The Moosings of a Madcow

DESIGN CHALLENGE - Designing for a Designer

2011-08-04T06:05:00.009-04:00

Printed and ready to go!

Recently I completed a job that had to be one of the biggest challenges in my career. Consider this:

Client: My best friend and fiance to my husband's best friend
Job: Wedding Shower Invite
Parameters: To stay within the theme of the wedding in terms of design, color and concept

Oh, and did I mention that my friend is herself not only a graphic designer, but a designer that I highly admire and respect? Her work is stunning and enviable...not to mention that she and her business are appearing in a book that will be published this fall.

Eeek.

So, how do you accomplish this task? How do you create an invite that impresses people, attests to your experience as a designer, but yet doesn't overshadow the WOW factor that is typically reserved for the wedding invite?

Just like any other job - dive in, do your research and know when to pull back or to push the envelope in deciding what will and won't work.

And even though some might look at this and think, well that's awful simple looking, I would like to point out just how much research went into this. There are countless hours involved behind this design (Trust me, designers don't just work when they are in their office. We think about design when we are relaxing, watching TV, taking a shower. Countless hours of thinking about a particular design is not uncommon) To list just a few thoughts I considered when starting on this job:

what layout will work best to fit with the theme of the shower yet will also reflect theme of the wedding?
will this layout work in a conventional envelope or will I need something special? And will that special envelope cost more to buy and to mail?
will the paper choices and final assembled piece be within certain mailing weights for cost effectiveness?

And once all that is decided, that you have to start researching and considering all the components for the actual design. Some of the requirements I set for myself were:

font choices were to be based on fonts used during a specific time period
the art chosen needed to reflect the style fo what would have been used during this time period as well
and because printing was being done in-house and I needed to follow a certain color scheme, the paper chosen need to work with the available printer, the layout and the overall theme of the piece. I need to make sure the paper houses would be able to supply the quanitites I was looking for and the weights I needed

So, please, when you look at something and think that it looks "simple", take a moment and stop to think about all the separate parts that went into making it and you'll realize that "simple" design doesn't equal easy design.

Overall, I am really happy with how the piece came together. Plus, there was a BONUS! Since I was assembling these by hand and printing in-house, I got to have some fun and delve into a few really interesting add-ons: belly band, grommets, and what turned out to be my fav - envelope liners! In the end, all the hard work paid off.

The bride herself called and gave me probably one of the best compliments I have ever received in my whole career. I was beyond relived to know that I nailed this job on the head and that she, a designer herself, loved them.

A great design and a happy client. Challenge met and accomplished!

The Art of Design

2011-05-31T17:06:00.004-04:00

This Third Friday, June 17th, I will be the featured artist at a local gallery, The Artist's Consortium, in Millville, NJ. I'm pretty excited and have been having a blast getting my works together and promoting the show.

I'll be showing a sampling of my design work taken from the last several years. Finished designs, along with some of the techniques and thought processes behind what goes into a commercially designed piece, will be shown.

Corporate collateral pieces to personal promotional work will all be featured along side what one would consider a more traditional take on fine arts. And whereas commercial art has long been considered an art form unto itself I will have to say that even I have been amazed at the whole new life a piece can take on when it is properly framed and presented.

So, won't you join me and come experience what is the art of design.

Sorry Kermit...But It Can Be Easy To Be Green!

2011-04-21T08:11:00.004-04:00

Recycled Bottle Cap Necklaces

In a previous post, I announced my partnership with a group of incredible people for an Earth Day campaign. In working towards the common goal of the campaign, I kept focusing on my profession and how even though I am in the print industry, there are still ways of being kind to Mother Earth.
The whole time I was consumed with making sure I lent my expertise in keeping the campaign green and how my addition to the group was about sustainable design practices. But, as we started getting entrees in, it hit me.
Be it a conscious decision or not, my whole life I have practiced some facet of green living. My grandparents were farmers who lived a great deal off of what they grew themselves. Both had lived through the depression and were very frugal. My grandmother even recycled her dishwater, which I still do to this day myself. And my favorite hobby is reusing/repurposing found objects. I'm the kind of person who considers a secondary use for an object before tossing it - whether it is broken or not.
I realized that there was more to my business than just sustainable printing. Everyday I'm reusing and recycling object around me. Whether it is using a preprinted piece of paper as a food shopping list or taking the backing from a used notepad and using it for shipping material.
I've even turned this habit into a little sidebusiness. People can buy necklaces I've crafted from used bottle caps and I'm working on getting a line of journals done that are made from scraps of paper and old shopping bags.
There are so many ways, big and small that you can implement into your daily routine. So, stop by the Earth Day blog that I helped set up and see what others are doing. And if you have any cool bottle caps, send them my way!

1,000 Ways to Love The Earth (and my job!)

2011-04-04T09:55:00.010-04:00

Get your FREE album by visiting

http://1000waystolovetheearth.wordpress.com/

Awhile back, I was approached by children's singer DARIA about working with her and another talented artist, Farah Aria on some collateral for an Earth Day album she was producing. Daria is wonderful to work with and I knew anything she brought my way would be amazing.

The concept was simple and yet so incredible at the same time. Daria was going to produce a completely green CD to giveaway. For the first 1,000 people who sent her a way they love the earth, she would send them her songs, FREE, to download.

My role was to primarily assist in the design of the cover art for the album. But, as it just so happened, while all 3 of us were hashing out ideas, the campaign grew to include not only the cover art, but the design and building of a blog, liner notes, fliers and icons and banners for promotional use. Not to mention:
- submissions by followers all over the world
- an online forum for others to visit, read the submissions and be inspired themselves
- giveaways of not only the CD, but of green posters featuring the album art designed by Farah
- interactive liner notes that include video links and how-tos on creating your own recycled musical instruments
- A handful of amazing, established partners, and so much more!

I was constantly amazed and in awe of these 2 awesome women. Their ideas, their knowledge and their undying energy for this campaign was unreal. Every day brought a new idea, a solution to something we had been working on and ever more ways to love and protect the earth.

And at this point, it should also be pointed out that this campaign is also a testament to the power on online communication. Both Daria and I live on the East Coast - although not very close to each other. Farah is on the West Coast. The three of us all run professional businesses, are all creative in our own right and have a deep respect for each other. Time zones, locations. None of that mattered in this project and there was never a problem. To top it off, the majority of the promotional work advertising this campaign is being done online only. So far we have had an overwhelming response from around the world and we can't wait to share what we've been sent with the rest of you!

I couldn't have asked for a better campaign to work on or two other creative women to work with. I'll be posting more articles about this campaign, so stay tuned! In the meantime, read, enjoy and don't forget to let us kn ow how you love the earth!

Stepping Out Of My Comfort Zone.

2011-02-15T15:51:00.005-05:00

A few months back, children's singer DARIA, asked me for some help in generating the art for her groundhog day projects. She wanted something special and fun - just like her music. Whereas she loved the artwork that I used for her cd cover, she was thinking of something a little more unique.

She proposed that I draw the illustrations she was looking for and I wasn't sure what to say. I grew up dreaming of becoming an animator, but my days of drawing cartoons and made up characters seemed so far away.

I was interested though and so we both agreed that an attempt would be made. I would send my rough sketches to her and if she felt I was going in the right direction, then computer generated illustrations would be done.

Working with DARIA is always stress free and I think that helped in easing any fear I had about my ability. I had an incredible time working on these pieces and I can see traits in all of these drawings that I recognize from my style years ago. And it feels good.

I'm not about to run out and put ILLUSTRATOR on my resume, but sometimes working outside of one's comfort zone can be exhilarating and definitely rewarding. This experience taught me a little something about myself that's been hiding for awhile. I look forward to the next new thing that comes my way with even more excitement now!

It's amazing Mr. Groundhog didn't see his shadow this year! Look how fat I made him:)

Check out DARIA and look for all her
fun monthly projects - including art by yours truly!

SCORE! Antique Design Find

2011-01-28T09:22:00.003-05:00

Found this interesting toy at an antique store this past weekend. The box claims that I can print my own newspaper now, so I can't wait to ink it up and get rolling!

I don't know whether to be happy that it is in it's original box, that all the parts (except for the instructions) are there or that back in the 50's and 60's this was a toy one could find under their Christmas tree. Just reading the "Idea Book and Printer's Journal" brings a smile to my face.

So, any suggestions on what I should call my moospaper?

Resolution Resolution

2011-01-19T06:23:00.008-05:00

When providing photographs for your print design, resolution is very important. Just because it looks good on your monitor, does not mean it will print well.

Resolution basically means the number of pixels that can be displayed per inch and the higher the resolution, the clearer the image will be. Typcially print uses 300dpi, web uses 72.

A simple equation to find out the largest size your image can be used for print is to divide the pixel width and height by 300. For example, if you have an image that 600 x 1200 that would be:
600/300=2
1200/300=4
The maximum your image could be used at would be 2" x 4".

Now, why is all this important? Consider the 2 images below. When putting forth the effort to market your business, you should always put your best foot forward. When looking at the 2 images, which would you prefer representing your product?

When a good image is supplied, the designer can concentrate fully on the design and not trying to "fix" the image. Good images make the design shine and when the piece looks good enough to pick up then your business comes out on top.

So this year, when thinking about ways to improve your mind, body and spirit, keep your business image in mind as well.

Best Reward EVER!

2010-12-07T14:50:00.003-05:00

Original Molly Crabapple

As many of you know, I design the promotional material for the South Jersey Branch of Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School. As incentive to the branches, corporate HQ rewards those who keep their profiles updated, those with the best photos or those who have the best blog updates.

Every so often they switch up what they are reviewing so as to keep all the branches on their toes. You see, the reward for doing a stellar job is an original Molly Crabapple. Not only is she the founder, force and drive behind the Dr. Sketchy empire, but she is also an amazing illustrator.

So, imagine my delight and surprise when the South Jersey Branch was selected as branch winner for the best flier designs! Squee!

Thanks Molly and thanks Dr. Sketchy's HQ for the recognition, it is very much appreciated.

To check the fliers that have been done by Madcow Designs, please visit the South Jersey profile:
http://www.drsketchy.com/branch/photo_gallery/SJersey

Print, Print and more Print!

2010-10-20T16:51:00.011-04:00

Vinyl Banner designed by Madcow Designs
Outside vinyl with grommits for ease of use to hang

Over the years, I have designed for and printed on a lot of different types of mediums. And whereas some designers will carve out a niche for themselves in a certain print field, I like to leave my studio open to the ability to handle just about anything a client approaches me about.

But, because Graphic Design seems to be such an elusive profession to describe, sometimes when a person approaches me and says "well, what else can you do?" I'm not sure how to answer. A fellow designer and good friend of mine, Nicola Black, likes to say "If it can be printed, than I can more than likely design it"

And honestly, that is a perfect answer. I have created designs for items that range from your typical print ad to specialty stickers to temperature sensitve water bottle labels to vinyl floor decals. In fact, I've come full circle from being a glass decaler while in college to designing the decals that are now being used.

The list of printed items is incredible and some of the more common items that I have worked on include:
Ads (both printed and online)
Fliers
Posters
Postcards
Rack Cards
Billboards
Catalogs
Brochures
Business Cards
Spec Sheets
Stickers
TShirts
Banners
CD packaging
Menus
Invites (and boy does that cover a lot from weddings and baby showers to birthdays and Corportate events!)
Greeting Cards
Price Guides
Direct mail
POPs
Pocket Folders
Magazines

Whew...I could go on, but I think you get the point. So, if there is a special project you'd like to discuss, just contact me! I would love to work with you.

Dr. Sketchy South Jersey T Shirt
Design by Madcow Designs

It's a bird...Its a plane!

2010-10-19T16:29:00.003-04:00

Recently I posted a cow tip of the week on my FB fanpage that got me quite a few inquiries.

Due to the changing of seasons, I suggested a good usage of time and a nice way to keep things on schedule was to start your month off right by remember to do your backups. And now as the holiday season approaches, I thought I would repost here some of my suggestions:

Depending on the size and amount of files you have, there are several options for off site storage.

You can always back up onto a thumb drive/removable drive and then keep that drive at another location. This works for those whose work files reside in a different location then their residence.

Then there are quite a few very nice "cloud" options as well.
Two of the better ones:
1. Dropbox https://www.dropbox.com/
Backups a folder you designate, and you can share among your computers.
Basic plan is free and gives you 2gb to use.

2. Carbonite http://www.carbonite.com/en/default.aspx
Does an online backup of your documents and settings folder.
$55 per yr.

Other cloud services to consider:
https://www.sugarsync.com/
http://mozy.com/
http://www.zumodrive.com/
http://www.box.net/

As you get busier and busier for the holiday, wouldn't one less thing to worry about be great? And, just in case you are wondering, we archive all jobs here, which ensures a quick turnaround time on reprints and offers you peace of mind.

My Kardonne Experience

2010-09-14T16:37:00.005-04:00

Original Sketch ©Joe Kardonne

As many of you know, I am the director for the South Jersey Branch of Dr. Sketchy's. We have many talented, and interesting people, attend every month. One of our most loyal monkeys is an artist by the name of Jim Penland.

A whole book could not begin to describe Jim. I won't even attempt too begin too in this blog. What I will say is that he is extremely influential as an artist and having met him has been a highlight of my creative career.

At the beginning of the summer, Jim went around and asked some fellow artists to participate in a retrospective show he is calling "The Kardonne Experience". Joe Kardonne was one of Jim's greatest friends and co-founder of Ocean City's Fine Arts League. It goes without saying that he was one of Ocean City's most prominent artists, but when he died he left all his paintings to the league in an effort to support and sustain the very organization he helped found..

Joe developed his style while working alongside renowned artists at The Art Students League in NY. He studied with greats such as B. Robinson, Thomas H. Benton, Jackson Pollack and numerous others. He was a prolific artist who worked constantly and when he passed away at the age of 94, he left 2 wet paintings in his studio.

Jim's idea was for everyone to take one of Joe's sketches and to reinterpret them in their own way. Feeling JIm's energy and enthusiasm for this project, I picked 3 of Joe's pieces in the hopes I would be able to participate. I was excited to get back to my fine arts roots and had my paints and canvases ready to go. It felt good to freely paint and the sound of the brush against the canvas was meditative.

I really enjoyed myself. Sadly I hated what I had done. It wasn't bad for the first painting in over...well, let's just say, in quite a few years. But, I didn't feel it was worthy of having Joe's name associated with it. Nor did it really reflect my artistic self as much as I would have liked.

Not to be discouraged I sat down and started to research Joe some more. Maybe there was something that I had missed. Something that would speak to me and point me in the direction I should be taking with his work. This is when I discovered that Joe himself had, at one point, formed his own Advertising Agency and found much success in the commercial art field. I now felt that reworking one of his pieces digitally wouldn't be such a bad thing. Actually, it just made sense. I scanned Joe's original, dropped it into photoshop, and away I went!

Upon intial viewing, one might say this is as much an homage to Toulouse-Lautrec's Moulin Rouge as it is to Joe. But I implore you to research Joe yourself. Look at his works, talk to the people who knew him and you'll understand that everything done has been done for a reason....albeit, maybe tongue in cheek.

But, honestly, in the end, none of that really matters. Both Jim and Joe's purposes have been met. Joe continues to influence fellow artists and Jim opened up a whole new generation to Kardonne's work. My only regret is that I never got to meet Joe in person, but I should had fun learning about him! Besides, working on this project has brought me closer to understanding myself.

I thank Jim for asking me to participate and feel honored that he also asked that my piece be shown in the retrospective that started this past Sunday, the 12th of September. Right now the work can be seen in person at The Artist's Consortium in Millville. And I recently found out that the piece will again be hung during the 2011 Nov/Dec showing at the River Renaissance Center for the Arts.

Enjoy! I know I did.

Moo Review - Letterpressing!

2010-08-09T09:58:00.012-04:00

Ask any designer, and they will all agree...we have tons of ideas constantly milling around in our heads. For me, these ideas typically pop up when I'm working on a client job. It usually happens during the research phase of the project...and usually has nothing to do with the job at hand. Just something sparked an idea, and well, who can really explain how a creative brain works?

So, in the past few years, I've become accustomed to immediately jotting down these ideas into a binder I keep right next to my computer. When I have a few minutes to myself and am looking for something new to work on, I'll look in there. I'll admit, when I go back some ideas are completely ridiculous. Other times, they stand out and make me delve into a research phase for my own interests.

One such project I had on the table for a while was a thank you card. When a job comes to fruition, I like to thank all those involved – the client who hired me, any assistants/secretaries, etc., along with the printer. Personally, I like sending a nice hand-written thank you...oh how my mother would be so proud!

But in all honesty, I hated buying store bought cards. It just seemed so silly to do so, but writing thank you on the invoice just wasn't what I was looking for either.

For awhile now I've been obsessed with Letterpressing, and decided what better job to test the waters, then with a personal one? So, I put out a tweet to my followers – many designers themselves – to gauge input on some of the places I had been researching. To my surprise, and delight, I got a reply from a local printer – Colleen from Cleanwash Letterpress (web: www.cleanwashletterpress.com blog: www.cleanwashletterpress.com/blog twitter: @cleanwash)

Even better was that I found out many of the designers I follow, and respect, have dealt with this print shop in the past, enjoyed their experience and have since returned for other jobs. That says a lot about a vendor and really solidified my choice of who to work with.

It also helped that after the tweet, we initiated a conversation via email. Colleen's replies were informative, respectful and above all else, honest. At this stage I was getting very excited. She sent me paper samples and I sent her a pdf proof. I always like to preface a print job with a lo-res pdf for the printer to review. Each vendor has their own specs and comfort level. I wanted to make sure what I was designing would work on her presses and she was comfortable with how I had set up the file.

Again, I had reached out to fellow designers, had done my research and had seen samples. Still, I anxiously awaited the delivery of my finals and was thrilled the day the Fedex man rolled up.

As a designer, presentation of the final product is part and parcel with what we do. Needless to say I was impressed when I tore open the box to find my printed cards neatly packed away in their own laundry bag. What a nice touch! Trust me when I say its little things like that that not only make the vendor look good but make you remember them for the next time.

Colleen did such a wonderful print job, but I will also remember her for her honesty, her helpfulness and overall just how wonderful an experience I had. I definitely will be printing more through her and will (and have already) referred her services to anyone looking for a letterpress printer.

If you can't wait to receive one of these beautiful cards yourself, you can purchase your own set at our online store.

Design was inspired by our love of the Hawaiian Culture.
BW is simple and elegant..and matches cows very well:)
Outside: Thank You; Inside: Blank

When life hands you tomatoes... you make salsa!

2010-08-03T14:43:00.002-04:00

Wow. Its been a while since I've posted anything and I should offer up an explanation as to why. Well, you see, I absolutely love, no CRAVE this weather. Hot, humid, sunny...oh yeah!!!!! So, even though I've been working diligently away, as soon as I can, I'm out the door and into this glorious weather.

Some of my most fondest memories revolve around the summer, like the time spent working on my grandparents' farm. So, it would only be natural that I would eventually start my own little garden. Last year, we started small. Just a few plants to make sure that (1) we could grow something and (2) the yard critters (read turkeys, deer, bunnies...you name it!) didn't eat our profits.

This year we expanded based on our research of last year. All our plants had produced and we were able to keep up with what was there. But for some reason, this year, our tomatoes went nuts. We can pick bowls of tomatoes each day! We had so many I swear I ate tomato-o's for breakfast one day.

Life was handing us tomatoes, so we decided to make salsa! ...and spaghetti sauce...and pesto.

So, I've been tending to my garden and reaping the rewards of my hardwork. Much like running my own business. Its hard work, but it is so satisfying at the end of the day!

A is for Apple (or "This Designer is Both Mac and PC Compatible")

2010-06-10T15:27:00.001-04:00

Ask any graphic designer out there what computer they use and they will give you a look like you have 2 heads. Duh, they use Apples' line of personal computers – the MAC. Yes, the same company that brought you the ipod, the iphone and now the ipad has dominated the design world for many, many years. The apple is the computer of choice for most designers and they are quite staunch in their defense of the sleek and stylish machines.

And who could blame them? Since Apple first introduced PageMaker, and with its advanced use of never before used graphic capabilities, some say it single-handedly ushered in the era of desktop publishing. The machines are unique in their appearance and many users profess their love of the interface and how pleasing to the eye it is to work with. These are all big pluses when one has to live with this machine day in and day out. And designer's being such visual creatures tend to look at devices such as these with form first in mind.

So, does that mean a designer who uses a Window's based machine is any less efficient or creative?

The answer would be no. It just means that their computer might not look as pretty:) Yes, at one point using a Window's machine proved to be a cog in the well-oiled machinery of the design world. Fonts didn't work cross platform and industry standard software like Quark and Photoshop varied so much between the two operating systems that one would think they were actually working in completely different programs then their Mac counterparts.

But that has all changed now. The programs look exactly the same and act exactly the same no matter what operating system you are running. Fonts work across the board on both operating systems and when it comes right down to it, when files are set up correctly, no one would ever know what machine it was built on unless they asked.

So don't let prejudices of the past influence your decisions. You should be looking at the designer and their abilities. If they have the knowledge and experience, it won't matter what machine they are sitting behind, as long as they know how to use it.

Moo Review - Working with a New Print Vendor

2010-05-25T15:57:00.012-04:00

Close Up: Front of binder; spine detail

One of the hardest things I have to do as a designer is turn my files over to a printer. That sounds just silly don't you think? I mean, how else is the job suppose to get finished right?

Well, bear with me on this people and think about it for a minute. A designer's job is to help you achieve a solution to your design dilemma. This solution is achieved through time spent researching you, your product, your brand, your competitors, your target audience, etc, working on comps and mustering all our creative energy and focusing it on providing you with the best possible solution - one that will solve your problem, make you look good and attract an audience.

It doesn't matter if we have been working on the job one day or one-hundred days, turning this, our hard work, over to a third party is down right scary! They might not envision the job the same as we do, they might not really understand just how many hours were put in or how proud we are of the final result. At least to a designer who has to relinquish control over a job that they have closely guarded, this is how it seems.

So, finding trusted and reliable third party vendors is something all designers strive towards. Trust me, when designers get together, we trade notes on vendors we have worked with and what the results have been. Nothing makes our job shine more than a great print job and nothing makes our job easier then when we get to work with professionals.

In the many years I have been a designer, I have had the privilege to work one on one with quite a few vendors. The great ones find a place within my rolodex and get recommended time and time again. But lately I have been involved with jobs that have required print techniques or supplies that I have never encountered before. This is both scary and exciting at the same time. Meeting new vendors and working with new techniques is great. Not knowing what to expect in the final stage of printing is, well, not so great.

A while back I received a request from one of my clients that was old hat, but came with a new twist. They were looking to get a simple binder done for a promo we were working on together.

Not having done a job like this in some years now, I had to reach out to all new contacts. One such contact, Larry Joseph at Salespak, went above and beyond the simple quote being inquired about. He followed up the initial contact with a phone call and suggestions on how to make the binder presentation way more powerful and for not much more cost-wise. His company offers a new way on how custom binders are being produced. After discussing the job's parameters with me, he felt that this new option would look better and be more durable. Samples in the mail followed shortly and the client and I both agreed - this was the way to go.

Timidly I released the files to be printed. Yes, their samples were good. Yes, reviews of them were positive. Yes they provided clear and detailed specs. And yes we would get a printed proof to review. All of that still does not assuage a designer's fears. I have seen print proofs that were gorgeous but the final run not as stellar as you would have thought for whatever reason.

Because of the quantity of the run, the job was delivered directly to the client. Nervously I awaited confirmation that the job had been received. Not only was the job turned around in a timely manner, but the client was thrilled. It is their feeling the design looks so good that samples of our work will be used by the vendor to help promote this new and exciting way of creating custom binders. They also would like to create a few more jobs utilizing this process as they feel it really makes their product stand out from the rest.

A happy client and a new trustworthy, reliable, helpful vendor...what more could I ask for?

Close-Up Shots To Indicate Finishing Features:

Gallery Event with Madcow Designs!

2010-05-14T11:32:00.007-04:00

Wow. We have so many new and exciting things going on over here that we don't even know where to start. But since we have limited time today, we're going to give you a quick update on one project that we are especially excited about.

As some of you may know, I design all the promo material for the South Jersey Branch of Dr. Sketchy's. Its a very interesting, yet difficult job. I am given free reign to do whatever I want. Sometimes I have a model pic and a theme to work with, other times not. And as daunting of a challenge as this may sound, I really look forward to it each and every month. It affords me the opportunity to really stretch my creative legs and delve into areas that interest me, but I might never get a chance to work with again.

Its extremely challenging, and after the printed pieces are done and handed out, there is a feeling of a job well done. But since there is always another job right around the corner, I never really have time to dwell on just how awesome a particular font choice was, or how the colors really worked out incredibly well and evoked just the right emotion I was looking to achieve.

This is all about to change though! A local gallery venue is hosting a South Jersey Dr. Sketchy exhibit for the whole month of June. The event is open to all the monkeys (artists) that attend the South Jersey session, be them painters, printmakers or sculptors. I have also been asked to participate as well.

Gee. I never really thought of putting any of my printed pieces in a show before so I can't tell you how exciting this is!! I had one monkey tell me that they look at the promo as just another artist's rendering of how they see the model and what the session evokes for them. Again, I never really thought of it that way, but how cool is that???

Currently I am busy working on framing and mounting all the pieces for the show (along with designing the promos and marketing the event as well). The other day I took a step back and honestly, I was amazed. To see all the pieces lined up and displayed really took my breath away. I am honored to be part of this gallery event and to be the designer for the South Jersey Branch. I must admit, there are pieces in this grouping that are some of my absolutely favorite pieces I have done in my whole career. And its all because I push myself. I want to try new styles and techniques. I love researching the ideas behind the themes and looking into other areas I might never have ever thought about in my career.

I would like to take the time now to invite you to come view my work along with those of the monkeys that regularly attend the events. There is going to be an opening reception on Friday, June 4th from 6-9pm and I would love to see you all there!

For more information, contact us at info(at)madcow-designs(dot)com or check out the event listing on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4143991&id=126188558055#!/event.php?eid=112706985433733&ref=ts

Samples of promo material created by Madcow Designs LLC in order to help promote and bring awareness to the South Jersey Branch of Dr. Sketchy's. Designs ©2009-2010 Madcow Designs LLC

Madcow Designs - A testimonial

2010-04-14T12:30:00.009-04:00

A small sampling of items included in DARIA's mailing

When one of my clients, Daria, was so kind as to send me a testimonial, I was delighted and a little overwhelmed. I mean golly gee whiz:) When someone approaches me for a job, I go at it full force. That is why they come to me isn't it? But to see it in writing, in someone else's words made me realize the experience and knowledge I bring to my clients.

In lieu of that, I wanted to be able to further explain one of the projects that Daria referenced. I thought it would help others in understanding just how I was able to help her and maybe the explanation would in turn help the reader move forward in their next project.

When Daria approached me with her idea of sending presenter packages to potential venues, I was all over it! Daria is an energetic performer whose colorful personality should be reflected in the materials she chooses to represent herself, so I knew this job was going to be a lot of fun.

As with all jobs there was a budget to stay within, but I knew that wouldn't be an issue. By making sure we got off on the right foot and made use of working with collateral she already had, we were well on our way to a very affordable solution to her problem. The widest piece that was being included was her postcard. Basing the rough measurements on this piece, I was able to find a mailer that was small enough to keep shipping costs down but large enough to accommodate her material and provide quite an impact when received.

Knowing that Daria is concerned for the welfare of all living creatures, I researched and compared the costs and types of various materials used in packing and shipping. This way we could implement products that were biodegradable, reusable or recyclable. Some of the materials could easily be used in one of her DIY musical projects!

There were also shipping costs that had to be considered, and this was a two-fold concern. For one, I had to make sure that the most efficient box used to contain the items also complied with shipping regulations. I was also going to be sealing the box with a sticker that was representative of Daria's World Travels. I needed to make sure that doing so didn't interfere with any shipping regulations or result in any returned packages.

Secondly, I had to make sure that the delivery method was affordable, convenient, efficient and trustworthy. Again after researching and comparing various providers, I was able set up a shipping account for her that allowed me to send the requested packages while the provider billed her directly. It also allowed me to set up a notification system so that when the package was delivered to the intended recipient, she was emailed the details. This enabled her to make a timely follow up phone call, thus helping her to establish another point of contact with the client.

As for the content of the packages, Daria knew exactly what she wanted to send and why. After reviewing all the pieces with her, I was able to make suggestions on packing materials that complimented the collateral and didn't overwhelm them. I was also able to suggest additional collateral and ways that all the included pieces would look consistent across the board. Daria in herself is a brand that is being “sold” in these packages and I wanted the recipient to walk away with a clear understanding of who she was and what she was about. We added custom letterhead that would be personalized for each mailing. Sometimes there were specific items added for particular venues and by taking her blank recycled water bottle rattler and adding a label that corresponded with the rest of her material, it helped explained what this water bottle full of spaghetti actually was and what was to be done with it. It helped the receiver understand what Daria's performances were going to entail without ever having heard of her or going online to research her.

From the moment the recipient received this box with its world travel stamp, to opening the box and interacting with all the pieces within, everything they ever needed to know about Daria and how to contact her was there for them. And it had arrived in one convenient package.

Daria and I worked closely together on this project, but when it came down to it, she knew she could trust me to handle whatever she wanted. Daria is an amazing person in her own right and I'm proud to be able to say that she is one of my clients. Working with her is always a treat. The jobs are interesting and I know that she is ready and willing to trust me and my experience. I look forward to many years of my relationship with her and would like to thank her for the wonderful testimonial she penned:

If you are a small business owner – you’ve probably done a lot of adjusting in the past year or so. For me, the changing economy has made me much more frugal in my advertising and marketing budget and I have found myself working more closely with Tracy at Madcow Designs to come up with some, creative ways of reaching my target audience. The results are the good news. I have actually been spending less and getting better results!

For instance, I used to do an annual postcard mailing to between 2,000 and 3,000 potential customers and simply couldn’t afford it this year. So, instead, Tracy and I designed special marketing kits in small boxes that arrived like presents and I got amazing feedback. People stopped, looked, read, listened and ... booked me! We thought outside the box, came up with a creative plan and went for it!

One of the things I like most about Tracy is that she takes a creative idea and makes it better. She adds her own design input or ideas about shipping, handling and tracking. In the end, we come up with a campaign that brings results.

So, if you are considering thinking outside the box, I encourage you to spend a bit of working creatively with Tracy. She can really make a difference in coming up with inventive solutions to help you survive and thrive in these changing economic times.

DARIA
Children’s Musician and Multicultural Performer

Antique Automobile Club of America or Heaven?

2010-03-30T13:14:00.005-04:00

(image ©AACA Museum website: http://www.aacamuseum.org)

This past weekend my husband and I decided to take a road trip. The AACA Museum in Hershey PA was hosting the "Fast from the Past" motorcycle exhibit that we were both interested in seeing. Driving to a car museum to view motorcycles...we couldn't think of any better way to spend our day.

Typically you would think a day off would allow me a chance to recharge my batteries, tear my eyes away from the computer and not think about design for once.

But, I find that most of the time I relate everything to design in one way or another. My husband is use to this and (hopefully) finds it endearing. He understands my need to "design" everything and make it aesthetically pleasing. When we are restoring cars he leaves the accessories, colors and all visual components to me. He lives with the knowledge that even if he can't envision it, I will make it extraordinary in the end.

What he didn't expect was that our foray to a museum would result in me not being able to get away from the designer within. You would think a day off is just that but boy was he wrong.

According to their website "The AACA Museum is dedicated to the Celebration, Preservation, Education, and Display of the American Motor Vehicle history that provides value for our members, hobbyists, and the public." The museum is organized so that you literally cruise through time. Starting at Battery Park in the 1900s, you travel through decade after decade, all complete with elaborate themed settings that present the vehicles in such a way that those moments in time come alive.

I was expecting to be intrigued and captivated by the vehicles, some of which I have never seen (like the 1952 Studebaker Commander Convertible) and some of which I had read about (like the 1970 LS-6 Chevelle that was found within 21 trailers packed to the gills with cars and parts) What I didn't expect was the level of detail paid to the environment.

There were fuel cans, spark plug advertisements and displays, car care folders you would receive from your mechanic, labels, logos, bus schedules and scores of ads, pins and other design related items. The list is just too long to go into detail here but I was in graphic design heaven!!!

It was overwhelming, inspiring and enviable all at the same time. Every designer's dream is to create something that will withstand the test of time and here I was staring at the brilliance of designs from over 100 years ago. There were large advertisements, that drew me in and were so eye catching in their simplicity that I found them more effective and alluring than some of today's full color, flashier versions.

And to be the one who got to work on the display graphics for the museum!! Designs based on and around the car profession...holy smokes! But, it got me thinking. Maybe I need to parlay my knowledge and love of graphic design with my knowledge and love of cars and vehicles in general. My extensive background in trade show graphics, packaging and print design makes it so I can offer a complete service to any car-based business. And with my intense interest in anything related to cars, you know you'll have my full attention both in the office and out!

Overall it was refreshing to get out and visit a place we've never been too. And maybe I need to seriously consider contacting automotive businesses about offering my services to them. To achieve this goal I think more research is in order...where's the next car show at????

No Warning Necessary.

2010-03-19T17:33:00.011-04:00

I bet when you saw the images associated with today's blog you thought "Oh, this is going to be all about package design."

And you would be right...if today just wasn't so darn nice out. Or if I hadn't noticed one little fact about the pictured items.

You see, I got my start in graphic design by being a package designer. For the first 8 years of my career, that was my main focus and I LOVED it. I concentrated on package design whilst in school and couldn't stop myself from redesigning and rebuilding even the most common household packages. Can I tell you just how pleased my mom was when she would open the bathroom medicine cabinet to find all her beloved brands repackaged in Madcow Designs originals? Trust me, I'm a trip to have around.

Anyway. Even though my main concentration has shifted slightly from packaging, I'm still intrigued by it. And when I found the pictured lacing pin packages I was thrilled. Originally I intended on writing a whole blog dedicated to the design and production of each piece.

Then, as I was gathering my thoughts, I noticed 2 things. One, today is 68 degrees and sunny. A first after a many snowy and rainy day here in South Jersey which is thus causing me to want to be outside. And two, there is one significant item missing from these packages and it made me smile. Obviously people that lived during the time these packages were designed were way smarter than us. They could make it through life without someone telling them that salt was bad for them. Trans fat most likely wasn't even a term and they knew better than to eat paste. THESE PACKAGES SPORT NO WARNING LABELS.

That's right kids. No dire warnings about throwing these pins at others, leaving them lying around in cribes or swallowing them. One package doesn't even have instructions. The person that bought this item knows what they are for and won't be reattaching their shingles with them or giving them to the cat to play with...although technically they could be used for light woodworking. They must have had hardier turkeys back in the day.

According to a quick search online, the E.H. Tate Co (makers of both items pictured) was bought out by The Newell Company in 1969. It does not say whether or not the Tate name was incorporated into the Newell name, but for the sake of it being Friday and me being silly, I'm going to say thus: Thank you E.H. Tate and Company for producing 2 lovely packages that have withstood the test of time (and several kitchens) and for realizing that the American populace was intelligent enough to know what to do and not to do with your lacing pins.

In conclusion, I am left wondering what exactly happened around 1969 to cause the winds of change to blow in on consumer packaging and dumb everything down? Can we blame it on Nixon? The Vietnam war? Or hippies? Whatever the true reason maybe, I might never know. Until then I'm off to go enjoy the outside as soon as I velcro up my shoes, wash my hands with antibacterial cleanser and grab my bicycle helmet.

Introvert or Extrovert?

2010-03-12T14:32:00.009-05:00

Those words get thrown around a lot and in the field of business, being labeled an introvert can be damaging. But should it be?

I've been having this discussion with a few of my fellow colleagues lately and have given it much consideration. You see, I would be one labeled as an introvert.

So, what does that mean? I don't want to talk to you? That the mere thought of speaking in front of large crowds makes me run and hide under the bed? That I would rather scoop out my eyes with a rusty spoon rather than participate in any sort of social gathering?

Au contraire!

It seems that the general consensus of the masses is that introverts are shy awkward creatures likened to a nervous chiuaua. That we are full of anxiety and have no social skills to rely on. Where in fact that is a total misconception.

Introverts do enjoy the company of others and love participating in lively discussions. We just might not jump in right away because we are taking our time to mull over what has been said and are formulating a response that we feel would be intelligent and well thought out. We reflect inward to make sure what we are saying truly represents our thoughts and feelings and are not just paying lip service to the most favored opinion.

Introverts think before they act and because we process most of our emotions, thoughts and observations internally, we find our energy from within. We recharge by being alone again with our thoughts and personal activities - typically things we can do solo.

But, what in essence happens is our personality comes across as odd or abnormal. Because most introverts don't see the need to participate in "water cooler" talk or telling jokes to large crowds, less of ourselves are revealed publicly. Other, more extroverted people take this as an offense or that we have no interest in them. And this can be detrimental to ones' business.

Potential clients can see an introvert as a sign of someone who might not be competent or who doesn't know much of what they are doing. And where there is validity to hiring someone that you will personally get along with, don't count those introverts out just yet!

One of our strongest traits is research and analyzation. We like to find the answers to problems and enjoy thinking, exploring and delving into the concepts behind ideas. When handed a job, the first step I take is researching the client behind the project. I study the notes from our meeting and create a list of associated colors, words and images that all relate. Everything that goes into my design is thought out and has meaning.

We operate best when left to ourselves. Working in one's own office, be it from a home-based operation, or a single office amongst many, we have total concentration on the task at hand. Social interaction doesn't distract us, we don't feel the need to go find what everyone else is doing. We are intense and passionate, abstract ideas are sought after as we look inward for answers to projects we are involved in.

And I could go on. The traits associated to introverts are all fantastic ones to be held by a self employed creative: responsible, flexible, studious, smart, able to maintain long term relationships and creative out of the box thinkers. But this post wasn't written with the intent to justify myself. My work should stand as a testimate to the job I am capable of. Instead I felt the need to make others aware that what you might see as a quirk, is in essence a fantastic trait to have in a designer.

So, the next time you see me, say Hi. I'll only be more than glad to talk to you:)

Celebrating the Season With Daria!

2010-02-22T11:14:00.003-05:00

Our blog is not only a place for us to offer tips, ticks and helpful insights to the design world, it is also a place for us to let our followers see what we do best....solve our clients' design issues with beautiful and well thought-out pieces.

Today we would like to post about a job that we had highlighted on our website: Celebrating the Season with Daria!

We had the pleasure of working with Daria on her holiday promo this year. For those of you who aren't familiar with Daria, she is an internationally known folksinger and we can always count on her to bring us some of our most interesting jobs!

For 2009 she wanted to do something special for all her fans, and what better thank you is there than a CD of holiday songs as only she can do. From inception of the design, to the printing of the cards Madcow Designs was on the job. We made sure her songsheets to her web art was consistent and matched the tone of her work.

As always we had a blast working on the job and with Daria. To learn more, or download the songs visit www.dariamusic.com and leave a comment below to let us know what you think about the piece.

2010-02-12T11:50:00.006-05:00

Being a designer is a funny thing. We can't go anywhere or look at anything without thinking about the fonts, the colors, the illustrations or the photography. We gush over the feel of paper and can be seen fondling printed pieces with such glee and amazement, to the untrained eye it must look obscene. When we meet other designers we compare notes on program versions, print houses, design trends, wax nostalgic about past jobs, our paths to this career choice and the training we have received.

For today's blog, I would like to relate one of my favorite stories from a very early point in my design career that I love to tell to other designers. I don't think a day goes by when I don't reflect on this as I prep for the work day ahead.

A lot of designers I know had professors that thrived on "rules" for design. What to do and not to do in order to achieve the best result for a client. Which in theory sounds great. Some days I wish there was a simple outline to follow that would please everyone. But alas, design is very subjective so unlike 2+2 always equaling 4, in the design world it could very well equal platypus...depending on your cilent's own rules of what they like and don't like.

I distinctly remember a design professor stating at one point to never use the colors red and blue together because the contrast between them is too stark for most consumer's eyes. Now, I know what you are thinking..."But the American flag....." yes, yes, I know, I know. I 'm just telling you what one person said.

Now fast forward about a year after that statement to my first design job. I was still in college and working part time in an in-house department for an upscale supermarket. My supervisor liked to tell me and the other workers almost the same thing..don't use red and blue together because they aren't good color choices when used on packaging for food.

OK. Confirmation #2 to not use red and blue together...EVER...got that Betsy Ross???

I had been employed by this company for about 6 months when my first package design job got handed to me. This is the culmination of everything I worked so hard for in school. All the interviews I had gone on, all the late nights spent honing my skills and here is my first big printed piece!! I would be working with a freelance illustrator and the owner of the company one on one to achieve pasta packaging perfection!

Unbeknownst to me the package design had already been around quite a few times. The owner wasn't happy with any of the designs or the many illustrations that had been provided. I'm in my cubicle happily unaware of the many revisions and options that had been provided when the owner walks in to check on my progess.

He is thrilled with my first proof and without hesitation the package gets sent to the printer and it was on the shelf in a matter of weeks.

The package is a lovely shade of red and blue.

So what does this say? Ignore everything your professors try to teach you in school? Supervisor's recommendations be damned???

Luckily for everyone involved, that is not what I am trying to convey.

Design is like every other fine art that is out there. We will have our supporters and our detractors. And even though our profession is very commercial, there is no simple answer to every job. We will not always wind up with 4 when adding 2 and 2 together. Design is very subjective and good designers know that.

So trust us when we ask you questions like "what is your favorite and least favorite color" because you just might love red and blue together no matter what anyone says:)

I am the Stig!

2010-02-04T17:11:00.004-05:00

I think I may have mentioned before that I am slightly obsessed with cars. Well, vehicles in general. Slap tires and an engine on something and you have my attention. New cars, old cars, slightly used cars all draw my interest. Wash it, shine it, wax it, I’m there. Race it on a circle, in twists and turns or on dirt, I’m there. Put them in a dirt stadium and deliberately crash them into each other and I’m there. In fact not only will I discuss working on them and driving them, but I will also discuss driving regulations and traffic laws.
So at this point you may be thinking that’s great, but what does that have to do with a graphic design blog?
Well, just recently 2 of the biggest new car shows just passed...The Detroit Auto Show and the Geneva Auto Show. And where some of you still may be questioning what this has to do with design, I have a hard time reading the reviews without being inundated with design theories.
Consider this...did GM showcase all their more fuel-consuming models in a slate gray because they wanted the less “green” cars to be unobtrusive? Or does it have to do with the fact that typically the larger models are bought (and thus marketed) to an older, highly professional crowd. Or are they phasing those models out and the newer more advanced cars were in bright attractive colors to distract people from them?
Makes you wonder, especially when typically it is thought a younger crowd goes for brighter colors, but market research has actually shown that to be untrue...at least for cars.
Or how about the new Honda Element that is geared towards the pet lover out there. Did Honda stumble across a market that has previously gone untapped by the auto industry or is it just a ploy to make them look more in-tune with mother nature?
And so as not to bore the pants off my non-gear head followers, consider lastly the Porsche 911. This iconic car hasn’t had a major overhaul in its overall design in years. This car is so recognizable that even non-gear heads can point them out.
Now what does that say about design???
Well, for one, design surrounds us in everyday life. And when it is a good design it makes it’s point without being obtrusive. And two, good design comes from someone who is willing to take the time to do their research and work with the client to determine the best approach to the job ahead. Much like detailing a car, I love being in possession of the right supplies, finding the perfect product that does exactly what I need it too, and then attacking the job head on and working towards the beautiful results.
Ok, so maybe when one starts comparing their job to a car the phrase “slightly obsessed” becomes somewhat of an understatement. But call it what you will, I know one thing is true: I love cars and I love my job!

Advertising In A Down Economy

2010-01-12T12:35:00.003-05:00

Currently, I have found that since opening my own business, I constantly, whether consciously or not, tap into the lessons I learned while I was at college. Whether it was a lesson being taught in art class, a theory being explained in a science class or an approach to a new idea being heralded by a professor in philosophy class.

You see, at the college I attended we were required to take classes that our educators felt would round out our learning experience. Along with my art classes I was required to take courses in math, science, literature and even public speaking. I guess they foresaw the day designers, taking on the dual role of account rep and lead artist, would have to make presentations to rooms full of people.

One such required class was Advertising - Its Role In Modern Marketing. Many of the theories and practices taught in this class have become second nature to me since I have been involved in the design field for over 12 years now. But one comment the professor made has stuck with me for a very long time and stands out amongst everything else that had been taught.

"When faced with a tough economy, the first thing to go will be marketing and advertising."

It should come as no surprise that the ensuing lecture dealt with why advertising plays a key role in a company's success no matter what the financial climate might be. At the time, I was a young designer on the utmost bottom rung of a corporate ladder. I took in all the professor had to say, but honestly never thought it would matter much to me since at the time I had positively no say on how, why or when marketing campaigns got implemented or how budgets should be set and followed.

Oh hindsight, you are what they say, 20/20?

The danger posed by the current market slowdown is how a company will react. Stopping advertising in effect will stop stimulating the demand for your products. And if you are someone in charge of marketing and promotions, it is hard to effectively communicate to those in charge of setting the budget and available resources that cutting back could be detrimental.

Yet, the key to surviving is to continue advertising and to stay present. But maybe it won't be in the same ways that had proven effective in the past. Consumers are adjusting where and how they spend their money and companies need to consider these options and compensate accordingly. By being prominent and keeping current with your advertising, companies can gain advantages over their competitors who are less willing to be as aggressive with their marketing. Studies have shown that companies who cut back on advertising during recessions lose their momentum and report slower growth sales after the recession.

With good, sound, promotional tools, advertising can play a key role in a company's success in bad times just as well as it does in good times. Being visible in a time of economic unease can translate to your consumer base that you are dependable and have the resolve to be there for them.

There are always many options available to a company for advertising (or marketing). Now is the time to explore how your current consumers are buying and how to identify new prospects. With a wide range of options available, Madcow Designs can help you find the right mix for your audience...print ads, site ads, direct mail, email, blogs, webcasts, digital signage, tradeshows, even a simple thank you note can become a new outlet for you to get your name out there and help retain your staying power.

Whatever the direction your advertising takes, Madcow Designs can help you along the way.

We Are Not So Different

2009-12-31T14:10:00.002-05:00

I read an article today on a football coach who had decided to resign from his position due to health concerns.

Now most people who know me would wonder why the heck I read the article in the first place. But I have found that in running one's own business, inspiration and good advice can come from anyone, whether their profession is related to yours or not.

And I actually started this post in a different vein earlier. I was waxing oh-so poetic about the similarities between being a coach and being a designer.

But, on retrospect I deemed the post was much of the same old stuff that designers try to explain over and over again: Mainly no we don't all work in our jammies, and yes there is much more to running your own business than just making things look pretty all day long.

I even tried a rewrite about how coaches are expected to win consistently no matter what they are up against: new teams, new coaches, sick players, not a strong backing from their school or city or refs who might not see things their way. And I likened it to how Designers are expected to always be "on". No matter what we are up against, we are consistently required to have a bevy of creativity at our disposal.

But, much like creativity, that concept was proving rather difficult to explain. I felt the post was making me sound like a whiner who had nothing good to say about their chosen profession when in fact it is exactly the opposite!

I knew from the age of 8 or so that I wanted to have something to do with art when I grew up. Being a designer almost feels like a natural extension of myself. Even before I understood what a commercial artist was, I had a strong pull to do what it is that I am so lucky to do now. Math problems do no excite me, but tell me your woes about paper and font choices, or the problem of merging your love of vintage and modern styles to communicate to your audience what you are about and I'm all over it!

Even when I break away from the office to pursue other interests, that love of design creeps in. I'm obsessed with cars, and the first thing I'll point out (over the handling) is what design aspect they nailed or messed up. And you can't take me into a retail store without losing me in one of the isles as I ooo and ahhhh over packages and illustrations. Colors, textures, lighting...it all excites me and inspires me no matter where I am at, or what I am doing.

Get it? I love what I do. But like all professions there are setbacks. That is not to say I will give up! The coach in this article originally vowed to retire due to his setbacks. Very quickly he changed his mind to just take a leave of absence. The lure of the game is too much with once coach even likening it to being a drug that you can easily get addicted too. I totally understand. Everything I do in life feels like it is guided by the undertones of design.

So, as 2009 comes to a close, all I can say is, good or bad, I love what I do and I love being able to do it. I promise to continue to relentlessly pursue knowledge of the design world, to embrace new styles and ideas and to take what I have learned in the past and run with it:)

And if you would like to read the article in full, check it out here.

Our Work With Dr. Sketchy's South Jersey

2009-12-23T11:11:00.005-05:00

We here at Madcow Designs have so much fun working on the promos each month for Dr. Sketchy's South Jersey. Most people would think that being your own client would be a dream come true, but it is actually the opposite. We force oursleves to work outside our comfort zone in an effort to experience styles of work that we might not otherwise have delved into. It can be hard and frustrating at points, but in the end, it is very satisfying and we know that we walked away with a creative experience that will only benefit us and our clients.

Dr. Sketchy's First Annual Art Show: Design Work

2008-09-24T08:49:00.002-04:00

I sat down to write up a nice blog on the work that I just did for Dr. Sketchy's. But, I just couldn't find the right formula to get it all down concisely. Its my blog, so do I only talk about the work I just did for them? Or, do I talk about their One Year Anniversary festivities because they are planning an art monkey art show? Do I talk about the past few months and all the exciting things they have done?

Or do I just blow it all off and go eat some M&M's while sitting on my back deck and watching the sun rise through the trees, whilst you go do the leg work and check them out at www.drsketchyphilly.blogspot.com?

I do want to say this...the ladies that run the show are AMAZING (and you should find out for yourselves by attending one day...come on, stop being so lazy!). And I can't thank them enough for letting me share in their wonderful venture. They were kind enough to let me, once again, design a postcard for them. I'm proud to say that the card is being used to promote their 1st Annual Art Show...how cool is that???????

The amount of fun I had in working on this concept is beyond explanation. The mediums I used, the approach I took were all something that took me totally out of my comfort zone and challenged me like nothing has in quite some time. And to top it all off, when I attended their last session, I even sketched (gasp! the horror!). These women are inspiring and I appreciate the chance to shine with them....heck, at the last session I even scored an interview, based on my company, with a North Jersey paper - but more on that later. Now it is time to enjoy the new designs:

They want a designer and to eat cake too!

2008-08-22T09:43:00.000-04:00

The other night I dreamt that I wrote a blog about chocolate cake.

It was an impassioned plea to pastry chefs around the world to please stop messing with the reality that is chocolate cake. To make chocolate cake what it is...a chocolate cake. I am a purist when it comes to my chocolate cake. I do not want it to taste like cherries or oranges..I do not want it made out of carobs., nor do I want it to taste like coffee or mocha...just chocolate cake. Yes, it can be embellished with more chocolate..say chocolate chips or multiple gooey layers of chocolate icing. If the cake itself is chocolate, I will even accept vanilla icing on top. Sprinkles are always good too.

But, when you say chocolate cake, that is what it should be. There should be no hidden surprises when I bite into it. I know there are people out there that say, like a hint of raspberry in their chocolate, and I am not denying them that pleasure. But, if you make a raspberry chocolate cake, call it that!! Don't try to trick me into eating it by falsely claiming it is a yummy delicious chocolate cake.

Unfortunately, it was only a dream and really, should that actually be a blog entry? Should I become "one of those" bloggers?

But, I thought it was funny and silly and should be mentioned. Then I realized that this does tie into my profession, albeit a stretch some may say, but it does make a good analogy.

In looking for new clients and searching for jobs, it is inevitable that I will read many want ad descriptions for designers. They are quite unbelievable at times.

Wanted: Graphic Designer
Requirements: Must know all layout and design software such as Quark, Illustrator and Photoshop. Knowledge of Corel Draw a plus. Must also know Dreamweaver, Flash, Final Cut and Aftereffects. Must have programming and development skills. Must know Office Suite, particularly PowerPoint. Must be able to work in both Mac and PC environments. Must be able to illustrate by hand and provide all initial design comps as sketches. Must be able to work under strict deadlines, in intense situations and be able to jump from job to job. Knowledgeable in PHP and SQL helpful. Copy writing experience along with proof-reading required. Light office duties will be required as well, so quickbooks is a plus.

Fine, if that is what you want, then that is what you want. And Yes, I do know a few people who can do all that is stated above and can do it well. BUT don't follow that up with an insult and offer them $12/hour.

In this day and age everyone wants something for free or close to it. Just because it is hard to tangibly explain what it is a designer does, does not mean that translates into cheap labor or that you need to trick us into applying for your job. You will get what you paid for in the end.

What I suggest is this = hire a freelancer or a design firm that can help you in all areas that you need. These people will have contacts or employees on staff that will be handle whatever you throw at them. Or, at least the resources to help you take the time and money to research what each and every position requires.

To also help save on costs, take the time to research what it is you actually want. Nothing runs up a design bill faster (not to mention strains relations) than indecision and poor planning. An established relationship, with a good designer, means you have someone to turn too to help you brainstorm, research and work out what it is you really want.

Now, you may be sitting there scoffing at me thinking to yourself "Sensitive artist...why don't they just take the job and suck it up already?" But, in reality, when you go to your accountant asking for help in retirement planning what do they do? They give you some helpful direction, then either refer you to a financial planner they work with, or they bring someone in from their staff that specializes in that. Do you expect them to do your taxes, your payroll, your financial planning then go fix your toilet? And pay them $12 to do it? No.

So, in the end, don't put fruit in my dessert and call it a chocolate cake, and don't group all concentrations of visual arts in one ad and call it a graphic designer.

Work and Life

2008-08-07T16:32:00.001-04:00

Originally I started writing this blog entry and it was going to be all about creativity.

I trashed it.

It wasn't creative enough.

While I was writing it though I was having a hard time getting my thoughts in line. I would start talking about how creativity is so stifled in adults and why that is and it would always lead back to where I was in my life. That wasn't suppose to be the point. I was trying to figure out why adults aren't allowed to be creative, but as children we are. I wasn't trying to make a commentary on design work...really I wasn't. It wasn't even about design at all, just creativity and how we are suppose to live our lives as adults.

And that got me thinking...my birthday is coming up...and the ol' question "is this where you thought you were going to be at this age" was broached.

uh...is I dunno a good answer??? Seriously and honestly I didn't think I would live to 30 so, now that I am past that age everything is a bonus:) Not that I was going to take my life by the big 3-0 or anything like that...I just didn't see myself at that age. I had no dreams or aspirations. Up until I was about 18 I really didn't have anything to look forward too. I had a great family don't get me wrong, but outside of that, I couldn't anticipate my future.

And I liked to drag race cars....which can be dangerous, so I just saw myself going up in a ball of flames in front of an adoring crowd...just me and my MC...racer x racer x...

But, maybe that outlook is why I became an artist. Or maybe its because you can be an artist without anyone around...or maybe its because of the two. But, the mundane question of are you where you want to be, made me think of why I be what I be.

I went back over the piece I was originally writing and something that I have realized long ago, but have been ignoring, resurfaced.

Whereas I sit at this box all day and create work for people, I don't really do anything creative for myself. What happened to the days of doodling or coloring? I've always been envious of people in art classes, but now I look around and I realize I'm envious of children.

Hey, I'm not saying I want to 8 again. NO THANK YOU. I hated the social ramifications of my childhood. Or that I want a child...thats a whole blog unto itself. But, I look at children and I see that they are allowed to look at the world in wonder, not distaste. They can take in their surroundings in amazement and joy and let their imaginations run wild. If they want to put a purple line on a piece of paper and call it a flower, they do. And they are applauded for it.

Why, as adults, does that purple line now have to mean something? Along the journey of life, when did someone make that purple line a line in the sand that we are forced to cross in order to be an adult????

And when someone wants us to cross that line back again and open our imaginations, we are told to think outside the box. Well, maybe we shouldn't be putting ourselves in boxes in the first place.

So, even though this blog did partly turn into my dissertation on creativity, it is really 2-fold. I be what I be because that is who I am. I am creative. I've been fighting off adulthood for years! There is still that wonder and awe inside of me. Every now and again it gets out, but someone or something always ridicules it back into place. Seriously, I wear a fake wedding ring so people will stop telling me to grow up and get married. How ridiculous is that???

I could go on, but I will give you a break from reading now. I am so long-winded...what the hell? Is that from working alone or is it a family gene?

Anyway, I have decided to do something about this bottled up wonder. Well, not quite. I figured by my b-day I will figure something out. I want to take the next year of my life and see how I can devote a portion of this time to the creativity and wonder stuck inside. Maybe its as simple as coloring in a coloring book everyday, or taking 5 minutes to doodle a day.

I'm not sure, but stick around and see what happens.

Its Like Thunder...Lightening...

2008-06-18T13:03:00.000-04:00

being a freelancer can be frightening....you have to knock, knock, knock on wood...

and cross your fingers, and say your prayers, and offer sacrifices to the IT gods, and, well, you get my point.

So, you think you know what fear is, do you? Really? Do you?

After last night, I not only know what it sounds like, I know what it smells like and it smells like..sniff sniff...like...sniff sniff...BURNING ELECTRONICS!

Around 5pm last night a thunderstorm rolled in. Not one to take a chance with said storm, I shut down early, but still decided to work. Paper work, book research, that kind of thing because you see, a Freelancer's work is really never done.

About 30 minutes after shutdown, the storm was pretty rocking, when all of a sudden I saw a sudden burst of light that was so intense that all I could think of was the flash that appears before a nuclear bomb goes off. This flash was followed by a loud explosion..which just so happened to be a transformer in my office absorbing all the lightening-goodness into itself, then exploding into little balls of melted plastic. I guess with the intention to share all this goodness with me and my office mates.

As if the explosion and hail of molten plastic wasn't enough fun, the alarm, CO2 detector and fire alarm now decided to join in the cacophony of joyous sounds filing my office. While I am trying to calm my office mates down (for those of you wondering, their names are Bela and Dozer..hard workers they are!) I smell the lovely scent of electronics on fire...in my office.

Ahhhh...bask in the feeling of panic...let it envelope you...let it run from your toes to your fingers....grip you chest in an unrelenting feeling of utter hopelessness and knot your stomach up to the point where you don't think you will ever stand up straight again!

The first thought that ran through my mind was what got hit? That was followed by, how much is it going to cost to fix it, how long will I be down and what did I lose in the process?????????????????? Not something that you want to contemplate at 6 in the evening when you are looking at a fast approaching deadline for a client.

When it comes right down to it, I am an army of one. Yes, I can call on others to give me hand here and there with things like IT work (Hi Todd!) And I have a great network of designers to turn too for help and manpower, but last night it was me and me alone. This is the moment that all freelancers must prepare for...yet, I don't think many even take into consideration.

Freelance isn't all pj's and flexible hours. In the last week I have had to pay for my second quarter taxes, my health insurance, my lawyer fees and misc office expenses. And after that I still have to figure out how to put aside some money for retirement..or emergencies. Plus on top of all that, freelancers still have to find clients, and keep existing ones happy, keep on top of trends and find ways to stand out from the sea of computer users who think they are designers just because they were able to bittorrent photoshop and own a font other than Helvetica.

I'm not saying I don't enjoy what I do or that I'm not learning a lot by being an army of one. That isn't my intention here. I want my freelance friends to learn by what happened to me to be prepared and I want my non-freelancer friends to understand that just because I sit in my own office with my "office mates" doesn't mean that my day isn't any less harder than yours. And I want my clients to learn that your work is important to me and because of that, I try my hardest to provide you with the attention that your job deserves. And even when I am out of sight out of mind, I am still working on ways to make sure that nothing gets in the way of the service I provide.

So, what is the outcome of the whole thunderstorm you say??? Well, because I invested the funds in a very nice UPS backup and an external drive that backs up and then gets disconnected from the computer, my machines seem to be safe!

Grant it, I'm sure I could have a better system than I do, but with the funds I had available to me, I think it did just fine last night.

I lost a TV, my office phone and answering machine, my modem, my alarm panel and my electric fence. All in all not bad when you compare it to the time, money and aggravation it could have been.

Can't you just hear the Godsmack music playing in the background?

A Passion Rekindled

2008-04-08T11:32:00.001-04:00

Ever since I was very little I have wanted to work with glass. Hot, molten, malleable glass.

This is all because of my father; one of my best friends, not to mention an awesome dad! He is a big reason of why I am who I am. Ask anyone who has met him. My sense of humor, my attitude, my independence, my obsession with cars, my big feet are all because of my dad.

For the last 48 years he has been a glass worker at a scientific glass manufacturer. He rolls joints and blows glass...hardy har har. I have been fascinated since I can remember with his job. I can watch him work for hours. I absolutely ADORE the smell of the fires and aquadag. I even got a job with him for several years as I attended college. I would have loved for nothing more than to just have staid there, working amongst the glittering shards. But that was not to be.

My dad never saw his job as anything but a means to an end. It put clothes on his children and sent us to good schools. He cried at my sister’s college graduation because she was the first EVER in his family to make it that far. He made the owner of the factory promise that he would not let me work there for a living. So I had to move on.

Consequently, my dad never saw what he did as creative. He never wanted to teach me his job. He wanted better for me. Honestly, I think he was somewhat embarrassed by what he did. It was a hot, smelly job. His hands are permanently stained by the chemicals he uses.

BUT, I think I’m turning him around.

Now that he is past retirement age, and has received some recognition from respected glass workers in all fields, he has come to realize that this isn’t such a bad thing. We’ve been talking a lot lately of me learning the glass trade, but in an art sense and not a job sense. He seems more open to this now and has even talked of teaching me some tricks if I buy my own torches. This is something very special to me.

There are 2 things in my life that I have wanted to do with my father while I had the chance. Rebuild my car and learn glass working. Recently he suffered a heart attack, and that made me realize that you can’t put your dreams off for too long. He was there the day I fired up my car with its new engine, and now I want him here to get me started on something that has consumed me my whole life.

Wow, what a long and rambling post to get around to what I wanted to say....

Last week, I went and made a paperweight. What a glorious feeling! They had to practically throw me out, I did not want to leave. I know this is something that I need to further delve into. There are many facets of glass working and I want to try them all. Who knows, maybe I will find a field for me! Glass blowing? Flame work? A combination?

I don’t know, but I walked away from the class with a renewed feeling that I haven’t had since college days when I had time to sit and draw and create and try new things. I want to be there now, learning, working, creating. I can’t explain the feeling I had doing this. And every time I look at my creation I feel that feeling all over again.

I could go on, but I think you have the idea I’m trying to convey. The passion for glass work has been rekindled, and I need to see where it takes me.

My Nigh With Dr, Sketchy's

2008-03-24T16:24:00.001-04:00

I attended my first session of Dr. Sketchy's this past friday night. I had not been before and felt it only fitting since I was their first featured designer.

Wow.

Nicola Black and the Midwives Gallery do such a fine job of putting on a wonderful evening for anyone turning out...be it art monkey or voyeur. They offer an amazing setting that is inspiring in itself, great models, catchy tunes and pleasant attitudes. I don't know what their average turnout is like, but from what I saw, they had a decent number of artists show up. And were they talented! I got to see some great works of art that night.

Dr. Sketchy's has offered me so much on so many levels. My first blog dealt with how, as a designer, working for them was a dream job. They let me do what I wanted in a style I don't normally work in. It was refreshing and inspiring! Now, after having attended one of their sessions, I was brought back to my initial love. Drawing.

The whole reason I went to college was to be an artist. One thing lead to another and I turned my attention to commercial and graphic arts, but it was drawing that brought me there. How I wanted to flip to a crisp clean page in my sketch book...take a minute or two to admire the texture and possibilities it offered me...and then grab my pencil, my pen, my charcoals and just go to it.

In this hectic life we all lead, one can forget what started them on certain paths. I love being a designer. I love being creative. But I miss drawing and the freedom that came with it...especially when it wasn't done for school, for a grade and for a subjective teacher.

I'm not sure if I will ever pick up a pen/pencil/charcoals again, but it has rekindled the fire within to be that creative person yet once again.

Dr. Sketchy's

2008-03-08T10:41:00.000-05:00

Hello and welcome to Madcow's first blog post!

With that said, let's moove on. (sorry, but with a name like Madcow, you better get use to horrible cow jokes!)

I've been a graphic designer for over 10 years now, and still to this day, there are jobs that come across my desk that excite me and make me realize this is why I do what I do.

One of those jobs was the March 2008 postcard for Dr. Sketchy's of Philly. The wonderful ladies that host this event kindly asked me to be a feature designer for this month. I was flattered that I would be asked, but nervous as well.

Their regular designer, Nicola Black, is a wonderful and talented artist. I have learned so much from her in just conversation alone. The postcards she has done for them have been outstanding, and I did not want to disappoint.

Well, below is my finished creation and I love it. I only hope Dr. Sketchy's does as well. This opportunity not only affords me a way to get my name out there, but its jobs like these that let a designer stretch their legs and work in a style that they might never get to touch. So, thank you Dr. Sketchy's and I can't wait to work with you guys again!