“I started working in graphic design in 1953, when it was called commercial art,” said Pat Taylor, a lifelong member of ADCMW. Over his career, he’s exercised his branding talents for agencies like Advertising Art & Copy, publications like LOOK Magazine, and the Creative Group, Inc.

He specialized in logo development and magazine design through his company, Pat Taylor, Inc., since 1969. Plus, he volunteered his free time with ADCMW and beyond by helping to build the Washington, DC, creative community.

“In 1971, I moved to DC and started all over again. I also taught at the Corcoran College of Art and Design for 10 years. Later, I received the Honorary Life Member award from the Art Directors Club of Metro Washington and the Fellow award from the AIGA-DC.”

So we wanted to know what someone with such recognition as Taylor — who retired in 2008 — considers the defining moments in his career.

“I’m proud of my success in developing logos over many years for clients. And I’m thankful that, in my very first job, my bosses showed me how to work fast without errors,” he said.

Being able to work efficiently was essential to Taylor’s success as a volunteer with groups like ADCMW, for whom he helped lay out publications like FullBleed.

“I would design and produce — by paste-up of typeset copy — five magazines over two-month periods. That pattern lasted for more than three years, and it was an exercise that reinforced my bosses’ “work fast and error-free” motto.”

It was at this first job that Taylor designed and edited a magazine, Typography i, for five years.

“This client, Typographers International Association, allowed me to come up with the entire content plus design and production, plus editing, plus writing about type. What a joy!”

Taylor has also found great joy in running his own company and helping clients discover their brands.

“I designed for small accounts for most of my career,” he said. “I spent a great amount of time on small projects, believe it or not. I started out by showing clients every thumbnail I did for them to arrive at an answer.”

But, showing a client everything turned out to be a hard lesson learned.

“After a lot of frustration, I finally discovered that clients have a hard time deciding. So, I started only showing them one or two semi-comps. What a positive difference narrowing their choices made in my presentations!”

So what advice does he have for entrepreneurs who, like him, seek to run their own creative companies each day?

“Go for larger accounts. And, if you work for yourself, pay your bills within a 30-day period (even earlier if your cash flow allows). Plus, remember that your suppliers will break their backs for you if you do the same for them — they are among the most outstanding people in this business/craft.”

Some of the other outstanding people Taylor said have positively influenced his career have been creatives like Paul Rand, Henry Wolf, Herb Lubalin, Alan Fletcher, Bob Gill, Lou Dorfsman, Steve Kraft, Tom Suzuki, and Terry Dale. And although he said he hasn’t changed much over the 40 years he spent running Pat Taylor, Inc., he admits that the first 17 years of his career prior to company ownership crystallized his opinions about the importance of design in his life.

What he *has* seen evolve drastically is the creative world around him.

“Without a doubt, the computer is the most amazing advancement I’ve seen in my career. It’s fast and makes it easier to be error-free.”

But deciding how to leverage that potential from today’s digitally-based design programs is “mind-boggling,” Taylor said.

“I use two firms to handle my production. I have neither the design programs nor the know-how to use them, even if I did have them. My suppliers each have their own graphic designers who can take my thumbnail of a logo design and, 15 minutes later, it’s finished. Amazing!”

Taylor said he’s proud to be associated with the DC design industry. He loves that ADCMW provides information and resources that help its members grow individually while positively impacting our greater creative community.

“ADCMW’s meetings and events give people a chance to talk with other designers and even participate in design shows,” he said. “I think these sorts of opportunities are most inspiring to the young designers, which, in turn, inspires us seasoned members, too.”

To learn more about Pat, catch him in a video by David Franek on TheDesigNetwork.com or connect with him on Facebook.

Illustration by: Kendrick Kidd

In the lovely state of Virginia where I reside, citizens are not required to designate a political party affiliation when registering to vote. For that reason, I’m hesitant to unveil my affiliation to all the designers in the DC metro area.

But, for the sake of this article, I’ll say that if Virginia did require citizens to declare their affiliation, my voter registration card would have a check in the box next to “Republican.”

It wasn’t until college that I realized I was somewhat alone in my political beliefs. During my freshman year, my roommate and every other girl on my floor was a die-hard Al Gore supporter. I never openly expressed my view of Al Gore because I was nervous to be seen as an outsider. Instead, I carried on and didn’t say much during the closest election since 1876.

From then on, I became acutely aware of my place in the political spectrum — especially among the girls who lived in my dorm. Surely, the designers with whom I was studying at the time didn’t feel the same way.

I was wrong, not to mention confused.

Fast forward to the election of 2008. The isolating experiences I recalled during the presidential election of 2000 were back with a vengeance as the election built toward November 4. Yet again, everyone around me was vying for the guy I was against.

While struggling through that year, I ultimately came to realize that through my silence, I was hiding my beliefs. With this type of self-imposed restriction, I was refusing to consider other ways of thinking and, as a result, dramatically limiting the possibilities available to me.

So, I decided to make a choice: either be proud of my political stance and engage in positive dialogue with those around me, or spend my life retreating to avoid judgment and potentially uncomfortable discussions with fellow designers.

Obviously (because I’m writing this article), I decided to stand up for my beliefs. I researched the issues well enough to discuss them with Democrats, and I put a McCain + Palin bumper sticker on my car. I thought to myself, “Yes, it’s time to tell the world (or at least those who drive into Tyson’s Corner) what I believe in!” And having the courage to stand up for my party was the first step toward genuinely exercising one of the freedoms America affords me. It was not only my right, but also my duty to cast a vote for what I believed was in my country’s best interests.

But being honest about my Republican affiliation has been difficult in my industry. Not everyone is willing to have hearty conversations or to consider my opinions without casting harsh judgment. Even my mother worried and tried to convince me to remove the sticker from my car (for fear that my car would be stolen, if not vandalized). I’ve wondered throughout the past two(ish) years if my decision to be open about my political opinions is really worth the challenges I’ve experienced along the way.

And now, I can confidently say that it is worth it. Because, aside from making me feel empowered with my voice, it’s made me a better designer.

How? Well, I learned the most important lesson of my life (so far): that open-minded conversations with someone whose opinion is completely different than mine is the best way I can learn, grow, and develop an awareness of myself and my ideas. To be successful, I realized that my mind must be open to new possibilities — especially if they aren’t exactly what I had imagined they were before.

Here’s an example. I recently had a discussion with a close friend of mine about my personal stance on being pro-life. He then asked if I was opposed to the death penalty, and I replied that I was not opposed to it. However, as our conversation continued, I began to see a connection between those two statements that I hadn’t seen before. By considering something completely opposite from my original path of thinking, I saw two different ideas in an entirely new way.

To accomplish something similar during my design consultations with clients, I’ve now adopted the same approach when critically analyzing a company’s strategic message. I typically ask my clients to describe their message; then I ask them to consider an opposing message. By articulating what they think is the most ridiculous message they can imagine, my clients are able to strengthen their current messages. This process not only builds confidence, but it helps everyone to explore all options early, which leads to more cohesive and targeted products later.

As a designer in my industry, I am proudly among a unique group of communicators who disseminate messages through visual experiences on everything from websites or signs to a company’s logo or letterhead. My goal is to stimulate an individual’s senses in order to attract, inspire, and create desires that motivate them to respond to messages while positively affecting the bottom line. This process is strategic in thinking and planning, uses content based on research, and stretches the limits of my creativity; it’s a process in which success is based upon the development and implementation of new ideas and possibilities.

So, the next time I’m in a client meeting or having a discussion with someone whose opinion is different from mine, I’ll undoubtedly take a deep breath and swallow my pride if the conversation starts to challenge my beliefs. By opening my mind and senses to the potential of success through new possibilities, I know *now* that I can see the world differently and create something extraordinary.

I started to weave Randi Meredith’s answers to our Fresh Face questions into a narrative, but I felt compelled to leave her responses as-is. There are far too many details describing her that would otherwise be dropped … and then you wouldn’t get the full scope of Randi Meredith. Which would be a shame. – Steph

I’m from Shamokin, PA. I lived there for the first 18 years of my life then moved to Chestnut Hill, PA, for 2 years of school. After that I lived in King of Prussia & Phoenixville, PA for 6 years. Then off to Kutztown, PA for 4 more years of school.

I’m 29.

I’m the middle of three children all very close in age and raised by my mother. We are a very close group.

I only speak English but I can read Spanish in context. I love to travel and do so as often as possible. I’ve been in Cambodia, Thailand, Jamaica and took a sketching tour of Mexico. I’ve also traveled through the entire eastern seaboard and some of the mid-west.

My step-dad said if he told my mom and I that he wanted to go on a trip, she and I would have our bags packed and be in the car before we even asked where we were going.

I’ve gone tandem skydiving twice in the last year with my housemates from Kutztown. The second time I took my brother with me. The third time will be with my mom.

I was a bit of a tomboy when I was a kid. Completely obsessed with dinosaurs, dirt and worms. The dinosaur obsession continues to this day. I have all my dinosaur toys from when I was a kid decorating my office. I’ve got a number of dino books from when I was a kid and have collected many more since. The most recent addition was Encyclopedia Prehistorica Dinosaurs: The Definitive Pop-Up by Robert Sabuda & Matthew Reinhart. He gave a lecture at Kutztown and they both autographed my copy and drew a rad T-Rex inside. All the Sabuda books are insane. If you need inspiration just open one spread.

I take photos with my cell of things I find amusing and put them in a Facebook album called “Umm…” Usually they are of typos, really bad kerning, or signs that don’t make sense.

I don’t eat fast food or anything that has to be classified as being a “food grade” substance.

I want to own lots of land and have a small farm; chickens, pigs, bees, a garden, etc.

I have a lot of sneakers. Weird ones with bright colors, odd color combinations. I got my hands (and feet) on considerably more pairs from my internship at Reebok last summer. Can’t beat a sample sale.

I love to draw, I always have. Though as much as people told me I was very good at it when I was growing up, I didn’t believe it. It wasn’t until I started at Kutztown that I believed I could really make a career out of something I loved to do.

I used to collect bugs — not in a serious way — but I loved to look at them. I would gather them out of the pool filter. I also would freeze them in ice cube trays of all things. How weird is that?

When I was applying for college during high school, it took a long time for me to decide between art and chemistry. Chemistry always made sense to me and I liked to draw the diagrams. I think the periodic table is beautiful. That’s probably the graphic designer in me. Mmm … grids.

I don’t have good penmanship, and I generally do my handwriting in all caps.

I played soccer for 10 years. I was the sweeper.

I had a pet iguana for 13 years. Her name was Gandhi — she wouldn’t eat for the first few days I had her, hence the name. She was 4′8″ and didn’t have a cage. She slept under my pillow and was toilet trained; on the actual toilet.

My older sister, Rachel, is the most intelligent person I’ve ever known. She went to NYU and lives in Boston with her husband and new baby boy. Having NYC and Boston in such an easily accessible way was very influential. When she went to college, I was still in high school and could just hop on a bus for three hours to visit her for the weekend. Her friend dyed my hair for the first time; bright red with Manic Panic dye. This started a whole new phase of my appearance; regularly dyeing my hair any color I could find throughout the remainder of high school. Until Rachel moved to NYC, my only exposure to “culture” was MTV — so laughable now : ).

My younger brother, Zachary, has been a computer person since we got our first computer when he was 11 or so. He taught me quite a bit about computers early on and gave me my first introduction to HTML and web design.

My mother, Melody, is wonderful. She has been an RN in an ICU for more than 20 years. She and my father got divorced when I was two, and she put herself through nursing school while caring for three small children.

She showed me, through example, that women can do everything. We did a lot of work to our house as I was growing up. We installed drywall and gutted our kitchen so it could be remodeled when I was 13 or 14.

She encouraged me to paint my bedroom whenever I wanted. If I wanted a change, she would take me to Kmart to pick out a can of paint. Once, I painted these giant hideous sunflowers all around my room. They were so scary at night — they were my height and it looked like I was surrounded by people. That paint job did not last long.

The interior of our house was a very colorful and happy place. I painted the living room several times when she wanted it changed. We joke that the room is smaller now because it has so many coats of paint. Eventually, she had the exterior of our house painted light purple with dark purple trim and I painted the porch purple and green to go with it, the porch job involved stripping all the old paint, sanding, priming, and painting it. It was so much fun for me. When I got older and found that people actually dreaded such an undertaking, I was astonished–it was so rewarding for me to see the great outcome of all my hard work. I attribute my appreciation of hard work to her entirely.

My grandfather, Ken Snyder — he passed away last year — was a hobby woodworker and would create these elaborate, large-scale, wooden Christmas cutout displays that he would put in front of my grandparents’ home. He eventually started selling them to others in our hometown. He would have me paint all the faces and would pay me to do so.

I am freelancing in-house for Smithworks Design Communications in West Chester, PA and I’m also freelancing from my home office in Milton, DE.

I just moved to Delaware at the beginning of the month with my boyfriend, Eban. It’s quite nice living near the beach. We are about 20 minutes from Lewes, DE. Milton is a nice old town. Lots of old houses painted bright beautiful colors and built from really great materials, so they are meant to last, and they have nice big yards with old growth trees.

In five years, if freelancing continues to go as well as it has been, I expect to be doing that or perhaps starting my own studio.

In 10 years, I would definitely like to have my own business.

In 30 years, I want to be a bee-keeper.

My high school art teacher, Chet Davis, was great. He told me a 2-year school would not be enough for me; he was right. I thanked him for that advice later and made sure to tell him he was right, after all.

Professor Denise Bosler at Kutztown University has been very influential in my education and has really helped me along as I begin my career as a freelancer. Not only is she a brilliant and talented designer and illustrator, but she has an incredible ability to teach. My education would not have been as fulfilling had she not been there to guide me.

Also, it’s great to have been able to work with and learn from such a wonderfully talented and successful group of women as Professors Karen Kresge, Elaine Cunfer, and Vicki Meloney.

Fortunately, I was in school during what has, thus far, been the worst of the economic downturn. I’ve been busy since graduation in May of this year, so it hasn’t had much of an effect on me. Though my Roth IRA took quite a hit.

I’ve had many callbacks for interviews since graduation and have had several job offers. All were from contacts I met at the following portfolio reviews: New York City ADC, National Invitational Student Portfolio Review, Kutztown University Communication Design Portfolio Review, and the ADCMW Portfolio Review at CDIA.

I haven’t had to do any cold calls.

The DC creative community has been fabulous. I attended the ADCMW’s student portfolio review at CDIA in April and got really great feedback and suggestions for improving my portfolio. I also did an illustration for an article in FullBleed via Nick Whitmoyer, a contact I made at the DC portfolio review. I was also contacted by another designer I met at the review about a job opening.

I worked for Montgomery Signs, Inc. as the Senior Production Designer, for six years. When I told my employer that I would be returning to school to get my BFA in Communication Design, he replied with, “No one is going to pay you to be creative.” That was a pretty motivating statement. I know he meant it in a joking manner (with a hint of his actual opinion.)

I continued to work part-time at Montgomery Signs while I was in school, and I was glad to have that available to me. After his initial disappointment, he was very supportive of my decision to continue my education, and he and his wife attended my Senior Show to show their support and commend my effort. I think it’s important to receive that kind of motivating statement every once in a while, it keeps you sharp.

Best advice I’ve received? “KERN EVERYTHING!” Every professor I had in the Communication Design Department at Kutztown University told me that.

Best advice I can give? “There’s no reason to wait another year for school; go now, you’re going to love it!”

Learn more about Randi Meredith at http://randimeredith.com/ and http://www.behance.net/RandiMeredith

The Art Directors Club of Metropolitan Washington turns 61 years old this year. That’s an incredible amount of history and heritage, especially for a city of transients like DC. If you haven’t already, take a look at our history.

What you might already know is that, since the 50’s, ADCMW has put on a great variety of events and competitions for the local creative community. But have you ever wondered who makes this all happen?

The ADCMW Board of Directors comprises a group of passionate creatives who volunteer their time to organize events and work behind the scenes ensuring that DC creatives have the opportunity to network, compete, and hear great presentations from some of the most famous faces in design.

I’m just finishing up my first term as VP of Publications and am looking forward to being involved with ADCMW for a long time to come. Serving on the Board has been an eye-opening experience when it comes to understanding how much planning and effort it takes to to organize a successful event. I’ve gained a huge appreciation for the Club’s role in our community and have worked — and become friends with — some of the most talented creatives around.

But don’t just take it from me…

Eric Stewart, Acting President:
Being on the ADCMW Board of Directors gives me benefits I couldn’t get anywhere else. It’s connecting with other professionals and building friendships, and keeping my finger on the pulse of the constantly evolving design community. It’s a lot of fun and a sense of accomplishment; working as a team, we’re able to create programs and events that none of us as individuals could. It’s a chance to learn and grow, and it’s rare that I come away from a challenge without gaining a new skill or understanding. It’s also an opportunity to interact with a variety of unique professionals who inspire me with their creativity, wit, business savvy, and dedication to their field. Most of all, it’s an honor to feel that I can give back to a design community that has been very welcoming and generous to me over the years.

Vernon Dunning, Website Chair:
What the ADCMW represents to me is energy, passion, and sharing. I may be biased, but there’s no community of professionals I’m aware of who are more passionate about the work they do and their quest for new and exciting ideas. Over my many years of watching the DC creative scene evolve, I’m constantly amazed at the energy and willingness to share among all those involved. The ADCMW has been a dynamic part of that evolution. Over the years, the Club’s focus has stayed true to its mission to provide meaningful programs, champion education efforts for young creatives, and sponsor two of the most prestigious (and sought after) awards competitions—The Annual Show and The Real Show. The ADCMW is a mirror of the DC creative community at any given point in its history because the Board of Directors is made up of practicing volunteers who are excited about giving back to their peers. For me it’s this passion, sharing, and energy that evolve with each new year that keep the club relevant and a tremendous value for its members.

Samantha Warren, Marketing Chair:
For me, ADCMW laid the foundation of the importance of community in the creative industry when I was first introduced to the Club as a student at JMU. The promotion of local talent and the diversity of creative professions is symbolic of the larger creative ecosystem that exists in the DC communications industry. Few of us check our work at the door when we leave the office; we aren’t just creative professionals but we also live creative lifestyles. ADCMW is about harnessing that passion to enrich our local community and finding new ways to be inspired about what we spend our professional lives doing as creatives.

Nick Whitmoyer, Treasurer:
ADCMW has been a great source of design inspiration to me for several years now. Seeing renowned design professionals like Steven Heller, Chip Kidd, Paula Scher, and Kyle Cooper — along with meeting and mingling with some of the great local creatives — has been an invaluable experience. At one point, it just became clear to me that I needed to give back and lend a helping hand as appreciation to everything it has done for me.

Jessica Eldredge, Membership Chair:
I joined ADCMW in an effort to connect with other creatives and reach outside my comfort zone of web design. Although I’m a relatively new member, I’ve already been amazed by the diversity and experience of the Club membership. It’s served as a great resource to find creative services in DC, learn new skills, and meet inspiring people.

Selena Robleto, VP Programs:
Being on the ADCMW Board has given me the opportunity to become part of the community of local creatives. In a city with such great talent, this has been a great way to become a part of it. It has been a source of motivation and inspiration that encourages me to be a better professional. And as much as I feel like I get out of meeting new people, hearing about the latest in the community, and rubbing elbows with some of the greatest rockstars in the industry, I also feel like I am making a contribution and that I am playing my part in giving back to a group that has been so embracing of its members.

Mae Coughlan, Secretary:
My experience with ADCMW has been a series of pleasant surprises from the start — from joining the board and volunteering, to attending events and socializing, I could not have asked for a more welcoming group of people. The generosity I have personally experienced has been a great inspiration to me and has moved me to give back to the design community whenever possible. It has also proven how strong the community can be when its members work together towards common goals. And the benefits of involvement can be invaluable — support, encouragement, growth (professional and personal), and friendship are just a few of the things I’ve been lucky enough to take away from my experience, and I hope for continued opportunities to offer them in return.

So, why should you care? (Right! As if you don’t already!)

Because we’re going to hang out at Blackfinn in DC from 6:30-8:30 PM on Tuesday, July 13, and you should join us. And because we’re looking for a few good people to keep the ADCMW Board populated with dynamic individuals who want to help the DC creative community continue to flourish.

Come out and tell us what ADCMW means to you.

Register for the Happy Hour here.

Rich Roat, co-founder of House Industries, shared his love for typography, the history behind House Industries, and the design process for several of their most popular type collections. On top of all that, he shared some of the new alphabet projects that we can expect to see in the very near future!

A big thanks to House Industries for letting us borrow Rich for the evening, Boston University Center for Digital Imaging Arts (CDIA) for providing their campus, Digi-Link for printing the event poster, and also a special thanks to our programs committee (Jessica Avison Eldredge and Selena Robleto) for bringing everything together.

Randi Meredith, http://www.randimeredith.com

They’re short, they’re cute, and they’re strategically important with respect to brand impressions: custom short URLs. Sure, they’re beneficial in that they make short shorter, drive traffic, and adhere to character-limit constraints in tools like Twitter. But what makes custom short URLs even more beneficial is that they maximize brand awareness and impressions by adapting to changes in technology and user behavior.

Non-customized short URLs — made possible through URL shorteners like TinyURL and Bitly, for example — have an obvious value; namely, their shortness. After all, the shorter a URL, the easier (perceptively speaking) to ultimately “share” that URL. But what’s notable here is that the ability for content to be shared is growing in popularity. Within most major news publications (according to Alexa), Google accounts for about 18-22 percent of site traffic while shared content enablers — such as Twitter, Facebook and Digg — account for 8-14 percent, collectively; a percentage that is increasing each month.

And, because of this trend in content sharing, users are being exposed to more messages now than ever before. Connecting with a message is easy enough online; indeed, you demonstrate it through each click-through whenever you see a message, ad, or brand identifier and click on it to be transported instantly to the source of that idea. In this action alone, you indicate that you’ve not only consumed some piece of content, but that it had enough personal meaning to inspire you to take some desired action — in most cases, a click.

However, using third-party URL shorteners hides our brands and, thus, decreases maximum brand exposure. For example, when Tweeting about a New York Times article, only the title and a bit.ly URL are originally sent. There is no brand recognition … no exposure, credit, or impression. So, if that URL isn’t recognizable, you’re missing a great opportunity to connect that message and user’s corresponding action with your brand. Being exposed to something like washpost.com/3mWu6 or nyt.com/3mWu6 (rather than bit.ly/3mWu6) conveys much more brand value to an otherwise passive consumer of online content. And, even if that consumer receives shared content within his or her social stream but chooses not to click-through, there’s still — at the very least — an association formed with that brand.

It is by realizing the value of this brand exposure that is the case for custom short URLs. We can’t control what is shared or how it is shared, but by removing the barriers of auto-shortening as well as coming out from behind the curtain of third-party shorteners, we allow our brands to flourish. It’s about building relationships through association; it’s about being as visible in the consumption stream as possible.

THE CURRENT ECOSYSTEM

Being visible remains a priority for brands that have worked tirelessly to achieve the highest degrees of search engine optimization (SEO) possible. But beyond SEO, the leading brands online now also employ community managers to facilitate or respond to brand-related conversations in innumerable social media outlets. Why? Because those brands understand that social shared content will eventually drive as much traffic to them as concerted SEO efforts once did. And custom short URLs are a strong identifier for brands competing for their messages to stand out and be consumed in that social stream.

Since the very first custom short URLs started appearing, much has evolved in the way of adoption and progress. From major news publications such as The New York Times, POLITICO and The Washington Post to social networks such as YouTube, Flickr and Foursquare, the links are spreading — shorter, branded, and much more recognizable.

But another benefit beyond the value of that brand recognition is that custom short URLs convey context essential to our wading through an endless stream of information. The increasing mobility of our content consumption and the decreasing space (and attention spans) for communicating that content almost requires additional context provided by custom short URLs.

For example, the message “I am with Barack Obama” accompanied by a generic link can imply a number of things. But custom short URLs can remove that ambiguity. So, if the URL accompanying the above statement is:

• A New York Times link, it implies that the statement is in reference to a news source citing the President.
• A Foursquare link, it implies that the statement is in reference to a physical location related to the President.
• A Flickr or YouTube link, it implies being physically next to or in very close proximity with the President, with evidence!
• An Onion article link, it implies that the statement is humorous and satirical in nature.

In all situations, the statement is consumed and the source is revealed. The source gets brand recognition, the messenger gives context to his or her message, and we as the consumer now have contextual expectations.

More and more content publishers are shortening their URLs for shortness sake and branding them for recognition … and now, users appreciate those efforts thanks to the added context.

MAKING SHORT, SHORTER

You might notice organizations using country-specific domain extensions to make short representative forms of their more traditional URLs. For example: The Washington Post recently has created http://wpo.st, POLITICO recently acquired http://politi.co, Flickr uses http://flic.kr, The New York Times makes use of http://nyti.ms, and the Gowalla custom short URL is http://gowal.la. While short and cute, they’re practical, even if not always exactly memorable. They separate themselves from their traditional URLs, sometimes for technical reasons, but often times to be as short as possible while almost always being fun; we’re being social, let’s be fun, too! The objective is to stay short but ensure the brand recognition is still in tact.

DO IT YOURSELF CUSTOM SHORT URLS

It’s new and exciting, but far from complicated! If you’re a technical whiz on the server-side, you can set up a redirect script in a matter of hours. For the rest of us, there are three popular services for accomplishing custom short URLs: “Shorty,” “Yourls,” and “Awe.sm.”

Shorty, http://get-shorty.com, is a free service and one of the most popular. It does require that you install it on your server; which, of course, requires a tad bit of technical know-how (it always requires a PHP environment). It’s quick, simple, and does the trick!

Yourls, http://yourls.org, is another free PHP-based service that requires an install on your server; but, it does come with a very easy-to-use (and set up) WordPress plug-in! They also have an API available for all of you more-developer-minded folks out there.

Awe.sm, http://awe.sm, is well, totally awesome! It’s the simplest and easiest to use service out there, and it requires no real technical know-how or server nonsense! However, it does come with a price-tag; $99/year. Perhaps not worth it for a personal blog, but a nominal cost for any organization!

There are many other third-party services that make custom short URLs possible. Most include tracking and analytics to really see how your custom short URLs are being used and working.

And you might not know this, but many of the content management systems we already use today, such as WordPress and ExpressionEngine, have had short URL alternatives since their inception. For example, naturally, http://mashable.com/2010/05/28/ipad-international-launch/ is also http://mashable.com/?p=288150 (a shorter version inherent in WordPress).

LET’S KEEP THIS SHORT

Short is practical and often necessary, but custom should be strategic and always recognizable.

Until very recently, Jamielyn Smith never lived in the same house for more than three years. While growing up as the second of five kids (three boys and two girls) in a family having a father in the Navy, the 23-year-old San Diego native remembers loving to create things.

“I had a subscription to Highlights for Children magazine and would always do the craft projects. I also did all the projects in old rainy day craft books for kids and would get different craft kits and art supplies for my birthday and Christmas.”

But it would be composing photographs that would lead Smith to an ongoing outlet for her passion for creation. At only 11, she started taking pictures with a friend. Then, at 12, she went to visit that friend in Phoenix and took a lot of photos of the city’s landscape. Her parents noticed her talent, and they decided to foster her skills by giving her a Canon SLR camera for Christmas.

From there, she set goals, worked hard, tried new things, and got involved in creative endeavors while continuing to hone her aesthetic eye, which she said really developed while in college at George Mason University.

“I had never been to DC before, but I have always loved the art found in cities and wanted to be close to a big city. I didn’t go to art school because I originally thought about majoring in International Relations or Journalism. I didn’t really know that you could make a living as an artist. But after going to one International Relations class, I realized that I would rather be studying art and photography.”

She expanded her existing knowledge of art and photography to sculpture, print-making, digital photography, web design, and graphic design. She helped to start a magazine, emDash, under the guidance and lead of her faculty adviser, Jandos Rothstein, though, she said that most of her photography and design professors also had a huge influence on her, including Peggy Feerick, Jessica Rodríguez, Shanshan Cui, Elliott de Luca, and Anne Kerns.

“[Jessica Rodriguez] exposed us to a lot of designers and different types of design. After taking her class, I decided that I liked graphic design enough to change my concentration. I learned concepts in my fine art and photography classes that I later applied to my designs, like color theory and composition. Anne [Kerns] also has her own business and is really involved in the DC design scene, so it was great to learn from someone who is actively practicing her craft. She also encouraged us to attend lectures and events and even had a few designers speak to our class.”

Now, having graduated in January with a B.F.A. in Graphic Design, Smith is looking to start her career full-time at a creative studio somewhere in DC or near her parents in Virginia Beach.

“I hope to be working on projects with a social conscience. One of my favorite projects in school was when we were required to create a brochure that brought awareness to a problem in the world. I did my brochure on TOMS Shoes, a business that gives a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair of shoes they sell. It made me realize the power of design and how designers can use their talent to create positive social change.”

She’s excited about finding similar innovative and impactful work among the DC creative community.

“I can see how people who are unfamiliar with DC would think that it’s really conservative and designers are only doing work for the government, but they couldn’t be more wrong. There are some amazingly talented designers and studios that are producing really creative and award-winning work in the area.”

And she’s already got a track record of taking initiative to market herself and create her own opportunities; for example, she landed an internship her senior year at KINETIK after sending her resume and portfolio asking if they needed an intern … and without their advertising for one.

“It was great to see KINETIK’s design process and what goes into creating a project. In school, you’re normally working by yourself and, although you are assigned some bigger projects as you progress through the design program, most of the projects are fairly small in comparison. But in the real world of design, the projects are on a much bigger scale, and there are many different moving parts and multiple people working on the same project. Even when I was just making photocopies of a round of project revisions or purging old job folders, I got to see the process behind the project, which is not something that every student gets to experience.”

That real-world design process introduction – combined with her collegiate experiences and some good advice to “be open-minded and learn from other people” – has motivated Smith to continue developing her abilities as a designer.

“It’s important to be open-minded because you can’t learn or grow if you always think you’re right. Plus, you can get so attached and involved when you’re working on a project, it can be hard to see where it can be improved unless someone else critiques it. And, after you graduate, you still have a lot to learn, so it’s important to be around people who are more experienced and are better designers than you are.”

She finds great design and inspiration in the DIY movement spearheaded by websites like BuyOlympia and Etsy, which feature artists who create handmade items. Someday, Smith hopes to create a line of handmade paper goods and housewares that she could sell.

But, until then, she’ll be looking for the right studio to start her post-graduate design career and polishing her portfolio, which you can see at her portfolio site: www.jamielyn-smith.com.

When I met Patrick Smith of Market Hardware last November at BarCamp DC, I hardly realized how inspired I’d become by just volunteering my free time to work on a project he envisioned. After all, I already very happily volunteer with FullBleed helping to solicit stories and edit articles for the ADCMW community. And, with other responsibilities on my plate outside my day job, I was a bit skeptical that I had more time to give.

But, as a fan of TED — which stands for Technology, Entertainment, and Design — I thought it could be fun to be part of a local version, which Patrick was beginning to plan, called TEDxPotomac. So, when he asked if anyone would be interested in volunteering, I stepped forward, and it’s proved to be such a fulfilling endeavor.

Now, after eight months and hundreds of hours of planning among passionate volunteers and supporters alike, we’re about to see the fruits of our labors distilled in a line-up of truly engaging presenters who embody our theme, “Beyond Politics: Innovation, Inspiration, and Insight.” With so many events in DC geared toward specific industries or issues, it’s refreshing to be an integral part of a more wide-spanning program whose talks range from environmental impact to electronic music, from architecture to the Encyclopedia of Life, and from cupcakes to Craigslist.

We’ve got something for everyone out there, and as a non-profit, it feels great to have all proceeds going just to host the event on May 20. People everywhere WANT to be a part of something like this, so the support for volunteers has been overwhelming. We sold out our first round of tickets in fewer than 24 hours, and now we’re working on the details to be sure folks can watch the presentations live via webcast.

One thing that TED has touted successfully since its inception is “The Power of Ideas,” which personally has made a substantial impact on me. I’ve been told — and have learned — that how we choose to spend our time is one of the most important decisions we make everyday. When you decide to volunteer your time helping other people DO or ACHIEVE something, you’re literally giving of yourself something so precious that it can’t be replaced. You’re saying, “Yep, this is something I’m willing to give because …” it makes an impact, or it feels good, or it fulfills some other goal you find joy in achieving. The idea behind the volunteering generates some personal satisfaction, and to be a part of that (when you find those opportunities) can be energizing. And, if you’re associated with good people, the impact is genuinely appreciated.

It’s a good thing we all have different ideas about what’s important to us individually, because that means collectively, we have the potential volunteering power to make a lot of positive impact. Which is just super cool.

If you want to learn more about volunteering opportunities in the DC area, check out some of the following resources:

• http://www.volunteermatch.org/
• http://www.serve.gov/
• http://www.greaterdccares.org
• http://www.charitychoices.com
• http://www.volunteerfairfax.org/
• http://www.volunteer.gov/gov/

Photo of Nationals Stadium by Nick Whitmoyer

The start of Spring, for me, isn’t the official date on the calendar, or the day I’m able to walk outside donning a fresh pedi and flip flops, but the day I get to sit in the sun with an italian sausage, draft beer, and watch nine innings of baseball. And on Saturday, April 3, during an exhibition game at Nationals Stadium against my home team, the Red Sox, Spring began.

Loving baseball and being a part of Red Sox Nation was unavoidable, growing up in the South Shore of Massachusetts. There’s not a memory of my summers that doesn’t include the sound of a game on a tv in the background, or a trip to Fenway on the itinerary. Aside from the constant reminder of the 1986 Halloween party that was ruined by Bill Buckner’s 1st base error thus developing my passion for the sport and my team, the little designer in me was also enamored by the branding of it all.

Every sports team has it’s own brand and the fans eat it up. What starts as a child with local business branded softball teams (I played catcher for Video Voice) and moves into highschool football rivalries (The Marshfield Rams green and white slayed the Duxbury Dragons green and white), develops into an inate need to be affiliated with something. The bold color schemes, typographic logo treatments, and loveable furry mascots… they flood stadiums and fuel rivalries. And behind every brand is a designer that thinks up.

Designer Todd Radom, who spoke at AIGA DC’s Good Design is Smart Business event in 2006, discussed how he went about developing the identity system for DC’s return to baseball with the Washington Nationals. His insight was particularly fascinating because most baseball teams have been around since the 1800s. Team logos and colors, decided on by men with mutton chops and wearing bowler hats, were developed solely to differentiate teams on the field during play, only later to be applied to what is now part of our baseball experience.

Todd was faced with a much broader creative brief. In 2005, a baseball team brand needed to include usage on uniforms, as well as stadium signage, baseball caps, fan gear, bobble heads, television, ticket stubs, pennants, advertising, and a Web site. With these things in mind, he created the main Washington Nationals logo, but he also came up with 2 secondary logos: a scripted W, seen on the players hats, and the DC lock-up found on the away uniform sleeves.

I think much of Todd Radom’s designs on their own are boring and expected. It’s like he plugs a formula into his computer before he starts working because his identities are all consistently filled with clip art illustrations, banners and outlined type. However, when actualized and plastered throughout a stadium as the logo was intended, it really is quite amazing. Even in Nationals Stadium, where the majority of attendees are not rooting for the home team, the representation of the brand in a sea of red, white and blue is enough to make anyone smile.

Photo of RFK Stadium's 'Grand Reopening' on July 21, 2006 by Scott Ableman

Sure the Nationals W is reminiscent of the Walgreens W, but it’s friendly and bold at the same time. And the DC lock-up has a totally different feel, similar to the classic lock-up of the Yankees NY without the history. Then there’s the abounding FIVE mascots, as if everyone in the head office picked their favorite and had an over-sized head made. All of it’s different, but all of it somehow works, reminding me that building a baseball team brand is contrary to building the brand of a business. The rules are different, but the appreciation is just the same.

Now if only Strasburg would be allowed up to pitch for the majors and short stop Ian Desmond could stop making an error during every inning…maybe, just maybe, the Nats could win some games (as long as they’re not playing the Red Sox) and get some more fans in this town. Then the brand would really sing.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/paurian/

I just finished reading Katie O’Brien’s useful article in a recent FullBleed entitled,“Talking ’bout a Resolution.”. (Better late than never, I suppose!) One New Year’s tip she suggested was to “pick 12 museums and dedicate each month to going to a different one.” I think for budget-minded DC creative types, this is an ideal resolution concept that few other metropolitan areas could better fulfill.

In this regard, I thought it would be a good time to re-submit an article I completed several years back when FullBleed was actually printed. I was asked to write an article about a museum of my choice for an upcoming museum-themed issue. That issue was never published …and a lot of time has gone by. But the murder of Officer Tyrone Johns on June 10, 2009, in the entrance of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum underscores the relevance of this museum and the need to raise awareness of hate crimes that, sadly, continue to exist across the globe today — and in DC, too.

The current exhibit, State of Deception: The Power of Nazi Propaganda, reveals how the Nazi Party used modern techniques, new technologies, and carefully crafted messages to sway millions with its vision for a new Germany. Since we as ADCMW members are involved in creating communications, I think a visit to this excellent museum would be a valuable resolution to keep. 30-minute guided tours
 of the Propaganda exhibition are offered on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Inquire at the museum’s information desk for tour times. The museum is free, but timed tickets must be obtained at entrance.

What follows is a brief overview of the design/logistical evolution of the museum.

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

This museum will touch the life of everyone who enters and leave everyone forever changed—a place of deep sadness and a sanctuary of bright hope…if this museum can mobilize morality then those who have perished will thereby gain a measure of immortality.

— William J. Clinton, April 22, 1993

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum was created by an act of Congress in 1980 and is largely funded by the United States as America’s national institution for the documentation, study, and interpretation of Holocaust history. It serves as our country’s memorial to the millions who suffered during this grim period. Its mission is threefold: to educate, preserve memory, and provoke visitors to think about moral and spiritual questions raised by the Holocaust.

The architecture of the museum is provoking on a subconscious level – it is multifaceted and multilayered. The architect, James Ingo Freed,of Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, is Jewish, was born in Esser, Germany, and is a Holocaust survivor. His parents sent he and his sister to the United States to escape, and they were unable to reunite for several years.

To prepare for this commission and inform his design, Freed traveled to the sites of camps and ghettos. The more he learned, the more difficult his job became. Materials and structures throughout the building communicate “viscerally” to the visitor. In Freed’s words, “The museum becomes a resonator of memory.” He did not want the museum to only dwell on the morose and depressing. He ultimately wanted it to be a representation of hope and resolution.

The main limestone and brick entrance melds the building into its federal environment. The arched portico is a light-filled facade that opens to the sky. “Visitors must pass through the limestone partition to enter the concrete world” was Freed’s written intent. This antiseptic “facade” represents the Nazis efforts to hide the crimes they were committing. The real entrance is past the granite portals.

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Once inside, the main entrance evokes hardened industrialism — A lop-sided train station. It was a bit more than ironic that I was drawn to visit the museum by a gripping story that reverberated as I walked into the giant space. Recently, my friend’s mother passed away. I asked where I could make a contribution to honor her memory. Unbeknown to me, her mother had been a Holocaust survivor. From a small town in Poland she was herded onto a train that would have taken her to a concentration camp. Though the train window was tiny, her figure was so emaciated that she was able to slip through it to freedom. Her Christian friend, who had recently married and changed her name, gave her the old identification card and she passed as a Christian for the duration of the war.

As I entered further into The “Hall of Witness” I encountered the steel plates, bolted metal, rivets, and off-center existence of Europe from 60 years ago. The metal is dark, but the skylight illuminating. This architectural “language” is an ironic criticism of early modernism’s lofty ideals of reason and order that were perverted to build the factories of death.¹ Glass and steel walkways overhead symbolize the constant scrutiny that prisoners endured.

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I walked up the stark and steep stone staircase and entered the “Hall of Remembrance,” a six-sided marble chamber where an eternal flame is kept burning. There are slit-like windows along the hinges of the walls. One can spy through to see the plaza along Raoul Wallenberg Place below where Loss and Regeneration by Joel Shapiro is installed, one of four original sculptures commissioned for the museum. On the left side of the room is a view of the Potomac and through another, the Washington Monument. I lit a small candle to honor Janet Landau, my friend’s mom who was one of the lucky few who had found freedom through a similar narrow aperture.

The rooftop from this avenue evokes prison patrol towers. The building design is a multi-dimensional collection of abstract forms. On this same floor is the visitor’s center where there is an informative orientation film about the museum, The Wexner Learning Center, and The Meed Survivor’s Registry that encourages all who lived under the Nazi regime to record their history. For more in-depth research, visitors may use the museum’s library, archives, and photo archives on the fifth floor.

The exhibits contained at this museum encourage the visitor to reflect upon one’s own responsibilities as citizens of a democracy. Visitors are asked to contribute their thoughts on ledgers provided throughout the museum—the value of each entry is evident. The curators are cognizant that writing our thoughts down is a valuable way to deal with harsh realities, and some of the exhibits are indeed harsh enough so that they are given age appropriate ratings. The ledgers throughout the museum brought to my mind Anne Frank’s fragile thoughts. The innocent journal of a young girl that has informed so many about the day-to-day experience of being caught up in a horrific experience of being Jewish in Europe during WWII.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Among the permanent collections is “Remember the Children: Daniels’ Story,” a boy’s remembrance of his life and survival through the Holocaust. Visitors walk through the imaginary rooms of his house and absorb the artifacts and thoughts of this youngster. On the lower level there is a colorful installation of tiles painted by school children for The Children’s Wall of Remembrance. The wall is a tribute to the 1.5 million children murdered by the Nazis.

The current exhibit “State of Deception – The Power of Nazi Propoganda’ is one that may be of particular interest to art directors. But other special exhibitions are presented here, as well, such as the Committee on Conscience display, which is located outside the Meyerhoff Theatre. Again, exhibits are clearly marked with recommended viewing ages, as some of these images are brutally disturbing.

Now, more than 17 years since the museum’s official dedication by President Clinton, many of the issues focused on in this museum still resonate. Recently, for example, the museum presented a premiere screening of Hotel Rwanda, in its ongoing quest to inform the world on issues relating to genocide.

Raise your own awareness at:
100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW Washington, D.C.
202.488-0400

Although it’s free admission, timed-entry passes are required to view the Permanent Exhibit—The Holocaust: a chronological history of the Holocaust in a self-guided tour that spans three floors. The elevator ride to the top is lit with a bulb in a cage. The modern well-lit world of D.C. is left behind. Visitors are issued identity cards of real individuals who endured the trip to the death camps. Not till the end of your journey will you find out if you were one of the lucky few who survived.

This is an important museum, and there is much to understand inside this fine example of modern architecture, exhibit display and abstract sculpture.

The museum is open daily from 10 am – 5:30 pm. From April 5 – June 16, the museum will be open until 8 pm on Tuesdays & Thursdays. It’s closed on Yom Kippur and Christmas Day. For more information visit www.ushmm.org: This website is rich in graphic content and contains in-depth information on every facet of the museum’s mission and offerings.

References: Cornerstones of Freedom The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Philip Brooks, Children’s Press a division of Grolier Publishing, NY, London, Hong Kong, Sydney, Danbury Connecticut, 1996.

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