• Road ID – Branding Done Right

    I recently purchased an item at Road ID (https://www.roadid.com/) and I was completely blown away by how on point and how consistent their branding is. They are an ID company that makes IDs and medical IDs for active people, kids, pets. Not only does their branding speak to the whole active lifestyle/outdoor aesthetic, but it’s also has a really friendly vibe. Bravo to their designers. Here are some examples: WEBSITE: It’s not that hard in this day and age to have a brand consistent landing page. What you don’t see as often is brand continuity through all the other fine points. Their Contact Page is a case in point. I…

  • My Design Process

    Since I’m often asked about my process, here you go. First and foremost I like to meet with the client – preferably in person, but zoom works too. This gives me an idea of who they are, what their design sensibilities are, etc. We discuss: The scope of the project Touch on things like preferred colors if any, preferred style if any, things to avoid, and so on. We discuss timeline. I ask for their logo file Do they have an image, text or other content they want to use? If it’s a custom item, the size required. Then I head to the studio where I do the following: Research…

  • Time to Unplug

    As a freelancer I am my company. It’s just me and I have to wear all hats – designer, admin, marketing person, customer contact, file clerk, etc.  As such, I shut the studio down completely a couple of times a year for a week – or two – depending on workload, what else is happening around me, etc. to recharge. I have been asked why I would do this. Don’t I feel I’m jeopardizing the business? Shouldn’t I be available all the time? The answer to all this is no. It’s not sustainable. In addition to the company, I’m a wife and mom and while I have teens at home,…

  • Some Favorite Quotes

    Here are some of my favorite quotes about graphic design, design in general and design in business. Enjoy! “Design is thinking made visual.” Saul Bass “There are three responses to a piece of design – yes, no, and WOW! Wow is the one to aim for.” Milton Glaser “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Leonardo da Vinci “Good design is good business.” Thomas Watson, Jr. “You can have an art experience in front of a Rembrandt… or in front of a piece of graphic design.” Stefan Sagmeister  “Design is a formal response to a strategic question.” Mariona Lopez “Design is the intermediary between information and understanding.” Hans Hoffmann “If you can…