Photo by Sean McCormick

In response to ADCMW interest last year when the Washington Post redesigned its magazine, our own John Foster interviewed WaPo’s Features Design Director, Janet Michaud. Thanks to Janet for taking time to candidly respond to questions from members of the DC creative community, and for giving us all some insight on how WaPo is continuing to evolve its brand.

The bluster around the redesign has quickly died down — largely in part because the paper and magazine have expanded on the look and really found their legs. There is no better test for a redesign then actually using it: Which adjustments have you made?

It’s been six months since the redesign launched. We held some focus groups a couple of weeks ago to get concrete feedback from readers about what they like and what they don’t. The majority of readers haven’t noticed that the magazine was redesigned. I’m in the process of making design tweaks, but not huge changes. Some of the things I’m looking closely at are the FOB navigation and changing some content/features (I want to streamline the type hierarchies); cover design (it needs to do a little more work in getting readers to the secondary Well story, which many are missing, while not trying to be a newsstand magazine; and no, we’re not changing the WPMagazine logo); and the TOC (I’ve hated this page from the beginning, but six weeks to redesign the magazine didn’t allow much time for the TOC!)

Where have you been more playful since the re-launch?

As far as where we’ve been more playful, I’d say we’re making photo choices differently. I found the way we were using photography in the former magazine was mostly to supplement points in the story. The photo editor, Evan Jane Kriss, and I are really trying to move away from that. I want there to be more surprises, as well as more emotive choices that make readers feel something or grab them and don’t let go. For example, we’ve been choosing more impactful, counter-intuitive images for the Going Out Guide opener. Another area we’ve been more playful is with illustration. I think illustration can be very powerful…it’s just about what kind of illustration you pair with what writing. Like photography, it can also make you feel something, if used well.

How is the redesign intended to position The Post in the marketplace?

The mission of the redesign was to produce the same strong journalism that The Post magazine is known for (although readers told us they wanted some shorter stories); to be locally-focused with more profiles; and to provide some entertainment content, which would help in our company-wide goal to be the indispensable guide to Washington. That last goal has taken the form of The Going Out Guide, which is part Style Critics picks, part listings from our online gurus. We wanted to appeal to a broader audience without alienating our existing one. We were also trying to lure in those elusive frenetic households. Not sure if that’s a common term. Basically that demographic is women with young children who are too busy to read. They’re an incredibly hard group to attract. I’m one of them :)

How do you see the future of newspapers in general?

The future of newspapers…that’s always a tough question. I have a deep love for newspapering. I believe it was Eugene Meyer who described them as a daily miracle. Maybe that’s become a cliche, but it’s totally true. The reality is that children are consuming information so differently than we did. They’re taking digital photos and sharing them on Facebook…who needs photo albums? Some of us do…some of us need that printed product in our hands…something tactile to hold on to. Not sure by the time that 10-year-old is 24 she’ll feel the same way. That’ll take 10-15 years. I’m not saying newspapers are going to go away completely, but their form will probably change significantly. One scenario is that they become a Sunday read that is more like a weekly magazine, with readers consuming their daily news online. As one of my colleagues recently said to me, we’re better off looking at ourselves as journalists rather than print journalists. That’s a hard pill for me to swallow. But I also think there are a lot of opportunities that are yet unknown.

What editorial changes were you charged with accommodating in the redesign?

We wanted to enhance the FOB to give readers more range in what they were consuming. We wanted to expand our range of visual storytelling (still do), which is why we introduced Breakdown (a profile of someone or something told through an annotated photo) and Our Town (graphic reportage, a feature that has sadly bitten the dust…for reasons beyond my control we could never fully realize it). We were also charged with doing more profiles of local figures in the Well and with adding more entertainment coverage. The overall focus was to be very local and to have more range in the cover stories.

What other changes had the largest effect on the redesign?

Another change was that the magazine was going through a lot of staffing changes, partly due to a round of buyouts last summer. They were in the process of not only finding a new editor, but rethinking how to better use resources at the newspaper to support the magazine. The strong, sturdy silos at The Post were being broken down. Writers, editors and photographers around the newsroom are being asked to contribute now. For example, Marc Fisher wrote the relaunch issue’s cover story, and former deputy magazine editor Sydney Trent — who is now the enterprise editor based in Style — routinely assigns and edits magazine stories. Brigid Schulte just wrote a cover story about time, which she’s going to further discuss on Dr. Phil (airing in late March).

How have you used improvements in production and technology to further the redesign?

We’ve really focused on color. Our printer is in Virginia, which is part of the reason we print so far ahead (two weeks). We’ve been working really closely with the folks there to improve color. Or maybe it’s just about aesthetic…I like more ink on the page, more saturated photos. Not overly so, just not washed out with a lot of push-and-pull, dimension. The mindmeld has been time-consuming, but I think it’s paying off.

Getting into the internal process — can you break down the stages and how many people are involved from the initial idea of a redesign through the approval and implementation?

Here’s how it happened in my case at The Post.

I came to The Post in May 2008 to establish a newly created position as Features Design Director, overseeing Food, Home, Health, BookWorld (which has since folded), Weekend, Travel, Sunday Source (which has since folded), Outlook, daily Style, and Sunday Style&Arts. I had been an associate art director at TIME magazine for seven years and was eager for management experience. After I had managed a staff of about 15 art directors (has since grown to about 20) for nine months, then, in December, it was decided that we were going to redesign the newspaper by Fall 2009 — and I was asked to be on the team.

We started the redesign process for the newspaper in January 2009, at which time we hired Roger Black as our consultant. The newspaper redesign’s visual team consisted of Dennis Brack (DD of the WPost), Justin Ferrell (News DD), Larry Nista (Informational Graphics Director), and me.

In May, the Executive Editor, Marcus Brauchli, and one of his two deputies, Raju Narisetti, told us they wanted to redesign the magazine as well. Roger Black’s studio had been working on some ideas, which were being used in reader testing. Our magazine readership is incredibly loyal, and they consistently read other sections of the newspaper. At the risk of oversimplifying that round of research, the results showed the business side of the company that the risk of redesigning was worth taking.

In June, Raju asked if I would redesign the magazine, launch it, and be its art director for at least the first six months. The launch date would be September 27, 2009, but given our production schedule we’d have to put it to bed on September 11.

There were a lot of things I had started in the newspaper redesign that I had to finish up. The most immediate being helping to restructure all the visual departments at The Post across platforms. The print and online newsrooms were merging, which meant that we needed to take a look at our overall structure. We were deep in this process when the magazine opportunity came around. It took me awhile to help get that structure in place. (We’re now a Presentation Department, which is working very well).

As I mentioned earlier, the magazine was going through a lot of staffing changes. By the time the new editor was named and things had settled down enough for me to focus on the magazine, we started rethinking it in mid- July. That left us about eight weeks to create a new magazine! We used the research that came out of Roger’s work, as well as the new company-wide goals to be “for and about Washington,” to hone the mission of the redesign. The editor, Denny, Justin and I worked together on rethinking the content; then, I created the new look.

There wasn’t much time for considering a lot of options. We had to fly very quickly. It’s nice to take a step back six months later and react to some of the reader feedback thoughtfully. The initial redesign was thoughtful in its own right (it has consumed me), but there wasn’t much time.

What was involved with selecting new fonts to use in the publication? How were the fonts customized for your use?

I really wanted the new magazine and the newspaper to feel more like a family visually. They felt very disconnected to me before the redesigns. We had done extensive font testing for the newspaper redesign and worked very closely with Roger on typography. Given the timeframe I had to redesign and my desire to visually join the print products, I used the fonts we decided on for the paper in the magazine. Obviously, I had to adjust how we used them.

Postoni Display and Postoni TItling were drawn by Richard Lipton of Font Bureau, and they are based on Postoni, drawn by Matthew Carter in 1998. Matthew blessed the Postoni Displays, too. (There’s also a Postoni Display Condensed series, which we haven’t used yet).

Big Figgins was an existing font drawn by Matthew that Font Bureau created.

Baby Figgins based on Big Fig.

Jim Parkinson created the WP lettering. Parkinson also re-drew the newspaper’s front page nameplate in 1998 when the paper moved entirely to offset printing.

Miller Text, used for the magazine’s body copy, is based on the Miller font that Matthew originally created for The Guardian in the late ‘80s/early ‘90s.

Why move to a larger font?

The body copy pre-redesign was Garamond 10pt. We went to Millertext 9pt. Technically, it’s smaller, but the cut feels bigger. We changed for the obvious reason … increased readability. And, again, marriage with the newspaper.

How hard is it to overcome just the sense of familiarity and resistance to change in a readership for such an iconic publication?

Incredibly hard. The way I look at it is that we put it out there and many have come along for the ride. Now I’m taking a step back, trying to detach (which is very difficult, but part of the job), and objectively looking at what could be done better. It can always be better, right? I say to myself, “OK…what can I adjust so that more of you come along for the ride?” It’s really hard when you’re so attached to something. But again, that’s the gig.

Designers learn over their career to have pretty thick skins or else they have to find lower profile work, but few have an entire city analyzing their work WITH multiple avenues to voice their opinions — how was the first week following the redesign both personally and professionally?

Professionally, it was all-consuming and a real rollercoaster. Totally exciting, but really hard. I tried to strap myself in before the launch, but you’re never totally prepared. If I had thought about the fact that the entire city was analyzing my work, I would’ve become paralyzed. I had to stay in the moment with the work and hit the deadline, one way or another. It had to happen. We were committed on the advertising end. There was a group of people behind me, though. All the decisions that go into a redesign don’t get made by one person. So we all share the positive and the negative. But it was hard being the design face of the redesign because it elicited a very strong response in our world. Good and bad, it was strong and that hit home how much our readers care about this magazine. I do, too…very much. Like it or not, a lot of me is in it.

I’ll also say that I’ve developed a thick skin in my career. I don’t shy away from a challenge, and have typically been an agent of change. I was the first sports designer at the Boston Globe and helped create the genre of sports design. Being a young woman in the sports department of a paper in a town that is so intensely passionate about their teams…that built up some callouses. I was an art director at TIME magazine for seven years…that forms a thick skin. And when I came here, I was leading a newly formed visual department at a place that is historically word-driven. You can never be totally prepared for the feedback, but I’ve seen challenge before, personally and professionally.

The trick is to not let the professional filter too far into the personal. I don’t know how well I did at that. You’ll have to ask my husband and son. I have a wonderfully supportive and loving family, and that really helped. There inevitably are periods of self-doubt when you do something this public. But you have to remember, the response is not personal.

Now, you have a lot of ‘design’ to do each day/evening — how has the staff kept it within the same schedule? How many people work on the design of the paper and magazine?

There is more design and photo research in the magazine, now. I’ve been the art director, and I pulled in a deputy from my staff. Her name is Beth Broadwater, and she’s totally amazing. We’re really in sync — we can finish each other’s thoughts — and that has made a huge difference. She’s been a great partner in helping to shape the magazine’s identity. Our assistant photo editor moved over to the paper. Some of those duties have shifted to our editorial assistant (who rocks) and more to our design production coordinator (who also rocks). Evan, the photo editor, has also absorbed more…she’s hanging in there. I’ve been identifying inefficiencies and have been working really hard at streamlining a lot of the production and how we do it.

On the paper side, I have two senior art directors and about 15 art directors and designers whom I oversee. I’m in charge of the Magazine, Style (Sunday and daily), Food, Local Living, Weekend, Outlook, Health&Science and Travel.

How does it feel to be a part of redesigning such an important historical publication that will forever be a part of our local and national fabric?

Well, that’s just an overwhelming question… You’re leading me! It’s an honor. Redesigns ebb and flow. As Roger Black said when we started the newspaper redesign, this will be a process — not an event. The magazine will continue to evolve as its needs and the landscape change. I’m honored to be part of that process.

Illustration by Jim Starr

At your local supermarket, “shelf life” represents the length of time a tomato, cup of yogurt, or carton of eggs will stay fresh and desirable. Some foods last longer on the shelf than others, thanks to a combination of ingredients and packaging. When a company wants to extend the shelf life of a food product, it will often create a new form factor that holds up better over time.

Shelf life is also a crucial concept in the design world. When you kick off a new web design project, you must assess the shelf life of your project.

Will it be a quick-hit, six-week campaign that is timed to fly with other coordinated marketing efforts? Is it a task-based application that will help the staff of an organization work more efficiently for months or even years? Understanding the shelf life of your project before you start designing clarifies — to everyone involved — the criteria with which to evaluate and refine the design.

The Learning Curve

While any experience should be easy for users to understand, its intrinsic learning curve should be appropriate to the amount of time they will spend with it. In addition, the learning curve shouldn’t obscure the ultimate goal of the experience.

Marketing experiences typically are focused on brand awareness, acquisition, and conversion. In light of the ubiquity of advertising today, users should be able to recognize instantly the purpose of the experience as well as the desired response. They can’t be expected to learn a new kind of behavior or interaction model just to achieve the task. In addition, the marketing experience needs to be engaging: Grab the user’s attention, hold it, and channel the focus to the ONE main task you want to achieve in the ad, micro-site, or banner.

The likelihood of a return visit to a marketing experience is low. You must take advantage of the moment you’ve created to get users to your campaign and keep them engaged. Highly ornamented distractions, alternate paths, and obnoxious design patterns all serve to get in the way of the main task. More than likely, users were not setting out to visit your site. One bump in the road, and they’re off your site and back to their original intent.

Applications afford designers a bit more leeway. They typically do more than one thing, so the initial presentation has to present those choices clearly. From there, though, there is an opportunity to clearly and cleanly communicate how to proceed. Users are expected to learn, interact, succeed, and then return. With each return visit, they will handle the application more efficiently.

Because it provides more than one path, an application can be designed with multiple users AND multiple engagements in mind. For example, the initial learning curve can focus on the app’s most common, essential features. Return visits can slowly reveal more advanced ways to interact with the product. Since an application is intended for a longer shelf life, the designer can create multiple paths of learning and success. The added bonus is that these paths, if designed correctly, can support users’ increasingly sophisticated engagement with the app.

Engaging vs. Usable

The disparate goals of marketing and application sites may require different tactics for success, but designers of either needn’t sacrifice usability to win engagement. To engage the user in a marketing site, the experience must be an extension of the brand by using core attributes like colors, voice and tone, and imagery. The marketing property should support the brand by demonstrating the desired outcome and identifying where, on the site, users can achieve it. No company wants its brand associated with phrases like “hard to use” and “confusing.” Remember, users have made a choice to be on your site. One click too many and you’ve lost them … likely never to return and with a bad impression of your brand.

Applications are not always a choice for users. Yes, some decision maker somewhere may have chosen to purchase access to it, but most of your users will have its purpose and use dictated to them. This provides the designer the benefit of time. To increase the likelihood that users will complete a task, the designer can include elements such as wizards with numbered steps, instructional text, and links to help and support sites. Your users will take the time to read and use these assets because their goal is pre-determined. These tactics, far too time- and resource-consuming for a marketing experience, make it easier for them to achieve that goal and to get through the process more efficiently.

Investment

The amount of time invested in these efforts also varies based on purpose. If a short-shelf-life marketing project has one goal — such as convincing users to sign up for an email newsletter — you needn’t invest in secondary navigation, breadcrumb trails, or even multiple pages. Create the shortest path to finding the form fields, and your task is complete. This focus reduces the scope of the engagement across the discipline spectrum and provides faster results for your clients.

Applications are more labor intensive. Given that they’re more complex, you will benefit from conducting research up-front to understand your target audiences, their pain points, and the ways they currently go about overcoming those pain points. This initial investment returns a leaner, more efficient, and more usable experience that translates into greater product adoption and sales.

Summary

The shelf life of your application determines the best way to design it and how long you should spend doing so. Short-shelf-life marketing projects should focus on ONE explicit goal — like click-throughs, purchases, and raising awareness. A web application endures significantly longer; it requires up-front research and design time to ensure its user experience supports the application’s purpose efficiently and repeatedly.

When setting out on your next project, ask yourself how long the project will live, and then focus your efforts in proportion to that shelf life.

Photo by Nick Whitmoyer

There are few true originators in the land of Hollywood, but the iconic Kyle Cooper, designer of innovative titles for everything from Sherlock Holmes to Spiderman and Speed Racer to Seven is the very definition. His breathtaking work has brought the first few minutes of a film back to the forefront of creativity after a long slumber, and made staying to the very end a newfound requirement. Not since Saul Bass has someone’s work been so analyzed and enjoyed in this respect. As one of Fast Company’s “100 Most Creative People in Business,” he transcends film and has become part of our creative fabric.

This past week, The Art Directors Club of Metropolitan Washington had the pleasure of hosting Mr Cooper for a sold out event at the Navy Memorial’s Penn Quarter Conference Center. Before the event, ADCMW President John Foster had a few moments to quiz Kyle on everything from his typographical heroes to the animal menagerie in his house. Listen in:

Photo by Nick Whitmoyer

You have almost become a brand unto yourself – something you could not have anticipated when you entered the field. What pressures have come with that that you never expected?

The only pressure comes from wanting to get everything done that is asked of me by clients I care about, as well as friends and family members who are important to me. There are a lot of opportunities and expectations regarding my time and I have to choose wisely what I am going to focus on. Choosing is something I prefer not to do, hence the pressure. Sometimes others are disappointed when they are not the focus of my time, and I do not like to let people down. At R/GA, Imaginary Forces and now Prologue, I have always tried to build creative teams that have the potential to consistently do design work at a very high level. In order for me to keep the commitments I make to my clients, but not necessarily have to do every aspect of every job myself, I need to depend on my teams. The pressure comes from trying to do everything alone and not being supported by a professional team. The better my team is, the better I am, the better leader I am – the better my team is. When I entered the field, I was more selfish regarding my work and more interested in making a name for myself. Back then I did not expect to take as much pleasure in the successes of my teams as I took in my own successes. At this point in my life, I take tremendous pride in ideas and executions that I know to be my own, but I am most satisfied when someone I have brought into this industry does work that inspires me.

If you had the opportunity – what movie or TV show (at anytime in entertainment history) would you most like to do the titles for and why?

I would do the titles for Chariots of Fire. The two characters, Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams personify the two aspects of my character – which are constantly at war with each other inside my head. A close second would be Kenneth Branagh’s “Henry V.” Much of my approach to leadership is taken from Henry V (the names Imaginary Forces and Prologue not withstanding) and I love the Character of King Harry because he inspires me to continue to grow. His past, not unlike my own, suggested that he was unprepared to lead, but he excelled in that capacity regardless. Restoration came as a flood. “You’ll find a difference as we his subjects have in wonder found from the promise of his greener days to those he masters now”.

Give us a rundown of your pets currently?

At this writing, we have Pepo, jack russell terrier. Lola, a teacup chihuahua, Henry, a terrier mutt, two chinchillas and a dozen gold fish.

At a time when technology is such a driving force in all things visual, it is your reliance on your hands and eyes that seems to set you apart. Tell us a little about the process when you first start on a new project:

I do research. I listen to the director. I try to be an expert at the problem I am trying to solve. I try to find out everything I can about the movie, or the source material. When I went to work for Julie Taymor on “The Tempest”, I tried to memorize the entire play and it served me a great deal while we were filming, because I had an intimate understanding of the story. There are designers who make the book cover without reading the book; I cannot do that. You do not have to be a genius to try to become obsessed with whatever it is that you are focused on. I think if you are solving a problem you can become and expert on all things pertaining to that particular problem. If technology is part of the problem then great; if a technological solution is the best solution then great. I do not think the direction is to be found inside a computer animation, or illustration, or photo manipulation software package. I think you use the computer to execute the direction, but the web certainly helps with research.

How long does a typical title sequence take to complete? What’s the longest you have worked on one?

Two days to six months. Six months.

How do directors/producers react when they see that you have shot or created totally new footage for the titles (they might expect it at this point – but in the beginning) and do you think even the most design savvy viewer realizes that the titles are “completely” the making of a different creator?

Films have always had second unit directors and assistant directors. My client is the director, it is his movie – it is my job to support him. When I direct a feature again, I imagine that some of the directors I have supported will support me as well. I collaborate with the director, the work product is equally his or hers. If my work does not dovetail with their vision, I have not done my job. If my work does not enhance their feature, just as the arm enhances the body, I have not done my job. To view the two things as separate entities is not the purpose for which they were each created anymore than the arm being designed to function independently of the body. To make something that is not in the service of the film proper, is to not fully embrace the design problem provided, and is a bit self-serving in my opinion.

Photo by Nick Whitmoyer

Your decision to “go small” seemed inevitable in order to keep your hands in the creative – how are things working out? What are the advantages and disadvantages of your current firm’s size?

We are big again, but every single Prologue employee is the best person possible for their job – I am surrounded by the most excellent designers and production people that I have ever worked with. In the past, I was willing to settle for employees that were not at this level, but now big is not so bad, because every soldier is vital and they all can do good work without my help, so I can focus on the projects and clients I need to and trust that they will take care of me. If not, I am ok with letting them go which was a very difficult thing for me to do when I was younger, but now I realize it is often the the correct thing to do.

What changes in applying your skills to TV versus film versus video games?

I think the answer is more about the challenges of creating something that is interactive versus something that is unchanging and immutable. With interactivity you have less control over how the work is experienced and the experience is different for every user. We greatly enjoy designing work that is interactive, we were just nominated for a National Design Award for interactive work, we feel we know how to do it. Interactivity it is certainly a different kind of design problem to solve but as I mentioned, the goal is to become experts at each brief, technologically as well as content wise. This methodology works for interactive projects as well. Personally I like finishing a piece and controlling how the final project is going to be seen forever. It is so hard to make something that you have no regrets about something that about which you would change nothing. I find it a bit more satisfying to know that people will see the end product how I intended for them to see it, with the same sequence of events as I laid out. Interactive work is seen differently each time.

Do you have the itch to direct a full-length feature again?

Yes

You have traveled all over at this point – what is the best meal you ever ate?

I like the food best in South Africa and Korea.

iPod shuffle game – list the first five songs that come up randomly on shuffle – no cheating and not listing back to back MC Hammer’s:

(1) Black Cow – Steely Dan (2) Can I change my mind – Tyrone Davis (3) Crown Him with many Crowns – Choir of King’s College Cambridge (4) Life on Mars – David Bowie (5) Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit / Sonatina aus “Actus tragicus” [BMV 106] – Bach / György Kurtág & Marta Kurtág Bonus

What is your favorite movie of all-time?

Tie between: Chariots of Fire, Henry V – Kenneth Branagh Director, Rainman, Platoon, Cinema Paradisio, The Dead Zone

Typographical heroes?

Paul Rand, Hebert Matter, Armin Hofmann, High Dubberly, Chris Pullman, Bradbury Thompson, Jan Tschichold, Josef Müller-Brockmann, Alexey Brodovitch

If you are reading this interview then hopefully you have just enjoyed Mr. Cooper’s wonderful talk at Penn Quarter Conference Center and the only question left unanswered is – did he name that little mutt after Henry V? I’ll bet he did.

Photo by Pat Padua

I should tell you up-front that this is not a Snowmageddon story or a tale of Washington’s winter woes of 2010. No, it’s nothing like that. In fact, the story starts about five years ago when DC winters produced a few dustings of snow each year, and the stretch of non-federal holidays from President’s Day to Memorial Day was what we feared most in the mid-winter months before the approaching Spring. And, come to think of it, it hasn’t got much to do with the weather at all.

It’s about connections. And, of course, I am referring to the Butterfly Effect; a metaphor encapsulating the concept of sensitive dependence on initial conditions in chaos theory; namely, that small differences in the initial condition of a dynamical system may produce— Wait a second. There’s an easier way…

Just as the story in the film “Juno” “all started with a chair,” this one quite literally started with a pair of earmuffs. No, nobody got pregnant. But I did get a job — for a while.

DC is a small city. The longer you live here, the smaller it gets. I guess that’s true no matter we live. We meet and interact with people every day and sometimes those interactions and connections trigger an odd series of events. I started taking the bus to work on a regular basis after moving to Bethesda in 2003. I picked it up directly behind my apartment building, and it dropped me off on K St. just a block from my office. It couldn’t have been easier. And the route down MacArthur Boulevard through the Palisades neighbor of DC was just off the beaten path enough that I actually enjoyed the commute.

And when you take the same route at pretty much the same time five days a week, eventually you might even become friendly with a few of the regular passengers.

I enjoyed that part of it, too. Just ask any of my “bus friends.”

But Washingtonians know that striking up a random conversation with a fellow commuter is not always welcome. You need a reason.

This is what happened when one fellow D5 rider (Mr. A.) dropped his earmuffs as he exited one night, and I happened to pick them up.

The earmuff exchange became my reason and eventually led to the fully established bus-friendship with Mr. A. Then, a short time later, he was looking for someone to fill a vacant position in his firm and asked if I knew of anyone — which I did. I gave his card to my friend and co-worker, Ms. B., whom I knew was looking. And, not surprisingly, she got the job!

Once comfortable in the position, she recruited Mr. C. from the association from whence she came. (OK, sure, my meddling was creating a minor exodus from the association but, hey, when you need to move on you move on. But I digress.)

Fast forward a couple years when Ms. B. left the firm; Mr. C. then called upon his friend and former colleague Mr. D. to take her place. Mr. D. also happened to be a friend and former colleague of mine. (Foreshadowing!)

During this time, I was laid off from the association. I spent most of 2008 consulting and getting some short-term freelance contracts and, luckily, stayed very busy. Then, just as a current contract of mine was ending back in January 2009, I got an email from Mr. D., who was looking for a freelancer. I started working with him two weeks later.

And, after a few months and a little reorganizing, I was hired full-time. Connection complete!

Now, as 2010 begins, I’m cherishing the connections that will help me grow in new directions while, at the same time, allowing me to help others find new opportunities, too.

And, yes, I recognize that the Earmuff Effect has changed dramatically. In 2003, the only example of “social media” was when you let your friend borrow your iPod. Now we are Linked and we Follow and we Friend. Nouns have become verbs — that alone is enough to make my head spin.

But as much as the Internet is really helping to expand communities and help people find jobs, I say let’s never lose sight of the tremendous potential that personal connections can bring.

This winter is certainly trying the patience of each and everyone in Washington, so I’m not going to recommend striking up that random conversation just yet. But the snow will melt, and the commutes will get easier — and that will make us all feel a little friendlier.

Until then, we could just blame the butterfly.

Illustration courtesy of Owen Shifflett

The latest polarizing dust-up in the Wide World of Web Design involves the methods and tools we designer-types use to solve our clients’ (or our own) problems. This most recent round of misunderstood comments, edge case examples, and generally circular arguing was touched off by two posts (one and two) from the 2009 edition of 24 ways.

The authors, respected designers Andy Clarke and Meagan Fisher, propose similar-but-slightly-different design strategies, which may be boiled down to: “design in the browser.” Meagan even goes so far as to proclaim, “Die, Photoshop, Die.” A bold statement, for sure. Both posts are insightful peeks into the processes of two well-known web practitioners.

Upon first reading, though, I was disappointed that the authors failed to present a balance to their position: neither addressed the potential “gotchas” of his or her method. Most of the ensuing discussion in the posts’ comments dealt with such concerns.

Being a “shades of grey” type (or, “moderate” if you will), I did what came naturally: asked designers smarter than me for their opinion on the issue. Overwhelmingly, the responses I received favored balanced approaches over an either-or binary choice.

Balance to The Force

“Designing in the browser has influenced me to explore unfamiliar CSS3 functionality,” writes Dave DeSandro. However, he continues, “jumping right into markup dissuades me from trying more visually evocative composition.”

Hashrocket’s Doris Steere agrees that designing in the browser is great: “It’s quick, easy to manipulate, and gets you instant feedback.” She does worry, though, that there’s the potential for less creativity and exploration when using this method.

“I think it’s important for designers to have spent a decent amount of time in both modes,” writes Jackson Wilkinson. “Designing in the browser helps you learn to understand the web as a medium, but I think there’s a better opportunity to produce sophisticated, high-quality work using Photoshop as your composition tool.”

My long-time collaborator and co-conspirator Nguyet Vuong sent along her approach to design and how she works with her clients:

“Designing in the browser using CSS is a great idea if it’s applicable to the needs of the project. Whether it’s more efficient as a design tool than Photoshop or Fireworks or Illustrator is irrelevant. They are all good tools as long as we know how to use them well.

“Due to the graphically intense nature of our designs, we show clients static mock-ups done in HTML and CSS when it’s applicable and makes sense. When presenting comps, we use a hybrid approach: designs start in Photoshop and comps are presented with some coding and interactivity if needed. It is more efficient for us to design graphics in Photoshop and present text in HTML and CSS so that clients can see how text is rendered in a browser.”

So… What’s a Designer To Do?

Do what feels right. Do what works for you and works for your clients. Stay on top of the latest trends and developments. Be open to alternative (new! scary!) methods of designing.

Don’t, however, go blindly charging down a path dictated in a blog post from an “industry expert.” Doug March sums it up: “Pick the tool that serves you. Who cares what others say? Just make things.”

Your homework: Try designing an upcoming project in a way that is not your norm. You may find great success. If not, at least you’ve learned something new and different along the way.

Further Reading

• Web Design in Photoshop or the Browser: A Polarizing Topic from Samantha Warren
• Designing in the Browser forum discussion on Drawar
• What Works Best for Design Presentation? on Monday By Noon

Every year the Art Directors Club of Metropolitan Washington brings you a great variety of events. Last week we concluded 5 days of creative co-working at local coffeeshops and cafes, also known as a ‘Jelly’.

The concept of a Jelly is to provide a specific time and location where telecommuters or freelancers or just those who usually work alone can come together for a work session full of camaraderie, brainstorming, and feedback, or just a change of pace. Anyone is welcome to come, just bring your laptop or your sketchbook or your paperwork or whatever your task for the day is. Meet up at a designated place and time and enjoy a fresh take on your usual work. Maybe you’ll run into an old friend, maybe you’ll make a new friend. Either way, you’ll get out of the house or office, share some time with fellow creatives, and get some work done.

Here are some photos and stories from January’s Jelly Week, hope you can make it out next time to join us!

Busboys and Poets (DC)
with Sean McCormick

While Busboys and Poets is filled with many, many people seeking a place to work and sponge the free wifi, five members of ADCMW ventured out for the first of five Jellys. With temps near 60 we picked the nicest days in quite awhile to get out and meet our ADCMW bretheren, and sisteren for that matter. Everyone had a good time with the creative chats those of us that work in our homes rarely get anymore. It was a great way to kick off the week.

Jammin’ Java (Vienna)
with Corey Greeneltch

I was excited to host a Jelly at one of my favorite local venues, Jammin Java. Known mostly as a great place to catch national and regional music acts, it’s also a spacious coffeeshop with free wi-fi, good food and classic video games. As much as I love little main street Vienna, I was a little concerned that there might not be much of a turnout. The suburbs are more of a haven for giant corporations than freelancers. Luckily there were a few other like-minded folks who stopped by to visit and co-work including Jim Darling, Nick Whitmoyer, John Malhinha and Lisa Greenfield. We were a pretty productive crew but also took time to talk shop and catch up with everyone.

Corner Bakery (Arlington)
with Eric Stewart

On Thursday, Jan. 28, ADCMW members Eric Stewart and Jennifer Brewer held down the Jelly Fort at The Corner Bakery near the Courthouse Metro in Arlington, Va. “In our continuing effort to improve our Jellies,” says Eric, “I’m thinking we may need to create some modest table-top signage to indicate where the Jelly is happening. Even though we were sitting in a prime location, there may have been more Jelly attendees that missed us. Even so, Jennifer and I had a good afternoon break from the routine — and some excellent sandwiches!”

Caribou Coffee (Silver Spring)
with John Foster

Quickly retreating from the cold, into the Bethesda outpost for Caribou Coffee, I was immediately greeted by a familiar smile. Soon we were catching up on our various joys and challenges in our work. Clutching my hot chocolate, we managed to grab the large table and before I could even catch up on e-mail, we had a filled every chair in sight (bringing a power strip with me was officially the smartest move I made last week!) I was quickly taken by the fun mix of longtime club members and fresh faces that surrounded me.

Some stopped in for a short hello and a bit of networking, but most came for long and engaging conversations and it wasn’t long before valuable advice was exchanging hands at every turn. I am pretty sure everyone on twitter left with ten new followers by an hour in as well. I am not sure how much work was completed (I managed to finish off an emergency project before it got too crowded) but I know for certain that old bonds were strengthened and new friendships formed.

One of the things that really struck me, in retrospect. was that many of the attendees were working solo recently – not necessarily by choice. The local economy in our creative community is far from settled, and as most of these talented people are accustomed to the social atmosphere of an office, this chance to see other designers/photographers/vendors in person filled a number of needs: certainly a valued human connection but also gathering the tools for their new career path that lies ahead. It makes me proud to know that this is a place where the Club really excels and I look forward to more events like this where our members get immediate help in furthering their goals and improving their skills.

Featured Illustrator: Chris Bishop

I’m sure you’ve noticed, but it’s a new year. A shiny new decade even. Publications love this sort of thing as we can hem and haw about the past ad nauseum. But we at FullBleed officially relinquish this power and put it into your hands. Tell us about your decade! We asked the following question to three randomly selected ADCMW members:

What are you doing now that is different than what you were doing ten years ago?

Ten years ago I was using Quark and Freehand… Today it’s InDesign and Illustrator.
Ten years ago I was using spray mount… Today it’s PDFs.
Ten years ago I worked for an agency… Today I am the agency.
Ten years ago I designed for local clients… Today my clients are global.

What hasn’t changed… I still love design… the process, the challenges and the solutions.

Ten years ago to the day I was a 16 year old high school jock serving slices of pizza pie on the weekends to earn a few bucks for those ever so important movie dates with the ladies. You know, the one’s where the two of you share a back seat while catching sly peeks from mom in the rear view mirror. I eventually moved on to Longwood University where I earned a degree in Graphic Design, a passion of mine throughout my life, still coming home on breaks to work in the restaurant. I graduated just over a year ago, applying for job after job, submitting resume after resume and making phone call after phone call before finally, just two days ago being offered a management position in the same old restaurant that I’ve worked in since those old high school days! I’ve been offered the perfect position, incorporating my passion for graphic design in my newly designed menu and finer touches in the restaurant while serving good food to good people right in my home town. I couldn’t be happier!

Working for the corporate world, we tend to create designs that reflect the general mood in the marketplace and stock markets. Ten years ago, talk was of Y2K, the dot-com mania and big mergers—it was an optimistic view of the future and people were generally satisfied with the way things were going. We were producing beautiful print pieces with inventive designs and strategic messages. Today, corporations have retreated and are in survivor mode. Although positive signs have been reported in the media, most businesses seem to expect things to recover very slowly from the recent downturn. Everyone is being very cautious about what they say and how they are spending their communications dollars. Corporate communications now reflect a quiet, subdued tone, both in message and overall look and feel. There even seems to be a reluctance for meaningful online communications to stakeholders. Will we return to the elaborate print pieces and bold corporate statements of the not-to-distant past? Check back in 2020.

Where were you ten years ago? Let us know in the comments!

It’s resolution time, friends, and whether you’re a chronic breaker or never maker, 2010 is a whole new ball game. I realize that we’re 3 weeks in to the new decade but it’s never too late to make your annual vow to self improve.

All too often we make resolutions in order to change a life style or habit that is considered socially unacceptable. There’s the go-to resolution of quitting smoking, something my husband and I did on New Years in 2007 only to go back to smoking in October the very same year. Or working out more, which often ends up in an expensive yearly gym membership that you only go to in the first month.

I make a resolution every year. Some I’ve kept, some I’ve almost entirely blown off. Though statistics show that only 40-45% of people make New Year’s resolutions and 46% of those same people actually keep them, people who do make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their life goals than people who don’t. Think about it.

You have a choice, do you commit to doing all those things you “should” be doing (flossing more, eating right, sleeping regularly, drinking less, stopping smoking, eating in more) or do you choose some fun resolutions, like the AARP’s 10 fun New Years Resolutions that focus on healthy, or better, living. More specific resolutions that focus on bettering your every day are digestible bites of the broad categories like “lose weight” or “work less.” The smaller goals lessen the pressure, but still get you to the same goal. Here are some ideas.

PROBLEM: Your night life needs a make-over.
RESOLUTION: Go see a band you’ve never heard of once a month.

This was a successful resolution a friend and I made in 2003. We made a promise to see one band a month that we’d never heard of in order to change up our regular routine, meet different people and be introduced to new music. These new shows, paired with the shows of bands we had heard of, lead to a very expensive year, but opened my eyes to bands like the Long Winters, Minus the Bear, Rhett Miller, Pinback, and Spoon. We saw some surprisingly amazing shows that year, as well as some pretty terrible shows, but ultimately deemed our annual promise a success. My only regret is that we didn’t document our year with a mix tape because we both have terrible memories.

Bonus: This resolution taught me to never say no to a band I’ve never heard of. In fact, live shows with no expectation ALWAYS win over those you’ve been dying to see and, particularly when you’re having an off week, a random band on a random night can be an attitude game changer.

PROBLEM: You’re bored with DC

RESOLUTION: Pick 12 museums and dedicate each month to going to a different one.

I absolutely HATE it when people say there’s nothing to do in DC. Our fair city is filled with free entertainment, historical enlightenment, and other activities people travel from all over the world to visit. Sure we’re no Manhattan, but I’m proud of that fact. Where else is there 2 miles of free museums off a centrally located, metro accessible park? We owe it to this city to give it an honest chance, and not just when out-of-towners come to visit or during cherry blossom season. You need to experience the city during all of its conditions to truly appreciate where you live.

Suggestions: Don’t wait for weekends and vacations because that’s when all the tourists come out. See if you can work in a half-day from work once in a while to remember why DC is our nation’s capital.

PROBLEM: You’re a lazy bum.
RESOLUTION: Choose fun, effortless activities that allow you to move more.

This solution is very personal to one’s ability to incorporate activity into their individual lives. I can’t tell you what is manageable for you, but here are a couple thought starters of simple actions that can be applied to your daily life:

Daily Walk breaks. Maybe you eat lunch at your desk and have a very busy after-work social life (like me). Consider making some of your afternoon brainstorms mobile. Some of my best ideas come rounding Logan Circle on foot. You’d be surprised at how many of your co-workers would appreciate a moment away from under the florescent lights. Just don’t forget your sketchbook.

Another option, if you buy lunch, is to try walking a little further to get your healthy meal and take the long way back. You know as soon as you get back to your desk, it’s over for the remainder of the day.

Get some non-internet reliant hobbies We’re all slaves of the online: likely sit behind a computer all day and blog about it at night. Try taking a weekly dance class or hit the bike trails on the weekends. This is for those people who, like me, need to trick themselves into a workout in order to actually go. I’m much more likely to attend a weekly dance class than those daily gym trips I always find excuses to blow off. And our bike-friendly city is so accessible you could just pop a basket on your bike and ride across the river for groceries. Or take a lovely ride through the cute neighborhoods in Bethesda and look inside the houses you’ll never own. Leisure bike cruising can still make your thighs burn.

PROBLEM: You hate your job.
RESOLUTION: Get yourself out there: apply for 1 new job a week, minimum.

Before I get into this resolution please note (ahem, my team at FH) that I love my job and this is purely a suggestion based on the economy and the many people I know feeling stuck in their current situation.

With the economy in it’s current state, I’m having lots of conversations with friends who are staying at jobs because they feel secure, when, in reality, no one is truly safe from a surprise lay-off. While an annual salary is financially the way to go, if you hate your job and are just staying there for a paycheck, no one wins.

I’ve watched friends get laid off over the past couple years and, while initially it was an incredible shock, every single friend is ultimately happier with their new working situation. Lay-offs give people the opportunity to seek out that which they truly desire. Maybe you’ve been producing magazines for the past 15 years, but what you’d really love to do is design books for children: do it. Don’t let the current economy determine your career fate.

Dedicate this year to understanding what you really love doing. Start a blog, explore what’s happening in our industry or others you’re interested in moving to, get your work online (if you haven’t already), and vow to apply to 1 job a week until you have an offer.

This is obviously a monster bite for a resolution, but if you take it monthly it becomes easier to digest. January = Blog, February = Exploring our industry, March = Portfolio Web site, and April begins the weekly application process.

Please note: this is by no means a proven process for getting a new job. This resolution is merely meant as a motivator for those of you who are unhappy and overwhelmed. Nothing will change unless you activate.

PROBLEM: You’re too self-involved.
RESOLUTION: Get over yourself and volunteer one weekend a month.

For a current client of mine, I’ve been researching altruistic opportunities for them to sponsor and associate with their brand. Through focus research, we’re finding that their consumers like to volunteer, but don’t want to waste a lot of precious time finding the perfect experience that’s going to benefit from their skill level. There are several volunteer search sites out there: Volunteer Match, AARP’s Create the Good, One Brick, to name a few with presence in DC, that offer organizations the ability to post opportunities and give us the ability to search for the ones that suit our skills and areas most convenient to our daily lives.

Monday was Martin Luther King Day and, for those of us that had a day-off, we were able to participate in the MLK Day of Service, a fantastic effort that invites people to help out in a variety of organized events around the city. The best part about this day is the uber-organized process that enables each participant to walk away with the feeling that they truly helped out.

In an effort to make that feeling last through the remainder of 2010, I suggest you dedicate one weekend day a month to a new organization. Opportunities range from environmental clean-ups or cooking meals for people living with HIV/AIDS in DC allow you to experience different areas in your community that can benefit from your time.

In conclusion: That’s a top 5 of my suggested resolutions to fulfill a void, explore alternatives, and just better your life in 2010.

Photo credits:

1. My 2010 Resolutions
2. Derek Trucks Band Live at the National Harbor
3. National Portrait Gallery: Portraiture NOW Exhibit
4. H Street Bike Ride with My Husband
5. Dilbert Comic
6. Fleishman-Hillard Volunteer Outing at Food & Friends

In Part I of Marketing for Designers, ADCMW’s own long-time member Deane Nettles shared how he has learned to leverage the web as a foundation toward promoting his creative work. In Part II, he discusses social media’s role to other ADCMW members who, like him, have found themselves asking, “What are all these social media tools about?”

Social media tools provide people with ways to reach a large number of contacts while establishing individualized relationships, too. Through these tools, you as a creative can talk about your interesting new clients, the things your clients are up to, the new work you are doing for them, the photographers and illustrators and copywriters you’ve gotten to work with on that project, the techniques you’ve learned in the process, and the fabulous awards you’ve received. It’s also a way of getting worldwide exposure for your work — without a world-class budget.

In short, like Peter Corbett wrote in FullBleed last year, social media can be used to market yourself and your business. So your overall social media strategy should consider questions like: what are my strengths? Who is my target market? Who inspires me? Whom do I inspire? What would my target market find valuable about my strengths?

In Part I, I described how I’ve been helping clients and students understand the importance of websites and newsletters as a baseline for promoting their work. In Part II, I’m building upon that foundation to describe several social media tools that I’ve found are helping people extend their reach. Specifically, here’s what I’ve learned about writing for social media and using some popular tools.

WRITING

Being active with social media involves a lot of writing, which can be intimidating. You want to demonstrate your expertise, build trust, and land new connections and projects. To do that successfully and sustainably, I’ve found you have to write about what you know in a way that’s true to your voice.

For example, remember the e-mails that Katie O’Brien sent out to the listserv for the Art Directors Club a few years ago? They were ideal examples of communicating expertise in a friendly, upbeat tone. Her creative ideas and “Gee-whiz, I wish I’d said that” style seemed easy. But Katie said it was hard work, and difficult to keep up that level of inventiveness and commitment over time. Her communication efforts went a long way to build community and good-will, and that sort of model is perfect for finding success in social media.

Know your limitations. Take writing courses, or ask colleagues how they approach writing on the web. Once you start, stick with it; like anything, it’s best to create your own regular deadlines. If you don’t enjoy writing, or aren’t disciplined enough to do it consistently, you might want to hire someone else to learn your voice and do your writing for you. (Even Obama admits he’s never tweeted, but his more than 2 million Twitter followers might not have guessed as much!)

BLOGS

Blogs are a good way to share industry news, promote your latest work, and hone your writing skills about what is happening now. They are structured to provide feedback in most cases, offering a “comments” field (like here in FullBleed) to encourage responses. I’ve found that blogs, like newsletters, are at their best when there is an overall topic (like http://www.ilovetypography.com), and their advantage over a newsletter is that you can post quickly and easily whenever you have new information without worrying about contacts or recipients. It also exists permanently on a website — instead of buried deep in someone’s e-mail — and search engines can see it, so it becomes a searchable reference.

STRATEGY:
Post new and interesting information regularly; find blogs that are important to clients like yours and participate in them.

POSITIVES:
Blogs are good for quick updates. Relatively easy to maintain. Can capture readers’ information if they respond via the “comments” field.

NEGATIVES:
Content and style needs to match your business and your audience. And anyone can respond, so needs to be monitored to avoid spam or inappropriate postings, or respond positively to negative feedback.

FACEBOOK

Facebook is an informal way to find and keep track of people you know, and to let people know what’s up with you. You set up a profile and request to be friends with people in your network or those whom you find through the “friend finder” search feature. It’s really useful for keeping people in your network up-to-speed about new work you’ve created, new links you’ve found, or that great new design exhibit you’re going to. A standard Facebook profile isn’t searchable by search engines, but you can set up a profile for “Fans of” your studio site, which is searchable.

STRATEGY:
Connect with friends and let them know what you’re up to or what you have questions about. You never know who knows the answer or who might need your skills.

POSITIVES:
Easy to expand to people you don’t know well, easy to push new information and post new work.

NEGATIVES:
Easy to get involved in your friends’ lives and lose sight of professional aspect.

LINKEDIN

LinkedIn is a professional connection site, based on the theory of “six degrees of separation“. You create a LinkedIn profile listing who you are, what you do, where you’ve worked and where you went to school; LinkedIn will help you find associates you’ve worked for previously and people you went to school with. Then you can search your associates’ contacts for the connections you need. You can also post your latest business news, which is broadcast to all your associates. Your associates can also “recommend” you. LinkedIn’s format is formal and managed; for your protection, you probably only want to link to people you know. Joining groups on LinkedIn also lends itself to the professional social networking benefits of gaining access to information about what’s going on with that group.

STRATEGY:
Link to your clients, collect recommendations from your clients, request connections.

POSITIVES:
Formal; intended for business connections (more than Facebook). Possible to create connections to business contacts who work places you want to work; who know things you need to know. (Very useful for job hunting.)

NEGATIVES:
Limits to what you can post.

TWITTER

Twitter allows you to send out a 144-character message about what you are doing. People who want your updates will “follow” you so they can receive your “tweets” much like they would a newsletter. Tweeting about accomplishments should be occasionally sprinkled among more general information — like upcoming events, interesting links, or questions about specific challenges — that you provide followers. It’s informal and quick, and you can follow anyone from your neighbor to big brands like Starbucks or Dell.

STRATEGY:
Post short snippets of useful information and events that confirm your business strengths, build community, and validate your expertise.

POSITIVES:
Keeps you up-to-date on what’s happening with people and brands you want to hear from.

NEGATIVES:
Having something useful to say; knowing whose tweets are worth following.

FLICKR and YOUTUBE

Flickr and YouTube are media sites. On Flickr, you can maintain portfolios of still images and videos, and YouTube stores videos only. Each has the capability of allowing viewers of your uploaded pieces to comment on them. In the Fall 2009 issue of PhotoMedia magazine, writer Rosh Sillars says that Getty Images searches Flickr in search of new talent, so it can increase your chances of being found by distributing your content to social media sites like these two.

STRATEGY:
Post new work to create additional exposure.

POSITIVES:
Searchable, more exposure.

NEGATIVES:
Duplication of effort and content management, if you maintain these separate from your website/portfolio.

OVERALL

Social media is a class of online tools that facilitate publicity and interpersonal relationships. They help people connect with supporters, current clients, or prospective clients. Plus, there are tons of tools out there not mentioned above (like Posterous & Tumblr) that also help to bridge the gap of distribution across social networks.

But using social media tools appropriately takes time and effort even though they’re almost all free — and it has to be something you *want* to do. For example, if you are just punching the design time clock, so to speak, then social media probably won’t be useful. You have to be excited about the work you are doing, or it just won’t come off well or be interesting to others.

If you are better at talking to people directly, you may be more productive going out and networking. But consider social media tools to help you follow up with the leads you generate by networking and help you find new leads online.

With tens of thousands of people jumping on the bandwagon every day, hitting the jackpot through social media is as probable as hitting any jackpot. But if you pick your media carefully, and limit your intent, it can be worthwhile — and you’ll gain expertise that can be valuable for your clients, and new connections that can be valuable to you.

For Mort Cohen (http://www.mortoons.com), what started as some childhood doodles blossomed into a part-time career as a cartoonist. To kick off the New Year, we asked Mort to tell the story of how he turned his passion into a lifelong profession.

Why comics?

As a kid, I followed newspaper comics religiously. Additionally, I enjoyed magazines that contained cartoons—I still do. During these formative years, my favorite cartoonists included the great Al Capp, Rube Goldberg, Virgil Partch, and Milton Caniff, among a host of others. You may or may not be familiar with these names, but I assure you that each was an accomplished artist in addition to being a great cartoonist. With them as my guide, I doodled copiously through high school and college, which explains why I graduated magma cum average.

When did comics become more than just doodling?

My actual cartooning skills weren’t revealed and honed until after I was commissioned into the U.S. Army. All it took was a simple error: During a map-reading exercise, an instructor’s mistake caused my class of more than a hundred lieutenants to become lost. Bingo! My cartooning career was begun. From there, I generally drew about daily situations or just vented my frustrations at the “Army way,” and posted my oblique views on the first available bulletin board. These little tidbits–with a great deal of luck and a good friend–eventually landed me a position at a real newspaper.

My first published work, a panel called “Lieutenant Frisby,” appeared in the Mountaineer newspaper, a civilian publication at Fort Carson, Colo. Although no remuneration was involved, the experience of being published on a regular basis and knowing that an entire military post was reading my drawings became a defining moment for me in my cartooning career. Unfortunately, it was to be short-lived; as is the nature of the Army, I was required to move on after just a year, and I left one of the best positions I ever had, even though it was only part-time. The experience I gained there was worth more than any monetary compensation I could have received. In a short time, I learned about formatting, meeting publication deadlines, and the significance of the editing process–all through practical application. I continued to draw at each unit to which I was assigned, posting my cartoons wherever I could, and I eventually drew caricatures that were presented as gifts to departing personnel.

Lessons learned?

Early in my cartooning career I learned that every cartoon produces one of three reactions: amusement, displeasure, or indifference. Of the three, I least prefer indifference. That indicates to me the cartoon lacks spirit and character. Displeasure, however, has its own problems that can cause a cartoonist considerable trouble, particularly when it’s the boss that’s displeasured; I know–I’ve been there.

Drawing cartoons is a ton of fun. Getting them published is another story. Submitting cartoons for publication, especially syndication, is so complicated and time-consuming that books have been devoted to the subject. Additionally, there are so many exceptionally talented cartoonists that competition is intense and marketing is especially important. Rejection is an integral part of the business, requiring determination and persistence. Unfortunately, I’m a lazy dolt and I’ve never felt proficient in the area of marketing, so I haven’t pursued it to the level it deserves. This is why so few people are familiar with my work. I’m also self-taught and have had to learn the basics of drawing on the fly, so to speak. For this reason, I’ve hesitated to promote my work to any great degree and have even held back at competing for work with short deadlines and very exacting requirements. I prefer to rely on referrals–people coming to me and describing in broad terms what they would like me to cartoon. I still manage to get published but certainly not in the volume I would like–my bad. I’ve drawn for specialty magazines, newsletters, professional journals, and business bulletins. I’ve also done originals for framing and display in children’s rooms, game rooms, and offices.

Now?

I currently draw both general and editorial cartoons. The demand from clients falls to general humor, but I enjoy editorial cartoons for the opportunity they offer to comment on a host of social and public issues. Editorial cartoons require considerable research to keep up with what’s happening in the world politically. I generally scan through five to seven newspapers daily, both national and international, to determine what editorial writers are thinking and to glean ideas from their opinions. For either category, however, I’ve found that developing an idea is seldom easy. I try to approach it through a critical analysis of what I want to depict as it relates to what is happening around me. So, the better part of my time is spent in visualizing through notes and sketches (my earlier doodling did come in handy). Eventually a note, a passing thought, or a sketch will result in a drawing.

How has cartooning changed in your lifetime?

When I started out, cartooning was strictly a pencil and paper affair, and the product was photographed, reduced or enlarged, and mailed or delivered to a client. The personal computer and the internet have brought about cosmic changes in the way cartoons are produced from beginning-to-end. They’ve essentially transformed a slow, tedious, laborious process to a speedy, tedious, laborious process. While pencil-and-paper are still part of the process, they’re no longer essential. Many cartoonists have replaced them with the graphic tablet, drawing directly on the computer. I prefer to start the old fashioned way, so I have a physical record of my efforts. Once I have the cartoon inked, I scan it into PhotoShop, where I enhance the image with color. This allows me to have both a physical and an electronic record of my drawings, and I can rush it off to a client immediately.

Indeed, the internet has streamlined the whole process. On the other hand, this super-great transition has not been without its problems for me. I didn’t grow up with a PC–there was no such thing when I began to cartoon, so the move from a simple pencil rendering to electronic media was light years ahead of me and involved a very steep learning curve. There were very few classes, virtually none that I could afford, and the reference material was generally written by technical people with a language unto themselves. The “Dummies” books helped somewhat, but even they sometimes required an interpreter for a non-techie like me. I have to admit, though, the internet is a fantastic tool. It took me the better part of two years, however, to figure out how to apply the small portion of Photoshop that I use–and that almost drove me to drink. Ah well, whatever doesn’t kill you is said to make you a better person.

What keeps you cartooning?

People often ask what inspires me and how I get ideas. My guess is that I’m inspired by humor in general. I believe humor exists in virtually every facet of life, including the sad parts; finding it takes a keen eye, a somewhat oblique outlook, and a willingness to take the establishment to task. The creative process is also inspiring. Thinking about something funny is one thing, but developing a kernel of thought into a graphic representation that causes an emotion in others is absolutely electric. As for the idea–that little kernel of thought–I’m not sure where it comes from. Sometimes as I sit with a sketchpad, either at my drawing table or in a coffee shop, my hand will start moving as if by magic. Other times, a phrase or sentence in a magazine or newspaper will call up a cartoon. There are yet other times that I just stare at a blank pad of paper until blood runs out of my ears.

I’ve been cartooning for a rather long time now–the number of years is depressing, but the process has been the most stimulating and enjoyable I’ve ever experienced. If I had to give advice to someone entering the field, especially with little art experience, I would say definitely attend a reputable art school. There exist some people with natural art ability, but even they need to be taught the essentials of drawing. Cartoons are not just stick figures with a funny gag line; they should also be good art. I’ve learned from hard experience that it takes a lot longer to draw by guess than by knowledge. History is essential to every endeavor in which we engage, and cartooning is no exception. Anyone entering the field should study the history of cartooning to know where it came from and what it’s all about. To those who would like to draw editorial cartoons, talk to editorial cartoonists. Make your cartoons trenchant and thought provoking, insert your own point of view, and above all, make them humorous–go for the laugh.

Finally, if you’re going to cartoon at all, enjoy it. Get excited! Be bizarre (your cartoons, that is)! Above all, make people laugh!

As for me, I’ll just continue to cartoon happily along, and maybe I’ll be discovered and become famous. Oh, if anyone needs a cartoon, contact me, I’d be happy to consider it.

You can check out more of Mort’s editorial work online at http://www.mortoons.com.