You mean I can't just throw it all in a book?

Apparently a design portfolio has evolved into its own art form. 

I have spent a lot of time slaving away at attempting to put together a respectable graphic design portfolio. In the end my book looked like a child's "glue stick" arts and craft project.  After this failure I was introduced to creating a website which only ended up to look more boring than my book.

After reading A Knockout Portfolio, I have realized that developing a successful portfolio is not so cut and dry as well, arts and crafts.  Matias Corea describes how an online portfolio should tell a story about your work in a way that still represents you.  

He continues to explain that your website should be simple and not cluttered with information about the piece or about you.  His advice made me take a step back and realize I was trying to hard to follow a guideline and I need to just express my work by grouping it into one large online piece.  I look forward to getting creative with my portfolio and making an appealing online work. 
                                                    - Greg Borowiak

Time for a Freshpair - an interview with Freshpair Graphic Designer Brian Echeverri

"My best advice is choose a more stable career."

Brian Echeverri is a self-motivated, talented and savvy young man living in NYC.  Although he may see himself as somewhat introverted,  he is very kind and welcoming.  Brian was very open to helping out a current design student and was very easy to talk too.  Not to mention hilarious and witty.

Brian attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City for a major in Graphic Design. Graduating in 2008 he spent many years scouting a job suitable for a career.

While doing jobs on the side, Brian worked at MBPS BlackBook and SharpLeft Marketing.  At SharpLeft Brian was able to work in a variety of projects with companies such as Skyy Vodka, Nickelodeon, MTV and Disney.

His job at SharpLeft did not express his abilities in a way that he desired.  The structure at the company did not allow him to express his talents. The projects were strongly reviewed and reedited numerous times until it was just what his managers preferred.  Also, many of the projects such as designing t-shirts for adolescent girls did not interest Brian and caused him to look forward for work.

In 2011, Brian chose to leave SharpLeft and obtained a job with Freshpair.com.  Freshpair is a popular website that sells a wide variety of underwear and swimsuits for men and women.  Although the description may not sound the most appealing, it is a very well known company and is especially popular with gay men.

At Freshpair Brian designs advertisements for the company to be displayed as banners and ads on other websites.  This work allows Brian a bit more freedom than he previously had and it "pays the bills." 

Brian has created a wide variety of work which are featured in his online portfolio.  Brian describes his style as clean, modern and a bit funky.  Further down I will feature some of Brian's work that he has done throughout the years.

Working as a Graphic Designer has proven rather stressful for Brian.  Even with access to NYC for opportunities, landing a full-time job that is enjoyable and pays well has not been easy.  Although he enjoys being able to express his talents through design, often he wonders about going for a more stable career.  He finds it hard to believe that people live day-to-day doing just free-lance work.

Brian seems to have established himself enough to continue a successful career in the graphic design industry.  I personally look forward to seeing his future designs and progress as a designer.

Below is some of Brian's work featured in his portfolio

Design OFF the web - Part 2

So back to the admiration of the Graphic Design section of the Hofstra Library.

Book 2 of the series will be......

Designing Logos: The Process of Creating Symbols That Endure by Jack Gernsheimer

 Oh if only I found this book at the beginning of the semester.  Considering our entire project this year in New Design III was designing a logo.....

 This book is basically gold.  Jack Gernsheimer, who has been desiging logo's since the 1960's, goes into detail about everything he has learned along the way.  His book touches upon everything that has to do with designing a successful logo.  Lets put it this way, he starts at 35,000 BC and discusses how early cave drawings suggested signs of ownership and to identify by association.

One tip I will point out from his book is his 10 characteristics of a logo that endure.

1) Distinctive - a logo should have an appearance unlike that of other logos.

2) Sophistication - A logo should reflect a sense of good taste and sophistication. (Sophistication does not mean stuffy).

3) Conceptual - A logo should contain elements born of intelligent thought, it adds a positive dimension.

4) Relevant - When imagery relevant to the product, service, process, or entity is selected or developed, either photographically or illustratively, the logo relates more clearly to that which it represents.

5) Versatile - The logo should read well, no matter the size.

6) Cohesive - If you feel the need to draw a box, circle or other shape around the logo, chances are it's not cohesive. The symbol should not require an additional containment element to hold it together.

7) Attractive - Symmetry, composition, proportion and balance.  Appealing to the broadest range of people.

8) Memorable - A symbol simple in its construction but not necessarily in its concept.

9) Legible - The more readable the letters or words, the clearer the message.

10) Enduring - Stand the test of time.


Gernsheimer goes into numerous other aspects including the design process, presentation preparation, classic logos, typography and evolving designs.

There simply too much information to list here, so GO OUT AND GET IT.

Design OFF the web - Part 1

So I was recently browsing the Hofstra Library and found basically the best section ever.

Two full rows of Graphic Design books.

Who knew graphic design could be researched in physical books... unreal.

So I am going to dedicate my discoveries to a 4 part post (one on each book I checked out).

The first book I will discuss may be the most exciting. Graphic Design Since 1950. I'm pretty sure I didn't even realize it went back that far.  This 800 page encyclopedia of six decades of design is amazing.  Published by the Alliance Graphique International, they took their time and found some inspiring work that has influenced many work seen today.

Graphic Design Since 1950 by AGI

The book goes decade by decade, showing work designed in the era and explains the status and development of the industry at the time.  What is really cool is that it does not just focus on America, but of what went on around the Globe.

AGI has filled the book with work from everything from the Olympics to toothpaste ads, organized by designer.

Each decade has dozens of designers with biographies and selections of their work.  It is a great display of different designs from person to person, year to year and country to country.  I feel it is important to be aware of designers that have existed in the past and associate their name with their work.  They are in fact artists after all.

I highly recommend this book to improve your style and to be inspired by creative work desgined before you were born.

(info)-graphic

So Chad Hagen has created graphics that look like infographics, but they do not show information.....

Sooooo, they're graphics...

In his series Nonsensical Infographics, he has designed pictorials that have reversed the function of infographics.  That is design over function.  In his pictures, they are appealing and interesting to look at but do not express any information on a subject.

I guess I get the idea, and I do agree that infographics, when done correctly can look very visually appealing.  I feel however that he is defeating the purpose.  If it doesn't display information, it's not an infographic. The whole skill behind making a great infographic, is being able to balance form and function.

Chad is just throwing function out the window and feeling rather witty about it.

If he were able to design infographics this visually appealing, and still express at least something about infographics then I would be very impressed.

Here is some of his work.... nice to look at but lackluster.

The Spread of Google

As much as I hate Google+, I can't help but to realize how linked in Google is to many of the things I do online.  In fact, this blog I'm writing on right now is now linked to Google.  It is pretty handy to be able to use my e-mail, blog, browser and other sites through one company.  Now if only Google+ would get better.

It is also very interesting how Google is being incorporated in their competition.  Google run Androids are extremely popular, but now Google has ties to Apple.

The Google+ App is now featured on the iPhone. User's can now not only view Google+ from their iPhones, but also create and edit posts.  This may be just what they need to boost Google+ and maybe have it compete with Facebook.

If this does happen, I literally wont ever leave the Google page, and I'm okay with that.

Almost, kind of cool luggage

It seems most new designs lately involve innovation using technology.  This is true with the new luggage design by Rodrigo Garcia.  The design is called hop! and it uses bluetooth signals from the user's phone to sensors in the bag.  The bag literally follows the phone at a short distance so that the user does not have to carry it.  

Now Rodrigo designed this after seeing a kid steal luggage on a bike. Soooo now he has designed a bag that is even easier to steal. Makes sense.

The idea of your material goods following you around is pretty cool, but when it comes to luggage, it doesn't seem very efficient.  First of all, it really is not that hard to roll a wheelie luggage behind you.  Also, what if you have more than one bag, or come to a staircase...

Good concept, just used in the wrong way.