TYPESETT » General

How To Properly Archive Your Design Work

admin — Wed, 13 May 2009 06:08:27 +0000

Archiving my past projects is something that I did not do well. It all somehow ends up in a box that I shove somewhere — and when I need it, I pray that it’s still in presentable shape. That’s quite pathetic on my part. However, I’ve changed my ways due to lack of space and anybody who has the same issues can learn from my recent archiving adventures. Here’s a simple five step guide to archiving your work reliably and efficiently:

1 — Keep Work That Has Lasting Value

The meaning of “important” is different for everybody but if you want to keep an efficient archive where you can easily find your work, don’t be afraid to part ways with non-essentials. Many people believe that their archives serve as an overview of their work and careers. Does having three versions of the same postcard you designed at your first job really deserve a spot in your Hall of Fame?

Having said that, keep other items from that project that shed more light on the actual design process such as sketches, print-outs, client testimonials and Polaroids. For those iffy items whose fate you just can’t decide upon — scrap the physical version and make sure you have it on disk to make your heart feel a little better. Don’t worry, those postcards are in a better place and will live on in our hearts forever.

2 — Logically Group Your Work Together

This depends on what type of designer you are — whether you’re an in-house, freelance or design studio employee. When I was a in-house designer, I grouped everything by year and all I had to do was go to the year and the piece would usually be chronologically ordered (by stacking newest on oldest). Freelancers often group their projects by clients but under circumstances they like to group by type of project.

For example, my friend is a screen print designer and prefers to organize by apparel, paper medium and weird stuff like Frisbees. Now that I work in a studio atmosphere, I prefer to actually archive by year and type of project. So in the future, all I’d need to remember is the year and I should be able to find the type of project because they are grouped together (different than when I was in-house because grouping by client was more easier as their projects were similar in tone and subject matter). Do what makes most logical sense for your individual needs but year, client and category are good places to start.

3 — Store Your Work In Trusted Archive Quality Containers

There is no way around this one. You’ll need to get your mitts on suitable vessels for your work to ensure longevity. Go online and get yourself some acid and lignin-free archive safe folders, boxes, tubes and what have you. Paper is often treated with acid because it aids writing but over time it breaks down paper.

That can translate to making your work brittle and yellow. Lignins are a natural substance found in wood (and therefore paper) that breaks down over time to create acid… which means brittle and yellow once again. If you’re in a bind but want to archive on a budget, buy some acid-free paper and cut it up to buffer your most valued pieces while in storage. You can invest in some proper containment units when you have the means to do so.

4 — Label It

You scoff at this suggestion now but we’ll laugh last when you’re confronted with several seemingly identical boxes staring you in the face when you need it most. For all the all-star lazies out there — take some post-it notes, capture the year, client and project of as many pieces you can muster and slap it onto the inside box lid, tape it to the exterior of the tube or someplace easy to spot. That’s the minimum you need to achieve to have some semblance of find-ability later on. Hopefully, if you organized your work logically, you’ll be able to find work contextually despite not doing careful inventory.

For every one else, take the time to label the box with what’s inside and perhaps even devise a simple system you can document. For example, you can have 3 boxes labeled A, B and C. Each letter can represent a year, a range of clients or a category of projects. The first box (or whichever vessel is most accessible) can be accompanied by a documented key explaining how the system works. Anybody who has ever had to remotely ask a wife, parent, sibling or roommate to search for something while you are away will see the value in this step. The amount of work you put in towards labeling will directly correlate into how easy you can find things later on (especially as the archive grows).

5 — Store It Somewhere Safe Away From Sunlight & Water

Sunlight and water are the two arch enemies you must avoid at all costs. That means using your best judgment in keeping away from washing machines in the basement, anywhere near aquariums of any kind, a closet that has any appearance of water damage or anywhere else that has even a hint of danger.

If where you’re currently residing doesn’t offer a safe and hospitable environment for your archive think about leaving it in storage. Whether that be paid storage if you’re in a urban city like NYC or yo’ mama’s house if that’s an option for you. It’s a risk you don’t want to take because these items are often irreplaceable.

6 (Bonus) — Digital Archives?

Data media is cheap compared to the past, I keep my work on hard drives and back it up on DVD. Experts suggest that you keep equipment so that you can still access the old digital files but my personal preference is to export a high-res PDF and leave it at that (for closed projects and clients that are not coming back [thanks, Nick]). If I desperately needed something from an old project, a high-res PDF will suffice almost all of the time. I would not keep an old computer or a zip-drive around anymore for the sake of backwards compatibility and instead focus on transferring them to new technology.

Your comments are appreciated!

A Designer’s Guide to Copyright

admin — Wed, 06 May 2009 05:43:43 +0000

I think most designers can stand to know more about copyright and how it pertains to their work. Here’s a quick practical guide written just for designers with information from AIGA’s Design and Business page, U.S. Copyright Office Website and my first-hand experiences as a freelance designer, advertising agency production mule, in-house and design firm employee.

So what’s copyrightable?

Any project you work on that is original and creative is copyrightable. While you can’t copyright things like an idea or a style because they lack a specific finished form, specific finished expressions of an idea or style can be copyrighted.

What can you do with it?

The designer who owns the copyright has exclusive rights to license, reproduce and make derivatives from it. You can ask anyone who infringes on your copyright to stop and or take legal action against them. For you to be able to collect statuary damages though, you need to have the work registered with the Copyright Office before the infringement happened.

Can I ever lose it?

You can transfer ownership of a copyright through a written agreement signed by the designer. When you die, you can transfer the ownership of the copyright to someone else and it will continue for another 70 years.

Do I need to put copyright notices on everything now?

Designers are designated the copyright owner of their work as soon as it is created. However, putting the notice on your work has advantages… legal advantages. When you put your copyright on your work it informs the public that it is owned by somebody and that they can be liable if they choose to infringe. You can weigh the pluses and minuses and decide for yourself what is and what is not worthwhile to put a copyright notice.

What is a copyright notice supposed to look like?

A copyright notice is composed of three elements:

It begins with the alert: “Copyright”, “Copr.” or “©”
The designer’s name (or what they are known as to the public)
The year of publication

Fully constructed it looks like this: Copyright Joe Smith 2009

Do I need to register my work as well?

Registration is an official acknowledgment by the Copyright Office that you have an exclusive copyright. It will be most useful to you if you need to sue. Otherwise, the application fee is $30 and you’d have to make an individual decision if your work requires that type of protection.

How does Fair Use apply to designers?

There are instances when using other people’s copyrighted work is not necessarily harmful and that’s what Fair use is. When debated in court, they look at many factors like if profit was made, the amount, the nature of the work and does it have a real effect on the value of the original copyright work.

As an in-house employee for a company, do I own copyright of my work there?

Human resources will usually have you sign a work-for-hire document that specifies that the work you produce is property of the company. So unless you have a written agreement that states otherwise, the company retains the copyright exclusivity.

What if I work for a design firm?

A design firm employee is no different than any other employee, so the same rules apply unless you have been allowed to retain copyright ownership. Furthermore, design firm partners are considered employees so they too require an agreement or the same rules will apply to them.

What if I’m a freelancer?

Once again, it’s considered work-for-hire so freelancers do not retain copyright. Companies who frequently work with freelancers usually make this clear when hiring. For freelancers working with smaller businesses, they should include copyright ownership language in their service agreements to prevent miscommunication.

If you have any specific issues with copyright, you should seek professional guidance. This article is meant to be a brief guide to help quickly educate designers on the importance of their copyrights. Visit the Official Copyright Office Website for up to date documented copyright information.

Did this article help you at all? let me know in the comments!

50 Beautiful Gig Posters (Flatstock) For Your Inspiration

admin — Mon, 04 May 2009 05:59:07 +0000

For those of us who ~heart~ music and art — gig posters are sometimes more beautiful than any Mona Lisa or Picasso painting. It’s the combination of your favorite band with unbridled creative originality that usually does us in. “Flatstock” (as it’s called in the industry) is most often small run/limited edition silk screen art work to promote a musical gig. The designers/studios these days gather up at an event and sell prints (such as at the SXSW or Pitchfork Music Festival for instance). Here is a sampling of 50 from some of the best studios around:

Clinton Reno

Boss Construct

The Small Stakes

Tiny Media Empire

Douze

Pop Fuel

Delicious Design League

Doublenaut

Furturtle

Gigart

Hero Design Studio

Lure Design

The Decoder Ring

Powerslide Design

Strawberry Luna

Spike Press

Top 30 Indie Band Website Designs

30 Awesome Designerly Band T-Shirts

25 Inspiring Indie Band Websites

Which was your favorite? Let me know in the comments!

Demystifying the Use of Service Agreements

admin — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 06:06:46 +0000

One of the most popular questions designers ask are concerning payment and client relations pertaining to that subject. A few popular scenarios that may sound familiar:

“I completed 75% of the project but my client hasn’t paid the down payment yet!”
“My clients changed their minds and refuses to pay until the project has been completed!”
“The client claims the project was unsuccessful and refuses to pay!”
“My client is converting my print brochure into a website and other collateral!”

This may seem callous but — you can’t blame a client for breaking an agreement if you didn’t have one formally in place! There was nothing to break. This article dismisses some mythical perceptions some people may have about service agreements. Hopefully you will be convinced to use them in the future for your own protection.

Myth #1 — Clients are Scared of “Contracts”

Why would a client be scared of signing a service agreement? The fact that you are legally obligated to perform your professional duty to the best of your ability should be a clear signal that you are a competent, reliable and consummate professional. Granted, you may have to take extra care in how you present a service agreement to a client so that they understand its importance but it’s worth the effort as you can take this opportunity to gain more trust. If a client refuses to sign one, you have two options. Take the risk or don’t but at least you know where you stand.

Myth #2 — I Don’t Know Jack About Legal Mumbo Jumbo

Neither do I! That’s why we turn to professional resources such as the AIGA. For those of you that don’t know, the AIGA is the professional association for design. They are a non-profit that has chapters all around the US and offers several levels of membership. Although membership has its perks, anybody can use their “AIGA Standard Form of Agreement for Design Services” as their official mission is to “advance design”.

Myth #3 — It’s Just Too Hard

I’ve had my share of client relation issues and let me tell you, the aggravation and emotional distress involved far outweighs the hour or so you invest into making your personal service agreement. Do yourself a favor and protect yourself and your work.

Download the AIGA Standard Form of Agreement for Design Services.

This is an example of a basic structure of the document that AIGA recommends. Depending on the type of clientele you work with, I can see why some would skip the Cover Letter all together and have a very abbreviated Proposal Content section. It’s up to you, my personal inclination is for everybody to use some type of service agreement rather than none at all.

Overview:

1. Cover Letter
2. Proposal Contents
3. Basic Terms and Conditions

In my experience, client interaction is one of the most crucial aspects of a successful project. I would use the cover letter to quickly reaffirm why we’re a perfect fit for each other and try to mildly excite the client to be working on this project with me.

1 — Cover Letter:

1. Greeting
2. Short and Professional Acknowledgment of Opportunity Presented
3. Signature

Depending on how experienced your client is working with designers, this section’s depth should be adjusted. Use this opportunity to teach them a little about what actually goes on in your design process as well as showing your client how much you understand their challenge. It will help them realize that you are a valuable asset.

2 — Proposal Contents:

1. Project Overview
2. Basic Objectives
3. Process
4. Milestones
5. Fees/Expenses
6. Work and Billing Schedules

AIGA provides a well designed, easy to read PDF for you to peruse. It is written in plain English and very easy to scan/read through. If you can get through a jQuery tutorial, you can get through this PDF. After reading, copy and paste the Basic Terms and Conditions from the file as they suggest and you’re done.

3 — Basic Terms and Conditions

1. Read the “AIGA Standard Form of Agreement for Design Services”
2. Customize the AIGA Template enclosed

Let the client know at the end of your initial meeting that you require them to sign a basic services agreement and explain to them how it protects the both of you and ensures responsible professional service. It’s a really a no-brainer and it will save you from being that person you see in forums whining about their latest billing predicament.

Myth Busted! …ummm …Demystified! Do you have any tips you’d like to share concerning agreements/contracts?!

10 Smashingly Dapper Brewery Websites

admin — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 04:48:31 +0000

Drunk designer that I often am, beer coasters really catch my eye sometimes. Which got me thinking of how effectively breweries are marketing themselves online. To my surprise, virtually all of the beer companies I know of and wandered through in my research are very competent. There are some that offer exceptional examples either aesthetically, being innovative or in its overall presentation.

Brooklyn Brewery

I admit some favoritism, but the overall experience and energy of the website was executed very well.

Pyramid Brewery

Very simple and not very flashy in terms of technology but it is very well done overall and the ease of use is top notch. VERY un-annoying.

Guinness

Guinness being a huge brewery managed to put together a neat well-crafted website — something the big American breweries couldn’t do. (Although Budweiser did come closest.)

Blue Moon Brewing Company

Blue Moon and Rolling Rock both tried to capture the local/small town flavor of their brand. The little “Easter eggs” for everyone to find are a fun touch.

Rolling Rock

Rolling Rock tried to capture a small town newsletter feel which I felt offered it a unique look.

Stella Artois

Stella Artois does a good job appearing as a premium brand.

Pabst Blue Ribbon

“PBR” as people call it is essentially a cheap beer but they separate themselves by marketing a reaching out to their “following”.

Peroni

My former co-worker called this the “Budweiser of Italy” — I have no idea if that’s true or not but the website is pretty unique from all the others. It feels like some design portfolio websites I’ve been to.

Red Stripe

I think of Red Stripe as a hip party beer and I think it does a good job of portraying itself that way.

Duvel

Duvel is a premium beer like some of the others but they really believe in the “less is more” approach.

Like this article? Raise a glass in the comments!

20 Astonishingly Intricate International Metro Maps

admin — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 04:57:15 +0000

Born and raised in Brooklyn, I grew up on the orange lines of the NYC MTA. I used to stare deeply into the huge maps at each station waiting for my train to show up and have always been in awe of how much detail is in each square inch. Here are some of the most beautiful metro/transit maps from around the world.

(I tried to focus on the most simplified “quick-view” versions meant for scanning on stations rather than intricate street combo versions. These versions have their own unique challenges like — readability, that I felt made them especially designerly.)

TYPESETT » General

How To Properly Archive Your Design Work

1 — Keep Work That Has Lasting Value

2 — Logically Group Your Work Together

3 — Store Your Work In Trusted Archive Quality Containers

4 — Label It

5 — Store It Somewhere Safe Away From Sunlight & Water

6 (Bonus) — Digital Archives?

Other articles of interest:

Your comments are appreciated!

A Designer’s Guide to Copyright

So what’s copyrightable?

What can you do with it?

Can I ever lose it?

Do I need to put copyright notices on everything now?

What is a copyright notice supposed to look like?

Do I need to register my work as well?

How does Fair Use apply to designers?

As an in-house employee for a company, do I own copyright of my work there?

What if I work for a design firm?

What if I’m a freelancer?

Other articles you may be interested in:

Did this article help you at all? let me know in the comments!

50 Beautiful Gig Posters (Flatstock) For Your Inspiration

Other Music Related Articles:

Which was your favorite? Let me know in the comments!

Demystifying the Use of Service Agreements

Myth #1 — Clients are Scared of “Contracts”

Myth #2 — I Don’t Know Jack About Legal Mumbo Jumbo

Myth #3 — It’s Just Too Hard

Myth Busted! …ummm …Demystified! Do you have any tips you’d like to share concerning agreements/contracts?!

10 Smashingly Dapper Brewery Websites

Like this article? Raise a glass in the comments!

20 Astonishingly Intricate International Metro Maps

Japan

New York City

London

Hong Kong

Chicago

Paris

Moscow

Montreal

Melbourne

Munich

Oslo

Zurich

Madrid

Washington, D.C.

Boston

Berlin

Barcelona

Switzerland

Milan

Singapore

What’s your favorite? I’m sure I missed some good ones, let me know in the comments!

Comparing Websites of Rival Companies

Adidas vs. Nike

Fender vs. Gibson

Apple vs. Microsoft

Canon vs. Nikon

Google vs. Yahoo

What can we take away from this?

Which websites did you prefer? Give me your picks in the comments!

Salty! — Morton Salt’s Umbrella Girls

Beautiful Illustration + Mod Feel = I’m in Love.

Timeline — They Grow Up So Fast

Lucia Lerner

Still Fresh

Like the flavor of this article? We savor comments, so please serve up your thoughts!

3 Beautiful Retro Photographic Manuals

How do you like my photography skills? Let me know in the comments!

Comparing Product Colors

iPod Nano vs. Microsoft Zune

Nikon Coolpix vs. Canon SD1100

Palm Centro vs. Nokia E63

Gap “Summer T” vs. American Apparel “Summer T-Shirt”

Reebok Classic vs. Adidas Superstar

Mini Cooper vs. Volkswagen Beetle

So what did we learn today? Here are some practical ideas we can consider:

Was it good for you? Comment!