QBN Mods Aug 14, 09, 3:51 p.m.

Thank you.

The Resume Thread Apr 12, 10, 3:43 p.m.

It had to happen sooner or later.

Feel free to post well designed/organized resumes for your appropriate career/industry. It can be yours or someone elses.

I'll start with mine....

Flat size: 11x8.5"

Finished size: 5.5x8.5"

Stock: Classic Crest Avalanche White, Linen, 70# text

(PDF)
http://derekapa.com/fileshare/dk…

Client Ditched My Work Jul 27, 11, 7:59 p.m.

So I did some freelance for a start-up a couple months back. A quick Identity that I thought out turned out pretty good given the small budget and poorly defined direction the start-up was taking.

Fast forward a couple of months and the start-up is now rolling out their product with new 'branding'.

Now, I actually spoke with this client before and they mentioned they might be changing direction. Which I was fine with because well, I had already been paid for the work.

But I can't help but feel really underwhelmed and disappointed in their new direction. Even if what I had come up with didn't communicate their intent I believe my solution was much better than their current choice.

Has anyone dealt with this before?

Also, i'm not going to name names. If you want to see the work you can email me.

Break-ups Jan 27, 09, 1:03 p.m.

So, I broke it off with my girlfriend of a few months. She is a person if little or no integrity and low morals. To punish her I have convinced her to come to my house tonight for one last hurrah - to which she complied.

She will know anal destruction.

Oh yeah...

MondoMorphic, how'd things ever turn out with your trick?

Music is Dead Jun 24, 09, 9:47 a.m.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cra…

\

Discuss.

FMT 042111 Apr 21, 11, 7:53 a.m.

Let's mix it up a little this week:

Burning for Buddy Vol. 1 - A Tribute to the Music of Buddy Rich
The Buddy Rich Big Band, Various Artists
Big Band, Swing, Jazz

video (sorry, couldn't find anything on youtube):http://www.drummerworld...

https://rapidshare.com/files/458…

Logo Crit - Happy Food Jun 20, 10, 7:26 p.m.

Hello :)

Background:
Riding the coattails of the 'green' and 'organic' movements Happy Food looks to educate and promote awareness about healthier eating and practical alternatives to processed foods for working class families. Not aimed at the typical yupster/hipster/vegan crowd but at working-class families who think 'McDonalds' is one of the four major food groups.

Identity will primarily be used on basic stationery, web and (possibly) a publication.

Crit Away :)

btw - #2 is a client request. Torn between 1 and 4 right now.

Hunting Season Oct 9, 12, 7:20 a.m.

Any hunters in the house?

Bow season started 2 weeks ago in Michigan. I haven't bow-hunted in years mainly because I don't own a bow.

But I plan on going out for rifle season in November. I got a new slug gun (H&R 20ga ultra slug hunter) and just ordered a scope for it (redfiled revolution 2-7x33) with the hopes of rag-dolling me some wildlife. Pretty excited to use the new gun.

Kickstarter - Thinklabs WrapUp Apr 2, 12, 1:26 p.m.

The company I work for, Thinklabs, designed a great product for Mac owners. We're using Kickstarter to help get the product manufactured and we need your help!

I am proud to present the Thinklabs WrapUp!

http://www.kickstarter.com/proje…

Every little bit helps - Advanced thanks to everyone who pledges!

Get this guy a job in SF! Sep 16, 08, 8:16 p.m.

Good friend of mine recently moved to SF Bay area and is looking for steady work as a designer.

Available for hire immediately.

Ken Blaznek | Graphic Designer
http://www.quatzu.com

Hook him up!#@

ps.
He'll sign up eventually and pimp his own shit.

Good Fiction Sep 10, 08, 5:17 p.m.

Looking for some good fiction to indulge in. I have a preference for horror, science fiction and dark fantasy.

Currently reading:
The Last Wish: Introducing the Witcher
by Andrzej Sapkowski

Lets have your picks.

Identity Crit Nov 5, 09, 1:29 p.m.

Some background about the client:
Essentially a financial services consultancy that offers up a variety of different administrative and operation services like human resources, payroll, financing, etc.

During our research we came across the iconic "alembic" as an alchemical device used to transmute lead into gold. Client liked that idea and doesn't mind using that background to help tell the organizations story.

Anyway, I just wanted to see how the identity was working. The one thing i am looking for critique on is how the logotype is working w/ the icon. There are mixed emotions about it here in the office so I thought i'd throw it out to the wolves. Thanks in advance!

Studio Website Questions Aug 19, 09, 1:23 p.m.

Ok, I recently had discourse with a colleague about typography on the web (among other things).

A little background to the arguement:
My company is currently in the process of redesigning their web presence. Some of the initial comps include copy from fonts that are obviously not websafe.

My argument was that they could be handled in a number of ways:
-as an image (The site will have minimal copy)
-specified in the CSS and defaulting to something similar
-rendered using sIFR or cufon or the like

Anyway, he blurted out a bunch of arguements about SEO, using fonts that aren't web safe, usability, translating copy for other countries, etc.

I mentioned that some studio's use flash-folios and have beautiful typography - but all the type is embedded into the flash file. I also mentioned that they are worthless to SEO (unless of course, you use some external method ie: xml). I gave http://www.checklandkindleysides… as an example.

He then agued why flash is archaic and that you can do the same things with flash as you can with jscript yadda yadda. I argued again that a studio's website should reflect their stylistic preferences and that even in the given context the quality of the typography should not be sacrificed only because there are only a handful of 'web-safe' fonts available.

So, considering the audience that this website wold be geared towards (Marketing Officers, Business Professionals, CEOs, organizations with active design/branding programs - potential clients in other words) I pose these questions:

1) Is SEO something that design studios (outside of web/dev studios) are truly concerned with?

2) What is the preference on using web-safe typography VS pre-rendered (be it as a jpeg or sIFR / cufon / flash)?

Feedback and discourse is welcome and appreciated.

Portfolio of Derek Kapa Jul 13, 08, 11:28 p.m.

Just got this puppy online - check the wares. Let me know what you think.

<a href="http://derekapa.com" >http://derekapa.com</a>

Tainted Creative Process Nov 25, 09, 5:54 a.m.

Recently a co-worker of mine 'tainted' the creative process I usually go through when developing and presenting work. Through subjective decision making on my co-workers part they effectively allowed the client to pigeonhole us into a design direction that is for the most part, downright awful.

How the co-worker 'tainted' the process:
We were to present logo and identity concepts to a client. The co-worker wipped up a poorly set type solution in probably what was all of 20 minutes. They also introduced color at initial stages of the logo presentation, to which the client immediately latched onto.

Unfortunately the client has been stubborn in their refusal to consider any other alternatives other than the initial studies they saw. I don't really have a problem with this - take the paycheck and move on type thing.

In hindsight though I am really bummed how the whole process worked out and how the other designer effectively ruined what might have been an otherwise decent piece.

Has anyone else experienced this?

*end rant

snuggie Jan 20, 09, 8:21 p.m.

Fuck shamwow, I want a snuggie.

https://www.getsnuggie.com/flare…

Snow Day!!!!!!! Dec 18, 08, 9:51 p.m.

So we're getting hammered right now (with snow and alcohol). Work called to tell me not to bother to drive in tomorrow! Fuck yes!

Corporate Naming Q Oct 13, 08, 11:08 a.m.

Anyone have any good literature or links in regards to corporate naming? Also any advice/process/method for doing this sort of thing would be helpful. First time doing something like this.

Basically i'm part of a team that's involved in the naming - we've done a fair amount of our own brand of research but are just looking to see how other people might approach a similiar task. I mentioned to our project manager that this might not be something to jump the gun on but they're pretty intent on sticking to the (paltry) 20 hr deadline.

Got the job!!!!!!!!1!!!!! Sep 4, 08, 11:03 a.m.

My first real design gig! Starting a position as a Graphic Designer with a small creative group in downtown Detroit. So fucking excited!!!!1!!

Seeking work in/around Detroit area Jul 21, 08, 1 p.m.

Looking for a full-time entry level / junior creative position in or around the greater Metro-Detroit area.

Online portfolio:
http://derekapa.com *
*You can also obtain a PDF resume and portfolio