so much from just participating in conversations. A hearty thank you goes out to Susan Oakes, Rob Berman, Julie Weishaar and everyone else for their support of this blog and for the retweets along the way.

2. Twitter - Back in 2009 I thought it was the stupidest thing ever created. Just another outlet for mindless reminders of what someone ate for breakfast and what was in store for the weekend. But it's much more than that and the sheer connections and relationships that I've begun because of twitter has been mind-blowing. People like Sarah Wu and Kristy Elena started off as tweeps but feel more like pals now. There's so many to list, but I'm trying to keep this short. You know who you are.

1. People - No matter how I met them this year, I have felt an overwhelming wave of support from people, and that's why I end with this. You can swear by social media, SEO and all the gadgets you can buy, but in the end people make the biggest difference and what I took the most from this year is that if you build relationships in life, in business, you will be successful. A special thanks goes to Dayne Henry Jr, Heather Fonseca, Sheila Atwood, TJ Lubrano, Tricia Lornston, Vanessa Brantley-Newton, Michalea Razi and everyone who supported me and this blog.

So as you prepare for 2011, keep sight of what's important and do like the little monsters above are doing and create partnerships and friendships. Give, give, give and it will be returned. Happy New Year from tanoshiboy and Salvatier Studios!

Hope to be working together soon!

Dennis Salvatier aka tanoshiboy

Please add to the list and tell us what you experienced as a major difference this year. Who knows, it may help someone.

What's The Best Gift of All?

2010-12-23T18:11:00.000-08:00

It's been such a hectic week leading up to Christmas that I didn't prepare anything to write about so I thought I'd write about that.

Yes, I'm taking the next couple weeks off from blogging about design, marketing and networking and I'm simply sharing some illustration. Like the one you see to you're right. It's Cyclopee all decked out for the holidays. I wanted to work more minimalistic and use a non-traditional color palette. The challenge was to make it feel like Christmas, which I think I did.

I want to wish you all the happiest of holidays and thank you for all the support this crazy year of 2010. Every retweet, every facebook share and comment on this blog has not gone unnoticed. It's been awesome to meet and connect with so many of you. I'll write about that more next week, but for now, just know you've made a difference in this guy's life and that's the greatest gift of all.

TB

With Great Power Comes...

2010-12-17T00:53:00.001-08:00

This post is dedicated to my fellow artists. The graphic designers, painters, fashion designers, illustrators, technical artists, sculptors and any I've missed. We've all taken on the responsibility of being an artist; even when our parents were disappointed they weren't going to get a doctor and when our boss made us take a pay cut because "artists are a dime a dozen". We pressed on with our passion because, like Peter Parker, we felt this is what we were born to do. But like Peter, sometimes we feel it's a curse.

Our work is never perfect and we get frustrated when we find ten other artists out there better than us. But I tell you this, don't strive for perfection. Strive for satisfaction. It is your responsibility as the artist you have chosen to be, to use this gift to create and to share. Don't strive for perfection and compare yourself to others. Learn from others, be inspired by others, but find your own voice and connect with others. Make mistakes and learn from them and always remember that you are always a student. You will never stop learning. It's then that you will become the artist you want to be. I wanted to say this to you because I've been connecting with many artists lately and I feel a depression falling over them. They feel they're not where they're supposed to be. But that is part of our growth and what we have to go through to be, not just a better artist, but a better person. Keep creating and keep striving. You are an artist and that's a wonderful thing.

The Spidey illustration inspired this post simply because he's the hard-luck hero. The everyman. He was my hero as a 12 year old boy because he never quit and when he did he felt terrible and always came back stronger. We should do the same.

Why Coffee Works Better Than a Networking Mixer

2010-12-15T16:06:00.001-08:00

I promise there's more to this post than coffee and slacking off, but we're not too far off actually. Let me explain.

This year was the year I had to get out of my comfort zone and do some real networking. My goal was go to at least 2 networking events a month, if not more. I figured that I would be able to meet the most people, pass out the most business cards and have a great level of influence. Sounds like a solid idea, right? I went to 35 networking meetings and mixers, had countless fingers foods, visited many country clubs and shook a lot of hands, but in the end I got one piece of business and made 3 solid connections. Sounds pretty bad? Well, my goal was never to make sales or even to make connections. I really wanted to make some solid relationships. What I found this year is that these events are attended mostly by people looking out for themselves. They are the social equivalent of spammers. I don't regret this experience though, because it taught me a valuable lesson. So what is the answer to this dilemma?

Coffee.

Ironically, I don't even drink coffee, but a couple of months ago I decided to experiment with making coffee meetings. I would find someone on linkedin or twitter (or they would connect with me) who looked interesting and I would invite them out for a coffee break. It has worked wonders. Why? 4 Reasons.

1. People love midday breaks and if you make it in a part of town they like, they'll be up for it

2. When making a lunch meeting, the person may be looking forward to the meal more than the meeting. Coffee lets you know right away they really want to meet you, because they can get it any time

3. Coffee is relatively cheap. When you pick up the tab you're not jeopardizing your retirement plans

4. It's a laid back meeting and therefore you get to really know the other person and then talk about cool stuff like graphic design, for example

I have made more of the relationships that I was looking for in just a few months than I did in almost a year of mixers. So you should stop with the networking meeting and mixers, right? No, keep going to them, but be picky. Make sure you're going to events where you're paying $25 (for example) instead of $10, because that assures an attendance by people who are serious about being there. Find as many free meetings as you can and use that time to practice. Make coffee meetings a goal at least 3 times a week. It will make a great difference in your business and the best part is you'll be making some new friends. Isn't that the goal these days?

So what are you doing that's unconventional in order to network? Do you have any other ideas? Or do you still think big events are the way to go? Please share.

Do Something Fun Before Work

2010-12-09T11:08:00.001-08:00

I bet that when you get up in the morning you get straight to work doing what you do best, but I want to offer a little advice to you. Start your day by doing something you love or something creative. It can be anything and that's what makes this great. I read an article this week, that talked about the benefit of doing something fun before you get into your work (Usually people end with something fun in their day). It helps to put you in a better mood before tackling your tasks and it makes you more efficient. I agree.

Last week, I drew up this sketch as part of our 5 Day Challenge. For the last 3 mornings I have been working on this new piece little by little and now I'm sharing it. It made a huge difference in the rest of my day and it felt good to complete something fun. I'm not even getting paid for this! But it sure pays off regardless. So I challenge you to do the same tomorrow morning and see how it makes you feel. I hope you like Harley Quinn illustration, especially because I'm going to offer it as a print very soon. So let me know what you think and I'll see you soon.

TB