Design milk

An interesting look at modern design in it's many forms.
Sure, you might be thinking of abstract wierd shapes and little padding when you think about modern design... but it's more than that. It's a refreshing look at minimalism and responsible use of resources.

Have a look:
http://design-milk.com/

Making your own screenprinting devices

I've been toying with the idea of creating my own screenprints for a while now. I was a silkscreen press operator for over a year at a local industry that printed UV curable inks on plastic and vinyl substrates. I guess I kind of fell in love with the process there... but in a "I want to do it just some of the time...." kind of way.
Surfing the web, I came across this site
Instructables
Which has a very basic, but usable instruction guide to makeing your own silkscreens. I think the hardest part of the job will be to find the photosensative "GOO" that they mention- this stuff goes on screen to create a 'blocker' that doesn't allow ink to penatrate onto the item you're printing. When you put a negative image on the screen with this "GOO" on it, then expose it to light, only the image area will allow the inks to penetrate... very important unless you are printing squares.

making illustrator brushes

http://www.bittbox.com/illustrator/how-to-make-a-custom-illustrator-brush
It all started while making a calendar. Calendars have been a current pet project of mine as this year is wrapping up, I've been hard at work making good use of my graphic skills to make some handmade calendars...
I was trying to come up with some interesting ways to create patterns easily and surfed the web to refresh my ideas.
I found the above how-to tutorial at Bittbox.

I was inspired to create my own art brush in Illustrator and had some pretty good results. The geometric shapes were really cool to work with. When you flip the direction of the brush stroke in the brush options pallet you can get all kinds of neat results!

As I was working on a calendar, I went ahead and combined different shapes to make numbers!
I think I wont use the large numbers for each day in the calendar, but perhaps in the 'art' above each month... We'll see.
More results as the day wears on.



Is it just me or does the image in the black box look like a happy frog?

Brilliant Finnish inspired design

http://www.sanna-annukka.com

I love the bold graphic print designs of this artist! I would love to have my kitchen light up with these designs!

Font-a-licious!

AHHH HAA HAA!
Success! I have created my own font: madmodiste_block
(see stunning example above)
What on earth has the world done all this time without my font! For all the font-e-philes out there: TOO BAD! THIS ONE IS MINE!!!

well, I guess you could click the link below and get your own font....

Winter Rose

Now making: A cute little lapel or hat pin design!!! Made from woven plaid Wool and is cozy and fun. Can be embelished with a button or other sparkle in the middle. A few for the shop on the way in a few days!!  

beading Madness

Well, During the last week... I've had a few days off for a mini-vacation, Personal sick days and child sick days... Not very productive on the newspaper front. But VERY productive at home at the work table. I've opened my own ETSY store front to try to sell some of my more distinctive jewelry designs! visit my store at: http://www.etsy.com/shop/madmodiste to see all the details and more items. Thanks for your support! We'll see how it goes from here. Word of mouth is everything. So Tell your friends!

making a plain ad, better

How do you go about your creative design process? I usually sketch mine out in tiny squares and headlines. Here's how I've taken an ad that's been running for a few weeks and updated it.
The OLD ad.




The SKETCH




The FINAL look

small space advertising

Ads. Big. Small. Effective.
I realize that most design submissions are for full page ads, full page/ front page designs, or total special section submission and when you look at the 'big picture' you get a much better reader response. But what about all of the small space ads? These are the meat of your advertising core. These are your local mom & pop businesses that need you as a designer to really make a difference. These are your career and life long connections in your community newspapers... You can make a box with words, or, you can make these shine. What are some of the best small space ads you've seen? Are they cluttered? Do they follow the 3 question rule? (What are they selling? Where can I get it? and Why should I get it?) Do they have a good, relevant graphic? Did they use text as art? Things to think about.

A perfect argument for imperfect newspapers

Please visit Ed Henninger's Blog to read his wonderful statement in regards to design. What it means to a newspaper, it's readers, and it's staff. Please. You won't regret it.

Older than dirt

Well, I've actually got another website that I've had for years... like in a previous life time. Here's a link to the Mad Modiste's website - That's me! I plan on revamping this a bit to reflect a much more modern theme and current info about me, my hobbies and my skills....

A New Link

My goodness. A Place for people like me!
Visual Editors

Free form newspaper advertising

While reading Ed Henninger's blog, he recently posted a newspage submission that featured a free form ad on it. It was very well done. As I was browsing through my on-line portfolio today, I found a page with a similar concept of free form advertising that I had done in January. This is the result. I like it, but it was hard to work the text around. I had to pick and choose the articles that would flow nicely around the odd shape, and redesign some of the regular features that are normaly in a big box on the page, or are over 2 col wide. I would expect that the every day joe in the newsroom that's doing his own pages wouldn't know how to proceed with such a puzzle.
I liked this effort. I don't think I'd like to see this sort of thing everday in my daily community paper.

Ed Henninger: Newspaper Design Guru

Ok, I don't often brag about other people, But Ed Henninger is an amazing newspaper design consultant who's personal style I really like, and would try to emulate.
He has started his own blog now, not just his consulting site. (I have conveniently added a link to his blog on my *Inspiration* section) I recommend you look him up and see what he has to say about YOUR newspaper's design. http://edhenninger.wordpress.com/

Visual Journals

Credit from: blog.howdesign.com

Visual Journals
Designer Ken Carbone explains the importance of keeping a personal, visual journal in this video for Fast Company Magazine.

Awards!

For those of you who are interested, here are the complete list of HSPA awards that our design department won on the 12th of September, 2008
Best Home Furniture Ad-
2nd place, Danny McMurray, for Home Furniture "quality furniture"
Best Misc. Color newspaper ad-
2nd place, Lora Patton, for Creek Jewelers "holiday"
1st place, Lauri Shillings, for Dari-licious "banana split"
Best Misc. Black and White newspaper ad
2nd place, Lora Shanks for Moondance Cafe "coffee"
1st place, Danny McMurray for Zahn's floor covering "we're everywhere you walk"
Best Small Space Newspaper Ad
2nd place, Lauri Shillings for Davidson's Greenhouse "orchids"
Best multiple advertiser page with a common theme
1st place, Lauri Shillings for Veterans day tribute "Lest We Forget"
Best Non ROP and Non Traditional Products
2nd Place, Entire Staff of the journal review for 'To Your Health'
1st Place, Entire staff of the Journal Review for "Essentials" things to see and do in Montgomery County
Best Creative Designer in the state for 6,000-14,999 division
2nd place, Lora Patton
1st place, Lauri Shillings
Best Black and White Newspaper advertisement overall
Danny McMurray for Zahn's Floor covering "we're everywhere you walk"


I'm so proud of my design group!!!!