Creative (un)Blocks

Neenah Paper just released a cool new ENVIRONMENT Papers promotion called “Creative (un)Blocks,” a collection of visual prompts to help designers break through creative blocks and take their work to the next level.


Neenah partnered with Josh Chen, principal and creative director of Chen Design Associates in San Francisco, to conceptualize and develop the original artwork in Creative (un)Blocks, which provides designers with actual printed matter they can turn to when doubting one’s work and looking for inspiration. Today’s fast-paced creative climate has designers juggling a growing number of project components while still being expected to deliver top quality work time after time. The piece allows designers to both see and feel how the ENVIRONMENT brand can naturally create design opportunities in a unique and sustainable way.
The 8×10 inch sized paper promotion breaks into four smaller books, each representing the various environments where designers find themselves immersed during the day. Using visual and copy prompts on nearly 150 pages, the books explore these environments and ways for designers to push through their creative blocks:
·         Study: Researching the who, what, where, when and why of a project
·         Play: Exploring new perspectives when creating
·         Connect: Communicating with others in new ways
·         Make: Turning a new idea into a tangible masterpiece
For a copy of the Creative (un)Blocks promotion, contact a local Neenah Paper representative or a Neenah Paper authorized distributor. For more information about ENVIRONMENT Papers, visit www.neenahpaper.com/environment or call (800) 558-5061.

Bah Humbug

If you’re not a big fan of Christmas decorations, you’ll probably love this series of images by photographer Alan Sailer featuring exploding Christmas ornaments. This super creative creative designed and built his own high speed flash to be able to capture such amazing action shots.

Graphic Design Job Of The Day: Designer (PeetKegler, Portland, OR) Read more: Design Job Of The Day: Designer (PeetKegler, Portland, OR) | HOW Magazine Blog http://blog.howdesign.com/job-of-the-day/graphic-design-job-of-the-day-designer-peetkegler-portland-or/#ixzz2GzfD3tjg

PeetKegler Design is looking for a self-motivated designer, thinker and hard-worker to join our Portland, Oregon studio. If your willing to create and execute conceptual designs for brands like Nike, Burton, etc. this might be the right place for you.
We are a small creative studio that takes pride in all the work we do. Have a look at our website, If you feel like your point of view, skills and energy are in-line with our work and culture give us a shout.
In this role you will be responsible for design, research and creative development. You will deliver design and production solutions that ensure brand consistency whilst initiating trends in the marketplace. Must be willing to collaborate and embrace the design process to deliver on-target, eyeball-popping concepts, content and solutions.
We believe that the best designers are not one-dimensional and standard stereotypes regarding what a designer is or isn’t are no longer relevant.Our ultimate candidate must:
Work well with a small team and have the insight and attitude to work with minimal supervision.
Have superior listening skills.
Be able to present your complex creative ideas in a convincing manner.
Act like a project-manager that can drive projects towards success.
Be willing to sweat the details.
Possess a strong business acumen that means you respect deadlines, budget, and the ultimate marketing goal for each project.
Be able to design for and work across multiple mediums- print, digital, video, products, environments, etc.
Put words on paper that motivate.
Have a passion for the trends that energize sports, music, art and fashion.
Be overly creative and overly strategic.
At least four years of demonstrated agency or in-house experience.

Tuesday Type Treat: Frosted (A Calligraphy Font)

Frosted is the first font from a new collaboration between illustrator Molly Jacques and font designer Dathan Boardman. This handwriting font mimics the stroke of pointed pen calligraphy. While it would be perfect for holiday designs, Frosted also evokes a rustic, handmade feeling that’s appropriate year round.

5 Minute Logos By Von Glitschka

When designer Von Glitschka posted a link to his new 5 Minute Logo website, I wasn’t sure what to think. But this tongue-in-cheek venture is actually an amazing opportunity to get five minutes of creativity from one of the design industry’s best. I’m trying to decide what sort of logo design I should order.

Donovan Beery took Von up on the offer and got a logo for The Reflex Blue Show, a great graphic design podcast. Not bad at all for five minutes!





Make sure you get a holiday gift you really want this year!

Graphic Design Job Of The Day: Web Designer (Red Antler, Brooklyn) Read more: Design Job Of The Day: Web Designer (Red Antler, Brooklyn) | HOW Magazine Blog http://blog.howdesign.com/job-of-the-day/graphic-design-job-of-the-day-web-designer-red-antler-brooklyn/#ixzz2GzeVvBxX

Red Antler is a branding consultancy based in DUMBO, Brooklyn, that works primarily with startups and new ventures. Our team is growing and we’re looking for a highly skilled Web and Interaction Designer with at least 3 years of experience – and a portfolio of work that demonstrates this. Qualified candidates will have solid experience with UX and UI design, and a passion for critical analysis and problem-solving. A high proficiency with Illustrator and Photoshop is required.
We work across a wide range of clients, many of them startups. Our team designs everything from online applications to eCommerce sites to mobile apps and sites – often from scratch.  It is an exciting and challenging design environment best suited to passionate self-starters.
Our ideal candidate is a smart, articulate, and curious designer who loves all things interactive, wants push the boundaries of technology and user experience, and is ready to take a project and run with it. You should be comfortable managing yourself as well as junior designers.
Responsibilities:
Concept existing and future online and mobile products
Create wireframes
Create online brand identities as part of the branding process
Design sites and applications across a range of client categories and styles
Engage in extensive product testing and iteration
Requirements:
Extensive knowledge of Photoshop and Illustrator
Passion for Interactive Media
Clean and elegant design aesthetic
Strong eye for layout, color, and typography
Thorough understanding of code implementation, including CSS, Javascript, and HTML5
Proven ability to manage multiple projects at once
Ability to accurately set, manage, and meet deadlines
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Knowledge of prototyping tools is a plus
Dog lover (we have a few small dogs who work here part-time)

Help Art With Heart Bring Healing To Sandy Hook Read more: Help Art With Heart Bring Healing To Sandy Hook | HOW Magazine Blog http://blog.howdesign.com/industry-news/help-art-with-heart-bring-healing-to-sandy-hook/#ixzz2GzeIPtod

Art with Heart, a wonderful organization of designers who help children through difficult situations using the power of art and design, is seeking donations to provide a grief book to the survivors in Sandy Hook


We are working on the larger plan, but the first tier of support we can offer is to provide our current grief book (created for a local classroom that lost a 10 year old student last year). What this entails is a reprint and a new cover to make it relevant to these kids. There are approximately 555 students at the Elementary School. If you would like to contribute, the approximate total cost will be between $15-20 per child. You can help at http://artwithheart.org/help.