More Freebie Websites To Check Out!

Hey Bloggees!  It's been a while since the last post and figure you should be rewarded for your patience.  With that, I'd like to share with you  ... websites where you can download material to use for your next project.  Get your bookmarking tool ready for this...

FONTS
dafont.com: This was one of the first font websites I learned about. The website is full of fonts available for commercial and personal. Before going wild on the downloads, do realize that you can't use personal fonts for commercial use.  My advice is, go for commercial use and donationware.

Font Squirrel: This is definitely a site you will want to come back to time and again. Unlike dafont, Font Squirrel's collection of fonts are commercial free and free to use. This site is definitely a personal fav.

IMAGES
Free Images: Formerly know as stockxchange, Free Images is a good starting point for finding free images.  If you are willing to pay for images, the site's search bar can help you find images on istock.

Pic Jumbo: Great commercial free photo site to explore.  The photos are divided up into categories.  The site itself may not have as much as say shutterstock or istock.  However, there are some real gems in there.

Unsplash: is set-up like a scrolling page website.  The site provides unique, artistic style photography that is free to use.  I've used unsplashed images on this blog on a few occasions (including today's posting).

MISCELLANIOUS
Blog.Spoon Graphics: This web blog, hosted by designer Chris Spooner, provides great material (from Photoshop actions to patterns).  For a monthly fee, you can access even more material.  The free elements are definitely worth a visit.

DBFreebies:  I just discovered this site this summer and it is definitely a gold mine!  The site is a portal that keeps track of free design elements (fonts, backgrounds, etc...) that are posted on dribbble and behance.  One of my personal favs is the font Streetwear.

I hope this makes up for the lack of articles faithful Bloggees.  Hopefully, I'll get the chance to write again soon.  'Till next time!

Dribbbling in a Busy Life

How's your dribbbling Bloggees?  If you don't know what I'm talking about, I'm referring to the design show-and-tell website, Dribbble (you can check out the site here).  This Salem, Massachusetts based site has grown to be a go-to site for showcasing design work.  As a matter of fact, my personal website is directly connected to my dribbble account and updates each time I post a new shot.  One problem though is finding the time to create pieces that you can show off on your account.  As with each year, it seems like life goes by just a little bit quicker.  It won't be long until designers everywhere will be neck deep in projects for Christmas.  However, before you give up the idea of a dribbble account due to time constraints, here are three useful ideas to produce productive, shot worthy designs (without taxing your schedule).

PERSONALPROJECTS
Create projects for items that you need for your home (grocery list, checklist, etc.).  Treat it as a two-fold venture, a design problem to solve and a potential dribbble post.  For example, when we were moving to our new home, I created moving invites to encourage people to come help us out. As opposed to simply slapping something together and shooting it out to people, I took the time to develop a unique design in order to make it memorable (you can see the final product here).  The end result became a shot worthy piece (and has created interest in my design skills).

Moral: Don't skimp on personal home projects. Invest in them.

WORKPROJECTS
You can showcase work that you have done in the office.  I do strongly suggest though that you check your workplace policy in regards to posting work from your job (to avoid any legal or job issues).  If they do, however, allow you to post work from your job, this is a added incentive to add your own spin to a project.  In our line of work, it's easy to just want to brush through a project we don't like and get it over with.  When you do that, you miss out on a chance to produce something shot worthy.  Even if the project is canned, you can still use it as a dribbble piece (see some examples of my work-related designs here and here).

Moral: Make work work for you.

COMMUNITYPROJECTS
Whether its a community band that needs programs and flyers, or a ministy that needs graphics for a banquet, look for opportunities in the groups you are involved in to sharpen your design skills and create some great shots.  For example, last year, our church's VBS had a Western / Gold Rush theme to it.  I took the opportunity to create Wanted Posters for the team leaders and kids.  The project proved to be a success, both to the kids and the adults.  This allowed me to come back the following year to produce design work for VBS (see them here, here, and here).

Moral: Look for opportunities in whatever you do.

I hope these can be a good jumping off point for your dribbble projects.  Do you have any time-saving ideas or suggestions, I'd love to hear from you.  Leave your thoughts in the comment portion of the blog.  'Till next time Bloggees

Special Post: Tom Craig

Hey Bloggees! I'm back with another post.  This time however, it isn't about design or how to improve your life.  Instead, I want to share with you a need of a really good friend of mine, Pastor Tom Craig.

When we first arrived in Knoxville, a co-worker invited me to a church out in Oak Ridge.  When we visited the church during a fall festival, we were surprised by how welcoming and personable people were.  As it turns out, the church had a pastor just as welcoming, personable, and human.  Tom and his family have been a huge blessing to us as we have gotten accustomed to our new life outside of Florida and dealt with issues in our marriage.  His humor and fun-loving nature are balanced out by the seriousness that he has about the Bible and the importance of following Jesus.  His faith in Christ just took on an added challenge this past June, when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer (with a 6-12 month window to live).  For a man who has given his life to God and trying to be a great leader (both to his church and to his wife and three daughters), it would be easy to raise a fist at God and go "I don't deserve this!"  Instead, Tom has been showing us how God is good, even when it seems He isn't. You can hear some of his messages here (start on June 15th and the sermons afterward).  Trust me, they are worth listening to.

I share Pastor Tom's story because he needs your help.  First and foremost, with your prayers.  Specifically for healing, hope for him and his family, and for physical and emotional strength during this time.  This would mean the world to him and his family.

The second is through financial support.  The church has set up a fundraising page on idoitfor.org (you can find the link here).  In short, these funds will help out with medical and insurance costs and a way of showing support to this man and his family.

Thank you for your time and support on this Bloggees!  'Till next time.


 

jepegdesign blog reboot

Hey bloggees,

First off, I want to apologize for the lack of blog posts (I just check the blog and realized that the last one was over seven months ago...) YIKES!  A lot has happened during that time...

NEWLOCATION
Since we moved to Knoxville, we have been living in a small 960 square footish town house.  In April, we began our search for a more permanent home.  After praying and searching, we found a fantastic 1,400 square foot home with everything we wanted (YAH!).  What's great is that it feels like a Florida house in Tennessee.  Definitely makes us feel more at home.  This space will allow us to entertain and have a more suitable spot to have guest (as opposed to tight quarters and a leaky air mattress).


NEWCHALLENGES
Last November marked the one year anniversary of me joining the highresolutions team in Knoxville.  The job definitely brings its fair share of challenges.  Projects range from Newspaper Ads and Flyers, to Banners and Wall Murals.  I was even considered for a design project for the classic rock band, Kansas (but more on that in a later post :-).

Outside of work are the new challenges of  being a home owner and learning this new chapter in our lives.  We've experienced the loss of a good friend (which we found out about during our house hunt).  More recently, we found out that our pastor, Tom Craig, has been diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer (you can find out more about it here).  It's tough, considering how close Tom and his wife, Kim are to Jen and I.  Hopefully, we (and hopefully this blog) can be of some help to them.


NEWDIRECTION
Initially, when I started this blog, I wanted it to be a go-to place for designers to find helpful links, great tips, and useful advice.  What I'm realizing is there are a couple of issues with the current blog.

1. Length:  I'm realizing that my blog posts might be a bit lengthy (thus in resulting in me procrastinating on posting blogs). Plus, when it comes to design blogs in general, they seem a little lengthy.

2. Purpose: To be honest, the focus has been what "I" can give to others. This site needs to be more focused on someone else, the reader (yes, that includes you on the iPhone in the corner).

So what's the plan?  Well, for starters, the blog posts will be shorter and more concise (so that way, you can read it quickly and come away with something useful). Also, I want to shift the focus more toward you, the reader.  I'll still share personal advice and thoughts that can hopefully be handy to you.  However, it won't be for the sake of "Hey, look at me and all I know."  I want to be that good friend that can give you some good advice and cares about you.  I hope you can give me that chance.

Hope you join me on this new chapter of the jepegdesign blog.  SeeYA! Bloggees!


Photo Credit: http://unsplash.com

A Merry Christmas Update

Merry Christmas Bloggees!

After a very long hiatus, I'm back at the blog for a brief update (as well as a goody along the way.

FROMONLINE:
On November 5th, Google honored my new design hero with a Google Doodle, Raymond Loewy. I'd heard briefly of him when I toured the Studebaker Museum in South Bend back in 2002.  Strangely, I never really heard anything about this industrial design leader in art school.  After the doodle came out,  I started researching about him online and was staggered by the amount of work credited to him and his studio (including Air Force One and design work for NASA).  The fact that a designer not only did identity work (Shell, Exxon, etc...), but also worked in aviation and aerospace (two areas that I have a real soft spot for.  To find out more about this icon of American design you can check out the following links...

Wikipedia Article on Raymond Loewy
Raymond Loewy Official Site
Hagley Museum and Library 

Plus, I have picked up a copy of Raymond Lowey's Industrial Design.  I'm pleased to report that it reads a lot better than Paul Rand's writing and I'm enjoying the book.

PERSONALPROJECT 
I came across a really neat design technique via Photoshop.  After viewing the process, it got me thinking...Why not do it in Illustrator and use it to create official cards for the Christmas Exchange Game.

Sample Sheet of the Gift Exchange Cards

 In honor of the Christmas Season I wanted to share with you the red and white versions of the alphabet in Illustrator.

With that, a very Merry Christmas and a Happy 2014 to you!

SeeYa!
  

An Apology for Perfection

Hey Bloggees,

I wanted to apologize for something that you might not see as an issue…Perfection (or at least the drive to be perfect).  Now before you say anything about improvement or quality, that is not what I'm talking about here (both are crucial).  I'm talking about the drive for perfection (completion).  This self-centered drive is detrimental to clients and to the very things you care about. The drive for this kind of perfection is what I want to apologize for, to you my readers.

How did this come up? This past Labor Day Weekend, Jen and I visited our best friends from college (fellow artists who are married to each other).  I just had dismal results on some postings I had uploaded on dribbble and was questioning my design skill.  That Sunday, we visited they're church, a place I have always walked away with something profound.  Toward the end of his sermon, Steve Daugherty, the teaching pastor, spoke about perfection, which got my attention. He broke down the word per- (complete) -fect (work) and how hard we try to be something that even God himself didn't ask me to be.  That's when it hit me.  I had been trying to do that in my life as a designer.  I wanted to be perceived as a perfect designer to look up to.  I was so focused on being perfect I was letting effect my focus as a blogger and designer.

So, here it goes…
I'm sorry for trying to be the complete designer. I've been more focused on impressing others and being perceived as something which I'm not.   I'm sorry for not being honest with myself and you.  I'm sorry for seeking perfection.

You can hear the sermon here...
( perfection portion of the sermon at the 34:30 marker)

Photo Credit: http://unsplash.com

Learning to Learn...

Hey Bloggees...

What is the key to being an expert?  Academic facts?  Years spent in a specific field?  If you are relying on acquired knowledge and expertise, you may find yourself in trouble.  New technology is developing everyday.  Techniques that work in one situation may not work in another.  These factors alone can hamper your effectiveness to your clients, profession, and career.  So how do you stop that from happening?  What is this key to being an expert.  It is…to keep learning.

Huh?

The Truth of the matter is we should all be learning.  Despite our Academic or Experiencial background we should always be learning.  We should be attentive to other experts in the field, our fellow artisans, and our clients…

Wait a sec.  Our Clients?

That's right.

But they don't know our profession and heaven knows if they'll want some gaudy design element.

 Learning from the client can be a shocker for some people (especially for those of us who are <ahem> experts).  The fact is, our clients know their area of work.  We don't.  As opposed to shooting down their ideas, why not use it as a springboard.  This past week, I was working with a client on a flyer design.  I thought the design was coming along rather nicely.  Then, the representative for the client suggested placing the logo for the company (which I had created) at an angle in the top left corner.  I wasn't thrilled with the idea, to be honest.  However, I took her suggestion into account, went back in, and discovered a way to present the logo even better then the way both of us had originally thought.  The client loved the flyer and I was pleased with the result.  The morale to the story?  Use your client's suggestions as a springboard, not as a source of frustration.

So, how do we keep learning?  Well, to start off, take notes.  Write down everything that you want to learn from lectures, blogs, videos, you name it.  Second, and this is tough… Stay humble.  Realize that you still have a lot to learn and that you can always learn from others.  Lastly, don't debunk what you know, just add to it.  Find ways of doing what you know better.

Now if you will excuse me, this expert has some studying to do… 'Till next time.