Thoughts and resources

Creative ways to fold brochures

June 3, 2019

The other day I needed to quickly show a long-distance client what a roll fold is. I thought of trying to video myself folding a blank piece of paper. But I don’t have three hands, so I...

Funny lorem ipsum generators: a little levity for your layout

April 14, 2019

So the client hasn’t provided copy yet, but you need to mock up a layout. Sure, you could go with classic Lorem Ipsum, used by designers since the 1960s or so. It’s a mixed up, mutated version...

Printable Oscars bingo for 2019

February 11, 2019

Oscar bingo is back! This is the eleventh year of my printable Oscars bingo game. It’s always customized with the year’s presenters, nominees, guesses about the telecast, and the classic events we all yearn for. Tripping. Tears....

Resources for new graphic designers. And seasoned ones, too.

November 9, 2018

Starting out in graphic design can feel intimidating. Besides learning and practicing principles of design, it takes awhile to figure out where to go for raw ingredients. Fonts, photos, tools, inspiration, best practices… This is a list...

SYTYCD Vanessa bingo game

July 31, 2018

Skill-based reality competition shows are my weakness. Face Off, Project Runway, The Great British Baking Show—watching creatives do their thing makes me very happy. So You Think You Can Dance has been one of my favorites from...

Color palettes of well-known brands

June 7, 2018

If you’re looking for color palette inspiration, brandcolors.net is handy resource. It reveals the official hex color codes of brands like Adidas, Dropbox, ESPN, and Google. At the time of this writing, there are 600+ palettes. Select...

Logos with long company names: examples and approaches

April 11, 2018

A long company name is a challenge for a logo designer. Like a big house, long logos are harder to keep clean. Lengthy text can look busy and complicated. The more “stuff” you add to a logo,...

Oscar bingo 2018 is ready to print

February 24, 2018

Oscar bingo 2018 is finished! Every year I send out the free printable PDF to thousands of people who have signed up to receive it by email. It’s hard to believe it’s my 10th year of making bingo...

Is branding gross?

October 30, 2017

As a brand identity designer, I meet clients with varying attitudes toward branding. Some are excited. These gung-ho clients know that a strong identity can improve their already-great organization. They’re ready to dive in. But there’s another...