Workflow: Freelance» Feature Articles

SPD 47: Don Morris’s Favorite Magazine

Grids — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Don Morris, Don Morris DesignFavorite Magazine: New York
Quintessential packaging (how could Milton Glaser DNA be a bad thing?)

Happy Birthday, Pop Mech

Grids — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Popular Mechanics, one of the oldest continuously-published magazines in existence, celebrates its 110th anniversary in March. DD Michael Lawton gives the background on their cover concept.

LOOK: What’s Inspiring the GQ Photo Department, Part 3

What Are You Looking At? — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:30:00 +0000

Beginning this month, SPD is introducing Look, an ongoing series that will highlight the images that are inspiring, piquing, and stirring up conversation in various magazines' photography departments. Think of it as an ever-changing moodboard. First up: GQ's photography department, led by Dora Somosi.
See what they're looking at after the jump...

Geeks: The Best-Kept Valentines Secret

workshifting — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Today we have a guest post from Maria McManus. Maria is the co-founder of the Leading Geeks Company, a firm dedicated to helping businesses people collaborate productively with tech people. She is writing a book called "Loving Geeks: A Nongeek's Guide to Finding True Love with the Best People on Earth."

I never thought I'd love a geek, never in a million years.

I dated artists and musicians. I thought I wanted love songs and poetry.

If geeks were sexy, I couldn't see it. I admit that I was a little geek-curious, but my interest in them was ...

Article :: Everything You Need to Know about Applying Photoshop Filters

Peachpit Press :: Articles > Design — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

In this excerpt from Best Photoshop Filters, Susannah Hall talks about Photoshop Filters, including applying them, using Smart Filters, using the Filter Gallery, fading a Filter effect, using the History Brush, and finding and adding new filters.…

Cutting-Edge Conference for Print and Digital Publishing

Print — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:22:11 +0000

Whether you're looking for the latest tips on publishing to tablets and ebooks, want details on the upcoming Adobe Creative Suite 6, or just need tips to optimize your print workflow, PEPCON is the place. The conference takes place in San Francisco on May 14-16.

SPD 47: Mitch Shostak’s Favorite Magazine

Grids — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Mitch Shostak, Shostak StudiosFavorite Magazine: Fortune
I like to read business magazines and have worked for BusinessWeek and the NY Times designing them, as well as designing several in our studio over the years. When JK (no name dropper am I) redesigned Fortune a few years ago, I did something that I've never done before. I became a Fortune subscriber and it is now one of my favorite magazines. The redesign made the magazine sing. The typography is very highly tuned ... not decorative or overly ornate ... just really well crafted. The photography, illustrations and info-graphics are sophisticated and ...

The Best App for Managing Digital Assets

Graphics Asset Mgmt./Workflow — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:20:31 +0000

Most designers and photographers rely on Photoshop. But to save ourselves from drowning in an ocean of digital assets, we also need an app dedicated to managing those assets. If you want to stay in an Adobe workflow, that means either Lightroom or Bridge. Which one is right for you?

My 10 Freelance Design Business Goals + Tips for Setting Yours

April Greer — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:00:17 +0000

Your design business will DIE without solid goals. April’s new post today is a must-read for any designer who hopes to get anywhere in business.

After April shared such a great personal experience about naming her design business (read here), I asked her to write more great content with personal stories and experience.

If you enjoy posts like this one, be sure to tweet, like, +1 and comment to show April your support. Enjoy!
-Preston

I hope you’re not tired of hearing about my freelance business just yet because today I’m going to share with you not only ...

Oprah, Martha Lead Newsstand Decline

Grids — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Despite continued high hopes for the post-recession period, the magazine industry limped through the second half of 2011. ABC's second-half 2011 reports total paid circulation stayed basically flat from second half 2010 to second half 2011, down about one percent from 305.5 million to 302.45 million. Subscription numbers fared slightly better, up less than one percent from second half 2010's 260.59 million to second half 2011's 262.47 million total paid subs.
The magazines of iconic media moguls Martha Stewart and Oprah Winfrey both saw a substantial drop in newsstand sales: Martha Stewart Living numbers fell 17....

Cover of the Day: Wednesday Edition

Grids — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Welcome to

Cutting-Edge Conference for Print and Digital Publishing

Editor in Chief — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:25:20 +0000

The lengthy session list at the 2012 PEPCON print and ePublishing conference could be boiled down into one sentence: Attend this event or fall behind.

Seriously, just look at these session titles (which are only a sampling of the full list):

• InDesign to iPad and Android Apps
• Making Your Folio Come Alive: Embedding HTML and RSS
• XML for Print and Digital Publishing
• Stay on the Cutting Edge: Five Tools to Learn Now

Interview Series 2012 – Graphic Designer and Illustrator Hon Lam

Sean — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:40:14 +0000

Hon Lam, or Flying Mouse as he’s also known, is an illustrator/designer from Malaysia, but his aesthetic is unmistakably Western in its influence. Whether he’s selling pop-art inspired t-shirts on his website, or simply tossing out some adorably light illustrations, Hon is (without a doubt) building himself one of the most impressive portfolios around. Don’t make the mistake of brushing his art off as little more than charming distractions. Within each piece of Hon’s work lie untold hours of research, brainstorming, and hard work.

Website: http://www.flyingmouse365.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/flyingmouse365
Tumblr: http://flyingmouse365.tumblr.c...

Is Print Dead?

Andrew Kelsall — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:24:06 +0000

I saw this image recently and it got me thinking about how things have changed in regards to print.

Print and the web has changed so much in the past 10 years. I primarily consider myself as a print designer, as I mainly design CD Sleeves, posters and large format-print. One thing is for certain, though, is that print must co-exist with digital media.

What are your opinions on print in general? How do you see the print/web relationship moving forward? Leave your thoughts below…

SPD 47: Paul Martinez’s Favorite Magazine

Grids — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Paul Martinez, Creative Director, MaximFavorite Magazine: Port
One of my new favorite magazines is PORT. A mens lifestyle & fashion magazine beautifully executed with a nod to the past but with a thoroughly modern edge. While the typography is clean, graphic and incased in a minimal grid system it holds some of the best fashion, travel, still-life and portrait photography. The resulting overall effect feels grand, luxurious and modern.

This post is part of the

From the Desk of … Deb Bishop

Grids — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000
Welcome to FTDO (From the Desk of...), a new series that answers the question "What IS all of that crap on your desk?"
Up first, Deb Bishop, CD of More magazine...

How To Jumpstart Your Creative Career in a Bad Economy

The 99 Percent — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000
When times are tough, it's not enough to play the waiting game. A shortlist of resources to help you take action and get your career into gear.

Pub 47: What Happened in 2011?

Grids — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:57:30 +0000
Riots? Civic disorder? Few nations running out of money? Some hurricanes, a tsunami and an earthquake or two? Kim Kardashian probably did something.…

Fixing Up a Rambling Wreck

Grids — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:30:00 +0000
You may know Atlanta-based CD José Reyes…

SPD 47: Brandon Kavulla’s Favorite Magazine

Grids — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:15:00 +0000
Brandon Kavulla, Creative Director, Wired
Favorite Magazine: Fantastic Man

I realize this is not the most original selection, but man I just always love it.

There really is this dry windsor-knotted sense of humor throughout the book that comes across in the writing, headlines, design, photography and especially the mix of stories.

In taking itself so formally, it ends up being intentionally self deprecating and really freaking funny and entertaining. (everyone written about is "MR.")

I am also a massive fan of center axis anything; text, headlines, page structure....and pretty much all of Fantastic Man is center ...

How freelancers can compete with design marketplace sites

Preston D Lee — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:06:37 +0000

The last few posts I’ve written here have all come from excellent reader suggestions on this post. Today’s is no different.

Joe Malleck writes:

One topic that I’m interested in is what a designer’s future role in the marketplace is. With the uprising of theme marketplaces and the awareness that you can essentially purchase design as a commodity, where do we as designers fit into this new landscape? How can we leverage our skills and insight to make fortunes, without selling out the profession?

What an excellent question!

Joe brings up a great point. Allow me to simplify it just ...

Cover of the Day: Monday Edition

Grids — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:30:00 +0000
Welcome to

Diego Fellay

SHIFT — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:06:21 +0000
is a graphic designer born in Switzerland who works between Paris and his own country. I met him when he was staying in the Swiss House in the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris (...…

Create Picture Frames in Photoshop: Part 2

Editor in Chief — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:19:56 +0000

In Part 1 of this tutorial, I showed you how to turn a plain gray box into a realistic-looking photo frame in silver, gold, or wood. You also learned how to place a photo into the frame and play with perspective so that the framed image looks like it's skewed to the right or the left.

read more

Ryoko Suzuki

SHIFT — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 12:37:10 +0000
, an artist from Hokkaido, win popularity not only in Japan, but also in abroad. Her works remind us humanism and make us to reconsider original ourselves somehow. Besides to her past work...…

Layering: Multitasking That Actually Works

The 99 Percent — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000
Multitasking isn't all bad. Find out what activities you can layer on top of each other to save time without cutting effectiveness.

How to handle hard-to-reach design clients

Preston D Lee — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:05:04 +0000

A few days ago, I published a post in response to one reader’s question about overcoming fear as a freelancer. The post was such a hit, I decided to tackle another question posed by a designer named Bree. Here’s the request:

I would love to see some reviews or tips on how to handle clients who do not respond or provide feedback in a timely manner.

Well, Bree, today you’re in luck because I’d like to share with you–and the entire GDB community if you don’t mind–a few ways I have tried and tested for handling clients who are hard ...

The Amazing WINGStand

Andrew Kelsall — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:29:22 +0000

I received 2 sets of complimentary WINGStands recently, so this is a short review of what exactly they are. Basically a WINGStand is a little plastic ‘clip’ that simply attaches to your apple wireless keyboard. This enables you to then insert an iPad, iPhone or other compatible device on top. It’s a pretty neat idea—and rather than babble-on about it, I took some photos of them so you can see how they work:
Above: The WINGStand comes in both black and white.
Above: The stand comes out of the box as one unit, but splits down the middle into 2 ...

A New Look at Glamour

Grids — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:45:00 +0000
Fresh on the heels of the Harper's Bazaar redesign, news comes of a new look & feel for Condé Nast's venerable Glamour magazine. The redesign was executed by DD Geraldine Hessler and her team.
Take at peek at some inside pages after the jump.

SPD 47: Kris Vesselman’s Favorite Magazine

Grids — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000
Kris Vesselman, Managing Editor and Creative Director, San Diego Union-Tribune
Favorite Magazine: Monocle

One of my favorites is the cheeky and intelligent Monocle - at once a reader's magazine and a visual buffet. A broad range of topics are presented cleverly with clean information graphics, sometimes retro photography and quirky illustration. Every issue provides surprises. I can't wait to turn the page.

This post is part of the Favorite Magazines Project, part of SPD's PUB 47 Competition and Awards. Download the entry forms and be a part of the competition here.

Cover of the Day: Friday Edition

Grids — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Welcome to

Create Picture Frames in Photoshop: Part 1

Editor in Chief — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:01:09 +0000

Recently, Reader's Digest magazine asked me to design a photorealistic picture frame into which they could drop a different photograph every month. It occurred to me that, using Photoshop's Smart Objects and an Action to drive the process, it would be possible to create a variety of frames from two different angles, and have them all generated automatically simply by dragging the image onto a Droplet.

read more

Bazaar’s Got a New Look

Grids — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:30:00 +0000
In the works since November, the eagerly anticipated Harper's Bazaar redesign hits newsstands soon. The cover (subscriber version, above) features a Terry Richardson photo of Gwyneth Paltrow. Former British Vogue CD Robin Derrick consulted on the new look.
See the newsstand version after the jump.

Overworked Intern Sues Hearst

Grids — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:13:33 +0000
The way we use interns may soon change pending the outcome of an upcoming lawsuit. Xuedan Wang, who interned last Fall at Harper's Bazaar, is suing Hearst for "violating federal and state wage and hour laws by not paying her even though she often worked there full time."
The lawsuit could become a class-action suit on behalf of the

SPD 47: Tom Alberty’s Favorite Magazine

Grids — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000
Tom Alberty, Design Director, New York
Favorite Magazine: Lotus

I received a complimentary subscription to Lotus magazine after I bought my first Lotus (the yellow one). What a pleasant surprise. Graphically, it's bold and clean like the numbers on a classic Formula One car. There's plenty of automotive porn: profiles of cars (new and vintage Lotus, naturally), professional drivers, even a car parts portfolio. All that plus cheeky style and culture stories. In all, it's racy in a mod way.

FOUNDFONT™ and the Art of Typographic Archaeology

Andy Hayes — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:00:29 +0000

Archived; click post to view.
Excerpt: FOUNDFONT™ tutorial Andy Hayes here from Hucklebuck Design Studio. The subject for this tutorial will revolve around a pet project of mine called FOUNDFONT™. Foundfont™ is dedicated to typographic archaeology as well as the use of found typography within design. It’s about extracting unique type for specific design needs or creating complete type sets based on found examples. FOUNDFONT™ offers typefaces but also hopes to inspire designers to do their own digging. In this tutorial we’ll talk about what makes a good FOUNDFONT™ source and the steps to creating your own usable vector characters ...

LOOK: What’s Inspiring the GQ Photo Department, Part 2

What Are You Looking At? — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000
Beginning this month, SPD is introducing Look, an ongoing series that will highlight the images that are inspiring, piquing, and stirring up conversation in various magazines' photography departments. Think of it as an ever-changing moodboard. First up: GQ's photography department, led by Dora Somosi.
See what they're looking at after the jump...

Newsweek’s New iPad App

Grids — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:30:00 +0000
Newsweek's newly re-launched iPad app "may represent what magazine apps will be like in 2012," says García Media's

Seattle Re-Celebrates Its 1962 World Fair

Grids — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:20:00 +0000
In October 1962, President John F. Kennedy was scheduled to be in Seattle to attend the closing ceremony of the Century 21 Exposition

SPD 47: TJ Tucker’s Favorite Magazine

Grids — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000
TJ Tucker, Creative Director, Texas Monthly
Favorite Magazine: Popular Mechanics

I find myself picking up Popular Mechanics more and more. The book is organized is such a beautifully complex way but still manages to feel simple. I love what they've been doing with covers. Using a simple small centralized image and then assaulting the surrounding real estate with type and color. The covers always feel like they have movement; like they're leading you somewhere exciting.

This post is part of the Favorite Magazines Project, part of SPD's PUB 47 Competition and Awards. Download the entry forms and be ...

Emily Oberman Named Pentagram Partner

Musical Chairs — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:05:00 +0000
Emily Oberman, a partner in the design firm Number 17, has been named a partner at mega-design firm Pentagram in New York. Known for her work on the Saturday Night Live graphics, Oberman, along with partner Bonnie Siegler, has also been behind the design of Benetton's Colors magazine, Lucky, and Newsweek.

If you've got news or tips about job changes and promotions, send them to us! e-mail to tips@spd.org. (The tip jar can be as anonymous as you need it to be.)

Minimize client revisions by pitching your proof like this:

April Greer — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:42:22 +0000

If you’re anything like me, the absolute very last thing on your mind after finalizing a proof is your pitch.

At this point you’re reeking of awesomeness and positively giddy with the prospect of reveling in the praise and glory your client is going to heap upon you from the moment they see your brain-child.

Okay, so maybe you’re not that excited (or maybe you are!).

But likely it’s late (early?), you’re tired, or you just want to move on to the next project that is a day or two behind. If there were only a way to ...

Cover of the Day: Classics Edition

Grids — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:30:00 +0000

Welcome to

The 4 Pillars of Trust – Building Trust at Work

workshifting — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:00:53 +0000

This post is the second in our 3-part series called "Building Trust at Work", with Chris Brogan. Chris is president of Human Business Works, providing business, communications and emerging technology strategy for mid- to large-sized businesses. He blogs regularly at chrisbrogan.com.

Bestselling author Charles H. Green wrote the book on trust. His seminal work with David Maister, The Trusted Advisor, taught countless business professionals how to go beyond simply booking billable hours with clients to instead provide them much, much more. He, along with Andrea Howe, recently released The Trusted Advisor Fieldbook, which further explores the concept ...

colette news February 12

SHIFT — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:08:27 +0000
Guillaume Salmon is PR for colette since 2002, enjoying to be in the middle of different culture and microcosms... From the west coast of France, he is a Parisian since ever and for ever for one reaso...…

SPD 47: Randy Minors’s Favorite Magazine

Grids — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000
Randy Minor, Art DIrector, New York
Favorite Magazine: IL

IL magazine--every issue is a gem and they are highly coveted by the design staff at New York magazine. I don't understand a word of it--but don't really need to--to be entertained/fascinated by it. Special shout-out to their charting abilities. Unparalleled!

This post is part of the Favorite Magazines Project, part of SPD's PUB 47 Competition and Awards. Download the entry forms and be a part of the competition here.

Article :: Fast, Accurate Facial Retouching with Perfect Portrait

Peachpit Press :: Articles > Design — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000
The Perfect Photo Suite 6 from onOne Software is a collection of plugins that extend the capabilities of Adobe Photoshop, Photoshop Lightroom, and Apple Aperture. Plugins for precision masking, Lightroom layering, and portrait retouching comprise the most powerful elements of the suite. Photoshop expert and professional photographer Dan Moughamian focuses on the brand-new Perfect Portrait 1 plugin.

Freelancing Fear: What causes it and how to overcome it

Preston D Lee — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:06:08 +0000

When I relaunched this brand new version of GDB earlier this year, I asked you to submit your ideas for posts you’d like to see over the next 12 months. (Haven’t had a chance to submit your request? Click here to view the original new-year-launch post.)

One reader, Carla, posted this request:

SPD 47: Ben King’s Favorite Magazine

Grids — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000
Ben King, Art Director, Print Magazine
Favorite Magazine: Bloomberg Businessweek

More impressive than 2009's smart editorial overhaul, or the savvy redesign, the consistently amazing illustration and photo selection, the unexpectedly wonderful covers, the quirky theme issues, the hypertextual touts encouraging you through each issue, or the thorough research and clarity of presentation, is that Businessweek have somehow managed to get a massive and diverse audience (even designers!) to read business arcana on a weekly basis.

This post is part of the Favorite Magazines Project, part of SPD's PUB 47 Competition and Awards. Download the entry forms and ...

The Artists’ Soup Kitchen

SHIFT — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:53:36 +0000
Food, art, and community are on my list of beautiful things in life. When I first learnt about the Artists' Soup Kitchen from Toronto’s beloved artist Jess Dobkin, I was excited by the marriage of the...…