Richard Roche
Student Activities Graphic Designer
www.gentlepurespace.com
1. I'm a graphic designer just wrapping up my BFA in Minnesota State
University - Mankato. I work as a designer on campus and on freelance
jobs almost constantly. I guess the way I came into blogging actually
started with my desire to just see as much beauty as I can. I tried
magazines and books, which were nice, but needed much more so I
eventually discovered how amazing blogs were. Once I found out how to
use a feed reader I was able to keep up with hundreds of blogs. I
really appreciated being able to have so many amazing images virtually
delivered to me on a daily basis, so I wanted to do my part. I
started my blog as a way to contribute to the blogosphere that I
loved, and also as a way to try to spotlight good work that deserved
more publicity than it got. I don't have any strict rules for my
blog, but my goal is that most of the stuff I post about hasn't been
blogged before, or at least not on any major blogs. For those under
the radar posts I usually find stuff from scouring through Flickr for
images uploaded by the artists themselves. It takes a lot more time
to filter through thousands of mediocre images looking for the few
good ones, but it's more rewarding to find a hidden gem to share than
to just add your praises to something that's already been discovered.
2. I've been playing around with graphics on the computer since I was
about 12 years old, setting back my back computer's date so that I
could use the expired Paint Shop Pro free trail. I didn't even
realize there was such a thing as graphic design until I was about 20
though, and that's when I really got into it and eventually switched
my major. I think two things got me into design. First, I was just a
super nerd as a kid and spent my free time making text games in QBasic
in 3rd grade, so eventually I got into making websites and I found
that creating the look of the website was really fun and apparently I
was pretty good at it considering my lack of experience. Second, I
took photography in my Senior year of high school, and it was my first
art related class I had ever taken (I had been a band geek before
that). I really enjoyed it, and was surprised that I seemed to be
good at something art related. That really gave me the confidence to
give art a serious try.
3. I get most of my inspirations from history and other designers of
course. I am a very nostalgic person, so when I design I like to make
sure it has a sense of history. I like to look at vintage and retro
designs and take elements from them to utilize them in a new way. At
the same time, I always looking at what's happening now and what
innovative designers are doing. You never want to copy someone, but
the things people do can give you ideas that you never would have come
across on your own. I like to think that by simply looking at lots
and lots and lots of design everyday it helps me build a broader
"vocabulary" the same way a writer would want to read as much as
possible to broaden theirs.
If I have designer's block I usually try to do something besides
"design". Usually when I'm having problems being motivated in graphic
design I on a roll with something else, like photography or painting.
I think it's important to have a variety of interests that you can go
to so that you can take a break from the computer and still be
exercising your creativity. It stops from from just sitting at my
desk and getting frustrated and it puts me in a positive and
productive frame of mind.
The length of time it takes me to design a piece can vary greatly.
One of the best posters I've ever made was a rush job that I finished
in 2 hours, other posters have taken me more like 20 hours. Websites
can take 40-60 hours, or if I'm designing my own website it seems to
never be finished! I guess it's just one of those questions where I'm
forced to just say something lame like, "it takes as long as it takes
to get the job done right". I will say that it's really important to
stick with something and not take shortcuts or make comprimises to
save time if you want to be really happy with your work.
As far as what medium I use the most, it would of course be the
computer. The computer is my portal to the world of art. Even if I'm
making a painting I almost always start by making a layout on the
computer to serve as a guide. Photography has been really important
to me though, and I've made some designs that only use photography as
the final composition tool.
4. My favorite artist is a tough question because my opinions change
so quickly. I guess right now my favorite artist is Mark Weaver, he
does amazing digital collage work and every time he creates something
new it blows my mind all over again. I love the melancholic whimsy
that is expressed in his work, not to mention just the pure mastery of
composition, colors, and typography.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
get inspired.
Really cool wine bottle label designs...
By: Mash http://www.mashdesign.com.au
By: Mash http://www.mashdesign.com.au/projects_html/redheads_studio.html
By: Insite Design http://insitedesign.ca
By: nine99 design http://blog.nine99design.com/
By: Ned Wright http://www.nedwright.com/
By: Mash http://www.mashdesign.com.au
By: Mash http://www.mashdesign.com.au/projects_html/redheads_studio.html
By: Insite Design http://insitedesign.ca
By: nine99 design http://blog.nine99design.com/
By: Ned Wright http://www.nedwright.com/
Thursday, October 29, 2009
get me.
(Idea generated from http://www.graphicdesignblog.org/clients-choose-wrong-logo/)
"Although it is part of our job to provide ample of options and choices to our clients (this is what we are paid for) but don’t you think our suggestions are not valued? What I mean to say is that the endless instructions of our customers’ make us end with not-so- good designs. Being a designer, we better understand what kind of logo will be effective but some clients become too stubborn with their choices. Is it reasonable to slaughter our creative skills and instincts to follow our customers’ strict orders? Knowing that the irrelevant instructions by our client are leading to a disastrous design, we still pursue them. This leaves us with a BIG question mark???
1) Does your client murders your creativity skills?
Graphic Design is a field where clients are mostly influenced by people close to them and approve the final designs after consulting family and friends. It’s no surprise when a client says “my wife wants the background blue.” We are asked to make changes according to the recommendations of people who might be observing a logo so closely for the first time in their lifetime. There are many other statements you have to follow unwillingly
2) Does your frustration make you evil?
Every graphic designer believes in the term “Client is always right”. However, at times a complicated client can be frustrating, not leaving you with many options. In such circumstances your evil part overtakes and you decide to follow the clients’ instructions no matter how bad the outcome is. To avoid further hard work and argument with the client, I have seen many designers finalize an inappropriate logo design, with all evident flaws and faults.
3) How do you Deal?
We all know that chances are very few that you completely satisfy a client….he always sees a room for improvement. A client mostly does not have an idea that his required changes will leave his logo design unattractive. In such circumstances, you have two options…either you quietly make the changes according to your clients’ wish list (without warning him) or you try to explain him the faults (and gear up to prepare another series of designs)."
One of the newest experiences I have had to get used to recently is this whole working with clients thing. Before, I had only had to design something for a class or for myself, senior year has broken me from this and has put my design skills into the hands of real people who need real things designed. This transition has been difficult and at the same time easy, depending on the "client" obviously. I have two examples of this:
Recently in one of my classes I had to design a flyer for a non-profit organization. It was a flyer that was going to be used to advertise an event they were having. I created it in about 2 days with the information from the organization's website. I sent it to the client and about 2 hours later got a frantic email from her and my advising teacher, they needed some information added. No big deal really. Communication between me and the organization continued until around 10pm as I added what she needed, emailed it to her and had her email responses holding more information to be added. As it was difficult to add the amount of information she wanted, the professionalism and remarkable communication between the two of us made the process that much more less stressful for me.
On the flip side, I had to create a paid for flyer for the Graduate Office at my school, communication with the office was a little slow but I still got the design and page elements in time to create it, get it approved by them and send it to the newspaper to add it into the layout. Apparently the layout team thought it would be appropriate to change my (already approved of by the Grad. Office who paid for it)advertisement and make it something that was barely resembling the original. On my end, I did send them the Photoshop file, but on their end, they lacked in professionalism, communication and morale. This type of thing, in my opinion, is on the brink of becoming plagiarism, especially because no permission of mine or the office was asked.
I would like to know what everyone thinks about these design issues...
"Although it is part of our job to provide ample of options and choices to our clients (this is what we are paid for) but don’t you think our suggestions are not valued? What I mean to say is that the endless instructions of our customers’ make us end with not-so- good designs. Being a designer, we better understand what kind of logo will be effective but some clients become too stubborn with their choices. Is it reasonable to slaughter our creative skills and instincts to follow our customers’ strict orders? Knowing that the irrelevant instructions by our client are leading to a disastrous design, we still pursue them. This leaves us with a BIG question mark???
1) Does your client murders your creativity skills?
Graphic Design is a field where clients are mostly influenced by people close to them and approve the final designs after consulting family and friends. It’s no surprise when a client says “my wife wants the background blue.” We are asked to make changes according to the recommendations of people who might be observing a logo so closely for the first time in their lifetime. There are many other statements you have to follow unwillingly
2) Does your frustration make you evil?
Every graphic designer believes in the term “Client is always right”. However, at times a complicated client can be frustrating, not leaving you with many options. In such circumstances your evil part overtakes and you decide to follow the clients’ instructions no matter how bad the outcome is. To avoid further hard work and argument with the client, I have seen many designers finalize an inappropriate logo design, with all evident flaws and faults.
3) How do you Deal?
We all know that chances are very few that you completely satisfy a client….he always sees a room for improvement. A client mostly does not have an idea that his required changes will leave his logo design unattractive. In such circumstances, you have two options…either you quietly make the changes according to your clients’ wish list (without warning him) or you try to explain him the faults (and gear up to prepare another series of designs)."
One of the newest experiences I have had to get used to recently is this whole working with clients thing. Before, I had only had to design something for a class or for myself, senior year has broken me from this and has put my design skills into the hands of real people who need real things designed. This transition has been difficult and at the same time easy, depending on the "client" obviously. I have two examples of this:
Recently in one of my classes I had to design a flyer for a non-profit organization. It was a flyer that was going to be used to advertise an event they were having. I created it in about 2 days with the information from the organization's website. I sent it to the client and about 2 hours later got a frantic email from her and my advising teacher, they needed some information added. No big deal really. Communication between me and the organization continued until around 10pm as I added what she needed, emailed it to her and had her email responses holding more information to be added. As it was difficult to add the amount of information she wanted, the professionalism and remarkable communication between the two of us made the process that much more less stressful for me.
On the flip side, I had to create a paid for flyer for the Graduate Office at my school, communication with the office was a little slow but I still got the design and page elements in time to create it, get it approved by them and send it to the newspaper to add it into the layout. Apparently the layout team thought it would be appropriate to change my (already approved of by the Grad. Office who paid for it)advertisement and make it something that was barely resembling the original. On my end, I did send them the Photoshop file, but on their end, they lacked in professionalism, communication and morale. This type of thing, in my opinion, is on the brink of becoming plagiarism, especially because no permission of mine or the office was asked.
I would like to know what everyone thinks about these design issues...
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
get inspired.
Today is a rainy, cold day and I don't feel like doing anything. In my 3D class we were talking about outfits that inspire room design, so I thought I'd share...
Image above from Olive Route sneak peek. Products, clockwise from top left: Chambray Shirt from the Gap, Red knee-highs from Topshop, Braided Belt from Forever 21, Striped Skirt from Anthropologie, Katherine Sturgis Friendship Bracelet, Ray Ban eyeglasses, Belle by Siegerson Morrison Shoes, Tate Modern Tote Bag, T by Alexander Wang tank top and Arielle de Pinto + Anntian Necklace available at Creatures of Comfort.
Room 2
Image above from Birds of Ohio sneak peek. Products, clockwise from top left: Embellished t-shirt from Anthropologie, Luxe Scarf from Ann Taylor, Rings from Made Her Think, Sweater vest from J.Crew, Kira Bag from Coach, Ankle Zip Jeans from J Brand, Leather Bracelets from Delia’s, and Colored flats from Jil Sander (the price is quite steep on these but Sam Edelman makes a very comparable pair)
I think these examples can play into graphic design because we, as designers, all use the same ideas when either creating a page, flyer, room, etc. Colors need to be thought about and used wisely, patterns are crucial to cohesiveness, and the layout is most important. In a room, layout involves where you want a chair to be, or what you wants your guests looking at when they are sitting that chair. In graphic design and art, layout involves where you want certain elements, whether they fit physically and aestetically and where you want the viewers eyes to go.
Image above from Olive Route sneak peek. Products, clockwise from top left: Chambray Shirt from the Gap, Red knee-highs from Topshop, Braided Belt from Forever 21, Striped Skirt from Anthropologie, Katherine Sturgis Friendship Bracelet, Ray Ban eyeglasses, Belle by Siegerson Morrison Shoes, Tate Modern Tote Bag, T by Alexander Wang tank top and Arielle de Pinto + Anntian Necklace available at Creatures of Comfort.
Room 2
Image above from Birds of Ohio sneak peek. Products, clockwise from top left: Embellished t-shirt from Anthropologie, Luxe Scarf from Ann Taylor, Rings from Made Her Think, Sweater vest from J.Crew, Kira Bag from Coach, Ankle Zip Jeans from J Brand, Leather Bracelets from Delia’s, and Colored flats from Jil Sander (the price is quite steep on these but Sam Edelman makes a very comparable pair)
I think these examples can play into graphic design because we, as designers, all use the same ideas when either creating a page, flyer, room, etc. Colors need to be thought about and used wisely, patterns are crucial to cohesiveness, and the layout is most important. In a room, layout involves where you want a chair to be, or what you wants your guests looking at when they are sitting that chair. In graphic design and art, layout involves where you want certain elements, whether they fit physically and aestetically and where you want the viewers eyes to go.
Monday, October 26, 2009
get inspired.
Colors and vintage feel are great in this, I wonder if there is a font that can be downloaded to get the effect of the rounded 60's style words
I like the vintage colors and the illustrated look to this
I like the vintage colors and the illustrated look to this
Sunday, October 25, 2009
welcome readers!
The purpose of getdesigned is for the relief of designer's block, for my own and other designers. Too many times we only see design work and never the face and brain behind it. Many posts will include artists that inspire me with their work and their thoughts. Up and coming design students will also be profiled along with some of the professors here at Lasell College.
get out . get inspired . get to know . get me
getdesigned
get out . get inspired . get to know . get me
getdesigned
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