It's safe to say there are several core rules to follow when designing. One of my die-hard rules is never proofread your own work. Because, when you do, here's what happens. I had to laugh when I got these back from the printer. I made a very minor last minute change and did not give the cards a proper final look with a fresh eye. (Thank goodness there were a limited amount with this message.) So, here's a tip. If you don't have someone who can proof for you, walk away, then come back an hour later and proof, proof, proofread again. Happy Holidays Everyone!
Core rule #2 - Laugh at yourself!
Core rule #3 - Appreciate your accomplices.
I sent this one to both my printer, PR partner and sometimes copywriter with the typo and a note. I knew they'd appreciate it. And, it only serves to emphasize how much I appreciate them all! Thanks much to Jeff, Gina and Micah!!
Designing for the Holidays doesn't need to equal Red and Green!
Thanksgiving = fall leaves, gourds, pumpkin pie and turkey, turkey, turkey
Christmas = Red velvet, blinking lights, tinsel, blow up Santas and gingerbread men
Not in my mind's eye! While tradition has it's place, and rightly so, finding a new way to illustrate traditional American holidays can be a challenge. It may often be difficult to get a client to think beyond the stereotypical holiday images, colors and shapes. But, give it a try and I guarantee the results will allow your client to stand out in the crowd.
In this example, a Holiday Menu Planning and Gift Guide for Eddie's of Roland Park (gourmet grocer), the client needed to address Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Christmas and New Year's in one piece. The challenge was how to include all the holidays without eluding to any specific religion, tradition or predictable meal. The key is to think elegant meal - a delicious feast for any special occasion. I was inspired by a Colin Cowie-esque Holiday Tablescaple. Think: Nana's tablecloth adorned with fresh flowers and sprigs of sage aside aged candelabras and slightly tarnished silver trays lined with all kinds of mouth-watering, sugar-coated confections. Instead of brown and orange or red and green, visualize cream colored lace, mixed with mint and sage… and just a hint of cranberry to elude to the holiday tradition.
Another challenge was to steer clear of tacky "holiday" fonts and predictable images. So, I selected a clean font (Frutiger) with an accent for the headings only. Holly was replaced with sage. Turkey replaced by Cornish Hens. With a little creativity and clean organization, this Holiday Menu (accordian folded) is not boring, 
typical or gaudy - but elegant and sophisticated - and easy to read. It accurately represents the essence of the Holidays, as well as the quality of the food and ease of use of Eddie's services. It visually prepares the customer for the overall Eddie's Gourmet experience.
One very important part of running a business is marketing and promotion. While we all understand the value of promotion (not to mention the ultimate goal = $$), the challenge is how to do this in a manner that involves and interests the consumer. Is there a way to engage potential customers beyond the hard sell? I think so. Here is an example of a contest I designed for Homestead Publishing Company. It was the 150th anniversary of the community newspaper, The Aegis, in Harford County. The company was throwing a big bash and held an open house to allow county residents to see behind the scenes - which is actually a very cool thing to do at a newspaper. During the open house the public took guided tours throughout the building. I created signs: Art, Prepress, Typesetting, Production, Press, etc. to easily identify each department. But, they had a twist… the signs were composed of letters taken from photographs of local business storefronts. To engage the public, we asked them to identify the business or sign from where each letter came… it was downright fun… both to the new, and longtime residents of the community. So, you see, this is a good example of indirect (or image) marketing. By capturing the essence of the community in the promotion (visually) and involving the public with a contest (physically), Homestead was successful in ingraining the company's long-standing presence in, and value to, the community… without ever mentioning an actual product or price point!! And at the same time, the community felt involved, respected and relevant. It was a win/win! Oh, and by the way, this sign was in my office. After all, I am the Creative Goddess :-)
This entry is not about design, but about some of the amazing things that follow when you love what you do. Today, I simply have to share how much I love my new client, through who I was fortunate enough to attend the Fancy Foods show in NYC in June 2009. Let me just say, aside from studying the amazing packaging and signage (details to follow), I also had to research food products and trends. At this section of the show (140,000 products huge!), I was in CHEESE HEAVEN!! And, if you know me, you'll understand. Thanks Nancy!
One of the fun things about being a designer can be the research. This week I am attending the Fancy Foods specialty food trade show in New York City. One of my favorite clients, Eddie's of Roland Park, is a small, locally-owned, gourmet grocer. I am attending to research new products for sale in their stores, as well as to observe and collect signage, packaging and marketing ideas.
The show features: 140,000 products including confections, cheese, coffee, snacks, spices, ethnic, natural, organic and more - and 2,300 exhibitors from 75 countries! I can't wait to taste my way around the world!
http://www.specialtyfood.com/do/Home
http://eddiesrolandpark.blogspot.com/ or www.eddiesofrolandpark.com
Sometimes, if a logo is an odd shape (say very vertical as the original version of this LuvWalks logo), it is necessary to create an alternate or secondary version which may be used to better occupy a different shape or space. The horizontal version of this logo works perfectly on fliers and bumper stickers, while the square version fits exactly on the front pocket of the employee t-shirts and a complimentary fresbee for the dogs.
This being Father's Day, I'd like to take the opportunity to thank my Dad, William Kichline Jr., for being my go-to-IT-guy. His efforts to sort through OX10.4 vs 10.5 vs whatever the new one is called and which version of what software corresponds with which operating system has been a lifesaver to me. I can design for hours, but truly do not enjoy sorting through the technical details required to maintain a state-of-the-art workstation and up-to-date software. So, "Thanks, Dad!! You rock!!" And, beyond your IT skills, you're a pretty great Dad, person & friend as well. Thanks for your unconditional support and love. xoxo J
PS: That's the BIGGEST fish I've ever seen ;-)
I was fortunate to have the extreme pleasure of planning, art directing and designing a magazine for over 10 years. If you'd like to view my work, go to www.harfordmagazine.com and look at any issue from Fall 2008 and earlier in the archives. Here are a few sample layouts from over the years. I had so much fun with the entire process that it's hard for me to pick just a few… There are so many elements that combine to create strong and effective publication design. In future posts, I'll pull out a few spreads and talk about them in more depth. In the meantime, take a look at the back issues for a preview if you get a chance.
While Art Director at Homestead Publishing Co., I was responsible for transforming (while downsizing) The Record newspaper from a broadsheet to a tabloid. The newspaper, which serves Havre de Grace, MD and the bay region of Harford County, needed to maintain a community feel while appealing to a broader market. When addressing the redesign of this Classified Page Heading, adding vibrant color and local (recognizable) images, which changed seasonally, met both these needs. I also edited the information to align with the reduced attention span of today's media-savy society. This afforded more effective communication as well as visual appeal. Take a look at this "before" and "after" - wow, weren't newspapers so boring and limited back in the day?!!! I really hope the industry gets over this very large road block and finds a new way to thrive in today's electronic world.
LONG LIVE PRINT!!
(PS: Photo by Matt Button - a link to his amazing talents to follow soon.)
Gordon Graphics is my favorite printer. Owner, Jeff Herget, provides the most amazing customer service and he's a very cool guy. I highly recommend you give him a call [410.591.6365] and tell him Julie sent you. Check out his corporate identity package for a sample of my design: logo, business card & letterhead.
BEST OF BALTIMORE 2009 READER'S POLLI love great food, and I love people/businesses who cater to my Meg-Ryan-food-selection habit. So, for amazing taste and custom service, I highly recommend Eddie's of Roland Park. If you agree:
VOTE FOR EDDIE'S OF ROLAND PARK TODAY!!http://www.baltimoremag.com/whowonit/readers_poll.asp
