graphicPUSH: Front Page

2004.11.19 | The Global Employee

Laptops, the internet and cell phones enable me to work anywhere, from the WiFi enabled lobby of Kansas City International to my parent’s house in New Jersey where internet access comes only in an archaic, mind-numbingly slow thing called “dial-up.”

This week, after working together for well over two years, I finally met one of my clients face-to-face. Our working relationship is incredibly efficient; he sends me copy for online ads (banners, direct response and the like) and I send him back designs. I bill monthly and he always pays promptly. He is, in a nutshell, a dream client.

Years ago, this client ran an ad in a local newspaper for a part-time in-house designer; I responded, and after a long discussion, we decided a monthly, contract-based relationship was the best. Although I moved out of the area (1800 miles away) shortly after the first round of ads was complete, the working relationship is more productive than ever.

Out of my dozen regular (and two dozen sporadic) clients, I have only met three face-to-face. Three. As a freelance designer, I pride myself on being a “global employee.” Laptops, the internet and cell phones enable me to work anywhere, from the WiFi enabled lobby of Kansas City International to my parent’s house in New Jersey where internet access comes only in an archaic, mind-numbingly slow thing called “dial-up.”

Because of this mobility and flexibility, I work with clients all over the country — the middle of Nowhere, TX, all over California, Florida, several in Philadelphia, New York and more. In some weird way, I find this inspiring. Since these clients only know me through my voice and e-mail, I know I keep them through better service and quality deliverables.

For the creative service professional, globalization has leveled the playing field. There are all degrees of creative quality and pricing, from the seasoned art director in New York billing $200/hour to the novice web designer in Kalamazoo who will “do” your site for $100.

But as the extremes find it harder to survive against world-wide competition, they are getting milder. My pricing is competitive, if not slightly above average, so it has forced me to offer superior service on different fronts. I pride myself on fast turnaround and quality design. I have no problem putting in a few late hours for a rush job and nothing leaves my computer until I think it’s the best the client deserves.

Globalization also enables me to more accurately size up my competition. Since most freelance designers and boutique design agencies have websites, it’s easy for me to rifle through their public portfolios to see what kind of work is being shown off. It forces me to sharpen the edge of my presentation and tightly edit the portfolio section of my own site. It’s open-door reconnaissance.

Even though it has taken over two years for me to take one of my best clients out to lunch, neither of us mind. Our relationship is built on the world’s tightening threads of technology, and I could be designing for him anywhere in the world, from a hostile in Germany to the back of a taxi in Singapore. I just happen to choose Kansas City.

UPDATE: Movable Type is giving issues when posting comments. The system is forcing a manual save to make new comments appear. Please leave them — they just might take awhile to appear. Trying to fix this. I am beginning to not like MT.

UPDATE AGAIN: Comments are closed. Investigating better coment management.

2004.11.11 | Upcoming Redesign

Blog writers — especially those in the design world — are prone to redesigning their sites on a whim. There is nothing functionally wrong with them, but the author tires of the look before it has even settled with the audience and turns out yet another CSS document that seeks to reinvent the design wheel. In the past year, almost every site I read has received cosmetic changes, some drastic, some minor. (The only exception I can think of is What Do I know.)

Of course, I am just as guilty of this, having abruptly launched this version of graphicPUSH in July. I never made a formal announcement, and I never even wrote an entry talking about the ideas behind the new look. I feel this was a mistake, and an injustice to you, the reader.

Truth be told, I have never been satisfied with the look or functionality of graphicPUSH. Converting to Movable Type helped with the latter problem, but the CMS is only implemented across half the site. The first issue, however, looks me directly in the eye every time I open a browser. This site’s first version was too thin; the initial architecture couldn’t handle the different directions I wanted to go, and in the end things became too jumbled for anyone but me to sort through. In an effort to clean house, I whipped together this current version, but got so caught up in the design that — again — the architecture ended up deficient. What’s funny is that I now struggle to enjoy the current design.

So I am starting from scratch. New design, new architecture, new thinking. My personal design aesthetic (both print and web) has always leaned toward lots of white space and extremely simple layout, and I want to apply that to Version 3 of graphicPUSH.

In addition, I want to focus on content. I have lots of it — through these entries and my various articles and tutorials — and I want to give it justice. One of my favorite sites is kottke.org, not only for the excellent authorship, but for the utter simplicity of the design. Many would say it is boring, but to my eye it is the perfect container in which to present writing — uncluttered space where words can breathe. Don’t expect the next version of graphicPUSH to be quite so stripped, but there will be a tangible influence.

In short, this is a quick rundown of proposed changes:

• Completely overhauled visual look. Expect lots of white space and the return of the three-column fluid layout.
• Much more content. I am moving all my PowerPoint-related material onto graphicPUSH. Also expect some new articles and tutorials.
• A new set of free icons, specific to blogs and journals. These might actually arrive before the new design.
• A hugely expanded “Links” section that will attempt to document as many design and development resources as possible. It will be meant as a digital library of sorts.
• More accessibility. Possible style switcher. Small easter eggs. In all, a richer experience.

OK, now that I have divulged what I plan to do, I am hoping you, the reader, can tell me what you would like to see. I originally conceptualized graphicPUSH as a resource for designers and developers, so I am actively seeking constructive feedback from the audience. I want to know where this site succeeds and where it fails, what parts you enjoy and what parts you ignore. Should I update more frequently with shorter posts, or keep the roughly once-a-week schedule of longer material? Do you want more free icons? Different kinds of syndication feeds?

I look forward to reading your comments.

2004.11.07 | Werk Muzik

One of the best parts of being a designer is the creative state I am always in. Not only do I get to spend the day playing with page layouts, mixing color combinations and experimenting with typography, but I also get paid for it.

Over the last few years, I have been unscientifically monitoring my listening habits while I work, and have observed a few trends. In general, when I am just designing at a regular pace, I like just about anything, from ambient/tribal stuff to New Wave to techno. Since my tastes are fairly eclectic, iTunes’ Party Shuffle can get pretty interesting. (Seriously, ever heard Cat Stevens fade into 16 Volt?)

However, when I am under the gun, nothing gets me going like fast electronic music — either drum’n’bass or progressive trance. Anything with a fast beat just makes me work faster.

When I am writing, I have to listen to instrumental music. Too often I found my inner narrative completely cross-wired with whatever words were being sung, and had to turn off the music or risk writing lyrics right into my article.

Over the past few weeks, I have been enjoying the following CDs:

• Tosca: Dehli 9. An amazing 2-disc set of downtempo. The first disc is mostly great beats with some minor vocals, the second is very classical-influenced ambient material. Good background cerebral stuff.
• Modest Mouse: Good News For People Who Love Bad News. One of the few contemporary rock albums I’ve enjoyed in some time. Bizarre songs and rambunctious instrumentation makes for some good creative music.
• Cake: Pressure Chief. I have loved this band since Motorcade of Generosity, and this album does not disappoint. Classic Cake songwriting, and slightly weirder than previous stuff.

Other discs of note include Kruder and Dorfmeister’s DJ Kicks (great downtempo mix) and Future Perfect, a drum’n’bass mix by DJ Dara. Yes, I do listen to a lot of electronic stuff, but those impressionable years of numbingly loud Frontline Assembly, Skinny Puppy and other techno-industrial bands still wield their influence.