Gibbs Design

I've moved

noreply@blogger.com (sgibbsdesign) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 12:24:00 +0000

I've moved my blog to my website www.SGibbsDesign.com.

Come on over and check it out.

Design with a side of Slaw

noreply@blogger.com (sgibbsdesign) — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 00:59:00 +0000

I admit it I’m a BBQ-aholic and a sucker for good design. Recently, I have started to combine those two passions and have found they have a lot in common in their methods and approaches.

When getting ready to BBQ and design you need to follow a few steps:
1. Plan ahead
2. Prepare
3. Use the right tools
4. Expect surprises
5. Adapt
6. Present the final product

1. Plan ahead
Before you start to BBQ you need to plan ahead. You need to know what you’re cooking, who you’re cooking for and the amount of people you’re cooking for.

In design you need to do the same. You need to know what you’re creating, who your audience is and how big your target audience is.

2. Prepare
Once you know if you’re cooking brisket, pork, ribs or chicken you have to procure the items in the correct amount for the number of people you’re feeding and then prepare it, whether that is trimming the meat, marinating it, rubbing it or whatever.

When you design you have to create sketches, decide colors and prepare copy, along with other things. If you do plan and prepare it makes the whole job much easier.

3. Use the right tools
This one should not be a big surprise.

If I’m smoking 32 pork butts for an event I know I’m not going to use my little backyard smoker that can hold, maybe, six pork butts. Or if I’m cooking for family I’m not going to fire up the huge smoker that can do 32 butts.

If I’m creating a presentation I’m not going to use Indesign or Illustrator, I’ll use Keynote or PowerPoint. If I need to create a brochure I’m not going to use Word, I’ll use Indesign.

Using the right tools will save you time and energy as you don’t have to work as hard when you do.

4. Expect surprises
When I BBQ I always expect something will happen that I didn’t think of. I might not have enough wood, the cooker isn't heating up as fast as I would like, it's raining, or a myriad of other things. Each surprise that happens can effect the time of the cook and the outcome. Planning ahead helps to minimize this but some things are just out of our control and you have to adapt.

In design the client might change their mind, give you the wrong copy or specs, the wrong logo or the wrong images. Again planning ahead can help mitigate these problems but if they do arise you need to be able to be flexible enough to change things and adapt.

5. Adapt
When surprises happen you have to adapt your plan. You may even need to call in help. If your cookers temp is too low due to weather you can add more fuel to stoke the fire. If you find your temperature is too high you know your cooking time will be shorter so you need to plan what to do with the meat if it's done early.

Over the course of a project ideas and needs can change and as a designer you need to be ready to adapt your design to those changes. To correct things the client wants. Design is not about you and your body of work but about what the client needs and wants.

If you receive the wrong specs you can rescale everything to a larger or smaller size. If you have the wrong colors you can change them out.

Communicating with the client will help to ensure you have what you need and also help to make sure the project is exactly what they need.

6. Present the final product
Once the BBQ is made you have to serve it up. When cooking for family it is a simple, put it on a plater or in a bowl and let them at it. If you are doing competition you have have to present it and depending on what type of competition will determine your presentation. In one type you have to serve the judges at your cook site, show them your cooking process and give them a dinning experience. In another, you have to send the meat into a panel of judges placed in a standard box so it looks nice.

Once you have your final design you need to present it to the client. Depending on how you and the client decide it should be presented you may need to mount it on matt board, send them a PDF or give them a color digital proof. But whatever way you do it, it needs to be professional and ready for their sign-off.

As you can see both BBQ and design processes share much in common. Part of the pleasure I find in design and BBQ is the process you have to go through to get to the final product. Each part gets you a step closer to the final and once you get there you can enjoy it and know that you have a job well done.

What's on your shelf?

noreply@blogger.com (sgibbsdesign) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 01:08:00 +0000

Recently My wife and I did some rearranging in our game room. We wanted to move some bookshelves around to make some more room and change where the tv was located. This meant removing all the books off the book shelves and going through them.

We removed a few to donate to local libraries and other places which made more room for the books we kept. It made it possible for me to have a graphic design book shelf where I can actually see what books I have.

I have two binders from HOW Conferences which are full of great info I like to refer back to. The next book is Political Graphics which deals with WWI to cold war era propaganda.

I have two versions of the GAG pricing and ethics guides. These are always useful when trying to price work or needing a contract or other form a designer or artist would use.

Next is a Logo Lounge book, I wish I had more of these. These are great reference materials to see what logos are out there and also to see some of the best logos being produced.

Then there are the two books by Von Glitschka. One is a texture book the other a pattern book. Both are great and they come with a DVD of art you can use in your work, not to mention Von is a pretty cool guy.

There are two books by Jeff Fisher one on identity design and the other on how to run your freelance business. Both of which he has been doing for years.

The other two books I will mention are the Caffeine for the Creative Mind and Group. These are great to get you out of a rut. If your stuck and need a fun project that will help you to think differently about things these two will do it. If you work with a team you can use them for team building excersizes.

The rest of the books are ones that I have found interesting or useful in growing myself as as designer. There is also a section of notebooks and sketch books containing ideas from over the years.

So what's on your shelf? What books have helped you in your design career or have inspired you? Leave a comment about them.

Fly By

noreply@blogger.com (sgibbsdesign) — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 13:17:00 +0000

One of the many hats I wear at my full time job is a video editor. When we first purchased Final Cut Studio Pro, I played around in it to get a feel for editing and creating special effects. The following movie is the first one I made. It is not perfect but I think it is a fun little fly through.

My idea was, a miniature spaceship was in my office and did a reconnaissance mission from my cube to an adjoining one and back. I used the sound effects in Soundtrack and the effects from Motion to create this 55 second short.

Enjoy!

FlyBy from Steve Gibbs on Vimeo.

Operation Thanksgiving Turkey - Identity

noreply@blogger.com (sgibbsdesign) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 23:45:00 +0000

Project Type: Identity

Client: Catchafire for Q

Challenge: Create a logo and character to help promote Operation Thanksgiving Turkey (OTT).

Solution: One of my hobbies is competition BBQ. The team I'm on does Operation Thanksgiving Turkey each Thanksgiving to help feed needy families in our area. The first year we fed 40 families, last year we fed 286. After two years of promoting OTT with nothing other than some text posters it was decided a logo was needed. The word "operation" brought to mind a military operation and with all the volunteers involved it is almost like one. After playing around with some ideas for a mascot I settled on a turkey - the American symbol of Thanksgiving. I ended up creating Sgt. Gobble.

The logo will work well on stickers that can be put on the bags the meals are delivered in, t-shirts and other items. The mascot will show up on posters and brochures.

It was a fun project for a good cause.

AIMCAL Banner

noreply@blogger.com (sgibbsdesign) — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:35:00 +0000

Client:
AIMCAL

Objective:
Create a banner to be used at trade shows.

AIMCAL serves as the global forum for the flexible metallizing, coating and laminating industry by providing resources, services and information. AIMCAL collects and distributes information to increase industry knowledge, while fostering an environment that builds relationships and a spirit of cooperation between member companies worldwide (from AIMCAL.org)

Challenge:
The turn around on this was very quick as they needed to get the art work to the printer within 3 days. The banner size was 35x84. AIMCAL wanted to incorporate their logo, a specific tagline and highlight what they do for the converting industry all while being able to grab people’s attention.

Solution:
Being AIMCAL is an international organization I played off that with the “reel” globe at the top and had it unwinding down the length of the banner to draw people’s eyes down to read the highlights. The client was pleased with the final results.

Building Creativity

noreply@blogger.com (sgibbsdesign) — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:52:00 +0000

LEGO. Those small blocks our kids leave on the floor so in the middle of the night we step on them with bare feet thus waking the household. Oh, the memories. I grew up with LEGO. Never knew a day without it. My parents were studying language in Switzerland many years ago and invited some friends over for dinner. As was the custom, they brought the hosts a gift which happened to be LEGO for my older brother. That was when the collection started (40+ years ago).

Ever since I can remember, I have played with LEGO. It was always my brothers until I turned four. That was when I got my very own set. It was a small blue rally car, probably supposed to be a Fiat. I built the car and played with it, slept with it, did everything with it… for about a week. Then I pulled it apart and started to create new things with it. It was swallowed up by my brothers LEGO, but that was ok. Since that point until much later a birthday just wasn’t a birthday unless I received one LEGO set, large or small it didn’t matter.

My imagination would run wild with LEGO. I built cars, ships, houses, forts, castles anything I could think of. Then they started to release the theme LEGO. Castle LEGO, space LEGO and city LEGO. All those cool parts just waiting to be explored. I would get the set build it according to the directions play with it for a bit and then tear it all apart and build something bigger and better.

My buddies and I would build Star Wars ships (yes, this was before Star Wars LEGO) and reenact scenes from the movies. We would have all out wars with space men being knights and races with cars we built. My brother and I even built a LEGO chess board.

Now my kids and nephews play with the LEGO and when they are playing and I’m around I get, “Uncle Steve will you play LEGO with us?” I’ll sit down and find a bunch of random parts and start building. One Saturday one of my nephews actually called me to ask if I would come over and play LEGO with them. They are in awe of whatever it is I come up with. Sometimes they ask me where the instructions are and I answer, “In my head.”

Playing with LEGO as a kid has helped me to think a bit differently, to imagine and create. It has inspired me as a designer. The LEGO set you get in the box is fun. You can build it, set it on your shelf and play with it every now and then, but the true fun of LEGO is to build the set then tear it apart and make something new.

Design is similar. You have to learn how the basics of design work, how your corporate and branding guidelines work before you can break it apart and create something new. Your basics of design and guidelines are your building blocks that you can put together infinite ways. Like having one LEGO set you get certain bits, but you can create and put it together infinite ways. It takes time, but as you build new designs and play with the blocks you have, you get better.

Got to go. There's a pile of bricks waiting to be turned into something cool.

Design for the Why

noreply@blogger.com (sgibbsdesign) — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 15:21:00 +0000

Recently I watched a TED video about how great leaders inspire actions. One of the things he said really struck me about advertising. We shouldn't design for the “what” but for the “why.”

I also watched “Art & Copy” which is a movie about advertising and inspiration. As I watched it I noticed that some of the best advertising campaigns and tag lines hit the “Why?” on the mark. A couple of the ads they talk about are the 1984 Apple ad, Nike’s “Just Do It.” and “Got Milk?”

The Apple ad is a classic. Not once does it show the product in the ad but it does show the logo and introduces us to the resonating idea behind the Macintosh, a change, freedom from one system the ability for anyone to use a computer. The rest of the Apple ads hit the why also; i.e., "Think Different" and the "Get a Mac." The why of what they do is behind all their ads.

Nike’s “Just Do It.” got to the core of what they, as a company, are about. Getting people out and exercising, preferably wearing Nike shoes. There ads focused on people doing not on what they wore. At the very end of the ads they showed the shoe. In “Art & Copy” they discuss how the “Just Do It.” phrase effected people and how it gave people the courage to make a change. It motivated them to get up and do “it.”

The third slogan “Got Milk?” goes to that fear you have each morning with a bowl of cereal or in the evening with a rich slice of chocolate cake. The original ad of the guy getting the prize phone call and not being able to answer because he is out of milk hits the mark. They do mention the product but they get to the “why” of the “what.”

Too often as designers we focus on the “what” when we should be focus more on the “why.”

Low Country Gold

noreply@blogger.com (sgibbsdesign) — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 12:37:00 +0000

I'm on a BBQ competition team and every now and than I get to do some design work for it. Recently we decided to custom label a sauce and I designed the label. Projects like this are great, as I love both design and BBQ and can do my own thing. Ultimately the owner of the team has sign off so I do have to make sure my design fits his vision.

Once we decided to label a sauce we had to come up with a name. We had chosen a mustard style sauce that fit well with the low country style of the Carolinas BBQ. We suggested names to each other as we brain stormed some were decent, Carolina Gold, some not so much, Butt Juice. We finally settled on Catchafire for Q Low Country Gold.

The name sounded good and I figured the hard part was done. I was wrong.

As I approached this design I wanted it to be specific for the product but generic enough to use the design with other possible BBQ sauces, rubs and hot sauces. I also wanted the design to stand out among other sauces. Many sauces have a similar look to the label design so they don't differentiate themselves when sitting on a shelf. Buyers shop with their eyes first.

So I turned to my sketch book. I find I have better results if I work in analog before I go digital for this type of work. I also find I am working through various designs in my head too. During this project I had a brilliant idea for the label when I woke one morning. I sketched it out and then created on the computer. It didn't translate well for the look I wanted.

After a couple more days of sketching and letting the ideas percolate, it hit me. I did rough sketch of my idea so I wouldn't forget it and when I had time later I created it in the computer. At first it wasn't working for me but after looking at it and tweaking it here and there it started to coleus into what my vision was.

You may purchase a bottle of it over at the Catchafire for Q web site

To iPad

noreply@blogger.com (sgibbsdesign) — Wed, 05 May 2010 00:02:00 +0000

I broke down and got an iPad. I ended up not getting the 3G one but opted for the 64gb wifi
one. It is very cool. As i said in my previous post it is the device I have been waiting for. It is very slick in it's design and functionality. Yes it is like an oversized iPhone but the extra screen-estate allows the apps to be easier to use. In the Fall when OS 4.0 is released for it it will truly rock.

I've heard many complain about no USB port but honestly I don't see the need for one. I think Apple's solution with the adapter that connects via the charging port is great. You can use it when you need to. The Apple USB port will allow you to use items, other than just a camera, with the iPad. There are also apps out there that let you transfer your files to the iPad via wifi.

I have found using the iPad is one of the most natural computing devices I have used. It may be because I'm used to using the iPod Touch or I'm a geek and love gadgets but when I picked it up for the first time it just felt right. Typing on it isn't bad at all, though I do tend to hunt and peck, it seems to go faster on the iPad than on my laptop.

Will the iPad replace the laptop? Probably not but it will give you a supplemental device that is easier to carry with you and make some tasks easier to do that you would normally do on a desktop or laptop. I don't see doing whole projects or designing web sites on it. But blogging, getting ideas down, sharing ideas with others and tasks like that the iPad is well suited for. It is also great for reading PDFs. I HATE reading PDFs on a computer. To me it's just not comfortable. I got the GoodReader app and it makes reading PDFs like I think it should be. It is like holding a book in your hand and you can turn it to a comfortable angle and read. It is also great for reading comics.

Will it replace your iPhone or iPod Touch? Probably not. The iPhone and iPod are easy to transport. You put it in your pocket and go. You can pull it out just about anywhere and hold it in your hand without any trouble. You can't do that with the iPad. Both have their uses but I don't think the iPad will will replace them for their convenience.

Apps

I have gotten a few apps for the iPad that I think are pretty cool. One of the coolest sketch apps out there is Sketch Book Pro. This is a very neat app for drawing and sketching. You can do quick doodles and get an idea down and save for later or you can take your time and do a full blown picture with layers, shading and other effects.

GoodReader is the best PDF reader I have found. It has great functionality that allows you to pull PDFs from various sources including a network, Dropbox, any URL and shared drives.

Marvel Comics app is a very nice comic book reader. There are a couple other comic readers that carry independent comics too but for most of your favorite super heroes you can find them on the Marvel Comic app.

As an amateur astronomer I have found Star Walk to be one of the coolest apps out there. You can set your location and it will show you the night sky, stars and constellations you can view from there.

For weather I use the tried and true WeatherBug. I like the interface and find it very easy to use.

And for Twitter I use Twitterrific. It is a great app and very easy to use. It has a nice clean interface also.

These are just some of the apps I like and I'm always looking for more cool ones to add so let me know which apps you like to use. Overall I love my iPad. I think Apple got it right.

Valentine's Day Card

noreply@blogger.com (sgibbsdesign) — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 20:25:00 +0000

This year for Valentine's Day I created a card for my wonderful wife. I didn't like any of the cards I saw for sale so I decided to make one. I did a couple doodles and thought, "Oh that would make a cool heart."

I scanned the image into the computer, took it into Illustrator and created a vector line drawing. I then duplicated the one side and flipped it over to make the other half of the heart. It didn't quite fit like I wanted it to so I tweaked the lines until I liked it. I then duplicated it a couple times and created a blue "doily". I duplicated the blue "doily" and made it pink and rotated it 45 degrees. I used one of the sketch brushes on the main heart and turned it a deep red. I then brought the image into InDesign and wrote the inside (No, I'm not going to tell you what it said). I printed it on one of Neenah Papers classic crest, white, linen finish papers. The final product was a hit.

Lion E-vite

noreply@blogger.com (sgibbsdesign) — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 19:57:00 +0000

Last year the company I work for full time did an event in Animal Kingdom in Disney World. One of my jobs was to create an e-vite for it to be sent to the clients.

After discussing with our event planner what they were going to be doing we decided to feature an African theme. After all they were going to see a presentation of the Lion King.

The central icon for the Animal Kingdom is the Tree of Life, so I knew I would have to have the baobab tree on the invite along with a lion. After thinking about it and playing around with different ideas I decided to go with an African sunset, the animals gathering at the tree and the lion watching over it all. Below is the illustration I created in Adobe Illustrator as my base image.

Using this image I modified it for a flash invite, a card with a gift (the long image below) and reminder card (which had text to inform the clients about the event). Each one worked well by itself but stayed consistent to remind the clients of who sent it and what the event was.

To iPad or not to iPad?

noreply@blogger.com (sgibbsdesign) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 16:45:00 +0000

Ok, I’ll admit it. I have been excited about the possibilities of a tablet like personal computer since the Newton first appeared. You remember the Newton, don’t you? (top picture) It was Apples first attempt at a PDA. Despite it’s shortcomings it was the first of many. I actually still have one, but it doesn’t work anymore.

I have been dreaming about having a tablet type device that I could draw on digitally, keep track of my calendar, watch and listen to media and a myriad of other things. My idea for a device was about the size of a clipboard that could be used to showcase ideas, create on the fly and even play games.

Well, in January, Apple announced my dream machine, the iPad. When the iPhone and iPod Touch came out I told a friend, “This is a test product for a tablet device.” Was it a test? probably not but it opened up the possibilities to one.

I have heard and read much of what the iPad can’t do, but as an eternal optimist I am looking forward to what it can and will be able to-do. When I got my iPod Touch the app store was only a rumor but I knew when it came out it would change the way these devices worked. I have the same feeling with the iPad. When OS 4 arrives for it in the fall it will make it that much better.

Will it replace my laptop or iPod Touch? No. It will supplement them. There are things I would love to do on a device between t

he two. But the iPod Touch will remain my pocket portable device, My laptop will be my work device and the iPad it will be my everything else device.

I don’t yet have the iPad but plan to get a 3g one. I am looking forward to seeing what it can really do. Using it as a sketch pad, PDF reader, book reader, movie watcher, music player and so much more.

Once I get my iPad I will let you all know if it meets my expectations or not. So yes I will iPad.

Here are a couple great places to get more info on the iPad:

iPad Watcher

iLounge

and of course Apple's site

Merry Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (sgibbsdesign) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 05:00:00 +0000

And Happy New Year to all.

The final was printed on Curious Metallics galvanised paper.

There's the Rub

noreply@blogger.com (sgibbsdesign) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:18:00 +0000

For Christmas this year I decided to bottle my BBQ rub for family and some friends. I had the logo already so I needed to come up with a label design. I really liked the look of the white flaming Q on a black background. It has a classy, high end feel to it. I thought a high end BBQ look would be cool. Yeah, I know high end, classy and BBQ don't usually go in the same sentence, but why not?

I did some research about labels to get ideas and figure out the look I wanted and settled on one that I thought worked well. It speaks of a high end product you might find at a specialty store. I also searched for just the right bottle to put it in. I found a great spice bottle at World Market that would work well for this small run of rub.

You will notice that the usage of it has changed a bit from my original post about the Q logo. I think the way I have chosen to use it now will lend itself to more applications and easier to change for sauce and other items.

Operation Thanksgiving Turkey - Followup

noreply@blogger.com (sgibbsdesign) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 01:16:00 +0000

Following up from Operation Thanksgiving Turkey. My friend Ken (who started the operation) received the below letter this week. It is from one of the 286 recipients of the turkey expressing his appreciation. The card he received was from my daughter (yes I am proud of her :-)).

December 3, 2009

Sometimes you don't feel particularly "needy:' But over time, things that uplift your soul tend to slip away.

With the children grown and scattered, holidays are one of those things.

Christmas decorating for the past ten years consists of digging the wreath out of the storage room and hanging it on the front door. All done!

Thanksgiving is even worse. Maybe we go out to a little nearby restaurant and have some turkey. Maybe not.

As my wife's vision deteriorates, she's made the painful decision to hang up her car keys. Cooking also has become a chore for her.

Bless her heart, she has borne up bravely as I try to teach myself to cook. But if I were the one married to me I'd divorce myself.

Lots of sandwiches. Cheerios sound good for supper tonight? Doggie bags from the restaurant will feed us for two days! When I cook, the smoke alarm indicates the meat is done.

Enter Angel Food.

I don't even remember where I heard of Angel Food, but October was our first Signature Box. We liked it so much, we ordered another for November and a Senior Meals to boot.

Saturday. November 21, I arrive to pick up, Naturally I go to the wrong table. The one I stop at is where you sign up for Thanksgiving Dinner ... delivered!

Mama didn't raise no dumb puppies! How much? Free? Sign me up!

Now here is where expectation departs from reality. What I envisioned was a plastic plate with some sliced turkey, a scoop of mashed potatoes, stuffing, maybe some green beans. Maybe even some cranberry sauce. Ready to pop into the microwave. I would have been happy and pleased. I know my wife would have been thrilled she didn't have to eat my cooking.

Late delivery OK - say eight or nine? Yes ma'am, that'll be fine. Wednesday night. A phone call. Were running late. No problem, I never go to bed before 1 a.m.

Todd and his son, Chris, arrived shortly before midnight. The guys have been out delivering all day! Talk about above and beyond the call of duty! But the gifts they were bearing drove out all logical thought. I was stunned! A whole turkey! Smoked yet! And all the fixins - corn, beans, stuffing, cranberry sauce and a whole pumpkin pie! I've never had a smoked turkey in my life! It was delicious!

In addition were two little presents. One was a New Testament. Always welcome. Always needed. Always ready to dispense inspiration and wisdom. Not too surprising, though - it's a Baptist Church after all!

The other present was a simple card. "Hope you have a great Thanksgiving. Remember Jesus loves you!" and signed Alyssa:' Below was a drawing of a little smiling turkey, saying "gobble!"

Tears fell unashamed from my eyes.

I could see clearly Alyssa and her friends sitting at a table making card after card for people they didn't know and would never meet.

This leads to a vision of hundreds of turkeys being prepared by your church family. Boxes and boxes of fixins being cheerfully parceled out. The thought staggers the imagination.

A church event. A family event. Young and old pitching in and working late to prepare a Thanksgiving feast for nameless and faceless people ... out there.

You have cast your cornbread stuffing upon the waters. And it has filled my grateful heart.

Alyssa, you and your friends at First Baptist Church of Fort Mill were my blessing this Thanksgiving.

May you and your church family receive God's blessings in abundance this Christmas season. And may your hearts be filled with the knowledge that your efforts have reached out and the hearts of others.

In deep appreciation,

Dan

Take time this Christmas season to help someone out. Give some change to the Salvation Army bell ringer. Send a card. It is amazing what a turkey, fixins and a card can do for someone and how much it can help out.

If you are on Facebook you can follow Catch a Fire for Q.

Thinking Different

noreply@blogger.com (sgibbsdesign) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:08:00 +0000

I came across this image on FFFFOUND! today. FFFFOUND! is a site I like to go to when I need some inspiration or just need to look at the world in a different way. Some of the pictures are risque (so be warned), some are frighting, some are odd and many are just plain interesting.

When I saw the boat table I thought, "Now that's innovation." How often are we asked to create something with what we have on hand. We have to look at what we have and see it in a different way. Just like the guy riding the table boat. He had an obstacle (the water), a boat engine and a table. He solved his problem of crossing the water by looking at the table in a different way and using "Design Thinking."

Instead of being overwhelmed by a problem and thinking we can't do it because we don't have the resources, we should look at what we do have and find new uses for it.

Why should we let a little thing like water stop us from doing what we need too? Flip that table over, slap an engine on it and go full throttle.

Operation Thanksgiving Turkey

noreply@blogger.com (sgibbsdesign) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:44:00 +0000

A friend from Church started BBQing a couple of years ago and entering competitions. He has a huge smoker that he uses to do this. Last year he got the idea to smoke as many turkeys as he could for needy families in the area. He did 40, which isn't bad for a first year. He was able to get BiLo to help out with the groceries and turkeys so each family would get a Thanksgiving meal.

He had volunteers deliver them to the families. One of the houses had a teenage boy answer the door and when they gave him the groceries he was so grateful. He told the delivery people he didn't know what he was going to eat from Wednesday until next Monday because he was on school assisted meals and they had no food in the house.

This year my friend had a goal of 200 turkeys and meals for families. He asked people to adopt a turkey for $20. That $20 would pay for the turkey and the sides. He is doing 286!! He has 7 cookers helping cook and about 50 volunteers around the clock, helping to prep, cook and deliver. Again our local BiLo helped out with the turkeys and the fixings and our local Starbucks has donated a 1/2 pound of coffee to each family and coffee for the volunteers. One of the local Chick-fil-a's is bringing lunch over for the volunteers.

People often wonder what one person can do to make a difference, this is one thing. He started small and shared his vision with friends who also got on board and helped out. Next year he is planning to do it again but BIGGER!

Red Devil

noreply@blogger.com (sgibbsdesign) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 01:50:00 +0000

I did this illustration a few months ago but have been wanting to blog about the process of creating it. It started as a little imp of an idea and grew.

I used a similar process to the one I used for the shrunken head. Started with a sketch but this time only drew half the face. I drew a fairly detailed sketch so I knew were to put the lines and had an idea of the shading.

Once I had the sketch where I liked it I scanned it in and imported it to Adobe Illustrator. I scaled it to the size I wanted to work with, reduced the transparency to 50% and locked the layer.

I then created a new layer and started to create my vector outlines. I start by roughing them in and then going back and refining them to follow the sketch. In some places I didn't like the way the lines look once added so I alter them to be more visually appealing. Once I had half the outline done I filled it in with a nice red to get an idea of how the shape looked.

I created another new layer that I added the facial features to. I refined them also to make sure they looked like I wanted them to.

I added the horn and some subtle shading to a new layer.

I added more details to give the image the look I wanted. I then duplicated the left side and flipped it.

Combining the two halves gave me the whole face. I went in and tweaked it some more. Adding extra shading and details to make it look better. One thing I had noticed when I first combined the halves was he looked cross-eyed. I redid the eyes and liked the way he looked finally.

I added some colors and shading to the background and used one of the textures from Crumble. Crackle. Burn. to create the final look. I also used the image as one of my bottle labels for Monster Brew.

Visual Journaling

noreply@blogger.com (sgibbsdesign) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:49:00 +0000

I was cleaning around my house the other day and came across old sketch books. I find it fascinating to look back through them. Some go all the way back to high school. As a designer sketching is an important way to get ideas down and to work through design problems.

Comic idea from 1993

As I flipped through them I realized I knew exactly where I was and what was going on when I did each sketch. Whether it was an idea for a project, a class in college or a trip. Going analog is a good way to start any design project. It helps to get multiple ideas down in a rough stage and lets you keep a record of those ideas for future use.

Christmas 1995 "cat watching fish"

Thinking about this I dug out some of my college notes and high school notes. Looking back through these I have doodles and sketches on the margins. These doodles helped me to remember what the teacher was talking about in the classes. Being a visual person many of my notes contained doodles of what the teacher was talking about. When test time came I could never remember the words on the page but I could remember the doodles and those would help me answer the questions.

Pizza de Campo, Sienna, Tuscany 1996 "Lovers on the plaza"

Most people keep written journals about their lives or events. I find I keep a visual one. The only problem with it is in the future my kids will have no idea what each drawing was about.

2006 Gibbs Design logo sketches

A Business to Keep Your Business Safe

noreply@blogger.com (sgibbsdesign) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 01:41:00 +0000

I was approached by a small start up company to create some business cards for them. After meeting and talking with the owner it was apparent that they also needed a logo to help brand their web site, business cards and other materials. The company helps other businesses recover from disasters, back up their files and make sure there is a plan in place so a company can keep working even in an emergency.

We talked about various images for logos and settled on an abstract safe tumbler.

We also talked about what colors to use to represent her company. We went with a deep, rich burgundy and a dark blue for the main colors. For secondary colors we went with lighter more pastel colors that contrast and play off the other colors. The burgundy represents strength, leadership and respect. All good things for a business continuity consultant. The blue plays a counterpoint to the red and represents harmony, trust and confidence.

After deciding on these things I came up with a design for the business cards. I had a couple designs. The one I preferred didn’t have any of the bullet points on it, but the client felt it important to keep those on the card so people would understand the business quickly.

Over all I was pleased with the final result and look forward to working on similar projects.

Q

noreply@blogger.com (sgibbsdesign) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:02:00 +0000

If you follow me on Twitter you know I love BBQ. Not grilling, but BBQ. The difference you ask? Grilling is hot and quick and BBQ is low and slow. Both are good, but the flavor you get in BBQ can’t be beat.

I helped a friend at a couple different BBQ competitions and got to thinking, “With all these people walking around, not many are wearing cool BBQ shirts. Someone needs to make some.” So I created some.

My original idea was a line called “Q-wear.” I shared my idea with a couple friends who are designers (I have found as an independent designer it is important to have a network you can share ideas with). I used their feedback to refine my image and ideas. After going back and forth I settled on just Q. It can use it in multiple ways - from shirts, to sauces, to rubs. It was also pointed out to me “Q-wear” could be misread so just “Q,” short for BBQ, was the way to go.

I had done some sketches and played with some fonts and flames with various results.

After some revisions and redoes I created this.

I can use it in a variety of ways, like these:

It also looks good on t-shirts.

If you would like to purchase a t-shirt you can do so at www.zazzle.com/grafixgibbs

Design Thinking

noreply@blogger.com (sgibbsdesign) — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 01:45:00 +0000

The other day I was listening to the Reflex Blue Show from 36 Point. They were interviewing Bill Grant and he used the term “Design Thinking.” I had never heard of it before. Being a designer, it piqued my curiosity so I did what anyone else would do. I Googled it. I came across the Wikipedia entry and they defined design thinking as -

“Design thinking is a process for practical, creative resolution of problems or issues that looks for an improved future result.[1] It is the essential ability to combine empathy, creativity and rationality to meet user needs and drive business success”

After doing some more research, I found there were various number of steps for the process ranging from four to eight. Also the process when applied is not a start and stop process but a continual one. The final step leads back to the first step so there is constant improvement and refinement.

I laughed to myself as I thought, “Hey that’s what I’ve been doing for a while now and never even realized it.” In fact it is part of my design process. When I started my design business I knew I needed a process or a way to explain how I work. After much thought I boiled it down to four words, each encapsulating a different part of the process - Imagine. Explore. Design. Create.

Imagine. Defining the problem. Identifying the audience. Determining the goal.

Explore. Examining solutions. Creating options. Considering and researching possibilities.

Design. Brainstorming options. Refining and selecting the direction. Putting ideas on paper.

Create. Reviewing the goal. Choosing the best design. Executing the final product.

AIMCAL

noreply@blogger.com (sgibbsdesign) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:33:00 +0000

I recently did this job for AIMCAL. It was a three part project consisting of the Sourcebook cover, laying out their newsletter and creating an insert/mailer.

I created the cover for their Sourcebook first. It took a couple rounds of ideas to come up with something they liked but it was worth it. I then used the cover to create the cover of their newsletter. I also laid out the inside.

For the insert, that went in the newsletter, I had to create the illustration of a person chained to their desk. They wanted something that had simple line art but showed the different sections of their website at the same time. Throughout the insert the computer monitor changes to show each site that is talked about. When the insert talks about their conferences the desk is empty with the chain laying there.

It took sometime to do but I think the final results look good. It was also a fun project to work on as I got to try out some new techniques and learn how to use a few new tools.

7 Habits of Effective Designers

noreply@blogger.com (sgibbsdesign) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:48:00 +0000

I recently read The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, by Franklin Covey, and was trying to figure out how I can apply this to my business and the world of graphic design. The seven habits he puts forth are great and can be applied to many areas of life.

Be proactive

For a designer, being proactive means you are contacting people about jobs letting clients know what you are working on and networking. Each of these things can help to generate new jobs from clients and new clients. Keeping in contact with existing clients and talking with them can open up possible jobs. They may mention an upcoming event or a direction they want to take with their advertising giving you an opportunity to help them.

Begin with the end in mind

When you begin a project make sure to have clearly defined goals. Know what the desired outcome is thus helping you define the project and keep on task. There are times when you and the client will define a project but as you get into it, the project changes. This can change the cost of the project which is easier to show if you had the project defined to start with.

Put first things first

This one sounds like a "Well, duh," idea but there are times you get excited about a project and forget a critical step. Make sure you work through your process and follow all your steps. This helps to make sure you have all the info from the client to start with, you have a contract in place, and you and the client are looking toward the same goal.

Think win-win

As a designer it is our job to give the client the best solution as well as a solution they are happy with. You have ideas of what the final product should be and so do they. When you design for someone, you want to make sure you collaborate with them. Share ideas but know that you may need to compromise to your client’s desire. Remember, your client knows their business better than you do. When you collaborate and work together you can come to a solution you are both pleased with.

Seek first to understand then be understood

This may be one of the most important steps. When we sit down with a client it is important to understand their needs so you can accurately talk to them and make sure that you are doing the right thing. Once you understand their needs you can make suggestions regarding improvements. It is important you leave preconceived ideas at the door so you can fully understand the client’s needs and explain what you can do for them. This helps to create the win-win situation and leads onto synergy.

Synergize

Work with the client and use your network. Everyone views things differently and at times, it is important to get a new perspective. As you work on a project, keep the client updated and share your ideas so you can have feedback. There have been many times I have felt I had a project in the bag only to find out it was not the direction the client wanted to go. It will also give you greater buy-in from the client at the end of the project as they feel like they are part of the process. Remember, your network of other designers and friends can help you. Share ideas with them and get feedback. I have a few design friends I like to share projects with for their feedback. Many times it has saved me from going in a direction that would have ended up not working. Cooperation is the key to good synergy.

Sharpen the saw

This is often overlooked and neglected. You need to be constantly learning new skills and updating the ones you already have. Creating a network of designers can help by keeping you up-to-date on new trends. Attending a seminar like the HOW Design Conference can give you new insights and help you connect with other designers. Taking courses at Lynda.com can teach you new skills or get you up to speed on new software. Once you're a professional the learning doesn't end.

Each of these habits is great for not only designers but others too. The key is to figure out how they work for you.