As creatives, something we all struggle with at times is staying organized. Let’s face it: there’s so much stuff out there. Magazines, books, blogs, catalogs, fonts and images galore. It’s enough to make anyone’s head spin.

There’s always the thrill of finding an image that strikes your imagination. For me, it’s been much easier to keep my digital content organized — I keep neatly labeled folders tucked away in a designated area on my desktop and sort through these files about once a month.

But, what about real life? I read a lot of magazines and find amazing type everywhere I look. Instead of keeping these images loose (and just waiting to get lost), I began gluing them into an inexpensive Muji notebook that I deemed my ‘Typography Notebook’ about two years ago. Now, when I need to locate an image, I can quickly flip through instead of digging through piles of clippings.

My overall objective is to group similar colors, patterns or other visual cues so that an image can be found with little effort. I find that this same method has worked well for other themed notebooks to keep my various interests nice and neat including interior design and architecture ( Decor Notebook) and fashion-related imagery (Fashion Notebook).

Readers: How do you choose to keep your ‘real life’ imagery organized? Any tips or secrets that you can share with the rest of us?

One of the most common questions I get asked on a regular basis is which beauty products I use. Though I’m not obsessive with trying out new products, I do keep a regular routine and have quite a few favorites from a handful of brands.

Lip Products

First off, I discovered M•A•C makeup in middle school, back in the mid 90s. I remember getting my first ever lipstick in 7th or 8th grade and using it religiously until it ran out. I’ve always loved the faint vanilla smell and though I’ve gone through color shakeups (purple and later red in high school), I tend to use a few neutrals from M•A•C exclusively on an every day basis.

My days are very busy and there’s not much time for touch-ups; bright colors that can bleed or smear just aren’t practical. I like creamy, warm neutral lipsticks that aren’t too brown and don’t look too overdone with a smokey eye. And, I love gloss. A big Lipglass fan for many years, last December I discovered my new favorite lip gloss — Dazzleglass. It smells great, adds some amazing dimension to lips and lasts for hours. And, the shimmer is unparalleled.

I barely ever use lip liner but when I want a more finished look, I use M•A•C Subculture because it’s a neutral pink tone that blends and avoids the dreaded visibly lined look.

I used to wear red lipstick fairly often and still have L’Oreal Colour Riche Lipstick in British Red, which is warm and really flattering. Whenever you see me wearing red lipstick in photos, this is it.

Not shown, but worth a mention: Vanilla Birthday Cake Lip Shine by Philosophy. The best smelling clear lip gloss I have ever tried. I am a huge vanilla lover and this totally delivers.

The Face: Eyes, Cheeks, Skin

Let’s start with blush. Too much and you look like a clown. Too little and you may appear….dead. I have really pale skin so I like a bit of warmth but I don’t want to look overdone. For a long time, I used M•A•C Sincere blush, but a few months ago, Margin was recommended and I like it even better. It’s more neutral, has a ton of shimmer and is highly pigmented — just a little goes a long way.

I’ve been using M•A•C eye shadows for about 15 years now. I own probably 20 shades but I have a few long time favorites. For the smokey eye I usually wear, I start with a no-name shimmery neutral shadow as a base. For the crease, I use Scene (deep gray) with Black Tied (a beautiful shimmery black) in the corners and finish it off with a Kohl eyeliner (M•A•C Smolder) or Prestige black liquid liner with a slight wing at the edge. And, when I want even more of an impact, I add a light dusting of Tiara loose eye shadow by Sugarpill onto my lids. It’s like liquid silver and everyone notices it because the pigment is really amazing.

Though, sometimes I just want a bit more impact on my eyes. I love M•A•C Atlantic Blue because it’s so much fun! But, my hands-down favorite for the last two weeks has been Poison Plum pressed eyeshadow by Sugarpill (which, in all honesty, has way more pigment than M•A•C). I went through a major purple eye shadow phase around 10 years ago and it’s back once again. I can’t get enough of it!

Not shown but worth a mention: I have a few limited edition M•A•C Mineralize eye shadows that I use all the time. They are amazingly shimmery and blend super well. Do you remember the Black collection from last year? I picked up Cinderfella (super shimmery black — even better than Black Tied) and Blue Flame (a multifaceted deep blue) that are beautiful.

For eyebrows, I use an angled brush and a tiny dab of M•A•C Mystery eye shadow (a dark brown) to add a dash of impact.

I’m not much of a liquid foundation fan. After applying moisturizer (I’ve been using Lancome lately), I put on concealer (I’ve used Studio Finish Concealer for about five years but recently got a sample of Studio Sculpt which I am liking even more) and then apply Studio Fix, which is a powder and foundation in one. Though it has a powdery finish, it covers nearly everything and makes skin appear silky smooth. Best of all, it can be applied lightly for a more natural look or layered slightly heavier for late nights and photos. Though I like Studio Sculpt, Gala swears by Make Up Forever concealer and I am considering giving it a try next. Have any of you tried it?

Though, like many of you, I’ve tried a number of mascaras including Maybelline Great Lash, I really do like M•A•C Zoom Black mascara because it builds up remarkably fast. And, it’s much less expensive than many of the other department store brands. It might be a bit heavy for some people, but I like a very mod, defined eye so it works for me.

Skincare

Up until I was 28, I did very little to my skin and it stayed almost perfectly clear. Then, something changed about six months ago. Breakouts became more frequent and my skin became slightly more oily. And, my skin is very fair and sensitive, so I wasn’t sure where to turn. I finally decided to go back to my teenage skin routine — the simple, affordable and effective 3 Step Skincare system by Clinique. Though, it’s not quite three steps for me because I prefer to use a different moisturizer by Lancome.

When I’m too tired to wash my face, I reach for Comodynes Makeup Remover for Sensitive Skin wipes, which I first discovered at Trader Joe’s on a whim. If you have sensitive skin like I do, these are amazing. I’ve tried a few other brands and nothing ever works as well as these.

I am sure I’m probably leaving a few things out, but feel free to ask me any questions in the comments!

Readers: What are some of your favorite beauty products? What can you not live without? Do you have any recommendations for new products I should try?

*Header image by M•A•C

I received a bachelors in graphic design a few years back, but have done hardly anything with it and have been working in an only marginally related job since graduation. My design software isn’t even up to date. I’ve been toying with the idea of getting back into design lately, but I don’t know where to start. What would you suggest I do?

Life happens but really, it’s never too late to catch up. There are times when we get pulled in different directions or have to take another job that’s not related to our profession and that’s okay. Nobody expects you to be an amazing designer overnight. Possessing a willingness to learn and a sense of follow-through will help you with getting back on track.

Enroll in a Continuing Education Program

If you need a quick refresher, you’re in luck because quite a few art schools now offer Continuing Education programs. I am familiar with these because I was recently invited to review portfolios for design students in the program at PNCA. Many of the students I spoke with had already previously earned degrees in design or related fields and in the meantime, ended up in different professions, took time off to be stay-at-home parents or just wanted to refresh their knowledge and update portfolios.

These programs make a lot of sense when you really think about it. Many aren’t necessarily credit-based and the cost tends to be less expensive than traditional, for-credit programs. And, if you’ve previously earned a degree in design, it’s pointless to go back to school to re-earn the same degree again. Technology and software are always changing and if you’re hoping to re-enter the field after an extended break, one of these programs can provide the tools, motivation, connections and resources to get you up to speed with current practices.

Subscribe to Design Blogs

Become familiar with what your design peers are doing (for free) by subscribing to design-related blogs. Keep an inspiration folder on your desktop and collect images as you go (I upload my saved images into a private folder on my Flickr account about once a week).

Once you learn about a few blogs, a whole world will begin to open up as they link to others. A few good places to start (in no particular order) are: Smashing Magazine, For Print Only, Neusblog, I Love Typography, ISO50, Logo Design Love, Computerlove, Brand New and Brand New Classroom, Friends of Type, The Dieline and Design Work Life. This is just scratching the surface!

Take Online Tutorials

When I was in school, we weren’t required to purchase many books. Instead, we subscribed to Lynda.com, which I highly recommend. Providing an amazingly comprehensive selection of online tutorials, Lynda uses videos to teach you new skills. If you don’t understand something the first time around, it’s easy to re-watch the video again and again. Lessons are divided up by chapters and if you’re more advanced, it’s very easy to skip ahead. In the past, I’ve learned a lot of inDesign and Flash tricks by watching Lynda videos. Finally, the subscription options are really affordable, as low as $25.00 a month and allow you to access over 53,000 online video tutorials instantly. So much knowledge at your fingertips!

Test the Waters With Temporary Work

If you haven’t been in the design market for a few years, it’s hard to know what to expect and if you’re up for the challenge — will you enjoy the work, can you handle the workload, are you up to date with practices, do the clients interest you and do the hours work with your schedule? You can only tell so much from an interview. Many companies have been trending towards hiring freelancers as a way to test the waters, especially in this still shaky economy. This is beneficial for both parties because a freelancer can see if they like what the company has to offer with regards to work quality and culture; at the same time, the company can make sure that the freelancer is a good fit with the rest of the team.

When freelancing for a company that I am unfamiliar with, I personally prefer to go through placement agencies so that I have a liaison between myself and the business via my agent. Your agent can assist you with navigating unfamiliar or tricky situations and act as a confidant if any issues arise. They can also put in a good word if you really like the place and are seeking permanent placement. And, if things don’t work out for some unseen reason, there’s less of a loss for both sides. The company doesn’t have any contractual obligation…and, well, you don’t get fired.

Pay Attention to your Portfolio

As a designer, if you end up in a long-term gig (design-related or otherwise), it’s easy to get too comfortable and neglect your portfolio. We are all guilty of letting things slide at some point. Though, when you take too much time off, it becomes increasingly difficult to catch back up. For this reason, I try to set aside a chunk of time every six months to refresh the look and contents of my book. This is your key to finding steady work, whether it be freelance or permanent. And, if a few years slip by, your book runs the risk of becoming dated and falling behind the competition.

Where should you begin? If you feel too overwhelmed to take on the challenge by yourself, a continuing education program can help you get up to speed. If you lack the budget and time, most agencies and design professionals are willing to set aside 15 to 30 minutes to give you a quick round of feedback as long as you’re polite and clear about what you are looking for (an informal portfolio review, not a job!) If you’re in need of some portfolio tips, pay a visit to two of my previous posts, 7 Tips for Creating a Print-Based Portfolio and Creating a Killer Portfolio Discussion.

Readers, do you have any recommendations or further resources for someone who would like to re-renter the graphic design job market?

I’m a graphic design student at the Hartford Art School. I keep wanting to drop out because I haven’t been getting the best feedback. How do you know if you’re capable of being a designer? We’ve been doing a lot of business logos and I just feel like I’m stuck in this uncreative bubble. Lastly, how much should I listen to my teachers? Design is so subjective. I show some people my work and they love it, while my teachers were overly critical about it. I could use a lot of advice so I can feel motivated again.

First of all, take some relief in the the fact that you’re not the only designer who feels this way. At some point, every person in a creative profession wonders if they’re good enough. It’s human nature to question whether you ‘measure up.’ And, that is so much more admirable than just thinking that you’re the greatest designer that ever lived. Being humble will get you way further anyway, I promise.

But, you’re still wondering if you’re ‘good enough.’ As you mentioned above, design is so subjective. This is where things get tricky. Step back from your teachers and peers. Do you think that you’re good enough? Do you love sitting in front of a computer all day and bringing concepts to life? Do you feel like you can handle constructive criticism and listen to what a client (or teacher) wants, even if you disagree? It’s okay to disagree but are you still willing to give their idea a shot?

School Is a Test

School is meant to prepare you for the real world. As a designer, you’re often creating work for public consumption and if you want to get paid, you have to buckle down and please clients. The views of your teachers and fellow students regarding your work may differ in part due to age and views. While a teacher may encourage you to keep your work timeless and to drop unnecessary content, your peers may love the fresh new technique you just picked up from a tutorial.

Do your teachers ‘hate’ your work or are they just making suggestions on how you can improve? Is their feedback constructive or are they disregarding the outcome altogether? If your teachers are good, they will be critical. They simply want to push you to be your best. Sometimes, they see potential in a project that perhaps you don’t. Teachers understand design principles in ways that a new student might not and it’s true that if you want to break the rules, you have to learn them first.

Accept That Someone Is Always Going To Be Better Than You

Stop comparing yourself to everyone else because it will only make you miserable. I had only one year of community college design courses under my belt when I started interning at my first ad agency. I was surrounded by guys with a minimum of 5 years experience each and sometimes it was intimidating. At times, I felt overwhelmed but I also knew that I wanted to be as good as them someday. Everyone has to start somewhere and the people that you admire were probably in your shoes once. Even if you’re naturally talented, it takes years of hard work. If anything, rubbing shoulders with people who are better than you will push you further faster.

Learn to Accept Feedback, Both Good & Bad

As a designer, you’ve got to develop a tough skin because people love to tell you what they think, good and bad. It’s never easy but over time, it does get better. When you’re still in school and experimenting and developing your style, it’s natural to be unsure about what you’re doing. But as you get more experience, you can more clearly judge if your work is measuring up. I spent nearly two years at agencies where I got constant feedback from art directors and I never took it personally. It’s their job to push you to make the work look its absolute best for a client. A fresh set of eyes can see things that you can’t when you’ve been staring at a screen all day. In school, your teachers are the equivalent of an art director.

Not Everyone Is Going To Love Everything You Do

Work usually falls into one of four categories:

1. You love the outcome of a project. Your client loves it. The public hates it.
2. You love the outcome of a project. Your client is unsure. The public loves it.
3. You loathe the outcome of a project. Your client loves it. The public hates it.
4. You hate the outcome of a project. Your client really hates it. The public loves it.

If you can manage to make everyone happy, including yourself (and get a portfolio-worthy piece out of it), relish that moment!

School Is Not Supposed To Be Easy

Life at an agency (or wherever you end up) isn’t easy. Getting pushed hard in school is a huge benefit in a way because it helps to build a solid work ethic for when you hit the job market. Someday, you may actually look back and miss the carefree (in comparison!) days of school. Knowing what I know now, I sure do. Take feedback in stride. School, just like everything else, doesn’t last forever.

As a fellow creative personality, what would you say to a 19 year old girl who has taken a year off college and wants to pursue a job in graphic design somewhat similar to your own? In a nutshell, what is a common workday like for you? What is the most exciting thing about your job? How much school did you have to go through to be where you are now? Did you ever consider any other careers? Is Portland a booming center of design and if not, do you know somewhere in the U.S. that is?

At 19, I admire your confidence in knowing what you want to do for a career! First of all, if you are really passionate about graphic design, I would recommend enrolling in a college level program. While there are plenty of amazing designers out there who are self-taught, graphic design requires an understanding of basic design principles and a specialized set of skills that a structured program will thoroughly cover.

Even if you naturally have an eye for composition and can put together fantastic layouts, knowing how to properly build those layouts and prep them for production is just as important. Agencies commonly used to have production artists on staff but with economic woes, many will now expect you to do it yourself. What I’ve learned (the hard way) is that designing something just because it “looks cool” is not enough of an explanation, especially to clients! Knowing how to get from point A to point B, why you decided to design a project in a certain manner and being able to accept critiques (both good and bad) is hugely valuable.

Not all of us are able to go to school when we want or where we want but in the meantime, don’t let that slow you down. When I decided to go to school for design, I enrolled really late and didn’t make it off of the waiting list. During the year I had to sit out, I regularly purchased design books, scoured design blogs and worked on art projects. I did my best to stay inspired and keep the momentum until it was finally time to take the plunge.

A Common Workday is Not Really Common.

As a freelance designer, establishing structure can be difficult because you never know what’s going to come up. On a normal day, I usually wake up by 6:30 a.m. If my blog post for the day isn’t ready to go, I try to wrap it up. By 7:30, I am putting on my makeup, getting dressed and then walking to the coffee shop with my boyfriend and dog. When I get home, I quickly scan my emails to see if anything client or agency-related has popped up.

My workdays can vary quite drastically. I could have an entire week at home in my office doing work for my clients (at any time, they range from 5 to 10) or, on the flipside, I could end up double-booked, running back and forth between two agencies. It’s all very unpredictable. I get calls at the last minute, sometimes with a day’s notice to show up somewhere. In the last year, I’ve freelanced at four different agencies in Portland, one in New York and in-house at one company — Nike. Agency hours are usually pretty long. It’s not uncommon to arrive by 9 a.m. and work until 6, 7 or 8 pm. Clients don’t care how late you have to stay….they want the job done. Since I am still young and don’t have a huge amount of responsibility, I don’t mind the long hours but if you have other extracurricular tasks, kids and pets, be prepared for your day to not wrap up at a set time.

The hardest part of being a freelancer is the lack of a division between work and life. I often cancel after-hours plans to get a job done, work through the weekends and feel guilty when I do take a day off because there’s always a job waiting.

Exciting Work is Usually Balanced Out with Production

What do I love about my job? The sheer variety of projects that I get to work on! In the last few months, I’ve designed websites, books, blogs, email ad campaigns, landing pages for online retailers, logos, media kits and more.

Though, not all design work is fun! I think that a common misconception that students have when starting out in graphic design is that they get to be creative all day, every day. From my experience, while graphic design is more creative than your average job, I would say that I only get to be creative HALF of the time. The other half is spent setting up files, doing production work or conducting research. When you walk into a store and see signs for events and promotions everywhere, when you pass window displays, when you pick up a catalog or notice a product’s packaging…someone had to set up those files and send them to the printer. I’ve had entire weeks where I spent 10 hours a day in InDesign, outputting mechanicals to go to print. Being creative is a great asset, but knowing how to properly set up and deliver the files that that creativity is housed in is really important.

I Considered Other Careers Because I Didn’t Know What Graphic Design Was

I wish I’d had a mentor or someone who could have taught me about design. I would have discovered it that much earlier. I always read fashion magazines through my history and math classes (mid-90s issues of Bazaar were so great!) and I loved the world they showcased outside of my suburban town. I think I would have wanted to do something in the fashion industry….though I’m not sure what. Beyond that, I knew that I didn’t want to toil my life away doing mundane office work (which I ended up doing for two summers in college).

School Felt Never-Ending

For school, I am going to go out on a limb and say that overall, it’s less important about where you go — the weight of your employability is mostly based on the quality of your portfolio, your personality (are you easy to get along with and willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done?), who you know and of course, your experience / expertise.

My road to becoming a designer was a bit convoluted. When I was in high school, I would scour the school library for advertising books and anything to do with vintage Swiss poster design. I didn’t know any graphic designers though and the connection that design could be a viable career was completely lost on me. When I interviewed at a local art school, the professor told me that my portfolio needed more fine art — but I disliked drawing and painting. Looking at my angular collages, excessive use of rub-on letters and very sparse, graphic layouts, I really wish he had told me about the graphic design program. I walked out of that meeting feeling disillusioned and decided that I didn’t want to be “a starving artist.”

Later, after spending some time in community college, I fell in love with an eBusiness class. Marketing was where it was at for me. I still dabbled in design but it was more of a visual experimentation and nothing professional.

In 2005, once I finished my business degree, I felt unsatisfied. I was a creative person by nature and people had begun to offer me freelance design work. I had a vision for what I wanted to do and started doing some fairly big jobs, but I wasn’t comfortable with my skill level — I wanted to know how to do things the right way instead of guessing. In 2006, I went back to community college for a two year design degree. The classes were small, affordable, thorough and the schedule allowed me to continue working. If you’re on a budget and live on your own, I highly recommend going the community college route. If you still have a thirst to learn more once you’re finished, you can always transfer to a four year school.

For Not Being a Metropolis, Portland Has a Lot to Offer

Besides being home to the behemoths that include W+K and CMD, there are so many small agencies scattered across this town and I am constantly discovering more. It’s quite unbelievable, really. Large companies like Nike, the U.S. headquarters for Adidas and Columbia Sportswear are located in town so there is a constant flow of work funneling down from them that keeps a lot of places busy. Four of the agencies I’ve worked at in the last year have 15 or less people and there are tons more that I’ve learned of only recently. Before I make Portland sound like a perfect utopia for designers, there has been a nonstop influx of creatives for probably the last 10 years now and the market is flooded. Competition can be stiff. Don’t just show up and expect to be handed a job! On the other hand, if you want to be a freelancer and run your own studio, the independent creative spirit is very much alive and well.

Do you have a question that you’re dying to have answered? Ask Nubby!

LC: You have worked with notable clients like Converse, Virgin Records, Nike, and with clothing retailer Forever 21 on the development and branding of their blog; The Skinny, but you also work on a more interpersonal level with unique creative professionals like bloggers, photographers, and indie clothing labels. When you are working with an independent client like a photographer, what factors do you push them to consider in the development of their brand and marketing materials.

NT: When I work with anyone, big or small, I try to lead them in a direction that encourages simplicity and timelessness. Often, a client has an idea of what they want and I try to follow through with what they initially ask for. But, at the same time I offer some more ideas that differ from their vision so that they can get a feel for the possibilities of their brand. When you’re busy running your own business on a daily basis, it’s sometimes hard to see the bigger picture. An outside source can give you input that you may have never even considered. With both you and your photographer friend HUSVAR, I wanted to create logos that would grow as your brands expand. I never want what I do to look dated or gaudy. My goal as a designer is to have my designs hold up and look just as fresh 10 or 20 years from now, if that’s possible. I admire the classics – Paul Rand, Herb Lubalin and Milton Glaser. Their work never looks dated or cheesy.

LC: For many emerging photographers a graphic designer may be the first creative professional outside of photography that they work with. This is especially true for those photographers looking to work with a designer for the first time in developing their branding and promo materials. What advice can you give photographers in regards to what they should look for in hiring a professional designer that they can develop a long-term creative relationship with?

NT: Photographers naturally have a great eye for composition, color and subject matter. They tend to know what they want and every time I’ve worked with one, the outcome has been really timeless and solid. When working with photographers, especially during logo development, I encourage them to consider a logo that will look good in a lockup with their business name and a symbolic element or in separate pieces. Photographers often use the symbol that accompanies their name or business as a watermark. Beyond that, I try to remind everyone that consistency is really important; using the same logo, type family and colors throughout all of your branding helps to create brand equity. If you get along well with a designer and they deliver what you ask for for a fair price, keep them around!

LC: When working with photographers and bloggers what is your own philosophy and work-flow for helping them to develop a brand that often must appeal to a very specific niche market?

NT: This is pretty open-ended. My goal at the end of the day is to make my clients happy. If they’re satisfied with an outcome, then I am too. Solid branding will grab a customer’s interest initially but beyond that, a quality product behind it will make them a lifelong customer. I try to take the client’s input, merge it with my own and gently guide them to the best solution but the final decision is all theirs. The clients that I work with tend to not be start-ups; they have a vision, know what they want to accomplish and simply hire me to add a sense of polish to what they’re already doing.

LC: In addition to your design work, you are an eminent and successful blogger, especially in the areas of fashion, typography, design, and blogging itself. A lot of photographers are picking up social media networks and blogging as viable marketing channels. What advice can you give a photographer? One who is perhaps venturing into blogging for the first time. Especially about that all important question a lot of people starting “what should I write or blog about, who cares what I have to say.”

NT: I really believe that everyone has a unique vision and has something to offer. Blogging is not only about self promotion; sometimes it’s as simple as adding to an ongoing conversation, sharing specialized knowledge or becoming part of a much larger community. Photographers have so much vibrant visual content and blogging doesn’t just have to be about writing. Sharing images, the story behind a series, what it took to create the photo, how you accomplished a specific effect or lighting, etc. is all relevant and adds to the story.

LC: In terms of general marketing and promotions, what are some basic universal do’s and don’ts you can relate to young photographers and creative professionals to get started on marketing their skills to clients?

NT: First and foremost, always carry business cards! You never know who you’re going to run into. One of my first freelance jobs came about because I happened to hand a photographer a business card in a club in New York and he called me the next day to design a magazine for an event he was promoting. It’s never cool to scribble your name and email address on a napkin – this is the 21st century! A blog and an online portfolio are pretty much necessities. I’ve always said that it doesn’t matter how good you are if nobody knows how to find you. If you think about it, you may come in contact with a select handful of people on a daily basis but online, your presence can be seen by tens, hundreds or even thousands of people in the same timeframe. If you offer a reputable service, have a great personality, produce quality content and align yourself with quality people that are also in your industry, momentum begins to build.

LC: You also write a lot about freelancing and your own journey from starting with a business degree, eventually going back to school for design, and embarking on a successful freelancing career. For a lot of freelancers, it is a tough road, full of ups and downs, adventures and adversity, and a lack of stability that can range from the frenetic excitement of not knowing what comes next to the crushing chaos of the bad times. What kept you driven during those early days? Looking back on your own career, what lessons would you relate a freelancer who is just starting off now?

NT: At 28, I am finally where I want to be but I spent years and years in college, working retail jobs and having a million roommates. My life was full of uncertainty but I never gave up. I believe that once you’ve figured out what you want out of life and begin to put forth the effort, slowly but surely change comes about. People will come into your life at the right time to help you when you really need it. I’ve had quite a few chance meetings that impacted my life for the better. The first year of being a freelancer is by far the hardest because it’s nearly impossible to know what to expect. It takes time to develop routines that really work and to get established. As you get busier, there’s less time to worry about “what if” as lunch dates, meetings and client deadlines start to take up most of your time.

Looking back, I don’t really regret anything. I spent a year at an agency right out of school and I highly recommend that because it teaches you how to deal with clients and deadlines. It’s always good to bring a copy of your portfolio for every meeting, to do your research and to dress the part. And, going out to art shows and agency parties will help you expand your social network. Just from freelancing at a handful of agencies, I’ve realized how interconnected everyone is. On that note, NEVER burn your bridges! If a client is really getting to you, walk away and take a break before responding in a way that you’ll regret. The last thing you need as a freelancer is for your carefully built reputation to crumble over a few bad interactions. Finally, always be yourself. I know that sounds cliché but staying true to your style, ethics and morals definitely pays off. There are a million freelancers out there – your personality and work ethic can definitely help you stand apart.

If you’ve been blogging long enough, common sense tells you to back up all of the content on your server including photos on a regular basis. For years, I’ve been religiously doing this. BUT! Amazingly enough, I didn’t realize that I was supposed to be doing a SECOND, equally important backup until quite recently.

If you use the WordPress platform (such as I do), your WordPress Database contains all of your posts, comments, and links. In essence, it’s the content that gives your blog its unique format. A database backup may be the only saving grace if you ever install a bad plugin, have an upgrade go terribly wrong or get stricken by hackers. It’s better to be safe than sorry!

Conveniently enough, a a free plugin can do all of the work for you. To use it, simply download the plugin, upload it to your plugins folder on your server and activate it.

Next, go to the Tools tab in the left column of your dashboard and click on Backup.

Once you’re in the Backup Options screen, scroll down and click on Download to your computer. It will do the rest!

Once you have a full backup, I would recommend scheduling regular backups from now on. Scroll down to Scheduled Backup and click the frequency (I do once a week) and make sure your correct email is on file.

Now, you can have peace of mind knowing that all of your hard work is tidily zipped for safekeeping.

Yes. Every day presents the opportunity to learn something new; this in part can help to fuel your creativity. Life experience has helped me gain fresh new perspectives when designing. I am a very visual person and to fuel the creative process, I always carry a camera with me wherever I go and constantly collect inspiring images online. Each project that you do has the potential to teach you something new no matter how long you’ve been a designer.

With time comes maturity and more defined ideas. I know quite a few people who waited to go to school for design – including myself. If I’d done it when I was 18, I don’t know if I would have appreciated the process as much. By waiting until I was 25 and having already completed one degree, I was positive that I wanted to be a designer. The life experiences up to that point including jobs and traveling made me much more aware and open to new ideas.

Overall, I feel that anything web 2.0 is okay in really small doses and if any elements are incorporated, they should fit into the overall look and feel of the project. Personally, I mostly try to steer away from web 2.0 elements but sometimes they can add some needed dimension. For some great examples, check out 25 Examples of Web 2.0 and Traditional Design Rules Coming Together.

Of course. As a designer, it’s normal to question what you’re doing and to contemplate whether your work is good enough. If you start thinking that all of your output is great every time, it’s time to ask yourself if you’re still growing as a designer.

On some of my biggest projects, I got multiple opinions before sending the work out because I wasn’t sure if it was good enough. Usually, outside sources view things in a different way than you as the creator do; a few tiny tweaks can take a project from good to great. The best designers that I know still manage to remain humble and work really hard at what they do. And, they never quite think that they’re good enough – that’s what keeps them pushing forward every day.

One thing to accept the second you decide to become a designer is that there’s always going to be someone that’s better than you and that has more experience. Once you realize this, it’s easier to just focus on becoming your personal best.

Whether a client is big or small, show up on time, dress the part, do your research, remain humble and deliver what’s been promised. Remember that even when working with big corporations, you’re often still only interacting with a handful of people.

I’ve never done a pitch to gain any of my personal clients – they’ve all found my work online and contacted me directly.

Ultimate dream?? Wow, that’s a lot of pressure! At the moment I am pretty content (you’ve gotta learn appreciate what you have in the moment) but in a few years, I would love to work at Elle as an editorial designer, be an art director at a boutique agency and partner up with my brother on some big design projects. Beyond that, my goal is to publish a book about how to market yourself as a designer and travel around the country speaking to college students about building portfolios and how to make it as a freelancer. To sum up your question, I don’t think I have a singular ultimate dream. It’s a combination of smaller parts.

As for personal projects, I like to collage in my Fashion Notebook and design new business cards. That’s about all I have time for at the moment.

It’s part of the Moleskine Colour a Month Notebooks which I absolutely adore! I’ve been using Moleskine planners for years to keep my life in order and these are especially nice since they’re so lightweight and compact.

It depends on the quality of the project. Overall, a mix of your highest quality work, largest clients and something that really expresses your personality should create a nice, rounded mix. Ask a design mentor or someone you trust what they think of the project – is it strong enough to be included? If not, that’s okay – you could still mention your winning submission on your resumé.

Do you have a question? Ask Nubby.

When I started freelancing full time in May 2009, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. Freelancers seem to have quite varied experiences which is to be expected when you’re working as your own boss. I’m a very structured person that was accustomed to working in teams with other designers and art directors; I wondered if would I be able to trust my own judgement and still output high quality work. I questioned whether I could handle not having a set time to show up to an office every day. Would I be able to keep a schedule that allowed me to not only get all of my client work done but also have time for meetings and blogging?

Though I’d been taking on freelance jobs since 2005, I’d always had another job to back me up. Taking the leap into running my business full time was scary because it meant that I was fully dependent on my design and networking skills to make a living. Though, I was lucky because I already had a few big clients in my portfolio (including Forever 21 and Virgin Records) and had received great hands-on training during the year and a half I’d spent at an ad agency. And, my largest freelance clients were in LA and New York so I was accustomed to working remotely. Sending off rounds of work through email and having conference calls instead of in-person meetings was an easy adjustment.

To drum up new work, I didn’t have to do any pitches since I had a steady stream of clients who contacted me through my blog. Though, I did do a few other things to secure new work:

1. I built a print and PDF portfolio of my newest work. By having a PDF on hand, I could upoad it to my blog and let potential clients know that I was accepting new projects. If they liked what they saw, they could email me for a quote. I also kept an 11 x 17 print portfolio ready to go for face-to-face meetings with creative directors, clients and designer friends. I took every opportunity where I thought a critique could be possible and drug my book along. The feedback, though differing, made my work stronger overall. 7 Tips for Creating a Print-Based Portfolio can provide some pointers.

2. I set up appointments with placement agencies. I pounded the pavement, went to as many placement agencies as possible and in turn, had a steady stream of offers in Portland and New York within the first few months. Not every one was a perfect fit and I turned down more than I took but because of these contacts, I was able to do work for companies including the Wall Street Journal and Nike. My agents did the screening, found suitable positions based on my experience and set up the interviews. If you’re just getting started and need to build connections and contacts, placement agencies are a huge asset.

3. I contacted ad agencies directly. Design communities are pretty tight knit; everyone knows each other, even in larger cities. I reached out to producers and agency owners, forwarded them my resumé and portfolio and when there was a need, they brought me in to work on projects. Once you’ve passed the test on a project or two, demonstrated that you are reliable and easy to work with, chances are that you will get called back. Building strong connections with just a few agencies can keep you fairly busy.

First of all, you get to become your own boss. You can go anywhere, work for anyone you choose and take on a huge variety of client projects while getting out and seeing the world. I spent a huge chunk of last year traveling. During stays in Orlando, Phoenix, New York and Seattle, I was on my laptop, still meeting deadlines and keeping current with client emails.

While freelancing, the sheer variety of jobs that I get to work on has made me a much more rounded designer. Some of the current jobs I am working on include a wedding photographer’s media kit, a logo for a restaurant specializing in hot wings, album packaging for a metal band, an identity for a gourmet line of sweets, a media kit for a burlesque star, a full website design for an art organization, a logo for a fashion line and more. The combination of styles, not to mention striving to meet a wide variety of client needs keeps me on my toes, stretch my skills to the limits while diversifying my portfolio. I love being able to work with people from all walks of life – it’s refreshing and satisfying.

From a networking standpoint, it really is astounding how many contacts you can make when you’re not sitting at the same desk all day, every day. Your world as a designer begins to expand infinitely. Being a freelancer forces you to get outside of your little bubble and to interact with the community. As you start working with more agencies, going out to art openings, visiting open houses, reaching out for informational interviews and emailing people you admire, opportunities begin to pop up. Creative stimulation is important for designers and the internet can only provide so much; it’s important to make regular face-to-face contact.

Along with the perks, there are many potential downsides to freelancing as well. The work / life balance becomes increasingly hard to manage, in part because there’s not a clear division of where your ‘day job’ ends and your personal life begins. It’s easy to get caught up in jobs and spend the entire weekend in your office, to turn down invites to stay home and work into the night and to check your email at 6 am, only to realize that there’s a looming client emergency and jump out of bed.

One of the most significant downsides to freelancing is the lack of a consistent or steady income. Some months, the stars align and money pours in at a rate you could have never imagined; you think you know what it feels like to be rich. Other months, deals fall through, agencies don’t call and it seems impossible to wrap up old projects. Overall though, if you’ve built up a solid network, the good and bad months tend to balance out. Diversification helps immensely in this area; keeping agency work, staying in contact with agents and working with your personal clients tends to keep the jobs coming in.

Lastly, it is easy to become isolated. If the phone doesn’t ring for awhile, it’s all too convenient to sleep in, have your food delivered and sit in front of the computer in the same room every day. Lulls in work should be viewed as an opportunity to create self initiated projects, a chance to take short trips and to go out on lunch dates with friends.

Some techniques that help me function as a freelancer are quite simple but work wonders. Now that I have a dog living at my house, I use that as an excuse to get out and take regular walks. It not only helps to clear my mind but is also a chance to take different routes every time with the intention of scouting new spots to take outfit photos. Recently, I’ve also been writing out daily schedules of what work needs to be accomplished by what time. If I don’t do this, it becomes easy to surf the net and lose focus. By holding myself accountable and crossing off accomplishments as I move along throughout the day, I can see tangible results. Finally, I set up regular meetings with friends at coffee shops and bars to break up the day. Human interaction, not to mention the chance to explore new establishments across the city keeps things interesting.

As a freelancer, I would say that it takes a solid six months to really cement your branding, overall vision, to make enough contacts and to get up to speed in general. I’ve had an amazing time freelancing and running my own business has been hugely fulfilling. Though I am open to returning to agencies on a full-time basis, the opportunity to freelance has taught me more in a year than I ever thought possible. Freelancing has forced me to grow up, to take charge of my professional career and to realize that I am responsible for my success or lack thereof. Freelancing can make or break you…and in the process, at the very least, you have the opportunity to learn so much about yourself. That in itself is invaluable.

This is a tricky situation! I think about this all the time – as I am sure that most designers do. Blogging for many of us is a creative outlet and often, our personal lives and opinions cross over into the content. The truth is, though I’ve been blogging in some form since 2001, I was very aprehensive at first when I was considering relaunching Nubbytwiglet.com as a blog format in 2007. My web designer friend Star had just turned her website into a blog and though I loved it, I wasn’t sure that it was the right approach for me.

Up until that point, I’d noticed that most designers seemed to lurk in the shadows; they let their work do the talking and often, they didn’t even have a photo of themselves on their About page. To me, they came across as mysterious. When I asked Star about this, she basically said that I was looking at the way the ‘old guard’ did things; the designers of the future were going to jump on the social media bandwagon. I took her advice and began blogging on my domain in August of 2007.

When it comes to content, what I soon realized is that as someone who likes to update my blog at least five days a week, it’s nearly impossible to develop design-related posts every day. Breaking up the schedule with outfit photos and links helps with the rountine. And, it’s good to remember that not everyone is going to be interested in design. Some of my readers may be intrigued by style, the city in which I live or even shoes. By adding in a more diverse variety of content that extends beyond just design, I am widening the net of potential readers.

Sometimes, posting photos of my new shoes or house make me think twice because first and foremost, I consider myself to be a designer. I don’t want to dilute what I do for a living. But, at the end of the day, I’m not going to censor who I am. I like to post about things that make me excited and that have the potential to inspire my readers.

I’ve always wanted to be bigger than just a designer, if that makes sense. I strive to be a personality, an information source and a brand. Eventually, I want to tour schools, write a book about marketing for designers and teach students about freelancing and building portfolios. If people don’t like me based on what I post, that’s okay. We are all human and entitled to our opinions. I’m not going to pretend to not have a personality because I think it will help me get more work. To me, being authentic and staying true to what I love is much more important. When it comes to social media, the saying is that content is king. If that’s the case, then authenticity should be its equal.

My point is, use common sense about what you’re posting…but stay true to who you are. Readers can sense authenticity a mile away. Reach out – it’s okay to share your work and experiences with your readers. By offering other content besides just my portfolio, I am able to connect with more readers. And someday, those readers might need my services. Overall, people like knowing that there’s a person behind all that work!

I should mention that my outlook on sharing may differ compared to other designers because I’ve worked at companies where blogging and social media were encouraged. During my time at Nemo HQ, I was mentored by Dave Allen (now running Fight) who not only blogged constantly but was always at the forefront of social media trends. Nemo was never afraid to share what went on behind its walls and it only added to the cool factor.

As a designer and a blogger, take into account that the more you share, the more assumptions people will develop about you and your life. You’ve got to have a thick skin because not every comment or email will be friendly. But, that’s life. Nobody (except perhaps Mother Theresa) is universally loved by everyone! If you feel like sharing, then share. Just don’t overshare. Though I do a Week in Pictures post, it’s more of an overview of a week in my life. I don’t detail every little thing that went wrong, every meeting I went to or expose sensitive client work.

Sharing is an amazing thing – it has the potential to inspire and influence. On the other hand, I know plenty of designers that choose to keep the focus 100% on their work. They’re not comfortable sharing their personal lives and that is fine as well. I say, do what you’re comfortable with and what makes you happy. Share as little or as much as you like. It’s as simple as that.

Readers: What are your opinions on sharing? How much or how little do you share? Do you think it affects the perceptions of a designer’s work?

On Sunday morning, I had the pleasure of taking part in the CRAVE Business Chat: Local Inspiration alongside Sheryl Stewart, Kami Gray and Sandra Colton at Little Urbanites in Portland.

For two hours, we shared our stories with the audience and answered questions about entrepreneurship. CRAVE did a great job of picking an intriguingly diverse cast of speakers. Sheryl Stewart is a local radio personality on 105.1 The Buzz, Kami Gray is a TV / film wardrobe stylist, professional image consultant and author while Sandra Colton is a well known professional dancer, singer and author. Once we began talking, it became apparent that although each of us has taken markedly different career paths, the one thing that tied us together is a sense of passion for what we do.

What I found especially helpful about the CRAVE chat is that each panelist explained how they got started in their respective industries. Often times, when we meet someone and see them for what they are in the present tense, we are left wondering how they achieved their level of success. The women were open and completely willing to share their experiences, both good and bad. The general consensus was that each has put in years of hard work and drilled down their focus to a specific niche. Though highly accomplished in their respective fields now, it was refreshing to hear that none of the panelists were overnight successes. And, some had previous careers that bear no direct relation to their businesses now.

Sometimes, professional networking events can gloss over the hard work it took someone to get where they are and simply refer to a larger-than-life bio of accomplishments. All of the CRAVE ladies kept it real, answered every audience question and even admitted that the balance between work and family is as tough as it seems.

We all noted that while it’s okay to have multiple interests, there still needs to be a commonality that pulls them together into a more defined niche. For instance, though I blog, it is often about design and marketing; the focus tends to revolve around my interests and lifestyle. If you try to cover too many areas and be too many things to too many people, chances are that you will spread yourself too thin and lack a general direction.

To promote their careers, each of the panelists has taken an increased interest in social media to promote their businesses and most of the questions I answered pertained to this topic. I was lucky that I got an early start with blogging (back in 2001) and many of the people I befriended during those years later became influencers in their niches. When I began blogging full-time in 2007, I was still in school and also interning at an ad agency. I didn’t wait until my image or theme were perfect; I didn’t wait until I had more free time; I just jumped in. As time progressed, I was able to drill down to specific topics, columns and content that I wanted pursue. Just like everything, blogging is a natural progression. Online content is constantly shifting and changing. My advice to a few of the audience members was to get started as soon as possible; you can always make refinements as you go.

Entrepreneurship is amazing because it’s completely open-ended. It’s up to you to dream up an idea for your business, to define boundaries, to develop a name and to set your sights on the customer base you’d like to target. Sure, there are general guidelines that you may want to follow, but beyond that, the sky’s the limit. This is precisely what makes entrepreneurship so exciting….and scary.

As a start-up, it’s okay to not throw yourself 100% into your business right away. The reality is that most of us don’t have the means to survive off of what we do immediately. It takes time to build a brand and it’s not fun to be stressed out over money while you’re getting up and running. A local jewelry designer shared her story about how she also keeps another, more stable job while she is building and expanding her business. For many years, I worked jobs completely unrelated to design while in school and interned at an agency before I really took what I did and turned it into a full-time gig.

Some people have a seemingly unlimited pool of luck and talent and their businesses take off right away. I am a little bit more structured and ‘old school’ in my approach; I’ve always felt that slow and steady wins the race. Take your time, define your focus and don’t expect immediate success. Build your business to last.

CRAVE has made me realize how many inspiring women (and men) are out there making their dreams a reality. It’s not easy, but you can do it all. It is possible to have a career, relationship / family and a house. Sure, there are times when your work & life balance will be totally out of whack, but the people who love you and are really looking out for your well being will do their best to be patient and supportive.

In the last year, one of my primary goals has been to work on this balance and in the process, I’ve grown closer with my core support system. The people that couldn’t handle the long hours and sometimes stressful situations have left my life and the ones that believed in what I am doing have filled in the gaps. You can’t just turn off your dreams. If you believe in what you’re doing and share that vision with the world, eventually that energy will come back to you.

In the meet and greet afterwards, I noticed that almost all of the attendees had brought along business cards. Some people claim that they’re so last century but I cannot stress the importance of business cards enough. From an entrepreneurial perspective, my first ever freelance job came to me after I handed a photographer my card in a New York club. The magazine I designed for him helped me get one of my next jobs. On Sunday, as we all exchanged cards, I ended up with the contact information of many local business owners and students, some of which have services and products that I may very well seek out in the future.

I’d also like to point out that the power of face-to face networking is still very much alive and important in this digitally obsessed society. Many of the business owners in the audience claimed that they’ve made some of their biggest sales and built repertoires by simply walking around their neighborhoods and introducing themselves. You never know who you’re going to meet. People have walked into my living room and changed my life. It’s really amazing how simply opening yourself up and putting yourself out into the world can cause a total shift in your life.

Entrepreneurship is about more than just being your own boss. It’s about getting to do what you love every day. As Sandra Colton noted, everyone has a unique talent and outlook. Anyone can do anything they want. The defining difference is that some people dream and plan while other people actually go out and make those dreams a reality. As an entrepreneur, hard work and long hours are inevitable in the beginning. But when you’re truly passionate about what you’re doing, it doesn’t seem like work at all.

Determining what to charge for design services is extremely subjective but some factors to consider are experience, the quality of your portfolio and client demand. When freelancing, I charge my personal clients a flat rate. When I work for agencies, I charge on a per hour basis. In Time and Money Management for Freelancers, I gave the following advice:

When giving a client quotes on a project, you’ll have to decide whether to charge a flat rate for the entire project or do it hourly. Both have implied benefits, but I usually just charge a flat rate since it helps a client know what to budget for upfront. Additionally, I like knowing from the start that I’m guaranteed a specific amount of money (I always require a half of the total down to begin work). When pricing by the hour, consider that you may end up cheating yourself because as you get faster, the same project you did a year ago might have taken 10 hours and now only takes 5. There’s no reason to set yourself up to learn less!

With each job accepted, you’re in a position to be creative and the goal is to make an idea tangible. Your ideas on how to best tackle the project might not come right away; a vision might take hours, even days. If you’ve charged a flat rate, it’s much fairer to the client in this respect.

With regards to charging people I know personally, I have an amazing group of friends that have supported me since the beginning. They include bloggers, web developers and photographers. While I usually charge them, they do get a discounted rate or, if it permits, we barter services. As an artist of any kind, your time is valuable and relationships should be about sharing and mutual inspiration.

Some female graphic designers that come to mind are Marian Bantjes, Antigirl, Jessica Hische and Abby Clawson Low.

I highly recommend community college! Some of the most talented designers that I know started out at community colleges. Besides being extremely affordable, community colleges tend to be geared towards the real world, meaning that they offer fairly flexible schedules that make working possible. When I decided to go back to school for graphic design in 2006, I didn’t have the budget for an art school or the time for another four year degree. I enrolled in a limited entry graphic design program and earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in less than two years. The class sizes were small, the teachers were very hands-on and after my first year, I began an internship at an agency that led to my first design job. Community college is a great place to start to learn the design basics; if you choose to continue your education, you can always transfer into a four year school afterwards.

Truth be told, I really don’t have any magical system. For photos that I have taken, everything lives in iPhoto. For edited photos and other images that I’ve collected from the internet, I simply keep a folder on my desktop called ‘Pictures’ and drop everything I find inspiring into it. Inside are a gazillion folders with specific categories (as seen above). About once a month, I try to set aside an hour and organize everything new that I’ve managed to collect.

Have a vision. Develop a brand name and an aesthetic as soon as possible. Stay consistent with your posting schedule. Invent columns and content that are unique to your blog. Be passionate about what you do. Don’t be afraid to share your knowledge and unique outlook with the world. Try to respond to as many comments and emails as possible. When the going gets tough…keep going. Find a mentor. Remember that not everyone is going to love you or what you’re doing. Surround yourself with people who will be honest with you. Remember that at the end of the day, the internet isn’t reality. And, always stay true to yourself and your ethics no matter what offers get thrown your way.

For designers specifically, instead of just posting new projects and focusing 100% on self promotion, diversify your content by offering advice, tutorials and sharing work / internship experiences with readers.

Deciding what to charge often comes down to a case of supply versus demand. If you find yourself incredibly busy with customers lined up around the corner, raise your prices. At some point, if you are getting turned down repeatedly because your prices are ‘too high,’ back them down a bit if you are in need of work.

Everyone’s method for creating and presenting a portfolio will be different but I recommend always starting and ending with your best work. Other than that, create visual interest through showcasing a variety of mediums, projects, clients and design styles. If you’re not particularly excited about a project or comfortable discussing it, leave it out. And, portfolios are about quality, not quantity. A maximum of 10 to 15 projects is more than sufficient. If you need more portfolio-related advice, revisit 7 Tips for Creating a Print-Based Design Portfolio.

To be honest, there is no easy way to manage multiple projects that are overlapping. It doesn’t matter who you are; keeping up with four to six projects at a time is a challenge.

During a normal week, I may be working on up to six different jobs with my personal clients and they can range from logo design and corporate identities to blog layouts. At the same time, I am often booked at an agency and may working on catalog layouts, ad concepts or trend forecasting. On top of that, I try to stay current with emails and send out quotes for upwards of ten freelance inquiries. Besides these tasks, there’s always blog updates and of course, invoicing clients for work that’s been completed.

Days seem to fly by faster every year now that I’ve finished school. Enjoy the time that you have left. In a way, it’s carefree in comparison with the real world of tight deadlines and long days at agencies. As a student, you still have the chance to experiment and to try out new ideas with very little backlash. Use these moments to your advantage. There’s something to be learned from each project, even through the mistakes that you make. The mistakes are especially good in a way because chances are that you won’t make the same one twice.

With regards to your question above, there are a few tricks that I use to stay organized when managing multiple projects:

Keep a planner or schedule in front of you. This is super basic, but if you don’t have a visual reminder of what needs to be done, it’s easy to ignore or even forget about it (and waste your time surfing the web). I make daily to-do lists in my Moleskine planner and if something doesn’t get done, I carry it over to the next until it’s completed. I also keep a big list pinned above my desk with all of my current clients. As a freelancer, you are 100% accountable for getting client work completed on time. We all run into delays and it’s always a good idea to fire off a quick email to clients if you’re running behind to let them know.

Collect research & store it in a centralized location. When a project pops up, it’s best to be prepared to quickly gather inspiration.

For years, I’ve collected and uploaded every single image that I find inspiring into a private folder on Flickr that now boasts over 4,000 items. Whether I am at home, traveling or sitting at an agency, the second I get briefed, I can easily log in and start pulling together visuals. Because everything I find inspiring is stored online, I never have to lug around an external hard drive.

Always do a round of research. You can save yourself a lot of time and energy upfront if you engage in some initial research and pinpoint the direction your client would like to take. Even if they’ve described what they think they are looking for, visuals can help to solidify that direction.

I always build out a presentation deck of research images before moving into the design process to make sure that my client and I are on the same page. Breaking up pages by category is extremely helpful. For instance, if I’m working on a logo design, I might include pages with titles such as Serif, Sans Serif, Script (above), etc.

Use cover pages. Whenever an agency I’ve worked at sends out a fresh round of work, they usually use a cover page and I do so with my clients as well. Why is this important? When you’re doing multiple rounds of work, sometimes at a very rapid pace, it’s easy for both you and the client to forget what’s being referenced.

They may say they like ‘logo #1′ but if you’re on your third round of work, which are they referring to? If a specific date is being referenced, how do you know when the work was completed? If you include a cover sheet with the client’s name, the date, the round of work and a brief job description attached to the work you send out, it will make your life so much easier when you have to quickly dig back through your archives.

Working on multiple projects has an upside. Having multiple projects going at once is potentially good; it has the ability to greatly diversify your portfolio. At one point, I was doing a logo for a metal band, another for an agriculture company, a full identity for a photographer and working on a 100+ page catalog at an agency. I learned something valuable from each of these jobs, often concurrently. Project diversity not only keeps you from getting bored but also helps you push your boundaries as a designer and makes you more rounded.

Stagger projects whenever possible. Juggling four to six projects at once can be stressful. So, if the opportunity arises, be upfront with clients or even your school about taking on more work. Ask for a few extra days off before beginning. Negotiate a start date that allows you enough time to do research and begin a new project without compromising other clients’ work. Of course, this is what would happen in a perfect scenario. But, it never hurts to ask!

In Closing. Practice makes perfect. As your skill set and experience improve, so will your turnaround times. Once you have basic templates, invoices, email form letters, pricing and other necessities all in place, taking on more work becomes much, much easier. This all takes time and patience to set up and there is no rush. Becoming a designer isn’t an overnight progression and we are each on our own paths. Though basic planning helps, we each have to develop our own systems of organization that best work for us.

Designers, do you have any tips and tricks that help you stay organized?

You’re in luck because I covered the blogging basics back in 2008 in an article called 13 Steps to a Successful Blog-Based Business. I’d recommend starting out with a customized theme installed on a domain that you own and with your own server space so that you have full control over your image and personal files. But, if this isn’t an option, there are many free services like Blogger. To get started:

Pick a domain name: It seems like all of the good dot-coms are taken, but if you can avoid a name that is super long and full of dashes, all the better (use whois.net to see if yours is still available). If all else fails, you can make up something nonsensical (like Nubbytwiglet.com)! I’ve registered all of my domain names through GoDaddy.com. Besides being reputable, their 24 hour customer service is super knowledgeable.

Invest in server space: Once your domain name is registered, you’ll need a safe place on the internet to store your site files and images (mine is also through GoDaddy.com). It’s always a bonus if the domain name and the server space are through the same company so that the changes you make can be as seamless as possible.

Templates, templates, templates: Since I originally wrote this article, free themes have improved dramatically. Personally, I’m a huge fan of WordPress because there are thousands of free blog templates that are easily modifiable and WordPress.org gives you instructions on how to install its software directly onto your domain.

To get you started, some great themes can be found here, here and here.

When it comes to fine art, I feel that the more low-tech, the better (probably because I sit behind a computer all day). Don’t laugh but the only two tools I use are kid-sized scissors and washable glue sticks. I like glue sticks because you can get a smooth finish and there is very little seeping from the edges once a piece is affixed. Also, it dries really fast and if you get it somewhere it doesn’t belong, it wipes off really easily. Once an art piece is finished, I do 2 to 3 layers of Krylon Crystal Clear to seal it and finally, pour a layer of epoxy resin over the top. The resin is the hard part because if you do it wrong, air bubbles could result or worse yet, if the mixture is off, it may never dry properly. Practice makes perfect!

I regularly rotate between two Nikon cameras: The Coolpix P80 is fancier point-and-shoot and has some SLR-like qualities while the Coolpix S560 is super light, compact and perfect for throwing in my purse for everyday use. The higher end studio shots that have been recently been popping up on my blog are by my brother and he uses the Canon EOS 5D Mark II along with professional lighting.

I wish I could say that I have a regular routine and I admire those who do. I am totally guilty of passing out in my makeup all the time and don’t recommend it! Right now, I am using Lancomé Renergie Microlift R.A.R.E. moisturizer (thanks mom!) and swear by Comodynes Convenient Cosmetics Makeup Remover for Dry Skin with Oats towelettes which can be found at Trader Joe’s. In December, I had my first ever facial and it was amazing. I am a total convert!

Beyond that, almost all of the makeup I use is by MAC and I’ve been a diehard Studio Fix fan for the last ten years.

I wash my hair every other day and stick with drugstore shampoo and conditioner since I go through it ridiculously fast. For the last year, I’ve had great luck with Garnier Fructis products including Moisture Works shampoo and conditioner. I let my hair mostly air dry and then straighten the ends with the Misikko Hana Elite which works faster than any other iron I’ve tried.

As for diet and exercise, I try to eat eat fairly healthy and I am a vegetarian. Beyond that, I never exercise except for some occasional walking. Working out is pretty much my least favorite thing to do in the entire universe (and I am sure that sitting on my ass all day will eventually catch up with me)! David Barton, please open a gym in Portland and I promise to change my ways.

My silver nail polish is by Hot Topic and there isn’t a name on the bottle. The matte black (seen here) is by L.A. Girl and called…Matte Black! The white (seen here) is by Sally Hansen Hard As Nails ‘Xtreme Wear’ and called White On.

I am going to try to answer a new question a week as often as possible. Do you have anything that you’re dying to ask? Need some advice? Ask Nubby!

On Monday night, I was invited to be part of the Creating A Killer Portfolio panel discussion at PNCA (Pacific Northwest College of Art) and shared my experiences with creating a portfolio and building a freelance design business. The conversation was moderated by Kelly Coller, the founder of OFFICE PDX, a business specializing in portfolio covers and design goods.

Currently a marketing director at a multidisciplinary design firm, Kelly has worked with clients including Apple, Starbucks, Nike, Purina and Whirlpool. She has been doing business development, marketing and branding for over fifteen years for internationally-recognized design firms in architecture, industrial and retail design. During this time, Kelly has has put together over 2,000 portfolios for client pitches. And, as if that’s not enough, she has met, critiqued, hired and / or turned down 500 to 1,000 creatives. In short, this woman knows what she is talking about!

Kelly started out the discussion with a quick summary of how to create a killer portfolio. I found her information about formatting do’s and dont’s especially helpful. Kelly relayed that a simple portfolio cover is fine for showcasing your work (I am a big fan of Pina Zangaro). Projects mounted to cards and fancy, handmade books are much harder for an interviewer to navigate and can show wear. Additionally, a portfolio cover with pages is nice because projects can be quickly reprinted without much fuss.

Also, Kelly had some advice regarding how much work you should show when making initial contact with a client. She said that the first correspondence should be kept short and sweet; emailing a PDF ‘teaser’ with 1 to 3 pages is fine. If a client shows an interest, it’s then okay to show more. But, save the full scope of your work for the actual meeting. If you give it all away immediately, there are no surprises left!

For the second half of the discussion, Kelly and I had a Q&A session. Here are some of the questions she asked and a quick summary of my responses:

I’ve been actively freelancing since 2005. Some of the clients I have worked with both on my own and in an agency setting have included Forever 21, Virgin, Nike, New Line Cinema, Skullcandy, Smith Optics and Fuel TV. Currently, I run my design business full-time and split my time working with my own clients as well as a handful of agencies around town.

Originally, I wanted to attend PNCA for fine art, but my lack of interest in drawing or painting made that route difficult. In 2000, I wasn’t aware that graphic design was an option and decided to go to school for business instead. In 2006, I decided to go back to school for graphic design and graduated in 2008 from a two-year community college program.

For a print portfolio, I try to limit the content to no more than 10 to 12 single page projects with an absolute max of 15 pages if there are some with multiple layouts. It’s important to remember that the interviewer’s time is extremely valuable and that you may have a half hour total to meet. Because of this, you should be able to talk your way through the entire portfolio in 15 minutes or less. If you’re in New York, chances are that you’ll have less than 5 minutes, so be prepared and practice!

For initial contact, I email a PDF version of my portfolio and resumé. Agencies are busy and these days, art directors and the people in charge don’t have time to flip through many unsolicited books; a PDF is quick and relatively painless. Once a meeting has been set up, my print portfolio and a selection of physical samples (products, catalogs, etc.) come out at that time.

It’s nice to include a brief description about each project in your portfolio. One to four sentences should be sufficient. Remember to include the project title / overview and client name as well. If you’re going to include any in-depth sketches and further insight regarding your solution, this may be better suited for an accompanying process book.

I have always used an 11 x 17 format for my print portfolio with a Pina Zangaro presentation book in Vista Snow. I had a unique situation when I graduated because I didn’t have to show my portfolio to potential employers. I was hired immediately by the agency I’d interned with so my portfolio was literally delegated to the back of my closet until a year into my career. This spring, I finally began the process of reworking and updating the contents and I am probably on my fifth revision.

When you’re in school and building your portfolio, chances are that you want to ‘wow’ everyone. But with time, you may realize that simple really is better. Plain backgrounds and minimal type will let the projects that you’re showcasing speak for themselves.

When I began showing my portfolio, I was really conscious of replacing most of my school projects with client work as soon as possible. I wanted to show that I could handle real world briefs, feedback and deadlines and I think that this helped me immensely. One note: when showing your portfolio, ALWAYS turn it to face the client, even if you’re flipping through the pages for them.

I’ve been incredibly blessed to have almost all of my work come to me directly through my blog and word of mouth. After discussing the scope with a potential client, I follow up through email or over the phone. I work remotely with almost all of my personal clients.

With my personal clients, communicaiton is made over the phone or through email. With agencies, we try to set up in-person meetings as often as possible. Each interview is different, but it’s important to dress the part, to be on time, to have a portfolio that isn’t too precious (it’s meant to be flipped through, after all!) and to always be honest about what you can and can’t do; the design world is smaller than you think! Naturally, a big chunk of your interview is based on what you can do and how good your portfolio is. The other part is much more subtle and often personality–based; do you fit in with the corporate environment and can you get along with the team? Are you a hard worker and can you handle agency hours?

I keep a daily planner with due dates and a list of projects that need to be done, dutifully save every business receipt in date order and invoice my clients immediately once the job is finished so that I don’t forget! I am pretty lo-fi in this area and try to keep things as simple as possible.

When I am working with my own clients, I usually do everything on my own unless there’s a need for a web developer. I have a huge network of friends that are all a phone call away, so if more help is needed in the future, I can find it very quickly. I like balancing working on my own with time spent at agencies. Being in a collaborative environment with other designers and art directors really helps push the boundaries of what seems possible.

Marketing is one of my passions, so this is one of the favorite parts of running my business. I always carry business cards and stickers with me and have actually gotten jobs by handing them out. I also blog five days a week, regularly share my portfolio with placement agencies, designed my own media kit and make a point to go out and network with people I know in the industry. My business is very much personality-based and as a designer, it’s okay to let people know who you are. Go out of your way to make that personal connection!

Thank you to PNCA, Kelly Coller and Jason Resch for making this seminar possible.

We are all born with a purpose. Sometimes, it takes a lifetime to figure out what that purpose is. And in some cases, years of trial and error and soul searching are necessary. As humans, we all take a unique path through life based on our decisions and experiences. This path is often full of signs and people who are willing to help us along the way. I think that making to-do lists and writing out specific goals on a regular basis is also quite helpful. Once you’ve determined exactly what it is that you want to do with your life, the pieces start to fall into place.

From the time I was young, I knew I wanted to be an artist but I was also naturally good at school. Once I finished high school, I decided that a degree in fine art was not for me and went to school for business and marketing instead. Once that was complete, I still didn’t feel fulfilled. I knew at that time that it didn’t matter how much time and effort it took; I wanted to be a graphic designer for a living. I spent two years in a program working harder than I ever had but I was excited during every second of the process. When you’re fulfilled, hard work doesn’t seem like work at all. The passion will pull you through.

I was lucky that I landed an internship during my second year of school at a local ad agency and got hired once I graduated. Since April, I’ve been freelancing full time under my own business. Every day is a challenge, but in those challenges, you learn something new about yourself and the world around you.

We all start out in different places and sometimes, it feels like the people surrounding us have an edge because of money, natural talent, specialized schooling or a prominent family name. Thankfully, it’s not where you start; it’s where you end up. Some of the most successful people have started out with absolutely nothing. They didn’t let their circumstances hold them back though; just look at Oprah.

I went to public schools, community college, worked retail jobs and and at one point, had many roommates. I always knew that my circumstances were temporary if I wanted them to be. Years before I went to school for graphic design, I had already decided that I wanted to work at an ad agency. When you make a list of goals and are very specific in your wants, the universe has a way of conspiring to make things happen in your favor.

Simply put, you have to make time no matter what to go out and enjoy life. Getting out and engaging with the world enriches your creativity and makes you feel alive. The work / life balance is something that all business owners struggle with. There are times when you have to put your business first and in the process, people around you will view you as being self-centered. It is exceedingly difficult to keep everyone happy as your level of success and responsibilities increase. I’ve had many close personal relationships disintegrate because I was so focused on being successful and what I’ve realized is that no matter how hard you try, you cannot ever make everyone happy. At the end of the day, those who love you will understand (or at least try to).

Just don’t forget to let the people you treasure most know how much you care about them. Even if you can’t always be present, a quick email, phone call or text to let them know you are thinking about them can make a world of difference. Don’t let yourself get so wrapped up in work that your personal relationships begin to slide. What’s the point of success if, in the end, you have nobody to share it with?

One more thing: traveling is easy when you’re a freelancer. Simply pack your laptop, mouse, external hard drive and leave some gaps in your schedule to get your work done!

Start at the beginning. Secure a domain name and server space (I purchase mine through Go Daddy). Take the time to develop a logo for your business. Find a free blog theme (there are thousands of them lurking out there for WordPress, the platform I prefer). If you don’t have the skill set to install the theme, save up and hire it out. Or, customize a free blog on Blogger or another service. Never let your current circumstances get in the way of your future. Nothing great is ever built overnight. It takes time and perseverance.

Everything happens for a reason. Though it may not be clear at the time, when you look back, it will make complete sense. Some of the most intense hardships I’ve gone through have taught me so much about life and about myself. View losing your artwork as a chance to have a clean slate and to reformulate your ideas. You are starting over with more maturity and life experience. The future is completely up to you. You are capable of evolving and creating in a capacity that is still yet to be discovered.

Sometimes, life tests us. It tests us in ways that make us question if our path is really the right one. If you’re sure of what you are doing, don’t give up. Everyone has trials but once you come out on the other side, you’ll realize that these hard times make you appreciate what you have so much more once you reach your goals. If everything was handed to you, would you really appreciate it as much? Trust me, once you make it through these hard times, you will be so proud of yourself. If you feel your inner strength dwindling, remember to take life one day at a time. As cliché as it sounds, put one foot in front of the other and you will eventually get there.

If you are that passionate about art and design, keep working towards your goals. Trust your gut; deep down inside, you’ll know what fulfills you. Sometimes, life circumstances cause our dreams to be put on the back burner but that doesn’t mean that we should give up. In reality, defeat is usually only temporary.

Yes. Set some concrete goals. And, set a timeframe to make your exit. I worked retail jobs all throughout college and went home every night to work on art and design projects. I never thought of a retail job as being negative; it gave me structure and the set hours made it possible for me to make plans after work. I spent those years making three separate art series, went on tour with a band, went out to art openings and concerts and most importantly, made plans for the future. The job you have now is building character. It’s a reminder of what you DON’T want to do with your life. Once you close that chapter and move on, chances are that you will never look back.

Talent is subjective. How good do you want to be? Work towards your goals and dreams every day. Make lists, make plans, formulate your dreams and goals. Seek out a mentor. Write, make art, go back to school if needed and apply for internships. Your life is yours; anything is possible.

One more thing; always save your old work. Once you start looking back at your previous projects, the progress you’ve made will surprise you! Though some people are born with natural talent, most have worked years to fully develop it. The learning never stops.

It’s okay to use school projects in your first portfolio. If you’re still short on work, create self-initiated ones. Do work for family and friends. Do tutorials. Before you know it, you will have a portfolio to share. Portfolios are necessary because they vouch for your skill level and quality of work.

Readers: Do you have any further advice on how to get through to the other side when life throws you a curve ball?

Over the years, I’ve gotten many emails like this one from readers that want to know the secrets of my shoe care:

I just got hold of a very special pair of shoes. They are very limited and beautiful. I know you have a fantastic shoe collection that you get a lot of wear out of, but is there ever a case to be made for not wearing a special pair of shoes? And, how do you take care of a very precious pair while still getting a good amount of wear out of them?

I’m a total shoe fanatic though I am fairly picky about what I buy. When I do add a pair of shoes to my collection, I take steps to make sure that they will last for as long as possible. Though some of the pairs I own are more fragile than others, I’m not a fan of collecting items only to leave them on a shelf to collect dust. Over time, I’ve discovered a few products and modifications that you can do to make your shoes last much longer.

My favorite brand of polish is Collonil Waterstop. The benefit of Waterstop over other polishes is that it has Goretex waterproofer mixed into the formula and a soft sponge applicator. Simply apply it straight from the tube, let it dry and then buff it out to a high shine with an old rag or even better, a horsehair brush.

Superfeet Dressfit insoles won’t make your shoes last longer, but they will add some much needed arch support. I love the Dressfit insoles because they never lose their shape and can be rinsed off when needed. Also, they are three-quarter length so that they don’t take up any precious toe room in dressier shoes. Pinched toes are never in style!

I always take my favorite shoes to the cobbler and have Vibram soles put on the bottoms. A lot of more expensive shoes have leather soles. Leather doesn’t hold up particularly well, especially in the rainy climate where I live. Having a layer of Vibram added not only provides extra traction but also makes the sole last about three times longer in my opinion. I have been doing this for years and on average, you should expect to pay about $40.00 US for this service.

If you own many pairs of shoes that are made of a smooth leather and need a quick fix, nothing works better than Dr. Martens Wonder Balsam. Made of natural oils and waxes, it features a sponge applicator. Simply rub on over scuffs and scratches, let it soak in momentarily and your shoes will be moisturized and gleaming. It goes on clear and works on any color of leather. Genius!

Lastly, if you need your shoes repaired, finding a good cobbler can be a real challenge. Before dropping off your most prized pair of Louboutins, it’s always worth the time to do a little bit of research. A good place to start is by reading reviews on Yelp or Citysearch. In Portland, I absolutely swear by Nob Hill Shoe Repair. They just put the Vibram soles on my Acne Atacoma wedges (above) and have always done impeccable work. In New York, my favorite shoe repair is Alex Shoe Repair, especially for crazy modifications. They’ve put some intense treads on my pointy boots and added eyelets and laces to my Chloe wedges. Best of all, they work super fast.

Readers: Do you have any secret shoe tips and tricks that you swear by?

Often, I receive questions from my readers resembling the one below:

I am a graphic designer that recently graduated and I just got a design job a few weeks ago. Eventually, I hope to be able to freelance. I was wondering how one should go about freelancing. What was your transition like going from working for a company to becoming a freelancer?

Freelancing can be a hugely rewarding experience but it also takes a strong sense of knowing who you are as a designer and where your strengths and weaknesses lie. Looking back, my transition from working full-time to freelancing was about a six month long process. Though I already had my own clients including Virgin Records and Forever 21, it took some serious time to rework my portfolio, resumé and blog. Once these components were updated, I moved on to making appointments with placement agencies and potential clients.

When starting any new business, the first year is usually the hardest. It has the potential to make or break you. You have to be extremely focused and driven; working around the clock should be expected. This is your future, after all!

Below, I’ve compiled a list of tips to help you navigate the often murky waters of freelancing.

Before you jump into the world of freelancing, remember the golden rule: NEVER put all of your eggs in one basket. As a freelancer, do not depend on one source for all of your income. At some point in your career, you’re bound to hit a snag and lose a client; don’t let your business crumble because of it! I am incredibly lucky that I have never had to do a pitch to gain potential clients. I’ve always made it a point to diversify my clients into three areas and because of this, the work has been very consistent. The three areas are as follows:

01. Personal Clients. My personal clients find me via word of mouth or through my blog and contact me directly.

02. Ad Agencies. A few local agencies are familiar with my work and if they are in need of help in the studio, they give me a call. Sometimes, it’s just for a day while other engagements can stretch on for weeks at a time.

03. Placement Agencies. It is always helpful to have your portfolio on file at as many placement agencies as possible. The agencies are a fantastic resource because they WANT to help you to find work. I work closely with three agencies in Portland and New York. All of my agents are super friendly and call or meet with me on a regular basis. Agents are also a great resource for a recommendation if you land an interview since they tend to be on a first-name basis with many of the best firms and ad agencies in your city.

There are other ways of branching out to find work as well including searching freelance job boards and Craigslist, but I don’t have direct experience in either to vouch for the results. Use at your own risk!

There are probably a million other freelancers out there. What makes you stand apart from the competition? Look and act like you mean business and have a clean, well executed portfolio. A solid web presence helps, too. Make sure you have a print and PDF version of your resumé and portfolio readily available. Need some tips? Seven Tips for Creating a Print-Based Portfolio can help!

Though most of my freelance work is generated through working at local ad agencies and taking on my own clients, I also keep my portfolio on file with a few placement agencies. The bottom line is this: if your portfolio is solid and you have a non-abrasive personality, you will get called. Remember to keep your agent in the loop by letting them know when you’ve updated your work.

Placement agencies are noticeably different in every city. In Portland, the agents really want to get to know you. They slowly flip through your book and ask questions about your background, what your strengths are and where you’ve worked. It’s a very intimate, one-on-one meeting. The goal of these longer meetings is to make sure that they find the right fit for you work-wise. The agents know that if you’re happy, you will more than likely make their clients happy and they will want to keep you around.

On the other hand, in New York, it took me longer to fill out an application than my entire meeting. I walked into a well-known placement agency this August and after a quick handshake, the agent flipped through my book so fast that I had to stop her repeatedly to point out various accomplishments. I secretly wondered if she’d even noticed half of it. But, those New Yorkers have a sharp eye. They really are all-knowing. After closing my book, she got up, raced across the office and within five minutes, I had agents offering to pitch me to Showtime, The Food Network, and perhaps best of all, for an art director position at a rap mogul’s ad agency. My mind was boggled. New York, I love you!

If you get offered a fantastic paying job that happens to not be part of your core skill set, it is better to pass versus taking it on, disappointing a client and never getting called again. If the client is looking for a retoucher and you usually spend your days designing logos, ask yourself if it is a good fit not only for you, but for them. I’ve turned down a job to create iPhone icons and days later, picked up another that involved a type-based project for the Wall Street Journal. Never feel bad for saying no; there is always more work lurking around the corner.

This is all common sense but is worth repeating. If you’re freelancing at an agency, show up at the predetermined time. If you’re running late (this happens to everyone at some point), call ahead and let them know when they can expect you. Bring the necessities; some things that I always carry with me are pens, snacks, headphones and a notebook full of tutorials and key commands.

In a way, as a freelancer, you are the equivalent of a guest staying at someone’s house. You are welcome, but don’t overstep your boundaries. Leave your space in the same condition that it was in when you arrived.

First impressions are everything. Though talent is important, personality plays a huge part in getting call-backs. You may be the most amazing freelancer ever, but if you don’t work well with others and are argumentative, people will notice. Remember that you’re getting paid to complete a job, not to change the world!

When I am freelancing, I am never afraid to ask a question. It is ALWAYS better to ask and get clarification than to jump in, accidentally overwrite important documents, screw up someone’s files or waste valuable time in general. Asking a question doesn’t make you look like an idiot. On the contrary, it should be viewed as an affirmation that you are committed to getting the job done right the first time.

If you’re freelancing at an agency, always check in and thank them at the end of the day. Once you’re finished, let your contact know where your finished work is located and thank them for calling you in. It’s okay to reach out and ask if they need any further help at that time as well.

Once your work is complete, as a freelancer, it is usually your responsibility to bill the client. If you don’t invoice them, you don’t get paid. Your rate is based on a multitude of factors including your level of experience, your skill set and how desperate you are for work (let’s be honest!).

Remember to ask who is in charge of payments and forward them a copy of your invoice. Items that you may want to include on your invoice are the number of hours you worked, the dates you worked, your rate, the client or job description, an invoice number, the total and perhaps most importantly, your contact information along with a mailing address.

For more freelancing information, I highly recommend reading Freelance Switch, Freelance Feed and Guerrilla Freelancing. And, How To Be A Graphic Designer, Without Losing Your Soul by Adrian Shaughnessey is full of timeless advice, much of which can be directly related to freelancing.

Readers: Are any of you freelancers? How long have you been freelancing? What do you enjoy about it? What have been your best, most rewarding experiences? What have been your worst?

I’ve been re-reading one of my favorite books of all time, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill and in the second chapter on desire, there is a method called Six Ways to Turn Desires into Gold. As I was reading, I realized that replacing the word money with success made a compelling plan to achieve the goals you set forth. See for yourself:

Fix in your mind the exact amount of success you desire. It is not sufficient merely to say “I want plenty of success.” Be definite as to the amount.

Determine exactly what you intend to give in return for the success you desire. (There is no such reality as “something for nothing.”)

Establish a definite date when you intend to possess the success you desire.

Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire, and begin at once, whether you are ready or not, to put this plan into action.

Write out a clear, concise statement of the amount of success you intend to acquire, name the time limit for its acquisition, state what you intend to give in return for the success, and describe clearly the plan through which you intend to accumulate it.

Read your written statement aloud, twice daily, once before retiring at night, and once after arising in the morning. As you read – see and feel and believe yourself already in the possession of the success.

These steps are so basic and really are the basis for achieving any goal. Yet, we so often make excuses and claim that we are too busy. Today is the day to define the path that you’d like to take and outline a concrete plan to make it happen.

Many years ago, I received The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho as a gift. Admittedly, I was aprehensive about reading it since I am not a fan of fiction. Usually, I much prefer titles that revolve around the topics of business and self help that I can directly apply to improving myself and my career.

Yet, I picked up The Alchemist and began reading. And, I realized that there was magic locked inside the pages, just waiting to get out. If you’re struggling with your life’s purpose and holding onto a safety net instead of following the signs that have been set out before you, this book can help you break free.

In the introduction of The Alchemist, Coelho states that “We who fight for our dream suffer far more when it doesn’t work out, because we cannot fall back on the old excuse: “Oh well, I really didn’t want it anyway.” We do want it and know that we have staked everything on it and that the path of personal calling is no easier than any other path, except that our whole heart is in this journey. Then, we warriors of light must be prepared to have patience in difficult times and to know that that the Universe is conspiring in our favor, even though we may not understand how.” Coelho continues on and asks aloud:

You may be wondering, as Coelho does why it is so important to live out our personal calling if we are going to suffer more than other people. He explains that “Because, once we have overcome the defeats – and we always do – we are filled with a greater sense of euphoria and confidence. In the silence of our hearts, we are proving ourselves worthy of the miracle of life. Each day, each hour is part of the good fight. We start to live with enthusiasm and pleasure. Intense, unexpected suffering passes more quickly than suffering that is apparently bearable.”

Santiago, a young shepherd boy has everything he needs; a loyal herd of sheep along with enough food and water. And, he has a fairly consistent existence. But, he feels like there is more out there to discover; there is more to explore in the world. He keeps having a recurring dream of finding treasure near the pyramids but right before finding the exact location, he always wakes up.

So begins a journey full of chance encounters, omens, and meetings with a king, gypsy, monk, an alchemist and more as he tries to uncover a deeper purpose and meaning in his life; his Personal Legend. These signs from the universe come often and he always listens. And, by listening, he sometimes loses everything he owns but quickly gains back more than he started with. He gets robbed, works in a crystal shop, crosses the desert, discovers the love of his life in an oasis and nearly loses his life multiple times but his life is so much richer than the predictable existence he had before.

As he crosses the desert, the boy strikes up a conversation with one of the camel drivers. He relays that “People need not fear the unknown if they are capable of achieving what they need and want. We are afraid of losing what we have, whether it’s our life or our possessions and property. But this fear evaporates when we understand that our life stories and the history of the world were written by the same hand.”

Sometimes in our lives, we get signs; things happen that we cannot explain. We can choose to listen or to ignore them. In the last few weeks, I have received many signs and instead of brushing them off as I normally would, I am keeping myself open. Events have happened that I cannot fully explain and by accepting them, I am searching for clarity and a deeper meaning.

In life, we are faced with many obstacles and road blocks but one thing I’ve learned is to never shut yourself off. Keep an open mind and an open heart. Have hope even when everything seems hopeless. The power of positive thought can do amazing things.

Allow yourself to find your purpose. Along the way, the journey you will encounter will remind you of why you’re alive in the first place. As the Alchemist says, “If a person is living out his Personal Legend, he knows everything he needs to know. There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.”

We all have a Personal Legend that is waiting to be discovered. Paulo Coelho, the author of The Alchemist didn’t write his first book until the age of 38. Hold on, have faith and see where life takes you.

Readers: Have you received signs in the past and followed them? What was the outcome?

As creatives, this is something that we all ponder. It is scary putting your work on a platform that can be instantly viewed and accessed by the entire world. It takes a level of trust and confidence in yourself and your work as well because not everyone is going to like or to appreciate what you do. To contrast this, a few people will like your work so much that they will want to steal it.

But remember that you aren’t doing yourself any favors by staying hidden in the shadows. Consistent exposure will help people remember who you are and what you do the next time they’re in the market for a designer. My motto has always been “It doesn’t matter how good you are if nobody knows how to find you.” At some point, you have to let go of the reigns and show the world what you’re all about.

It all of this makes you highly uncomfortable, that’s okay. Aim for an agency, in-house or print shop job instead and stay away from the internet.

I have a unique stance on sharing work on the internet because as a freelancer, I am very much dependent on showing what I do with the hopes of gaining new clients. My client list, reputation and portfolio are all important factors that weigh heavily with me earning their trust. Potential clients need visual proof that I am proficient in the areas that I claim to be. The only way to get this point across is through openly sharing my work. And, the more new work I do, the more I have to share. The more I share, the stronger my portfolio and reputation become. The stronger my portfolio and reputation become, the more clients I gain. Staying positive and focused on creation really does pay off.

To me, there are very few negatives associated with sharing my work online. Sure, people may want to steal my work. But, I am constantly working on new projects (though many have yet to be be seen because they are client-sensitive or in production). The bottom line is this; only share what you personally feel comfortable with. If you are confident with what you do, having people pilfer your work from years ago seems downright laughable because you’re always moving forward. You’re onto bigger and better things, refusing to live off your past successes alone.

Sharing is almost always positive. We all learn new things from viewing others’ work. Embrace it and chances are, great things will transpire.

Readers: What is your view on sharing your work online? Have you had your work stolen?

On September 14th, I caught a cab to the West Village for a meeting that I had been excitedly anticipating for months. Jordan Crane, a Creative Director at the legendary agency Wolff Olins had agreed to let me interview him for my blog. As I made my way into their New York headquarters on Varrick Street, I was immediately drawn to the simplicity of their workspace. Modern and white-walled, the office projects a feeling of accessibility and utilitarianism.

Wolff Olins was founded in London in 1965 by designer Michael Wolff and advertising executive Wally Olins and is responsible for many of the most recognizable branding efforts around the world. One of the company’s first assignments was developing the brand that became Apple Corps, the Beatles’ record label. You may also recognize the work that they recently did for up&up, Target’s new private label brand. They also created the NYC branding campaign and the London 2012 Olympics logo.

In preparation for our meeting, I had written up a set questions for Jordan to answer (many of which were based on your suggestions). What I immediately liked about Jordan is that even at his level, he is extremely approachable and candid. We began our meeting by talking about how he got his start in the design industry and amazingly enough, his initial answer was, “It just happened.”

Jordan has always been into art and screen printing and often, friends would ask him to design posters for shows. He carved out his path as a designer along the way without a master plan in mind. Instead, he crisscrossed the country, working at a multitude of agencies in big cities and making connections along the way.

I was really curious about Jordan’s opinion about going to school for design since many of us have wondered if it is really necessary. Though he knows many successful self-taught designers, Jordan relayed the sound advice that if you can afford college, you should go for it. A chance to be educated and to better ourselves should never be turned down if the opportunity arises.

As designers, isn’t the ultimate goal to change the world in some way with our designs? Jordan feels that the most rewarding part of working at an agency as well-known as Wolff Olins is knowing what you design matters. When you think about it, seeing the NYC logo zoom past you on the side of a cab or walking into Target and picking a product off the shelf that you designed the packaging for must feel pretty surreal.

I asked Jordan what the biggest pitfall he sees new designers make and was surprised by his answer. He said that they’re too quick to turn on a computer to solve a problem and turning to technology isn’t always the immediate solution. There are so many other ways to do so and we need to learn to work with our hands, to take walks, to flip through books and magazines and to take a fresh approach to problem solving.

With the abundance of software and information that designers now encounter, I (along with many of you) often contemplate whether it’s valuable to be a jack of all trades versus specializing in a particular area. Jordan’s answer once again was very simple yet poignant: “There’s no point in going to work every day if you’re not happy.” When you think about it, if you loathe coding or branding or packaging design, why would you force yourself to go through the motions? Not only does this mindset make you unhappy but it affects everyone around you.

Working in an agency setting can be intense and stressful when you’re up against deadlines and the last thing you want to encounter is a grumpy, dissatisfied coworker. What you choose to learn should be completely dependent on you as a person. Passion shows. Don’t go through the process just to please those around you. Make yourself happy first and the positive mindset will trickle down.

Many of you wondered what qualities an agency looks for in new hires. Jordan looks for people with a sense of excitement, a passion for exploration and a great personality. There’s a balance between having the best portfolio and skill set versus being a likable person. In Jordan’s eyes, “Great designers that are great people” are ideal candidates.

Finally, I wanted to dig a little deeper into Jordan’s story. With the amount of talented designers in the world, it’s not easy to reach the level of a creative director at a top agency. I wanted to know what steps he took over the years to get to where he is. There was no simple answer but rather a unique combination of ingredients that brought him to his current position.

First and foremost, it was a process of making friends and networking within the agencies he worked at. Jordan worked all over the country and in 1999, he made a website for a deejay. A lady who saw it gave him a call and they became fast friends. She then ended up working alongside him at various agencies. Over the next few years, Jordan built a solid portfolio and began freelancing at Wolff Olins. After a few months, he was hired as a senior designer and began his ascent to the creative director position.

Having the chance to interview Jordan was amazing because there are so many questions that we have as designers; very rarely do we get to go straight to the top and get them answered.

When I was still in school, working at an agency felt so far out of reach. The established agencies in New York seemed like a lifetime away; I imagined them as being completely untouchable. Now that I’ve seen the inside of Wolff Olins and met some of their employees, everything feels much more accessible. When you think about it, nobody sets limits on what we can do but ourselves.

The biggest lesson I took away from our meeting is that is doesn’t matter where you start out as a designer. It’s up to you to carve your own path and to build a career that is satisfying. You are the only person that can make yourself happy. And, shouldn’t that be your goal at the end of the day?

This is a bold statement, but building a portfolio is quite tricky because everyone seems to have a differing opinion on how it should be done. Building a portfolio is about showcasing your work and therefore, it should be an expression of your personality and design style.

Most online articles tend to offer advice on just web-based portfolios. I’ve found that information addressing print portfolios is sorely lacking even though many design programs still require them to graduate.

Though PDF and web-based portfolios are becoming more acceptable, I still believe that nothing takes the place of a well-executed print portfolio that a potential client or employer can physically hold and flip through during a meeting.

What steps can you take to make your print portfolio your absolute best?

Get as much professional work in your portfolio as soon as possible. It’s never too early to start seeking freelance clients. As soon as you feel comfortable with your skill level, hit the pavement. I did a massive magazine project a year before I went to school for design and landed a freelance job from Virgin Records in my second semester. The work gained from these two clients helped me get my first internship.

I’ve now been out of school for about a year and in that time, I have replaced nearly every class-initiated project with client work. Showcasing client work in your portfolio projects a level of expertise and professionalism. It demonstrates that you are able to work in the real world with companies who have actual deadlines and budgets. Client work implies that you can handle feedback on your work while delivering solid results.

Invest in a format that you’re passionate about. Most designers stick with a standard portfolio cover and fill their ‘book’ with printed pages of work but I’ve heard of others who create a set of cards (with their work mounted on heavyweight paper) and some even take it a step further, designing handmade books. Custom-made cases and personalized portfolio covers are also legitimate options. The sky’s the limit.

For the last year, I’ve been using a white glossy acrylic 11 x 17 portfolio cover from Office and I absolutely love it. The simplicity, durability and expandability all played prominently into my decision to go with this format.

No matter your concept, keep in mind that your interviewer usually has a limited amount of time. Don’t make your portfolio so complicated that it becomes a nuissance. Remember that the overall goal is to keep the focus firmly on your work.

Limit the number of projects that you choose to showcase. There is varying feedback on the maximum number of pieces that should be included in a print portfolio and many designers are encouraged show no more than 6 to 10 of their best projects. I usually try to keep the number as close to 10 as possible but I am not afraid to go over this amount if I feel that a project is a must-see (though, it should be noted that most of my projects take up only one page).

If you keep your descriptions short and concise when showing your book and flip through at a consistent pace, a potential employer usually won’t mind a few extra projects (as long as they’re good). Test yourself: can you flip through your book and describe each project in a total of 10 to 15 minutes? If not, revise.

As you gain more clients and a wider variety of work, it becomes harder to narrow down the amount of pieces that you feel are worthy of inclusion. Just use common sense and don’t go overboard; I’ve seen student portfolios that had upwards of 40 pages!

If you haven’t had many actual clients yet, it’s okay to take on low paying or even unpaid projects in areas that you need work in to fill out your portfolio.

Simple Layouts are Good. When you’re building your first portfolio, it’s understandable that you’ll want to show off how awesome your work is. But, I suggest that you keep the focus on the actual work, not on the portfolio.

These pages are from my 11 x 17 print portfolio. An emphasis is placed on typography in the opening pages since this is one of my main interests but the page layouts of work are always white with descriptions limited to a few sentences at the bottom.

The pieces that you’ve chosen to showcase should speak for themselves; keep flourishes, gradients, drop shadows, patterned backgrounds and textures to a minimum.

Create an order that works for you. This is another area where everyone has a differing opinion but you really have to weigh what’s right for your needs; go with your gut instinct. Creating an order usually begins with selecting two of your strongest pieces to begin and end with. The middle should be ordered in a way that creates an interesting mix through varying color schemes, styles and formats.

Though, when building a portfolio, don’t be afraid to break the rules. A few months back, I had a meeting with a designer that I really admire. She had some interesting advice about how a portfolio should create a vision. Her idea revolved around beginning with flat, 2-D based work (such as print design and logos) building to interactive, web-based work and ending with 3-D based work (packaging design, retail displays, etc.) Though this advice won’t necessarily work for everyone, it’s always interesting to hear a new perspective.

Get feedback. Before taking your portfolio out into the world for interviews and client meetings, have a handful of people that you trust flip through it and ask for honest (yet constructive) feedback. Though, this is where your gut feeling comes into play once again.

I’ve had reviews on the same day where one professional offered me work on the spot while another had a laundry list of changes that I should make. You know your work better than anyone else so it’s up to you to decide which feedback you should take (and leave).

Accept that your portfolio is never really finished. Think of your portfolio as a constant work in progress. There is always something that can be improved upon, even if it’s freshly printed. In the last three months alone, I’ve made three rounds of revisions.

Once you have a solid layout and order of work that you’re proud of, the updates come much more easily. Consistently add in new client work, self-initiated projects that show off a new skill set, projects that you’ve reworked, updated (improved) product photos and refined descriptions.

In Closing. Everyone will have an opinion about your portfolio but it’s up to you to filter this information and then do what suits your work best. When you walk into a room for an interview, your confidence about what you’ve created has to shine through. A portfolio is about your vision as a designer, not anyone else’s.

We can be our own worst critics and feel that our portfolios are never good enough. But in truth, as a designer, your job is never finished. Even when you hand a final project over to a client for approval, you’re probably still making changes in your mind, questioning what you could have improved upon. A portfolio can be the same way but at some point, you have to learn to let go.

You have to accept your portfolio for what it is while having a vision of what it will (eventually) be. Take a deep breath and let it venture out into the world, for better or worse. As you grow, it has the potential to grow with you. Each project, each internship, each job should be viewed as a stepping stone to an even better portfolio.

Portfolio Resources.

• Office has an amazingly comprehensive website of portfolio options. My personal favorites are by Pina Zangaro. They even have portfolio covers in bamboo!

• Bryony and Armin of Under Consideration are working on a book all about portfolios!!!

They recently announced that “For our next big project we have decided to focus on a subject that is the cause of both stress and excitement for want-to-be-employees and employers: Portfolios. The book will explore best practices in putting the physical portfolio together — not the work itself — and achieving the best presentation possible. The book will feature case studies of portfolios as well as insight from people that review portfolios about what they expect as well as insight from those presenting.”

• Mark Bowley has penned an excellent article on preparing and talking about your design portfolio.

• I never get tired of reading Michael Beirut’s May I Show You My Portfolio? in which he gives us a peek at the actual contents of his portfolio, circa 1979. Good stuff.

Your Turn: If you’re a designer, do you have a print portfolio? What format do you use? How many pieces have you included?

Over the last few months, I’ve had quite a few shorter questions rolling in that don’t warrant a full post so I’ve compiled them all in one place!

I was wondering if you have any thoughts on using first person language (I, me, my) for sponsorship decks and media kits? I am developing one for my blog right now and it feels unnatural to write about my own blog in the third person.

That’s a great question! Personally, I usually prefer the use of first person language. It really depends on the situation but constantly using third person language when addressing yourself and your blog to others can come across as cold and overly formal. That’s not a bad thing when you’re running a massive corporation but when it comes to many bloggers, freelancers and artists, we do almost everything ourselves. Being very hands-on in the development means that we know our businesses inside and out. I want my blog and design business to seem approachable and accessible to potential clients and advertisers; I feel that first person language helps to achieve this. There is no right or wrong answer regarding first versus third person language; it really comes down to a personal preference and what you feel most comfortable with.

I’m thinking of offering custom portrait illustrations on Etsy. I’ve noticed that when I send someone an image and they save it, the image goes fuzzy. I save my illustrations at 300 dpi and have tried both jpg and png formats. Where I am going wrong?

For professional work, I would try out a TIFF format instead. Though the file size is much larger and may be too big to send through email, Wikipedia says that “the ability to store image data in a lossless format makes a TIFF file a useful image archive, because, unlike standard JPEG files, a TIFF file using lossless compression (or none) may be edited and re-saved without losing image quality.” Read more about the TIFF format here.

I was wondering where I could find an interesting 2009 diary. My old one is running out as it is a financial year one. All of the ones available now are generic and boring. I am probably looking for something I can order in as I live in Australia. Any thoughts?

I admit to being completely biased in this area. Moleskines are my absolute favorites (I have stacks & stacks & stacks of them) and though they’re not necessarily the most interesting on the outside, isn’t it what you put on the inside that really counts? The paper has a perfectly smooth surface and there is also a hidden pocket in the back of each Moleskine which is perfect for stashing business cards and notes. The Moleskine website has a special section dedicated to just planners.

For more daring options, check out this list from Jonze Design.

As a freelance designer, if you had to decide between an iMac and a MacBook Pro to do all of your work on, which would you choose?

This is totally dependent on your situation. If you’re a freelancer that’s still a student, I would invest in a laptop. Dashing between school, an internship, home and client meetings, a MacBook Pro will make impromptu pitches and presentations much easier.

If you’re a freelancer that’s finished with school, I would recommend an iMac. The monitor size will make it much easier to see what you’re doing. When you’re working on huge client projects, a higher level of detail and accuracy is necessary.

From a personal standpoint, I only use my laptop for writing, doing research and surfing the net. Everything else is done while sitting at an iMac.

What are your favorite print/design magazines?

I have to be honest here; I don’t read many design magazines because I get my fix online with the dozens of design blogs that I subscribe to but two of my favorites are Grafik and Print.

I do read many fashion magazines on a regular basis though. They include V, Elle, W, Marie Claire, Lucky, Lula and NYLON.

Have a question?
Ask Nubby.

I have always wanted to be a graphic designer and everyone tells me that I would be good at it but I live in a smallish town and wouldn’t know where to get started. Any advice?

If you’re passionate about design and are determined to be a graphic designer, you’ll find a way to carve out a path and to make it happen. There’s always a way to overcome the obstacles that you may have; sometimes it just takes a little bit of planning coupled with a creative strategy.

If you live in a small town, you might have to work harder to find the resources, but I can assure you that they are there if you’re willing to dig. I was once in the same position as you. I grew up in the suburbs outside of Portland and my high school was surrounded by farms and nurseries. Inside, the sixties-era library was literally frozen in time. I was lucky because we had a great art program but beyond that, in 1999 graphic design wasn’t nearly as digitized as it is today. The graphic design class (which is ironically the only art class I never took) was still using rub-on letters for layouts and little time was spent on the two Macs in the back of the classroom.

I didn’t have any mentors and the only bits of design-related knowledge I could find were hidden in dusty library books. I had to dig to find these small glimmers of design, but once I did, they inspired new visions of what was possible outside of my small town.

If you plan on attending school for design, keep your options open. Design is very subjective and the programs vary widely. It’s possible to go to school for two, four and even six years on the subject and your needs and goals will help you determine what is right for you.

After some research, I chose a two year, limited-entry program at a local community college. Though big schools are great and can offer you a totally different experience, I chose this option because it met my specific needs in a number of areas:

The expense. Community college is so much more affordable. My brother went to the premier art school in Portland and my entire two years of schooling cost less than half of one year of his.

Previous experience. I didn’t want (or need) another four year degree. I already had a degree in business and didn’t find it necessary to have two. I was determined to get the skills that I needed in the least amount of time possible and in my experience so far, most design jobs judge you on the quality of your portfolio anyway.

Scheduling. What I like about community colleges is that they’re set up for the real world. I had to work full time during my schooling and the university schedules that I looked at weren’t geared for that mentality.

Small class size. The program I attended had less than 25 students. We spent both years together and developed really strong bonds while receiving a lot of one-on-one attention that I don’t think would be as easy to gain in a larger program.

A community college turned out to be the right decision for me but your needs might warrant a different option. To find a school that is right for you, make a list of your top choices. It’s okay to dream big since this is still the research stage. Think about how much debt you’re realistically willing to incur, if you’re okay with relocation, if you’re going to need a schedule that is flexible for working and if the curriculum of the program fits your focus (print, web design, video, etc.)

Once you’ve developed a list of desirable schools, visit their websites and request program information. If it interests you, set up a meeting with an advisor or the head of the program. I strongly feel that this initial interaction will give you valuable insight if the school is right for you.

To avoid wasting time and money on a program that might not be a good fit, ask yourself some key questions. Are you being treated respectfully by the school’s staff? Are they open and willing to answer your questions? Are there examples of student work from the program that you can view? Do you feel comfortable with the time commitment that the program requires?

One fateful day in 2006, I met with the head of a design program at a well-known university and was scolded for showing up early(!) and told that many of my credits wouldn’t fully transfer, even though they were for very basic courses. It was obvious by his demeanor that he felt that he had better things to do with his time than to meet with a potential student. I left feeling that I wouldn’t be comfortable handing over a huge sum of money to spend up to four years in this guy’s presence and immediately contacted the head of the community college program that I later attended. The interaction was the exact opposite; informative, warm and encouraging. I was so impressed with the conversation that I immediately applied.

Once you’ve been accepted into a school, there are some key things that you can do to prepare yourself before the first day arrives.

Subscribe to some design blogs. Design is becoming more democratic every day thanks to blogs. Some of my personal favorites include Design Observer, the archives of Speak Up, Brand New, Swiss Miss, I Love Typography and Grain Edit.

Budget for a few key design books. The assortment of books that you choose will depend on your focus but some of the titles that I have found to be the most valuable include The Elements of Typographic Style, Helvetica: Homage to a Typeface and Graphic Idea Notebook: A Treasury of Solutions to Visual Problems. When crunch time for a school or work project hits, it’s always nice to have your own trusted little library of design books tucked away!

Subscribe to Lynda.com or try new tutorials. Lynda.com is an affordable online library of thousands of video tutorials that can assist you with keeping your skills current. I’ve subscribed in the past and have had fantastic results.

Online tutorials are a dime a dozen and it’s going to be a process of trial and error to find the really good ones. If you have the time though, it’s worth the search to pick up new skills for free.

If your dreams of school are still in the distant future, it’s never too early to get started on your career path. To learn more about design and to decide if it’s right for you, find a mentor or a club. Part of the reason it took me so long to finally go to school for design is that I didn’t have anyone to look up to or to encourage me to do so. If I’d had a mentor, I feel that I would have been on the path much earlier. If you have an art teacher, friend or maybe a contact at a local agency that can answer your questions and help you navigate the profession, it will make a world of difference. If that’s not an option, make AIGA your new best friend. It has an overwhelming amount of useful information related to design and is constantly being updated with fresh content.

With a little bit of research, a dash of talent and a lot of hard work, you’ll be well on your way to a hugely rewarding career in design.

Last week, I posted One Year Out of Design School: 10 Valuable Lessons. This week I am following up with a list of indispensable insight that I’ve gathered over the last few years from a combination of sources including clients, designers, school, agencies and freelance work.

If a client immediately loves everything that you’ve done, there’s still room for improvement. It does occasionally happen and it’s the best feeling in the world when you receive positive affirmations based on something that you created. Though it is a huge ego boost, you’re not perfect. Get feedback from a few peers and then take it a step further.

If you work for yourself, find a surrogate art director. It’s awesome working at an agency because you usually have an art director at your disposal that can provide immediate feedback. But if you work at home and are left to your own devices, the outcome can be dangerous! Find someone that you can trust to give you brutally honest feedback. I am blessed that my boyfriend and my brother are both designers so I try to have them review my work before I send it out. Nine times out of ten, they have a suggestion that takes the piece from good to great.

Don’t take negative feedback too personally. If a client isn’t excited about what you’re presenting, ask for some honest, constructive feedback and build off of it. Clear up any misunderstandings, but don’t get defensive. After all, if they’re paying you, they’re entitled to an opinion. Stand your ground if you think that something’s not right but also listen.Take some time to process the information and then present a revision. If you’ve given it your best shot and are confident with the output but they still don’t like it, at least you have some peace of mind knowing that you did your personal best.

Winning new work is hard work. I’ve been incredibly lucky (my biggest clients including Forever 21 and Virgin contacted me directly) but this is not always the case. There will be times when you have to pitch against a handful of other designers and convince the client that you’re the best option. It may be tedious and lacking in compensation, but if you win the work, you’ll know that you’ve got something that the client wants. You’re officially the teacher’s pet for a fleeting moment!

Clean and simple does not equal boring. When I was first starting out, I felt that I needed to prove that I could design. This meant adding in extra flourishes, brushes and layers of things that, looking back, were totally unnecessary. As you get more comfortable with your style and receive more training through school, internships and jobs you’ll realize that there’s no need to shout from the mountaintops, “Look what I did!” The work will speak for itself.

Design that looks effortless is usually an illusion. You see something that looks so simple and think, “I could do that!” Then you get started and realize that it isn’t so easy. It takes some serious skills to get that effortless look! The colors, the kerning, the negative space and the type choices all contribute to the outcome.

Accept the fact that not everyone will like your work. Design is subjective and so are people’s opinions. I’ve had times where on the very same day, one viewer of my portfolio offered me work on the spot while another had a laundry list of changes that I should make. As long as you’re content with your output, that’s all that matters at the end of the day. Remember that if you’re making everyone happy, then you’re doing something wrong.

Everything should have a purpose. More, more, more isn’t always better. Don’t add more elements just because. By adding, ask yourself what you’re you taking away.

Learn from those that came before you. Technology has dramatically changed the landscape of graphic design and the ‘old schoolers’ have so much to teach us! I’ve never had to use french curves or rub-on letters by choice. By watching established designers from previous generations use unique their skill sets and tools, it opens us up to a new way of thinking.

If you want to break the rules, you need to learn them first. This advice from a fellow designer is what made me decide to go to school for design in the first place.

I graduated with my graphic design degree last June and since it’s been almost one year, I thought I’d share the 10 most valuable lessons that I’ve learned so far.

In the beginning, it’s okay to take on low paying jobs. During school, I did a ton of freelance. I took on nearly every job that was offered to me including work from Virgin Records and followed that up with some small logo comissions. If you feel that there’s some valuable portfolio pieces and knowledge to be gained from a lower paying job, by all means take it. I wouldn’t recommend working for free though. Your schooling and talent should be worth at least some compensation!

The connections that you make early in your career will take you far. I still keep in touch with former classmates, teachers and even people who’ve reviewed my portfolio. Every person that you meet in the design industry knows someone else and you never know when an opportunity will arise.

Never feel like you’re too good to take on smaller jobs. There’s always something to be gained, even in the most minute task. Even if you’ve had a high powered job and end up at another employer later on in an entry-level position, use that time to demonstrate your work ethic. Set up some time to bring your portfolio by the art director’s / owner’s desk after you’ve been there awhile to show them what you’re really made of. Perseverance pays off.

Never be afraid to ask for help. If you can’t figure out how to perform a design task or how to work the printer, it’s always better to ask for help than to screw up. Most designers were in your shoes once and they are usually more than willing to give you a hand.

Work on something design-related every day. Whether you have a design job or not, make the time and put in the effort. I wake up before 7 a.m. every day and read design blogs, work with type, do freelance and blog. It keeps me fresh and up on current happenings.

Do design because you can’t imagine doing anything else. Don’t do it for the money.

Turn negatives into positives. If you can’t find a design-related job right away, do the research and start your own business. If you get terrible feedback on a project, redo it and prove the nay-sayers wrong. You are in control of your output. Make it the absolute best that you can.

Don’t burn your bridges. If you have a bad experience with a client or a job, never share it publicly. Everyone gets burned during their careers but it always pays to take the high road. The design community is way smaller than you think. Get the negativity out of your system privately with someone you trust and move on.

Unpaid internships can be valuable. If you get an amazing internship opportunity but it’s unpaid, consider the trade-off. Is the experience that you gain worth your time? Can you afford it? In the case of my internship, I was also working full-time and living on my own, so I was upfront about my situation. In this economy, it’s going to be much harder to find paid internships, but it never hurts to ask if monetary compensation is available.

There’s no way that you can possibly know everything right out of school. You’ll make mistakes. Sometimes, they’ll be big ones. You’ll get embarrassed. It’s okay. Apologize, learn from them and move on. It’s not the end of the world.

In The Beginning: Nubbytwiglet.com, Fall 2007

Blogging isn’t easy. Though the internet is overflowing with how-to articles and more advice than anyone needs, the truth is that there’s not a proven formula to gaining notoriety. Rather, here are some concepts to consider, whether you’re new to blogging or have been at it for years:

If you’re seeking a massive readership, you’ve got a long road ahead of you, considering that there are over 100 million blogs out there.

With many niches already at saturation point, the one thing that you can do to stand out from your competition is to offer a unique perspective. How? Start by simply asking yourself “What makes my perspective unique and interesting?” You should be able to easily rattle off a list of ways that your blog differs from its nearest competitors. This cannot be stressed enough. If you’re presenting a carbon copy of someone else’s theme, personal style, voice and aesthetics, it can be a huge turn-off and readers will usually default back to the originator.

When making a list of what encapsulates your unique perspective, it can be super simple or totally outlandish. It may be as straightforward as finding your unique voice. Do you have an uncanny knack for ‘keeping it real’ that people admire? Or, maybe you have an awe-inspiring job (International Playgirl, anyone?). What about an amazing collection of shoes? Or, perhaps you possess a treasure trove of thousands of MP3s and an inside look at the music business. Play up your uniqueness and make the most of what you’ve got.

Blog because you’re passionate about your subject matter and about sharing what you know. Blogging for the sole purpose of gains (monetary and otherwise) won’t get you very far. To receive whatever it is that you’re after, it’s only fair that you’re willing to give something in return. Being completely self-absorbed and not offering your readers anything of genuine value will get old fast.

What can you give? Consider sharing advice about your profession or how to earn an education in a similar field as your own. Maybe you’re skilled at painting, drawing, knitting or another hobby and can share the outcomes of your projects along with tutorials. Do you possess a unique fashion sense? Share it with the world and inspire people as they’re getting dressed in the morning! Are you a brilliant writer? Share your experiences and offer your readers advice.

Besides offering content that no one else has, unique columns also add structure to your blog. If you keep a regular schedule, it helps readers to know what to expect on certain days. I’ve developed quite a few including The Typofiles (Tuesdays), Ask Nubby (occasional Wednesdays), What I Wore (twice a week), Link Love (Thursdays), The Week In Pictures (Fridays) and more that are all listed here.

Post content at regular intervals (but don’t post just because). Figure out a schedule that works for you and your lifestyle. Personally, I am happy with posting five to six days a week, but if three times a week works for you, that is fine. Be relentless with the schedule that you set for yourself. Posting a week straight and then disappearing for a month without a mention of why comes across as flaky and makes you seem undependable. We all get busy and we all have lives to live. The bottom line is this: don’t set yourself up for an unrealistic schedule that you can’t keep. Set your expectations while keeping time constraints and other commitments in mind.

Share what you love and always remember to link to it. Giving link love is one of the best ways to support those you admire while gaining authority from other blogs that share your links.

I know so many people that want to blog, but are holding out until their theme is perfect, until their prewritten articles have reached a certain number and until they’ve gotten their niche and elevator pitch perfectly crafted. While preparation is great, perfection is impossible. Waiting isn’t doing you any favors. Think of the content and amount of readers that you would have now if your blog had gone live in its imperfect state six months ago. Two years into Nubbytwiglet.com, I’m still making tiny changes on weekly basis. And, there’s still so much to do. Embrace the imperfect nature of digital content. It’s constantly shifting and growing and that’s what makes it fun to watch.

Two years into blogging five times a week, some days are still a struggle. There will be days where a post that you spent hours meticulously crafting barely receives any comments. There will be instances when you wonder if the time and energy you’ve committed is even worth it. Sometimes, you will feel as if your inspiration has been sapped dry. Then one day, when you least expect it, things will just click. It took me a year of regular blogging before my stats spiked and freelance and advertising offers began rolling in. It’s all about perseverance and dedication.

One of the coolest parts about blogging is to see a blog grow and change with a person. When I first started blogging, I was a full-time design student sharing my projects and vacation photos. The blog has continued on through multiple jobs, internships, business endeavors and freelance gigs. And, it is still a constant reminder of not only where I’ve been but where I’m going. Follow through with your blogging plan and refuse to give up, even when things get tough. People will notice. And, you’ll eventually be rewarded in ways that you cannot even imagine right now.

I know that I’ve talked about Think and Grow Rich before, but it deserves another mention. Written by Napoleon Hill in 1937, the information contained within these pages is priceless. If you’re going through a rough patch or are just looking for some much needed inspiration, I highly recommend reading this book.

One of the most important lessons that Think and Grow Rich teaches us is that to be successful (the term “success” being defined by you), you must have a definite major purpose. Until you’ve determined what that purpose is, it’s going to be a struggle when it comes to reaching your goals. Why? When you think about it, you’re facing a losing battle if you lack a purpose to push all of your energy and momentum towards. Hill goes on to say “What a different story men would have to tell if only they would adopt a definite purpose, and stand by that purpose until it had time to become an all-consuming obsession!”

Interestingly, sometimes our purpose is right in front of us, but we haven’t opened up our senses enough to realize it.

When I was four, I told everyone who would listen that I wanted to be an artist. After high school, when I was applying to colleges, I realized that being a fine artist might be too risky if I wanted to earn a good living. So, I did the opposite and went to school for business. What happened? I struggled harder than I ever had, but kept working until I was finally finished.

What’s the lesson here? Sometimes, we have to work at things that don’t come naturally but in the end, they will make us appreciate the things that we do excel at so much more.

After taking a year off, I still had the itch to do art. Going back to school for graphic design was beyond rewarding; it just felt right. And, having the business background helped me all along the way because I now thought strategically about what I was designing. Instead of thinking only about what I wanted as an artist, I was able to more clearly focus on the client’s needs. It took me way longer to complete this path, but looking back, it was totally worth it. I learned that though life isn’t always easy, there’s always something to learn along the way.

Once you discover your definite major purpose, life won’t feel like such a struggle any longer. Because, even if it is hard, even if you work long hours and morning quickly fades into night, you’re doing what you love. And, that is what will pull you through while others around you are giving up.

Hill notes that “Psychologists have correctly said that when one is truly ready for a thing, it puts in its appearance.” So, sometimes you may know what you’re meant to do, but it takes awhile to fall into place. The point is, if you feel strongly enough about your vision, you won’t give up. You’ll keep your focus, even through the times that you’re working menial jobs that you dislike, sitting through classes that bore you and living in a town that doesn’t suit you. These are hardships are only temporary stops on your way to your definite major purpose.

“One of the most common causes of failure is the habit of quitting when one is overtaken by temporary defeat. Every person is guilty of this mistake at one time or another,” says Hill. He goes on to say that “It (opportunity) has a sly habit of slipping in by the back door, and often it comes disguised in the form of misfortune, or temporary defeat.” And, it’s true. I recently had a few occurrences that I’d consider setbacks, but was given the golden advice by a friend that when one door closes, another one opens.

In closing, always remember Hill’s advice that success comes to those who become success conscious.

Have you determined your ultimate major purpose?

I’m an artist and I have submitted to digital magazines but never anything in actual print. I’m most comfortable with digital work but now I want to get into magazines. Any advice?

Taking the leap from digital work to print can be a big adjustment, so congratulations for deciding to take the plunge! To make the transition, you’ll first need to get your work into the right hands. And secondly, you’ll need to know how to properly submit files.

Whether it’s formatted as a blog or standard website, putting together an online portfolio of your work will show that you’re a serious contender.

The beauty of an online portfolio is that it’s inexpensive, doesn’t waste resources and can be clicked through in an instant, saving everyone time, energy and money. If you’re planning on setting up a blog to display your work, WordPress has over 600 free themes on their site. I recommend WordPress because its ease of customizability and thousands of plugins. To get you started, here are 15 examples of WordPress themes being used as a portfolio.

If you’d like to stick to a standard site format, I’ve noticed that quite a few designers are using Indexhibit for simple layouts. Beyond that, if you’re building a site on a budget, local college design programs are an excellent place to find web designers looking to gain both portfolio work and some extra money.

If you’re searching for publications to submit to, most magazines have websites (with a contact us link usually lurking towards the bottom of the page) and even better, a great portion have blogs that they update regularly. If you can’t locate contact information online, you can always go to the bookstore, check out the masthead, find out who’s in charge and take notes. Or, if you want instantaneous access to over 750 mastheads for a low price, Mastheads.org has complete lists with information on how to contact editors and magazine staffers!

Once you’ve narrowed down the list of who you’d like to submit to, consider making initial contact via email first. Magazine staff can be incredibly busy and it’s much easier for them to check out an email and click a portfolio link versus opening a package and scanning through your print portfolio.

If you’re designing a piece of work for a print publication versus the web, there are a number of differences that you should be aware of. When you design work that will be printed, the outcome will be something that people can both see and feel the texture of. For this reason, the tactile nature should be considered. Think about the weight and textures of the papers that your work is being printing on. Will the type of finish that the publication uses convey the look that you’re trying to achieve?

RGB color mode (red, green & blue) is used in your computer monitor and is the way that websites and digital work are able to be viewed on screen. RGB can only be viewed with natural or produced light and not on a printed page.

If you’re working on a project that will end up in print, then set it up in CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow & black). When the colors of CMYK are printed as small dots, the human eye sees the final image.

So, how do you know if your work is accurate if you’re designing it on screen but sending it to print?

1. Always print a sample first and see if you can spot any visible errors. If you’re sending a file off to the printer, request a proof (especially if you’re doing a huge run) to avoid costly mistakes.

2. Use swatches. As a designer, Pantone swatch books are your best friend because both you and the client can see what the chosen colors will look like on paper. Even if the on-screen color doesn’t look exact, you have peace of mind knowing what the printed outcome will look like.

Crop marks are a visual guide for the printer to know where to cut the paper. Most layouts will have marks on each corner of the document, but to make sure that they don’t show up in the printed piece, they need to be placed outside of the live area. If you’re downloading premade templates from an online source or have been provided with them from a printer, crop marks may already be included.

To ensure that a gap of white space does not show up in your final printed piece, make sure that any images extend beyond the live area of the page so that the edges will be clean. The amount that your images need to be extended beyond the trim marks is called the bleed and can vary, though one eighth of an inch is common.

And finally, everything that you’d like to avoid getting cropped should be nicely contained within the live area.

If a publication offers you work, remember to request their specific file guidelines before sending off the final art. There is no better feeling than holding the finished product of something that you’ve created in your hands. The excitement of flipping through a magazine to see your work in print is unparalleled. Good luck!

When putting an art show together, how do you chose which pieces you should put in and how they all go together? I’m having a hard time of it!

When viewing gallery-based art shows, you’ll notice that the featured work is usually grouped together in some manner whether that be by genre, subject, medium or color palette.

A body of work is a collection of pieces that represent an artist’s style or techniques. There tends to be a common characteristic that pulls the work together. As an example, my work is usually collage-based and composed on a bare wood surface with a resin finish.

If you’re interested in seeking gallery representation, most curators will expect that you’ve developed a minimum of 15 to 20 pieces that demonstrate your skill and style, but I usually aim for closer to 30. Sticking to a consistent vision for the entire series may seem contrary to what being an artist is about (i.e. freedom of creativity and expression) but it announces to the art world that you have developed a focus and can carry it out to completion. Also, as you move along, try envisioning how your work will look hanging together.

When you’re starting out, sticking to a specific style may seem boring at first, but if you’re looking for representation, a gallery wants to see consistency. If you get signed and show up with illustrations of women painted with oils one month, screen printed rock posters the next and landscapes in watercolors shortly thereafter, the curator is going to think that you’ve completely lost your mind.

As you develop your style and begin to build a following, people should have a general idea of what to expect as they come back for more of your work. This is not in any way suggesting that all of your work should look the same; that would be boring! Rather, these general guidelines are more of a friendly reminder as you dive into the creative process.

There is no right or wrong answer when considering what order to hang your work, but try to consider contrast or unity. Visualize how you’d like the show to flow from beginning to end and in which order the patron will be viewing it.

Once you’ve hung your work don’t forget to leave room for an artist statement. Most often it is placed at the beginning of the exhibit so that the audience can gain a better understanding of the context behind the work before viewing it on a more detailed scale.

Since fine art is such a personal exploration, the rules aren’t set in stone but rather a general consensus to get you going. And, it should be noted that if you plan to make art for personal pleasure and not for consumption on the gallery circuit, then feel free to throw caution to the wind!

I am 17 years old and I am a high school student. I just recently settled on what I would like to go to college for, and what I want to do with my life. I’ve always found graphic design [to be] fun and interesting. I am an avid user of Adobe Photoshop, and I love looking at work from various graphic designers. I would love any advice you have to give as far as school or career paths to choose, since this field is already very confusing to me. I’m dead set on being the best I can be, so any advice would be helpful.

Getting a degree in design is just the beginning; it can open the door to an endless stream of opportunities. If you want to go to school for graphic design, this doesn’t mean that you have to limit yourself to being just a designer. Think of it as a starting point to breaking into the general field.

There are a huge variety of interrelated jobs in the design industry that you can look into including those of a creative director, art director, production artist, illustrator, web designer and more. You may also specialize in niches including logo design, product design, brand identity and editorial design, among many others.

Needless to say, every graphic designer has a unique story to tell. I know people who have graphic design degrees but are now employed as photographers, stylists, art directors and even CEOs of their own studios. The sky’s the limit!

Choosing a school may be the hardest part of your design journey. There are so many schools with design programs and the cost for each can vary quite dramatically. My only advice would be to not focus on a specific school because of its name alone but to instead determine what your needs are. A few of the questions you may ask yourself are:

What piece of the design puzzle interests me the most (typography, packaging design, logo design, etc.)? Does the program offer classes that teach me these skills? What can I afford? How long can I afford to be in school (design programs can vary from 2 to 6 years)? Will I need to work while I’m in school and does the class schedule allow me to do so? Do I feel comfortable with the campus and faculty? Am I ready to design to meet the needs of others (instead of just myself)?

Keep your options open. After looking at four year private art schools and universities, I chose a two year program at a community college. My reasons for doing this were numerous. I didn’t care if my degree had a fancy name at the top and I wanted to gain experience and technical skills quickly. Additionally, I already had a four year degree and didn’t feel that I needed two of them to enter the design field. I was lucky that in my situation, everything worked out as I’d planned. I got the training I needed, landed my top internship choice and a job in the design industry that combined both of my passions, graphic design and blogging. If you’re focused and have set goals, it will definitely be easier to ease into a career once you’ve graduated.

These articles can also help you with choosing a school: A Brief Guide to Design Education, Finding and Choosing the Right Graphic Design School, and The Top 5 Things to Look For in Design School.

Some of the friendships and connections that you forge in school will stick with you for the rest of your career. It’s amazing how many opportunities will fall into your lap when you least expect it. These sources will help you identify opportunities in the design industry:

1. Join a Design Group or Organization: AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) is the oldest and largest professional graphic design organization in the U.S. As a student, you’ll receive a special price break on an annual membership. AIGA regularly conducts tours through local businesses and lets you get a sneak peak inside some pretty amazing places. This is a perfect opportunity to see how different departments work together, to ask questions and to network with design professionals.

2. Sit Down with Your Teachers or Department Head: Go straight to the source. Your teachers have a knack for noticing what you’re excelling at and can provide you with both internship and career advice.

3. Reach Out to Designers You Admire: Spend some surfing through online portfolios, blogs and sites. Figure out what you like. And, never be afraid to contact the people that you admire most for advice. Chances are that they were in your position at one point. If you don’t believe me, here’s proof!

4. Set Up Internships: An internship is a low-risk way to gain experience and to see what different people’s jobs entail. Internships allow you to work on a huge variety of projects (during my first year, I worked on catalogs, spray painted shoes, conducted research and blogged) and you can usually figure out what you like & don’t like pretty fast!

1. The Business Week Design Directory will be your new best friend. It allows you to search by design discipline and country, providing you with the names and addresses of design companies the world over!

2. Do art schools care about your GPA?

3. Grad School: Beast, Burden or Blessing? is an excellent read.

4. Starting Out in an Art Career is packed with straight up, honest advice written by one of my favorite creatives, Star.

5. In The Life of a Graphic Designer In Training, I detail what my path to becoming a designer was really like.

What are you waiting for? Pull out your most mind-blowing concepts, do some research, make a commitment to be the best that you can be and start designing!

Where would you like to be in 1000 days?

If you have a dream, solidifying a 1000 day plan (spanning approximately three years) that details how you plan to get from point A to point B will help you focus on achieving a concrete goal.

The benefit of a 1000 day plan is that you won’t feel confined to getting everything done in the span of just one year. This extra time releases some of the pressure, allowing you to think of bigger and better goals while providing you with a realistic timeframe to actually make them a reality.

Additionally, changes made over this length of time won’t feel so abrupt. There are many incremental steps that you can set up as milestones between days one and 1000 so that you steadily ease into your new and improved life. It will feel much more natural as the changes happen gradually versus the very frightening prospect of waking up one day and bombarding the world with a totally different version of yourself!

If you set aside 1000 days to make some major life changes, what would they be?

1. There is no secret to being successful. It’s about consciously living your life every day and setting concrete goals.

2. You can never go wrong by just being yourself (albeit the best version possible).

3. Learn from the best. Pick your mentors and idols wisely.

4. You are your most valuable brand. Hold yourself to the highest standards.

5. It’s okay to do it all. Just do it all well.

You could spend all of your free time conducting research, but there’s a much more efficient way to acquire the knowledge that you’re in search of. In Napoleon Hill’s classic self help & business book, Think and Grow Rich, one of the core principles of success revolves around the power of the Master Mind.

The coordination of knowledge and effort, in spirit of harmony, between two or more people, for the attainment of a definite purpose.

How does this relate to blogging? If you want to be a successful blogger (measurable in your own terms), surround yourself with other successful bloggers that you admire and trust. Ask yourself: Who has a vast knowledge base in areas that you want to learn more about? Who has a writing style that you admire? Who do you think that you could get along with in real life? Who would be willing to help you succeed, no matter what?

a. Economic: Economic advantages can be created by any blogger who surrounds themselves with others who are willing to lend advice and contribute to their ventures.

b. Psychic: This principle is harder to comprehend, but Hill says: “No two minds ever come together without, thereby, creating a third, invisible, intangible force which may be likened to a third mind.” When a group of individuals combine for a definite purpose, their increased energy becomes available to everyone that is a part of that group. When the minds of compatible bloggers connect in harmony, the sky’s the limit!

Choosing your group of Master Minds is of great importance, so do so carefully and with much consideration. I’m lucky that mine formed very organically. My three blogging Master Minds are:

1. Star St. Germain: I have this blog thanks to Star! When we met up in LA during the summer of 2007, she encouraged me to trade in my standard website for a blog. I wasn’t so sure that it was a good idea to be so public about what I was doing. Don’t some of the best graphic designers retain a bit of mystery?! But, when it comes to online trends, Star is usually right on. I’m so glad that I took her advice. It pays to have tech-savvy friends!

2. Dave Allen: When I first started interning at Nemo in the fall of 2007, one of my school assignments was to interview someone in the design industry. I knew that Dave ran a popular blog and since mine was fairly new, it made sense to get some tips and feedback. That initial interview taught me a lot (Dave knows a ton about technology and social media) and eventually, I began writing for one of the Nemo blogs, Social Cache. Blogging is now a part of my job, thanks to Dave!

3. Gala Darling: Gala loves blogging (it’s her full-time job) and she’s a Virgo (major extra bonus points). It’s nice to have a friend who’s just as comfortable attending blogging conventions as she is cruising through the Balenciaga boutique. We travel well together and she always answers my barrage of blogging-related questions. Blogging soul mates? Most likely!

1. When and how did you start blogging?

I started my first blog on Livejournal in 2001. It was really beneficial to blog informally for a few years and I met a ton of awesome people on there (including Star and Gala!) Keeping that blog helped me figure out what I liked to write about and it also allowed me to cultivate my online image without the pressure of a massive audience.

My professional blog on Nubbytwiglet.com went live in September 2007. After much thought, I decided that a simple portfolio site wasn’t cutting it any longer. I had more to share than just my art and design and a blog seemed like a good way to connect on a much deeper level with my audience. It’s easily one of the best decisions that I’ve made career-wise.

2. What program you use to create your collages (and images)?

Everything digital is done with the Adobe CS3 Suite. Photoshop and Illustrator are my two best friends. Though, all of my Fashion and Decor Notebook pages are collaged into sketchbooks and then scanned.

3. How did your wardrobe end up evolving into red, black and white (with the occasional green mixed-in)?

I think my mom is partially to blame. My favorite color has always been green (just like her) but she seemed to dress me in lots of red, also. Beginning in high school, I became more influenced by Swiss poster design, the symbolism of the red cross and Little Red Riding Hood. The clean, minimalist palette of black and white seem to balance out the boldness of red!

4. What are some of you favourite books?

I read a lot, but it’s mostly limited to fashion magazines & blogs these days. Though, my all-time favorite books are Think and Grow Rich, The Warhol Look, Long Hard Road Out of Hell, The Rudi Gernreich Book and How To Be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul. You’ll never catch me reading anything fiction, sc-fi or fantasy related!

5. I am trying to create a logo for my new editing business, but I have no idea about graphic design/printing etc. Is it not advisable to create a logo with many colours? If so, is it only because it is too expensive to print? Is it okay to have a logo that is colourful, but also looks okay in black and white?

The general rule is that the more simple a logo is, the better. The less colors, the better. First and foremost, it should work in black and white. I initially begin all freelance logo projects in black, white and gray as to not distract the client from the composition. Design your logo and then ask yourself if every element is absolutely necessary. Does it add something important to the overall composition? If not, drop it.

Limiting colors can help keep the cost of printing down, especially if you’re getting items screen printed or using a traditional printing company to produce materials like business cards. Also, a logo has to be readable at varying sizes and too many colors can become distracting.

Think of some of the most famous logos in the world; the McDonald’s golden arches, the Nike swoosh and the Apple apple. They are all deceptively simple, have clean, flowing lines and no filler. They’re timeless and recognizable on a global level. Here’s an article with some more logo tips.

6. I was just wondering if you’re still loving the Nikon P80! I’m getting one for Christmas and I’m just interested to hear if you still like it in the long run.

Yes! The P80 is awesome and does everything that you’d expect a lighter weight version of an SLR to do. I am a diehard Nikon fan in general. It’s a great camera for the price and I highly recommend it! Here’s an article that I posted about it earlier this year if you’re interested in learning more about its features.

Learning about graphic design is now easier than ever, thanks to the internet. When I was in high school in the late 90s, I remember digging through the dusty library shelves and finding not much more than a few 70s era advertising and design books. How times have changed! This list is by no means complete, but I’ve compiled some of my favorite design resources below to get you started.

2. The Book Design Review: Book covers, book covers & more book covers!!!

3. The Dieline: This leading site on package design always has the freshest, most current industry news and product photos.

4. Grain Edit: This blog is focused on classic design work from the 1950s-1970s and contemporary designers that draw inspiration from that time period.

5. HI+LO The blog of NYC-based graphic designer (and former Senior Art Director at Kate Spade) Abby Clawson Low is full of quirky finds and inspiration.

6. I Love Typography: iLT is designed to inspire its readers and to make people more aware of the typography that is around them.

7. Logo Design Love: My favorite logo blog; ran by well-known graphic designer David Airey.

8. Lovely Package: If you’re interested in packaging design, this is your blog!

9. Pentagram blog: Features the work and surroundings of the award-winning design firm, Pentagram.

10. Swiss Legacy: A collaborative blog focused on typography, Swiss graphic design and the grid.

11. TypeNEU: An amazing blog with pages upon pages of type-related images.

12. Brand New: A collection of before and after shots of products and logos with reviews of the outcomes.

13. Design Observer: A blog full of writings on design and culture, as well as the best selection of article links ever in the right column.

1. Swiss Poster Collection: A comprehensive collection of posters divided by category.

2. AIGA Design Archives: These archives provide access to a massive collection of contemporary design; perfect for research and projects.

Examples from Totally Amazing Posters!

4. Covers: Dedicated to the appreciation of book cover design and updated several times a week.

5. FFFFOUND!: An massive brain spill of images (most design-related); a web service that not only allows users to post and share their favorite images found on the web, but it also recommends similar images in accordance to each user’s tastes and interests below the image they clicked on.

6. ShareSomeCandy: An inspirational design image site similar to FFFFOUND!, but without the recommendations (and random nudity).

7. Computer Love: More than just an inspirational blog, Computer Love is a unique social platform that provides design news, allows you to connect with other creatives, share your work and promote yourself.

8. Design is Kinky: This site lists tons of links to the top designers, magazine features and events, as well as upcoming exhibitions.

2. Bittbox: Free textures and brushes galore.

3. Logopond: Identity inspiration overload.

The Penguin & Pelican Collection

5. Before & After Magazine: Features downloadable articles that teach you how to do basic design tasks. In their own words: “Before & After is dedicated to making graphic design understandable, useful and even fun for everyone.”

6. Jumpola: A big list of resources for graphic designers and marketers with links to learning resources, portfolio sites, blogs, jobs, software, supplies and more.

7. Texture King: Hundreds of free textures!

8. The History of Visual Communication: Basically a massive design history book in digital form.

9. Under Consideration: Armin Vit’s comprehensive collection of design sites full of resources and commentary that have been part of the growing dialog in design.

10. Thinking With Type: If you want to learn more about typography (including info. about fonts, families & kerning!), this site is for you.

11. YouWorkForThem: This site sells design books, magazines, videos, stock vectors and more.

12. The Grid System: Everything you’ve ever needed to know about grids.

1. Helvetica: Homage to a Typeface by Lars Müller: Found Helvetica images in cities from around the world. The first design book I ever owned!

2. The Elements of Typographic Style by Robert Bringhurst: Sometimes called “The Typographer’s Bible,” this manual has a poetic quality to it. There’s a heaviness to the text; it’s not necessarily for beginners, but the learning curve is worth it.

3. How To Be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul by Adrian Shaughnessy: This book is a common-sense guide on how to find a job, running a studio, winning new work, self-promotion, going freelance, and more. There’s also great advice and stories from well-known designers, as well as a helpful directory of design organizations and websites in the back.

4. Issues: New Magazine Design by Jeremy Leslie & Lewis Blackwell: This book examines the culture of magazines, from the point of view of their design. It’s divided into five sections (format, covers, pace, words and images) and is a picture-packed voyage through international magazine design trends.

5. Editing by design: Word-and-picture communication for editors and designers, by Jan V. White: I am a huge fan of ALL of his books. They’re comprehensive, creative and affordable with a retro cool feel. You won’t be disappointed with any of his many titles!

6. A Type Primer by John Kane: This was a required book at school, but I held onto it because it offers a great overview on type basics including the technical terms of letterforms, working with grids and how to reinforce meaning with type. If you’re an entry level designer, this book is a good option.

7. Experimental Formats 2: Books, Brochures, Catalogs by Roger Fawcett-Tang: I originally saw this at the MoMA store in New York and it blew me away. The concepts in this book are amazing and break the mold. If you’re doing any work with books, brochures or catalogs, this is the book for you.

8. Branding: From Brief to Finished Solution: A compilation of branding and identity projects from a roster of design groups with actual sketchwork, design development, research materials and finished work. This is a great opportunity to see a client brief carried out from beginning to end.

9. The Typographic Desk Reference: This book hasn’t been released yet, but it’s beautifully designed and full of indispensable material about type terms, glyphs, anatomy and type specimen examples.

Hopefully these resources will lead you to a path of learning, loving and embracing graphic design!

Find a way to humanize your brand, use your personality, and take your brand
from good to great. -Guy Kawasaki

Do you envision your blog as a brand? If you do, try embracing the concept of brand personality. To understand what brand personality is, envision your brand as if it were a person. It would have values, beliefs and interests. These attributes are what would make it unique.

Groundbreaking package designer Walter Landor felt that everything you project into the world goes toward creating your brand. Each little piece is of equal importance, equal weight, and has to be appropriate to the audience it is reaching or the message that it is trying to promote.

The energy that you put out on your blog will be directly related to what you receive in return. Since your blog is a brand and you are the central driving force behind developing its personality, it is further defined by every action you take and every post that you create.

1. Determine what your goals are. These goals will pull you through the tough times, give you a focus and ultimately, a way to measure your success. I prefer defined goals that I can actually measure such as reaching a specific rank on Technorati every six months, gaining a certain level of traffic every year, posting a set number of articles to my blog each week, and so on. Without any gray area, it’s much easier to see if you’re hitting the mark.

2. Find out what your readers want and need. How does your brand fit into their life? The best way to determine your reader’s needs is to ask them. Develop a direct connection between your blog and its readers. Do some old fashioned research, whether it’s through polling, emails or a survey post. As an incentive, run a contest.

3. Clearly communicate your blog’s personality. This can be facilitated through being trustworthy, relaible, developing a unique slogan and having a memorable blogging voice.

Marketing has become a mass-produced commodity that lacks authenticity. Our saturation point has been reached and the old rules no longer work. Though used mostly for products and services, branding can also be applied to people. The key to developing an authentic brand is to be true to who you are and to follow your own, unique path. This individuality is the one thing that you can claim as yours. Though others may try to impersonate it along the way, it’s usually fairly easy to spot the original voice among them. Give some thought to the one thing that makes your brand unique, the one attribute that no one can take away from you. This is where you should focus your energy.

The characteristic that many of the most successful blogs share is that people are following the BLOGGER, not the BLOG. A blog’s theme can be replicated, but the personality behind it cannot. There may been hundreds, if not thousands of blogs in a saturated niche. So ask yourself, why do you repeatedly go back to the same blogs when you can probably get the same information from another site?

Gala Darling, a pink-haired force of positivity

Gala Darling’s consistent voice and unwavering positivity, Heather Armstrong’s sarcastic tone and over-the-top stories and Jane’s jaw-droppingly original styling are all examples of unique, immediately recognizable characteristics. Notice that I didn’t refer to their respective project names of iCiNG, dooce, or Sea of Shoes. What these bloggers do can stand on its own, period.

As Tom Dorresteijn notes, “The concept of brand personality combines inside-out and outside-in; identity and image. A personality has its roots in the identity but is strongly externally focused. It is not ‘be who your are’. Personality is: Become who you should be.”

If your blog was a living, breathing person, what adjectives would you use to describe it?

The world belongs to those who stand out, stand up and stand for or against a cause which they can strongly defend, those who can talk crowd and keep their virtues or walk with kings and not lose the common touch – their identity. An independent mind is a frontier of change in the world. -Tayo Korede

Make your brand come alive. Give it a personality that jumps off the page. Strive to make your readers’ experiences memorable. Once you establish a level of quality on your blog, never look back.

Readers:
What is your blog about?
What characteristics make it unique?
How do you plan on taking it to the next level?

If you run a blog, do you consider yourself a blogger? Or, do you feel like the term is too limiting when describing what you do?

Last week, Dave Allen and I got into a discussion about the term ‘blogger’ (a contraction of the words web and log). I wondered, is it still considered cool and relevant? Or, has it lost some of its appeal now that everyone’s doing it?

Even though there are over 110 million blogs in existence, Dave mentioned that since many people still don’t know the difference between a blog and a website, the label ‘blogger’ can be confusing. Many times, if you ask someone if they read blogs, they’ll reply no. But, after some quizzing, they’ll admit that they do read blogs…they just didn’t realize what these sites were called.

During the time my site has been live, I’ve used the term blogger to describe what I do without much thought. My main career is in graphic design and I simply use my blog as a way share my work and thoughts with others. My frequent postings about design, style and marketing could get tricky and convoluted in another format, but a blog with categories and tags makes finding related subject matter a cinch. Blogging is simply my chosen medium of communication.

Sometimes, writers are especially sensitive to being categorized as just bloggers and it’s easy to see why. Since bloggers are a dime a dozen, the term can be viewed as downplaying a writer’s talent and craft.

Though, as Mark Glaser points out, some formerly separate worlds have started merging over the last few years:

The time-worn debate of Bloggers vs. Journalists has finally run its course. For years, traditional journalists scoffed at bloggers as pajama-wearing screamers, while bloggers have pointed to MSM (mainstream media) as secretly biased and obsolete. While the extremists in this argument have had the stage shouting at each other loudly, what has happened quietly in the background has received less attention: Mainstream media reporters have started blogging in droves, while larger blog operations have hired seasoned reporters and focused on doing traditional journalism.

One of the things I have found about working through the web is my inability to correctly give myself a title, ie. a name which explains what I do for a living. Lots of people online seem to be using the term ‘Entrepreneur’ but I really hate it, it’s kinda pompous in my opinion. With blogging taking up most of my time now I am more than happy to use the title ‘Blogger.’

Blogging will probably always exist in one form or another. It’s not surprising that there are over 175,000 new blogs popping up every day. Blogging is an easy way to connect with a much larger audience while investing very little upfront. And, because of this, the number of blogs will continue to grow, whether a niche is already saturated or not. The appeal of sharing your views with the world and receiving instantaneous feedback is highly seductive.

In reality, the people reading your blog probably don’t care what your title is. They are visiting your site regularly because it offers a perceived value. Whether you’re a writer, an information architect, a web publisher, a content developer or just a plain old blogger, what really matters is that your readers love what you’re doing.

Do you consider yourself a blogger?

Over the last few months, many brief questions have rolled in so I’ve decided to answer these all at once. Don’t worry, I’ll be back to tackling your more lengthy inquiries next week!

1. Does the giant “A” decor in your home and on your business cards have any meaning or is it just decoration?

I’m a big typography nerd, but the the recurring A doesn’t have any significant meaning. I just like the way it looks! The uppercase Helvetica A is my all-time favorite, followed by the lowercase Bodoni a.

2. I’m wondering, what’s the background story on your lips & pill logo?

The mouth with pill got its start years ago when I was really into medical imagery. A friend in New York sent me a shoe box stuffed with goodies and inside, there were a few oversized colored metal pills. I thought it would be cool to chomp down on one and take some photos. They caught on and became instantly associated with my brand so I turned one of the photos into a logo. Eventually, the photos became the basis for my first art piece in 2005.

3. I’m just curious as to where I can acquire a tuxedo jacket similar to the one you wore to your birthday shindig.

Though tuxedo jackets have been big in fashion for awhile now, mine is of the vintage variety. It’s a boy’s size and originated from a used tux reseller on Ebay for less than $20.00. The label is Lord West.

4. I was wondering how you and Gala Darling met?

Gala’s birthday is September 13th and mine is September 14th. Back in 2006, we were both in New York celebrating our birthdays, unbeknownst to one another. Our mutual friend Star hung out with us a day apart and she mentioned that I should meet Gala. Though we never crossed paths on that trip, we later struck up conversations online and hit it off.

Photo by Bianca Alexis

When we were both back in New York during June 2008, we finally met in person. The bond was immediate; it’s like we’d known each other all along! Since we’re both Virgos that love to blog, shop, eat and constantly take photos, we’re a pretty ideal match. Since then, we’ve spent 10 solid days together and in the process, ran the Virgo Boarding House (our tattooed host was amazingly gracious!), celebrated our birthdays in Central Park, discussed Michael Jackson’s pajama choices and attended a blogging convention in Vegas! Who knows where our next adventure will take us…

5. How do you separate work from your personal design?

This is way easier than it seems! My life at work and outside of work cross over pretty heavily. I blog and design all day at Nemo and if I was at home, I’d be doing the same exact thing (except, I’d have the T.V. tuned into Dr. Phil and Oprah)!

Even though I love designing for myself, it’s impossible to be ‘on’ and full of creativity all the time. Stepping outside of my personal space and working on projects for clients at work has made me a better designer because of the huge variety of work. Oh, and it never really feels like work because my coworkers are awesome.

6. You have such fantastic clothes, do you display them like art?

I don’t display any of my clothing. I prefer it to be hung up by color! I do display my favorite shoes, though.

Thanks for tuning in! As always, if you have a question that you’d like answered, please direct it here.

“I’m wondering, what blogging software do you use? I’m just trying to toss up between different ones and I’m not sure which one I should choose.”

…

It’s great that you’re giving your software options some forethought. By determining your blogging goals, deciding what you want to gain and what kind of community you want to build, you should get a better idea of which platform is best suited to your needs.

BEFORE GETTING STARTED, CONSIDER:

a. The maturity of the software: Has the platform been around for a few years? Is it upgraded regularly? Chances are that if it’s more established, there will be a bigger selection of themes, plugins and a larger developer community to back it up.

b. Your skill level: Are you savvy with basic HTML and PHP? While WordPress is revered for its user-friendly interface and is perfect for entry-level bloggers, Textpattern is aimed at more skilled users.

c. The level of community interaction: Do you envision yourself managing a single author blog or a huge community? If you’re leaning towards building a community, platforms like Drupal and Nucleus might be better options.

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WORDPRESS LOVE

Over here at Nubbytwiglet.com, I swear by WordPress, a stable, state-of-the-art blogging platform that provides thousands of free customizable themes and plugins.

Nubbytwiglet.com relaunched in a blog format in Fall 2007

WordPress was founded in 2003 and since then, it has grown into the largest self-hosted blogging platform in the world. WordPress is the perfect choice for first-time bloggers who want to install their own software. Likewise, it’s also a fantastic option for advanced users who want to modify the code into something that’s more customized. My free theme was completely revamped by coding genius Star, who managed to merge my website with the existing template.

If you decide to use Wordrpess, you’re in great company. Some household names that use the platform include The New York Times, Ford, People Magazine, Delta Airlines, The Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, BoingBoing and Xerox. And, the list of big-name adopters is constantly growing.

WHY SHOULD YOU CONSIDER WORDPRESS?

Why do WordPress users preach on about it like it’s the gospel?

1. The install is fairly quick and painless. Simply download the newest version of the platform here (it’s constantly being updated) and follow the steps in the install guide.

2. There are over 2,000 free plugins available from the WordPress site that allow you to customize your experience down to spam filters and comment formats.

Some of my favorite plugins are Akismet, which cuts spam comments down to an almost nonexistent level and ShareThis, which allows users to click on a list at the end of your post and submit it to popular social networking sites.

3. The admin panel in WordPress is web-based so as long as you have an internet connection, it’s possible to update from anywhere in the world. Additionally, the interface is streamlined and uncomplicated.

4. If you’re wanting to manage multiple blogs, WordPress MU (multiple user) is for you. It allows you to run an unlimited number of blogs with a single install of WordPress! It’s ideal for magazines, universities and blog networks.

FREE WORDPRESS THEMES

WordPress is an open source project; this means that hundreds of people around the world are constantly working to make it more efficient and it’s totally free to use. Nearly 200 themes can be viewed directly on the WordPress site. Some other personal favorites include:

1. Modicus Theme:

2. Futurosity Theme:

3. Overstand Theme:

4. Fontella Theme:

5. Modicus Remix Theme:

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

1. Some of these were mentioned above, but if you’re curious about other blogging platforms besides WordPress, popular options include MoveableType, Textpattern, Nucleus, Mephisto, Drupal, ExpressionEngine, Serendipity and Joomla.

2. Wikipedia has a helpful entry that covers almost everything you need to know about blogging software.

3. Smashing Magazine has compiled 100 free WordPress themes. Other resources for free themes include Free WP Themes, Skinpress and Fresheezy (and too many more to mention)!

What blogging platform do you use? What are some of benefits of using this platform? Would you change platforms now if you had the chance?

I have to design a form (invoice) for my future design company & I haven’t had much luck finding good examples from other designers to get ideas from. Do you know where I could find any? Do you have any tips for designing that sort of thing?

…

Having an invoice on hand is one of the most important components involved in running your business. Why, you ask? In the design world, it’s standard practice for a company to send you a check for completed work only after you’ve invoiced them. If you don’t bill them, you could be waiting a very long time to get paid.

ABOUT INVOICES:

In most companies, the person that you’ve completed work for is usually not directly tied to the accounting department. It’s up to you to forward an invoice for the work you’ve finished to the designated contact so that they have a record of who you are, what you’ve done and most importantly, where to send the check to. A neat, easy to read invoice with all of the necessary information will help you get paid in a timely manner and keep the accountant from dropping it into the dreaded ‘basket of no return.’

If you want your check to show up, send an invoice ASAP!

AN INVOICE SHOULD INCLUDE:

1. Your name (or company) and contact information: Make sure you have a mailing address, email address and phone number so that any issues or discrepancies can be handled immediately.

2. The client’s name, address and the job’s P.O. number (if provided): Who are you doing the work for?

3. An invoice number: For your purposes, this helps you keep your records tidy. I use a basic system of ‘NT000.’ Nubby Twiglet is the name of my design business and the number increases by one with every job I complete.

4. An intemized breakdown: This is a list of what you are owed for services rendered. This will vary depending if you charge a flat or hourly rate. I always charge a flat rate, so my listing might be for a “Full color logo design with unlimited usage rights: $1,000.00.” The more detailed your descriptions, the better.

If you’re curious about the pros and cons of charging hourly vs. fixed rates, read this article.

5. The total amount owed: Tally up those services rendered and clearly state the amount at the bottom.

6. Terms: Do you expect payment within a specific timeframe or do you have special rules regarding payment? Be warned, sometimes this is void with larger corporations that already have set rules. When I did work for Virgin Records, they sent payment within their predetermined 60 days of receiving my invoice.

Optional: An invoice branded with your company identity is always a nice touch, though it’s not necessary. When I’ve done filing at work, a beautiful invoice always grabs my attention, but I’ve seen successful freelancers stick with a simple text-only printout via Quickbooks on white computer paper and it works just as well. Legibility and simplicity should take precedence over beauty!

MORE RESOURCES:

1. Adobe offers a free invoice template that’s in AI format and super minimal. With some small modifications, it could suit almost anyone’s needs! For the below example, I made a quick version of my own from the template in about 10 minutes flat and with a little more work, it could look even more customized!

2. If you’re wanting to do your invoicing online, Freelance Switch lists 7 online apps for freelancers.

3. I did a search for vintage invoices on Flickr and here is some inspiration:

1. butter 3, 2. C. G. Offterdinger Dealer in Fresh Meats and Green Groceries, 3. Invoice, Chas M Stieff Manufacturer of Grand & Upright Pianos, 4. 1947 Sales Invoice Excelsior Stove & Mfg Quincy IL, 5. Bill, C. M. Guggenheimer, The Big Store, Dry Goods, 6. M. R. Scott, Dr. Butcher Dealer in Fresh and Smoked Meats

4. Here are some examples of what a professional invoice looks like. Billing Manager, a company with a history of helping businesses with products like QuickBooks and TurboTax has developed a free invoicing system that allows you to customize templates and drop in your logo!

Every year, the Blogworld Expo takes place at the Las Vegas Convention Center. It’s the largest blogging conference in the world and includes more than 50 panels, seminars and keynotes featuring social media’s brightest personalities. Topics range from how to sell more advertising on your blog to taking smart risks with your online personality.

Last weekend, I attended the expo along with fellow blogger Gala Darling and we both soaked up tons of valuable information.

Absorbing the blogging sights and sounds with Gala

Below, I’ll detail everything you need to know about the convention and why you should consider going next year!

WHY SHOULD YOU ATTEND A CONFERENCE DEDICATED TO SOCIAL MEDIA?

Blogging has grown into much more than an idle hobby. It’s a way of life and a viable way to make a living. According to Blogworld’s stats:

* Over 12 million American adults maintain blogs (and more than 57 million read them).

* 22 of the world’s 100 most popular websites are blogs.

* There are over 1.4 million new blog posts every day.

* 1.7 million American adults list making money as one of the reasons they blog.

* Over 120,000 new blogs are created every day.

MY THREE FAVORITE CLASSES AT THE CONFERENCE: WHAT I LEARNED

1. Beyond Blogging

With social media, marketing is essential. Unfortunately, everyone thinks they can perform marketing tasks well with no training.

Transparency can be difficult for corporations dabbling in social media because as they get larger, they don’t necessarily know who they are any longer. The overall vision (and truthfulness) can get lost in a sea of PR and marketing teams trying to craft a visibly perfect image. Successful bloggers within corporations are authentic, passionate and know what they’re talking about.

2. Taking Smart Risks with Your Online Personality

There’s a difference between pure risk and smart risk online. Smart risk is about having a plan. There are many great things that can come out of showcasing your personality and letting people know who you are. Think about how you want your intentions to play out in the long run and develop a corresponding plan.

A very finite number of negative outcomes can arise when you put yourself out there (on the internet) and most of them can be controlled. In contrast, there’s an infinite number of great possibilities that can happen and they usually outweigh the bad. Examples include job leads, networking and entrepreneurial opportunities.

Remember, it’s up to us as our own personal brand managers to control our image. Be aware, consider the persona you’re projecting and your reactions / responses. The residue can last forever. Figure out what your boundaries are and give some consideration to your personal image before you step out publicly.

3. Opening Keynote

Timothy Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Workweek and Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park had some really inspiring, basic advice during the keynote.

First of all, it’s important to give fans a brand that’s consistent with what you’ve promised them.

Secondly, you don’t want to fight the battle of competing with everyone else. Don’t be an asshole. You’ll meet everyone on the way down that you met on the way up. Being nice isn’t the same thing as being passive. Being cordial and direct and assertive doesn’t cost you any extra time and pays off.

Timothy advised us to “talk to your readers the way you’d talk to your friends after two drinks.” Cut out the nonsense and show them what they want to hear. Don’t avoid offending people; it comes across as fake.

He also related that It doesn’t matter how many times you’re rejected or how many people don’t get what you’re trying to accomplish. It’s about how many do.

IS THE BLOGWORLD EXPO RIGHT FOR YOU?

If you’re serious about blogging, either as an individual or for the company you’re employed by, Blogworld is for you. With up to seven seminars to choose from a few times each day, there’s a huge variety of topics on varying levels ranging from introductory to professional.

Meeting Steve Pavlina!

Beyond receiving the opportunity to learn everything there is to know about blogging, Blogworld is a fantastic place to network! Gala and I were able to meet Timothy Ferriss (totally approachable), Steve Pavlina (he’s hugely inspiring and even showed his raw food stash of snacks to us!), Darren Rowse (Gala and him are friends) and we came very close to meeting Guy Kawasaki on a few occasions (next year, perhaps?!)

Blogworld gave us the platform to meet some of our heros up-close and personal and to ask them questions. The insight I gained from these brief but powerful meetings was worth the trip alone.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

1. The convention hours are early (9 a.m. on average), so unless you’re a ‘morning person,’ staying out all night and partying on convention days is not recommended!

2. The cost ($400.00 for an all-access pass) is only worth it if you stick to a pre-planned, class-packed schedule. If you plan on taking extended breaks to nurse your hangover, don’t bother attending.

3. The food options at the convention center are exorbitant and not very tasty. Gala paid about $8.00 for a lackluster sandwich and our Starbucks orders had a burnt aftertaste. Plan ahead and bring tons of snacks (like Steve did)!

4. Sign up for a Twitter account in advance. It’s the preferred way of communicating at the convention. (See the live Blogworld 08 Twitter feed here).

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Are any of you planning on attending the Blogworld Expo next year?

I’m trying to start a blog for women my age and demographic (I’m twenty, live in Boston, am an English major, and care both about the plight of women in the Middle East and what color to paint my nails. Get what I’m saying?)

Is this focused enough?

…

The short answer to your question is yes, absolutely.

The much longer answer is that you should give your blog niche some serious contemplation before getting started. This is important because your blog will further resonate with readers if it has an overarching theme that unites the smaller topics you’d like to cover.

Since women’s blogs covering both fashion and feminism (along with the related topics you mentioned) are already rampant, ask yourself what you can do differently. Is there a fresh and unique angle that you can take to stand out from the competition?

When you start blogging, it’s a good idea to consider whether you’re focusing on a niche topic or a niche demographic. As Darren Rowse explains in his case study of Gala Darling, she started out writing mostly fashion-related articles (a niche topic). Later, her blog expanded from covering a set topic (fashion) to reaching a much broader audience of ‘youthful alternative (unconventional, individual, eccentric) women.’

Gala’s knack is offering up helpful articles that cover an awe-inspiring range of topics (past pieces have included details on how to tie a scarf, the benefits of a raw food diet, choosing flattering hairstyles and gift buying guides).

Yet, Gala seamlessly unites these widely varied subjects through a few key principles. First and foremost, she always offers an inspiring, positive perspective that uplifts her readers. Secondly, she composes most of her articles in an information packed editorial-style format. Thirdly, her topics usually relate in some way to self knowledge and personal aesthetics (this includes a heavy dose of how-to articles). And most importantly, her articles always offer value to readers.

Consider most of the mainstream women’s fashion magazines that grace the newsstands. They jam a multitude of subjects (style, beauty, advice, cultural and political matters are commonplace) into every issue and have been hugely successful with this approach.

Like you, readers of these magazines tend to multifaceted with regards to their interests. And, having a handful of smaller topics under your umbrella makes it more likely that readers will find something that suits their tastes while offering a perceived value.

Even if you start blogging about a singular topic, over time your focus often expands to include a broader range of offerings. This may be done consciously to provide readers with more value. Or, perhaps it’s a natural growth that’s happening because you’re changing as a person (and in effect, your content is reflecting this).

When expanding upon your niche, don’t spread yourself too thin or there may be too little common ground for your readers to grasp. Instead, do what comes naturally while keeping your main topic in mind. Building out from that core in tiny, measured steps will keep growing pains to a minimum.

When you’re writing an article, always ask yourself how you can relate it back to the central theme of your blog.

Let’s say that you decide to focus on the topic of feminism from a modern woman’s perspective. If you choose to write an article about what color to paint your nails, this could be molded to fit your niche by first giving a brief history of why women wear nail polish and what the cultural relevance is. As a lighthearted finishing touch, you could list your favorite colors and brands (and in effect, cover the smaller angle of fashion).

If you’re covering the plight of women in the Middle East, perhaps you can zero in on a particular country and discuss the hardships that these women are fighting to overcome. In closing, offering up a list of charities and organizations that your readers can participate in will provide value and relevance to their lives.

Since you have so many interrelated interests that can be shaped to fall under a larger umbrella, it’s less likely that you’ll run out of topics to blog about. And, this is something to take into account because it definitely gets trickier after you’ve written a few hundred articles! There’s nothing wrong with having a handful interests that you’re passionate about as long as you can find a way to unify them within a niche.

And, if your idea still feels a bit fuzzy, this list claims to be the world’s most comprehensive blog niche and topic idea list!

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As you’ve probably already guessed, feeling confident about your outer appearance comes from not only wearing something that makes you feel good, but also from accepting yourself for who you are. Some people can throw on jeans, a t-shirt and sneakers and still exude an air of confidence because that simplicity suits them. I’m not one of those people; I feel my best when I’m wearing a coordinated outfit.

A tiny sampling of my outfit photos

On the topic of fashion and confidence, I was just reading an interview with Nancy Pelosi (the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives) and though she wears mostly pantsuits, her outlook is right on key. She says:

Fashion and all it implies—hair, makeup—is an art form. If you look organized and well presented, people think you’re organized in your mind and you take pride in yourself. And besides, it’s fun.

If you feel great about what you’re wearing, it will naturally show in your body language and people will take notice. It really is like a chain reaction!

MY PERSONAL MANTRAS

Stylistically, most of us have certain rules and boundaries whether we realize it or not. It’s a good idea to keep these in mind when trying out new looks, but to not let them stop you from branching out. Some of my personal rules regarding style are:

1. If you feel uncomfortable in something, don’t wear it.

Have you impulsively worn shoes that hurt your feet just because they looked great? Have you thrown on a dress that looked perfect on the hanger but shifted and bunched all night? I’ve done these things too many times to recall. I’ve worn skirts that felt too short and subsequently yanked and pulled on them as I walked down the street. I’ve worn stilettos that looked impressive sitting in my closet, but after a night of standing at a club, they weren’t worth the pain.

Pretty in pictures, not for a night of standing!

No matter how beautiful something looks or how much you think it will impress the company you keep, it really isn’t worth it. It’s hard to carry yourself in a self-assured, confident manner if your clothing makes you feel awkward.

2. It’s better to have 10 amazing pieces of clothing than 100 that are mediocre.

The next time you impulsively pick up a piece of clothing, ask yourself if it’s going to last and if it’s worth the investment. Granted, it’s not just about the cost (or whether the item is on sale). Does it deserve to take up space in your closet? Is it overly trendy? Will the material pill and snag after only a few wears? Is the fabric a cheap feeling synthetic?

Confession: some of my most favorite dresses were purchased for under $30.00 at Forever 21, but for every great steal, I have a pile of clothing castoffs that later seemed too gaudy or just felt shoddy and cheaply made. I’d rather pass on the bargains and save up for one quality item that will last me for years.

3. Embrace the concept of ‘everyday luxury.’

Two of the items I use almost daily were astoundingly expensive (to me). My Dries Van Noten boots and Miu Miu purse both made me pause before I handed over my credit card, but months later, I can honestly say that I’ve already gotten my use out of them.

When I was trying to decide whether to splurge on the Dries boots, the shop assistant relayed the brilliant message of ‘everyday luxury.’ If you buy something notable, there’s no reason to hide it away for only special occasions. There’s something really refreshing about a designer purse or shoes that show obvious wear. Everyday luxury is about breaking in the things you love most and enjoying them constantly!

4. Define your style icons and take visual cues from them.

If you’re lacking in confidence, there’s nothing wrong with adopting a handful of icons who have style that you admire. By choosing to embrace their confidence and elements of their style, your level of comfort will begin to grow. Over time, the emulation will start to shed and your own methodology will begin to emerge.

When I was around 16, I admired Courtney Love, Marilyn Manson and Boy George. At that time, I’d show obvious indicators through band shirts, pins, patches and jewelry. Over time though, I learned to take small elements from each of my icons (striped tights from Manson, vintage dresses from Courtney, bright makeup and layers from Boy George) and added in my own. Pretty soon, I didn’t need those distinct signifiers (like shirts with my idol’s name splashed across them) to spell out my alliances. I was just fine being myself and expressing my own identity.

CURRENT STYLE ICONS

A handful of personalities have helped mold my style into what it is today. Here are a few deserving shout outs!

1. Michael Jackson: I have always loved his attention to details and funky yet streamlined looks. He has an amazing flair in the way he takes the basics (white v-neck tees, slim black pants, button-up shirts, tailored blasers and bowler hats) and adds dashes of sequins, armbands and jewelry to make the look completely his own. Stylistically, I can relate to his sleek black hair, very pale skin and unisex clothing elements and I owe my love of vintage marching band jackets and skinny black pants to him!

Emulating MJ, 2003

2. Steve Perry: Growing up, my parents were totally obsessed with this man and it rubbed off on me. It’s true that I went as Steve last Halloween (and it’s the only time I’ve ever impersonated a man)! His unfussy staples of the late 70s that included Levi’s 501 jeans paired with a t-shirt still inspire me today. And, he rocked a white tailcoat like nobody’s business.

3. Mickey Mouse: The original icon of red, black and white, Mickey has always had a hold on me. Putting on Gala’s Mickey ears in NYC a few weeks ago only reminded me of how much I dig Mickey’s classic, unchanging style!

1984 and 2008, respectively.

EMBRACE CHANGE

Feeling confident comes with self-discovery. Experimenting and figuring out what makes you feel great will boost your courage. Not all of us have been blessed with enough funds for a major shopping spree, so why don’t you give the digital equivalent (Polyvore) a try? Now you can try out all the latest designer gear without the guilt!

Never forget to have fun when exploring your style. Nothing is set in stone. Style is something that is impossible to pin down; it is constantly morphing and growing, ebbing and flowing. It’s an adventure based on self-expression.

Do you have any mantras that define your style?

I’ve recently discovered, much to my dismay, that the degree program I’ve been taking from my local community college isn’t covering areas of graphic and web design I know are critical to being a viable businessperson in this industry. Upon further investigation, I’ve found some other community colleges that offer the classes/programs I need, but right now it’s not an option for me to transfer. Could you recommend any books/resources that iron out some of the standard business practices and approaches in the graphic design field (I guess a “crash course”!)?

Online Resources

1. U.S. Small Business Administration:

The U.S. Small Business Administration website can provide you with some basics including writing a business plan, naming your business, paying taxes and financing a start-up.

2. Freelance Switch:

Freelance Switch is one of the most valuable onlines resource for graphic designers looking for advice. It has many top notch guest writers and since it’s in a blog format, you can keep up through their RSS feed. Some articles that I’ve found especially helpful are:

a. Creating a Business Plan: How Will You Make Money?

b. How To Create Multiple Income Streams

c. Marketing Your Business Like A Pro

d. Differentiate or Die: Marketing’s Magic Bullet

Book Resources

1. How To Be A Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul:

As for books, everyone has their preferences and admittedly, I own very few as I do most of my reading online. The most valuable book for me has been How To Be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul by Adrian Shaughnessy.

He covers the graphic design basics and necessities including how to find a job, being a freelancer, setting up a studio, running a studio, getting new work, interacting with clients and self promotion. In the back of the book, a section is dedicated to providing the contact information for design-related organizations.

Organizations of particular notability are:

a. AIGA (the American Institute of Graphic Arts): The oldest and largest professional graphic design organization in the U.S.

b. Icograda (International Council of Graphic Design Associations): The professional world organization for graphic design.

c. Creative Latitude: A worldwide community that unites various creative disciplines for collective promotion, education and ethical business practice.

d. Graphic Artist’s Guild: A national union of illustrators, designers and other creatives. They also publish a handbook that provides information on pricing and ethical guidelines.

2. You Work For Them Book Guide:

One of my favorite websites to buy design books, You Work For Them offers an amazingly comprehensive list of design book recommendations organized by education level! Such a time saver!

Miscellaneous Resources

a. The CPA Directory can help you find a certified public accountant. I highly recommend spending the extra money if you’re running your own business. CPA’s have a higher level of training and once they sign off on your taxes and financial paperwork, it’s like a gold seal of approval. Mine is so good that I’d trust him with my life!

b. The U.S. Copyright Office tells you how to register your work, explains copyright laws and allows you to search their records!

c. AIGA offers designers a free sample letter for speculative design work. This is helpful because sometimes, you will be asked to do initial work for no pay. Depending upon the circumstances, this could be detrimental to both yourself (and the design field as a whole). Additionally, they have a free standard agreement form!

In Closing

On the journey to being a well-rounded designer, I wholeheartedly believe that design programs need to spend more time teaching students how to not just be fantastic designers, but also about what it takes to be a successful business person.

Design is about more than being competent at computer programs and building an amazing portfolio. It’s also beneficial to know how to pay your quarterly taxes as a freelancer, to know when to down a job, and to know when doing initial work for free is not in your best interest. And, that’s the beauty of the digital age; most of the answers can now be found at your fingertips!

Discovering Advertising and Graphic Design

My path to employment at an ad agency (I use that term loosely since Nemo does so many things) has been been really long and full of ups and downs. The dream began back in 1998 when I found a copy of George Lois’ The Art of Advertising in my school library. I’d always been interested in art, but seeing his humorous and thought-provoking ad campaigns and iconic Esquire Magazine covers sparked my interest in advertising.

Once I finished high school, I toured a private college for fine art, but my work didn’t fit in with their ideals (and in 2000, I didn’t even know that graphic design was an option). At that point, I decided that I was going to move to New York, but my mom persuaded me to stay put in Portland by promising to help me with schooling if I majored in business. I agreed because I had somehow been convinced over the years that it wasn’t possible to earn a living right out of school as an artist. Looking back, I’m glad I made that decision now because any degree in business is a great foundation to build off of.

In 2001, I finally started to discover graphic design once I got my own computer. Since I loved art but disliked drawing and painting, it had an immediate appeal to me. At that point, I realized that my two interests in life were design and marketing, but I wasn’t sure how to combine them into a future career.

Fast forward to the spring of 2005. I had just finished an accounting final and immediately after, I hopped a plane to NYC for two month stay. I had switched my classes to an online format which allowed me to travel, but I lacked focus. I felt like the long hours that I had dedicated to accounting and economics were unfulfilling, yet learning about marketing and developing my Nubby Twiglet brand as a senior project was really fun. Additionally, I had just got offered my first freelance design job. I knew that graphic design was the missing link connecting everything I that wanted to to do. My boyfriend was a successful full-time designer and encouraged me to take some classes if I was serious about it.

One day, as I was walking through Brooklyn with a friend, she mentioned that it would be perfect for me to work at an ad agency because of my interest in both marketing and design. Right then, I decided that someday, that’s what I’d do in some capacity. I didn’t know anyone working at an ad agency and I still had a lot of schooling left. I had no idea how to make it happen, but I kept the dream filed away in the back of my mind.

Landing an Internship

I came home from New York in May 2005, finished up my business degree, got a job selling shoes and took a year off from school. In the fall of 2006, I enrolled at a local community college for a two year graphic design program (I didn’t feel that it was necessary to have two four year degrees). During my first year of classes, I worked really hard to make as many of my school projects portfolio-worthy as possible and did some big freelance jobs (Virgin Records, New Line Cinema) on the side. I also made an effort to show up to classes on time and to dress like I cared.

On the last day of class for the first year, I asked my teacher whether she thought I should sign up for the general practicum class for the following semester (clients come to the school and students follow their guidelines for real world experience) or if she thought I was ready to look for an internship outside of school. She asked me where I’d like to intern. I quickly replied with something to the effect of, “Nemo would be my dream internship. It’s my first choice.”

I’d known about Nemo for years; my brother and I had been to a few of their legendary parties and everyone always looked like they were having nonstop fun. They seemed to do the coolest work and never had any airs or pretensions, which was important to me. I wanted to be a part of that, but I didn’t have any direct connections. Luckily, she had a close contact at the company through an ex-student and within a day, she put me in contact. It happened that fast!

I spent most of last summer sending emails and leaving messages until I finally secured an interview two months later. I borrowed Lee’s portfolio book, did some prints of my best work and showed up early. The interview went well enough and I was started my internship on the first day of school in the fall of 2007.

For nine months, I showed up on my days off from school and enjoyed nearly every minute of the experience. As a design intern, I had to learn how to do a huge variety of tasks and I quickly realized how very different it is in the real world versus school. The deadlines are real and there are no do-overs. Every day, there was a new project to work on. The variety gave me hands-on experience in different departments and let me see what other people’s jobs were like.

Nemo was amazingly open-minded with letting me use my skillset- while I was assigned to the design department, I still got to contribute to marketing research and also write marketing-based articles for the company blog. Basically, they allowed me to find my niche and do the things I love most- design, marketing and research-based tasks. They were also very hands-on in their mentoring style and immediately inviting. I was invited to all the parties and company events and got to assist with small tasks on the big ad campaigns. They gave me my own desk and always made me feel welcome and I appreciated having that comfort in a workplace.

Disclaimer: I got very lucky with my situation; many first-time internships don’t necessarily lead to full-time employment.

It’s Up To You To Make it Happen

No matter what choices you make with regards to your life, everyone seems to have an opinion. It really doesn’t matter what they think, as long as it makes sense to you. When I finished my business degree, my mom wanted me to go out and get a “real job”. Instead, I took a lower paying retail job and started a second degree at community college in graphic design. A lot of people didn’t understand why I’d jump from business to design; they didn’t see the connection at all. I assured those who asked that I knew what I was doing at the time and luckily, it worked out in my favor.

It’s really not up to you to please other people. They don’t have to live with your choices for the rest of your life, you do. It’s a tough road, but after seven years of schooling, I can say that I’m finished and ready to live the rest of my life. And, many of the people that didn’t ‘get it’ are still working jobs they dislike…

My story proves that it doesn’t matter where you start out; it can be done. I had no direct links in the industry and decided to follow a route that seemed odd to some. Once I had a general idea of what I wanted, it was completely up to me to earn two college degrees in opposite subjects, attend school on my days off from work and put a portfolio together that was good enough to get my first internship. If what you want to do hasn’t been done before, it’s up to you to find a way to make it happen.

Additional Resources

1. How To Land Your Dream Internship
2. The Life of A Graphic Designer (in Training)
3. Planning and Assembling a Print Portfolio
4. The Art of Networking

Because of our fast-paced, instant access lifestyles filled with celebrity gossip blogs and social networking sites, it can sometimes appear that so-and-so has the perfect lifestyle and they must be doing better than ourselves. But, even if they are hugely successful, why should any of this really matter?

Jealousy and Scarcity

The feeling of scarcity (unlimited wants coupled with limited resources) arises when you stop focusing on what you presently have and start yearning for everything you don’t have. It’s a game you can’t win.

Steve Pavlina says:

Jealousy is a very ego-based notion. If you want to feel jealous, you must first adopt a scarcity mindset that suggests we’re in competition with each other. Reality must be reduced to your ego vs. other people. If someone gets that great job, that wonderful girlfriend, or that new house, it means you can’t have it. They won. You lost.

If you really think about it, there’s always more room at the top because each of us has a unique perspective. Nothing can be carried out in the same way twice so it’s entirely possible to put your own spin on an idea. If you see someone succeeding at the same thing you want to do, view it as a triumph because now you know it’s possible. And, if you have great manners and offer something in return, the odds are that they may be willing to provide tips and advice.

(Most) Success Is Due To Hard Work

Sometimes we only see the end results of what people have accomplished and forget about the hard work that it took to get to that point. A celebrity probably has a team of managers, publicists and assistants plugging them to the media at all times. A famous blogger probably does just that full-time and has been chipping away at the keyboard for years. A well-known artist may have spent ages couch surfing and squeaking into group shows before they got their big break. There’s a good chance that someone with a fantastic job had plenty of undesirable ones during the years prior and spent many long nights at the office.

Gala Darling brilliantly writes:

Other people’s lives are none of our business, regardless of who they are — celebrities, internet personalities, artists or shop assistants. We are all entitled to live the way we want to without having to constantly explain ourselves.

To dwell on what others have and then pry into their personal business in a negative manner is a bad reflection on yourself. It really isn’t about them, it’s about you. A few things have been bothering me as of late and I was just given the advice that it’s better to embrace these feelings and to think about what’s driving them than to bury them because I feel guilty for thinking badly about someone.

Usually, these feelings are driven by a lack of focus and uncertainty in your own life. This is natural. It’s up to you to work through these feelings, not to project them negatively onto another person.

Fight Negativity, Embrace Your Strengths

Napoleon Hill says:

The subconscious mind makes no distinction between constructive and destructive thought impulses. It works with the material we feed it through our thought impulses. The subconcious mind will translate into reality a thought driven by fear just as readily as it will translate into reality a thought driven by courage, faith.

The easiest cure-all for negative feelings is to throw yourself into something you love, something you feel really passionate about.

For me, when I’m designing, making fine art or blogging, I am at my most fulfilled because none of these things feel like work to me. Granted, my everyday life isn’t anything that would be considered spectacular. Most days are filled with waking up early, answering a few emails, picking out an outfit that I feel excited about and rushing out the door to catch the bus to work. After putting in my hours (I’m lucky to have a job I love), I usually come straight home most nights to do some more work and spend some time with Lee. If I get too tired, I take a nap, wake up in the middle of the night to do some more work, then go back to bed. The reason I keep wacky hours is because this is what it takes to keep up with what I love to do.

Any success I’ve achieved at this point has been about 80% hard work and 20% luck. The term luck should be used loosely because that only tends to come into play once you’ve already done the legwork to get noticed, whether that be recording your demo, putting together a press kit, developing a portfolio, etc.

Positive Momentum and Moving Forward

To keep momentum, I try view everything as an adventure, as a little excuse to have fun. Even if I’m just taking a mid-day walk to a coffee shop, I pack along my camera and try to take the world in around me.

It’s also important to have an end result in mind for what you’re doing. Even if you’re working a menial office or retail job (yes, we’ve all been there!) it helps if you have hobbies outside of work that you love. Also, keep your eye on the target; have an end date in mind. Maybe set a goal to save a few thousand dollars set aside (little by little out of each paycheck) so that you can travel or follow a dream when this milestone is passed. Having a payoff will make those dreadfully long days fly by as you inch closer to your dream.

Years ago when I lived in the suburbs, worked at the mall during the week and went to college classes on the weekend (it was a pretty miserable existence!), my goal was to save up enough money to quit my job and travel. Unexpectedly, during the winter of 2004, I was offered a chance to go on tour with Lee’s band and because I’d prepared myself, I was able to quit my job and tour the U.S. for six weeks without worrying about money. The payoff was totally worth the year of annoying customers I’d put up with! Traveling freely and meeting tons of inspiring people along the way really opened my mind up to the possibilities beyond my little, regimented world!

It’s Not About Me, It’s About You

This isn’t supposed to be all about me; it’s about you. It doesn’t matter where you are now. It’s where you’re going. If you have a steadfast plan that you’re inching towards every day, you’ll eventually make it. Slowly but surely, things somehow always manage to come together if you keep a positive outlook. And if you stay focused on that dream while putting in the work to achieve it, there’s nothing stopping you.

Lipstick, Fragrace and Hair Dye, Oh My!

1. Red Lipstick: The question I get asked most is what red lipstick I use and how I get it to stay put. I rotate between two reds; MAC Red and L’oreal Colour Riche in British Red.

Before applying lipstick, I start with a coat of Clinique Superbalm Lip Treatment. I tend to have very dry skin and this immediately evens out my lips. Allergy tested and fragrance free, it clears up even the worst chapped lips and makes lipstick go on perfectly smooth. Next, I apply lipstick straight from the tube and use a generic red lip pencil to lightly even out my lip line. If I’m feeling fancy, I add some MAC Lipglass in Russian Red to the top (see above).

2. Hair Dye: Years ago, I was a die-hard bright colored hair person. I did stints of black hair with Barbie pink roots, bright red hair with black tips and a six month run of blue hair. Special Effects dye was my best friend throughout those years!

While it was always an adventure, I finally gave up my unnatural hair color addiction in 2002. I was staining everything in sight an intense blue including phone earpieces, shirt collars, the bath tub and my pillows. By the time I stayed with a friend in New York for a week and accidentally stained all of his yellow towels with blue dye (he was subletting and had to replace them) I was done. I still miss it sometimes though because it’s pretty amazing how much of a transformation a new hair color can make.

Three years ago, I found a basic black dye that works exceptionally well and costs about $3.00 at Target. It’s Color Silk by Revlon and I love it! I dye my hair every three months or so and I like the way this dye fades over time into a softer, more natural black.

3. Fragrance: I’m not big on fragrance but there’s one that I use fairly regularly. It’s MAC Creations MV1 and is fusion of bergamot, lilies, white jasmine, vanilla, milk cream musk and sandalwood.

Though intense when first applied, it softens up fast and smells clean and inviting. One spray lingers all day. I tend to like fragrances that have strong vanilla overtones. Any recommendations?!

Honorable Mentions

1. Rimmel Extra Super Lash Mascara is the best drugstore mascara I’ve ever used. I was going to buy something fancy, but in a pinch I picked up a tube of this at Walgreen’s and I’m hooked. No clumping or flaking, really! You can keep building, layer after layer with ease. Scroll down to read the rave reviews!

2. Burt’s Bees Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Creme smells like the filling of almond croissants and immediately soaks into the most chapped skin. This 100% natural mixture of sweet almond oil, aloe and vitamin E will get you hooked immediately based on the smell alone!

What beauty products do you swear by?

Share your secrets with us so we can become converts, too!

Question:

I’m a photographer (who also likes to dabble in other forms of fine art and fashion design) and I’m starting to consider how to market my work as a brand. I am trying to decide whether to use my real name to work under, or whether to work under an artistic/business alias. My birth name isn’t that memorable or remarkable so I’m not sure whether it would be a good move to work under a different name.

One of the most important decisions you’ll ever make regarding your business is choosing a name. Opinions vary widely on whether it’s better to use your birth name or to choose something that’s more unique. There is no right or wrong answer; a name choice depends solely on your personal preference and what you feel more comfortable with.

When choosing a business name, consider the following:

1. A successful name should be marketable and represent your personality.

If your name is rather common, it may be better to develop something more memorable. At some point in their lives, most people take on a nickname or alias that differs from the name on their birth certificate. The change could be as simple as coming up with an online persona for a blog or an Ebay account or as broad as legally changing your name and leveraging it as your business. A great example of a legal name change is blogging personality Gala Darling. She also uses her name as the domain for her blog and has been hugely successful in this approach.

Of the name change, she explains:

Of course I am my parents’ daughter, but I don’t have their name — or the name they gave me — to hide behind any more. I am me, I stand up for myself, I have my own convictions & goals & for some reason, shaking off the baggage of my old name really crystallised things for me. It’s definitely one of the best things I have ever done for myself. Not to mention, having a name you adore & are proud of makes you feel fabulous.

In my experience, I’ve always had loads of nicknames so developing the persona of Nubby Twiglet for my design business and art career seemed natural. My reason for not leveraging my legal name as my business was simple: I wanted to create a vision bigger than myself, a brand name that encompassed everything creative that I do. And, why not? David Bowie did it with Ziggy Stardust, Andrew Warhola with Andy Warhol and Brian Warner did so with Marilyn Manson. 

*As a sidenote, in many states a sole proprietor is required to use their own name as a business name unless they formally file paperwork for another known as an assumed business name (or “Doing Business As”). This is true in Oregon, so my business license really does say Nubby Twiglet!

2. A business name should be short and easy to spell.

This is important because chances are that it will be transferred to a website (Building a Home on the Web is an excellent resource on this topic), business cards, and promotional materials that the public will come into contact with. If they can’t remember who you are or effortlessly locate your information, they will quickly move on.

3. Make sure your name is available.

It’s a good idea to a do a preliminary search by Googling your proposed business name to see if a similar company is already using it to market services or products closely related to what you want to do. Searching for domains can also be of benefit; chances are that if the one you have in mind has already been reserved, you won’t be able to use it for your business name (Whois.net can tell you who owns a particular domain). 

Finally, the United States Patent and Trademark Office allows you to search for trademarks to make sure your name has not been registered.

4. Your name will become more memorable if accompanied by a logo.

When people see your business name, they often have an immediate visual image as well. Something that is simple, timeless and has positive connotations is preferable. More logo advice can be found here.

I’m a bit of a rebel in this aspect because I have multiple logos, but the Mouth with Pill I use on stickers and pinback buttons always gets attention. On my artist press kit materials, I stick to a curvy, more refined Nubby logo that is targeted at a gallery audience.

5. If possible, your name should give an inkling as to what you do.

A good example of this is Lola London Photography. There’s no gray area about what she does! Another example is my brother’s t-shirt company, Blacktooth Clothing.

Your opinion matters most (and rules are meant to be broken)!

In my case, I didn’t follow any particular rules for choosing the Nubby Twiglet brand name, but I’ve also been using it for 8 years. Nubbytwiglet.com works for me because it is comprised of nickname that I often go by in my everyday life. I view it as a far-reaching creative brand that encompasses the realms of art, design and marketing and in effect, my public persona.

In the end, you have to choose a name that you feel good about. If you’re confident about your business, it will show and potential customers will notice. If your chosen name has positive connotations and your personality shines through, the rest will follow.

While designing a print portfolio is a requirement for me to graduate, it’s a great thing to have on-hand as a designer whether you’re in school or not. Pointing to your work on a computer screen during an interview doesn’t have the same effect as a person being able to flip through printed pages of your work at their own pace!

Size and Format

I chose the 11 x 17 inch landscape size for my portfolio because I wanted the printouts to be large enough to show off the details. Much of my work is related to branding and publication design (many have multiple items showcased across a page) so the long, horizontal space in the landscape format worked perfectly. Other common portfolio options are 8.5 x 11 inches and 11 x 14 inches.

There are a number of options when assembling a portfolio. You can mount your work on archival quality matboard, use a carrying case-style portfolio with handles, and even design a book (bind it by hand or use an on-demand print service like Lulu.com). Or, you can choose from a variety of cover options. I picked a screwpost cover that can easily be expanded.  

    

Page Design

Personally, I tend to shy away from flashy, multi-diminsional graphics in favor of clean, classic layouts that let my work breathe. Because of this, I placed pieces on white backgrounds with simple descriptions in the lower right corner. I did add one burst of color with the corresponding project numbers in a bold, 80s gradient; it adds a unifying sense to the 16 pages of work and the colors match my personal brand identity (not the Nubby Twiglet grays and blacks!)  

Page Examples:

Fountains of Wayne CD packaging (Virgin records)  
Kiss Me Deadly movie poster (Supertrash Fest / Fantagraphic Books)

2008 double-sided calendar (Nubbytwiglet.com)

T-shirt and tote graphic (GalaDarling.com)  

Choosing Work

When choosing work to showcase in your portfolio, consider the following guidelines:

1. Make sure it’s your best work:
If you’re not confident about a piece, it’s probably not a good idea to include it. The last thing you need to do during an interview is to defend a piece or talk about what you would have done differently.

2. Quality over Qualtity:
It’s better to show 10 fantastic pieces instead of 20 mediocre ones. Enough said.

3. Variety:
Even if you have a favorite area of design, including 15 similar pieces showcasing the same skills will probably bore the interviewer beyond belief. Though I love developing brand identities, I stopped after adding in four very different examples. Mix it up and showcase a good cross-section of your talents in the process.

4. Start with your Best / End With your Best:
Start the portfolio with your strongest piece. This will grab the interviewer’s interest and hopefully engage them enough to continue through the rest of your work. The final piece should seal their impression that you’re a talented, class-act.

Additional Resources:

1. An amazing hand-bound portfolio that resembles a glossy design book takes some serious dedication!

2. Presenting Your Portfolio is an inspiring story about a recent graduate who walks into a lobby to meet the head of a famous design department for an interview…when his portfolio collapses and all of his original work gets strewn across the ground. The story has a good ending: he still got the job!

3. Hugely successful designer Michael Beirut takes us down memory lane and shows us the actual contents of his portfolio, circa 1978!

4. A.I. Friedman in New York has a fantastic selection of presentation and storage options, including Pina Zangaro portfolios and is a favorite destination of mine!

Question:

As someone with an interest in both business / marketing & graphic design / the arts, how you approach networking both in real life & online? Networking can often be very shallow, where people use one another to advance & solely promote themselves. On the other hand, it can also be a means of building relationships with those you respect & supporting each others endeavors. So, how do you do it?

Actively networking for a personal gain can veer into the tacky side of human relations if not handled tactfully, so I’ve found over time that being genuine and open with who you are and what you are seeking is the best approach. Networking in an organic, honest manner lets people see the real you behind the screen.

Networking Online

Social networking online revolves around people who share common interests and activities (or who like to simply explore those of others). Wikipedia has gathered an exhaustive list of all of the major social networking sites (many which I’ve never heard of)!

Just because you’re online doesn’t mean you should lose your manners and inhibitions! Spamming your entire friends list on Myspace with cheesy solicitations and a nonstop barrage of bulletins probably won’t reap many responses. On the other hand, if you actively seek out someone with similar interests and write a personalized introduction and pay them a compliment, your results are bound to grow exponentially.

I first experimented with networking seven years ago when I started a blog on Live Journal. It was more fun and innocent back then because there was no need to actively network. Friends of friends would discover new people with common interests and recommend them to one another. Just by putting myself out there, I made some friends for life. Nowadays, it seems like all I receive on sites like Myspace are badly designed ads and solicitations for ringtones (needless to say, I avoid it like the plague these days).

If you do social network on some of these popular sites, try to develop a standardized look through an introduction and similar user images. By making it easy for users to connect the dots as they navigate through multiple platforms, it’s much more likely that they’ll remember you.

Networking for Personal Gain

There’s nothing wrong with networking beyond a friendship level, but you should be upfront about it. On occasion, I’ve handed my business card and stickers out at clubs to people but it was usually because I knew that they were looking for a designer, I wanted them to contact me later, or it just felt right. Being selective and feeling out the situation first is always a good idea. Otherwise, people get annoyedf and throw everything in the garbage!

The golden rule with networking is to always offer something in return if someone is going out of their way to help you. That way, it’s a win-win situation. Do something to let them know that they’re appreciated. Send a personalized postcard, take them out for dinner, write a thank you note, or offer to write a testimonial. It doesn’t necessarily take money to show your gratitude.

Over at Anywired, Mark Hayward rattles off the five things he did wrong when contacting a person for personal gain:

1. The email was too long

When asking for a favor, keep your request short and sweet. This way, you’re more likely to get an immediate response. Otherwise, your email may quickly sink to the bottom of the page until the recipient has time to deal with it.

2. He hit the send button too quickly

If you are looking for help or a contribution for a project, consider sending the person a link to it instead; make things as painless as possible and give your email some serious thought; once you hit send, there are no take backs!

3. He did not clearly define his goals for the interaction

Maybe the request makes perfect sense in your mind, but that doesn’t mean that the person on the other end will understand your lingo or huge, rambling paragraphs. Short, concise sentences and some bullet points can help.

4. He didn’t offer anything in return

You can’t expect something for nothing.

5. He didn’t know when to call in a middleman or mediator

If you don’t know someone very well but have a common acquaintance that is closer to them than yourself, think about calling in a favor. Chances are that they’ll be more receptive if they have a pre-introduction from someone they trust.

Additional Networking Resources:

1. D.I.Y. PR: Don’t hire an ad agency, learn how to yourself!

2. What Google can teach us about self image is oddly inspiring.

3. Passive marketing for freelancers offers up tips on how to make money without working so hard!

4. The top art and design bloggers tell you exactly what they’re looking for when you want to get your stuff published online. Learn from the best!

In closing, there’s no tried and true secret to social networking; if you provide solid content that is valuable to others in some way (amazing artwork, photos and articles are a few examples), your popularity should naturally gain momentum.

*Thanks to Bianca Alexis for the photos!

1. You will be forced to grow

Hoarding your ideas creates staleness. In It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want to Be, Paul Arden states, “If you give away everything you have, you are left with nothing. This forces you to look, be aware, to replenish.” Instead of living off your past reserves, look to the the future. It’s exciting, sometimes scary, and a completely blank slate. Are you up for the challenge?

2 . The more you give, the more you’ll get back

It’s true that at some point, the pendulum of the giving you’ve done will swing back to reward you. This can be hard to believe when you’re first starting out, but as your sharing builds, so do people who admire and appreciate what you’re doing. Opportunities will begin to build. And, if what you’re sharing is genuinely valuable and unique, you will be making a difference in the world with your knowledge and visions! Self-help expert Steve Pavlina states that “Strong content is universally valued.  It’s hard work to create it, but in the long run it generates lots of long-term referral traffic.”

3. Ideas are like Xerox copies

If you have a great idea, there is no reason to lock it away; it is similar to a Xerox copy. An original (yours) will always be stronger and more highly regarded than potential copies. Your idea can never be reproduced at the same level.* A copy of an original piece of art, writing, or music will always fall short and the energy can never be fully replicated, but the inspiration is what’s important. Inspiration is everywhere we look. Feel good about contributing to someone’s vision!

*Confidence plays a part in this attitude. I’m not afraid to share because if someone decides to directly copy what I’ve done in some way, I’ve probably already moved onto the next phase and they’re living on my past reserves! If you need help with achieving confidence, never fear! Gala Darling has some helpful, no fail tips here.

Remember that most musicians, writers, and artists have been influenced by the works of previous generations and by sharing their work with contemporaries, it has greatly improved. If you have an idea that you think is of value but don’t have the resources to nurture it, Sharing Ideas lets you post it for the world to see. The goal is for someone else to put it to good use.

P.S. Always remember: Being inspired by something is not the same as copying. Direct copying of any kind is bad! Take shared ideas and let them grow into a unique vision– your own!

The cost can’t be beat. If you walk a quarter mile down straight down the highway from the airport, you can jump on a bus heading toward the main Waikiki hotels for $2.00. No $50.00 cab rides necessary here (sorry, I’ve spent a small fortune getting from JFK into Manhattan!)

2. The Hawaiian Monarch

This hotel is a five minute walk to Waikiki Beach and half the price of the more tourist-y hotels on the main strip. It’s not fancy, but who sits in their hotel room all day when pristine beaches await anyway?

3. Alamoana Shopping Center

This is the largest outdoor mall in the world. Also, it features the most amazing food court ever with over 40 options, many Asian-themed. The variety of stores is mind-boggling. Chanel, Dior, Neiman Marcus await, with the more affordable Sears and Old Navy thrown in.

If you’re going to be in town more than a handful of days, rent a car and escape the tourist-ridden Waikiki. I spent a full day visiting quaint surfing towns, running into the Pacific, and making a pit-stop at the Kona Brewing Company, set on the docks of the scenic Koko Marina. The happy hour menu is full of tasty food and drink specials at unbelievable deals!

5. The Oahu Stadium Swap Meet

This destination has the best deals on tourist trinkets. Visit for deals like $7.00 for jumbo beach towels and $20.00 for 8 shirts; it’s definitely worth the $1.00 price of admission. And, if you’re weary of the public bus ride back to Waikiki, spend a few dollars extra to get a shuttle ride from a local. We had ‘The Wolf’ driving us and trust me, it was worth it just for the surfing stories!

I made my first trip to Oahu earlier this month; more photographic evidence soon!